4th of July in Eagar

We had a great time this past weekend going to Eagar! I love it up there! We always swear if we could make a living up there, we'd move! It was so gorgeous with the temps in the 70's during the day and 40's at night. We borrowed a pop-up tent trailer and camped in Grandma's side yard. It was so gorgeous and we had a great time getting to visit.



On Thursday we drove up and set up camp and got to visit with Grandma Elda.



On Friday we got up early and Tyson cooked us a delicious breakfast of pancakes and bacon! We also got up early in the morning and sat Dad's headstone. Tyson yet again impressed me with his skills in mixing up and pouring the concrete and getting everything set in place. Friday night Tyson and I taught all the cousins how to play red-rover red rover. They had such a blast with that game. I can't believe no one plays that anymore. We also invented frisbee baseball...don't ask!





Saturday was the busiest day of all! We got up and had breakfast and went to the parade. That's always fun! If we didn't get toasted enough there, we went over to Uncle Bill's for a bar-b-que and hung out with all the cousins. We counted a total of 31 kids running around in their yard. In the evening we went to Aunt Brenda's for the Anway reunion. We all got really nice sunburns at the end of the day but I was really impressed with how well Dusti and Stephanie put everything together. The kids are still blowing their anoying whistles and enjoying their goodie bags!



On Sunday we slept in....we were pretty much exhausted from Saturday. We played games under the trees in Grandma's yard and in the afternoon celebrated Grandma's 84th birthday by going over to Uncle Bill's and Aunt Marion's again for ice cream. We stayed so long we decided to cook dinner but unfortunately Tyson nor I even ate because we were so concerned with Adisen. She was running a fever and not being herself. We ended up staying in a motel that night because with her being sick we didn't want to keep her out in the cold. That was definitely interesting piling two adults and seven kids into a motel room made for four! Ahhhhh....Memories!



On Monday we packed up and drove home, but stopped at our favorite lunch spot in Pinetop, El Rancho. They have the best salsa in the world! Yes, we're insane....Tyson and I, Becky, Mom and Randall all ate lunch with 11 kids and two babies! We really HAVE lost our minds! Honestly, the kids weren't too bad! For the drive home Jarin slept almost the entire way as did Andi.



Here are some pictures of our weekend! Enjoy!

All the kids at the parade

**I had to add this little blurb: Notice in this picture all the girls had their hair fixed and Anna Claire has clips in her hair. She hasn't wanted me to fix it very much but I told her that at the parade they only threw candy to the kids who had their hair fixed. At first she told me no and ran away. Then she came back and asked for two clips. I put them in. About 15 minutes later she came over and asked me if she had 3 clips did I think they'd throw her more candy. I said, "most certainly!" LOL! I don't like to lie to my kids, but she actually left the clips in all day. She also did get quite the haul of candy and I thought we had some of the cutest kids on the block! The funny part was Andi overheard me telling her about the candy and wanted me to fix her hair too. What have I done? I've lied to my kids! Am I going to be struck down?

Adisen at the parade

Me and Ty waiting on the parade!

The kids with Grandma Elda

Grandma Elda and Adisen

Tyson, Grandma, and Adisen

Adisen and Emily

Adisen--4 months old sitting in her walker and smiling for Mommy

Emily (8) and Adisen(4 months) after church on Sunday

Emily loooooooves having her picture made with Adisen. In fact, she loves doing EVERYTHING with Adisen. If I put Adisen in her swing, five minutes later I find Emily on the floor playing with her. She is such a good big sister and loves holding her and playing with her.

One more note...Adisen slept through the night for the FIRST TIME last night! She has been in her own bed 2 nights in a row now. The first night she did wake up for about 30 minutes and fuss but went back to sleep. I found myself sitting straight up in bed at 5am this morning shaking Ty asking if he had checked on her at some point. She was fine! 45 minutes later she woke up for her morning feeding. Part of me is so happy to have my bed back and my nights to sleep...the other part of me is sad as we pass another milestone!

Summer Fun!

We've had a busy summer so far! Savannah has been here for almost three weeks now. The first couple of weeks she was here we stayed pretty busy but this past week we took it kind of easy. Jarin and Andi were back with us and it makes getting out of the house quite interesting with 5 small kids and one big kid. We just hung around mostly, but we did end up the week yesterday by going swimming.





Jarin and I had birthdays on the 9th and 10th of this month so Ty threw us a little surprise party! I was totally surprised (until about 10:30 the morning of when my sister in law called and asked if they were still coming over! Love ya Becky!) I hate being surprised so it's all good! Had I not known it was coming everyone would have probably caught me in my pj's so it's just as well I found out! Here are a couple of pictures from the event!

Last week Emily made a new friend named Macayla from Vermont. She just moved in four doors down and the girls have literally played outside in these unseasonably cool temps for the past four days NON-STOP! Emily has so much sun on her back right now it's amazing! Like her mom, it takes a lot to turn brown but she isn't really burned. It's just a mix of red and brown! They've played slip and slide and have ridden bikes, played at the park and just enjoyed Arizona for the past week! Here are a couple of pics from their big water balloon fight with Ty!


Bombs Away!!!

Anna Claire, Emily and Macayla with their stash!

Emily's sun!

Anna Claire holding two but notice the two on the ground behind her!

It's been a lot of fun so far! More updates to come!

Some More Introspect...

So if you notice our blog is now not only informative about happenings around our home but it now has become a way to record my thoughts and feelings about my life and things that are happening to me. I decided to get kind of personal after Tyson and I decided rather than scrapbook (which I don't have time for anymore) at the end of the year we would take our blog and have it turned into a family book to record what has happened to us over the past year. I decided it would be a good way to try to journal a little bit more, since I don't seem to have enough time for that with a new baby.

I've been thinking a lot about my life lately and how I've gotten where I am and about my testimony of the gospel. I realized that my conversion was really a 13 year process. I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1994. It wasn't my first introduction to the church. I had several friends through my life who were members but as I was growing up I had only heard bad things about the church. I was raised in a good home and was taught right from wrong, but everyone who is not a member of my church seems to have an opinion about it.

I got baptized in February of 1994 without telling any of my family about it. I was really scared they would reject me and when they first found out about it, they did...for a while. It wasn't total rejection but it definitely changed our relationship forever. I realize in retrospect, I wasn't totally committed to the gospel at that time. I would kind of pick and choose whatever gospel principles I felt that I wanted to follow. I probably didn't set the best example to my family or my friends and there probably wasn't anything spectacular about the way I lived my life that would have enticed anyone else to accept the gospel.

Living my life the way I did, I realize now, I opened myself up for a lot of temptations that had I embraced the gospel in it's totality at the time, I probably could have avoided. I didn't understand that you can't just pick certain commandments to follow and not obey the other ones and expect full protection to avoid pitfalls Satan will place in your way. Suffice it to say, I was far from perfect, and even some of the decisions I made caused a great deal of grief to people around me. No, I wasn't a drug abuser, alcoholic or anything serious but I was really selfish and pretty much only thought about myself and myself only, not realizing my decisions would have impacts on other people.

After spending a couple of years away from church, I attempted to go back again. I was pretty strong at first, but again, just decided which principles of the gospel I would live and left some very important ones out. No, I wasn't doing anything terribly wrong, but I didn't read my scriptures and pray daily, which allowed me to loose sight of some very important things in my life. I found it easy to get involved in cliques and gossip and though "everybody does it" it doesn't make it right and it definitely chases the spirit away.

I found myself again, distanced from the church and from the gospel. This time, it was harder to go back. I had a desire to live righteously and do the right things in life, but I didn't know if I had the will power to do what it takes to fully commit myself to it. Luckily I married someone who I believe is a spiritual giant. Yes, he's human and sometimes can be a little obnoxious (love you hon!) but he has a heart the size of the Grand Canyon and he taught me a lot about love and forgiveness and more importantly about forgiving yourself. Once I learned the concept of forgiveness and finally was able to embrace that any of us can recieve forgiveness for our sins, it helped me become a new person.

I think my family would testify that I am a little more tolerant than I used to be, a little more slow to anger, and a little more desirous to do what is right. I don't say that to brag, because I realize this change isn't because of anything I have done but it is all because of what my Savior has done for me. I am so proud of how far I've come in my life and the changes I've made because more than anything, I have a stronger inner peace. So many tumultous things have happened to me in the last 18 or so years....more so in the last 5 years and I don't think I would ever have been equipped to handle any of those things without being able to feel my Savior's love. I know that no matter what happens in my life, he is always there for me to give me comfort and to carry me through when I can't do it for myself.

That is another principle I had to grasp however...there are times when I CAN'T do it by myself. That probably was the hardest thing for me to ever grasp in this life. I am such an independent person. I don't like relying on people for help. Through a series of what I consider now to be FORTUNATE events in my life, I had to learn to let go and let God handle it. This requires something that I think I have never posessed until about two years ago...FAITH! It is so hard as a mom sometimes to leave it up to someone else to take care of. That's what we do! We're moms! We're supposed to take care of things! What I've learned is, sometimes things are too big for us to manage alone. I no longer have to fear because I know no matter what gets thrown at me, after all I can do, he WILL make up the difference.

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and am so grateful for his sacrifice for me so that I can return again to live with him and my Heavenly Father and my family again. I know I could never do what is needed on my own in order to get back to him. I'm grateful he loves me enough to have made that sacrifice when I am so unworthy to receive it. I am grateful for all the people in my life who have been such good examples to me and who have remained friends with me over the years, even when I don't feel that I am worthy to have them as my friend. I am grateful for a good and loving husband who takes such wonderful care of our family and who has accepted me as I am, inspite of my faults. I don't deserve his love either, but somehow he freely gives it!

Forgiveness is so freeing! When you learn to forgive, it helps you to be happy. When you accept that people aren't perfect, it helps you to not judge. I'm grateful I am where I am in my life, even if it took so many mistakes to get here. I wouldn't be who I am, if I hadn't made some of the choices I made that brought me here. I don't regret my mistakes, I only regret the hurt I caused in the process of making them. I think it's true..."to err is human, but to forgive is divine!" We all need a little forgiveness in our lives, especially me.

Adisen is growing....and growing....and growing!

Today we went for Adisen's four month check-up and shots. She weighed 15lbs 13 oz. and she was 25.75 inches long. She's doubled her birthweight now and the doctor informed me that she can sleep up to 10 hours at a time now without eating....now if someone would please tell Adisen that we'd be in good shape! No, really, she's such a good baby. She does still like to get up around 4am for a little sip of a bottle after going to bed around 9pm but I seriously don't mind....much. We've decided it's probably time to move her to her crib upstairs and try to get back some symblance of a life as husband and wife without a little baby always sleeping in our bed or at least right next to us. It's going to be harder on me I think, but she does have a gorgeous room and it's time she gets to know it a little better. Besides, right now, sister Savannah is right next door (although anyone who knows her knows she sleeps like a brick) so we are going to need to buy a baby monitor so we can hear her.

On a funny note, we've really been enjoying visiting with Savannah these past two weeks. She is such a joy to have around and she's so funny and I just enjoy getting to spend one on one time with her. I feel so lucky because when I was about her age, I feel like that's the time I started becoming more and more distant from my parents. Savannah has always been a quiet child, somewhat, and now that she's becoming a gorgeous teenager, she talks a lot more and so I feel like we're a lot closer. She and I enjoy hanging out, laying on the bed, talking about life and friends and things. She has such a beautiful disposition and is so loving. So, the other night, she comes in and lays on my bed next to me and starts talking and next thing you know, WE FELL ASLEEP! So Tyson comes in and mind you now, Savannah is 5 ft 8 and isn't a small little girl....he tries waking her but she doesn't budge (see above....she sleeps like a brick)...so he just said forget it, came and laid on the other side of me and we all 3 slept in my bed until 4am when she woke up and finally went and got in her own bed. She said my bed wasn't very comfortable....um...could that be because it's a queen and 3 full grown people were sleeping in it!? So last night, Ty was up working late again and she came in and we both started dozing off again and she finally said, "okay, I'm not doing that again!" and she went and got in her own bed! LOL!

Savannah switched from playing the cello to wanting to play the viola, so we got her one as a birthday present. It is gorgeous. I need to take a picture of her with it and post it on here. She's been practicing and practicing. I enjoy hearing her play. I think she really has an ear for music.

Well, Emily and Anna Claire fly in tonight! I am so excited to see them. It's so fun when they are with me. I always feel like a piece of me is missing when any of my four that don't live with me aren't around. People ask me all the time...how do you do it? To be honest with you....I don't know! I just do what I have to to get by every day. Yes, somedays are harder than others. I don't really get out and socialize much because it's hard for me to get close to people and make friends with people because I don't think they really understand me or my situation. Some people judge what they don't know and that's okay. The people who know me and love me, they know my heart and they know how much my kids mean to me. They know how tremendously difficult any holiday is and they understand that some days I just have bad days. Somedays I like to hide in my shell and not talk to anyone, and guess what? It's okay! I don't have an ideal situation in my life, and it's difficult for people to fathom but the only thing I can say that might possibly help people to understand would be: I have faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ and he has a plan for my life. I don't always understand why some things have to be difficult and hard in this life, but they just are sometimes. I want to be with my Heavenly Father and with my family forever and so I endure it....no I overcome it because I have to. No amount of wallowing in self pity is ever going to change the course my life has taken over the past 18 or so years. Onward and upward from here and pressing on with steadfast faith in Christ is the only way to get what I want in this life and the next.

I seriously didn't mean for this blog to be so long and with so much introspect, but it's always a good time to look inward and reflect! Have a great weekend! Look for more summer updates!

And the Award Goes To....

I have to think my cousin-in-law Aspen for this great idea ( I think she got it from my cousin-in-law Shila, anywho....)! Aspen gave me this award and now I'm passing it on to those people whose blogs make me smile! I enjoy reading people's blogs. YES....I admit it! I am a blog STALKER! These blogs always make me smile and I try to visit them on a weekly basis!

Aspen--my cousin-in-law! She's a great blogger and is awesome to talk to! She keeps us posted on the happenings in the lives of her family down in Sierra Vista! She's always sharing neat ideas and I love how she always blogs about people on their birthday month! You can tell she is a very caring person by reading her blog!

Shesten-- One of my first friends when I moved here! She blogs about everything and hands out neat little tidbits of information that I did not know! She is always posting a site of the week that she finds handy or helpful and passes that info along. It's always a big help!

Marcey--She's in my ward and a good friend. She was my first bloggin' friend! She always has great pictures to go along with her blog! She was the first person to teach me how to put a background on my blog!

Chrissy--She has been my friend for so long I lost count! We met back in Cordova, TN YEARS ago! Now she lives in Georgia! Crissy is a good writer and knows how to tell a good story!

Annette-- Another one of my Cordova friends! Her teenage girls all babysat for me and are now grown up girls either married or getting married! She now lives in Utah and just finished Nursing School! I'm so proud of her! She's the best looking, youngest looking grandma I know!

Sharlet--My friend and Relief Society President who always has a good story to share in the adventurous life of her three daughters! What I like best about her blog is that she's never afraid to share. She tells these stories about her daughters that are so funny and make us all feel human!

Savannah--My daughter who is so good at telling a story! Her blog always makes me laugh! What I like about it is her randomness. She just talks about whatever!

and last but not least....Grandma Debbie! Grandma blogs constantly to keep us posted on the happenings in Logan, Utah! What I like best about her blog is that she's always telling us how great we are and how much she loves us. It makes my heart happy to read her blog!

Take the time and give this award to someone whose blog you enjoy reading!

Going Private!

Also, just for the further protection of our family and friends from these people that we're trying to disassociate ourselves from, I'm going to make our blog private in the next week or two. Just send me an email at wiltbankfamest2005@gmail.com if you're interested in still following us and I'll add you to my list. Otherwise, sorry! My life is an open book pretty much, but it doesn't need to be THAT open!