Kaylee is learning English!

A couple of nights ago we were all coming home from shopping. Kyle was driving and was playing some rock-n-roll music, a little on the loud side. Kaylee was in the back in her car-seat and shouts in a very grown up tone, "Dad, TURN THAT DOWN!" Then Kyle turns it down a bit to appease his little girl. But that wasn't enough for Kaylee, she then shouts out, "DOWNER!" Kyle and I started laughing hysterically!!!!!!
The cute ways kids learn English makes for fun parenting!

Just had to share and record!

NEW MOON!!!

Here is our New Moon Crew!!!!!
Top Row: Becky, Sarah, Kathie, Paul, Ron, Candace
Bottom: Marie, Me

Cast Off Party!

KONNOR GOT HIS CAST OFF! What a celebration! Ha ha. He got the cast cut off and immediately after, he straightened his arm and bent it waving at the nurse! It was like he was cheering her on! The Dr. was very impressed with his mobility and strength! He is a lot happier now! So, when we got home, we ate a little dinner and then I gave him a spoon and a container of chocolate pudding and let him go to town! He hasn't had any messy foods for a whole month!

Then we GOT TO GIVE HIM A REAL BATH!!!!!!!!! As soon as he got in the tub, he started splashing like I have never seen anyone splash before! It was soooo fun! Mostly for me, but he was having fun too! Kaylee jumped in the tub with him, and they played in the bath until their skin was wrinkly and pruning! Yeah for Konnor, all healed!

The First of Many!

November 8th was our wards' Primary Program. This is a sacrament meeting where the children of the ward are the only contributors (ages 3-11)! They sing songs, speak their parts, etc... Kaylee was the first child that spoke from the pulpit! She did very good! We are learning that she is like her father- she likes to speak! She was asked this question: "Kaylee, where did you live before you came to this earth?".
Kaylee responded, "I lived in heaven with Jesus and my Heavenly Father." They sang this song... and it was sooo cute!
The Family Is Of God

1. Our Father has a family. It’s me!
It’s you, all others too: we are His children.
He sent each one of us to earth, through birth,
To live and learn here in fam’lies.

[Chorus]
God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—
This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God.

2. A father’s place is to preside, provide,
To love and teach the gospel to his children.
A father leads in fam’ly prayer to share
Their love for Father in Heaven.

3. A mother’s purpose is to care, prepare,
To nurture and to strengthen all her children.
She teaches children to obey, to pray,
To love and serve in the fam’ly.

4. I’ll love and serve my family and be
A good example to each fam’ly member.
And when I am a mom or dad, so glad,
I’ll help my fam’ly remember:

[Chorus]
God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—
This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God.

Emily's shower

This was a fun day! Emily is getting married. (Kyle's sister). So, I got to throw her a shower with her good friend Ashley. We had a lot of fun planning this! Here is Emily with her cake.
It was a triple chocolate cake with butterfinger crumbles, and a white chocolate bride.
Here is the whole crew!
Congrats to Emily and Tyler! We wish you all the best!

Halloween!

Halloween was two days long for us this year! Friday night, we went to Ken and Patrice's house for a Halloween/Pirate party! It was very fun! Here is our little family dressed up for day one: Konnor and I were Pirates, Kyle was beaten up by pirates, and Kaylee was the "Belle" of the ball.

It was VERY hard to get Konnor to hold still for a picture! As you can tell....
Kaylee smiling as we are driving to the party!Our darling kids dressed up!
Konnor as: Captain "Hook" (broken arm)
Kaylee as: Princess BelleBelow: The kids and I about to go trick-or-treating on day two!
It was fun this year. It was FREEZING outside and Kaylee would NOT put on her coat over her dress, so we compromised. I got to jog with the kids in the stroller bundled up under blankets! Kaylee would get out and run to the house.... knock and say, "Trick-or-treat, thank you, and Happy Halloween!" Then she would jump back in the stroller under the blanket with Konnor and away we would jog to the next house with lights on. The three of us had a blast for about an hour.
Meanwhile, Kyle was at the house SCARING the kids! Just like we do every year! :)
You can not get the cool affect from this pic.. But we had 2 fog machines going, 2 black lights, and a strobe light going. Kyle is sitting in the Grim Reaper costume in the swing!
Then when we got home, we put Konnor to bed, and Kaylee and I helped with the scaring and passing out candy!Kyle was the super scary one this year, and I helped a tiny bit. And princess Kaylee opened the door and handed out candy!

Another successful year of Halloween fun at the Brothersen house! We didn't go all out this year like in years past. We are in a new neighborhood and we didn't want them to know just how "cool" we are just yet! ha ha

My Birthday!

This was a total last minute BBQ.
(It was a potluck style dinner.)
If you are reading this post, and you were not here, please don't be offended. :)
Thank you, Heather for making my super-duper yummy chocolate cake from scratch!
There was a LOT of love in the air at the BBQ.
Below: Candace and Ron, isn't that a sweet picture!
Below: Anthon & Marie-- My lil' lovebird friends!
Below: Kyle and I-- I am THE luckiest girl in the world to have him for a husband! He was super sick that day, and he just put on the "game face" for the party, bought the chicken, marinated, cooked, AND cleaned the house!
My mom drove up from Arizona with Lynn for my birthday again this year. It was so fun to see my BRUNETTE mom! Thanks for driving all night you two!
I had a wonderful birthday. Thank you to everyone who called, texted, emailed, facebook'd, or came over! It was great!

And There Was Light

Kyle installed lights under our kitchen cabinets a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was blog-worthy, because it is so nice looking! I love it! My pictures don't do it justice. So, I guess you will just have to come see for yourselves!
There are 6 lights, and they are have 3 levels of brightness. Thanks Honey! I love it!

Kathie's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Kathie!
We had a fun little party! She had pizza, I made queso, and she made her own cake, (lame huh). That morning, Kaylee and I were talking about grandma's party, and we decided to all wear her favorite color, orange. So the four of us all wore different shades of orange, and grandpa Paul was the first to notice! ha ha
Is this not the cutest picture ever? (Grandpa Paul & Kaylee)Kaylee always loves to help open presents! (Kyle, Kathie, & Kaylee)
Kathie, we hope you had a great birthday! You are a wonderful mother, mother-in-law, and grandma! We are very blessed to have you in our lives. We love you!

Bunny!

The other day, our little family was talking about the thought of getting a dog. Konnor REALLY loves dogs. And we have always wanted a dog. Not that we are quite ready to get a dog right now, but we were talking about it anyway. So, Kyle asked Kaylee, "Kaylee, should we get a puppy?" Her response was not what we were expecting. She said, "Well, I really want a bunny." Kyle then said,"A bunny? We are not going to get a bunny, we are thinking about getting a puppy." Then Kaylee quickly said, "I like bunnies, what color of bunny should we get?" Kyle and I started laughing! It was easy for ME to see that she is a LOT like her father in the fact that if she wants something, she goes for it! Nothing will stand in her way. ha ha I have my hands full with those two! :)

Family Visit!

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and sister were here with us! We had a fun Sunday together. We all went to church together, and then we packed a picnic lunch and went for a drive around the Alpine Loop. It was so much fun! We laughed and awed at the beauty of Utah! It was the perfect week to drive around the loop, because the fall leaves were changing! It was SO pretty!Tracy, Kaylee, Mom, Konnor, & Kyle on top of the world! Notice: The girls with the "Sassy Pose".
Below: Tracy and Kaylee my little cheese-balls.
Our little family!
(That tree behind us was VERY yellow!)
Tracy & I at an overlook! The sky was so blue that day!
Here is our little family just after we got back from church! Thank you to Tracy and Mom for coming to ALL 3 hours of church! It was so nice to have you there with us! That was a happy day for me!
Thank you to mom and Tracy for watching the kids while we were on our cruise! It was sure fun to spend a few days together. All we needed was Scott there to make it a perfect time! Hopefully, one day we will have ALL of the family here at our home! That will be a goal of mine!

Boys WIll Be Boys- Outcome

Good News & Bad News:

Good news is that Konnor does NOT have to have surgery!!!!!! Thank Heavens! He has to wear a green cast for the next 6 weeks! Bad news: He fell again when we got home from the Dr. today and you can see the goose-egg on his forehead! What a fun 6 weeks this will be! I can see it now, the curious looks of strangers at the store. "Hmmm, poor kid. His mamma probably beats him!" CPS calls from neighbors, I can just see it now!...
But for all of you readers: I DO love my son with all my heart. :) He just falls ALL the time. And now I get to bathe him without getting his arm wet. YIKES. When he takes a bath, the whole bathroom is wet! Wish me luck with that one.

Boys Will Be Boys :(

Konnor fractured his arm right below his elbow this week. Poor little guy. His Dr. wanted him to see an Orthopedic Surgeon first thing. So, in the morning we have an appointment to see if he will need surgery or not. Keep him in your prayersI sure love him. He has been really good. But he keeps falling a lot, and that makes it hurt quite a bit. If you have any good tips for me, I am all ears!

Haiti

Labadee, Haiti
(That is our boat in the background)
The flowers were gorgeous! And they had really big birds that sounded like it was coming from a c-d.
Here we are chilling on the beach reading our books.
(For the record, I am reading New Moon -again, and Kyle is reading Dan Brown)
Can I just say, I LOVE HAMMOCKS!
This was the clearest water we have ever been in! The sand didn't stir up because there were no waves! It was easier to see, than in a swimming pool! NO JOKE!
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line owns this whole beach area. It was so pretty. If you have never been, ...GO!

Jamaica

Jamaica was our second stop on the cruise!!The famous "Dunns River Falls" (Ocho Rios, Jamaica)
Awe, the cute couple after the big climb.
My hunkie hubby!
"Di Picture Stop"
Congratulations! You made it to the top!
Me and a cute little donkie!

Jamaica was a lot different than we were expecting. But it was pretty! The falls were soooo gorgeous! It took us about an hour to get to the top of the falls from the ocean level. When we got off the boat, we jumped on a shuttle to go to the falls. We wore our swimsuits luckily, because we didn't have anywhere to change!

Darwin the Dolphin!

This was my favorite part of my cruise! I got to ride Belly to belly on a dolphin. He is upside down and I am holding onto his fins. He was swimming so fast that the bottoms of my bathing suit came right off!!!!!! I quickly let go and grabbed my suit before it came off my feet! Luckily, nobody got a show. (The water was too bubbly.)
Here is me kissing the dolphin!
Here is Darwin the Dolphin kissing my cheek!

Caribbean Cruise!

This is part 2 of our Caribbean Cruise! We stopped in Grand Cayman!
(If you want to see bigger pics, just click on them.)
All I can say, is we had a BLAST! I got to fulfill a life-long dream of swimming with dolphins. The whole adventure was remarkable! Our cruise stops were: Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Royal Caribbean Cruise line was the BEST!

Below: I was in a group of 9 and we got to work with Darwin the Dolphin. It was amazing!
I got to get a kiss him, ride belly to belly, and here are a couple other pics.
The dolphin made a few circles around us in the water. We got to pet him each time!
The Dolphin is pushing my feet while I am on a boogie board! That was such a rush!
Some pirate dude, in Tortuga.
GRAND CAYMAN
This is where we got to eat breakfast and lunch everyday on the ship! What a beautiful sight!
Kyle and I went goofy golfing on the top of the ship!
Formal Night
Our last stop was
COZUMEL, MEXICO!
When we got off the ship, we took a ferry to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
We wanted to see some historical Mayan Ruins. We even learned some about the Book of Mormon there! It was very fascinating!
(Tulum Mayan Ruins)
This was the most beautiful place we have ever seen!
Awww
Main Temple of Tulum Mayan Ruins
Below: This is one of those trees, you HAVE to take a picture by!
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico- This is where we had a blast playing in the ocean! The waves were soooo fun!
Kyle is a goofy guy! (Playa Del Carmen)
Here I am talking to the kids from the only quiet room on board!
14th Floor for good reception. I really missed the kids!
Kyle on the boogie board.
Me on the boogie board! That was so much fun!
This was on the back of the ship! It was so fun to watch and very fun to do!

Masquerade Ball

Such a fun night!
Kyle and I went to a "Lords and Ladies Masquerade Ball" last night! We had never been to a masquerade ball before, and it was an amazing event. It was a charity event to provide food for children in Africa. Kyles work bought 4 tables and we were lucky enough to be able to go! We rented our costumes at Hale Center Theater in Orem. Our friend Tina made the masks, and our next door neighbor, Shari watched our kids for us. Thank you to Tina and especially to Shari! We began the evening in the foyer of Hatfieldadelphia in Lindon, Utah- (a beautiful luxurious place!). There was a silent auction in there! Then we were escorted downstairs into the dining area and all of the women were given red roses!We ate a great chicken dinner. At our place settings, there was a white chocolate mold of a mask on a stick! Yum yum. Sorry no picks, I ate it and THEN thought I should take a picture of that. :) There was some fun entertainment... belly dancers, professional story-teller, Gipsy jugglers, and an auction.
I got to wear two huge "hips"! What a fun dress I must say! And check out Kyle, yes... he really is wearing TIGHTS! That's my man in tights! I just loved saying that all day!
Then we were escorted outside in the garden area where there was a Ramada with ballroom dancers performing! It made me miss dancing like CRAZY! They were very talented!
Below: Is Tina, Jon, Me, and Kyle.
This was us when we first arrived.
I had my handsome prince by my side! I felt like a fairy princess all night long.
Kyle was so wonderful, he even danced the waltz with me. Which is one of my two favorite couples dances! Thank you honey! I am a lucky girl!

Farm Country

We took the kids to Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country. We met up with the Asmus Family too! It was a fun time! My camera ran out of battery when we got to the pony rides. :(
Below: Kaylee by the bunnies. Her aunt Kellie has 2 bunnies and so she named all of these bunnies after them,
"Basil and Clover".

Kaylee, Konnor, & Zach by the pigs!Below: Kaylee and Kate in jail. They don't look too miserable! (more like monkeys)
Little Cheeseballs!
Konnor and Kaylee having a giggle!
Too cute for words! Kate and Kaylee are soooo adorable!
I love this smile of Kaylee.
The ducks and geese.
The pond...
Kaylee's favorite spot of all. THE HORSES!

Proud little Cowgirl!
THE END...

The 12th

Kyle and I went on our first date on the 12th of August. We went to Los Hermanos for dinner and then walked the trail up Bridal Veil Falls. Then we were married on the 12th of February. The 12th quickly became a special date for us. We wanted to start a tradition when we first got married, so on the 12th of every month since Kyle and I were engaged to be married we have done a special date. We take turns of who is the one to plan it. It is a fun way to remember our special day every month. It makes us feel like newly weds still! So last month we took the kids to Bridal Veil Falls to remember our first date in August 6 years ago.

Below: Konnor pointing up to Kaylee. Kaylee up in the tree! She is such a little poser! My little sweetie....
Kaylee and I walked in through the freezing cold water to get to the rocks.Did I say the water was FREEZING?
Below: Konnor man and I giggling at dad.
My handsome hubby! He won my heart on this very trail 6 years ago!

Best Orthodontist Ever

I have the best Orthodontist EVER! (Dr. Thompson in Orem) He rented out an entire water park for all of his patients and their families to have fun! I have never seen so many people with braces in all my life! We went to the brand new Lindon Aquatics Center. It was so fun! There was a "flow rider" if you wanted to try and surf or boogie board. That was very entertaining! Kiddie pools, slide, hot tub, and our favorite... the lazy river.
Kaylee and Konnor just loved it! Kaylee wanted to go around and around!!
Below: Kyle taking Kaylee on the slide! What a big girl!
Here is Konnor and I.
This is the Lazy River. I had to get a pic of it because Kaylee was having SO MUCH fun!
Thanks Dr. Thompson! If any of you need braces... GO TO HIM! He was the cheapest I found, quickest time quote, and really fun and generous!

Friends Parting Paths

As most of you know, one of my best friends, Wendy West, just moved to Michigan. I knew it was going to be hard, but really! It is very hard. We saw or talked to each other nearly everyday for the past 5 years. Our girls were also best friends(Kaylee, Ayden, & Claire). I believe that people come into our lives for certain reasons. I know that Wendy came into my life to be my friend, to make me smile on hard days, to understand my circumstances, to give me strength, to love me, to be silly with me, to encourage me to exercise, to not judge me for my many faults, to serve me non-stop, and most of all to be there for me when I needed it most! (I can't even see the screen clearly through my tears. They just started pouring out of my eyes.) She is someone that I will truly miss. I know we will always be friends and be close in heart, but not being able to just walk across the cul-de-sac to see her is going to be hard. Friends like Wendy and Jeremy are very hard to come by. Those people in Michigan have no clue how lucky and how blessed they are to have the West family as neighbors. Here is a pic of our good bye hug. My hubby took it without me knowing. I was bawling like a baby then and I am bawling like a baby right now.(F.Y.I. Wendy is just smiling cuz I am a boob!)

Neighborhood Watch

Saratoga Springs just had a Neighborhood Watch Against Crime. It was pretty neat! There was some training for little kids if a strange person tries to grab them. There was a self defense mini-course for little ones. They could sit in police cars, get badges, wear "drunk goggles", and much more! Below is Konnor and I when the Air-Vac Helicopter was arriving.Kyle and Kaylee girl. She loved that helicopter!
Kyle even got to talk "Pilot talk" with the helicopter pilot.
Kaylee got to get inside the helicopter. It was pretty cool. A lot bigger than you would expect.
This was a K-9 Police Dog. He was asked to pick the backpack with drugs in it. Those dogs are amazing! Konnor LOVES dogs. He was loving that! Kaylee even found her friends here! So, the 3 little ones are; Kaylee, Mara, and Kenyon!
It was a really fun night out with the family. I think it is very important to teach our children to stay safe and to respect the law and enforcement.

Home Makeover Part 4

For all of you faithful blog readers, we decided to paint our bedroom red!!!! Here is the beginning of that!....

KONNOR IS WALKING!!!!

Konnor's first steps were on Saturday, August 15th, 2009.
He took 8 steps that night. And now it is Monday and the most he has taken was 25 steps before he falls. He is so excited and proud of himself for accomplishing such a big task! (He is 15 months old) He also stands up from sitting without support as of Sunday! 2 big milestones in his little life!


YYYYYEEEAAAAHHHHHH KONNOR!!!!!

Dinasour Museum

We went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point for our Family Home Evening last week! It was so fun and we all had a great time! Even Konnor loved it.
($2 Tuesdays for the Month of August!)

Softball Has Begun

Kyle's work (DigiCert) has started up a softball team. Kyle is so fun to watch and the kids love it. Here was the first game on Monday. Kyle played Short stop.
Here is Kyle up to bat.Kyle in-between games, chompin' on some watermelon.
Kaylee is yelling, "Here batter batter!!!!!" lol
Brothersen and Daniels in the dugout.

Our Sunday Drive

Last Sunday we went for a drive around Nebo Loop. Such a beautiful drive.

Lake Powell- Part 2 "Our Powell Princess"

Kaylee has been named our little "Powell Princess". She just loves Lake Powell and spending such good quality time with the family!
Below: Grandpa Keith hugging his Powell Princess.Grandma Lynn posing with her Powell Princess.Kellie and Kaylee on the tube. That was so cute. Kyle asked Kaylee who she wanted to go on the tube with and without hessitation she said, "Kellie!" So, they had a fun time telling Grandpa Paul faster or slower with the thumbs. :)
Me and my little Powell Princess waving the "I love you" sign to everyone on the boat.

Kaylee on the platypus the California crew gave her for her birthday!
Uncle Jake gave her that candy necklace and she was loving life on the swim deck eating her princess necklace!
Grandpa Paul took Kaylee for a swim a few times! She loved that!

Kaylee had a few "sleep overs" while we were at Powell. This was her and Emily asleep in Ems tent.
Grandma Lynn and Grandpa Keith with their "precious".
Kyle, Konnor and I with our little Kaylee on her birthday Luau.

Lake Powell- Part 1 "Who Has Konnor?"

"WHO HAS KONNOR?" That was a question that was often said during this trip.
Here are a few of the highlights of that. We all had cameras clicking the whole week, and we send them to each other. So, if I get more pics, I will add them.
Isn't he so cute! Below: Is your captain Konnor! He LOVED playing on Grandpas boat.Emily has Konnor! They are watching the fish at the marina.

Grandma Kathie has Konnor! Playing in the sand! He LOVED that!
Kellie has Konnor! He would fall asleep when the boat was running!
Mamma has Konnor! He loved Grandma Lynns burritos!
Kim has Konnor! He loved that snuggle time!
We all got Konnor! Me, Kyle, and Kellie playing with Konn-man at the marina. He sure loved the ice cream trips!

Daddy has Konnor! He sure loves his daddy! Those are my two handsome guys!

Kaylee's Luau Party

The Luau was a blast! Lynn brought everyone leis, some surfboard platters, tablecloth, and a cute coconut cup for the birthday girl. Kathie brought a grass skirt for decoration and made the dinner. Kim and Kellie brought everyone grass skirts, leis, and tiki torches. They also got Kaylee her very own pastel grass skirt and a leis that lights up!
Kaylee and I made all the women a flower for their ear.
And Kaylee helped make the cupcakes the night before we left. They were triple chocolate chunk with bright colored sprinkles and a palm tree insert. Joe brought the sound equipment! He made a play list of Hawaiian music for the Luau! Needless to say, it was a ton of fun.
Everyone got dressed up and participated! We all loved it so much, we decided to do a themed party every year at Powell. Next year we all decided on a Mexican Fiesta!

Home Makeover part 3

Welcome to the Nemo Bathroom!
July 20th, I painted the kids bathroom a two tone turquoise blue with waves.
I am not the best painter, but I was pleased with it. Not too shabby for an amateur.During Kaylee's birthday party on the 23rd, Wendy West came over and painted 3 Nemo characters. Can I just say.... Wendy is AMAZING. She didn't let me come in the room all morning. It was killing me to not see it! Here is Wendy hard at work!
Here is Nemo and Dori. When I walked in and saw them, my mouth fell open, and all I could say was, "Oh my gosh, that is so awesome, oh my gosh, oh my gosh". Wendy had me speechless! And THAT is a hard thing to do. :)
(They look like stickers huh!)
Here is the darling Australian Turtle. Wendy, you did a fabulous job! And thanks Shelly Asmus for painting some bubbles! You guys are wonderful friends and very talented women! Now that Wendy is moving, our family will have something to always remember her by! We love you Wendy, and we REALLY REALLY love the new NEMO bathroom! GREAT JOB! Thank you, thank you!

Kaylee's 4th Birthday

WOW! My little Kaylee is 4 years old! And Kaylee LOVES horses. So, when I asked her what kind of theme she wanted for her birthday party, she didn't hesitate one second before shouting out... "I wanna horse party mom!" So, a horse party is what she got! Here is the rundown.


My mom came to spend a few days with Kaylee for her birthday. It was a big help to have her here. I was able to actually get things done! So, below is my mom, me, and Kaylee in front of the "Horse Cake".I printed off horse shoes. My mom and Kaylee colored them and then we taped them to the ground outside coming up the steps, and on the floor. The kids really liked that detail.The first thing we did while we were waiting for all the kids to show up was a follow the leader, "horse style". Grandma Basha bought her a stick horse and they all took turns being the horse and running as fast as they could around the house! That was so fun to watch.Next, we played "Pin the Tail on the Horse". I made each child a tail out of hairy looking yarn, so it doubled as a tail they could wear later. Below: Kaylee trying to pin her tail on the horse. She did very well. Winner: It was a tie between her and our next door neighbor Kenyon.
Here is the group! Left to right: Kaylee, Miles Wilson, Cameron Rasmussen, Ayden West, Avery Mecham, Claire West, Cruz Schempp, Mara Schempp, and Kenyon Schempp.
(minus a few friends)The next game was "Pony, Pony, Horse".
AKA: "Duck, Duck, Goose"Here are some of the decor. Horse tack came from Grandpa Keith and Shadow the horse

Below: The kiddos eating their "horsey" lunch.
I know it was a lot of pics... but isn't that the only reason you are still reading? :)
Happy Birthday Kaylee! Hope you had a fun time!

Mom's First Temple Trip

What a beautiful day.... My MOM and I got to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open-house together. That was my moms first time in a temple. It was just the two of us, so I was able to go at a slower pace and answer her many questions. It was a very neat experience! I know the temple is the House of the Lord and a sacred and holy place. I pray that she felt that as she walked through this beautiful place! I hope my mom will some day go there AFTER a temple has been dedicated!

My 10 Year Baptism Birthday!

JULY 18th, 1999 was the day that changed my life forever!
10 years ago, I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was almost 21 years old. Little did I realize then, how much my life would change for the better. I feel that every good thing that has happened to me since that day in July, is somehow a result of my membership in this church! My conversion is quite simple.... I just read the Book of Mormon and then sincerely prayed about it. When I prayed about the Book of Mormon, I felt peace come over me like I had never before felt. I knew in my heart that the feeling I was having was coming from my Father in Heaven. So, I called the missionaries, I picked July 18th, and I was taught the discussions and baptized! That was the start of a wonderful relationship with my Savior and my Heavenly Father.
Below: Is a picture of the wonderful Elders that taught me the discussions of the church. These are my missionaries, Elder Bailey and Elder Fowler. (Me in my baptism outfit!)
This is me and my friend Jennifer Simmons. I took the discussions at her grandmas house. She was such a good influence for me. We had so much fun together. We went to church dances, firesides, had "Scripture Parties", Family Home Evenings, and invited MANY of our friends and neighbors to attend church and learn more about the gospel.
That time will always be special to me. It is easy to see that we were all very happy. I want to thank all of those amazing people that supported me and strengthened me in my first year in the church. And thank you to all of the many more that were there for me the last 10 years. What a blessing you have all been to me.
One year later, I decided to serve a mission for the church. I was called to serve in the best mission EVER! Utah, Salt Lake City- Temple Square Mission. 2000-2002. This picture below is of me going to the Temple for the first time!
(Mesa Temple)
After my mission, I decided to live in Provo, Utah with my best buddy Heather Perrins Larson.

We were roomies for over a year when I met the man of my dreams! Kyle Brothersen! Here is us on our wedding day February 12, 2004.
We were married/sealed in the Manti Temple.
(F.Y.I. "Sealing" means to be married for Time on Earth and ALL Eternity, not just "Till death do you part". It is a 3-way covenant or promise with you, your spouse, and God.)
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only church on earth containing all the truth of the gospel. I know that Heavenly Father is aware of each of his children, and wants us to return home to live with Him. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is our perfect example. He died for all of us to be clean and live eternally with Him. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ. It has brought me closer to God and taught me the fullness of the Gospel. I know that the Holy Ghost testifies of truth and will always guide us in the right direction. I know that our families can live together forever through the blessings of the Temple.