Ammon's Birth Story Part 2

We drove through a snow storm to get to the hospital.  It turned out to be a huge blizzard and while I spent the next several days in the hospital, there were apparently thousands of people without electricity.  The plan was for me to start the medication to dilate me over night and then start the induction the following morning.  The baby was expected to arrive around 11:00 the next morning.

Getting checked in was routine.  Putting in the IV took several attempts, which I didn't like.  Andrew brought his new dart board with him and threw darts and eventually I settled down to rest and tried to sleep.

At some point the nurse came in and mentioned that the baby was having problems.  They asked me to rest on my left side to see if that would help.  I was feeling increasingly lousy.  I got to the point where I couldn't keep warm.  I was just shivering uncontrollably.  I wasn't really experiencing any pain, just felt really terrible.  I remember thinking that this wasn't at all what I had expected labor to feel like.

After lots of nurses coming in and out of the room, and some blood technicians coming to run some labs, I was told that the doctor was on his way to the hospital.  They said that they were concerned about both me and the baby and they needed me to deliver right away.  I never dilated more than one cm.

I think that by this time I was only vaguely coherent.  I remember them telling me that depending on the results of the blood work, they might have to give me a general because an epidural would be too risky.  I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I secretly hoped they would have to put me out.  I just felt too miserable to be conscious for any more of this.  Sadly, my wish was granted and I was wheeled into surgery where they had me count backwards starting at 10.  I might have gotten to 8...

Before going into surgery, I made Andy promise me that only he could hold my baby before me.  I didn't want any other family members swooping in and holding my baby before I had a chance.

The next thing I remember was someone saying, "She's waking up!  Quick!  Have her hold the baby before she falls asleep again!"  My eyes weren't even open, but I felt the baby being placed in my arms.  I didn't really have the strength to hold him, though, and he was quickly taken back.  At that, the family felt Andy's requirement had been met, and they eagerly passed my precious Ammon around.  Someone was feeding me ice chips.  I choked on one, felt the excruciating pain of the incision as I coughed, and fell back into a drug induced sleep.

Read the final post about Ammon's birth here.

Ammon's Birth Story Part 1

A few weeks before Christmas my sister called me in a panic - "Are you having this baby before Christmas or after?  You have to decide now!"  At the time it was really unknown, but I uncertainly replied, "Probably after."  Good thing it worked out the way I told her.  I don't know if she ever would have forgiven me otherwise...

I was born five weeks early.  As I started thinking of pregnancy in my own life I kind of thought my mom did it right.  I heard those last few weeks were brutal, and I ended up quite healthy, so why not have a baby way before the due date?  It seemed brilliant and it is what I always hoped for.  At least it was what I hoped for until  I got pregnant and found out that my due date was January 11.  Having a December birthday myself, I decided that I wanted to get that poor kid a birthday as far after Christmas as possible.  In fact, there was a part of me willing to go LATE for the cause.  Throughout my entire pregnancy, that was my goal - get as close to the due date as I can.

Other than anemia and sheer misery (haha), my pregnancy was uneventful until Thanksgiving.  We ate dinner and were sitting around after visiting when my Aunt commented on my swollen ankles.  We looked down to see my feet looking unbelievably HUGE.  We went into the Women's Center where they had me take home a 24 hour urine sample over the weekend and go back for an appointment on the following Wednesday.  On Saturday I went to work.  I was the only person in my department trained on a certain responsibility and we were in the process of hiring two new people for me to train.  After telling my co-workers about the holiday excitement my manager panicked and said that I need to teach the new people how to do my job before I got so sick that I couldn't work.  I was shocked at the implication and naively said that I'd be there for several more weeks.  That was my last day working for UPS.

When we had been in the Women's Center on Thanksgiving, I was told to take things easy, and to especially stay in bed if I had unusual headaches or other such symptoms.  The headaches came, and I worried.  I called in sick on Monday and Tuesday.  On Wednesday I went to the doctor, and after reviewing test results he put me on an official bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.  He started talking about the possibility of delivering early and prepared me for the idea that we would probably have the baby a week or two early.

As time went on, we decided to cash in on that tax break and scheduled an induction for the last week of December instead of the first week of January.  Kara had just started dating Dale and didn't want us to have Ammon on the 27th, 30th or 31st because it would conflict with her birthday, her future husbands birthday, and her future sister-in-laws birthday.  We settled on the 29th.

For these final weeks, I was going in to the doctor and getting non-stress tests done three times a week.  Up to this point, Andy had been with me to every doctor appointment.  We finally decided that these were coming too frequently and were too routine to worry about him coming with me.  So on December 23rd I went alone.

Of course the one time I went without my husband would be the time they decide to worry.  The nurse moved me into labor and delivery and we waited for the doctor to come review my information.  They started talking about the idea that they might just keep me and deliver the baby right then and there!  Ultimately the doctor explained that they had three options.  The first was to deliver the baby immediately, but he was worried because the baby was a boy and boys lungs develop more slowly than girls.  He said if I was having a girl, he would take that option.  With a boy  he said the second option was to give a steroid to  help the lungs develop and then deliver the baby immediately.  But he really didn't want to give a steroid if it wasn't absolutely necessary.  And so he opted for the third option.  Send me home for two more days and deliver on the third.  He felt like those three days could make enough of a difference in the development of the baby that he would feel comfortable delivering without steroids.

On Christmas of 2003 we spent time at the homes of both of our parents.  In the early evening we headed home and finished last minute preparations.  Then, we headed to the hospital anticipating the arrival of our first child mid-morning the next day.

Read more about Ammon's Birth here.

Santa Clause Is Coming...

I can't believe that Christmas is only a few days away.

It's been a great season for us.

On the tenth, the boys were able to meet Santa for the second time this year.

(The first time was at our church Christmas party the weekend before.)

Ammon said he wanted Lego's.

Peter wanted a snowboard.

For my birthday, we went to Leatherby's and ordered the largest banana split on the menu.

Ammon ordered his own small version, but Peter, Andrew and I shared the big one.

Even with three of us eating, we took more than half of it home with us!

A few days later, Peter and I were able to attend Ammon's school Christmas concert.

Ammon had been practicing his songs for weeks!

It was fun to hear him singing around the house.

The second grade performed Where Are You Christmas and Up On the Housetop.

On the 17th, Andrew and I were able to enjoy a night out to watch Peggy sing with the Choir.

It's a highlight every year.

We had fun experiencing Christmas at Heritage Park.

The activities included stringing popcorn, watching a puppet show, and meeting Santa (again).

The highlights were running into friends and seeing the live nativity.

More than Christmas itself, I love this time of year.

It's been a great month of fun family memories.

November Highlights

We enjoyed a beautiful Autumn season this year.

The boys had lots of fun playing in the leaves with their friends on multiple occasions.

We loved spending Thanksgiving with our families.

Thanksgiving day was spent in the Nunes family tradition.

Games, fun and great food!

The following day we spent with many of the Shadel family members.

We enjoyed a yearly highlight of making holiday fruit cookies.

We love  being so near to our families and easily enjoying the holidays with them.

We are always left wishing there was more time.

Witches at Gardner Village

One other impromptu Halloween activity we participated in this year was going to see

The Witches at Gardner Village.

I had never been.

It is an outdoor shopping area, and witches were decorated throughout.

We had a paper with clues about each witch and we had to try to locate them.

The kids had a great time and it was fun to have all the Nunes cousins together.

Thanks for inviting us and taking the pictures, Krista!

Busy Boys

Pictures taken November 2, 2011

I didn't take many  pictures in October, so I just decided to get my camera out on a random Wednesday afternoon.  Ammon was doing homework and Peter was building things.  I'm so thankful to have these boys being part of my life!

Halloween Fun

Pictures taken October 29, 2011

Last year I felt like Halloween was a month long event.

It was fun, but I was relieved when it was over.

This year was just the opposite of that.

I never even really caught up to Halloween before it had come and gone.

Still, we did some fun things.

We had a Halloween party with friends I went to High School with.

We had a ward party/trunk or treat.

We went trick or treating at the district.

And finally, on Halloween,

Ammon marched in the school parade

(and even though I didn't have my camera, both Andrew and I were able to go see him)

we ate delicious red beans and rice for dinner,

trick or treated in South Jordan,

and visited grandparents on both sides.

We never did carve pumpkins this year.

Sad.

I guess we'll have to look forward to that one in 2012.

Fall Finale

Pictures taken October 8, 2011

Andrew enjoyed racing in the Fall Finale at the Kearns Olympic Oval.

His friend Spencer and his dad also participated in that race.

Andrew had registered to do a race at the beginning of tri season on the same course.

He was hoping to compare times and have a concrete identifier of how much he had improved.

Sadly, the Spring Sprint was snowed out and they didn't get to bike for that event.

We were worried that something similar would happen for the Fall Finale.

Fortunately, despite the cold, wet weather,

the race went on!

The boys were great and had a fun time cheering on the athletes.

It's a great tradition to support Dad in his races.

Go Andrew!

Giving Thanks - Day 4

Today I am grateful for seasons, icecream , good friends and dates with my husband.

I spent the afternoon outside LOVING the beautiful autumn atmosphere with golden leaves covering the ground.  The boys played and had a good night.  And yet this evening was spent driving through the first big snow storm of the season.  Thanks to some great friends/neighbors who kept an eye (or ear) on our boys, Andrew and I were able to get out and go to Leatherby's for some ice cream.  That's right - I drove through a snow storm to eat ice cream!  I LOVE ice cream!  It's been a good day.

Giving Thanks - Day 3

I'll admit it - today I'm a little stumped as to what to write about.  It isn't that I don't have a LOT to be grateful for, because I do.  It's just that I'm tired, and somehow that always makes it more challenging to recognize the blessings in our lives.  So instead of expounding on anything I will just share the list of things I could choose from today.

I am grateful for:

• my husband, who got the boys ready and off to school today
• visiting teachers past and present (one of my past visiting teachers called me today and I enjoyed talking with her)
• my friend Keri (she stopped by and spent some time with me today and also drove me to pick up Peter from school which took a 45-60 minute job and transferred it into a 10 minute job!  Thanks Keri!)
• nice weather that wasn't too cold  (Peter enjoyed some nice outdoor time today and even though it was a little chilly, when the sun wasn't blocked by clouds, it was pretty nice.)
• school (this semester has been so hard for me because it started off on the wrong foot, but I still enjoy my classes even though I am slightly burned out and my grades are about as bad as they've ever been.)
• my friend Shae who is also my 1st counselor and right hand man (today I am grateful to her because she babysat my boys while I went to class, but I have a long list of other reasons I am so grateful to her too.
• And finally, my husband again, who has been gone for about 12 hours now, but is still willing to stop at the store on his way home to pick us up a couple of things for our 10:00 PM dinner.

It's been a long day after a night of little sleep, but as you can see from this list, it's also been a good day.  And I'm grateful for that.

Giving Thanks - Day 2

Today I am grateful for little hands.  I was walking, hand in hand, with Peter this morning as we went to drop him off at preschool.  The feeling of his cold little hand in mine was so perfect!  I realized that his hands won't always be that small.  In fact, there will come a day when his hands will be larger than mine.  And I will be grateful for those hands too.  

My children are growing much faster than I sometimes want them to.  And there are fewer of them than I ever would have dreamed.  My mom had twelve years from her oldest to youngest child - she was mothering children in ALL phases of childhood for a LONG time.  I never would have thought that I would have such a tiny 3 1/2 year window from start to finish with each and every childhood phase.  I was so disappointed when my kids were spread so "far apart" from each other, but now I am just so glad that it isn't going even more quickly!  I'm so grateful for that gap that once seemed so huge, and now seems so small.  This morning, I kissed Ammon at the bus stop to wish him a happy day.  A part of me wondered if he was getting too old for that.  Imagine my delight when he hugged me back.  I guess he's not too old for that yet!  

My boys are so very precious to me.  I love them because they are them, and I love them because they are mine.  It is such a joy to see how they grow and develop.  I'm proud of who they are becoming.  But for today, I'm grateful that they are small.

Giving Thanks - Day 1

The month of Thanksgiving is here, so I am going to *attempt* writing about things I am grateful for throughout the month.  

The first thing that came to mind today is that I am grateful for revelation.  Knowing that God can and does speak directly to me brings a great amount of peace and joy to my life.  It is among my most treasured blessings in life to have His guidance through this world.  In addition to personal revelation, I am so grateful for the revelation given to those who lead.  From parents who lead their families, bishops who lead their wards, and most blessedly to the prophets and apostles who stand as a guiding light to the world.

Here are some of my favorite talks on the topic of revelation.

First, we have Elder Oaks in October of last year expounding on the Two Lines of Communication.  He breaks down and helps clearly understand the methods and roles of individual revelation and revelation that comes through the priesthood authority.  It is a beautiful discourse.

Next, there is Elder Bednar, who gave a great description of how one might expect to receive personal revelation.  My husband likes to listen to books on tape, and one afternoon, while borrowing his car, I sat in a parking lot unwilling to turn the key and go into shop.  One of his CD's was playing and Sheri Dew was teaching about personal revelation.  She spoke of the concept that learning how to receive revelation from the Holy Ghost is like learning another language.  (Duh!  Of course it is - it is the language Heavenly Father uses to speak to us!)  She gave the example of the years it takes in coming to master a language and then, even once that language is mastered that we still need to use it to retain that knowledge.  I think Elder Bednar's talk from last April really helps teach some of the basics of the "language" as he gives a great message on The Spirit of Revelation.

Another of my absolute favorite talks is from Elder Scott in October of 2009.  The first thing I did when I received my calling as Relief Society President, was reference back to this talk.  He poses these questions: "What can you do to enhance your capacity to be led to correct decisions in your life?  What are the principles upon which spiritual communication depends?  What are the potential barriers to such communication that you need to avoid?"  and then answers them by teaching each of us how  To Acquire Spiritual Guidance.  I love the personal experiences he shares in his own quest to receive revelation and then the analogy of the grape in which he explains, "The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride.  When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeno pepper.  Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other.  In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit." 

Finally, I think back to a talk by Elder Anderson where he teaches a beautiful message about our prophets and apostles.  He helps us understand that they really are our watchmen on the tower in his wonderful talk Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets.

I feel extremely blessed to have been so well instructed on revelation over the years, and in having felt the love of my Heavenly Father as I have worked to try to understand His communication with me through the Holy Ghost and through His prophets.  I am so thankful for revelation in my life!

Another Miracle

A little more than six years ago, I remember sitting with my sister-in-law, holding my sweet  Ammon, and talking about how anxious I was - even disappointed in my impatience as it was taking longer than desired for me to have another baby.  She was somewhat offended by my comments, making it clear to me that I should be grateful for what I had, and that even just one baby was SUCH a blessing.  Her reaction was an emotional one as she had struggled for years with infertility and unsuccessful adoption attempts.  She was growing discouraged, wondering if this deepest desire of her heart would ever come to pass.

A few weeks/months later, she was a mother herself.  Through adoption, she had finally received the miracle of motherhood and was thrilled beyond belief.  


But her story didn't end there.

16 short months later, she and her husband were contacted with the opportunity to adopt a baby girl who was to be born to the same birth mother of their son.  Of course they jumped on that opportunity and were happy to be blessed with two beautiful children.

Three and a half years passed.  Everyone, including them wondered whether or not more children would come to them.  And then it happened - the miracle of Quincy.  It was a sudden but heart-wrenching journey that resulted in another child finding his way into the arms of his parents.

Soon after Quincy was born, Tim and Jen felt driven to pursue another adoption.  They were certain there was another child that they needed to find.  With some bumps, heartbreaks and difficult choices along the way, they were eventually blessed with their son Sam - now just three and a half months old.  (He is 14 months younger than Quincy.)

Yesterday, Jen learned that, for the first time in her life, she is pregnant!!!  The news is thrilling beyond belief and I just keep thinking back to that conversation, less than seven years ago, when she truly wondered if she would ever get to be a mother in this life.  And yet she is suddenly on the road to becoming the mother of her fifth child!  


It is a testimony to me that Heavenly Father is over all, and that no situation or circumstance is permanent.  Whatever sorrows we are asked to travel through, they will eventually come to a close and Heavenly Father will bless us more abundantly than we would have ever expected or imagined.  The Savior truly is "An High Priest of Good Things to Come".

I just wanted to share with you all the excitement of Jennifer's news.  It is absolutely amazing!

Family Anniversary Celebration

Many many  months ago I purchased some discount tickets to Hollywood Connection.  It took us so long to use them, that they were actually within days of expiring.  And that is how it came to be that we had a wonderful family celebration of the anniversary of our family being started.  Andrew and I had taken our get-a-way a few days before, so on the actual date of our ten year anniversary, the four of us went out and partied as a group.  It was SO much fun.  Ammon seemed a little hesitant at first, but by the end he couldn't get enough.  The boys absolutely LOVED the bumper cars.  I think it was their favorite.  Andrew and I felt like we were getting old because we both got a bit sick on the spinning rides.  That is SO totally NOT us.  It's weird to discover those little unexpected changes that come with time and age.  These last ten years haven't been at all what I would have imagined, but they've brought the experiences that make life rich and meaningful.  I can't wait to see what unexpected adventures the next ten years have in store for us.

Anniversary Trip

Around our first anniversary (nine years ago) I got this notion that I wanted to go horseback riding.  I had been as a child, and wanted to go again.  Andrew considered that option as an anniversary gift, then wisely opted to get me something else: my first digital camera.   Every so often the idea of horseback riding comes up and I wonder why we still haven't done it.  After all - I've been asking to go (maybe once every year or two) since our first anniversary!   

In looking at the calendar, I didn't know how we would possibly squeeze out the time to celebrate our anniversary.  When my back went out, requiring me to miss school, Andrew to miss work, and our boys to get farmed out to family, I thought for sure whatever slim chance we had of a special anniversary had flown out the window.  But as the day approached I decided that ten years is a BIG DEAL and even if it was simple, we needed to do something memorable.

I asked my sister to arrange for us to use her condo so that Andrew and I could get away for a night.  Then I told Andrew that we needed to plan something to do on our getaway.  And that is how it came to be that we went horseback riding!  It was the PERFECT time of year for it and a beautiful area.  We had a wonderful time!

Horseback riding kicked off our two days together.  After that we enjoyed a great BBQ lunch, drove out to Strawberry, and checked into our "home away from home".  We enjoyed Chinese food for dinner, played air hockey, swam and enjoyed the hot tub.

After sleeping in and lounging around the condo all morning, we drove up to cascade springs.  My mom used to take me there when I was young.  Even though it was a place I once visited regularly, I realized that I probably hadn't been there in more than 20 years!  (When did I get old enough to have multiple memories of a place I haven't been to in that long!)  I LOVED the fall colors.  I kept telling Andrew it was a perfect anniversary trip because everything was SO fall!  I wanted a fall wedding and have always been a little bitter that September 29 of 2001 was such a warm, summery day.

The entire trip was wonderful.  Andrew and I have never been away together for more than a night at a time.  I am always AMAZED at what a difference just one night can make.  By the time we were heading home, I was glad to be getting back to my boys.  But they are growing up and didn't seem to miss us at all.  Maybe next time we'll stay away for a second night!

The Silly Man

We had another great party with the village.

Peter especially loved the clown.

He called him the silly man.

Ammon spent a lot of his time at the Home Depot booth.

He built a really great helicopter.

I dropped my phone somewhere in the grass.

Unfortunately it ended up locked in the main office for the weekend.

But I got it back first thing Monday morning, so that was great.

The boys had tons of fun with lots of  treats and loot.

It was a good way to spend an afternoon while Andrew was at work.

Better than the SuperBowl

For this year's rivalry game we were invited to a party.

So we decided to cook.

Andrew saw these cool U of U cupcakes in the store.

He decided to make them himself.

He spent weeks planning it.

He had me teach him how to make the frosting and everything.

We also made sweet and sour meatballs, potato skins, seven layer dip and magic cookie bars.

In the end, our party was cancelled.

But we had too much food.

So we had some friends over for dinner

(which consisted of chili dogs and all our foot ball food).

We still had too much food.

So we hosted the party at our house.

Our team won

(that's putting it mildly - it was a blowout!)

It was a fun night!

My Soccer Player

Picture taken September 15, 2011

A couple of years ago, Ammon played soccer.

He liked it, but we immediately saw that Peter would be the one to LOVE it.

We finally signed Peter up to play and he is THRILLED.

On his first game his team made a total of three goals.

Peter also made three goals that night: two for his team and one for the other team.

It is definitely a league of four year olds - which is perfect.

It's all about having fun.

And boy is he ever enjoying it!

Peter's First Day of School

Pictures taken September 12, 2011

Peter didn't get to start school until about three weeks after Ammon and I.

He was REALLY anxious to get to go to his new class.

FINALLY the big day came and he was excited as can be.

We took Ammon to his bus stop then Peter and I hopped on the shuttle.

He has all sorts of fun things to do when he gets to class.

He gets to find his name tag.

Then he gets to write his name on the whiteboard in answer to a question.

(The question usually has two answers and he gets to write his name on the side that represents his response.)

Then he gets to find a Popsicle stick with his name on it and put it in a feeling chart.

The first day he put it in "happy".

Every day since then he put it in "loved". 

Whether I am dropping him off at school or Andrew is, he always turns to us and says,

"I am loved by you!"

He truly is and I'm glad he knows it!

Basket Ball Practice

Picture taken August 27, 2011

Ammon came home one day and announced that he needed to practice basket ball.

He explained, 

"I need to learn how to shoot the basket so I don't just have to pass the ball when I play with my friends."

Unfortunately, he was only able to find a soccer ball to play with.

Still, he was determined and spent some time working on his shot.

Ammon is not my child who usually expresses an interest in athletics,

so I was impressed with his drive to improve his skills.

And he even made a basket!

Go Ammon!

Ward Campout

Andrew had to work the morning after the ward campout - so we didn't camp.

But we did go up to hang out and eat dinner.

There was a great turn out and we had lots of fun.

It was a great way to spend a Friday night.

Ammon Starts 2nd Grade

My boys are growing up way too fast.

This year Ammon started 2nd grade.

We had a fun summer, but he was happy to be back in school

He had new clothes.

And a new backpack.

And lots and lots of friends to go to school with.

After school Gramma Peggy made a surprise visit and offered to take us out to lunch.

Ammon surprised us by NOT getting off the bus.

The next 40 minutes was a bit nerve-wracking as we tried to figure out where he was.

Andrew rushed to the school to see if he was there.

Peggy and I stayed home in case he magically show up.

Once Andrew discovered that Ammon was NOT at school, the office people contacted the bus depot.

From there, the bus drivers were contacted.

The bus drivers had realized Ammon was on the wrong bus and had met up with each other.

He was transferred back to the correct bus and then brought home.

Andrew got this information just in time to call me and have me run out to meet the bus.

Ammon was seemed a little uneasy but ultimately was no worse for wear.

We headed off to Red Robin and had a great meal.

All Ammon wanted to do was READ the books he had gotten from the school library.

Being back in school suits him - he loves to read and is great at math.

And he has never had another problem with the bus.

Ammon's Talk

Today Ammon gave a talk in primary.  It was about missionary work.  He did a wonderful job - he is very good at reading.  Here is what he said:

I was named after Ammon in the Book of Mormon. Ammon was a great missionary. After he was converted to the gospel, he taught many people about Jesus Christ. He taught King Lamoni and all of his people. Many of them were baptized and became members of the church.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we are responsible to teach the gospel. We can teach by example. We can always choose the right, even when it's hard. We can also do acts of service for others and treat them the way Jesus would. When we do these things, others will want to know more about the gospel.

When I grow up, I will be a full-time missionary and teach people about Jesus Christ and His gospel. Full time missionaries teach five lessons. I can learn about them by reading Preach My Gospel. The five lessons are:

• Lesson 1: The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
  
  When Jesus was on the earth, He taught the gospel to the people. But after He died, the gospel was lost and people didn't know the truth anymore. Joseph Smith prayed to know about which church to join and found out that none of the churches were true. He was obedient to Heavenly Father and helped the true gospel be on the earth again.

• Lesson 2: The Plan of Salvation
  
  
  We lived before we were born. Heavenly Father wanted us to come to earth to get a body and to learn to be like Him. He knew that we would make mistakes called sins. He also knew that we would die. Those two things would prevent us from returning to heaven. Heavenly Father made a plan for Jesus to be our Savior. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can overcome sin and death and return to Heavenly Father. This is called the Plan of Salvation.

• Lesson 3: The Gospel of Jesus Christ
  
  
  In the 4^th Article of Faith we learn that the first four principles and ordinances of the gospel are, “First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second respentance. Third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. Fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
  
• Lesson 4: The Commandments
  
  
  Missionaries also teach the commandments from Heavenly Father so people can know what is right. Some of the commandments are to be obedient and to study the scriptures. It is also important to keep the Sabbath day holy and to follow the prophet.

• Lesson 5: Laws and Ordinances
  
  
  The missionaries teach people about temples and eternal families. I am glad that my family can be together forever. I want everyone to know how to be with their family for all eternity.

I know it is important to help everyone we know learn about Jesus and His atonement for us. I know Jesus Christ lives. I know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that President Monson is a true prophet.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Cow-A-Bunga Bay

Pictures taken August 18, 2011

This past winter, Andrew's parents moved near a fun water park.  Gramma promised the kids that they would get to go play there.  We waited and waited until it got warm enough.  Then, suddenly summer was over and we still hadn't gone.  Just before school started I realize that I'd better get them there before we faced another winter of unfulfilled promises.

Ammon was the perfect age for this activity.  He LOVED it and could have spent many more hours there than we did.  Peter also had fun, but was just as excited to go back to Gramma's house afterwards for some icecream.  Overall, it was a fun way to spend an afternoon and with it being in sight every time we visit Grandparents, I'm sure we'll end up playing there many times more over the years.

Lunch Date

Pictures taken August 13, 2011

For Andrew's birthday we had another "eat free" coupon for Tucanos.  Since Peter eats free we decided to take the kids with us again.  We probably won't do that next time as they got a little rambunctious.    But it was still a fun afternoon.  Like last time, Ammon loved the chicken hearts.  He hate at least ten of them.  And as always, everyone loved the pineapple.