Riley's BBQ and Girls Pedicures!

 All the girls went on Friday morning and got pedicures at NailBiz! It was so much fun and they were so good to us. I got the coolest toes ever!

 Aunt LeeAnn, Mom, Misty and Remi

 There are all of our toes! Starting at the white flip flop: Me, Mom, Misty, Yvette, Leeann and Nicole

 And here is the BBQ. It was a bit rainy, but the garage was nice. Riley had so many people come by and it was so much fun! Loved having a party for him!

Riley's Graduation!

 Well he did it! He graduated high school! After many lectures and missed assignments and reminders he did it! Riley graduated and his last term was full of all good grades! We are so proud of him! 

He was pretty spoiled and had a chunk of change around his neck. He looked good and had a good night. He had many people who loved him come and it was awesome! The speakers were awesome too. 

 Love the Pollocks! They came and supported Riley! 

 We had a lot of family here and it was so good to see them all! We miss them already.

 Olivia was real excited that Riley graduated and she kept saying "This is the best day ever!" 

 Love you Riley Man! 

Riley and some of his friends! 

Payson Temple Cultural Celebration

Payson Temple Cultural Celebration

 We had an amazing experience and opportunity to go to the Payson Temple Cultural Celebration on June 6th with some of our family. We got to watch our niece KC dance in it and it was wonderful!

 As we walked to the stadium is started raining and raining and then hailing! Luckily we had an umbrella to cover Olivia, but I was a bit wet! We laughed a lot and sang a lot of rain songs.

 We had fun waiting under the stadium seating because the program was temporarily delayed because of the rain and lightning. So we sang primary songs and took selfies! Just let me say I LOVE BEING AN AUNT!

 Here is Talee trying to show us the rain!

 Olivia did such a good job for the circumstances and the noise. She was being pretty silly. And loved watching KC dance. She was a little upset she couldn't see KC.

 Behind Olivia is all the youth waiting to start their program. We got to hear from President Eyring and Olivia was shouting "Our prophet our prophet!" She was a little sad when he wasn't there, but we explained that President Eyring was an apostle and he was awesome too!

 Mom and Olivia selfie!

 These were the 2000 stripling warriors! It was so cool and amazing to see. Took our breath away seeing 2000 young men portraying Helaman's army. What an amazing spirit!

Olivia loved the ribbon dancers. She sat and watched them the whole dance. 

What an amazing experience. Great job KC and the youth of the Payson Temple District. We feel so grateful to have been able to see and participate in this wonderful celebration. We love to see the temple we are going in someday... And I can't wait to post pictures of the first time Tay and I get to go do a session in the Payson Temple! 

30 Before 30: Go to a Temple Open House

I bare testimony of the truth and beauty of the Lord's Holy Temples. I know that the power within is not of this world, but of our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. Because of the restored gospel and the truths that I know I can and do feel joy and happiness in the darkest of times, because of the knowledge I have I know that my family is forever and that we all can be with our families forever. I am forever grateful for the truths that I know and live.

  I was able to take Olivia the Payson Temple open house. My momma was able to get us some tickets and go with us and we took some of our Larsen friends!

 What a magnificent temple of the Lord. We have had the privilege to watch this temple go up and see the progress and then to be able to go and see inside and take my sweet daughter was such an amazing blessing.

 Olivia and Jaxten loved seeing the temple. Olivia didn't like the plastic covers they put over our feet. She had a minor fit, but we made it through.

1. I love to see the temple.
   I'm going there someday
   To feel the Holy Spirit,
   To listen and to pray.
   For the temple is a house of God,
   A place of love and beauty.
   I'll prepare myself while I am young;
   This is my sacred duty.
2. I love to see the temple.
   I'll go inside someday.
   I'll cov'nant with my Father;
   I'll promise to obey.
   For the temple is a holy place
   Where we are sealed together.
   As a child of God, I've learned this truth:
   A fam'ly is forever.

14 days of Influenza...

 Well our house was infected! Infected with influenza! We all learned something (which can count for 30 before 30: learn something new). Here it is, we all say we have the flu and more often than not we don't really have a strand of influenza. We have some virus that is making us feel crappy, but influenza is more intense.

 Intense enough to put my sweet girl in the hospital and back on oxygen. :( She is now on day 14 of being sick and we are still going. It was scary and awful to see her this sick. I woke up one morning and she just laid there, no response to me, limp and gray and she would not move. It was mortifying and heart breaking and let's just say I have cried a lot the last two weeks. One because my biggest fear is that she will die before me and it was so real. The reality that she is still fragile and susceptible to this nasty world is so scary, the reality that I cannot save her from everything is terrifying to me.

 This bloody bug is intense enough to bring this mom right to bed also. And let's just say not sleeping and having this does not go well together. I have not been a very good sleeper since Miss Olivia came home because she has always had breathing issues, but when they are legitimate I have a problem, like I have maybe slept 1-3 hours a night for the last 10 days.

 She is on the mend though. She doesn't need oxygen all day, just when she sleeps. She is playing and eating and being sassy again. She is totally getting better and I am so happy. Happy that her little body keeps fighting and fighting. Happy that she is a fighter and we have so many loved ones that pray for her. She is buoyed by your strength. Thank you so much.

 I sort of feel like we lost 2 weeks of our life, like we have been trapped and now that we are getting better we have to figure out how to get back into the real world. It's a little bit weird and crazy.

But, we made it. We have learned more about influenza, we have learned more about our little miss and we have been reminded that we are surrounded by the kindest most wonderful people a family could ask for. Thank you for the meals, the gifts, the prayers, the text and calls, the oils, blessings, and good energy. We feel blessed and we love you all.

30 Before 30

30 Before 30

Go to a new temple 

Attending the temple more is really important to me this year. It has been a very hard transition from no children on this earth to a child here. Not only the normal transition of becoming parents, but the intense anxiety I have leaving Olivia. That has been something that no one could prepare me for and really it is something that is very hard for me to explain. But, now that she is 3 years old and has been 3 for awhile now I am trying to find ways to subside that anxiety and gain the blessings and knowledge of temple attendance. 

So, that is a little reason behind this 30 before 30 bucket list item and a few more that I have on there dealing with temples.
This bucket list item was to go and attend a new temple. This temple is the remodeled Ogden, Utah temple. We were able to go with Tyler and Jessica for Jessica's birthday and it was fabulous, beautiful and amazing. I learn more every time ago, I learn about myself, the ordinances and covenants and so much more. I have a strong testimony of temples and what they do for us here on the earth and those that have left it. It is a place that I feel so close to my sweet children in Heaven and feel peace that I cannot feel any where else. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and I am happy to say that I belong to it! 

30 Before 30

30 Before 30
Cook With Olivia

On of my 30 before 30 bucket list items is to cook with Olivia more. Allowing her to be with me as I cook and bake does a couple of things for me. One it allows me to have fun and not have to have everything perfect. She brings a lightness to all things and this is so good for me. I do not want her to grow up and wonder why I never did anything with her.
Cooking with me also allows me to share my love of cooking and sharing my food with others. This is a passion and a love that took me a long time to share and not be self conscious about.
Also I love teaching her things. I want her to know how to cook and feed people. No going to college not knowing how to cook, no way. She will be the best cook in her dorm. :) 

Sushi Making

 For Christmas Riley got a sushi kit from Tyler and Jessie and we decided to try it out. So here it is...

 So the recipe that we found said you needed to fan the rice after it was cooked, so we fanned it!

 We did a simple roll, basically a California roll. (carrots, cucumber, avocado, cream cheese, crab)

 The first roll!

 And the second roll!

 It wasn't too bad for our first time making them.  But let's just say it is worth buying them. ;)

And this is why, what a mess! Sushi making is messy. So next time we may just go to the Ninja. :) It was fun though. Riley and I are a good chef team.