Layne is 39!

It's the day after, and Layne is officially 39!
I was going to do this yesterday, but Layne took the day off so we could spend it together - so it was hard to be sneaky! We got to go to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays and then spend the afternoon at Layne's favorite stores - the fish store, the fish store and Home Depot! Then, when Layne picked Kavan up from school, the class was shouting Happy Birthday to Layne! That was fun! :) Oh and guess what? Kyler hit a home run in his game last night. He said it was just for dad! :)

Anyway, I just wanted to share some fun memories of Layne's 39 years!

Layne - Brand New! So Cute, huh?

Layne in 1975! Look at that sweet face with those baby blues!

Layne turns 8!

Layne's cute family, 1981!

Layne loves scouting! He earned his Eagle at age 12!

Layne graduates High School,1988! (Layne loves his grandparents. He definitely got his love of plants and animals from his Grandma White!)

Layne leaves on his mission to Santa Rosa, CA in 1989.

After his mission, he took me to my Senior Homecoming dance, 1991. I was so excited! Imagine the faces as I walked into the dance with a "cutie-patootie" college guy!

And then to still be together 6 months later for my Senior Prom! FUN TIMES!

Layne is always ready for an adventure...

He loves being on the water...

whether he's skiing

boating, (I know - kind of a sexy picture,huh?)

or fishing!

(I think he got his love of fishing from his Grandpa Mitchell!)

And he loves to hunt! (He caught the "hunting bug" from his dad!)

I love being with Layne!

Getting married, June 5, 1993! (Best Day of my Life!)

Graduating College, 1994. (Layne went on to get his Bachelor's degree and graduated again in 1996.)


Starting a family, 1997.

Traveling and trying new things!
Our Jamaica trip, 1996. (King trying to teach Layne how to windsurf.)

Skiing at Snow Basin, Utah in 1998.

An amazing trip to Hawaii, 1998. (Thanks to BYU Hawaii's Education Week!)

Our fabulously fun and fantastic trip to Greece, 2003. (A trip of a lifetime - thanks Tyler for serving your mission in Greece!)

One of the greatest things about Layne is that he loves having fun with his kids!

The Cake (his favorite, German Chocolate)...
(Kavan had to step back because there were so many candles! :) But of course, Layne got the candles blown out in one easy, fast puff!!!)

and the Presents!
The kids just love their dad...

and so do I!
Thank you for including me in a great adventure!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Layne!

Thank you for being such a great dad, husband and my best friend! :) We love you lots! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

SPRING BREAK in Review ! -Part 2-

Friday, Layne had the day off again - YEAH! - Mom and I took a walk, then it was over to our friends, the Evans', for fishing. (Thanks Brother and Sister Evans!) We had the best time!
Kavan had been practicing his casting and was all ready to fish!


The casting!


The catching! (I think Layne has just as much fun watching the kids fish as he does fishing!)


I even fished, but Karlee or Kyler would take my "big catches" off the hook for me! :)


Karlee learned how to bait her own hook. She said, "Eww, the worm peed on me!" I asked, "How do you know that?" She said, "Because my hand is all yellow!"


I'm not sure who loves fishing more, Kyler or my dad!?!



Kenzie and Kyler were neck and neck on the leader board! :)

After fishing, we cleaned up, ate and headed to Jump City! Jump City on a Friday afternoon during Master's Week was a gamble, but we took it and had the best time! The kids had the place almost to themselves.


Making a train!


Kavan?!? Crazy Kid!

They jumped, bounced, played hide and seek and tag, and smelled like sour children when all was said and done. Needless to say, more showers! :)

Saturday, some of us fished next door at our neighbor's pond.


(Thanks Mr. Phillips)

Mom and I walked, and my mom did some of my mending and sewing. (Thanks, Mom!) Then Grandma and Grandpa said "see you again soon" and were on their way home.(Thanks so much for coming Mom and Dad!)
That evening our good friends the Koschene's came over for dinner and Easter egg decorating. It was so fun! And I think we may have only cracked 2 eggs!


Before...


and after!

Easter Sunday, the kids search for their baskets...


Kenzie finds hers first!

Then we went to church. It was my turn to do sharing time (first time in this new primary presidency) and I loved being with the kids. Some of these kids are so smart and so sweet that they just melt your heart!
After church, we got together with the Mitchell family at the lake house (even Betsy's mom and dad, and April's grandparents were there) for our annual Easter dinner and egg hunt and Timothy's, Jeremiah's and Cade's birthday celebration. The food and fun was awesome! What a great family we have! (Thanks, Tim and Linda!)


And they're off!


The Loot!


Jeremiah - The "Top Looter!"


Ali - The "Cutest Looter!"

What a fun week it was! A great time was had by all! Spring Break definitely made Layne and I "trunkie" for summertime!

-Oh and just as a side note, on Monday, after school, kids are coming home, doing homework, things are a little hectic, I'm trying to get dinner ready so we aren't super late with FHE, - within about 30 minutes time - my 9 by 13 glass dish shatters to a billion pieces on the floor, Kavan pops his toy bug (that has this cool - maybe not so cool - gooey red liquid stuff in it) all over the floor and Kyler's backpack, and then my hand mixer that I was using to make deviled eggs falls to the floor as yolk stuff sprays everywhere - can you say summer?!? :)

SPRING BREAK in Review! -Part 1-

Let me just start by saying that General Conference weekend was a great way to begin a really fun week of spring break! I felt so happy after watching the sessions! It must have been the fun stories told (on my level), the really powerful and emotional testimonies given, the outpouring of love and support shown to our new apostle Elder Anderson, the gorgeous music, or just that my kids are finally old enough to watch conference without mom and dad going crazy!?! To hear the Prophet and our leaders speak and bear testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ is such a blessing. I am thankful for the Spirit I felt!


Not to mention the fun I had making cookies with Kavan (who insisted on taking a picture)!


Then Kavan insisted that I take a picture of his "muscles" - pretty impressive, huh? (hee,hee)

So, Monday was errand day - baseball pants and socks, Easter shoes and ties, a fun lunch at McDonald's, birthday presents for cousins, and grocery shopping. For Family Home Evening, Kavan gave the lesson and used the picture in the April friend (beautiful picture of Christ and a lamb with children) to talk about Jesus and why He wants his children to Choose the Right! And sadly I can't even remember what our treat was - wait maybe it was cookies (leftover from conference) and ice cream and possibly hot fudge (sounds yummy, anyway).

Then at about 1:00AM tragedy almost struck as a fox nearly got the rooster. (Oh the drama of this Psycho Rooster!) We think that after the fox chased the rooster onto the deck, with the rooster going completely berserk (very loudly I might add), the fox finally got it pinned up against the house, and then our dishwasher turned on and scared the fox away. So never fear the rooster is still here! (He might have been a little worn out though, because he didn't crow again until about 7:00AM!)


This pile of feathers (and stuff, eww) were under our kitchen window Tuesday morning!

Tuesday was chore day - I know boring and not fun, but had to be done. And the kids are super great helpers and they love BLASTING the stereo (because it drives me bonkers, but I let them do it when we scrub and mop floors) to Michael Jackson and Alabama - weird combination, huh? Anyway, after we got done everyone had earned lots of beans for their bean jar and we were off to the library and karate!

Wednesday I worked just a half day and even Layne got to come home early. The kids watched movies and we played outside.


- Did I mention that the kids worked in riding the trail bike and playing with cousins whenever and as much as possible! -

Thursday was great because Layne had the day off and my parents were coming!! So, I took Kenzie to clean her teeth, return some shoes, and by the time we got home Grandma and Grandpa had arrived! We talked, played, planted grapes - I wonder if they will grow? -


Kyler trying to dig the holes for the grapes!


Watering the grapes.


Kavan watering Aunt Jana!


Aunt Jana gettin' Kavan! :)

That night we put Kavan and Karlee to bed and the rest of us watched Twilight. McKenzie has almost finished reading the series and has been very much anticipating this movie. McKenzie was a hoot as we watched - oh to be so young! And we decided that this definitely has to be my dad's favorite movie! (ha, ha) It was hard to tell if he was laughing at McKenzie or the drama that included a little of the cheesiness factor!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!



Legend of the Dogwood

There is a legend, that at the time of the Crucifixion,
the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other
forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was
chosen as the timber of the cross. To be used for such a
cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus, nailed
upon it, sensed this, and in His gentle pity for all sorrow
and suffering said to it: "Because of your regret and pity
for my suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree
grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it
shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms
shall be in the form of a cross...two long and two short
petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."

-Anonymous


"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)