Bright and Beautiful

This morning I woke and took our puppy out into the backyard, it was so beautiful that I had to capture some pictures of my favorite spots.

Cloud are always amazing me at their constant changing and enormity.  It is almost like watching a beautiful river in the sky.  I also love seeing the light and how it changes with the clouds.

One of my favorite plants to grow is Lime Basil.  Mmm, you get the yummy flavor of limes without having an actual lime tree!  I love growing yummy plants in my little garden.

Almost seven years ago I received a little tree from a church Christmas activity, it was so cute and little and covered in sparkles.  I have kept that tree and carted across the states with me.  This little pine is now three or four feet tall.  I love how soft and green it is.

Although our little fruit trees are still small and we haven't eaten anything from them, I love watching these fruits.  I am not sure if these grapefruits will ever mature, but they are so beautiful.  They remind me so much of new life.

After we cleaned this young palm's trunk off (it was covered in years of old fronds), I was so excited to see it flowering and something that appears to be baby coconuts.  I feel like we helped this tree grow and freeing it.  Now it is bursting with life.

I love seeing these little flowers growing from what seems to be a hard place to grow, yet they are burst with life and reaching for the light.

As I wonder through my yard admiring life, I think of this beautiful song about the beauties of the earth.

Why Am I?

On one of my many trips back and forth from school by bike, I chatted with a crossing guard mentioning how the end of the year becomes overly busy.  She curiously asked me what was keeping us so busy and my reply was mainly school and church, explaining that we do a lot of volunteer work at church.  Her quick reply caught me by surprise, "Ah, well just cut that part out.  You don't need more work, especially volunteer work."  I didn't have time to talk longer as it was time to go, but I have thought about this for a long time now.

Why?  Why do I do so much "volunteer" work beyond the hassles of raising a moderately large family in this crazy world that takes up so much of my time without multiplying it by six.  My response to her she may not have understand, but I said "I can't, because it is a part of me."  It comes down to my devotion to God.  Even though I may feel overwhelmed by all that I do as a mother, wife, citizen, and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; I do it because it is something I have covenanted to do and also my way to show my love of God.  I am willing to give my all to do what I feel is right.

As I serve I find so much joy and I learn so much that I could never learn any other way.  I make friends I never would have had if I hadn't served.  I gain talents I didn't know I had and polish other talents that may never have grown.

If I didn't live how I live in the gospel, I wouldn't be me, and I wouldn't have much purpose in life.

So though my life seems busy with tasks that others may see as unnecessary or burdensome, "on [I] will go though the weather be foul.  On [I] will go though [my] enemies prowl.  On [I] will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl.  Onward up many a frightening creek, though [my arms may get sore and [my] sneakers may leak."  Through heaven's help "I know [I will go] far and face up to [my] problems whatever they are."  (Dr. Suess, "Oh, The Places You'll Go")

The Other Half of Summer

Here are some of the other adventures we have had this summer. Can it be over already? This summer went by way to fast.  We had a few temple trips, and here is one where we went on a whim one Friday evening.

Having an hour of fun while we wait for Daddy.

Temple in Paradise

Our ward had a beach day activity and the water was just right for body boarding.

We have had a lot of rain every afternoon this year, along with some great lightening storms.  We have at least one lightening bolt that seems like it is hitting our neighbors house each day.  On this day the weather was safer and the children spent a little time playing in the rain.  They were still a little nervous of the thunder and so brought the water into a safer spot.

Summer crafting.  We decided to use our old adds and try to weave using Grandma's instructions.  The children love their new baskets.

While Grandma and Grandpa were with us, we took them to Lion Country Safari.  We have never had the chance to enjoy that park with anyone else so it was a lot of fun to share it with them.

Rebecca saw the squirrel monkey and kept saying, "Ah, it is so cute!"  No wonder people like them as pets.

Along with little monkeys, there was the biggest Iguana we had ever seen.

Here we found some other crazy monkeys.

The magic elephant ride (and dragons).

These boys were chasing me the whole time around and around, but they never caught my valiant horse.

Loving his choice of animal.

Riding the Farris Wheel, we were split.

Sometimes we were surrounded in mists of darkness, but we always found our way.

Grandma and Grandpa were nice to provide a memory of feeding the giraffes, which is something I never do with the children.  (except the first time)

David trying not to get his hand tangle with the tongue.

Andrew wanted to feed it, but didn't want to get close.

Benjamin's turn!

Andrew has finally started enjoying the splash pad, probably because it is deathly hot.

Here are the few pictures I took of Gainesville...  I guess I don't get the best photographer award.  I hope you all will share your pictures, I just didn't have the camera out when we went out.

Good morning room buddies.

Saturday movie time/nap time.

Saturday movie time/snack time?

Thanks for making memories with us.  You really made my summer, now I will go cry myself to sleep because you are gone.

Summer Adventures

Where is the time going! Halfway threw summer and still have so many things we want to do.

Daisy enjoying the time outside.  Chewing on a stick this time.

Running laps around the house.

Motivation to watch TV, get out and exercise.

David was proud to show me he made the Japanese flag.  Andrew was just proud of his... thing.

We caught Daisy chewing on some bones and found this.

Laughing at old home videos.

Daisy loves looking out the window.  Mainly to keep an eye on all the lizards and squirrels.

Couch pillow sandwich.

Lion Country Safari!  We love this place with its variety of activities and sights to see!  

A baby giraffe walked right up to us and looked us in the eye.  So amazing that a baby is so tall!

As we drove through the safari part, we had the eery chance to see a storm come upon the animals.

Benjamin and Andrew having a blast in the water.

David's anxious face, excited to play on the slides!

Andrew patiently waiting while the others slide.

The monkeys in the jungle.

Brown Basilisk, one of the many native lizards of Florida. 

Just having fun at the park.

Rebecca!

What a cute little monkey.

Farris Wheel ride buddies.

Ostrich chicks!

Andrews favorite ride.

David riding the giraffe.  Is that the same one we saw earlier?

Round and round we go!  Perhaps his horse will jump off like Mary Poppin's horse.

Magic elephant ride.

Look at those cute flamingos. 

We found some wild monkeys too.

The wild crew!