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Deep Thoughts

"Great things are brought about and burdens lightened through the efforts of many hands “anxiously engaged in a good cause.” Imagine what the millions of Latter-day Saints could accomplish in the world if we functioned like a beehive in our focused, concentrated commitment to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." M. Russell Ballard October 2012 General Conference

Thursday, January 20, 2011

It's Always Fun When Grandma Comes

Grandma Penny has been here for 10 days and counting.  She is probably losing her mind being bored to death in Logandale.  Her visit by the numbers.
4 trips to Sonic
2 trips to Vegas
1 basketball game for Caleb
1 ordination
2 birthdays
Umpteen episodes of Monk
1 trip to St. George
2 Snow Tunnel cakes
16 Sweet Tooth Fairy cupcakes
1 lemon bundt cake
12 bundtinis
1 white cake with bavarian cream filling and whip cream frosting
2 delightful pieces of cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
19 quarts of bottled chicken
800 names indexed-by her
2 trips to Kohls
$600 saved at Kohls-not gonna tell ya how much we spent!
18 cans of Diet Dr. Pepper
All of that and lots of love from grandma.

EDIT***We did have Carne Asada that night after the ordination and for Cody's birthday!

Chicken Little



And that my friends is me not being afraid of a pressure cooker and even cutting up 35 pounds of chicken and spending 10.5 hours bottling it.

Another Birthday Boy


We add up the candles!  1+9+8=18
Cody turned 18 on January 16!  I am officially old-or else he is!  Every year he wants a Snow Tunnel cake.  Grandma Penny made if for him this year.  We gave him his fancy new church clothes before church so he could wear them when he gave his talk in Sacrament meeting.  After church and Connor's ordination we came home for carne asada and lots of cake.  Cody is an amazing person.  Here are 18 super great things about him.
1.  He is a snappy dresser.  He even has a friend of his alter some of his clothes so they fit better.
2.  He can play the heck out of the piano.
3.  He can sing amazingly.
4.  He can act.
5.  He can argue the paint off the wall.
6.  He has no fear of public speaking.
7.  He is incredibly smart.  31 on his ACT.
8.  He is a good worker.
9.  He is funny.
10.  He is very respectful to girls.
11.  He is very considerate of others and their feelings.
12.When he was little he would listen to the Disney music CD's and do the funniest bouncy dance to the Tiki Room song.
13.  He is a good friend and likes to help his friends by chauffering them around when they need it.
14.  He understands alot about the gospel and the scriptures.
15.  He is helpful with his brothers.
16.  He is very determined.
17.  When he was little and we went on walks he would run ahead of me and just keep running and running.
18.  He knows what is right and will defend his point of view till the cows come home.

Is There a Teacher In the House?

I am a Child of God cake even tough you can't see that it says that.
On Sunday January 16, Connor was ordained to the office of a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood.  The ordination was held after the 3 hour block in a classroom at the Logandale Nevada Stake Center.  In the circle were Bishop Vaughn Evans, Don Adams, Don Adams Sr., Devon Mortenson-the Teacher's Quorum President, Mitch Zobrist-the Teacher's Quorum counselor, Larry Humphreys, Cody Adams and of course Connor Adams.  Connor's dad, Don Adams did the ordaining and gave Connor a wonderful blessing.  After the ordination we went home and had carne asada and a lovely I Am A Child of God cake from Lin's. 

This Is The Car That Did Not Hit Another Car


Last Friday, January 14 we got a call from our friendly neighborhood police officer asking if our car had by chance hit another car in the Wally's parking lot the night before and then sped away.  Thankfully the stars were aligned in our favor because the car was parked safely in our driveway and the car's driver was safely computing away and playing the crap out of my piano.  As for the witnesses for the defense-us-I was home, Don was home, and Grandma Penny was here too.  After the officer called and we told him that 
a.  The car was here all night.
b.  There is/was not any damage on the car.
c.  The driver of the car was here all night.
d. Said driver of aforementioned car did not even go to Wally's that day.
Just to cover our butts my mom and I drove up to the high school and took pictures of the car.  We saw the officer a few days later and he said that he looked at our car and of course saw no damage so as far as we are concerned it should be over.  Well that is not what happened.  Whoever it is whose car got hit called my insurance and filed a claim and since then I have had 2 calls from them and a visit from our agent to check on us to make sure we were all ok "from the accident".  You may be asking how these people got our insurance info and all I can say is that because my car is parked outside in the driveway all I can figure is that that whoever hit them drives a similar car and since they "followed them into Lake Valley Estates and then lost them" they went driving around and saw our car and wrote down our license plate number.  Seriously-we just get through with one run in with the law and we get another.  (If you are wondering what the previous altercation with the law was well you will just have to wait for it because it is lengthy and still very fresh. Rest assured no one went to jail and it really was just blown out of proportion because of the very unChristianlike behavior of some people we know.)

The Great Big 14!


We use candles that add up to the age of the birthday boy.
Connor McKay Adams was born 14 years ago on January 11, 1997.  He came into this world 6 weeks early and itty bitty tiny but full of life.  He has been on the go ever since.  For his birthday dinner Connor wanted Grandpa Don's pasta so we had dinner over there and Lemon Bundt cake (mom's personal favorite).  Connor got some good old cashola and giftcards from his aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas, a remote control helicopter, a watch and the new 2011 world records book.  Here are 14 amazing things about this amazing kid.
1.  He is the hardest working kid or adult that you will ever meet.  He picks up trash at the fair, digs holes for the neighbors, helps families move, mows lawns, takes care of animals and helps his grandpa clean buildings, wax floors, clean carpets and wash windows.
2.  He is very perceptive.  He notices when I cut my hair or have on new clothes.
3.  He remembers my birthday and Mother's Day and always wants to get me a gift usually with his own money.
4.  He can carry on a conversation with any adult he meets. He walks into a store or the post office or the gas station and inevitably he will see someone he knows.  We usually walk into places and hear "Hey Connor" from people that we don't even know but that Connor knows.
5.  He is very kind to little children and likes to play with them and make them laugh.  He especially loves his little cousins Abby, Owie and Lexie.
6.  He visits his great-grandma at the care center she lives in every week and entertains her and the other elderly people there too.
7.  He visits and checks on quite a few of the older people in our neighborhood. He visits them when they are sick or after they have been gone on vacation. He waters their plants and mows their lawns for them too.
8.  He considers himself the Neighborhood Watch and will patrol the neighborhood on his bike watching out for people.
9.  For Christmas this year and in year's past the older people that he checks on and helps gave him Christmas gifts just for him.
10.  The neighbor lady who has a house here and a house in another town so she is here only on and off, made him a quilt and bought him a pocket knife that she gave him tonight. She said it was because she was thinking about him on Christmas and appreciates him watching over her house when she is away.
11.  He takes his priesthood responsibilities very seriously and always likes to be the #1 position so that he can pass to the Bishop and those on the stand.
12.  He would rather mow the lawn or pull weeds than play video games or watch TV.
13.  He likes to keep his room clean and asks for help when it hasn't been cleaned for a while.
14.  He always likes to know what the plan is so that keeps us on our toes.
And one more just because
15.  He is very inquisitive and wants to know how things work, where we think the trains or the planes or the police cars are going, what the weather is going to do and why things are the way they are.
We love you Connor McGoo!

Air Caleb


Caleb is playing basketball this year with a team through our Parks and Rec department.  This year he has taken PE at school and he has a great PE teacher who has really helped him learn to love it.  He has just taken off with basketball and according to our neighbor whose son is in his class he is "tearing it up at every sport".  He had his first game of the season on January 11.  Grandma Penny was down for a visit and got to see him play.  He is much  more confident and eager to play than he has been in the past.

The Case of the Missing Camera

So I uploaded a ton of pictures to my computer on New Year's Day at my mom's house and then we left the next day to come home.  I could have sworn that I had my camera with me when we left because my camera is a very important piece of equipment and I really like my camera and use it alot.  Apparently I did not need my camera though for many days after we got home so when I started looking for it and it had gone MIA, I was very distressed.  I turned this house upside down because I was sure that it was here somewhere and truth be told I had a suspicion (not unfounded) because of numerous pictures that I have discovered on my camera that my darling little photobugs had taken that they  had "borrowed" it.  The camera was nowhere to be found.  I opened drawers and pulled out couch cushions.  I looked under beds and went through the empty suitcase 3 times-I did find my missing slippers and a pair of flip flops in the suitcase but the camera remained elusive.  My mom had come down to visit us and she said that she had cleaned the room that we had stayed in at her house and did not find anything there either.  I decided to call my sister Calley and asked her to go into that bedroom and look under the bed and behind the bed and on the shelves and between the bed and the nightstand to see if my missing camera had in fact been left up there in Provo.  Calley hunted all over that room to no avail.  I was thoroughly bummed and just kept waiting for it to appear.  It did not!  For the last few days I have been using Cody's camera and when I could not find that, my mom was taking pictures for me.  Then miracle of miracles-Calley called and said that she found it!  She was looking for the remote in the couch cushions and she found my camera!!!!!  Hallelujah!  Now how to get it down here!

Monday, January 17, 2011

New Year's Eve

This is how Connor partys!

The countdown!

It was about 7 degrees outside that night!
We are great big party animals and usually stay home on New Year's Eve.  We were still in Provo like we usually are but we did stay up and let the kids watch the ball drop on TV.  Then Caleb and Cayden went out on the back porch to bang pots and pans.  Connor was asleep by 9.

We Love Owie!

Mmmm, food is good!
Cayden loves balloons!

Aunt Jenni and the birthday boy!
You are such a cutie patootie!

Caleb playing with the party hats.
We went to Owie's 2nd birthday party on December 31 at his house.  We had yummy homemade Cafe Rio salads and Calley made super tasty cupcakes and a cake for Owie. 

Super Sledding



The kids wanted to go sledding with all the snow at Grandma Penny's house so we bought them some cheap sleds at Target.  Connor's first attempt ended up with him spinning around backwards and flipping head over heels with the sled going one way and him going another.  Good times!

The Tooth Fairy Can Find Us Even In Provo

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Little More Stuffing Ourselves







We love Brick Oven and stuff ourselves silly!  December 30, 2010

A Little More Christmas

Be Prepared!
Calley made this year's annual Christmas Jeopardy game and made us all feel really dumb!

Fun with Cuzzies!

Pillow Pets are the Bomb!

A new doggie from Mawmaw.

Cool dudes!

Fuzzy slipper feet!

New Year's Resolutions

I don't like the word resolutions and I really don't like the thought that you can only make changes or decide to do better or be better at the beginning of the new year.  It is the traditional thing to do and the new year is a good time for a fresh start and deep breath.  So in compliance and in honor of the new year I have decided to work on 3 things this year. (there's a whole lot more things that I could and want to do but in an effort to not overwhelm or overload myself these are the ones I want documented).
1.  Read Jesus the Christ.  Yes, the whole book all the way through.
2.  Validate and have 10 positive interactions with each one of my kids each day.
3.  Try a little harder to be a little better.  (work on being a more positive person more or less)

I don't want to even attempt the old "I will read my scriptures every day" and "I will say my prayers" because EVERY DAY just seems like setting myself up for failure.  I've decided that I will do it as much and as best as I can and see how many days I can go and if I miss a day I won't beat myself up about it but "try a little harder to be a little better".

Don't Forget

Cayden said at Connor's birthday when Connor was opening his gifts, one of which was in a small gift bag, and the others no bigger than a dictionary. 
"Please be big screen TV.  Please be a big screen TV."

The Real Blizzard




My children looking like the hooligans they are.  
My children cannot resist a snowfall.  They played in it, layed in it, ran through it, and Connor shoveled it for days when we went to Provo for New Year's.  It was sooooo stinking cold but they bundled up and and tromped in and out of grandma's house over and over again leaving their wet shoes and gloves in their wake.

Christmas Just Wouldn't Be Christmas...


Without stuffing ourselves silly!  The Monday after Christmas Don, Caleb, Cayden and I went to St. George to do a bit of shopping so that the kids could spend their some of their giftcards.  We made a stop at Texas Roadhouse and then after shopping a bit we headed home.  Connor stayed with Grandma and Grandpa  and Cody had to work lest you think that we abandoned our other 2 children.

Christmas




On Christmas Eve we had a nice dinner of ham, cheesy potatoes, green beans, rolls and pumpkin pie.  We invited Grandpa Dottie and Grandpa Don over.  Then we let the kids open their traditional gift of PJ's.  It was simple night.  Our Christmas "rule" is that the kids cannot go out to see what Santa brought until they wake up.  But their rooms are on the opposite side of the house from our's so the deal is that they have to go to Cody's room and wake him up and then he can call us from his cell phone to wake us up.  Guess what time the phone rang-3:00AM!  Cayden woke up and woke up Cody and Cody had him call us.  The phone woke me up and I looked at the clock.  Then I calmly answered the phone and Cayden said "can we get up now?"  I said "Cayden it is 3:00 in the morning.  It is way too early to get up.  GO BACK TO BED!"  He said "ok mom" and then we made it until 6:30am.  Cody's favorite gift was his new mini-fridge complete with a 24 pack of Diet Coke.  Connor's favorite gift was new tent.  Caleb's favorite gift was his new cell-phone that we wrapped and put under the tree and then we called it so that it would ring when he was looking for another present to open.  Cayden's favorite gift was his pillow pet.  All the boys got pillow pets and they were a hit!  There lots of Legos and new DVD's as well as flashlights, and Wally's giftcards.  Santa is always so good to us.  We then had a good breakfast of pancakes, grits,and bacon and sausage that Connor cooked outside on the BBQ grill because it always stinks up the house too much for me.  The kids watched their new movies while Don and I napped.  Then we got ready for our 2nd Annual Progressive Dinner with Don's side of the family.  We seriously ate for 3 and half hours straight!  We started at Dena's house and some great appetizers of bruschetta, and brie and pears and some tasty meats and cheeses..  While we waited the kids played Just Dance on the Wii. 
The plan with the Progressive Dinner is help alleviate the stress on just one person providing a whole meal at their home and then we don't have to haul everyone's gifts to someone elses house we just open the carious gifts wherever we are.  After Dena's house we came to our house and had soup and salad and rolls.  By the time we left here we super stuffed already!  Grandpa Don and Grandma Dottie left a little earlier than the rest of us to get going on the main menu course of grandpa's pasta.  Taylor, Cody and I started a game of Phase 10 while the others chit-chatted and watched basketball.  After our yummy pasta dish, Dave and Amy brought over 2 super super yummy desserts-a red velvet layer cake and a whip cream cake that was AWESOME.  The kids opened their gifts from Grandma and Grandpa and we all lounged around with our swollen bellies.  Don's parents gave us a camp stove which we love and now we can give theirs back since we have been "borrowing" it for the last few months.  We always have such a good Christmas and we are have so many blessings.  I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for His restored gospel that I am so blessed to have part of my life.  I am grateful that we can celebrate more fully His birth, His Life and remember His example and sacrifice for us at Christmas.