MISSION MAPS!

FOR ALL OF YOU GIRLS (AND BOYS) OUT THERE WHO WANT YOUR VERY OWN PERSONALIZED MISSION MAP, GO CHECK OUT OUR SITE AND WE'LL HOOK YOU UP WITH THE CUTEST MISSION MAPS AROUND FOR SUPER CHEAP!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Its4Keeps?ref=seller_info

PRE-MISSION BUCKET LIST

1-- HIKE VASQUEZ ROCKS [ CHECK ] 

4.13.13

BRANDY AND I HIKED TO THE VERY TIPPY TOP OF "PRIDE ROCK"--we lost service along the way, SO WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN TO OUR BANANA PHONES ... ;)

2--SNORKEL IN HAWAII [CHECK]

 SNORKELING IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!!! I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT!

3--KAYAK IN HAWAII [CHECK]

4--FAMILY RIFLE TOURNAMENT [ CHECK ] 

I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE CREAMED BOTH DALLIN AND MY DAD IN A CONTEST.

5--TAKE MISSIONARY PICTURES []

6--SEW A SKIRT []

7--GO TO JENNIFER AND MICHAEL'S WEDDING IN MANTI [ CHECK ]

 4.27.13

SCOTTY IS SUCH A BABE

8--DISNEYLAND FOR_EV_ER [ CHECK ]

SPLASH MOUNTAIN, THIS ONE GETS ME EVERY TIME  

AUTOPIA WITH SARAH!

9--GO THROUGH THE TEMPLE [ CHECK ]

 3.23.13

First. Stake. Temple. Night. EVER. 

10--READ THE BOOK OF MORMON AGAIN [ CHECK ]

11--MOUNTAIN BIKE AT MAMMOTH []

12--DO A FRONT FLIP ON A TRAMPOLINE and land it []

13--GIVE SOMEONE A BOOK OF MORMON []

14--EAT GOOD INDIAN COCONUT CURRY [ CHECK ]

15-- GO TO MORRO BAY AND GET MORE SEASHELL RINGS!! A MUST! []

16-- SKIP DOWN THE BEACH []

17-- SHOP AT THE LA GARMENT DISTRICT [ CHECK ]

18-- HIKE TO THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN []

19-- PADDLE-BOARD [CHECK]

HERE WE HAVE DALLY BOY SHOWING OFF HIS MAD SKILLS

20-- TAKE A SIBLING PICTURE [ CHECK ]

WE KINDA LOOK LIKE TWINS. . .

21-- TAKE A NEAT UNDERWATER PICTURE [CHECK]

GOT A SWEET SHOT OF DAD! LOOK AT HIM GO!

22-- FIND A LUCKY PENNY ON THE GROUND []

23-- MAKE A SUPER SOFT BLANKEY TO TAKE ON THE MISH []

24-- GO FROG HUNTING []

25-- MAKE A MISSION "WORK OUT" JOURNAL []

26-- HIKE TO A WATERFALL [CHECK]

27-- DISNEYLAND WITH CORT, ZOEY, JANE, THOMAS!!!!!! AHHHH CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE!!!! []

28-- DRESS UP TEA PARTY WITH ZOEY, JANE & ALL MY LITTLE SUNBEAM GIRLIES! []

TO BE CONTINUED ...

MISSIONARY FRIENDS!

Ever since the "new missionary age" announcement was made in the October 2012's General Conference it's clear to see that girls are flooding into the mission field like no other time in the history of the church! Personally, I LOVE THIS! I am so humbled to be a part of this great work! I look forward to the day when we will be able to tell our grandchildren that WE were counted as one of the many who took it upon themselves to stay worthy and true to the faith, so that when the time came for the new missionary age changes, we were ready to get out there and give it our all! I couldn't be happier for all the girls and boys who have decided to serve! Way to go!

So . . . included in the number of girls who have been called to serve are some of my closest friends! I was able to go through the long "interview/doctors appointments/application/waiting for that white envelope" process with a few of the most awesome girls ever: Megan, Sarah, Natalie and Leilani! We have SO many girls from BYU-Idaho and my home stake who I have been able to share mission experiences with these past few months! Honestly, these are the most AMAZING girls! Go get 'em ladies!

• Kylee Young- France Lyon April 3rd!
• Chloe Jackson- Colorado Denver North April 3rd!
• Jessica Poulson- Minnesota Minneapolis April 3rd!
• Colette Olsen- California San Jose April 3rd!
• Leilani Ikahihifo- Colorado Colorado Springs April 10th!
• Sami Judd- Honduras Comayaguela April 17th!
• Savannah Kei- Korea Seoul April 17th!
• Courtney Davis- Russia Yekaterinburg April 24th!
• Janne Collins- Florida Orlando April 24th!
• Diana Morales- Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East April 24th!
• Kristina Nye- New Mexico Albuquerque May 1st! 
• Lizzy Petherbridge- Poland Warsaw May 1st!
• Devin Line- California Sacramento May 8th!
• Shayla Davis- Philippines Cauayan May! 
• Megan Peterson- Argentina Resistencia May 22nd! 
• Veronica Martinez- Florida Jacksonville May 29th!
• Natalie Batton- Washington Seattle June 5th!
• Rebecca Brink- Alpine German-speaking June 12th!
• Emily Ogden- Louisiana Baton Rouge June 12th! 
• Sarah Richardson- Minnesota Minneapolis June 26th! 
• Jillian Bentley- South Dakota Rapids City June 26th! (YAY FOR JUNE 26th!!!!!)
• Lindsay Mattei- Brazil Fortaleza July 10th! 
• Janna Blair- Florida Orlando July 17th!
• Kaylee Banner- California Oakland/San Francisco July 17th!
• Sarah Peterson- Brazil Curitiba South July 24th!
• Stephanie Winchester- Australia!
• Carson Duke- New Jersey Morristown!

AND since technology is so great these days I was able to meet (over the internet of course) some of the girls I will be serving with in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission! I'm SO excited to meet and serve with all of you! Rebecca, Peyton, Miriah, Elise, Kylie, Melanie, Morgan, Kristy, Coulette, Camilla, Britain, Brittany, Brailee, Erin, Amy, Berlyn, Courtney, Kaylee, Marae, Ayancy, Mckahl, Hannaniah, Alida, Elizabeth, Ali, Jenna, Mckenna, Grace, Alley, Desiree, Kim & Jasmine!  It'll be the best 18 months EVER!

P.S. if any of you future sister missionaries are wondering how to connect with other sister missionaries; there is this GREAT group on facebook called "many are called...but few are sisters". Check it out! Best thing ever!

P.s. sarah. . .I made this for you boo ;)

Megan :) You're the cutest!

Court, Best reaction ever!

Leilani, I loved temple prep with you! You're so great!

Teach them the word of God with all diligence: Jacob 1:19

CALLED TO SERVE! NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE MISSION!

February 22, 2013. . .the day I received that highly anticipated white envelope post-marked from Salt Lake City Utah.

The mailman usually comes around noon in our neighborhood and I wanted to be there when he delivered my letter! I had been watching little Logan (the cutie-pie boy I nanny) that day. I had him throw on his helmet, hop on his bike and then we raced over to the mailbox! Sure enough, MY CALL WAS THERE! I asked my little brother Dallin to take a video and pictures of everything that day and with more begging than necessary, he did it! Thanks Dally!

Reporting June 26th!

Ahhhhhh! I'm going on a mission! SO crazy, and I'm SO SUPER EXCITED to serve the people of North Carolina! The Church is true! I am extremely humbled to be called as a missionary of the Lord, I know this is going to be one of the hardest things I'm ever going to do, but I also know it's going to be one of the most rewarding things as well. North Carolina. . .here comes Sister Kenyon!  

SUNSHINE & SUMMERTIME

So . . . I just wanted to add a few of my favorite pictures from this last summer . . .

Temple baptism trip! And quite possibly my favorite picture that I've taken of the Los Angeles Temple.

We love to laugh. A LOT :)

Best group hug ever!

Coming to California for a visit!

Zoey and Jane with their "tangled" hair extensions :)

Sarah is the greatest.

Mommy and Son Picture :)

Oh Jane :) haha

Aunty Picture!

Just look at that smiley face :)

Paige got married to such an awesome guy! Congrats guys! :)

Service

Last Sunday night our family had the missionaries over for dinner. As we were finishing our peaches and cream for dessert one of the Elders gave us a spiritual thought. He shared an inspiring story and I'd really like to share it. It was a story about a seminary class and the teacher told all the kids to think of someone they really disliked and to draw a picture of that person on a paper ... Then they put their drawings up on the wall so they could each have a chance to throw darts at that "mean" person in their lives. All the kids were full of anger as they thought of these people and threw the darts with hatred as well. In the middle of this exercise the teacher asked them to sit down.... After all the kids were in their chairs, he pulled down one of the pictures that they were throwing darts at and underneath was a picture of the savior, with holes from the darts penetrating his eyes, cheeks, forehead etc. The class fell silent as the teacher explained the scripture: Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

There was more to the story, but this gets the point across well enough. It's amazing to think how much better our relationships could be if we just remembered that our Savior Jesus Christ is also being affected by unkind words and actions. On the flip side, he is just as happy as the person we say a kind word to or do a random act of kindness for. So, let's try our best to be kind and think of each other as brothers and sisters, because we really are all spirit children of our loving heavenly Father. :)

"A Better Mom" Blog

Cortney has been working hard at making this blog for Mothers who are wanting to be the best mom they can possibly be. She has creative ideas for struggling Mothers and great points to think about for all those future Mothers out there. From Potty Training to Family Time, she has it all, take a look!
http://bettermomblog.com/