Celebrating 32 years

First with Jason's Mom...

Then my family...


This was all Avaree's idea to jump out of a bag!

What's with the gross faces? (maybe that Mom will take a picture.)

Thanks everyone for your thoughtfulness.

We all love you Jason!

St. George

Jason and I headed to St. George for the weekend for a few reasons-

1. for business- it was the home show and we are going to put our model in the home show in Salt Lake so we thought we'd go get some ideas.
2. it was Jason's birthday!
3. to get away (hoping for some sunshine). Franklin was our only other passenger.

Of course, the weekend we went it was cold, rainy, and gloomy. I didn't take my coat off the whole trip. The drives to and from were bad. We were excited to take to Jason's car since it was just us but it ended up not being the best choice. We were wishing we had our 4wd vehicle. There were semis and cars slid off the road everywhere. I'm glad I wasn't driving because I was having an anxiety attack!

We made it to the hotel safely- it just took a few extra hours. Franklin was an angel. He slept the whole way down and still slept through the night in a porta crib.

He's kind of sitting up (with a little support).

I swear he knew he had all of Mom and Dad's attention this weekend. Life is easy with just one infant.

We spent all day Saturday, driving all over St. George finding addresses, taking Frankie in and out of his car seat to see different homes. I think we made it to all but 5.

Our dear friends, The Capua's, made the drive from Vegas to meet us for dinner. They even brought cupcakes to celebrate Jason's birthday! Thanks guys. It meant the world to us.

Azy sportin a Kessler Hatch Inc. beanie.

St. George Dreaming...

On our drive home, we started with clear skies but it ended up snowing again.

so why not stay another night in Cedar City?

after all it was Jason's birthday!

the birthday boy with our favorite dessert.

I let Frankie in on it since it was a celebration.

He LOVED it.

Jason and I had a great time just being together. We are in a stage of life right now that these moments are hard to come by. I love this guy and love spending time with him! He is my best friend. Happy Birthday J!

We brought the kids back suckers with real bugs in them. Jason couldn't resist. Avaree's had a scorpion and Weston's had an earth worm. I think Avaree is still sucking on hers on occasion. She hasn't made it to the scorpion yet. I don't think she really wants too.

Weston took a couple of licks on the opposite side and then threw it away. He couldn't take it, especially because the worm was partially poking out already. I couldn't believe he threw away sucker?! But I can't say I blame him.

Thanks to Baylee and Griffin for taking such good care of our precious ones for us. Everyone was so impressed to see them at church on Sunday without us. They are the best!

love, love, love

i sent the people i love & "treasure" most on a treasure hunt.

happy love day to you!

7 months

Franklin at 7 months-

eats baby food- fruits only, preferably bananas

loves mamas milk- he will not take a bottle, any suggestions?

is in no hurry to move- he doesn't sit up on his own yet, only rolls to one side, and he doesn't put any weight on his legs, but i don't mind- he is staying my baby longer!

loves steam showers

plays peek a boo with his blanket

sleeps well &

still melts all our hearts!

family time @ pirate's island

we met grandpa and grandma kessler at the new pirate's island in orem. the kids were entertained and the family size pizza was huge!

after avaree got to go to a play with grandma susan and her cousin madeline. she had so much fun.
thanks grandma!

Angels

I am the visiting teaching supervisor in my ward and I had to teach the visiting teaching conference today. It consumed my mind for a couple of weeks but it turned out well (I think).

For those of you who aren't familiar with the visiting teaching program in our church... it is a program where the women in our church can accept an assignment to visit and serve other women that they are assigned to. Its purpose is to build caring relationships, offer support, comfort, and friendship to other women around us.

One of my favorite quotes from my lesson was from a talk given by Jeffery R. Holland (a twelve apostle) called the Ministry of Angels. He said...

“I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.”

I passed out this poem for the women to read while my friend played a beautiful piano solo...

Angel on Errands

She wept as she knelt beside her bed;

"Father, please hear my prayer," she said.

I need a friend, I feel so alone,

"Her prayer was soon ended by the sound of the phone.

"Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you at all,

But I suddenly felt the need to call.

"The loneliness soon faded away

As a bond of sisterhood was strengthened that day.

A heart cried out, A prayer was heard,

Because an Angel heeded a call to serve.

One Sister sat at her desk with a pen

Working on a lesson for church again.

Week after week she faithfully prepared,

But she wondered, "Does anyone really care?"

"I'm doing my best to answer my call,

But am I making any difference at all?

"What joy she found in the mail that day

when a note of gratitude came her way.

"Just want you to know we appreciate

your wonderful lessons-- they are so great!

"That simple note was such a gift,

She had really needed that little lift.

She was blessed by an angel who had taken

time to write a note so sweet and kind.

Another was feeling completely run down;

She felt overwhelmed as she looked around

at the dishes and laundry and dinner still to make

and knew this was the day she would finally break!

Then a knock at the door, a friend stopping by

"I was thinking of you, thought I'd come to say 'Hi.'

"The tears welled up, the friend jumped in,

She washed all the dishes, got some laundry put in.

She helped make the dinner, gave a hug, then went on her way;

Another Angel was on errand that day.

So many lives, So many needs,
So many Angels who do thoughtful deeds.
When promptings come, let us never fail
To heed them quickly, for we can never tell
When our Errands as Angels will be a part
Of an answer to prayer in a Sister's heart.

Laurie Dukes

I also passed out a little Bath & Body Works lotion at the end as a reminder that "we are all instruments in the hands of the Lord." I truly have a testimony of this and I'm so grateful for the angels in my life.