Neighborhood BBQ

We set up bbq's, tables and chairs in our driveway and enjoyed our evening.

(L to R) Jamie, James, Lori, Heather, Greg, Carmel & Jane
What an incredible view!!
(L to R) Kenny, Braxton, Erin, Matt, Trevor & Bryan

James & Lori Brown - We have great neighbors

Kenny & Braxton BBQ ing

Some of the girls visiting: Erin, Jocelyn & Cambria

We have 2 sets of twins in our neighborhood, here is the latest set:

Kenna holding one and Madi holding the other & Megan & Mitch their parents

Cambria always feels like I need my picture taken!!!

Some of the ladies: (L to R) Angie, Carmel, Jane, Me & Heather

We absolutely love our neighborhood!!!!

AhQuin Annual Easter Egg Hunt

My parents are so cute, they love to spoil their grandkids and have traditions carry on year after year. They are the greatest example of FAMILY LOVE. I love the memories that they have created for our children.
Every year my mom has her traditions and her Easter Egg Hunt in their huge backyard is definately one that the kids always look forward to. No matter how old these kids are they still hunt. Tia and Adam used to hunt until they were married. So once you get married, you can't hunt. We have a small area by the house for the little kids under 4 and everything else is a free for all! In the trees, rocks, fence, etc. the men have fun hiding the eggs. We love traditions and missed Adam and Becca's kids this year.
The Hunt is ON!!!!

These boys are never toooo old.
All of the Grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa, missing Devan, Josh, Avenna & Kelea

We had a crazy time!!! So therefore crazy faces!!!

Nice face Dad!!! HAHAHAHAH

No more babies...

These two boys are getting so big that they are NO LONGER babies. They have such personalities that you could probably see through the pictures. They are so much fun and we love having them come over as much as possible. Major's favorite thing to do when he walks through the front door is, "I want to go see the dogs, bruzer-chloe'-&hunter" He loves the dogs. Hunter is a dog next door that is a big german shepard. He stands on these stairs and yells, "HUN-TER, HUN-TER" and Hunter comes to see Major. He plays fetch with Chloe and loves to give Bruzer a treat after he gets him to ,"SIT" they he says, "Good Job". We just laugh at that kid. Legand is getting so active and crawling everywhere and standing and walking along the couches. He is so cute.

I Love My kids

Sydnee (12), Cecilee (17), Trevor (15), Cambria (18)

When I have all 4 of my kids together, which as they get older is rare, I have to capture the moment with a picture. I just can't believe how fast they are all growing up. I love them so much. I hope they realize how much I love them and how I would do anything for them, but sometimes I feel like they just don't like me as much as they love their dad. Why does that always happen to the mom's. I saw that same thing with my mom. I think that they would be just fine if I disappeared until they needed clean underwear, or clean dishes, etc. then they would realize I was gone. Oh well, I guess that's what mom's have to go through raising their kids. We love them NO MATTER WHAT and we will do anything and drop anything for them. Why can't they remember that and be nice to us?

Miss Ivins Scholarship Pageant

You read that right, we dropped the Princess and added Scholarship. This was the first year that there will be a scholarship attached to the royalty. They will receive it when they attend the college of their choice. The Princess receives $1,000 and 1st and 2nd Attendant receive $500.00. I attended a city council meeting back in January and spoke to the city council about my passion for the program and how these girls should be thanked for their service with a scholarship. Being on the royalty isn't all about the crown and banner and parades, it's about helping the community of Ivins and being ambassadors and representatives of our beautiful city. There currently is only one city that awards a scholarship and that would be Washington, now there are two, us included.

Below are pictures from the evening of the pageant. The girls were absolutely amazing and beautiful. There would be NO way that I would be able to accomplish this without the help of Heather Kunde, my pagaent specialist- Tia Stokes (my little sister) who choreographs and teaches the girls the opening number and Sunshine (my sister-in-law) who takes care of all the judges. They are amazing and help me make this pageant incredible. Enjoy the evening through some of the pictures that were taken.

****************************
Trevor was one of my escorts for the evening, he is standing with Jessika Talbot, 2nd Attendant and Jocelyn Bozarth, Miss Ivins

My dad came to sing for the pageant. The past 3 years he has sang and this year I was going to give him the night off. Well when a few people found out about the pageant, the first thing they asked was, "Is you dad singing in the pageant?" When I said, "No" they said that he was the best part of the pageant and they loved his voice. Well after hearing that same response 5 times, I decided to call and invite him to come and sing again. So back by popular demand, my dad came to sing to the girls. Tayvia (My neice) came and sang the National Anthem Heather Kunde was my sidekick through this whole pageant preparation. She is wonderful to work with. We had both of our sons as two of the escorts. This was the entry hall with the pictures of all the contestants and the royalty. Our royalty with the judges and the auditor for dinner.

Sunshine and the auditor right before the pageant started.

Our Handsome Escorts: Aaron Potter, Dillon Hurt, Trevor & Braxton Kunde

The contestants right before the pageant was going to start in their Opening Number Outfit.

The Royalty welcoming everyone to the pageant. Britney, Jessika & Jocelyn

Our wonderful MC's: Susanna Landon & Mindy Muller

I wanted a talkshow feel and they were awesome!!!

Trevor escorting Brittney, Contestant #8

All of the contestants right after the evening gown competition

My dad singing to the girls, "What a Wonderful World"

Trevor escorting the Princess for her final walk.

Ivins 2011 Royalty: (L to R)

M.Leydsman (Miss Congeniality), McKensy Madsen (2nd Attendant), Miss Madsen (Miss Ivins), Kamri Hafen (1st Attendant)

Me after all of these festivities, Cambria felt like I needed a picture.

Trevor and Miss Ivins, Jocelyn Bozarth

The new royalty with our handsome escorts: Megan (Miss Congeniality) & Trevor,
McKensy (2nd Attendant) & Aaron, Missy (Miss Ivins) & Dillon, Kamri (1st Attendant) & Braxton

There would've been NO WAY that I could do all this without the support and help of my wonderful husband, who is always by my side.

Spring Poem

(I tried to write a poem to the tune, "Popcorn Popping")

I came out of the temple and what did I see,

Beautiful SPRING weather Looking at ME

I wanted to capture this just as I saw it

I remembered that my other limb (camera) was in my wallet.

(Really purse, but that didn't rhyme) hahaha

So I gazed through the trees and felt the breeze

and admired the blue skies against the beautiful white temple.

I love Spring and I love my Tuesday Temple days.

So much for my poem!!!

An artist capturing the beauty of the temple.

Look at how blue the skies are, and that's NOT even touched up at all.

My Spiritual Growth

** FOR MY JOURNAL **

I have been loving my Tuesday's and look forward to them every week. I have such a great opportunity to go the the temple with my mom and sister's and whoever else I invite. I absolutely LOVE going to the temple and enjoying the wonderful spirit that is felt there. It has made such a difference in my life. On Wednesday's Bryan and I are able to go together. I am truly transforming ME into the person I want to be and that Heavenly Father wants me to be. I notice that there are a lot of things of the world that I am starting to become sensitive too, songs on the radio, things in movies and on tv, etc.

These past 4 months I have been studying the General Conference addresses from the last General Conference. I bought my brother the CD's from the last General Conference for Christmas and he totally inspired me to listen to the talks when I can't read them. So I will pull it up on lds.org and listen while I am riding my bike or exercising. They really help me to put life into perspective. So I went to renew my subscription to the Ensign and saw that you could add the General Conference -Audio CD's to your subscription, so they will automatically send you the CD's. I am soooo excited!!

I loved conference and being with my children and husband and snuggled on the couch for church. I loved all of the talks especially Richard G. Scott's, C. Scott Grow and Jeffrey R. Holland these men are men of God and speak for our Heavenly Father. My testimony is truly growing and I am loving it. I love the way I feel and the person that I am becoming. I hope that I am setting a good example for my children to follow because sometimes I feel like they are setting the example for me. I am realizing that I don't have much time with my children, they are all growing up so fast. So I better continue on my journey of my spiritual transformation.

My son is getting ready to receive his patriarchal blessing and we have been doing a lot of reading from a book that I bought for my girls when they went through this stage. I have been reading morning thoughts from that after scripture reading and we have read everyone's blessing as a family. It has totally enlightened our family into knowing that Heavenly Father really knows our name and has a blessing for each of us. That the veil is so thin and that Heavenly Father only wants the best for us and wants to help us through this life. Trevor at first was a little confussed and seemed a little scared, but the more we talk about it as a family and he listened to all of our blessings, he has asked me to make his appointment. He is excited to know what Heavenly Father's blessing is for him.