Swim Team 2014

Another year of Swim Team down!  It was a great year!  Justin made it to more of the swim meets this summer so that was nice.  Each of the kids qualified for finals but we were in Pinetop so they didn't get to go to them.  Kind of nice because all that pressure was gone but sad at the same time because they had all worked so hard all summer!

Logan and Ryker... two peas in a pod!

Love these boys of mine!

Grant was very mad he didn't get to be on swim team this summer.  But I just didn't feel like he was quite ready especially since I didn't have a pool to help teach him this summer.  Sad summer..... we all REALLY missed our pool!

This was the Morenci meet.... they all did great!

Just Kiersten, Hunter and Logan and myself traveled to Morenci for the meet.  It would have been way too hot for little Ella.  So Justin volunteered to stay home with her and Grant.  Justin was happy to not have to sit in the sun too.  It was a Saturday morning meet so it got pretty toasty!!!

After the meet we ate at R&R Pizza with Jessica Summers and her boys.  Super fun to visit with her..... we ate, talked and laughed for 2 1/2 hours!  Then on our way home I let the kids check out the Clifton jail.  It was cool!  

Logan got A LOT of first place ribbons this summer!  He is quite the fish!

Kiersten took first in Breast stroke at the Pima verses Thatcher meet, in Pima.  That is her favorite and best stroke..... just like her momma!

It was a great year!  Swim team always makes for a fun summer!  Plus it helps the kids get some exercise!  I'll add the swim team pictures when I get them!

Grampy's Boat

Grampy Boswell got a fishing boat and it pretty much made Hunter happier then Christmas morning! Hunter told me to tell Grampy that "Grampy didn't need to get him anything for Christmas because between the fishing boat and the crawdad trap that he bought for him at a yard sale it was better than Christmas."   

We took the fishing boat out for a little test run before they were taking it up to Pinetop.  Just to make sure there weren't any leaks.  We just took it down to a small pond by Grampy's house.

The boys were THRILLED!!!!

Logan, Hunter and Uncle Quincy taking the maiden voyage!

Grampy enjoyed his first ride in his boat!

It a tiny pond but it didn't matter, everyone was excited to ride in the boat!

The excitement didn't end with the boat ride............. we found huge frogs!!!

Hunter was able to catch one with his hands.  Uncle Quincy drove the boat right to the edge where the frog was and without hesitation Hunter grabbed the frog!

What an adventure just testing out a boat can be.  It was fun to see Grampy so excited about his boat. But Quincy's and Hunter's excitement came in a close second!

Tonsils Out for Mr. Grant

My sweet little super hero Grant had strep throat 5 times in 4 months!  Poor guy.........it's been rough!  And after fighting our insurance for 2 months we FINALLY got it cleared to have his tonsils removed!  It was cute because he was super excited!  Not that he had a clue what having his tonsils out would involve but he thought everything I described to him sounded fun.

Grant is my Super Hero for sure!

We went over to Tucson the night before his surgery since we had to be at the surgery center by 6:00 a.m.

We were having dinner at Red Lobster the night before and Grant was so stinkin' cute!  He kept playing this game with Justin and myself.  He would hide the crayons under the table.  Then ask one of us how many he had in his hand.  Then he would take a few seconds, "reorganize" the crayons in his hands and then very excitedly tell us we were wrong!  Then he'd show us he didn't have that many crayons in his hands.  

It was just so fun to watch him move the crayons under the table.....some times he'd even look under the table to check how many he had in each hand.  Amazingly Justin and I NEVER did guess right how many crayons he had in one hand!!!

We were wide wake ready for his surgery!

I had set an alarm for 5:30, but Grant was so excited about his surgery he got up at 5:00 so we didn't even need that alarm!  We were early to the surgery center and Grant was happy to pick up the newspapers that had been dropped off and give them to the receptionist!

I was so grateful that we were able to get Grant in for surgery.  I know it will help tremendously with him getting strep so much.

After having both Hunter and Logan get their tonsils out around Grant's age, I wasn't nearly as worried about Grant's surgery.  

I had Grant put this surgery cap on and he was not a fan of it!!!

Before we left the house I told Grant he could bring one stuffed animal with him to go in to surgery with him.  Of course he picks the largest stuffed animal he has.......... a 2 foot monkey he got for Christmas.  I informed him he'd have to pick another one and he decided on his night light dinosaur...... so the "light could shine for the doctors to see," he said.

What a great idea Grant!!!

Grant still was full of enthusiasm as the doctors wheeled him away on the hospital bed.....

However, once he was out of surgery his enthusiasm had diminished dramatically!!!  He was in a lot of pain, way more than our other boys, as I remember.  It was really sad to see him hurt so bad.  He was really polite and every time the nurse would bring him something, ice, water, Popsicles, etc he would tell her, "Thank you but nothing is helping!!!"

Once we left the surgery center he was a million times better!  He stopped crying finally and even fell asleep.  We let him get a slushy at QT and he was a happy camper!!!

It took him a good 10 days to full recuperate.... we are glad that is behind us!  Now let's hope he just doesn't get strep throat any more!

Grant really was a trooper and acted like a Super Hero through the whole thing!

Ella's Blessing Day

The day finally came and we blessed our sweet baby girl on Father's Day!

Justin gave her a beautiful blessing that brought tears to my eyes.  Ella was an angel and didn't make a peep during the blessing.

What a gorgeous baby!!!

Gloria talked me in to getting Ella a Biscotti blessing dress and I am so glad I did.  I have all my kids blessing outfits put in shadow boxes and they hang in our entry way.  So I decided to go ahead and do it.  I am so glad I did!  I love Ella's blessing dress!  It's going to complete my blessing wall beautifully!

I'm in love with his baby and the pink accent roses on her dress.

I'd say she loves it too!!!

We had lots of family come to the blessing and we are so grateful they were there! 

 We have an amazing extended family that blesses our lives in so many ways!

I really like our blue coordinated outfits!

Such a beautiful family!

We are so grateful Heavenly Father blessed us with a baby girl to finish off our family!  It was an answer to our prayers to finally get pregnant but to have a baby GIRL was just better than I had expected!  I felt all along that we'd be having a girl and I know that was Heavenly Father's plan all along!  

I love his man with all my heart!

I am one lucky lady to have him be the father of my children!  He is an amazing father!

Our tradition is to have a dessert party later in the evening, the day of our babies blessing.  So for Ella we decided to have a "Tea Party."

These pictures were taken when she was around 2 1/2 months old..... we had to take them then so she'd actually fit in the tea cup.  Plus we had planned on blessing her around 3 months old but things kept getting in the way.  So she wasn't blessed until she was 5 months old.

This punch was a HUGE hit at the party.   I'll have to post the recipe so I can remember it.

Aren't these cute tea party decorations?

Such cute rock candies...... used as a treat and added to the decoration! 

I wish I would have taken a picture of the cute Tea Party sign we had and all the colorful, purple, pink and green paper balls we had hanging from the ceiling..... it turned out so cute!

Thanks to Grammy Boswell we had yummy, yummy cookies!  She made homemade sugar cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, kiss cookies, and Oreo bon bons!  WOW she is AMAZING!!!!!

Grammy Cluff helped as well and she brought chocolate chip cookies....... I believe it was Uncle Chris who actual made them.  So thank you to both of them!

I LOVE homemade sugar cookies!

When I was around 12 years old I use to LOVE to make homemade sugar cookies.  My mom has a killer recipe for them.  My Aunt Mil would pay me $10 if I would give her a dozen unfrosted sugar cookies.  So about every 2-3 weeks I'd make a batch and take her a dozen.  So I got really good at rolling out the dough and making the cookies the perfect thickness to be soft and yummy!

Yummy Kiss Cookies........ one of my top favorites!

This would be Wendy photo bombing my cookie picture!

I just love her!

Grant used Kenny as a jungle gym!  What a good sport Kenny is!

So glad he is a part of our family!

This is the lady of the hour!  Looking stylish as always!

Grammy and Grampy Boswell

Grammy and Grampy Cluff

It was a great day!  So thankful for this sweet spirit, Ella Jane!  She completes our family and makes the he happiest mom ever!  She is loved by so many and her siblings adore her!  What a good day to be blessed, right on Father's Day!  You've made your daddies dreams come true....... he always wanted a blue eyed girl and now he has YOU!

Ready for Summer

The boys had been asking me to shave their heads for the summer.  Once they saw that Ryker had his shaved I just had to do it!  Ryker is like my fourth son so they had to match!

Perfect hair cut for the summer!

Kinda wish I could shave mine!

Ella is 5 Months Old

Where has the time gone?  

I can't believe Ella Jane is already 5 months old!

Ella doesn't mess around...... our little bundle of joy isn't very little.  She is already 19 lbs 8 oz!  She is by far our biggest and fastest growing baby and we are LOVING IT!

Who knew knee caps could be fat?

Ella in her blessing outfit laying in the baby stroller that Aunt Carol gave me!

Love it!

Look WHOOS starting to sit up!!!

The little lady sure has stollen our hearts!

She definitely completes our family!

Girls Camp

This was Kiersten's second year going to Girl's Camp.  This year since we were in Mexico for 9 days we only had one full day at home before she left.  I was not ready to send her off to camp for a week.

Kiersten was very excited about going so that made me sending her off easier!

I love when Kiersten gets home from girls camp.  For one thing, I just miss having her around, she is very helpful with things around the house.  But more importantly I love hearing all about her experiences up at camp.  I love hearing how her testimony of Jesus Christ has been strengthened.  That is the biggest high light for me!

We love Alani!  She is one of Kiersten's best friends!  I love knowing that Kiersten has good friends like Alani!  She's a beautiful girl on the inside and out!

McKyla and Saraphina

Two adorable girls.... glad Kiersten has them in her life!

This is what girls camp is all about... being silly!

Kiersten is such an amazing young women with such a strong testimony!  She is a great example to me!  Kiersten was asked to give a talk in church on how girls camp strengthened her testimony.  Her talk was beautiful!  It made me cry!  She is amazing and I love her so much!

This was her talk she wrote without any help from Justin or myself.

I spent the last few days up at girls camp.  And while I was up there my testimony was strengthened a lot!  I think the beauty walk strengthened my testimony the most.  The beauty walk was a silent walk through the quiet forest.  You would walk to different stations.  At the stations you would hear people talk, sing or act.  It was a very emotional walk.  And at the very end I remember into a white tent and looking at my reflection in a mirror.  I remember feeling the prettiest I've ever been!  And it was weird because I wasn't wearing any makeup, any fancy clothes and my hair was perfectly normal.  Then I walked out of the tent I was overwhelmed by the spirit.  And I remember giving Sister Napier a gigantic hug and receiving a little mirror.  It was AMAZING because my testimony grew the most it ever has in just one night.  
I'd like to bare my testimony that I know this church is true.  That President Monson is a true prophet.  Also I know that we are given trials to face because Heavenly Father knows that we can over come them.  I know that personal progress is a system to bring us closer to Christ.  I know that by reading my scriptures and saying my prayers I will be blessed.  Also I know that agency is a gift given by our Heavenly Father.  Agency comes with responsibility and consequences.  I know that Jesus, Our Savior, suffered for our sins.  And that he has been through everything we have.  Every sickness, every trial, and every pain we've experienced.  I know that Heavenly Father know my name, my trials and what I need.  And I know that Heavenly Father knows all of your names, and all of your trials and everything you need.  I know that life is a test and we need to try to do our best.  I know that we should be kind to everyone.  Just like it says in 3 Nephi 12:44, "But behold I say unto you. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you."
I am thankful for a wonderful family, 2 amazing parents, 3 awesome brothers and one sweet sister.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


Talk about a wonderful youth talk....... Kiersten did an outstanding job!!!  So proud of the young woman she is becoming!  It's an honor to be her mother!

Pima 1st Ward Girls and Leaders