Love Learning Life

I have resurrected an old blog of mine and is open to the public. You will not find a lot of names, places or details of our family here, mainly thoughts, encouraging inspirations and ideas for living a full and spiritually centered life.

I started this blog a couple of years ago but never really fully developed it. Since going private on our family blog, I have felt prompted to explore this more. The LLL blog was dedicated to the exciting challenge of learning from life simple and pure lessons. To look beyond the obvious or mundane and seek defining moments that have encouraged, inspired and strengthened me or the lives of others. One thing that I have come to realize with certainty is that inspiration is everywhere. If we are looking for it, desire to have it and doing our part to receive it, it will be given to us.... and I pray daily that I'll be paying attention.

"The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Happy 7th Birthday Douey Girl

This darling girl of ours just turned 7. Ever time I love at her my heart does throb and swell with love and gratitude for the blessing she has been in our lives. She is absolutely breathtaking. You can read a few  (of the many) thoughts we have of her here or here or here or here or here or  here.

Daidy at 7

She is special. Perfect. Darling. Sweet. Our angel.

She is our only girl, that makes her even more special than special.

She loves Sam, they are genuinely best best friends.

She loves junk food. Candy, cookies, chips are all her weakness. 

She is kinda messy. She likes clean and order but certainly doesn't mind steeping over mounds of stuff in her room for days either. (We gotta work on that one)

She LOVEs deeply and sincerely. 

She is caring like nothing I've ever seen. 

She is an expert at remembering peoples names, first and last.

She loves soccer and riding her bike

She has lots of friends.

She is a leader and kind to everyone.

She makes great choices and is a great example. 

She has strong spiritual feelings. 

She wholeheartedly believes we have the "best family that has ever been" and those feeling make her want to "explode."

She is absolutely crazy nuts-o about Baby Theo and squeals with delight every time she sees him. 

She has a loving and tender relationship with her dad and loves date nights with him. 

She is a great conversationalist. 

She wants to be a writer and illustrator. She comes home with little books shes made at school at least once a week. 

She loves movie nights with her kids

She is funny and laughs easily.

She cracks jokes with her dad. 

She always has a project (or two or three:) going on somewhere in the house. Make believe school, dressing making, tea party... who knows... but it is so dang cute!

She really is just wonderful. Pure wonderful. Such a blessing to us.

Bounce house birthday party

Suprise Birthday Bash IN Dallas

We went to Dallas for a surprise weekend getaway for Ben's Dad's 60th Birthday. It was really a great weekend. We surprised him at the house and then all convened upon Super8 BBQ in Coppell the the best BBQ I've ever had in my life. Such a fun place.

We went to the Dallas Zoo with Haley and the kids and really had the most delightful trip.

We love you Dallas Family! Come visit us soon.
XO

Cutest bunch of cousins ever.

Happy Birthday Beny Lover

"Life is a paradise for those who love

many things with a passion." Leo Buscaglia

I've said it before (here & here & many other places)....Ben is my most favorite person of all time. golly. Sometimes I feel like in heaven before we were made, Heavenly Father gathered together 2 completely compatible materials and meshed them together, kneaded them with warmth, love, kindness, affection and tenderness and then split them in 2, sent them down to earth and said, now go find each other. And that's exactly what we did. Goodness sakes, I love him. I love all of him, every bit and piece.

Happy Birthday precious.

Birthday dinner at Homeslice.

Our good friend Neal Robison knows exactly how to speak to Ben's heart. His very own personal supply of OREOS!
 Thanks Neal!

Happy 14th Birthday Evan

Our sweet Evan turned 14 in January. Holy moly. Where has time gone! He is now taller than me and becoming a strong young man. He's working hard in school and making good righteous choices. He is such a sweet kid, always aware of others and their happiness. He is so thoughtful and kind and really just a gentle giant. We love him dearly.

Playing Catch Up Stinks

Playing BLOG catch-up kinda stinks. In fact, I sort of hate it. So today, instead, here are some some photos from my PHONE DUMP folder.  I really just wanted to say how much I love life and how grateful I am for it. All the ebbs and flows, ups and downs. It's all good. Life is great.

Have a great week.

The family at Evans and Tyler's band concert. Oh and our nearly adopted kid, Jimmy "Bones" - Ryans BFF.

So many of these litter our cars and pillows and walls. I love everyone one of them.

Oh, one of my favorite BFF's.

Goin to church.

Volunteering in Daidy's class.

Homemade play is the best kind of play! "I - am - a - robot"

Gooey kid.....back when he actually used to sit.

5 dirty fingers ... means a good day. (by the back ground... is it obvious I am not at Target?... a strange phenomena. really)

My POV nursing baby Gooey. The best possible thing I do in my day. I absolutely LOVE this time. He rarely sleeps while nurses let alone sits still so every chance I get, I take a picture so I'll never forget the magic of this time. 

Sam's Christmas preschool program. He's so stinkin cute.

Lunch date with my Daidy girl.

photo= Evidence. stolen phone.

Oh brother, Seriously. He's perfect!

My orphan (looking) children going with me to the store. I guess that's one of the great things of having lots of kids. You simply don't have time to worry about what they wear to the store. Love those sweet kids.