Daddy's back!

Jeff got back from his study abroad last Friday night. It worked out that he got home a week early and was able to spend some time with his family before we all headed back to Texas.
 
Here are some of the highlight pictures of his trip:

 

 

We all missed him so much! The kids knew that he was coming home Friday so that morning Talmage came out and said (very excitedly) "Daddy's Home!"
I had to spoil the fun and tell him that Daddy was still on a plane and would be home that night after they were asleep. Then Grant came out and said "Daddy's Home!"
Oh, such joy to have him coming home, but hard for the kids to understand that he wasn't there that morning :).
The next morning all the kids were so excited to see Daddy! Even Punkin was saying Daddy in her bed before he went in to get her!
Here are some pictures of Jeff with the family.

Sandra and Daddy before church.

Grant laying with Daddy while he napped on the floor (still adjusting to the time change).


Jeff with his Dad and sister. It's cute when they sit alike :).

Jeff cuddling his brother Nathan while he napped. Too cute!

Jeff talking with his dad about shoes. They had some good bonding time :).

 

Fun with Friends and Family

It has been a busy summer. The kids have gotten to hang out with their cousins quite a bit. They have been swimming, to splash parks, friends and family houses, and being Grandma and Grandpa so much. We have been involved with projects, but I think my kids favorite is getting to play with friends (cousins count in this category) so much! Here are just a few pictures of the fun we've had. It has been a hot summer, but with all the fun I don't think they mind so much.

 

Why I don't miss Phoenix

Looking at the Phoenix temps lately and knowing I will be flying back there in a week I had to take a moment to appreciate the HIGH temps here in Germany being in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and an occaisional temp in the 80's. I love it when it is in the 60's and 70's! I have to remind myself that this is summer time. A friend (Livingstones) recently posted a list about how hot Phoenix is. I thought I would copy her list and add a few more. Given that I will be flying back there next week, I thought It would be appropriate to remind myself why I don't like the extreme heat. They may not seem real but I assure you they are true; so true that they aren't even funny. So how hot is Phoenix?

1. you get excited when you cross a bridge and see water below you.
2. you can say 113 degrees without fainting.
3. you learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
4. the temperature drops below 95, you feel a bit chilly.
5. you've experienced condensation on your bottom from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
6. you discover that in July, people wear oven mits or gloves to drive.
7. you discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window. (tinting is a must)
8. you notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
9. hot water now comes out of both taps.
10. it's noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is out on the streets.
11. you actually burn your hand opening the car door, starting the ignition, or touching the belt buckle
12. you break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. before work.
13. no one would dream of putting vinyl upholstery in a car or not having air conditioning.
14. your biggest bicycle wreck fear is how bad you will burn if you touch the concrete too long.
15. you realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
16. you will never use the phrase, "but it is a dry heat."
17. you feed your chickens ice cubes so they don't lay hard boiled eggs (from a comment on a blog)
18. the overnight low is in the 90's and they average over ninety 100+ degree days (as high as 122 degrees)
19. Nothing is left on the dash board or it will become apart of the dashboard after melting.
20. it was so hot, planes were grounded for weather reasons due to too much sun.

I know lists like this are everywhere and they especially show themselves in the summer but it is nice to reminisce. Aside from the heat, Arizona is really a pretty decent place to live. There are lots of good things about the state. I will continue to enjoy the Munich weather while I can. Then I can go home to Texas and cool off. Do you have any favorite "It's so hot in Phoenix phrases"?

Jeff

Someone is missing

Right now we are missing our Daddy. He is far away for school and our family is not the same with out him!

With him being gone, he has turned 30 without much notice. This is a nice time to say how much I love him and honor him for the wonderful man he is - and Happy Birthday!

Our family is not the same without him! He is often gone, doing school, work, callings etc and it doesn't really bother me ... because everything he is busy doing is to help strengthen our family. He is so selfless! This has been a good time to remember that even though he is often gone that we love him and need him with our family! We are better with him here! He sacrifices so much time to help better our family and it often goes unrecognized. There is so much time spent studying and schooling (these days) because he is striving to accomplish something great for us!!! I know that school may be difficult and the time he must spend away is not fun, but I am grateful for all he continues to do to help our family progress!

He is a wonderful example of service! He will help in a moments notice and rarely does anything for his own interests. I'm sure he would like to have more time to pursue hobbies instead of making a patio or cleaning out the garage, or the many other home projects he helps with. He doesn't complain, or need time away, just enjoys the time we have together. He enjoys getting to help with church service as well. The example he sets for our children is awesome! It is not aways convenient or easy, but it brings him joy and blessings to our family! What a great way to teach service to our children!

Jeff loves his kids! It is so sweet to see him love his children! They are precious little spirits and he can make them smile so easily. They are a treasure to him. I know that he values who they are and wants them to progress through life the way that they should. He loves to teach them and enjoy playing with them! I'm often grateful to see him spend time with the boys and teach them something new (that I would rather not do - like math or such). He is great about helping get them to bed and teaching them about prayer! I could go on and on, but what a great blessing to our family he has been as a wonderful, loving father!

Jeff is a great husband! I have loved him for more than 10 years! It may sound like a long time, but it has gone so fast. Yet this time has been so amazing that my love for him as my husband, friend, and companion have grown and grown! I can not imagine my life with out him! He loves me and values who I am for me and the ways that I have grown and developed over this time. Jeff continues to grow and become better and that is a great example to me as I strive to make the most of my time here on earth.

I know that I have room to improve as a wife, but I wanted to take the time to honor my sweet husband for all that he is and all that he continues to do! Hunny, you are amazing and thank you for EVERYTHING you do! You are beautiful inside and out! Thanks for all your love and support and for all the time that you work so hard for us! We love you and can't wait to have you back with our family!

Love forever - meme

Utah trip!

Jeff is doing a summer program so I am on my own with the kids. During this time we went to Utah to visit my brother and his family. It was so much fun! My kids didn't know these cousins at all and it was such a great week to hang out with them! Thanks so much guys for letting us come and stay and do such fun things together!

Some of the highlights of the trip:
Playing outside with bubbles, taking their dogs for a walk (the boys got to help do this once), playing with dinosaurs!, going to Wheeler farm, picnic with family, going to temple square, going to Hogle zoo, playing games, watching movies, eating, more eating, a beautiful rainbow, shopping with my mom and sister-in-law, and lots of playing!

It was great to hang out and I just love their daughters (they only have girls). They are so sweet and really helpful too (they have 2 teenagers - I would've taken them home with me if I could). It had been way too long since we had been together and I'm so glad I got this chance! My brother was working, but the evenings were fun together. He is so active and fun with the kids. I even got to play frisbee with him and one of his daughters. My kids really enjoyed him and Mhari even gave him a hug before we left. What an awesome uncle! Spending time with my mom was great too! She is a busy lady and it was great that she took the time to drive up with me and hang out.

Over all it was great! Lots of kids, so lots of craziness, but overall so many great times!  Enjoy a small sample of the photos from the trip.


Marissa with Sandra and Ilana

 

 
Rachel and Grant

 

 

 

 
Touring the Conference Center

 
Grant and Marissa

 

 

 
Elise with a Christ statue

 
Grant with Heber J. Grant :)

 
Talmage with James E. Talmage

 
On the roof of the Conference Center

 

 
Grandma and Elise

 
Sandra and Sabrina in their cute new hats!

 
The fun drinking fountain at the Hogle Zoo

 

 
Mhari :)

 

 
Outside the Salt Lake Temple!