Oklahoma trip 2013

We went to Oklahoma this year. To visit John's sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. We decided to go on the last day of school so we could get back for the boys' first rugby games. We drove with John's parents. It took us 2 days to get there. We stopped in Kansas and stayed the night. Then headed to Wagner Oklahoma. We got there Friday night May 31st. Settled in and had a tornado watch. This was John, Sawyer, and I's first time in Oklahoma so we were a little nervous to say the least. Sawyer and I didn't sleep well that night, John conked out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Luckily it was just a really bad thunder storm and not a tornado. For the rest of the week we had pretty good weather. A little rain in the morning but then it would clear up in the afternoon. We had a pretty relaxing trip and are thankful to Martie and Earl for letting us crash at their house.

While we were there we celebrated John's 13th birthday. We now officially have a teenager on our hands. I think it will be quite an unforgettable birthday for him though. Warning graphic photos are coming up. John and I went shopping with Martie and their mom for his birthday dinner and to get him a cake. While we were checking out we got a phone call from John's dad saying we should probably get home quick. John had sliced his thumb. He just got a new knife for passing hunter safety and was using it to widdle a stick. Well the knife got stuck and he used a little more force and sliced it open pretty good.

I warned you...graphic photo. Anyway so we got to spend the evening in the ER in Wagner.

5 stitches. This was only the second night we were there. So for the rest of the trip he had it wrapped up. Especially when they went to the river swimming.

Believe it or not this is our first experience with any of our very active boys having to go to the ER to get stitches.

Some fun things about John.....
His fav candy bar is snickers peanut butter with fast breaks coming a close second
His fav foods are chicken sandwich, roast beef sandwiches, chicken nuggets, ramen, sweet n' sour chicken. Pretty much anything chicken. On occasion he will eat steak but not a hamburger fan.
His fav college team is the Oregon Ducks
His fav nfl team is Chicago Bears
His fav rugby team is the All Blacks (New Zealand)
His fav color is green and yellow (ducks colors)
He loves being outside and active
He likes to read books
He just got called as the 2nd counselor in the Deacons Quorum
He likes to play with his brothers and is very sweet to try to include Sawyer whenever possible

He is such a great kid and tries his hardest at everything he does.
We are so blessed and grateful he is in our family.
We love you Bubba!

How does this happen?

One day you are having your first child.....

So sweet, so small. He was only 6lb 4oz and 20in long.
Then in a blink of an eye.......

Still sweet but not so small. He is 13, 5ft 8in, and 130lbs.
Time goes by way to fast!

Kindergarten Graduation

Sawyer graduated kindergarten.

He even had a speaking part. "B is for busy bodies at work and at play"

They sang some songs.

It was a cute program. His teacher was Mrs Glover.

Please tell me he didn't....

He did.

Really kid! He went to a friend's house and came home looking like this. He said it was to curly so a friend gave him some scissors and he cut it.

So we did this...

Of course we had to give him the bishop cut.
Then we finished it off.

Good thing he's cute. After the first initial shock of him cutting his hair I couldn't stop laughing. I still can't believe he did that. Oh well. But now he doesn't want to go to school tomorrow because of his shaved head. I'm pretty sure he didn't think this through. Now he knows for next time.

Fatty

We lost a beloved companion of 14 years this afternoon. He will be greatly missed. He had the softest fur but not the softest personality. Surprisingly though he got along with butch. He had been sick for a little while and lately his breathing was getting pretty bad so we knew he didn't have long but it still stings. We love you.

John's first talk in Sacrament

John had to speak in Sacrament this last Sunday. He was nervous and really didn't want to do it but he did a really good job. His subject was on the first vision. Here is his talk.

I have been asked to talk on the First Vision.

In the spring of 1820, after much scripture reading and contemplation, 14-year-old Joseph Smith followed the counsel in James 1:5 to “ask of God.” He entered a grove of trees near his home and prayed to know which church was right. In response, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to him in what is now known as the First Vision. This sacred experience began the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and is one of the cornerstones of Latter-day Saint faith.

Joseph Smith and his family members were deeply religious and constantly sought for the truth. But many ministers claimed to have the true gospel. Joseph desired “to know which of all the sects was right”. The Bible taught there was “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Joseph attended different churches, but he remained confused about which church he should join.

He later wrote; “So great were the confusions and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was…to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself; What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it and how shall I know it?”

As Joseph sought truth among the different faiths, he turned to the Bible for guidance. He read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and apbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Because of this passage, Joseph decided to ask God what he should do.

In the spring of 1820 he went to a nearby grove of trees and knelt in prayer. He described his experience; “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me…When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

In this vision God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith. The Savior told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for they “were all wrong” and “all their creeds were an abomination.” He stated, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”

Even though many good people believed in Christ and tried to understand and teach His gospel, they did not have the fullness of truth or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances. They had inherited a state of apostasy as each generation was influenced by what the previous one passed on, including changes in the doctrines and in ordinances such as baptism.

As God had done with Adam, Noah, Moses and other prophets, He called Joseph Smith to be a prophet through whom the fullness of the gospel was restored to the earth.

I would like to bare my testimony; I know that Joseph Smith saw God and His Son and that if you pray you will get the answers that you seek. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rugby Tournament 2013

John made the all-star rugby team and we went to Las Vegas for a tournament. They played the same weekend as the big guys played so we saw a lot of rugby players from all over the world. John had a lot of fun and came in second. The championship game was a tough loss but they did good. This is the first time they had a U14 team in this tournament so I think second is not bad at all. Here are some pics.