So much love...

Everyone who knows Tiff and Coby know what amazing and wonderful people they are. They've touched so many of our lives.

So many of their friends and family, and others, have expressed their love and support for this sweet family. The day after Jackie passed away, Coby's family removed the pond that was in their backyard. Tiffany's mom thought it would be a great idea to add something in its place, so Jared and his brother Todd went to the tree farm and we picked up a flowering pear and some shrubs to plant in that spot. We're not sure who was in charge of the "heart attack" but this is what was on their garage door today. I just love it.
The night we found out about little Jack... what an agonizing night. For anyone who knew Jack felt the weight of this loss and I don't think anyone slept that night, or shed so many tears, or felt so much heartache as we did that night. I've never lost anyone this close to me, and so to watch someone I love so dearly lose her baby was just devastating. It was just heart wrenching.
I couldn't sleep and usually when I can't sleep I write in my journal, or if I'm very emotional (yes, I'm a women and thus, emotional); I just write. I stayed up that night and wrote this poem for little Jackie:

Bright blue eyes, soft baby skin.

Mom and Dad, don’t cry…I’ll see you again.

Please don’t cry now, and I hope you’ll always know.

Though my time with you was short, it was my time to go.

Mom and Dad I love you and my spirit is alive.

And as your journey here continues, I’ll be with you by your side.

Please believe in angels and know that I am yours.

I have a mission that is greater than what was planned out on this course.

Mom and Dad I love you and please know that I’m here.

On those quiet summer days when the air is crisp and clear.

Listen for me, hear me, and you’ll feel my spirit by your side.

And always remember that I’m very much alive.

I was very happy that Tiff and Coby used this on the program for Jackie's funeral on Saturday; I had no idea that this would touch them that way, but I wanted Tiff to know that I really felt that night.. that Jackie would have wanted me to say just those exact words. So I'll just leave it at that. I love my cousin so much, and I'd do anything for her. I'm so happy she has Coby, he's just such an amazing person and husband to her. I love her boys, both of them, so much. I know we'll see our baby Jack again and that he's very much alive.

Please keep a prayer in your hearts today for Tiff, Coby, and their family. We love them so much!

Brothers...

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~ Marc Brown

It's so cute to watch how Austin looks up to Jordan, even at such a young age. He mimics everything Jordan does, wants to play with the same toys, clap when he claps, laugh when he laughs...
I just hope that they are always good to each other and I hope they take care of each other throughout their lives.

There's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother. ~Astrid Alauda

Sand Dunes

Sand + Toys + Little Boys (and Big Boys) = a whole lotta fun! Jordan and Austin had a hay-day playing in the sand, riding around on the 4-wheeler, and just being boys. We'll have to do this again, very soon (hopefully we'll be able to before the cold weather creeps in). Both kids crashed right as we were leaving the camp-ground, so I think that's a sign that they had a great time!

Little Buddies

I'm so lucky to have my cousin Tiff so close by, and even luckier that her two boys are just about the same age as my two boys. Jordan loves to play with Corbin and we got to hang out at Wheeler Farms this past week and let the kids run around, feed the ducks, and whack trees with their sticks. I just love these boys!

Poopy Baby

I know baby's bums are cute and cuddly, but don't think they are harmless. They can be very dangerous! We were in the AM routine, breakfast, bath, etc. etc. I stripped Austin down (lesson learned, don't strip baby down unless you are 100% ready to put baby in bath); and while I was undressing Jordan, Austin pooped and crawled around in the poop, leaving poop trails all over the room, and was playing in the poop like it was clay. Messy day, but another lesson learned, poop does come out of the carpet with approx. 1/2 bottle of oxy clean carpet cleaner :-)

And here is Austin about an hour later, my very cute (and very clean) baby boy.

Utah State Fair

Yup, that's my little boy sitting on the "rocket ship" ride at the Utah State Fair. We rode the bumper cars a few times, went down the big slide, and he took me on a few rides that spinned us around so fast that we were stumbling around after the ride was over. But... the one ride that he kept eye-balling the entire night was the "rocket ship" and so I caved in and sat next to Jordan so we could see what this ride was all about (I don't think he knew how far up we'd be going or how fast we'd fall). But of course, he thought it was fun and wanted to go again. I guess we need to start planning our trip to Disneyland!!

Soldier's Hollow

What a great day... golf with Mike and Lisa Henry, who are - for anyone who knows them, some of the coolest people on the planet. We absolutely love the Henry's.

Girls Trip - St. George!

"Friends are the sunshine of life." -- John Hay

We had such a great time in St. George... just the girls! We have some of the greatest friends from our old neighborhood and I'm so glad that we all still keep in touch. We saw some great chick-flicks, shopped at the outlets, and just had a great time. And yes, I'm hooked on the Mama Mia soundtrack... those songs are just stuck in my head!

My Treasures...

I'm sure every mom has moments where they just want to hold on to every moment and not let their babies grow up; I'm starting to get a glimpse of how fast the time passes by and how fast these precious children grow. I love this message: “Oh, that every girl and woman would have a testimony of her potential for eternal motherhood. … Female roles did not begin on earth, and they do not end here. A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come, and ‘where her treasure is, there will her heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21). By developing a mother heart, each girl and woman prepares for her divine, eternal mission of motherhood” (“A ‘Mother Heart,’ ” Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president)

These are my little Treasures! :-)