Saturday, April 24, 2010

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my angel Mother's birthday.
My sister Laurel gave a beautiful tribute to her, please be sure to head over to her blog and read it. I echo what Laurel has already said, and just wanted to add some of my favorite pictures of my Mom and add a few thoughts as well.

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~Washington Irving

I will always be grateful for a mother who is also one of my best friends.


All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother. ~Abraham Lincoln

It's only been since I became a mother myself that I realize what my mother has sacrificed in order to be the amazing mother that she is. Her first thought is always of someone else. She has been such an amazing example of selfless love.


My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~Graycie Harmon


"A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."
~ Cardinal Mermillod


"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." ~George Washington

When I think of my beautiful mother, I see her smiling face, which is a culmination of all that she is -- loving, kind, sweet, thoughtful, tender-hearted, strong, powerful, and inspirational.


Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life. After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman. ~Joseph F. Smith

I know that any success of my own (or that of my siblings) is due in large part to the constant efforts of my parents. The above picture is an example of a day owed entirely to the efforts of my parents -- the four adult siblings in the temple together, enjoying the blessings of the temple ordinances. I know that we have all grown to love the Lord because my Mother (and my Father too, of course) loved Him first. She taught by precept as well as example, those things that were most important and we never doubted her dedication to the Gospel.


I love you, Mom. I love you for who you are, who you've helped me to become, and for the great blessings you bring to my life. I'm grateful that I get to have you with me when I bring another baby into the world. After all, anything I do well as a mother, I do well because you were my amazing example.

Happiest of birthdays. Hope you know how much you are loved.

Spring Break -- Las Vegas

{all the kiddos, minus little Seth}
One of the highlights of our Spring Break trip was a quick overnight visit to our dear friends, The Pauls. They moved to Las Vegas last year and we have missed them dearly! Nate and Ethan became fast friends, as though no time had passed. The Pauls were our across-the-street-neighbors when we lived in Dallas for med school, and they've been some of our favorite friends ever since. How lucky we were to be close enough to go visit them!!

Sweet Elenna was celebrating her 6th birthday and we got to celebrate with her!

Ethan and Nate. They share a love of all things Star Wars and Wii. :)


The menfolk. Love Adam's face in this one, what the heck?!
Somehow I don't have any of me and Jennette (whoopsie) so you'll have to imagine our hot selves in a photo ...


Aidan was cracking us up with this style of cupcake-eating. The style of 'Get It All Over Ya.'


Thanks, Pauls, for a fabulous evening, a great nights' sleep, and a FABULOUS breakfast ;) wink, wink. Love you. Hope to see you again soon!

Spring Break -- Saint George

{Sorry for the giant amount of photos!}

For our Spring Break (part one), we met Adam's parents in Saint George at their condo. His brother Paul, his wife Rachael and their two girls joined us for a few days, too! It was a nice trip, even with the two days of driving each way :)

Here are a few pictures of our trip....


The kids at the Kids Table ... waiting on hamburgers from Grandpa's new grill


One of the best parts of the condo is the lush grass that grows just outside the front door. The kiddos loved playing there, throwing the balls as high as they could.

(Just glad that Nate has a smile on his face)

Nate and Sydney were good little buddies and were so sad when our time together was over!

We went to a restaurant called Pirate Island for dinner one evening. It was a fun theme restaurant, decorated really cute and even had good food! (Sometimes if the restaurant is too fun, the food is no good, you know?!) Here are our little pirates.

Showing off their tokens ... ready to play in the arcade!

We took the kids to a jump house place ... you know the type ... a warehouse full of bouncehouses. This is Rachael and her girls.

I thought it would be fun if I could show you the boys' faces as they went down the slides ... totally opposite reactions, haha!

Aidan had a terrified look on his face every single time he went down the slides, but then would rush to go again. Cracked me up.

On a hike near the condo ... it is so beautiful in Saint George!


The boys with their grandparents (these are Adam's parents)

Isn't it lovely? I love how the view we got from the condo had snow-capped mountains and red rocks ... it's such a unique place.


Of course one of our favorite things to do there is SWIM!





We took advantage of the many things the condo's rec center had to offer ...


...including the mini-golf course!



I included this image (above) even though it's a little blurry ... I thought my family would get a kick out of it ... can you see his tongue sticking out? He sure is his Grandpa Busath's grandson! haha!


BIG thanks to Adam's parents for sharing the condo with us for the week. It was a perfect getaway!

Monday, April 05, 2010

Easter 2010







Please excuse the bed-head hair ... it is just how we roll around here. There was no time to be wasted on vanity, after all, there was CANDY HIDDEN IN EGGS in our backyard! Time was of the essence!
Hope you all had a lovely weekend. We really did. We had a fun and delicious egg hunt, and then had our church missionaries over for a yummy Easter dinner.
Happy Easter, Y'all!

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Name This Baby! {Post Edit}

We've added a fun little poll to the left
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Please be sure to vote and help us name this baby! (And yes, we reserve the right to veto the blog vote and choose our own. haha) And be sure to leave a comment to tell me how you feel about those names, even if you have to tell me what my sister Angela told me : "I hate all of them."

POST-EDIT : How come none of you called me out on saying that the poll was to the RIGHT when in fact it was to the LEFT (and I even had the arrow pointing to the left!)? C'mon now people, I expect you to help me when I have my Blonde Moments and correct me! :)

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Happy Birthday, Laurel!


Today is my sister Laurel's birthday! I hope that California is especially beautiful for her special day. And that she gets to eat some cake :)
Here are some things about Laurel :

L Loving. Laurel has one of the kindest, most tender hearts of anyone I know. She would do anything to help someone in need.

A Awesomely Talented. She is amazing at digital scrapbooking and design, and is a much better photographer than I. If you need proof, just check out her website : http://laurellakey.com

U Unique. Laurel is unique in a refreshing way, and her perspective is often so helpful to me so that I can see things differently. And as the older sister who often thinks my perspective is the only perspective, I've been grateful for her point of view.

R Reverent. She has a connection to all that is Divine in this world, and is close to the Lord. She reveres that which is sacred and spiritual, and strives to do what is right.

E Extremely great mother. Laurel would do anything for her two boys, and I know they mean the world to her. They will grow up to be so grateful that Heavenly Father placed them in her care, because she takes that trust very seriously and tries to be the best mom she can be.

L Loyal. Laurel is an extremely loyal friend, wife, sister, and mother. She is dedicated and would give every ounce of herself for her loved ones. It's a privilege to be one of those people and I'm still working on deserving it.


Love you, Laur! Have a fabulous birthday celebration!