Father's and Sons Outting

As I read other's blogs everyone is commenting on their Father's and Sons outing. So I thought I would comment on ours. May 2nd and 3rd was our Ward's Father's and Sons outing. Porter looks forward to this outing all year long. Ron and Porter usually attend from Thurs. to Sat. but this year they would only be able to go up overnight because of all the time off Ron has already had to take for other things. Ron got a call Wed afternoon while at work and was informed he needed to be at a job site in Mexico Thursday morning, and stay there till the problem was fixed. Because of this the Father's and Sons outing was scratched. Porter was pretty disappointed. We had numerous neighbors offer to take Porter with them which he considered, but then he started to have problems with his asthma. He really started feeling lousy and we decided he should stay home so no one had to worry about him. So this year we didn't get to participate in the Father's and Sons. But that is ok because this Wed through Fri Ron and Porter get to go up to Prescott for Science Camp. They are both really looking forward to this. I went 2 years ago with Bryndee and really enjoyed it. I hope they have fun.

Guess Who is Who!

Yesterday Kymber and Abby were playing together (nicely I might add not fighting can you believe it) and they decided to dress like twins. When they did I could not believe how much they looked alike. Kymber is 3 years older than Abby and they are pretty much the same size, Kymber is a little bit taller. Anyway from the back it was hard to tell who was who can you tell?

Bryndee did it!

Bryndee made JV cheer at the high school. Yes I did say high school, my little girl will be going to high school next year. Am I really that old? She has been working really hard and her hard work paid off. Only 2 freshmen were put on the JV team and Bryndee was one of them. I have mixed feelings about this new phase in our lives. I am excited for her and the new experiences she will have, but yet I am going to have to let her go out on her own more. Not to mention how busy this will make her and me having to drive her everywhere, but good grades are promised and we will keep her to it. Good job Bryndee we love you!

What happened to things calming down?

I should have never opened my mouth and said " Now let things slow down so we could live a normal life". That simple phrase caused havoc on our family. About 2 weeks after my surgery, I started feeling really good. In fact I sent Ron with Kymber and Porter to Safford to help his mom with some things around her house. On Saturday April 13 I woke up feeling kinda weird. As the morning went on I started to get really uncomfortable on my right side. I thought I must have over did it the day before. But the feeling became painful. There was no relief to the pain I was having. I called Tara and asked her to come over and help with the kids, and called Cherai and had her take me to the hospital, and called Ron and asked him to come home. Four painful hours later they finally gave me drugs through an IV and did a CT scan and discovered a very large Kidney Stone that was stuck right above my bladder. The hospital I went to did not have the right kind of DR. to treat me so I had to take an ambulance to Banner Desert. Once I reached the hospital, and they saw the size of the stone they determined that I needed surgery to remove it. So on Sunday April 14 I went under again to remove the stone. The Dr decided I needed a stint ran up to my Kidney to help me pass any other stones that might be lingering. Honestly the stint was the worst part of the whole ordeal. I can feel right where it is at, and it is not very comfortable. I get to go in today and have it removed. Happy Day. Once again I am so grateful for wonderful people in my life. Thanks Rosalie for dropping everything and coming here to help with the kids. Sorry you got sick while you were here, I hope you are feeling better. And like before thanks to Tara who is always willing to step in and be my kids 2nd mom. We are so lucky to have you so close by. And thanks to wonderful friends and neighbors and family who kept me in their prayers, wasted their Saturday morning to come and give me a blessing, and kept my family fed. Sorry 9 is a lot to feed. I am very anxious to start feeling better and get my energy back. This whole ordeal really taught me to appreciate my health. Even though we are not sure what caused this, I am very aware of what I put in my mouth. Hopefully my family and I can make an effort to become healthier. We will see. :)

What a wild few weeks we have had!

The last month for my family has been crazy! I don't even know where to start, I guess from the beginning so here we go...I told you about our trip to California and Disneyland and we had a wonderful time. We were supposed to come home to a relaxing spring break, a week to get caught up on missed homework and hanging out with friends. No such luck. On March 19, 2008 we were surprised to hear that my nephew James got married. He married his love, Tabathia. We knew they were getting married but were not sure when. We are excited for him and his new adventures in life. Tabathia had a little girl from a previous marriage and now James is a daddy. We are already enjoying the stories of James' adventures as a daddy. We are all anxiously awaiting the time we get to meet the two newest members in our family. Welcome Tabathia and Olivia.

James and Tabitha March 19, 2008

On that same day we got a call in the evening that Grandma had died. It was bittersweet news. We will miss Grandma dearly, but are so happy to know where she is and that she is with Grandpa again. I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father's Plan, it is truly a plan of happiness!

Grandma on her birthday!

During our spring break all of my family except Ron caught a terrible virus. It was the one that gave you a terrible sore throat, and an awful cough. If you came into my house all you would hear is coughing in a chorus. It actually became quite funny to listen to it. Ron and I would wake up to one of the kids coughing and we knew exactly which one it was. We can tell their coughs better than we can tell their voices on the telephone. Grandma's funeral was going to be here in AZ so most of our family had to travel and have a place to stay. Cassie stayed with her sister-in-law, Leslie stayed with her mother-in-law, and Mom, Dad, and Stacey stayed with me. They were brave to come to a house with so much coughing and so many fevers going on. I was quite nervous for them to come to my little house with my large family, but everything worked out. Thanks to Bryndee, Porter, and Ellie who gave up their rooms and beds to accommodate everyone. On March 26, 2008 we had Grandma's funeral. It was wonderful. Because Grandpa's body was never found, we never had a funeral for him. Grandma's wish was to have a memorial service for Grandpa at her funeral. It was such a nice service. Grandma and Grandpa had 3 kids, and 12 grand kids. At the funeral all kids and their spouses and all grand kids were there. We were trying to remember a time when all the grand kids were together and I don't think anyone could come up with a date. After the funeral, we went back to my house for a luncheon for all the family. We really enjoyed catching up on everyone and their family and their lives. What a wonderful family reunion we had in honor of Grandma and Grandpa. That night all my sisters and Bryndee got together and played cards till late in the night. We had a really good time together again. The next morning everyone would be traveling back to their homes so they could be back on the road Friday this time to Colorado to be with Leslie's son Jake to go through the Temple and to be at his farewell. Jake has been called to serve in the West Indes Trinidad & Tobago French speaking mission.

The LaRue girls (Cassie, Stacey, Tara, Andrea, and Leslie)

After the funeral and before the luncheon, I had to take Taralee into the doctor's office. Her coughing was still very deep and she had been on breathing treatments since California. She would wake up choking at times because of the flem she had. Taralee was going to accompany me to Colorado and our flight was scheduled for Friday morning at 6:30 am, hence the reason for concern. Taralee's breathing was OK just alot of flem, but what we didn't realize was she had a double ear infection. Because of the pressure on the ears caused by flying and the fact that I was still sick (I had also gone to the DR and got a heavy duty antibiotic for a sinus infection and an inhaler to help with my breathing), Ron and I felt it was better for Taralee and I to stay home. It was a hard decision to make, but in the long run I believe it was the right one.

Jake at the Denver Colorado Temple - What a terrific missionary he will make!

My family said Jake's farewell was wonderful. He is already a missionary, by inviting at least 20 of his friends that are not of our faith to hear his talk. I was told the spirit was very strong and he did a wonderful job. I am sad I did not get to be there with him. Sunday after the farewell my Mom and Tara took a flight back to AZ (my Mom lives in Utah) so my mom could be here to help out my family while I was in the hospital. On Tues. April 1, 2008 I was in the hospital to have a hysterectomy. Luckily the antibiotic helped out and I was well enough to have the surgery. Everything went well and I was in my room starting to recover by 1:30 pm. At 2:30 pm Ron had to leave me at the hospital and have a MRI done on his head. He had been having terrible migraines for 3 weeks. The Dr wanted to make sure there was nothing developing on his brain. We got the results and everything is clear. The Dr said his migraines were a cluster kind of headache and they would go away soon. I am happy to say that they have gone away. The only problem is we don't know if and when they will come back, and what causes them. I came home from the hospital on Thurs to a spotless house and a tired Mother. My mom has never experienced Ellie before and was a little nervous after the nail polish incident. She got a lesson in Ellie 101 and passed with no major incidents. She even had time and energy to give Torie a perm. It looks wonderful! Thanks Mom for being here to help Ron and I really appreciate it.

Torie happy to get a perm from grandma!

Saturday and Sunday April 5 and 6 was General Conference. What a wonderful Conference it was! I was proud of my kids they were pretty good at watching all 4 sessions. Porter got to experience the Priesthood session. At first he was a little sad when he realized he had to watch to 5 sessions and the girls only had to watch 4. But after it was over he told me he loved it and can't wait till Oct. Maybe it is because he gets to go out to dinner after with just him and Dad. During the Sunday afternoon session, Tara was playing with Taralee and discovered she has her first very sharp little tooth. She is such a good baby she never complained while it was cutting through. This now brings us to this week. I was a little nervous having my Mom gone and Ron and Tara gone to work and the kids all at school. This left me at home with Ellie and Taralee. I am not suppose to pick up anything, or do anything. I was not too worried about Ellie, all I needed to do was lock all the doors in the house and she was confined to the family room and her bedroom, not too much damage could be done in these rooms. I was concerned with Taralee, and her needing to be picked up to be put her in her bed, and being held while feeding her. But thanks to a neat little travel bed I found everything went alright. This bed is basically a little box that has a mattress in it. It can be put on the ground so I can just drag her blanket over to the bed and lift her in while still in a sitting position. As far as feeding her I drag her blanket over to the couch, sit down and lift her up to my lap. It has all worked out great!

Taralee in her "box"

I am recovering pretty well from my surgery. The hardest part is not doing anything. But I am told by many people that if I will be careful in the first couple weeks the recovery is much better. I am also told that after all is said and done I will be surprised at how lousy I felt before. I have to say I have wonderful family and friends. I received many visits in the hospital with cards and flowers, numerous dinners brought into our home, wonderful friends that take my kids so I can lay down, and a wonderful Mom, Sister, and Husband that have picked up all the slack I have left behind. Thanks so much I love you all. Now please let things slow down so we can live a normal life (if you can call the Derricks normal).

Did they peg me or what?

If you can't read the caption it reads: Seven children...and one demented adult!!!!!!

OH ELLIE!!

Ron and I came home from the Temple Saturday morning to find all our kids in our bathroom scrubbing Ellie and our floor. Apparently while Porter was watching her, he got side tracked by watching Torie play the Wii. Ellie got bored watching the movie he put on for her (his idea of babysitting) and went exploring. She found some red nail polish in my bathroom and went to town. These pictures are after we cleaned her up a bit. She was putting on "make up" She got her eye lid, her mouth, her teeth, her fingernails, her fingers, her toenails, her toes, the top of her feet, and the bottom of her feet. We soaked her in the bathtub after we tried a little bit of polish remover. Today for church most was gone, no one even commented on her red feet.

Smile pretty!! (you can't see the polish on her upper teeth)

She only painted the bottom of her right foot

and the top of her left foot.

I love you Grandma!

This is a picture of my Grandma and her kids (that is my Dad next to her). Grandma passed away yesterday evening at the age of 96 years old. She has always been so healthy and strong until a fall last week caused her to have a broken hip and head injuries. This week has been real hard knowing Grandma would leave us soon and I could not get to Utah to tell her goodbye. We saw her last summer and I am grateful for the time we spent with her. I can't help but be excited for her because she will be with Grandpa La Rue again. Grandpa went for a walk 20 years ago and never came back. Because of his age they think he had a heart attack or a stroke and died in the desert. Grandma has been by herself for these 20 years not knowing what happened to her husband, but now she knows. I am sure the reunion was great! Going through this last week has given me a greater appreciation for our Heavenly Father's Plan. I can't imagine having to make the decisions my Dad and his sisters had to make without the understanding of seeing their parents again. I have such mixed feelings: Joy in my heart for Grandma that she is not suffering anymore, and that she is with her husband eternally; Sorrow for those of us left behind; Gratitude for my Savior for his Atoning Sacrifice allowing all this to be possible. I know that we will see both of them again and the reunion will be wonderful. I love you Grandma and will miss you.

ABC's Of Me

Shayla tagged me last week with this fun game. I am just getting around to it because of our vacation. Enjoy!

A - Attached or single: Attached
B - Best friend: Marissa
C - Cake or pie: Neither I am a brownie person
D - Day of choice: Friday!! Date night with Ron!
E - Essential item: Diapers
F - Favorite color: I love so many colors: red, yellow, orange, pink. . .
G - Gummy bears or worms: I don't care for gummies at all!
H - Hometown: Mesa, AZ
I - Indulgence(s): Jalapeno Poppers with Cream Cheese filling and Raspberry dipping sauce! YUM!!
J - January or July: January: I love the cold in AZ (because it doesn't get that cold I can say that)
K - Kids: 7 Bryndee, Porter, Torie, Kymber, Abby, Ellie, and Taralee
L - Life is incomplete without: My Family
M - Marriage date: 10/24/1992
N - Number of siblings: 4-Leslie, Stacey, Tara, Cassie
O - Oranges or apples: I like both but if I have to choose, Oranges-sweet and juicy!
P - Phobias or fears: Losing the people I love
Q - Quotes: Life = Salsa: Lots of stuff and very hard to resist!
R - Reason to smile: My family, The Gospel
S - Season of choice: Spring!
T - Tag three friends: Marissa, Misty, Jenna
U - Unknown fact about me: I was on the varsity golf team in high school ( I wanted a varsity letter and this was the only way to get one - you signed up no need to try out)
V - Very favorite store: Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls
W - Worst habit: Spending to much time reading blogs
X - X-ray or ultrasound: Ultrasound. You get to see something fun with x-ray you usually see something bad.
Y - Your favorite food: Anything good!
Z - Zodiac sign: Taurus

Kymber and Tara

Today Tara and Kymber sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" in our Sacrament meeting. They both did a great job. Kymber has a pretty little voice and her and Tara actually harmonized very nice together. Thanks Tara for helping out. We wish our family could have been here to hear them.

Our Family Vacation!

We finally did it! We took our family to Disneyland and had a wonderful time. Thank you Ramie for all your planning. She took charge and planned everything. We stayed at the Tropicana, right across from the park, so we walked to and from the park and didn't have to worry about parking or a shuttle. This came in handy when we needed to take Ellie and Taralee home for naps. Because Mike and Ramie go to Disneyland multiple times a year they know the park very well and could navigate us to wherever we wanted to go in a hurry. They knew the best spots to see the parades and all the shows. It was a great time for my kids and their cousins to build memories. Danika took a liking to Bryndee and wanted to do everything she did. Ellie and Dyllin played really cute together also. The park was not too crowded so we rode every ride as many times as we wanted. My kids were so well behaved I was very proud of each of them. Grandma Rosie also went with us and we really enjoyed spending the time with her. We even got her on most of the rides. I told my kids before we left that they had to ride every ride at least once and then decide if they didn't like it. They were good sports and obeyed! Even Torie on the Tower of Terror, after much convincing she finally went and it ended up being her favorite ride. Kymber and Bryndee are our "dare devils" they wanted to try every ride and the faster the better. Ellie was even able to ride quite a few. She rode the Matterhorn with Ron and after the ride was over she said "Wow that was scary!" But wanted to ride more. All in all we had a wonderful time and am so glad we did it even if we had to take our kids out of school for a week.

(front row) Ellie, Dyllin (2nd row) Abby, Torie, Porter, Kymber, Danika (3rd row) Taralee, Andrea, Bryndee, Grandma Rosie, Ramie (last row) Ron, Mike

Mike, Grandma Rosie, Ron

(I think this is the only picture of Ron with his mom and brother that I have ever seen.)

Kymber was lucky enough to see Minnie Mouse and get her picture with her!

Before we left Taralee started getting a really deep cough and a rattle in her chest. I took her to the DR's and they said we needed give her a breathing treatment every 6 hours. He made me promise to be consistent or I could not take her with us. Seeing as this was not an option, I promised and she was a good sport about it. She sounds alot better now and hopefully we quit the treatments soon.

A Star Is Born

Porter and Ian in "The Jungle Book"

Last week Porter had the opportunity to perform in the school play "The Jungle Book". We were so proud of him, he did this all himself. He came home one day in January and said I am going to try out for the play. He had to memorize lines and perform a song by memory in front of the directors. The parts he got were a monkey and a vulture. His good friend, Ian, was King Louis. He did such a good job. He had to sing a solo and a couple of lines to speak. People keep coming up to me and telling me that he was a terrific monkey, as cute as can be. He said he had a wonderful time and next year he would like to be a part of the tech crew. Way to go Bug we are proud of you!

I don't do this but...

Need I say more?

Happy Birthday Bryndee!!

Happy Happy Birthday Bryndee Dear!
Happy Days Will Come To You All Year!
If I Had One Wish Then It Would Be,
A Happy Happy Birthday To You From ME!!!

Tomorrow is Bryndee's Birthday, and I can't believe she is going to be 14 years old. It does not seem possible that the cute little baby that could whistle and do fish lips is growing up. Bryndee has always been a little adult. When she started speaking, she used adult phrases from the beginning. Phrases like "Well actually Mom it goes like this..." and "Mom that is not an oval it is an eclipse." Bryndee has always liked to watch TV. Barney and Magic School Bus were her favorites. We realized maybe she was watching too much TV when she asked me one day if I ever suffered from an over active bladder. Bryndee's true love has always been reading. To this day that is how we ground her. When she is reading a really good book, a bomb could go off in the house and she would not even know it.

Top ten reasons why I love Bryndee!
10: She is very creative (read the post below)
9: She is a very calm teenager
8: She is easy to talk to
7: She is fun to tease, and does not take it personal
6: She a beautiful girl
5: She is learning to strive for excellence
4: She is a great gymnast
3: She is a huge help with her brother and sisters
2: She is a clean girl (not necessarily her room :0})
and finally
1: She will always be my little girl!

I love you Bryndee you are a wonderful person. Your dad and I are very proud of you! Keep up the good work!

Love,
Mom

Bryndee's pathetic plea for a cell phone!

Bryndee brought this home yesterday from school. It is a 4 page report typed about why she should have a cell phone. She even put it in a report cover. The first 2 pages are the list you are reading the last pages are a list of pros and cons, and statistics about why she should have one. I just laughed and said good try.

1. If I get kidnapped, I’ll have a way to contact the police.
2. If one of my friends wants, or needs, to come home with me, or I need or want to go home with them (for a project or such) I will have a way to contact you.
3. If it rains, there is normally a huge line at the school phone. If I had a cell phone, I would be able to contact you, and I won’t have to walk home, soaking wet, and probably sick from the cold, because I would have a cell phone to call you with.
4. When Bayli asks me to call her, and I end up on the phone for awhile, you normally need the phone. If I had a cell phone, I could use that and you would be free to use the home phone.
5. If I were to go to the mall with bayli or Joselyn, you would be more comfortable, because I would have my cell phone.
6. If I was babysitting, and I couldn’t find the phone, I could use my cell phone in case of an emergency.
7. If there is a medical emergency, I can cal 911 on my cell phone if, for some reason I couldn’t reach our home phone.
8. When I go to EFY, I will be able to use my cell phone to contact you, or in case of an emergency, 911.
9. If I were to go to sonic with Jessica, you will be able to contact me on my cell phone.
10. Or, if Jessica gets hit by a car on the way to sonic, I will be able to call 911 on my cell phone. 11. If I had a cell phone, you would be able to contact me at any time or any where, because I am responsible enough not to leave my cell phone at home, like dad.
12. If you or dad lost your cell phones, mine would still be available. I could also call your cell phones, so we could find them.
13. If I were lost, I could easily call you and we could figure out where I was.
14. If I was one place, say the park, and I needed to go somewhere else, I would be able to call you and tell you where I was going and get permission to go from my cell phone.
15. When I go to high school, my cell phone will help me to keep in touch with Joselyn.
16. You won’t have to drive by where ever I am, like at Lexi's party, to tell me something. You could just call me on my cell phone.
17. If I were to take ellie out to out to the park while I was babysitting, and she got hit by a car, or she broke her leg, I would be able to call 911 without leaving her.

This is what happens when the kids play too hard!

Ron had a free evening the other night, so naturally the kids all wanted to be with him. I really didn't have a problem with that at all. They all ended up on the tramp jumping. The longer they were out there the more wild they become. Somehow Abby and Ellie hit heads, Abby's back of her head hit into Ellie's eye, and this is the result. A Big Black Eye. Needless to say, playtime outside was over and they came inside to find something a little less destructive. Ellie's black eye only lasted a couple of days, and she is back to her beautiful self.

I have learned a lesson.

You may have noticed that the entry about Kymber's allergy has been deleted. I learned a lesson with that post. Never put a hot topic such as Kymber's Pea_ _ _ Aller_ _ (because of the lesson I learned I am not spelling it out) in the title of your blog. People would google that phrase and my blog would come up. I got comments from all over the country, and on site meter I could see that my blog was being view from all over the world. One of the comments was very rude, but most were kind. Because I was not comfortable with so many strange people viewing my blog I deleted that post and chalked it up to a lesson learned. :0)

I have been tagged!

My sister cassie tagged me yesterday on Valentines Day. The topic is The Love Of My Life. So here I go...
What is his name? Ron

How old are you? 35

Who said I love you first? He did but it sure took him long enough!

How long did you date? A year and a half

How old is he? 38

Who can sing better? He can, I only mouth the words.

Who is smarter? That depends if you are talking about school smarts definately him (he is one of the smartest people I know), if you are talking about common sence that would be me. I have a good friend who calles him the "Absent Minded Professor" I think that sums it up for him.

Who does the laundry? I do the majority of it, but my kids wash their own clothes.

Who does the dishes? I do! I have a certain way of loading the dishwasher and it drives me crazy when it is not loaded right.

What are his guilty pleasures? He likes to eat a bowl of cereal or ice cream at 10:00 pm when he comes home from his stake presidency meetings. He got hooked on this when he served as Bishop for 5 years and had to come home and unwind before bed.

Who sleeps on the right? If looking at the bed I do. It used to be the other way around, but I got tired of him reaching over and hitting snooze on the alarm at 4:30 am. He now has to physically get out of bed to turn off the alarm and it is not worth getting back in bed after he is up.

Who mows the lawn? Porter does

Besides you, who is his best friend? Dave Draper! He has been his friend since they were kids. Dave is the one who we can thank for Ron being a member of the Church. When Ron had no interest in the Gospel or any kind of religion, Dave was persistant and kept inviting. He finally invited Ron to a youth conference and Ron accepted the invite. After the conference Ron decided he wanted to be baptized.

Who cooks dinner? I do!

Who drives? Ron he is too proud to have his wife drive him. The only time he will let me drive is when he is too tired and is afraid he might fall asleep, even at this point I have to talk him into it.

Who is more stubborn? I would have to say that we tie for this title. I think he would agree.

Who kissed who first? Ron kissed me on our first date, after he was so embarrased he avoided me for 2 weeks after.

Who asked who out first? Ron always did the asking. The first time he asked me out I turned him down because my roomate was interested in him and there is an unwritten law that you don't date the guy your roomate likes. Thankfully he did not give up. By the time he asked me out again my roomate interest had changed.

What was your first date? It was the Valentine's Day Dance at Eastern Arizona College.

Who proposed? Ron did

Who has more siblings? I do I come from a family of 5 girls and he comes from a family of 2 boys.

Who wears the pants in the family? I think this one is a tie also only because we are both too stubborn to let the other win.

What is your favorite things about him? Wow this one is hard only because there are too many to list! He is wonderful! That is why I am living a Wonderful Life. I love the way he looks at me. I love it when he holds my hand. I love the way he talks to me. I can honestly say that he has never yelled at me, and I can't say that about myself. He is the most honest person I know. You always know where you stand with Ron. I love watching him play with our kids. I love watching him talk to our kids, he has a respect for each one of them. I love the way he treats his Mom. He has a deep love and respect for her. I love the love he has for his fellow men. Ron is constantly serving others. If he has nothing to do around the house, or even if he does have stuff to do around the house, he is off helping someone else. I love the relationship he has with his Heavenly Father. I love the testimony he has of the Gospel! What more can I say I Love Ron! He is wonderful and because of this "It's A Wonderful Life"!

I now tag Jennifer, Brenda, Denae, Jenna, and Mistie

Welcome Home Mom and Dad!

My parents have been serving a mission for our church the last year in Rochester, New York. They came home to Utah on February 7th and I was waiting for them to come to their "real" home in Arizona before I published anything about them on my blog (I wanted pictures with my kids). We just got word that my dad has a blood clot in his leg and has been admitted into the hospital to try and get it taken care of. Because of this clot he is not allowed to travel for 3-4 weeks thus postponing their trip home to AZ. We are sad to not get to see them right away, but my Dad's health is top priority. We as a family were so proud of my parents for their choice to serve. What a wonderful example they set for my kids and all their grandkids. It was wonderful to hear my kids remember their grandparents in their prayers. I loved it when Abby would say "my Grandma and Grandpa are in You Nork on a mission. She would try so hard to get it right and it always came out the same "You Nork". It was great to see their relationship become stronger than it already was. And it was especially great to see them grow spiritually. They have taken on a confidence in the Gospel that I had not seen befor in them. I know their love for the Book Of Mormon is much stronger because of their daily studying. I love my parents and am greatful for their oppertunity to serve. Welcome Home Elder and Sister LaRue! Well done thou good and faithful servents!

The Bumbo

This neat little chair that Taralee is sitting in is called the Bumbo. It is the best invention for babies. It is a soft chair that babies from 3 months up can sit in. Taralee loves it. She will just sit there and watch the world go by. I know it is awful, but I will even put her in front of the TV and let her sit there and watch. She is facinated by the bright colors and is quite content sitting there, and it is nice that I am able to get dinner done with out her crying or fussing. I love the Bumbo, where was it with my other 6 kids?

Quote For The Day

"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time!"

Abraham Lincoln

President "Hinky Winky" is my friend!

Today was President Hinckley's funeral because it was televised on BYU TV we had the opportunity to watch it while at home. It was WONDERFUL!!!! I love that man so much he has been such an inspiration to me and so many. During the closing song sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, they had random pictures of our Prophet. Ellie had been bebopping in and out of the room during the funeral and not paying attention to a whole lot, until the pictures were on the screen. She looked up and said "Wookit Mom there he is President Hinky Winky! He is my friend!" That comment brought tears to my eyes, because he was everyone's friend. I had no idea that she knew who President Hinckley was. This just goes to show you never know what these little ones observe and what they take in.

Happy Birthday Porter Bug

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to Porter Bug,

Happy birthday to you!!!!!!

Today is Porter's 12th birthday. We are so excited for him, tomorrow he will be ordained a decon and receive the priesthood. He is very excited for this moment in his life, it is a milestone that he has been looking forward to forever. Because he will have the priesthood he will have the opportunity to pass the Sacrament next Sunday. I can just imagine the smile on his face and how his eyebrows will be going up and down continually. His tongue will probabally be hanging out as well. I love Porter so much! He is a terrific kid, such a joy to be around. The last 12 years have been wonderful, and I can't wait for many many more to come! Happy Birthday Bug! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Porter and Breton

This is Porter and Breton Hunt. Yes he is Marissa's boy. Porter and Breton have been best buddies since the age of 2. You can't tell by the picture, but there is only 6 months difference between these boys. Breton turned 12 in August and Porter turnes 12 tomorrow. Can you believe the difference in size? I have always refered to them as Mutt and Jeff, they are one extreme to another. Porter is very small for his age and Breton is very big for his age. The neat thing about their friendship is 1st they don't even realize the difference between them, and 2nd they can go months without seeing or talking to each other and when they see each other they just pick right up where they left off. Porter was sad when Breton left but he realized that he will get to see him in June when the Hunts come home for a visit. They will once again just pick up right were they left off.

Prophetic Passing

Prophetic Passing

I imagine he's running to Marjorie now,
Yes, running, not waving his cane.
I see him embracing his father and mother
While they keep repeating his name.

I see him now meeting his forebears,
Brother Brigham and Joseph are there.
Sweet reunion of prophets, united by service
That only such noble men share.

I see him embraced by the Savior
While Father says, "Good and well done.
So faithful in stalwart endurance, I welcome
My noble, most excellent son."

I then hear the ripples of laughter
As he says the reception's just fine,
But he hopes that he'll get an assignment or two
Since there's no need to waste any time.

I can hear his clear voice in the stillness
At the close of this sweet Sabbath day,
Have faith and move forward — there's work to be done.
President Hinckley would want it that way.

Anna M. Molgard
January 27, 2008