Who Knew?

Years ago, (I'm afraid to declare how many, just in case someone out there reading thinks I am younger than I am) I was a flagtwirler at Timpview High School. I was on the drill team my junior year, but as seniors we all decided to try out for cheerleading and flagtwirling. There were 6 Varsity cheerleaders and 6 Varsity Flagtwirlers.....(no I did not twirl with the band....not that there's anything wrong with that). I decided to try for Flagtwirling because I thought my chances were a little better making it. In those days, you tried out in front of the student body and they voted---that's how you made it. (That is a frightening thought). Well I was pretty sure the skills I learned that year would NEVER come in handy again...I was wrong. This year in our production number the seniors are going to twirl flags....Who Knew?

Did I teach them that?

My kids are growing up....it seems like the teaching years are almost gone. I start to panic....'did I teach them that?' I'm sure that there are so many things I have forgotten to tell them....will they listen now? Kenzie is 16 and Easton is 13. Kenzie is just starting to date and Easton will be there soon enough. My kids don't seem that comfortable with the opposite sex. That can be a good and a bad thing. It seems like I've spent so much time telling them things not to do and to stay away from I have forgotten to tell them all the things to do. Always open the door for a girl. Always let the boy open the door for you. Always tell your date she looks beautiful, or her hair looks good, or she smells nice. Always say thank you when you get a compliment and give one back. Always put your napkin in your lap. Always chew with your mouth closed. Always offer your coat or your hand. Always have enough money to pay for the date. Always walk your date to the door. Always make your date feel special. Always be sensitive and understanding. Always say thank you at the end of the date. Always pay attention to your date, not your friends. Always call again if you say you will. Always remember who you are.

Hate is a strong word....

Hate is a strong word and there is a lot of it in our country. I recently visited the church history site where so many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints endured much persecution. Reading a post yesterday from my niece Jackie I had to post these. The persecution is not over. Recently Proposition 8 passed in California. Members of the church, along with the rest of California residents voted. And it passed. Mormons do not make up the majority of California, yet the majority of the state passed Proposition 8.

Our church does not hate people who choose to have a different lifestyle than us. We love all people. All we did was stand up for what we believe. And we believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. While those who disagree with our church's position on Proposition 8 have every right to express how they feel....this is unnecessary, and it makes me cry.
Can't we all just get along?

Thanks Jackie for the post.

Oops...I forgot

Dear Kiersten,

I am so sorry I forgot to post on your BIRTHDAY....so HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY!!! I was trying to remember when you started dancing---I think 1994? (Kiersten reminded me...where did the years go?) It's been fun watching you grow up. You are a beautiful, talented girl. You have a wonderful smile and a fun laugh. You ALWAYS work hard. You NEVER (never say never) make mistakes and I can count on you for anything I need. You don't complain, you don't whine. You are such an asset to the team. Thank you for making my job that much easier. You are such a success in life because you love life and live EACH day to the fullest with 100 percent of your potential.

Lori

I should have never started.....

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When I first started my blog I gave a 'shout out' to one of my drill team girls whose birthday it was....well if I am anything, I am FAIR and so I need to say 'Happy Birthday' to two more of my girls. Happy Birthday to Megan Roylance who has a birthday today, and Lindsay Reis who has a birthday tomorrow. (SORRY Lindsay we have TWO practice on your birthday, but I am pretty sure there is nowhere else you would rather be, but at practice with ME).

Megan is a freshman and very petite. I use to always tease her that she was going to have to grow taller or she didn't have a chance to make the team. But Megan is a GIANT in talent. She has a ton of natural abitlity and pretty much can do anything you ask her to do, and MORE. She also is an extremely hard worker. I love you Megan.

Lindsay is a senior. If Lindsay and I were closer to the same age, I'm pretty sure we would be best friends....(wait, we are-right?)
Lindsay is beautiful, smart, funny, and CRAZY. I would kill for her skin. I can always count on Lindsay to make me laugh and I love that about her. She's dependable and reliable and does a great job. Happy Birthday Lindsay!

A Rare Family Vacation

We just returned home from a RARE family vacation. We took the kids out of school and flew back to Buffalo, NY. We rented a "LUXURY" rental car which we affectionately named 'Uncle Boyd' and drove cross country. We don't take the time to go on vacation much. Reid is busy with farming and church work. The kids have lots of extra-curricular activities they are involved in and so do I, but we went, and I am so GRATEFUL we did.





Our first stop was Niagra Falls. We saw the falls by day and by night. We then went to Palmyra and vistied the Hill Cumorah and saw the Palmyra Temple. We visited the Grandin building and the home of Martin Harris. We then went to Kirkland, Ohio and saw the Temple there and the Whitney Store and Jon Johnson home.








We walked through the Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith at the age of 14 went to pray to ask the Lord which of the many churches he should join. In response to his prayer, God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ appeared and told him the true church was not on the earth yet. Joseph had been chosen to restore it. The grove was sacred and peaceful and calming and beautiful, and the feeling I had while walking through I will not soon forget.



Next stop Nauvoo. WE loved our stay in Nauvoo. Kenzie and I felt like we were in a movie. It was small and quaint and old fashioned. We learned how to make bricks, rope, boots, bread, candles and rugs.



This is the Nauvoo Temple. The temple took the saints 6 years to build. Shortly after the saints were driven from Nauvoo the temple was desecrated by mobs and burned to the ground. The church began to rebuild the temple in 1999. Drawings from the 1846 temple allowed contractors to closely replicate the exterior as drawn in the original plans.



And this is the view of the temple from our hotel in Nauvoo. It was breathtaking. I just couldn't stop thinking about the sacrifices the saints made to build this beautiful temple, and then before it was even completed they had to leave it and move on because of the persecution. But they did so with faith, and built another beautiful temple in Salt Lake City when they arrived there.



This is Sister Colleen O'Neil. Her and her husband Mike are serving a mission in Nauvoo. The senior missionaries were so cute. They were happy to see us....(sometimes we were the only visitors that day) and very enthusiastic about their job. They always wanted to guess the kids ages, and everyone had a grandaughter they wanted to set Jordan up with... Anyone else have any suggestions for him?



Just in case your planning on moving to Nauvoo its important to know they have a dance studio....do you think this means I can write this trip off?




While at Nauvoo we had a carriage ride, a wagon ride and a ride with the oxen. All of the them were fun and informative, but I was so grateful I was only riding around for an hour or so instead of making a two thousand mile journey across the country, packing all my belongings in them.



Wherever we go Kenzie makes friends....did you get his number?



Our final church history site was Carthage Jail where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred. It was humbling and overwhelming and a feeling I will never forget. The spirit was strong and I have never known more strongly that Joseph Smith was a Prophet and labored all the days of his live in God's work. He was willing to die for what he knew was right and true. "I had seen a vision, I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it."



Our last stop on the trip was St. Louis, Missouri where Reid served a two year mission 30 years ago. We drove around for awhile trying to find places he had served or lived....but believe it or not, things have changed in 30 years. We think he lived in this apartment at one time...and if not, it was an apartment that looked just like this 30 years ago.



And of course because Reid loves heights....we had to all go up to the top of the arch and look over the city. The trip was an amazing experience for all of us. WE loved being together, we all saw so many new things and our testimonies were strengthened.

365 days down.....365 days to go

Today marks Elder Quinnton Reid Baker's one year mark on a mission. Sometimes it seems like he has been gone forever, and sometimes it seems like he left yesterday. We are so very proud of him and his service to the people of Vanuatu. He has had to learn many new things, The language is difficult and different everywhere he goes. His companions have mostly been from the native islands and they are unschooled in many things. But they are working hard daily because they are committed to the Lord and his cause. They pray and study and then go out and do the Lord's work. Keep the faith Quinn! We love you for your dedication and service to the Lord. (And we miss you....)