Jake Plummer.....aka Blake's "BOYfriend"

Blake has watched and followed Jake Plummer since his first year at ASU, so when he came into town and Blake got wind of it on the radio of course he had to go!!  That's right my husband is boy crazy for Jake Plummer!  Its okay though because I've actually met Jake and of course have heard about all the good stuff he does and know he's a good guy!  Glad Blake got to see him!

HALLOWEEN

The kids love Halloween and we usually go trick-or-treating with our friends the McCann's.  We then usually go by the grandparents house so they can see the kids in their costumes!

Gage and his cousin Kingston

Gavin with Grandma Ellsworth

Me -Roller Derby and Blake- Football player

Gavin with Grandpa Ellsworth

All the kids and Pops

Happy 10th Anniversary! Viva-Las-Vegas...

So for our 10th Anniversary Blake and I were able to get away for the weekend and went to Las Vegas! It wasn't exactly where I wanted to go, but we had fun! We got tickets to go see Penn & Teller and they were amazing! We also like to watch the Food Network together at night and so when they had previewed the Hash House a Go GO...we HAD to GO GO!!! It was very good! We had a good time with one another with no kiddos! We had a "gambling budget" and right before we left town we were even but my husband the gambler, said lets both play $100 and then we will leave. So we went to the Hard Rock Hotel and we sat together, the table wasn't looking so good but we rode it out. I doubled my money so I said I was good and got up to go to the bathroom. I told Blake to please play smart and not loose a lot of $$! Well needless to say he was on a roll and when I came back there was a big stack of chips! I was happy but also wanted to take the money and run! Blake of course had to finish the shoe and its a good thing we did, we left with $2,000.00!!!!  It was a great time and one we won't forget!

Blake and I at Rio to watch Penn & Teller

Friday night date! Sheryl Crow and Kidd Rock!!

So I was on my way to work Friday and Blake called and nicely put it... "So I know that you have your hair appointment tonight and I'm more than happy to watch the kids but Ritchie and Tiffany have extra tickets to Sheryl Crow and Kidd Rock and was wondering if you want to go?" First of all, comes Friday I'm usually pretty tired by the end of the work week and I hate that the kids who have been at the sitter's all day would again have to be watched again. So I asked him to see if Granny Scheurn could watch them, I would atleast feel less selfish that they are with Granny and I haven't abandoned them ALL day! He texted me back and said yes, and I changed my hair appointment (which worked better for me anyways, since next week is payday!) So we were excited, we both hadn't seen either Sheryl or Kidd Rock before. Needless to say we had a great time, enjoying the music and being with each other. It was great that Granny and Pops could watch the kids, that they were good, and even wrote Rhett some letters and drew pictures to send him.

Love Tanya

Nemo....When life gets you down, what do you do?...Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

Wow...the last few months have been hard! Let me tell you there have been days that life has got me down and I have just kept swimming. And as they say in Meet the Robinsons.. "KEEP MOVING FORWARD!" Not a lot of time to feel sorry for myself even though I would have liked to but each day there was someone elses trial that I would see or learn about that just made mine not seem so bad. I think being positive is key! I know that Satan is working hard on everyone and I mean EVERYONE! We've had a little family situation where there are those who do not understand the true meaning of repentance, have continued to be judgmental and have continued to cause family drama and hurt so many... I try not to let it bother me because I think its not going to do me any good and negative actions or thoughts or getting mad only hurts me. And I have a peace that it will all work itself out. Because if they don't forgive, they themselves cannot be forgiven for ANY SINS THAT THEY HAVE DONE....Do unto others as you would have done unto you. I really try to be a good person and not make choices that would hurt anyone. It baffels me that there are those that would attack others or say hurtful things. The only thing that I can think is that it is truly self serving which again in not Christlike. Even though we (Blake, myself and children) have kept to ourselves not got into anyones business and have just stayed away from it all, past drama continues.....REALLY???? We go to work, I take the kids to church, raise our children, and struggle financially and personally. I mean REALLY, I just try to live my life. I really don't care what anyone else does or is doing, that is their life. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I know that this will be my family and that God knows each of us, our hearts, our intentions and all that we do. As hurt as I am I will not judge. Its not my job, there is no such thing as rightous judgement and I hope the person judging that thinks they are doing rightous judging is as perfect as Christ, which I know is NOT! MY FAMILY WILL BE STRONGER! My mother-in-law recently put a quote on her blog and I thought it said it all...

There comes a point in your life when you realize:

Who Matters, who never did, who won't anymore, and who always will.

So don't worry about people from your past, there is a reason they didn't make your future.

So we will keep swimming and moving forward. Life is good, and its how we endure right?

Love Tanya

It's been a looooonnngggg time!

So, my kids got me thinking the other day when they had gone through some stuff and saw a journal that I hadn't written in. And Lucy told me that I need to write in it. I'm not very good at this stuff, but I guess all we can do is try, right? It also made me think about the lesson in Relief
Society today and it was on OBEDIENCE. When we are little we are I guess "scared" into obedience. If we don't do what are parents want us to do there will be consequenses. We do what is right because we don't want to disappoint our parents or the Lord. BUT....there has to come a point where you KNOW what to do, it's easy to make right choices. Don't get me wrong we can and will make mistakes, but just as are parents were the example to us we need to be an example to our own children. Part of obedience is FAITH. The great thing is that with Faith and being Obedient we individually learn that blessings come, our prayers are answered a peace within your soul. This is because He knows us and loves us and delights in us doing the things we are asked to do. Someone today mention that she looks for the BIG things to set out to do to prove herself to the Lord. I say that its the small things, it's these that show our true desires to be obedient and to be like Him. I'm grateful for my foundation, for my faith and for the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father. I hope my children will see my example and can know and feel of my love. They are strong and loving spirits and they fill my heart.

We have started reading the scriptures together at night and I love to see Lucy reading them and as they listen I ask them questions. Ellie has answers that tells me of her "deep understanding" she amazes me. I can tell that Gavin is learning the real meaning of Lamen and Lemuel's murmuring and he reads really well, I hope this helps him gain a knowledge and love for the scriptures as now is the time to prepare for him to serve a mission.

Love you
Mom