Slacking

It's been a while since I have posted an update on the happenings around here. Hard to believe that it is almost time for Christmas!

We had Daddy's birthday and Halloween in October, Kaylee's birthday, two Baby Shower's, and Thanksgiving in November!
We are all very excited about the pending birth of Beckham Nefi Garcia!

Jake has also received his Purple Belt in Karate, and has been training in Parkour. He competed in his 1st Parkour competition and did AMAZING! He also made the Honor Roll this past semester, and has improved a great deal with learning how to play the Violin. Good job Jake!!

Trevor is pulling all A's, and B's at school, and LOVES to read!! He mentioned the other day, that since we have moved back to Utah he has read over 50 books! He also received an Award for the Reflections contest. He had written a great story for 1 of his classes, and his Teacher wanted him to submit it. So he did, and Won!! He is bummed that Football season is over, but continues with his strength training, and running to be ready for next year!

Scott and I have decided to buy our First house.! Yiippeeee! We have enjoyed driving around and looking to see what we like and dont like. Hopefully not too long after the New Year we will be moving into our very first home. YES!

So, at this time of year, I have much to be grateful for:
1. I am married to my best friend, and am always treated like a Princess.
2. The most amazing, talented, and beautiful daughter that is bringing our 1st Grand baby very soon.
3. Two WONDERFUL sons that truly are Mama's boys! They continually amaze me with their humor, and witty ways that keep our house alive at ALL times!
4. The greatest Son in law EVER! He treats our baby girl like the Queen, and is such a great example to our boys.
5. Parents that love and support us wherever this journey takes us.
6. The job's Scott and I have, so that we can fulfill the needs of our Family.
7. The Army. 2 sides to that coin, but I do LOVE the Patriotism that burns in our Family as we watch our Dad, and friends serve our Country with true Pride!
8. Our beautiful dog Porter :) He is like one of our kids.
9. Our health
10. Last, but not least...... The Savior. I know that He has truly watched over our Family in good times AND bad. He has answered MANY prayers for us, and instilled the importance of eternal life in our hearts!

Reflection

It's been a CrAzY year at our house. Any one that knows me, is well aware that I am usually Full Throttle until I melt down because I bite off more than I can chew ALL the time! With the moving all of our household goods from Georgia to St. George, Scott getting settled in at Ft. Irwin, the frequent trips back and forth from St. George to Ft. Irwin for some Family Time, Freshman football, Karate, Parkour, Scouts, Young Men, Visiting Teaching, working at the treatment center, cleaning houses........ Wait. STOP!!! I forgot to mention that I have a beautiful cousin and her family living down here in St. George too. And over the last 6 years she has been battling Cancer. WAY more important than all of my trivial stuff. As my husband says "Take a knee, face out, and drink some water". A popular Army phrase. I like to put it into something like "turn your face towards the Sunlight"! I am really good at overwhelming myself with "lots to do". It is my middle name actually. But having the opportunity to spend alot of time with Nancy, and watch her have so much courage, and failure was never an option! She NEVER Complained, I never heard her say "why me", nothing negative EVER! She was always doing things to improve her health, and do better to beat this thing.
She was blessed with an amazing musical talent that she has shared far and wide, with anyone and everyone. She could play at least 8 different instruments that I can think of. She wrote music, and shared her talents wherever she went. Amazing seamstress (Tuacahn will vouch for her any day), beautiful wife (ask Wes, he'll tell you), and an amazing Mom (Alexa, and Eliza would agree). 12 brothers and sisters that were all wanting to help in any way they could even though they all live in Idaho.
Well, last Friday night she her courage fight ended. She was only 46 years old, and has 2 young daughters, and an amazing husband left behind. I packed up a bag and headed for Rigby, Idaho for her funeral. The service was beautiful, and as I sat there listening to ALL that Nancy had accomplished in her life, and reflecting on my own life, I realized that ALL of her music was inspired by real life events, struggles, accomplishments, etc. It was all driven by her love for the Lord.
I have much to learn in my life still, and I will always be grateful for getting to spend some time with Nancy in her last days hear on this Earth. I know she has gone onto the next life, and is sharing her incredible talents there with others. She and her Family have reminded me of a very valuable lesson.... Never take life for granted, live each day as if it were your last, and the list goes on.....
As I drove back to St. George, I realized that I have much to be grateful for. My health for starters. Amazing, supportive husband, 3 incredible children, the best son in law EVER, my first grand baby soon, Parents that don't always like my decisions, still love and support me anyways, I could go on and on. I guess I'm realizing that this life is short, and I shouldn't let it pass me by! I need to step up my game and live every single day with a purpose.
I have always looked up to my cousin Nancy, and now I will honor her name in all that I do. I will pay it forward and make her proud.
She wrote a song once called "Little white balloons". There are a few stories behind the writing and the meaning of this song, but when Wes (her husband) read the chorus at the graveside, and then everyone let their white balloon float away, I was speechless. It was a beautiful moment in my life.
I love you Nancy girl~ Thank you for being such an inspiration to me, and for letting me spend the last days of your earthly life with you. It was an Honor!!

Nancy Hammon Hamblin June 16, 1964 ~ September 3, 2010

Before school starts again.....

We were lucky enough to get Scott home from Ft. Irwin for a week to spent some time with us. So we went to Salt Lake and attended some friends' wedding, went to Lagoon, and just spend some time with the Crookston side of the family.
It was a whirlwind trip, but had a great time having our Daddy all to ourselves! It has been a tough year with us living in 2 different states, but now that Scott is in California, we are much closer, and visits will be more frequent!

Both of the boys went to Scout camp this Summer as well. It was strange to think that Jake is old enough to go on overnight camp outs. But he had a blast, and earned many new Merit badges while he was there.

Jake received his Orange belt in Karate! Good job buddy, we are very proud of you! We also got to go with Kaylee and Gus to their 2nd ultrasound appt. We got to see our grand baby wiggling, and kicking all over the place! We are sooo thrilled about having our first grand baby to join our family.
His name is going to be Beckham Nefi Garcia~ The way that little man was kicking around, I am sure he is going to follow in his Dad's foot steps and play Soccer!!!

The boys both started school last week too! Trevor is a Freshman at Desert Hills Middle School, and is playing on the Freshman Football team! can't wait to game's to start

Jake is in 6th grade, and going to Sunrise Ridge Intermediate. So we no longer have any ties to Elementary School. Very strange. Jake is learning to play the violin too! So, things in our family are changing rapidly. We are so blessed to have 3 wonderful kids (and the best son in law ever). They fill our lives with so much happiness, and endless laughter!

Families Are Forever!

Summer in Southern Utah

When the typical temperature is 115 degrees, what do you do to still have some fun and keep the boys away from the X Box????

ANYTHING with Water!!!!! We went out to Quail Lake with a few friends I work with. We fished, swam, ate yummy snacks, did some rock jumping, and got some SuN!!! Porter came with us, and had a blast! He didn't dare jump off the rocks, but he was a riot out there in the Lake.

The next week, a few of my nephews came down from Salt Lake to stay with us for a week. So I took Calvin, Nick, Josh, Trevor, and Jake up to Kanarraville, Utah to climb the Falls. It was by far the funnest hike I have ever done in my life!!! 20 miles of sloshing up the river, climbing water falls, and watching all of these crazy teenagers have the time of their lives!!!!!!

We already have a plan to go back ASAP! It was amazing to get out of the intense heat of St. George, NO electronics, and just some plain old fashion FUN!

Fun in Salt Lake

Jake and I went to Salt Lake a couple of weeks ago while Trevor was at Scout Camp. We stayed with my Super Amazing Sister in Law Jamie and her cool family~ Our niece Courtney was in town from Tennessee for a month, so it was fun to get to hang out with her as well.
We went with all of the Crookston's we could round up, and went to Temple Square for a family outing, and enjoy the beauty there. We had sooo much fun, my only down side to ANY of it, was that Scott, Trevor, Kaylee, and Gus weren't with us. Maybe next time eh?

Road Trip!

I flew from Las Vegas to Atlanta, Georgia to bring all of our house holds goods, and Scotty's car out here. He and I had a great time hanging out together for 5 days in the U-haul driving across the country. We ate at lots of different places, did some shopping, and he even Suprised me by asking me to marry him again. AND, gave me a new ring to boot! I am one lucky girl~