JANUARY 16, 2016 ---Kingston's Baptism!!

Wow, I almost forgot about another very important event in our family that happened in January!! Our #3 grandchild, Kingston Bret Crosby got baptized!! He actually turned 8 years old on Dec. 7th, but they were in Utah, so he had to wait until January 16th to get baptized! It was a very special day, he had LOTS of family come to celebrate this happy day with him!

This is Kingston and he is a pretty special little boy. He is sweet and kind and very tender hearted. He is the oldest of 3 little sisters.

 His Dad, Bret, our #3 son, was able to baptize him. In the Queen Creek Stake, they set aside the 3rd Saturday of each month for baptisms, so there were 3 other kids getting baptized that day. The chapel was filled to capacity, it looked like a Sunday meeting.

 Kingston's Mom, Becki 

 Kingston's Great-grandparents, my folks, Don & Lillian Dawes,  always so supportive to come to all the special family events!

 Both of Kingston's Grandparents were able to attend, us and

Becki's folks, they came all the way from Utah, Terry & Debbie Wright.

  We are sure proud and happy about this little boy, he's a keeper!

 Bret, Becki and Kingston

Their whole family- Kingston, London, Dempsey & Ivory

It was a great day. The baptism was at 9:30am, we had driven down on Friday and spent the night at Roosevelt. We got up early and went to my folks house so we could go together. Because each child had so much family attending, each family was able to have the Relief Society room to themselves to observe the baptism. That made it so much more special.  Afterwards, we took pictures,  Becki had LOTS of her family there, I didn't get any pictures of them!  Then we headed over to Bret & Becki's for a 'brunch'. She had some excellent stuff for us to eat and we all visited some more. Kingston is one lucky boy to have so many people that love him!!

JANUARY 2, 2016 Lilly's Blessing Day!

(This post is almost a month late-oops!)

Oh, Happy Day!  A long awaited day for Lisa & Barry! 

January 2, 2016 was a special day- they officially have their little Lilly forever!! They were sealed together as an eternal family in the beautiful Gilbert Temple and lots of family were able to come to rejoice with them!

The Keime Family! Together forever!

 It was a 6pm sealing and the sealer was President Aaron Bradshaw. Lilly was a perfect little angel the whole time. On the way into the temple, as Barry was holding her, she just started squealing, like she was so excited and knew what was happening!

 Aunt Sherry (my twin sis), Mom (Lilly's namesake) & Dad (the GREAT-grandparents) & Lisa & Barry. It is so wonderful to still have my folks around to enjoy these most precious events!

 Chad-the Uncle, Us-the proud grandparents & the thrilled parents! 

 Kirk & Kari were here from Cleveland, Ohio!

 Mark & Holly's family, Chad, Bret & Becki's family, Kari & Kirk's family all there and Tami! We certainly missed Reed & Natali- Dallas is a long way away, Luann and Ryne & boys. 

Don't we have a wonderful family? We are so blessed!! 

Other family members to attend, but we didn't get a picture afterwards because it was so dark outside-- Uncle Bryan & Aunt J'net, Uncle Rick and Aunt Paula, and lots of Lisa & Barry's best friends!  

It was a wonderful day!

MY GIRLS and ME

 Since I had all 3 of my girls home, I wanted to get some pictures of them together, so I had Markee Davis Stoner come over. She's a really good photographer and got some great pics of my beautiful girls!

 And then they came and got me to be in some of them...

I am so blessed to have my three wonderful daughters!!  They are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside!!

LATE--Christmas Holiday FUN!

The month of January has gone by so fast and we have been so busy with kids home, sealings, baptisms, etc. that I haven't posted about all our holiday fun!! We had Tami & Ryne and boys come for a week after Christmas, Kari and her 3 boys and Lisa came with Lilly! It was FUN for all three sisters to get to spend some time with each other and for cousins to get to play together!

Tami is always so sweet and brings me my favorite "Almost too Much Chocolate Cake" for my birthday!  Cake is always FUN!

 My 3 girls exercising together every morning was pretty FUN to watch!

 I have to admit, they are all pretty buff and in shape!

We still had a little bit of snow left from our last big snow storm, so Aunt Lisa wanted to play in it!

Playing in the snow and building a snowman is FUN!

 Rivers thought eating snow was FUN!

Tami and Colter- (not wanting to be in the picture!)

 The kids thought is was great FUN to help Gpa bring in wood, especially riding in his skidster!

 Helping Gpa meant earning a quarter for the gum ball machine! Gpa's gum ball machine is FUN! Such good little helpers!

There was just enough snow to go sledding out in the field. Elijah and Colter just liked riding on the 4-wheeler with Gma! 

 Blake and Aunt Lisa trying to stay on the sled!

Rivers and Blake went around and around behind the 4-wheeler!  What FUN! 

 Gma had FUN out in the snow too!

 We thought it was pretty cute that baby Lilly was surrounded by 5 little boy cousins! Isn't she one lucky little girl?

 She didn't like being left on the end at all!! No FUN!

 This was funny! The 3 sisters posing- LOVE Kari in her Dad's shoes!

 Baby Lilly is always the 'star of the show'!

Colter playing with the foosball game. Lots of FUN and Gma and Gpa's house! So glad my 3 girls were able to come!

JANUARY 2016 - "One Little Word" OLW!

OK, I know its a little LATE in January to post about the word I have chosen for my OLW, but 'better late than never', right?

So far my words in the past have been- "Aware" and "Remember".  This year, 2016 I have chosen the word- 

"FOCUS" 

• Focus,- selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things    

   I want to 'focus' on the same categories that I did last year-

1- CHRIST--  I want to 'focus' on thinking of Him more in my life!  How many times a day do I think of Him and what He has done for me in my life? Do I LOVE reading about his life in the scriptures? Do I feel like I KNOW Him and do I try to emulate His many wonderful attributes? When I pray, do I 'focus' on who I am truly praying to?

2- FAMILY--  I want to 'focus' on being a better wife, mom, sister, aunt and daughter! I want to 'focus' on the important things, quality time together, really listening to them, doing things for them that matter, and sharing my testimony with them.

3- HEALTH--  Focus on eating less sugar and smaller portions! I want to gain control over my Self!! Focus on being consistent in my exercising and my choice of the food I eat!

4- SERVICE-- I want to really 'focus' on doing this one better! I want to pray and ask my Heavenly Father about who and what I should be doing to serve Him better!

    The word 'focus' is a lot alike the word 'attention'. I like this quote I heard. 

"Attention is the mother of Memory!"