Sneak Peek...

Tonight for Young Women's

we had a photoshoot!

 One of our Laurel's is an amazing photographer and wanted 

to help us all feel beautiful 

both inside and out!

These pictures were taken only on my phone so it is just a sneak peek

of the REAL photos to come.

 

I love my opportunity to work with these amazing young women.

I look forward to spending my Tuesday nights with them

every week!

I always say...

 I have the BEST calling in the church!

  

 

Sterling Silver Bracelet

Back in February my mom sent me this!

It is a sterling silver bracelet that my mom had made from my

Grandma Jarvis'

silverware set.

I LOVE it!

I was the typical teenage daughter who thought my parents didn't know anything...

and that I knew it all!

Whenever I needed a little "escape" from the turmoil I would create at home...

I would go see my

Grandma!

    She was one of my BEST FRIENDS!

She was a lot of people's best friends...

but for some reason she made me feel that I was someone special!

We could spend hours together,

talking a million miles a minute...

enjoying each others company. 

Whenever I would complain that my parents didn't understand me...

she would never "preach" to me

or discount my feelings,

instead she just had a way of helping me understand life...

and what we can learn from life's challenges.

My grandma knew a lot about life's challenges.

She had MANY of them.

These were the last pictures I ever took of her.

This was Christmas 1998.

Rachel was two months old.

Her cousin Spencer was born 9 days earlier.

On November 23, 1999 she passed away and she has never been far from my thoughts.

She was always known for her crafting and I have two crocheted pieces of artwork in my home.

My favorite is this one:

  She said when she saw this one she knew instantly it was the one she was going to make for me...

the little girl reminded her of me! 

My grandma is the number one person I miss the most.

  When I pass on from this life to the next...

the reunion I most look forward to 

is the one I will have with her!

 

 Grandma,

 I love the sterling silver bracelet with all my heart...

but the memories I have of you are what

I hold dear to my heart! 

Love,

Jana

     

 

 

  

 

Pretty Woman

 

My husband loves to take me

DRESS

shopping.

Two years ago he decided with some of his "bonus" money that he would take me shopping

and would surprise me with some new dresses.

The problem?

He didn't know where to find the "right" kind of dresses he was looking for.

Then we stumbled into a

White House Black Market

and he was sold!

Literally!

We walked out with three dresses, a sweater, a belt and brand new shoes...

and this place isn't cheap.

The reason?

They take me back to a fancy dressing room...

he sits in a fancy chair...

and they bring you dress after dress after dress 

to try on.

Meanwhile he sits in his chair while I model

ALL

the dresses!

He is in heaven and he makes me feel like a 

MILLION BUCKS!

This year we bought only two dresses but I think they are my favorite ones so far!

       

 Ron wanted to take me somewhere special tonight so I could wear my new dress.

On the way to dinner I told him it was 

PROM NIGHT

for the high school kids.

I proceeded to tell him that

when I was a teenager I was never asked to a 

SCHOOL DANCE

or

CHURCH DANCE.

All my friends were asked to the dances...

but not me.

My Junior year I was even on the prom committee...

I didn't want to miss out since I had done so much of the planning,

but I never got asked to go

so I asked a boy.

Hi curfew...11:30 p.m.!

I had absolutely NO self-esteem,

and NO self-confidence.

It is surprising to me even now when my husband has me dress up that he finds me a...

PRETTY WOMAN!  

Babe...

you have no idea how special of a night you just gave me!

How special you make me feel...

and how incredibly in love I am with you!    

Thanks for giving me the

PROM DATE

I never had!

Yours forever,

Miss J 

       

  

A Birthday Party and a Visitor

Earlier this week when we were making plans for Ron's

two days off...

we realized we could go to the lake together...

just the two of us to relax and fish.

Then I remembered that we have 3 special birthday's coming up and that hopefully

and with both fingers crossed...

I sent them all a text message to see if they would mind a birthday celebration on the 

WATER!

We would provide food, entertainment, water and

FUN!

So glad they all could make it.

Happy Birthday Britni...

Happy Birthday Cameron...

Happy Birthday Chelsea.

(All from oldest to youngest!)

        Us girlies ready for a good day of boating!

 I love how these two always come dressed so stylin...

even to the lake!

 Leo is NEVER far from his mommy!

I do not know what this little boy is going to do when a new baby comes in October!!

Yep...Britni is having baby number 3!

 

Grandpa works so hard to make sure his grandkids are happy and one thing Leo loves the most is to fish with

GRANDPA!

Since he loves it so much...

it has helped Hailee like it too!

  His face says it all! 

   Our Birthday kids!

Thanks kids for enjoying a non-traditional birthday celebration and we hope you enjoyed the day as much

as we did!

***********************

We came home to an unexpected visitor!

NANA

She is leaving in the morning for Montana and Idaho and she decided to come spend some time with us first

before she leaves!

 We took her on a tour of Katie's new Junior High School that is being built down the street from our house!

We also played CARD games and as usual...

Nana beat us all!

  

Dancing Ali, Pei Wei delights and Gratitude

I just got home from watching Ali dance at 

Higley High School

and I have to say I am completely blown away.

Ali is one of my girls...

I mean one of my Young women!

I just like to think of them as one of mine because I absolutely

LOVE

this sweet, completely talented, spiritually strong, beautiful girl!

She has NO idea how good she is...

but this girl will be going places and I'm going to be cheering her on every step of the way!

Someday I might even say...

"I knew that girl"

when her name is in LIGHTS and everyone knows her name!

We had our own group cheering for her...

      Love these ladies!!

************************

I spent the rest of the day with my sweet hubby...

and while it may not seem fun to

visit doctors offices,

we made the most of it with a fun trip to my favorite boutique...

JUNKY TRUNK

and I picked up this fun dress for Rachel.

       She doesn't like it...

so I'm keeping it and will pair it with a cute sweater.

Rachel and I have been on the hunt for the 

PERFECT

dress for her 8th grade promotion...

I guess we will keep looking! :)

We also ate at one of my ALL time favorite places!

PEI WEI!

This time Ron and I sat at the table by the kitchen...

it was a hopping place and we were very impressed how fast those cooks were.

     If you haven't had Pei Wei's Chicken Lettuce Wraps then you are seriously missing out!

Our absolute favorite thing on the menu!

That cute girl in the picture?

She is ONLY in charge of making the lettuce wraps...

and she was busy every second!

No healthy eating for me today...

not when I can go to Pei Wei!!

  

***************************

I forgot to mention that Rachel is out of a cast...

I can only hope for GOOD this time!

I'm feeling VERY grateful today...

the last couple of days had been really hard.

but I'm finally feeling like myself again.

Rachel is healing.

Chris's volleyball season is over.

Katie had a good friend moment.

Jacob was obedient and kind.

Ron was helpful with dinner and kids.

Life is good...

really, really good! 

I

San Diego or Bust....

Right now I'm making plans for a trip to one of my favorite destinations:

SAN DIEGO!

Ron will be leaving shortly for a 4 day fishing trip with his best bud Dennis and my brother-in-law.

While they head to Lake Powell for 4-days
 to fish to their hearts content...

it made me think,

"What could I do with the kids?"

How about a trip to the BEACH?

You know how there are beach people...

or camping people...

or arctic cold people...

or city people?

Well I'm a beach kind of people!

I usually plan trips that in some way have to do with sand and sunshine!

I'm still working on the details of the trip,

I'm still working on my weekly laundry,

I'm still working on paying my bills and updating our finances,

I'm still working on WORK,

I'm still working on the non-ending daily work of being a mom,

and now I'm trying to find time to BLOG.

I think I will just go to BED instead!

In the meantime I will post pictures of the Father and Son campout that Ron took the boys' on last weekend.

I had boy's taking pictures so I don't have much...

but I am glad they tried!

   

 So should I be worried...

Jacob is spending lots of time around the fire?

 I guess this picture pretty much sums up why I didn't get more pictures...

they look really, really happy about it...

don't they?

All I have to say is....

my husband is pretty much amazing!

He takes my two boys on the Father and Son camp out who aren't his own but he treats them as if they were his own...
 I think it takes a pretty special man to do what you do.
I know you don't get thanked often enough...
sometimes in fact you feel it is a pretty thankless job but I know someday, somehow they will be
grateful for all the work and sacrifices you have made for them.
I know I do!  

Honey, you are a keeper!