There are angels among us!

*It's just THE SMALL and SIMPLE THINGs...*

So... I had a NOT SO great weekend last week and it kinda just carried over until the beginning of this week. To add to it, we took Jade's pacifier away (after 3 years) and it was very hard not to give in, but we didn't. She had a ROUGH time for several nights and is SLOWLY getting better. Nothing terrible happened, but just a few disappointments after another, and I was feeling a little down! So I haven't been the CHEERIEST this week.

I was having a rough time one morning and had to run some errands and was at the grocery store with the girls. It was time for lunch so they weren't the perfect little angels by this time of day... I was hurrying through the store trying to grab what I needed, trying to stop myself from continually saying, "Jade...stop....be good... put that down...sit down in the cart.... don't do that....etc. etc. etc. I was NOT feeling it, and feeling yucky in general. I hadn't showered that morning and I hadn't even put on makeup or anything. I was turned around trying to remember what item I needed next, when I felt this little tap on my shoulder and turned around to see this sweet old woman. She smiled at me and said, "I just want to tell you that you have a BEAUTIFUL family and you are a BEAUTIFUL mom."

What? Are you serious? Has she seen me running through this store all frazzled and crazy? I thanked her and turned around walked towards the checkout.

I realized that sometimes Heavenly Father sends angels to cheer us up when we are feeling down, or to say these simple words that helped me make it through that day and BE GRATEFUL and realize , "YES, I DO have such a wonderful family, and I'm so darn lucky to be their mommy."

Really, that's all. I wonder if that sweet old woman knew how much her words helped me that day. I sure felt Heavenly Fathers love for me.... and that's why I knew that it wasn't on accident or by coincidence!

*HAVE A FABULOUS DAY*

So, does this toilet flush?

Yep, those were Jade's words as she stopped along our hike to take a potty break. She was sitting there FOREVER... first said she had to pee, then it changed to poo poo, and so we sat and waited.... and she looked around and asked, "mommy does this potty have a flush?"

Jade giving a BIG cheezer with Aunt Cassi! Hurray for Cassi finishing her MASTERS in Austin Texas, in Social work. She's amazing and we're sooo proud! Jas was disappointed (jokingly), because she BEAT him! He will be done in March of next year, and her program was only a year and she passed him up!! GO CASSI!

Jade's new favorite thing is wearing goggles! How did she survive without them? It opened a WHOLE new world, literally of underwater exploring!

My cuties flexing their muscles after making it through the scary part.

And This is ALL JAde does now... sticks her head under water and holds her breath FOREVER... (wish she could teach that so my swim lesson kids... )

The best part of camping/vacations in general is spending time with the ones you LOVE!

The hike was sooo awesome. IT was 5 miles of hiking through rivers, crawling, ducking, climbing down little holes and areas to avoid the waterfalls... it was very adventurous!

Lots of fun adventures!! Look how awesome this hike was?

Here I am finally giving in and walking through the river. I tried to avoid it for as long as I could.

Grandpa Scott holding Jade as she was fascinated with the waterfall.

At the start of the hike, I decided to carry Jade because I thought Gracie would be heavy on my shoulders in the front pack... but .... when we switched for a second I had Gracie's 20lbs I decided I liked that much better then Jade with all our GEAR (30lbs).

awe... and this is in our own back country folks! AMAZIN'

Heidi (Jason's aunt) decided it was better to just SLIDE down!

We went to a family reunion on Jason's grandmothers side down in Torrey Utah/ Capital Reef area. It was GORGEOUS! We love the chance the get a way and go hiking! The girls absolutely LOVE to hike with us, even long hikes that take 5 hours and they are stuck in a pack most of the time! They still love it. It's a good thing, because Jas and I are big hikers and enjoy our beautiful Utah surroundings! We're so lucky to have this in our backyard! Who knew? This is 3 1/2 hours away and such a fun place!