Uplifting Conference

Life gets so crazy sometimes. Crazy enough that we forget to take care of ourselves every now and then. I missed both of Saturday's General Conference sessions, and Sunday morning I was determined to get some Conference in. I am so glad I did that. Sunday morning's session was FABULOUS! It was filled with messages of love and hope and forgiveness. It was calming for me to sit and listen while Lexi napped and Zack watched a movie on the computer. It's also nice to have a DVR so that I can pause when I need to to take care of the kids. What a wonderful invention! I can take care of my kids and still catch everything!

My favorite talk of the session was President Uchtdorf's talk. I adore him! His messages are always so uplifting. Yesterday he spoke of Love and showing love, compassion and understanding to all around us. This is a subject that I have felt strongly about and has weighed heavily on my mind for quite some time. I enjoyed his talk so much that I don't want to wait for the Ensign to come out next month to enjoy it again, so I got online this morning and listened to it all over again. A few of my favorite quotes:
"I hope that we welcome and love all of God's children. Including those who might dress, look, speak or just do things differently."
"It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient."
"I am not suggesting that we accept sin or overlook evil in our personal life or the world. Nevertheless, in our zeal we sometimes confuse sin with sinner, and condemn too quickly and with too little compassion."
"We cannot gauge the worth of another soul anymore than we can measure the span of the Universe."
"Everyone is walking his or her own difficult path."
"It is unworthy of us as Christians to think that those who suffer deserve their suffering."
"Let us love at all times. Let us especially be there for our brothers and sisters in their time of adversity."

I have always felt that we need to love and support everyone, even when we disagree with their beliefs or actions. I love to listen to an Apostle of our Lord confirm that Love is the only effective way to communicate across all differences, and that we do need to distinguish between the sinner and the sin. Too much of society in general wants to condemn those that don't agree with their own values, beliefs and opinions. And it is so prevalent on the internet, where people feel so safe in their anonymity. I'm tired of those who say if you can't take the insults, or if you find offense in a statement, then you need to stay off the internet. Just because things are done a certain way, and have been for some time, doesn't mean that it is right, or that it needs to stay that way.
I feel that we need to take this talk from President Uchtdorf and live the principles he set forth. Let's be positive influences to those around us. Make a change in how you see and treat people, and we can make a difference in how others see and treat us. A little kindness and respect can go a looooong way!

Trip to Paradise

Aaron and I had a wonderful opportunity to go to Hawaii this last week. It was a great trip to paradise. Aaron won a free stay at a condo on Kauai, so it was not a deal we were willing to pass up. We spent a week there. The greatest thing about this trip was that we didn't feel pressure to do, well, anything! We did a lot of nothing for a week. It was a wonderful break from the usual grind.

Our fist day there we went to the local Costco and the grocery store to pick up some food so we wouldn't have to eat out every meal. That is one of the nicest reasons to stay in a condo instead of a hotel. One night we made our own lobster tails, at a quarter of the price it would have been to eat out, and they were FABULOUS! We really got use of the grill there. With our lobster we grilled up some squash and zucchini with some oil and garlic salt. They were heavenly. We ate well!
The next day we drove up the coast to the North Shore. There were a lot a beautiful sights along the way. We stopped at the lighthouse and wildlife preserve and looked out at the beautiful ocean. Well, we looked out at the beautiful ocean a lot. One of my favorite sights of the day was the overlook of Hanalei Valley. Gorgeous! Along the way we also stopped to see some caves. When we got to the end of the road we thought about snorkeling for a while before heading home, but it was pretty rainy and chilly, so we decided to just call it a day and head home. It was a beautiful drive.

The first day we went to the beach to swim, we forgot to make sure our camera was set up properly. Aaron got a waterproof case for our video camera so we could take it snorkeling with us. But since we didn't set it up before we got to the beach we didn't take it out with us the first time. But we made sure it was set up before we went out to the beach the second time. The second day we were at the beach we went out snorkeling twice, but between times the camera got a bit fogged up, so the second time the pictures didn't turn out very well. That was a real bummer because when we were out that time we saw a huge school of fish. There were tons of them, and all so close we could reach out and touch them! It was truly amazing to see.

I think the highlight of the trip for both of us was the day we went out on an ATV tour. We rode out on a ranch where they have filmed a few movies. We got to see the field where dinos ran through Jurassic Park, the trees the monkeys hung out in in Outbreak, and the river that Indiana Jones escaped on in Raiders of the Lost Ark. We even got to swing out and swim in that river, right where Dr. Jones did. Normally, the trails kick up a lot of dust and they tell you to wear a handkerchief over your nose and mouth to keep out the dust, but it had rained all morning, and it was pretty muddy. Aaron had a blast plowing through the puddles and splashing muddy water all over. Ok, so did I. At the end of the trip we got to clean off in a waterfall. The pond and falls were in the shade, so the water was pretty cold. It would be lovely after a hot summer day ride, but after a cool spring day, it was a bit too chilly.

After our ATV tour we hurried back to the condo, showered, threw our clothes in the wash and went down the street for a luau. The food was fabulous! The Hawaiians really know how to throw a party. The dancers were beautiful. It was fun to see and hear some of their traditions and legends. Aaron loved the fire dancer. It was pretty cool to see him dance with the fire. I can't imagine the discipline it must take to master something like that. What a busy and fun day!

The next day we drove up the west coast. Our first stop was Spouting Horn. Here where the lava met the water, lava tubes were created. When the waves crash on the shore here it pushes the water through the tubes and makes a kind of geyser. One of the neatest things about it is the sound it makes when the wind and water rush through the tubes. The old legend is that a brave warrior was out fishing on the shore when a dragon showed up. They fought and went into the tubes where the warrior escaped, and the dragon got stuck. The sound you hear is the dragon roaring, trying to get out. And it really does sound like a dragon roar! We hung out there for quite a while, and even saw a turtle in the water.

We drove up the coast to Wimea Canyon. They call this the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. I did not even think such a huge wonder could fit on such a small island! The drive through the mountains almost made me feel at home, but Aaron reminded me it smelled too green for it to be home. The only bummer about our drive up the canyon was it poured. So we didn't get to see as far as we would have liked. The good thing about the rain was the waterfall we could see, that wouldn't have been there if not for the rain. And we both love waterfalls! This was the most gorgeous drive we took. I loved it.

We had such a wonderful time! However, we missed Zack and Lexi a lot. One night we sat there just pulling up pictures of the kids on our phones and giggling at how cute they are. This trip made us realize that we don't want to take any more vacations without them. If there is a trip that we don't feel comfortable taking them with us, it will just have to wait. But we are glad we went on this one.

Keeping Us on the Straight and Narrow

Ah, the innocence of kids! Zack amazes me sometimes with the things he retains. And sometimes it can be a great reminder for us.
When I started getting to work by 7 a.m. a few months ago, Aaron and I decided to do our own prayer together in the mornings rather than wake up the kids that early (Ok, we tried it once, and realized it doesn't work...). A couple of weeks ago Zack woke up and came out of his room while we were praying. He stood in the hall just looking at us until we finished our prayer. The second "Amen" was said, he flipped. "I wanna have family prayer!" He was sooooo distraught that we prayed without him. It was a wonderful chance to tell him that we can pray as many times as we need to. It was an easy fix, just say another prayer. Unfortunately, his screaming and crying woke up Lexi too, and she woke up crying. So we had to divide and conquer.
This morning we had to have a second prayer as well. No screaming fit, but he was pretty upset that I almost left without having a prayer with him.
There are a few times on the weekends when Zack will come in and wake Aaron and I up to tell us that it's time for family prayer. I love this! It's good to have reminders every now and then that at least I'm doing something right. And it's good to have a reminder to take care of business before going about my day.

Reading Time

One thing that Aaron and I have been very grateful for is Zack's love of books and reading. A great joy we have is that Lexi is following in his footsteps. We are very frequently asked to read to her, and she likes to sit in the "Lexi sized" chair and read her books.

She's cute, huh?!

Another great thing to see is Zack reading to her.

I really hope that we can foster this love to last their lifetimes!

Scary Goblins

Ever since Zack was three months old, he has been an excellent sleeper. We rarely have a problem with him in the middle of the night, and he always prefers to sleep in his own bed.
Last night was the first time he has climbed into bed with Aaron and I, for any reason. He came tearing into our room a little before 2 a.m. He shook me awake and asked if he could sleep in our bed, there were goblins! I sleepily pulled him up into bed, told him he was more than welcome to join us, and he curled right into Aaron's arms. About a half-hour later I decided to see if he was ready to go back to his bed. I picked him up and he asked if they were gone. I told him, of course they were gone. I got him back in bed, reassured him that the goblins were gone, and I didn't hear another peep from him all night.
Before leaving for work this morning I asked Aaron if he woke up at all for this little adventure, and I'm not surprised, he slept right through it. Aaron did hear about the goblins from Zack on the way to the babysitter. Zack casually mentioned that there were goblins last night, and he was scared. Aaron was quick to let him know that goblins don't stay at our house because, as scary as goblins may be, they're more scared of Dad. Zack accepted this as an obvious truth, saying, "Oh yeah!" Hopefully this will help his little active imagination handle the scary dreams that are bound to happen.

Shoe Shopping

So last night we went out to get a few things, new play shoes for Zack and a birthday present for Landon's birthday party. On our first stop we saw, yet again, how indeppendent Zack has become. We also saw just how much Zack had grown. He is now in the Kids section, no longer a Toddler.
Anyways, we were looking for shoes that would go with his everyday wear. We decided that we were going to go with laces this time because now would be a good time to show him how to tie his own laces. While searching for those shoes, Zack fond a pair the HE wanted. Mom didn't care for them too much and tried to show him 2 other pairs. He decided he was not going to have any part of that! It is at this point that he started to thow a fit, and when Daddy stepped in. Amanda then took Lexi off to entertain her while dad dealt with the situation. This is how the following is recounted:

Dad calmly: "Zack, who's shoes are these?"
Zack yelling: "ME!"
Dad again calmly: "Ok, so you do have a say in the matter, but who is going to pay for the shoes?"
Zack trailing off: "Mommy...."
Dad calmly: "Ok, so who do you think get's the final say as to which shoes to buy?"
Zack pointing: "YOU!!!"

While Amanda was off entertaining the little princess, Lexi found some pink shoes and asked Amanda to put them on, afterwords stating: "Cute shoes, cute shoes". Lexi was disappointed when Amanda had to take them off so that we could go. She even tried to grab them again before leaving and was quite upset when Amanda put them back. What a little girl she is becoming! We have plenty of shoes thanks to several people sharing their hand-me-downs. Maybe next time Lexi. Shortly after, Zack decided that the shoes he really liked and had to have where the ones the mom really want to get for him. Ah, the power of persuasion. So we put both shoes on him and he ran to take the box up to the cashier.

We then walked, Zack ran in his new shoes, to the train store (Target) to get a birthday present for Landon and to look and see if there were any new trains that Zack could get with his good boy tokens. While we were there we found Kevin, a new crane truck that works in the Sodor Steamworks. Zack had to have him. Then we found a present for Landon which we had to explain to Zack that the train was for him but the new present was for his cousin. As we walked back to the car, Aaron put Lexi down and had her walk while holding his hand. Aaron had to lean to one side a bit, very cute to see. At the car we opened Zacks train and were very happy to see that the makers of the toy had not included a ton of packaging but simply advised that if we wanted to find out more about Thomas and his friends then we could go to www.thomasandfriends.com/engines . So after getting home, feeding the kids and getting them into their jammies, Aaron hooked up the laptop to the TV and played on the website for a while until it was time to go to bed. Zack had a blast watching Aaron go through the website with games and video's. One that he is very excited to see is Thomas and Friends: Hero of the Rails, a new CG animated movie coming to theaters. He hasn't stopped talking about it.

All and all, a great time spent as a family!!!

A Love Letter to My Wife

My Dearest Amanda,
I know that it has been some time that you have heard from me so I thought that I would drop you a line. Amanda, I want you to know that as time goes on, I find myself able to love on a much greater and deeper level and I believe that is because of you. Amanda over the years you have shown me what kind of a friend, husband, father and man I really can be. I say that you have shown me because with you in my life I strive to a better person. 
From the fist time I saw you I knew that my life had changed forever. It's like in the movies, with the slow motion and with the lighting just right. You looked up and smiled at me. I was not in the best place in my life, in fact I was in the worst place I had ever found myself. It is because of you that I found a greater appreciation for God, and the love that He has for each and everyone of us. I feel He wanted to personally show me that love by introducing you into my life. And I had to act the fool and try to show off how to push a stupid button! Man what was I thinking? 
I guess we are all given a little liberty when we see an angel for the fist time. Because of you, I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a better person no matter what. I wanted to be someone that you wanted to be with because I wanted to be with you as much as I possibly could. Yeah I fumbled a few dozen times but you found the good in what I was trying to accomplish. Amanda you had such a positive outlook on life. So fresh and vibrant. You worked so hard on what you were passionate about. I loved to see your passion. It made me want to work harder to meet your enthusiasm. 
I want to thank you for supporting me through the years. You have been such a great support for me to build my hopes and dream on when I had nothing to even build with. You helped me so much by supporting me in my life even when others wouldn't. You made it worth it, and coming home was a blessing because then I knew that I would be able to start to build something for the both of us. You know, I've planned the most amazing things and when they wouldn't work out you still thought the best of me and my intentions.  
If I could say what the best quality is about you it would be a tie between how you find the good in what I do and your smile. But who could stop there. You have an infectious laugh. You could make anyone laugh. But mostly I just like making you laugh. Even when I can't seem to find the laughter in my life I always want find it in yours. It brings so many things to life. 
Amanda, you are an amazing mother. Few things in your life bring you to life like being a mother and you do it so well. When I see you with the children it's that whole movie thing again. Slow motion,perfect lighting and instead of just one angel I see many. It's hard to believe that I was a part of making such wonderful children and in making you so happy too. If it seem that I have been neglectful as of late I do apologize. I spread myself a little thin in trying to make so many people happy. But that is something that I learned from you. Seeing the light in Zack and Lexi's eyes remind me so much of the light in your eyes. Guess it easy seeing as how they both have your eyes.
Amanda just remember that in this life we are to have joy. I know this better then most because I get the chance to make both you and our children happy. There is nothing greater in this whole wide world that I would rather be doing then to be doing what I am doing right here and right now. You make life wonderful. You are my life. I wouldn't know what would've happened to me if you had not been there that day. I thank God every day for showing me his love through you and the children. My only hope is that I can learn from your wonderful examples and show you just how wonderful you really are.

Just remember I'll love you !!!!!!!!.... AFAL 


~Aaron