Dear Duane,

I can't believe that it has been 2 years since you left this mortal probation. You were the best example of hard-work, unconditional love and sacrifice. I learned so much from you and felt loved by you, my big brother. No one could ever have ordered up a better big brother. One of the last things I learned from you was sacrifice. You taught me no matter how difficult anything was, it was worth doing if you did it for "them." Recently, I struggled with the decision to accept a new calling, they called me to be in the nursery -- again. This will be the 3rd time in the last 6 years. However, following your example of sacrifice and love I honored our Heavenly Father and accepted the calling because I was "Doing it for Zack." Already I understand why I was called to this position and I am so grateful that I did. I am attacking it with enthusiasm and dedication. Thank you big brother for the many, many things you taught me.

Just Because . . .

I took this picture when we were at the Visitors Center in Independence, MO this past July. It's a feel good, this is how we roll kind of picture. I'm so in love with my men.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is one of my favorite holiday -- I love the festive colors, the trick or treating, pumpkin everything and the costumes! This year we wore bee related costumes. I was the Queen Bee, Zacky was a drone and Ben was our flower. (I loved the fact that he took on being the flower. His had to be a bit more simplistic, because he had to play in a concert on the night of Trunk or Treat at church.) Because this year Halloween fell on the Sabbath we decided to dress up in our costumes, have our traditional dinner of homemade pizza, hand-out candy and talk about the importance of death and the resurrection. Friday night, we did Trunk or Treat at church so Zacky got his fill of candy and on Saturday we did our traditional Halloween movies and other festive activities. In other words, I got to spread Halloween out over 3 days!!! Yay us!

I love Autumn, the look of trees ablaze in magentas, gold and oranges.

I love the crisp new crop of apples.

I love the smell of the air on a cool, crisp Autumn night.

I love that my family was a part of the Mayflower and the Fortune. Brave pilgrims that helped settle this country.

As much as I love these, I love my Heavenly Father and my little family even more.

How Young Is To Young To Start Chewing Gum????

(A little history)I always have had gum and tic-tacs in my purse for my nieces and nephews to be able to have. When they were born I told them that I will always have tic-tacs and gum for them.

To this day they still go in my diaper bag now and look for them whenever we get together as a family. They even go to the bubble gum machine when we are all at my parents house.

Zack discovered the bubble gum machine when he was 14 months and wanted some but I kept telling him no.

So when he was 16 months he found some OLD bubble gum in one of my purses and he unwrapped it, well most of it and started to chew away on it! Well I took the gum out of his mouth. ( I've had to do this more then once.)

So last night we were at Lowes doing some pricing. Zack was good but he was started to get tired so I gave him one of his FAVORITE snacks, yogurt-melts. But those went fast since the bag was almost empty. Mr. Zack, got into my diaper bag pulled out my gum, unwrapped most of the wrapper and started to chew!!!!!!

This is the best pic I could get of Zack chewing the gum outside when it was dark.

Hard work is Starting to Pay Off!

On Thursday, August 19th Ben and I were reviewing Zack's reading flash cards with him, my sweet Ben was doing them randomly just to see if Zack was really learning words or not, well he did showed him "Eddie" and Zack pointed to his Eddie!!! Eddie was on the other side of the room and little Mr. Man himself went and got him! We were so proud of him.

With the program "Your Baby Can Read" they count it as reading when your child does the motion, points to the things, signs and of course says the words that they see on the cards.

This is an older picture( taken in Oct 2009) of Zack and Eddie.


I love being Zack's mommy so much!

Life lesson #246

Always make sure the pantry doors are always completely close and anything potential messy should be put up high!

Zack opened the pantry door and got the food coloring out (I didn't know that he could open a door much less reach that high.) and managed to dye himself fairly well. I think he was trying to become a red Easter egg.

Ah well, life isn't fun if we don't make it more colorful!

The Power of Example or Through My Son's Eyes

Two months ago, Zack was playing with his baby doll,  When she didn't perform for him as he wanted her to he mirrored exactly what I always do when he misbehaves. While pointing his finger at her he began to gently scold, when he was all done he picked  up the doll kissed her and said; "I love you!"

Just a few weeks ago while our little family was returning from the annual Bumpus family reunion in Mt. Vernon, IL, Zack wanted his books and his little baby doll. He began to babble (read) out of the book he held to his precious little baby doll. Zack and I love to read together!!! Hope you enjoy the moments I captured on video of him reading to the doll . .


Bishop H. Burke Peterson of the Presiding Bishopric said this in the Ensign, Jan. 1973

Harmony in the Home

"The most effective examples a child will ever have—for bad or for good—are his own parents. Few of us realize how very pliable and teachable children are in their primary years of life. How quick they are to pick up parental habits and traits and teachings!"

We need to be good examples to our children.

Know that they are loved.

That they will grow up and become good, kind, respectable adults,Good parents and so much more.