bOys aNd tHeiR ToYs

So at the beginning of this summer Ryan got a new toy... a 1977 Shoebox Bronco to fix up and play with. The man has been in heaven the last couple of months, as well as my kids! The story behind the Bronco is... a few years ago Jeff bought this Bronco to fix up, apparently this was "the" car that both him and Ryan have always wanted to fix up. Since he bought it he hasn't done anything with it but let it sit there so when he needed his backyard put it he asked Ryan if he would be willing to trade the Bronco for Ryan's work. Of course Ryan jumped all over it and hasn't looked back since. Just about every night he has taken it for a drive at least around the neighborhood and on Saturdays if he can, and driving to church on Sundays, it is his car of choice.The kids are in love with it and beg him to take them on rides just about everyday when he gets home from work. And every time its out in the driveway the neighborhood kids are lining up too. I am sure it will take a few years to restore it and get it into the kinda shape and look that we are all dreaming about... but it will be a fun project to work on over the years... who knows maybe by the time Mason is driving it will be done (scary thought). As of right now it is almost able to pass inspection, it just needs shoulder seat belts instead of just lap belts and a working horn, and turn signals and then we are good to go. Its fun to see Ryan so giddy about it. He took me out in it on our Friday night date last weekend... and I must admit it added a little something extra. We had fun... except I am not diggin the freeway yet... the idea of just me and the pavement isn't sitting to great. (it did come with doors and a top Ry just prefers them off... it looks cooler). Anyways, its his "chill" car... it relaxes him and he is having a blast with it.

Perspective

There was a girl a few years younger than me who was killed tragically in a bike accident last week named Bunny. She was a young mother of 2 girls and a wife of a husband who adored her. Through talking to so many people about her it seems as though her life touched so many. The ripples of her death and life have extended further than I am sure she could even imagine. My heart has just been broken for her family... her husband especially, for having to pick up the pieces and move on to raise their 2 young girls alone. In thinking so much about this this last week it gave me some perceptive on truly how precious life is and what a gift it is that I have been given to be able to go to bed each night and wake up a mother and wife, daughter, sister and friend to those who are around me. I have hugged my kids a little tighter this week and am so grateful that I can be their mom and Ryan's wife. I have also been able to think about the big picture more and have been so grateful for the knowledge and testimony that I have of the plan of salvation. I know that she is happy and in a better place... even a place where she has something even bigger to do right now than raise her girls, as hard as that is to imagine. I know the Lord has a plan and will bless the lives of those she left behind. Its this knowledge that brings me peace when something like this happens. All who knew her have expressed how bright and great she was... she inspired even me, someone who didn't know her, to be better and live life a little better than I have been. I am so grateful to be here, to be raising my kids, and to have been raised by my incredible parents, to be a sister to 4 brothers, to be an aunt to 4 1/2 nieces and nephews, a sister and daughter-in-law, and a friend to those who surround me. I am grateful that I am sealed to my family and that I kNoW that there is life after this... a life full of possibilities, learning, majesty, serving, and loving. I thank the Lord and my Father in Heaven for this great gift. And I thank this young mother for living her life in a way that touched so many others for the good. Thank You!

It takes a viLLaGe

I am so grateful for my "village" that I just needed to put it down and send a shout out to all those around me who help me. I really believe that it take a village to raise a child and I am lucky enough to live in one that is fabulous! I am so grateful that my kids have so many friends to play with who are all great kids and who all come from great families, I am so grateful for the parents who love my kids, feed my kids, let them play over there for endless hours, take them with them on outings, watch out for my kids, care for my kids, laugh at my kids craziness, and encourage and support them in all their endeavors. I am so grateful to have great fRiEnDS around mE who call me to chat and catch up while they are folding their laundry, who sit outside with me while we watch our kids play, who share recipes, who let me confide in them and who confide in me, who extend their kindness through phone calls, visits, GNO's, and service without even thinking twice, who don't judge me for being grubby with no makeup on, who inspire me to do better, who set great examples in mothering, for picking something up at the grocery store for me, advise me, who can be silly with me one moment and spiritual with me the next, and who know the true definition of being a friend. I aDoRe my friends and have a tough time putting it into words just how much i lOvE them. I am grateful that Ryan is able to have many friends around him to go to movies with, share his talents with, coach with, and serve with, laugh with and be himslef. "Where" you live is just so important.... the neighborhood, the schools, and the influence the community and neighborhood have on your family in just huge! I am truly blessed to live in such a wonderful village! Thank you for all you do!

Love this Picture!!!

Ryan took Mason golfing the other day after his baptism and took this picture... I loved it and just had to share!

Baptism

Dear Mason~
Today you were baptised and I am in such awe of you! I remember thinking when you were born that your spirit just had this amazing ability to bring people together and to fill a room and today you reminded me of that again. I have to thank you... I haven't felt the spirit that strongly in too long and today it filled me up and I know its because of you and how ready and willing and excited you were. Your faced beamed today with joy... pure joy. Your eyes lit up and were so bright yet you had the sweetest reverence about you. Sitting next to you I could feel your warmth and I just know that the Lord and your Father in Heaven were with you today and were so happy with your decision to enter the waters of baptism. Your testimony is pure and simple and strong and I hope that you never let life complicate that. In you confirmation blessing your dad blessed you to be honest always and to seek after the approval of you Father in Heaven instead of your friends and if you did that then all would be good in life. He blessed you to be a leader to those around you and let you know just how much your family loves you! I think my favorite parts of the day were watching you as you listened to both of your grandmas give their talks, you were so serene and interested and full of love for them. My other favorite part was after your confirmation you gave your dad a huge hug and just sat on his lap and loved on him with tears in your eyes for a couple of minutes. It was beautiful! I love you so much, these past 8 years have gone by too fast and it scares me to think that the next 8 might go as quickly, but at the same time I am excited to watch your life unfold and go on adventures with you... I just know you are meant for great things! The spirit was so strong today... almost indescribable. And you have been so worried about "sinning" now that you are clean. I hope you always keep that desire in your heart and also learn and accept that none of u s are perfect and need repentance and the atonement in our lives. But for now it is so cute to watch you try so hard. Thank you for your testimony and willingness to share and live it! I am most grateful to be your mom, truly my greatest blessing! I love you and am so proud of you! Congrats on such a wonderful day! LOVE YOU!!!

Dear Ryan ~
What a wonderful day! I just needed to thank you for being you and for being such a righteous priesthood holder. I am so grateful for the man that you are and for the ability you have and the respect you have for your priesthood responsibilities and gifts. I love listening to you give blessings... you are so thoughtful, and in tune with what the Lord needs to say and full of the spirit when you speak and pray. I love how emotional you got both during the baptism and the conformation. We are lucky to have you in our lives. Mason looks up to you in just about everything he does, you are his hero! And honestly, he could not have chosen anyone better to follow than you. Thank you for preparing him and yourself for such a special day. I love you! It was a great day... one I will cherish always. Thank You!!! All my love

I also just wanted to thank those who helped make today so special... to my Mom and to Steph for your beautiful talks, both grandpas for witnessing, Mitch and Sean for your prayers and Ally and Jen for your musical abilities and then to all those who came and helped me prepare food and fun... All of my family, all of Ryan's family, the Scotts, the Schenks, the Leroys, the Lomus, the Housleys, and the Richards. We are spoiled with great friends and family. I also just wanted to share my testimony of the importance of this ordinance... It truly is beautiful and and majestic. I know that it opens the gates to heaven, I know that the Lord has provided a way for all of us to return to Him and our Father. I know the Christ is our friend and brother in every sense of the word and I am so grateful for that. I know the priesthood power has been restored to this earth through the prophet Joseph Smith and I know that families can be together forever. Of which I am eternally grateful, I am sure it will take me that long to getting to be a good mother, daughter, wife, sister and friend. I love the Lord, I am grateful for the prophets and scriptures and those experiences I have had in my life that have brought me closer to my Heavenly Father. In the name of Jesus Christ... Amen

Oakley Rodeo and 4th of July fun

After coming home from St. George we headed up to Oakley the next day for some more family fun and the Oakley Rodeo with Ryan's family. Johnny's family has a "cabin" (aka...a lodge) up in Oakley that he was kind enough to share with us for the day. My kids loved it! It is a beautiful place full of fun and beauty. Mason would go up there every weekend if he could. I think Mas's favorite part was jumping off the loft railing onto a giant love sac over and over again!!! Ella and Claire enjoyed it quite a bit too, little dare devils! My favorite part was going a ATV ride around with everyone!!! So beautiful, peaceful, exhilarating and fun all at the same time!! My kids were sad to leave but quickly changed their minds when we got to the rodeo. We met some more of Ryan's family there... The Bolton's, some of the Pitchers, and Aunt Val. gReAt Rodeo full of excitement and awesome athletes, animals and cowboys! We love this tradition each year... I look forward to it all year long!














So on Friday Stephanie had a "mini Harris family reunion" at her house. But honestly there isn't anything too mini about it!! All of Ry's cousins were there with the exception of Ty and Steph (in TX and actually had their new baby that day), Brandon (working), Jenny and Johnny (with Johnny's family). But everyone else was there!!! I just have to say... I didn't grow up with cousins (I had 1 on each side of the family that were not my age or that I saw more than once or twice a year) but Ryan grew up with 16, including his brothers and sisters, on his moms side that he saw all the time and were really close with. It took a little getting used too when we got married, I was a bit overwhelmed with all the extended family functions but have now come to love them and hope that my kids have will have that same experience that he did with all their cousins. Now all of Ryan's cousins are having kids and growing up and its fun to see all the second cousins playing and loving each other!! So that night we all pitched tents in the backyard for a sleep over (Claire and I went home to sleep though), we dutch ovened, played basketball (even Ryan played which was a highlight of mine because ever since he hurt his wrist 4 years ago he hasn't played and I loved watching him play again), kids rode bikes, played in the sand and rode horses, (Another highlight... Ryan rode a horse which he has always claimed that he can do because he grew up with them but, I have never seen him on a horse... loved it and he was awesome) Ella loves being on the horses, Mason could take it or leave it and Claire did not want to get on but she talked and petted them. Loads of fun, relaxing, chill, crazy and a great time. It was fun to see everyone, and my kids loved sleeping in the tent with their daddy. The next day (July 3rd) we had a fabulous breakfast and the kids stayed and played aaalllllllll day long while Ryan and I went home to get some yard things done. By that night everyone was wiped out so the kids went to bed a little early and Ry and and I crashed!







Sunday- 4th of JULY; We went up to my cabin with my family, this seems to be becoming a tradition of ours. We usually end up there together that day or weekend of the holiday. But this time was no ordinary cabin trip... big things happened this day... momentous things!!!! We have a working toilet!!!!!!! As long as I have been alive and even further back, as long as that cabin has been around, 75-100 years, we have used an outhouse! My dad and mom have been working tirelessly for the past couple of years on the cabin, remodeling, updating and bettering it for our family and on July 4th 2010 (mark this day) the new toilet was finally set and we no longer are using the outhouse!!!!!! Pretty exciting!!! next up...hot water heater for showers and cabinets with new counter tops!!! Living the high life! It is so exciting for us... truly though this has been one of my most favorite places ever since I was a little girl... with or without outhouse:) LOVE to be up there, camp fires, BBQ"s 4- wheelers, love the drive up there in Provo Canyon, playing at the pond and river, it just encompasses peace and happiness to me!!!

St George Summer Fun

pArTy wEeK bring on jUlY....I don't even know where to start this one... we have had a fun filled, memorable and crazy week full of party!!! Lets see if I can sum it up... I went down with my kids and my mom to St. George for some fun in the sun for a few days (Sunday- Wednesday). I look forward to this each year; I get to play with my kids and chill with my mom. What could be better. Some of the favorite moments were... sPlAsH pAdS- Claire loved the first one, we were almost the only ones there and she loved having her space and being able to run the show. She skipped and ran every where, she dunked her head in the water over and over again, she ate 1/2 a bag of Doritos, played with toys and was a crazy woman that never stopped smiling. Mason and Ella squirted each other with squirt guns and ran and played to their hearts content. We had lunch and by the end of the 2 1/2 hrs of 109 degrees we were all spent. The next splash pad we went to the next day Mason and Ella ran and played and splashed and made friends and played spy with the squirt guns and had a great time. Claire was a bit grumpier, lots more people there and she did not like sharing her space or water and she let the kids around her know it. The temper was at full speed and the lungs were warmed up and ready for some screaming. But when she found a happy spot to play with no one bothering her she was good. She also ate the other 1/2 bag of Doritos (could not get the girl away from them). We took my mom to see Toy Story 3 (my favorite one of the series), we ate at our favorites...Pizza Factory, burgers, and Toblers Cookies, dollar store and Target runs for the kids, movies, watched bats at night with Mason, loved seeing my mom and Ella snuggle up in bed together, stayed up late watching movies with my mom, played outside in the back, played at the park across the street, and the kids all slept great!!!! One memorable, yet not so fun memory was the ride down there... kids were not happy about the drive and then to top it off Claire had to blow out TwIcE everywhere!!!! Love cleaning up nastiness on the side of the freeway; luckily it wasn't foreshadowing things to come:)
I really am grateful and look forward to this each year, my mom and I were talking about how it probably won't be too much longer before Mason isn't too excited about just coming down with his mom and grandma to play at water parks. He is going to have to have his dad come down to golf and play baseball and tennis with constantly... us girls just won't be able to cut it anymore. And Ella is going to be wanting pedicures, lunch, shopping and laying out days before I know it. They grow up too fast!! But I am so happy to have this sImPle time to be able to come down and play and enjoy each other. I hope they have fond memories of it growing up! As a mom it is so great to take the time out to just play and watch my kids play and not stress about house and everyday stuff. And the cherry on top is to be sitting there laughing with my mom about how crazy my kids are and enjoying every minute of it!!! Thanks mom for a great trip!!!