Niah's 1st Halloween Dance

Shaniah had her first girls pref Halloween high school dance today. Her and three of her friends invited four guys to dress up with them. They started out their date going to Gardner Village and doing the "Find the Witch Hunt." While they were there they all picked something to be painted on their dates faces. Shaniah's date had a witch painted on her cheek and Shaniah picked a full blown butterfly to be painted on his entire face. He did not know what she had picked until it was done. BOy was he surprised! haha!

They then went to cafe rio for dinner and then off to the Halloween dance. They had so much fun dancing their hearts out at the dance. The eight of them came to our house afterwards to have a bonfire and roast s'mores. They finished the night watching a scary movie on our projector downstairs!

 They all dressed up like community helpers…..haha

Look at those cool cops!

The Cops

Cops, bikers, firefighters, and army people

 What a fun group of kids having a good old time!

What a fun and eventful week it was for Shaniah.  A couple days ago she also went to classic skating with a friend thinking it was cowboy night when in reality it was karaoke night! They didn't care and wore overalls and headbands and had a great time just having fun!

Funny Girls!!!

Sunday Dinners, FHE, and Fun Times!

Today we took a Sunday drive up Tibble Fork canyon to have our FHE around a campfire. We had a short lesson around the fire, made smokes and laughed until it go dark. We were not up there for long but really enjoyed the family time being all together!

When your kids are young you really seem to take for granite all the time you have together! As they grow up and start making lives for themselves you realize just how lucky you are when everyone is all together!

This is one of the reasons why we started to have a family dinner every Sunday and then followed by Family Home Evening. I know everyone is so busy during the week and sometimes we never see each other so Sunday's was the day we could all  look forward to being together! We have been doing this for the past 4 months and it has been so much fun!

I  made a little family home evening chart out of paper and pockets and will continue to add spouses and grandchildren as we grow! I know having dinner can be a lot of work each week but if it means that it gets us all together to have weekly family home evening then it is all totally worth it!

I am not going to say that every Sunday is full of happy smiling faces…especially from teens, spiritual lessons, and most the time includes a lot of chaos…. but the food is what seems to gather our family together and by the end of the night the fun and laughter is what keeps us going! I know that no one will ever remember the lessons, the games we played, or even the treats that were served, but everyone will remember that we did try our best and hopefully being consistent will instill in their hearts the importance of being together as a family !

Some pictures from our eventful lesson around the fire!

C'Jay and Ireland having fun

Having fun at the creek

The three kids and Ireland

Ireland just learned how to do high 5!

Passing the baby across the creek!

The cute Powers family

Bubba laughing at C'Jays smores burning

Burnt Smores

Ireland loved the Paleo homemade smokes

Enjoying her smores with grandma

Kim and C'Jay around the fire!

Niah in the flames

C'Jay's homemade gun!

J'Dee 

Irealnd reading with her daddy!

Family Home Evening around the Fire

GOOD NEWS TODAY….GRAND-BABY #2

GOOD NEWS FRIDAY!!

Not only did I find out today at my chiropractor that I can go from 3 times a week down to 2 times per week, but I also found out some amazing, exciting news today!!

My grand-baby Ireland came by this afternoon wearing this cute new shirt! Kim, C'Jay, and I were at home cleaning when Kaylee and Andrew come walking in with Ireland. All of us were so excited to see the baby that we grabbed her up and quickly started playing with her. We never even read what was on her shirt!

So…Kaylee and her Bubba had to ask us, "Don't you like her new shirt?" We looked at it and I screamed with excitement and hugged Kaylee and Andrew!

Such an exciting day today!

"Just read my shirt Grandma!!!!"

I never knew just how fun it would be to be a Grandma! My husband, Kim also loves being a grandpa. We fight over who gets to play or hold Ireland all the time! We are all soooo excited to bring another sweet spirit into our family! Nothing in life can bring us more joy than adding a new member to our family! Our Father in Heaven knew that our greatest happiness would come in this life by means of our family! I am so thankful for the blessings that families bring into our lives! 

Family Picture Time 2014

Today after we had family dinner we all drove up Tibble Fork Canyon to see the leaves and to take family pictures by the lake. We did not have anyone to take our pictures so we took are camera a couple stools and propped the camera up and set it on auto-timer. It was so funny watching C'Jay push the 10 second button and then run back get into place before the camera took the picture. The pictures are far from perfect but we really did have a great time.

Picture day for our family every year starts out as just trying to capture a great photo. But my kids and hubby somehow turn it into quite the adventure. Someone says or does something that seems to spur everyone on. We always seem to make such crazy and fun memories each year during picture time. So I don't mind that we never get the perfect picture because all the memories made in the process is what is truly priceless to me!!!
Her are a few of our not-so perfect pics!!! haha!

Niah and Bubba…What are you doing with your hands???

LOVE THIS FAMILY

J'Dee and I are a little squished here….

Grandpa and Grandma holding Ireland

Mommy and Daddy with Ireland

Aunt Ni Ni with Irealnd

Playtime with Ireland

Everyone loves this little cutie!!

Uncle Cee Cee playing with Ireland

Ireland loves Uncle Dee Dee

Crazy Family!!!!

Believe it or not!!! This one is our favorite!!!

I am so happy Families CAN be Together  Forever!!!

Parry Pumpkin Painting Party

Today we watched General Conference together as a family. Everyone was there except for Kim. On conference weekends he works 12 hour days. It is mandatory that they have security for these large events. Today he was security in the hot box. WHich is the p had the annual Parry Pumpkin Painting Party at my mom and dad's house. Each year we get together on a Sunday afternoon and have dinner together and then paint the pumpkins that my dad and mom grew in their garden. My dad always loves to make sure the youngest grandkids get the biggest pumpkin!

This was Irelands first attempt at painting anything! My parents are  her Great Grandma and Grandpa so in order to make it easy we call her GG and my dad GP.

Ireland loved to pain with her hands until someone gave her a paintbrush and she stuck the paint in her mouth. When her mom took it away from her she screamed and through a fit! haha! I laughed at how cute she was even when she was screaming!!! Bubba, Shaniah, and I all painted a pumpkin as well.

I don't think you are ever too old to decorate a pumpkin!

 Ireland painting her pumpkin!!

Me and Niah 

Ireland eating tomatoes right out of grandpas garden

Lil Clown...

Kisses for Grandpa

Uncle C'Jay and Uncle J'Dee clowning around!

Look who's taller now??/

Halloween Fun!!

 

Parenting…Hardest but the Most Rewarding!

Today I spent the day at the chiropractor for myself this morning and then this afternoon for my daughter who was in the car accident. It is amazing to me just how much stress whether it be physical or mental stress plays a part in flaring up my illness. I am learning it does not matter. It is just anything that puts a stressor upon my body.

My doctor explains it like this: "Your body is already under attack and there is a war going on inside your body and it takes every ounce of energy you have to continually fight the disease. He also said that because of this any type of hardship on your body either mentally (stress or worry) or physically(overdoing) will cause your inflammation to increase and your body will pay the price in regards to pain and breathing issues."

As a parent, you do what you need to do to be there for your kids no matter what price you will have to pay for it. It is all worth it! That is what being a parent is all about. Your sacrifice and unconditional love is just what you do when you become a parent and for so many years giving becomes second nature and you do it no matter what price you must pay!

Whether it be little children or teenagers parenting is the hardest thing you will ever do in your life but it is the most rewarding and the best thing you will ever accomplish!