Brad in the Congo Republic

Brad sent us a few pictures from his mission.

He is currently serving in 

Pointe Noire in the Congo Republic.

 This is Brad and his companion, Elder Porter.

This is his bed with mosquito netting!

Check out slugs on a stick!

That's what's for dinner! 

 

Maybe like Timon in "Lion King" says

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN!

Gwen's Blog

As many of you already know

Gwen has been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia.

She has decided to start a blog about her journey.

You can check it out at

I am a Miracle! 

This is a private blog -- 

so please let me know if you want to be invited to join.

Girls Camp 2013

The Young Women in our Ward are amazing!

Our camp theme was Keep Calm and Stand in Holy Places.

 Our Ward's sub-theme was Keep Calm and Learn

and we all dressed like Nerds 

with suspenders, pocket protectors & glasses!

Poor Gwen had to have both her parents at camp with her,

But she also got to have Thor!

My favorite part of camp was our skit --
Watch the Skit Here

Chipmunk Cheeks!

 Blake had his wisdom teeth out this week!

He needed to keep ice on his cheeks,

so we tied it on with some dish towels!

Blake is looking pretty puffy!

I told him this is what he would look like if he was fat!

One of our neighbors asked 

why he was hiding candy in his cheeks!

Blake has been a pretty good sport

 through the whole experience!

Where in the Choir is Elder Brockbank?

Mothers of Missionaries get a little crazy!

Okay maybe I am the only crazy missionary mother.

Sunday night was a Special Training about Missionary Work.

Brad, who is now known as Elder Brockbank

was in the Missionary Choir.

I was so excited when I saw him on the video,

that I thought you all might want to see him.

You can check out Elder Brockbank

four rows up and fifth missionary in at 00:11

or in the bottom center at 00:49

What My Mother Taught Me!

As a child, my mother taught me many things.

When I saw this comic it made me chuckle because

my mother taught me that I would be picking out 

my sewing with my nose if I did it on Sunday--

therefore I don't sew on Sunday!

Here are some of the other "gems" my mom taught me:

A son is a son til he takes him a wife,

A daughter is a daughter all of her life!

(This one has not prove true for me--

I didn't lose any sons, 

but got 2 new daughters.)

Patience is a virtue,

Catch it if you can.

It's seldom found in woman

and never found in man!

My mom is a great lady and I love her very much.  

I see myself becoming more and more like her all the time.

(I am not sure if I like that or not.)

I hope that I am teaching my children

the things they need to know in life.

And most important that they NEVER sew on Sunday!

It's My Birthday!!!

 

A few years ago when it was Gwen's Birthday,

she kept requesting all kinds of things

and justified it by saying "It's my Birthday!"

It has become a family joke when someone

really wants something and is whining about it

to say "It's my Birthday!"

Today is Blake's Birthday!

What a wonderful kid he is!

We love Blake for a variety of reasons--

1.  He wears a BYU shirt everyday!

2.  He practices the piano without much fuss.

3.  He is quite the spiritual guy.

 

4.  He grows a wicked Mexi-stache.

4.  He makes his bed everyday -- 

okay he sleeps on top of the blankets 

so he doesn't have to make his bed.

 

5.  He is a good student and 

I never have to worry about him 

getting his school work done.

6.  He is boy number five in our family.

It is a little strange now to only have two children at home

and the ratio is much more even --

one to one, instead of five to one.

But Blake keeps things very balanced 

and is not only a good brother to Gwen,

but probably her best friend.

I feel so blessed to have this fine young man as my son.

And yes Blake, I do love you!