That We Might Have Joy

On A Roll

2010-02-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

If you look closely, this is my fourth post tonight. I received a call from Shauna tonight and was reminded that I am a little behind. Aleah was blessed November 1st. It was a beautiful blessing, given by David. These are a few of the people that I love, who attended.

Aleah and I with my mom, Lynette, and her parents, Merlyn and Vae Dansie.

Dave, Aleah and I with my Grandpa Mel WIthers and Aunt Kristie.

Aleah with Dave and his parents, Ken and Cindi Lignell.

Four Generations!

This was NOT our Christmas Picture

2010-02-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

The only reason why this was not our Christmas Card picture is because I decided against Christmas Cards this year. So, no, you were not left out....everyone was. Same with neighbor treats. Not because I did not want to do them, but because I simplified. And it felt jolly.

Guess What?

2010-02-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

Chicken Butt!
Or if you are at my house it is..
Guess Who?
Chicken Pooh!
Or...
Guess Why?
Chicken Pie!
Or...
Guess How?
Chicken Pow! (My favorite.)
But Luke Sam does not understand rhyming at all. He will run into my room at night and say, "Guess What?" and immediately after that, he will say, "Chicken Pow!" This is why I love him. He is a six year old stuck in a two year old's body. He knows what is funny to us, but does not understand why. What he does understand is whistling. He whistles better than me, thanks to Snow White and 'whistling while you work'. He is also fabulous at helping me in the kitchen. He helps me in ways that no one else can. He loves flour, and measuring, and climbing, and all of these things combined makes cooking a real adventure. Believe me.

For Shauna, and Others

2010-02-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

Given that it has been months since I last posted, I apologize. These pictures of Aleah were taken mid November.

Her blessing dress and slippers were knitted by my Aunt Melanie. I was so happy with how beautiful it turned out. I am also extremely thankful she was willing to share her talents with us. This dress will be an amazing heirloom!

Have Two Bananas

2009-12-01T09:18:00.001-08:00

This is Luke demonstrating his favorite part of Jungle Book.

Q: Where did she come from?

2009-11-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

A: The happy aisle in Heaven.

Rock Hunting

2009-11-12T13:15:00.001-08:00

I have a lot of memories of rock hunting when I was young. We searched for topaz, amethyst, indian tears, geodes, trilobites and many other rocks. My dad has always been very interested in this hobby and recently invited us out to the 'desert' to see what we could find. Our treasures....agate, ryolite, calcite?, gypsum and dinosaur bones!

The boys loved riding on the bumpy road in the back of the truck with Whitney. It was an adventure. Aleah, Grandma Lynette, Whitney, Grandpa Mel and I did a little exploring but were not as adventurous and stayed close to the truck. We still had a good time.

A Collection

2009-11-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

I have quite a collection of photos forming of Aleah. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are just a few of my favorites.

Given an Angel

2009-11-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Our family was blessed with a beautiful little girl on September 9, 2009. It is always a very difficult task for Dave and I to choose a name that we both like, and that will encompass everything we hope for in such a little bundle. Her name, Aleah Rose. Dave does not pay much attention to the 'meaning' of names, but I have loved the name Aleah since my neighbor Amanda suggested it. It means 'rising' or 'ascending'. After a busy day with visitors, nurses and family, I held this sweet angel in my arms, thankful for the miracle that she is. Even though she had not spent 24 hours yet in this world, I wanted to tell her that she is capable of overcoming anything that comes her way while she is here on the earth. That she can be better, stronger, and more loving than anyone that has come before her. There is going to be nothing to hold her back. Her name fits her so well. As for the Rose in her name, we were blessed with this tender flower on the day that her Great Grandmother Janice Rose Clyde was called home to be with her husband Scott in the Heavens. And so, as one generation passes away, a new one enters.

Aleah Rose Lignell
September 9, 2009
2:56 a.m.
8 lbs. 2 oz.
20 1/2 inches

I had waited so long to hold my very own little girl.

Luke gives the 'thumbs up', giving us permission to finally head home.
Oh, and as for labor and delivery....My fastest one yet. 2 hours 10 minutes from first contraction to babe in arms. How it happens, I don't know. But I am most thankful for close hospitals, Dave's evening driving skills and the helpful hospital staff for making this life changing event a very smooth transition.

Our Summer

2009-08-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

I wrote this post a long time ago....but just barely was able to post it!
Our 'Outdoors Time' has been severely limited this summer. It seems like every weekend there is something else planned that we need to attend, or work to be done, or me not wanting to hike, or sleep in a tent, or camp out. But, we have had a few outings that have been worth noting.
Dave has been wanting to spend a lot more time in the Uintahs. He has purchased most of the equipment to backpack in and camp, but it has not come to fruition yet. I think he needs to find another adult male who is interested in this same thing, so that he can push himself to do larger hikes than what our boys are capable of doing. The time that Isaac and Andrew went along with him, they had a fabulous time. I think that their favorite part is when they actually cook and eat their fish before coming home. I guess it makes them feel like really rustic Mountain Men.

Our only family trip into the mountains was to Payson Lake. The boys fished for awhile, but loved swimming the most. Luke liked throwing our snacks at the many ducklings swimming around with their mama's. I will admit that I am paranoid about my boys swimming in lakes. The problem is that when they go under, you cannot see them or find them. Which is a really bad thing in an emergency. Luckily the boys stayed near enough that I didn't have to scream too much.

David's sister Juli was married in August to Tanner. Everything went so well and was so beautiful. I just wish I had more pictures. I guess that is what the photographer is for!

My sister Charlotte was married in August, too. The lucky man....Chase Majors. I love them both so much that I was willing to travel to Ferron for their ceremony....while very pregnant.

Me and my Grandma Vae.

The kids all loved catching tadpoles in the pond.

This is the handsomest picture that I have of my dad. Ever.

My next post will be about Aleah. I promise.

Luke Flying

2009-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

The other day I lovingly talked Luke into moving his toddler bed from my room down into Andrew's room. He actually has a twin size bed in there to sleep on, but he prefers the toddler bed. We set it up by his train table and before we knew it Luke had discovered that he could fly! He loved jumping from bed to bed, until he hit the bedpost with his mouth and it bled. That did not discourage him though. He blamed it on his cape and once I had taken it off of him, he was back at it again. I am waiting to see how purple his shins turn from hitting the headboard so many times!
You can hear Isaac on the video saying I should post this on my blog, and even on youtube. I will put it here, but that is as far as it goes!

4th of July

2009-07-06T14:31:00.001-07:00

We love the Riverton Parade. It is on the top of my list for celebrating this special day. Maybe it is because ever since I can remember, my Grandpa Mel has been at the front of the parade with the flag. He doesn't carry it anymore, but drives right behind it in an army jeep. I get emotional seeing him there, every year.

The boys don't think it is the 4th of July without going to Dave's parents home for a BBQ, homemade rootbeer and fireworks.

After such busy weekends, I am ready for an 8:00 bedtime!

St. George

2009-07-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend with my parents, siblings and their families in St. George. Charlotte and Chase were brave enough to make the 4-hour drive in our van with us. I am hoping that we didn't traumatize them too much. The drive there and back was uneventful, which is always a good thing. I did, however, hit Brett's truck while pulling into our vacation rental's driveway. I hate it when that happens.
We packed our Saturday full of fun. Dave and I made our first visit to the St. George Temple. We actually were up bright and early enough to make the 6:40 a.m. session. It was a wonderful way to start the morning!

We then headed to the water fountains for some free cooling off. It was very hot while we were there with the temperature being above 100. The kids all loved playing in the water.

The bat was there for extra entertainment. Someone was also having a birthday party there, and had hired a magician. All of our kids kind of blended into the party and enjoyed seeing some new tricks.
Practically everyone, except for those of us who needed a break from the heat, hiked Dixie Rock. Dave also went golfing. We ended our day by going to Tuacahn to watch 'Footloose'. It was beautiful to be there. The musical was done outdoors and we were surrounded by red rock. The actors were all fantastic! We also enjoyed watching Brett and Chase ride the Mechanical Bull.
It was a busy weekend but full of fun and good memories. The only thing that could have been better was if Nathan, Crystal and Dakota could have been there!

Isaac's Last Baseball Game

2009-07-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Isaac has had a really good year playing baseball for the Cardinals. We did not know what to expect from Pleasant Grove's league, but we ended up being pretty impressed. His team struggled a little bit during the first part of the season. They sure did make up for it though. They ended up winning the City Tournament!

Isaac's favorite positions were second base, third base and left field. He improves every year that he plays. I am surprised at how he counts down for the season to begin....but when it rolls around I sometimes have to talk him into going to practice.

And for any of you who are wondering.....My husband is an angel. This is my proof. He already has a halo! He has earned it over the past few months of coping with me and my food cravings, my lack of housework, and my over emotional and ultra paranoid personality. I am crazy about him!

Andrew's 9th Birthday

2009-07-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew decided for his birthday (June 17th) that he wanted Ben, Sammie and McKenna to go with him to Trafalga. We are not counting this as his first 'double date'. It just worked out that his 3 closest friends are 1 boy and 2 girls! They had a great time on the 3-D ride, playing black-light miniature golf, arcade playing and eating pizza.

When we got home he opened his presents and we ate cake and ice cream.

This was my very quick attempt at making a lacrosse stick cake. Andrew just finished his first season of playing lacrosse and loved it! He is a fast runner, which resulted in him scoring about 75% of his teams goals throughout the season!

Andrew's favorite gift came from Dave and I. He has been wanting an air soft gun since I threw away his last one. He is a little older now and I am sure will take excellent care to keep it in his lock box and away from Luke Sam!

Fun in Price

2009-06-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

My boys had been looking forward to a Rock and Gem show that was being held in Price since our visit to Ferron over Spring Break. The boys were hoping to save $300 to spend there, which didn't happen. The day before we left Andrew said, 'Mom, can you please bake some stuff for us to sale?' I ended up giving them $20 a piece to spend on treasures and away we went. We met my Mom and Whitney in Price. The rock show was very cool. My parents bought me a plate that is full of orthoceras and ammonite fossils for my birthday. Isaac bought a Mosasaurus tooth, bismuth, a meteor and some peacock ore. Andrew bought bismuth, a snake statue holding a geode, a letter opener (he loves weapons), an arrowhead, apache tear, and an orthoceras fossil on a necklace. Luke's treasures were a jade marble, an ammonite and a rock carved into a little dinosaur.
After circling the booths for an hour or two we ended up eating lunch at the China Buffet. This is Isaac's and Andrew's favorite place to eat in Price. I think it is mostly beacause Whitney makes these fabulous ice cream cones. The kind that are 8 inches high. They are also big fans of 'chicken on a stick'.
We ended our visit there with a trip to the dollar store. I bought me a snazzy pair of sunglasses for $1. Isaac found his beloved beef jerky. Andrew ended his hunt for Drop Popz and bought 3 of them. Luke added a bat and ball to his collection. It is amazing how much fun can be had at a store like this. Whitney was a cop for a little while with her bullet proof vest, and Isaac and Luke found the party hats.

It was a fast trip, but definitely worth it!

Furniture.....Finally!

2009-06-12T09:31:00.001-07:00

Since we moved here, about 6 months ago, we have had nothing in our front room. Well, that isn't necessarily true. It used to be where Luke played trains and baseball. We had spent quite a bit of time looking for furniture, and were disappointed. Dave especially. He ended up going on a trip to Michigan for work, and when he arrived home, this is what he saw when he came in the front door!

The large cabinet in the back of the room belonged to my Great-Great Grandfather Richard Withers. It has been sitting in my Grandpa Mel WIthers garage for the last 10 years. I am so thankful that this piece of furniture has made a home here! It took me a little while to clean it up, and Cheri and Matt had to come over to move it around for me. I am a little sad that the top piece of woodwork will not fit on with my ceiling height, but I think it gives it a more modern feel to have the straight lines along the top instead of the fancy scroll work. I found the company name on the back of the cabinet, and I believe it was made in the late 1800's, here in Salt Lake. I have enjoyed unboxing 'family items' to place in the cupboard.

Memorial Day

2009-06-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

This past Memorial Day I was able to take the boys to see my Grandpa Mel Withers conduct a flag ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Riverton. This is a very busy day for him. He is the Commander of the American Legion in his area, and therefore is responsible for a Memorial Program at many of the cemeteries in and around Riverton. This year they had 2 beautiful songs sung and then the 21 Gun Salute. Grandpa Mel knew Andrew needed to pass off a few things in Scouts before receiving his Wolf, and surprised us by having Andrew help raise the flag. If I would have known he was planning on doing this I would have had him wear his Scout Uniform. It was a very emotional moment for me. I have always loved anything patriotic. I grew up seeing my Grandfather carry the flag in parades and participating in many different programs. This has tied my love of this wonderful country with the love that I have for my Grandpa. In addition, to see my son by his side during this ceremony, made this a beautiful day for me.

Mothers Day

2009-05-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

This past Mothers Day has got to be on the top of my list of favorites. Honestly, I do not usually look forward to anything special happening because we all know that there are tasks that only a Mother can do, even if it is their 'special day'. But today was different! I planned a Mothers Day Luncheon at my house and we had my parents and most of my siblings with their families here. We missed Jared, Nikki and Cash. I love it when we all get together!

These are the honored ladies of the day. Whitney, Jen, Charlotte, Lynette, Cheri, Crystal and Anj. Charlotte and Whitney were saying that they are not Mothers yet.....but it will happen someday. I know plenty of women who for many reasons will not experience being a Mother to their own children, but they influence and nurture those who are around them. To me, we are all Mothers.

Look at these beautiful smiling children.....but beware....

This is what happens when they are all hyped up on sugar and fun!

These are the brave souls who attempted to walk on stilts. Whitney, Chase, Cody, Mattison and Isaac. We offered to get out the unicycle, too, but there are a few people who are still recovering from injuries sustained at previous tries to stay balanced on that silly contraption. The rest of us chose to chat and eat and chat some more. We always seem quite able to entertain one another. And, like Anjeanette says, we always have fabulous food at our gatherings. Thanks to the chef in all of us.

I'm crazy about this guy. Together we can accomplish anything! I received some fabulous flowers, a pajamagram, chocolates and a lovely poem about me from Andrew, which in part states 'When she walks she is as lovely as a mama duck waddling.' Believe me, he has not seen the real waddling yet! What a wonderful day!

Mmmmine!

2009-05-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is a new fabulous snack I found at Costco. They are roasted cashews covered with vanilla and then coated with toasted coconut. I am addicted to them. Dave was hesitant to try them, but enjoys them too. Luke apparently has an issue with them also. I found him hiding in the corner with both hands full. It was quite a battle to get them back! I absolutely recommend these to anyone who savors the above mentioned ingredients. I even gave them to my Mom for Mothers Day! We had to open the package and let everyone sample them. They are so scrumptious!

95% Sure

2009-04-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day for our family. We kept the boys out of school and we all ventured to the doctor's office together. Dave says that I should announce that we are having a brunette and leave it at that. As we were watching the different images of the baby on a huge TV, the doctor asked the boys if they knew how to tell the difference between a girl and boy baby. The boys answered no. He continued to explain to them that all they had to do was take a look at the brain, and if it was complete and well developed, then it was a girl. If there were things missing, or the brain was incomplete, then it was a boy....this is because boys do not have all of there brains until they are 16 years old. Andrew was a little concerned, and even after the appointment asked, 'Mom, is it true what he said about a boy's brain?'
Everything looks wonderful on our baby. I was hoping for a good profile shot, but the baby would not cooperate. We were, however, given a very clear shot of between the legs, and Dr. Bean says he is 95% sure that we are having a girl. I have to agree with him. I have seen quite clearly on all three of my boys ultrasounds the 'male evidence', and this was clearly lacking to me this time. I am still a little worried about that other 5% though. He says we can do another ultrasound later on, so that we can up it to 100%.
If this is the case, I am looking forward to all the happiness a daughter will bring me. Babies are such a blessing, and I am thankful that Dave and I get to experience this once again.

Rendezvous Ranch.....Ferron

2009-04-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

Spring Break for the boys was April 13-17 so we decided to take a little trip down to see my parents in Ferron. It was snowing a little when we left, and so I was worried about the canyon, but the drive went very well. We had a lot of fun in those few short days, even with the weather being colder than what we would have wanted. So much for Spring. Dave reported a foot of snow one morning at our house while we were gone, but by the time he came home from work it was nearly all melted. All we dealt with in Ferron was cold air and freezing wind. Here are a few pictures of our stay.

These horses were right across the street from Jared and Nikki's house. This is Grandma Lynette holding Luke. All three of the boys love animals, but are a little uncomfortable when they are up close.

We loved to see the baby colts, and were amazed by their size, especially for being only a couple of weeks old!

Luke is trying to love Cash in this photo, but Luke is normally not all that friendly to other children, and Cash knows this.

After seeing the progress that has been made on Jared and Nikki's house it was time to send Uncle Jared off to work. We were able to watch Jared work with Rambo (his K-9) at my parents house. They have a big storage shop that is perfect for hiding drugs in. I was not able to take any pictures because Rambo gets aggressive during photo shoots..but it was very cool to see him and Jared in action!

At the Luce's home we were able to see these baby calves that are fed milk from a bottle twice a day. The boys were very entertained by all of the animals being able to relieve themselves with us standing there watching them. The Luce's also have geese, chickens and this big fellow....

Other highlights included a trip to Patrick Braun's house to see his gems, rocks and fossils. We are looking forward to a Rock Show in Price early in June. We also went to Whitney's final band concert of the year. She plays the saxophone and did fabulous. Our favorite song was 'Jamaican Jack'.

Oh...and because this post is lacking in the number of pictures, here is another one. This one puts a smile on my face!

New water pump AND genius parents!

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Dave and I bought a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. With a baby on the way, we soon will no longer all fit in the jeep. So, I officially now drive a mini van. I would have posted a picture, but it is snowing outside today and I don't like getting cold! Anyways, last week we noticed the van was leaking something. My parents happened to stop by and so I had my dad take a look at the puddle. He used to be a mechanic, and so I trust his opinion when it comes to anything car related. I know you are not supposed to do this, but he tasted some of the fluid (we could not tell what it was just by looking at it). His diagnosis was that it was antifreeze, and that we should have our water pump checked out. So, $300 and a new water pump later, we thought we wouldn't have anymore difficulties with the van.
Sunday morning we all piled into the van. Low and behold, the van started....but immediately turned off. It did this several times, and not wanting to be late for church, we all switched to the Jeep. Frustrating. We buy a used vehicle and every week something is wrong with it? Dave and I talked about the fuel pump, fuel filter, etc... That night I was on the phone with my mother and told her about the van acting up. She asked me if we were using the original Dodge key, or a replica. I had just had Ace make 2 new keys and Dave had been using one of them to start the van that morning! My mom works at a hardware store in Ferron and she says that whenever she makes a key for someone, she asks what year the car is. This is because the newer vehicles will not take a key, unless it is made by the dealership. Who wold have thunk it! I passed this valuable info onto Dave, who immediately went out with my original key, and surprise, surprise, our van works just fine!
This goes to show that I still, and always will, need my parents. I love them and am thankful for their love, support, and their visits. I have not been down to Ferron since we moved back here, but am looking forward to traveling there within the next few weeks. Thanks Dad and Mom! This picture was taken Christmas 2006.

Snowboarding...A First.

2009-03-22T17:43:00.001-07:00

What an adventure! Dave and Andrew both came home from Brighton happy, sore, and thankful that they had our neighbor Dave (an experienced snowboarder) with them to teach them the ropes. Andrew let me know that it was harder than it looks on TV, and that he did spend some of the time crying. Dave says next time they need to rent helmets because it hurts like heck to hit your head on ice. It looks like it was a successful day. They plan on trying it again this season.

Isaac is 11!

2009-03-22T17:19:00.001-07:00

This boy used to be my baby. I cannot believe how much he has grown. His feet are already bigger than mine, and I am sure it won't be long before he is taller than me, too. He didn't want a huge celebration for his birthday. Just some friends over to play football, watch Madagascar 2 and to play the candy bar game after school on Friday, the 6th. Cheri's family came over for the party, and she helped me decorate baseball cupcakes.
That night we had family over to celebrate both Isaac and Luke's birthdays. They shared a baseball cake, and enjoyed being around family....and the gifts were great!
Isaac's birthday, March 7th, fell on a Saturday and Dave had planned to take both Isaac and Andrew skiing/snowboarding at Brighton. Isaac, however, injured his wrist at school and had to stay home while the other two went off to enjoy a day on the slopes. He was not too disappointed. We ended up going to the Clark Planetarium to see Under the Sea 3-D. We then wandered around Gateway, ate seafood at McGrath's and enjoyed chocolate from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. It was a very full day, which he claimed to be one of his best birthdays ever. I loved being with him. He constantly surprises me with his vocabulary. All of the reading he does definitely pays off! He can be very reserved and sensitive, but I have learned that quality time and a lot of love makes a huge impact.