As many of you know Courtney is a HUGE baseball fan.  She has loved the game as long as she can remember.  Her favorite team is the Baltimore Orioles who play at Camden Yards.  So, when it was time to name our first born son, obviously she wanted to name him after her favorite team, but since Baltimore and Oriole were kind of lame and Ripken (her favorite player) was just too over the top (and trust me she campaigned for that one but I told her “no way”),  she settled for Camden.

As she has watched her son grow up she has dreamed of the day when he would take an interest in baseball and when the two of them could spend hours in the back yard playing catch (I think she cried at that part in Field of Dreams when the dead father and the son played catch because she thought “hey what about the mom, doesn’t she get to play too?”)  Well that time may have come for Courtney.

Camden started playing tee-ball last month.  He really seems to enjoy it, at least the hitting part.  He also enjoys tackling his own teammates or the opposing team’s players if needed.  Not sure how tackling fits into tee-ball, but I’m sure it does somehow.

Here are some pictures of Camden playing tee-ball.  His mom could not be prouder.

He is very focused

Prepping his bat for his next big hit

Playing his position (I think "left short stop" - they have that in tee-ball I guess)

Look for more posts from Courtney coming soon (school starts in a couple weeks and then she will definitely have nothing better to do    )

She is having a friend’s sleepover next week.  She is super excitied about that.  We are doing a girl and pet spa night.   

We did have a fun birthday with her on the 3rd.  One of her greatest wishes was to sleep in.  She can sleep a long time!  So we left her breakfast by her bed and took off for the gym.   We made pizzas that night and everyone got to shape their pizza and put their own toppings on it.  We had cupcakes with little chocalate flowers. 

One of Ashlyn’s favorite things to do is to design clothing.  Then she always wants to make her designs.  We thought it would be a good idea to get her a sewing machine so she can sew whenever she wants.  It is a children’s sewing machine that is perfect for her.  It doesn’t go too fast and it is a smaller then a regular one.  She loves it!

She also recently got glasses.  We took her into the doctor because she was complaining about not beeing able to see at school.  I was expecting the dc to say that she just needed to wear them to read the board.  Nope!  She is totally blind!  She has a hard time reading below the E at the top.  I felt so bad, poor girl!

This last one is us watching fireworks on the 4th.

Oh, I have to congradulate my brother an his wife for having twins on the 2nd.  They are both girls named Anna and Aubrina.  They each weighed 6 pounds!  Wow, I think Justine deserves extra blessings for that!

So I wanted to get your opinion.  I would like to have more groups and I wanted to see what you guys do in your ward.  Do you have a group that you really love?  Has there been an Enrichment that was really amazing?  I just need some good ideas!

It would be weird to post something without a picture so here are some recent ones.    

We went camping with the Petersons and the Boyers and it was so much fun!  I was shocked that I liked it!  There was this river nearby that the kids accidently fell in and then had so much fun playing.  It had real fossil footprints!  The kids had so much fun with the Peterson’s dog.  I think walking her was the highlight of their trip.  I think they got all their doggie love out that weekend. 

He got a Webkinz from Ashlyn and Brinley.  He was thrilled!  He has been wanting to get a Webkinz for a long time.  It was a huskey which is his favorite animal so he was so happy. 

This is Beckem.  He is mad that he couldn’t have Camden’s presents. 

Camden is such great boy.  He has been learning so much this year so that he can be ready for Kindergarten.  He is going to start baseball in the summer.  It is amazing how far he has come.  He is getting more confident is himself too.  He even asked the people at Dairy Queen where he food was (it was taking them a while and he was hungry).  We love him so much!

Here is the recipe! 

Taco Salad

head of lettuce (I like bags and we use 1/2 of a bag)

2-3 tomatoes (I opt out of this because they make me gag)

2-3 green onions, chopped

1 can of chili beans

2 cups shredded cheese

1 lb cooked ground beef

1 bag of crushed tortilla chips (i just crush a bunch and see if it looks good)

Mix in large bowl and add sauce.

Sauce:

1 cup mayo

1/4 c taco sauce

1/2 pkg taco seasoning

That’s it.  Super easy and really good!

Scott went to youth conference.  They went into the wilderness of TX and had the poineer experience.  Scott had a great time!  They walked 10-13 the first day.  Scott was an Indian and his job was to enhance the poineers experience . 

The week after the trek Scott took the girls to MD for his Grandma’s 90th birthday.  The girls had so much fun!  They felt so special to be going just with their Dad on a trip.  Scott got to see family tha he had not seen for many years. 

The girls also did a 1 mile run with Scott.  They had so much fun!  We are going to try to have them do a 5K in the fall when it cools down.  This run was a dog run too.  They were running with a bunch of dogs.  It was a dream come true for them.  Better there then in my house  

Camden had his preschool program too.  His class sang 2 songs.  He does not like this kind of stuff.  We just found out recently that he does know a couple primary songs.  We were just happy that he got up there and did some hand motions.  For one of the songs he had to wear a hat.  He also has an adversion to hats.  So singing a song in front of a bunch of people while wearing a hat is way to much for the little guy.  He did not wear the hat.    Here is proof that he doesn’t like hats:

Scott and Camden went on the outing this month.  Camden wanted to go to a Rangers game.  Scott loves it that he likes baseball.  We are going to have him play T ball this summer.  Oh, the hat thing, hmm we will have to really work on that.

What have I been up to?  I have been trying not to go crazy since I can’t work out.  Scott and I were driving somewhere listening to a sports medicane guy and he was talking about cycling.  I can’t wait to cycle!  I have filled my life with lots of projects, I love a good project.  We put a ceiling fan in our kitchen.  It gets so in hot there! 

I redid our family room minus paint because lets be real I am not going that crazy.   

The kids each did their own painting.  They had so much fun getting messy.  I have a hard time with messy kid projects but I am really glad I let them have fun.  I think they turned out great.  I gave them all the same color paint so that it would be cohesive.

I did this painting a while ago and I wanted to just change it up so I swapped out the background color. 

These are from Target that I got on sale.  We got these Ikea shelves a while ago.  I decided when we moved into our house that I wasn’t going to put up anything that I did not love.  I hate filling space with stuff just to have stuff out that I don’t even like.  When we got the shelves I figured it would be like a year until I found suff that was cute, cheap, and kid friendly.  That is a lot of pressure .   

I have done a lot more stuff but here is how desperate I am getting.  Yup, I cleaned the oven. 

Oh, I did get another layout published!  It is in Simple Scrapbooks.  This was their last issue.  It is so sad how the magazine industry has been hit so hard by the economy. 

This is from the summer when Scott and I went to Seattle for our vacation while my parents watched the kids.

Oh, for all you locals.  My sister in law Iris is having a jewelry party at her house this weekend.  It should be lots of fun! There will be snacks and free jewelry given away.  It is at her house on Saturday at noon.  The jewelry is from Lia Sophia.  Let me know if you want to go and we can ride togethor or I will give you her address. 

PS- Wasn’t General Conference amazing!  I love this one (especially during this rough economic time) and this one (I think that is my new motto, I am doing a great work and cannot come down).

I wanted to get everything in order before my sugery but guess what happened? Brinley got lice! I know again. What is with our house! Thank goodness no one else got it. Scott was working A LOT too so he helped when he could.  I do not wish lice on my worst enemy.  The sad thing is that we bag all the stuffed animals up and put them in the garage for a few weeks.  Brinley sleeps with a bunch of elephants.  She loves elephants.  She cried until her face got red and puffy, it was so sad.    

I bought a Dyson! I think my world is forever changed. Erin sells things on Craig’s list all the time so I thought I would give it a try. I didn’t want to pay full price for it. I found a listing for a Dyson ball that was located close to us. It was 6 months old and half the price. I went to check it out on Thursday. As I was driving there I was thinking that I am going to some strange persons house with a lot of money in my purse! This can not be good. Thank goodness they turned out to be nice people! I tested the vacuum and it tested great. I have a great vacuum and I didn’t get beat up in the process. I really love it! I can totally tell a difference. I have never been so happy to vacuum in all my life.

I ran a half marathon in Ft. Worth a couple Saturdays ago. It was to be my last one for a while (lots of reasons – topic for another blog post maybe). Anyway, I did great (Courtney wrote that initially so I didn’t want to change it. I think I did only ok, but she has lower expectations of me than I do of me. This is good as it makes her much easier to please!)  Of course the whole week before the race was beautiful, 70 degrees.  That day, it was 30 degrees and super windy.  Courtney and the kids came to see me and they were bundled in hats, gloves, coats, and Nintendos. Of course the camera didn’t work when I passed them at the finish line so you all can’t see my gazelle like form and the grace in which I sailed into the finish line!  Here is a picture of the kids and one of me with my friend who I run with. (Courtney wanted that picture there so I’m leaving it. I’m the one on the right.)

So the day I ran the race was also the day of the adult session of Stake Conference. Luckily the Priesthood leadership was at 4pm so I had some time to prepare and recover from the race.  Well the Stake President had called us the day before and wanted to meet with us.  Of course that only means a few things – a release, a new calling to serve, or a call to repentance. Our good friends had mentioned that they were also meeting with the Stake pres right before us.  We put 2 and 2 together and figured out that I was going to be released as the EQ President.   I had served for 2 years, but figured I had a little more time. Courtney was even preparing herself for another year.  I knew she could do it!  When I got called 2 1/4 years ago it was only four days after Beckem (or Caden as he was known is those days     ) was born.  Courtney’s birthday was on a Friday – the day we got home from the hospital and early Saturday morning I received a call to meet with the Stake President the next day – Sunday. Of course the Stake President wanted to meet with Courtney too but she was out of it (her words, not mine.)  So he issued the call but before he would accept my willingness to serve he asked, “if your wife was here, what would she say?” I told him she would support me, because that is what she does. He said he would call her anyway, and I know she appreciated that. The next day he called. She accepted, and then the stake president told her that my first priority was to be to her and the kids and if she ever needed me to stay home, she was to tell me. If I didn’t listed to her – she was to tell him.

So, I was set apart the next week and Courtney, her mom, and Caden-Beckem-Sterling were there to be a part of it. Her mom was leaving that day and she gets really nervous when her Mom leaves after she has a baby.  She is just not sure that leaving her with the kids alone is such a good idea. (her words not mine)    So, now Courtney was left with four kids – one of which was a little over a week old. I went out that next Tuesday on elder’s quorum visits and Courtney was left for the first time with four kids by herself.  Scary but somehow she made it! (again – her words not mine. I knew she could do it.)

Flash back a couple summers ago. We went to Portland and decided to leave the kids with Courtney’s parents for a few days while we went to Seattle to celebrate our anniversary.  We were there on a Sunday and so we decided to find a ward a go to sacrement.  We were kind of excited because not being in our ward meant no responsibility for me and Courtney did not have to get the kids all ready for church by herself. This was going to be nice!

It was fast Sunday so we were wondering if we would get some crazy ward that would have an entertaining testimony meeting like we had a few years prior with the Bennions. At that fast and testimony meeting in Park City some sister said that if her friend didn’t ever marry she could marry her husband in the next life – what is that!  And then this other guy told about his drug related sins.  Oh that poor bishop!

Anyway, this random ward’s testimony meeting was amazing!  There was this sister who was in a wheel chair that bore her testimony.  She talked about her husband being in a leadership position and on the nights he would have visits she would get really upset.  She would be grumpy and have a short temper with the kids.  She was wondering why her husband had to go out and serve and leave her home with the kids.  Because of her disability she had a hard time just doing the basics and having her husband there helped so much.  Then one day she realized how much he was helping other people, and she had the spirit cofirm to her that he was doing a great work and that her supporting him was also a part of that great work.  After that experience her attitude changed.  She told us that after that day she wanted her husband to serve.  She needed those blessings just as much as he did.  And she got those blessing just as much as he did even though she was not the one physically serving.  Her outlook changed and when he would go to serve she would say ”Go get us some blessings.” (quote from Courtney here: – “I have thought of that meeting often.  I needed to hear that.  I am not in a wheelchair like this sister.  I don’t have to go through as much to clean the kitchen or put my kids to bed.  We need blessings and I want to have those blessings.  The other thing I have thought of was that was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father for us to be at that meeting.  He knew I needed to hear that and He provided a sister’s testimony for me.  I think how easy it would have been to not go to church.  We went and were so blessed.  Our families our blessed when one persons serves. I have seen so many blessing from this.  I actually have felt so privedged to have had this experience.  I have seen my husband grow and become such a great husband and father.  Not that he wasn’t before (remember this is Courtney speaking now, not me!)  I didn’t think there was room for improvement.  And not to say that I didn’t complain sometimes.  I think life can get overwhelming.  But I know I need all the blessings I could get.” 

Ok, back to real time. Well, Courtney thought my being released as EQ president would give us a break, even just a week.  The bishop called us in on Wednesday and asked me to be the YM President.  So, while I thought I was done running marathons for a season, I am really working on my next one. An actual maraton is a test of endurance and I run for the joy of finishing – it is a great felling to finish. I know my family will be with me at the finish line of this next marathon, and all the ones we run together in our life. That is what we do.

Now, let’s all go get us some blessings!

My kids eat a lot of crackers.  I think that is why there are so many crumbs on my floor.  

A cute picture of Brinley.

No gray hairs.  I love getting my color touched up.  If I let my color go I could easily fit into a elderly home.  Just give me a cane and a flower sweater and I would fit right in.

“Be thou an example of the believers” 1 Timothy 4:12

It talks about how we can do this through faith, charity, conversation, ect.  I decided to focus on how we can do this through our conversation with others.  I found this description of communication at lds.org:

True disciples of Jesus Christ seek to follow His example in the ways they communicate. Their communications, both verbal and nonverbal, are to be kind, compassionate, and helpful, reflecting a love for Heavenly Father‘s children and an understanding that all people are brothers and sisters.

Here is the talk that I got my stuff from.  It is so good.  I think the things we say to each other can really build up or destroy.   I notice that I have a hard time when I get tired, hungry, or stressed.  Here is a talk that I used.  It is super good! ( It looks long but it really isn’t )

L. Lionel Kendrick, “Christlike Communications,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 23

Heavenly Father has given us a priceless gift in our capacity to communicate with each other. Our communications are at the core of our relationships with others. If we are to return home safely to Heavenly Father, we must develop righteous relationships with His children here in mortality.

Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can be strengthened or shattered by the message and the manner in which we communicate.

Accountability

We will be held accountable for all that we say. The Savior has warned “that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matt. 12:36.) This means that no communication shall be without consequence. This includes the slight slips of the tongue, the caustic communications that canker the soul, and the vain, vulgar, and profane words which desecrate the name of Deity.

Un-Christlike Communication

There are certain kinds of un-Christlike communications which destroy relationships and are not for our development but are for our destruction. They result in a diminished opportunity of returning home safely to Heavenly Father. One of the major ways that Satan uses to retard the development of righteous relationships is in the use of gossip, rumor, and slander on his communication network. Perhaps the more common un-Christlike communications are those of lying, blaming, criticizing, and anger.

1. Lying. The first of these communications is that of lying. To lie is to be untruthful, deceptive, deceitful, and dishonest. This is a basic communications problem which is not new; it goes back to the Garden of Eden.

Satan introduced the first recorded communications problem in the form of lying in his conversation with Eve. He asked recorded history’s first question: “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen. 3:1.)

Eve responded, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

“But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, … lest ye die.” (Gen. 3:2–3.)

Satan, in a spirit of deception and defiance, responded, “Ye shall not surely die.” (Gen. 3:4.) He distorted the truth, denied the word of God, and planted the seeds of doubt about the word of Deity. Thus, Satan became the father of lies, deception, and doubt.

It is a serious sin to lie. The scriptures teach us that “lying lips are abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 12:22) and that “he that lieth and will not repent shall be cast out” (D&C 42:21). They also teach us that to lie about a person is a form of hatred, for “a lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it.” (Prov. 26:28.) The Apostle Paul gave us counsel concerning this matter: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour.” (Eph. 4:25.)

Integrity is the core of our character. Without integrity we have a weak foundation upon which to build other Christlike characteristics.

2. Blaming. A second un-Christlike communication is that of blaming. This is a condemning communication. It is interesting that when the Lord confronted Adam in his fallen state, Adam began to place the blame on Eve for his actions. He said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Gen. 3:12.) When Eve was confronted, she placed the blame on Satan. She said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Gen. 3:13.)

It has been from the beginning and it will be till the end that the natural man will have a tendency to rationalize and to blame his behaviors on others or on certain circumstances. When we attempt to place responsibility for our choices on others, we are responding in a less than Christlike manner. Blaming is an unrighteous form of communication.

3. Criticizing. A third un-Christlike communication is that of criticizing. Positive criticism is feedback given with the purpose of helping another person to grow and to develop. This is both helpful and needful and is generally accepted and appreciated.

Negative criticism is intended to hurt and often to defame and to destroy. This caustic communication is cruel, and it tends to crush the character of all of those about whom it is directed. King Benjamin urged his people to “not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably.” (Mosiah 4:13.) We should surely follow this counsel and defend those who are defamed by these denouncements.

4. Anger. A fourth is anger. This is perhaps the most common form of un-Christlike communication. Anger causes anguish to the souls of all of those who experience the feeling as well as to those who are the recipients of this emotional explosion.

Anger shows a lack of self-control and an inability to relate in a righteous way to others. It is a senseless substitute for self-control. It is sometimes used as a selfish strategy to gain control of a relationship. President Wilford Woodruff counseled that “the moment a man or a woman becomes angry they show a great weakness.” (In Journal of Discourses, 4:98.)

We are instructed to “let all bitterness, … and anger, … and evil speaking, be put away.” (Eph. 4:31.) The implication is clear: we have the capacity to control this carnal communication.

Counsel

Much counsel has been given concerning our communications with others. The counsel given by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian Saints seems to be most appropriate for the Latter-day Saints. He cautioned, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good.” (Eph. 4:29.) He further counseled to be “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32.)

Christlike Communications

May we be found communicating with each other in a manner in which the Savior would communicate. Christlike communications are expressed in tones of love rather than loudness. They are intended to be helpful rather than hurtful. They tend to bind us together rather than to drive us apart. They tend to build rather than to belittle.

Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.

The real challenge that we face in our communications with others is to condition our hearts to have Christlike feelings for all of Heavenly Father’s children. When we develop this concern for the condition of others, we then will communicate with them as the Savior would. We will then warm the hearts of those who may be suffering in silence. As we meet people with special needs along life’s way, we can then make their journey brighter by the things that we say.

Christlike communications will help us to develop righteous relationships and ultimately to return to our heavenly home safely. May we treasure the divine gift of communication, and may we use it wisely to build and to assist others on this marvelous journey through mortality. May Heavenly Father bless us to this end, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

ok, here are some random pictures

A day off school due to ice.  You know its Texas when they shut down due to ice or a fleck of snow. 

Before a haircut

After the haircut, notice that he is eating like usually. 

A yummy Love Day doughnut from Krispie Kreme.

I love this car!  I really feel like it has been one of the best purchases we have ever made.  We have had it for 4 1/2 years and I still think a few times a week how much I like it, especially when the automatic doors slide back.  Yummy!  Well it has not been starting as good as it use to so we took it in thinking it needed new spark plugs.  It got a nice tune up.  The guys was like your tires look bad.  I have noticed that too.  So we got new tires.  Well when they were changing the tires the guys was like your brakes need to be replaced.  He was like you should probably get it done soon before it messes up some other thing that would add a few hundred dollars to the cost.  Well after the tune up it is still not starting good.  So we found out that the battery is dead.  Thank goodness the battery is under warrenty.  So we got a new one.  But now it is still not starting good so we might have something else going on.  If you want to only imagine how much this is all costing.  I love that fact that it is all happening at once.  And doesn’t it seem like whenever a mechanic even touches a car it is at least $200?  Even touching the hood with his pinky is $200!  I still really love our van, but our relationship has been a little strained.