Brooke and Michael

When we found out we were moving to Denver we had several different emotions, but one of them was gratitude that it was a good stopping point for travelers going across country.  We were extra grateful when we found a house the accommodates travelers - basically they get the whole basement to themselves.

This spring we were thrilled to have my brother, Michael and his wife Brooke and cute little daughter Caroline, stop and visit on their way to Arkansas to sell for the summer.  We will also get them on their way home.  

We just LOVED having baby Caroline and wished they would have left her with us.  Madison was especially in love.

Caroline likes to look at herself in the mirror - so we put her in from of our mirror corner in our bathroom - she about died with happiness when she saw 3 of herself.

It is hard for my kids to take a picture unless it is a "silly" picture.  I guess Caroline didn't get the memo.

They were only here for one day so we took them swimming.  Caroline loved the water and was so cute in her little suit.  

We can't wait to see them in August!

**And if anybody needs a free place to stay while traveling through - we are right off of I-70 and would love to have you!**

Krista's Baptism

Jason and I had trouble finding a house to live in when we were moving to Denver.  Everything was too much money and felt... wrong.  We didn't even know what city we wanted to live in.  An hour before we I went to the airport to go back to Utah we said a prayer in our car in a random church parking lot before walking into a random ward sacrament meeting.  My trip out to Denver to find a house had been discouraging to say the least.  We offered up a prayer - a plea.  We asked for "a fleece"  (from the story of Gideon in the book of Judges).  In humility we asked to live somewhere where we could do His work.  A place where we were needed. At the time I thought it meant we would have to live in a horrible house that I didn't want to do his work - like that would be my sacrifice.  My heart was ready to accept that - as long as we could be instruments in his hand.  We walked into the meeting.  We came out with some dew on our fleece.  A house... maybe.  It was more money than we wanted... but we felt something.  As soon as Jason walked into the house (I was back in Utah by this point) he knew we were supposed to live there.  But unlike I had suspected, it wasn't the "sacrifice" I had expected to make.  It was a mansion (to us) - a house unlike anything we had ever even imagined that we would live in.  I guess our sacrifice was our money - it was more than we wanted - but doable - we just couldn't spend money on anything else for a few years.  Maybe that was what all the lay-offs and poverty was for - to learn and to show the Lord we could budget and live with-in our means.  So that one day we could buy this house and he knew we could over extend ourselves a little bit but not be hurt by doing so... who needs new... anything.... right?  

Two days after moving in I met Krista.  The spirit imminently spoke to me - she was the reason I was here.  Heavenly Father pierced my heart and said to me, "Teach her about me".  We became friends.  But the gospel... came slower.  I was awkward.  Turns out I had never really shared the gospel to anyone.  I made a lot of mistakes.  But God was in charge and just needed me to listen to the spirit, follow my promptings, and try.  He would make up the rest.  And I am so glad He did.  I won't go into her whole conversion - but it was beautiful and reminded me of the joy of the gospel.  And why we do what we do.  It is true.  Plain and simple.  That that is the "good news".

Krista was baptized on April 18.  

Her sister missionaries - their name tags are covered by their hair.
Sister Gogue from Guam and Sister Orro from Australia


Jason had surgery the day before her baptism - so he couldn't baptism her (but we did not want her to put it off) - so she was baptized by another brother in the ward and Jason confirmed her.

Krista with the "kiddos" (as Krista says)

Krista's family - with her mom.  Brian (husband), Krista, Deb, and David (son)

This is at church the next day after her confirmation

Brock's Birthday

Brock turned 8!  Holy Moly!  It is pretty crazy.  Life seems to get real once your first one turns 8.  We are lucky because Brock is practically perfect.  He is such a great older brother and oldest in the family.  He is very responsible and giving. 

For his birthday he wanted scriptures.  I wondered if he wanted scriptures AND a toy.  But he only really wanted scriptures, a case, and marking pen. 

As soon as he got them he wanted to start reading with his dad.

This has been a tradition most of his life.  When Jason asked him where he wanted to start he immediately said, "Moses".  So in Moses they started.  It wasn't a surprise, Moses is Jason's favorite book.

Brock wanted a soccer party for his birthday party.  I got red and blue t-shirts from Michaels and some fabric markers and let the boys "decorate" their own team jersey.  What probably would have taken a half hour for girls took about 5-10 minutes for the boys - except Noah - he is very particular.

Then it was time to play - they boys were so cute about their teams and took them very seriously - even having huddles to strategize.  We played soccer and capture the flag.

Noah, Isaac, Jason, Finn, Lincon, Emerson, Brodie, Brock, Dillan, Brady, and David

We had simple soccer-ring cup cakes.

It was a great party!

8 IS great!  And expensive.  There seems to be so many things an 8 year old needs.  Scriptures, scripture case, scouts stuff, scout, book, new church clothes (in our family once you are 8 you start wearing white shirt and ties to church), a birthday party, baptism invitations, a baptism open house - I am aware many of those things are not "needed" but they are things that you (I) want to do - it is just hard all coming at the same time.

Megan's Birthday

Megan turned 5!  I still have a hard time calling her a 5 year old - 5 seems so old.  For her birthday this year she wanted the exact same party she had last year.  As princess party.  I got her to at least change her cake to a frozen cake rather than a princess cake - but her games and everything needed to be the exact same as last year.  So... it was a pretty easy party to plan.

She came to the party as Elsa.

Madison came, of course, as Anna - and, also of course, wanted her picture with the cake.

All the princesses - and one Olof

(Jackson is the only boy her age that we know - he is always such a trooper to be the only boy.

Afton, Jackson, Zelda, Esther (hiding), Madison, Brecken, Hayden, and Megan (Zoe was their too - but did not want to take a picture.

A silly one.  Megan always wants to take silly group pictures.

At the end my good friend, Hannah, surprised us as Elsa (she is Jackson's mom and their family was "Frozen" for Halloween).  The kids were thrilled.  We turned on several Frozen songs and had ourselves a sing-a-long dance party.

Megan at five is... hmmm... how do I best describe her.

• She is clean and organized.  And a little OCD about it.  She likes to have things "just so" and she cant sleep or function really if her blankets are not completely flat and square, or if her "trinkets" are not in their proper order on her shelves.
• She loves to make friends at parks and soccer games/practices and has very good social skills.  But prefers to play alone most of the time.
• Great helper around the house.  She loves to do jobs and have responsibility.  If I ever had another baby (which is her greatest wish) - she would be one of those sisters who would be like a second mom.
• She is very smart and has a very organized brain.  She loves to build and do puzzles and figure things out.  She is reading great and starting to love writing.
• She is really artsy.  She could spend her days drawing, coloring, painting, or just fiddling around with paper.  She is our best on in Sacrament meeting because she spends the whole time coloring the program.