Easter

It was such a nice Easter. I think what made it all the more special was Conference. As a Latter Day Saint Woman, It gives me the strength to get through another 6 months. It seem to me that this conference was really geared towards the Women of the Church. Maybe we need to be a little bit more stronger in this world we live in. I really enjoyed watching it with Landon too. He woke me up on Sunday and asked if I would watch it with him. It is so great to see your adult children stand on their own and take what you have taught them and add upon it. It makes it inspirational when they then teach you.
Easter was fun. We went to Kami and Erick's and had a wonderful meal with the Wiltbank's. I tried to take pictures of the kids hunting eggs but all I got was the back of their little heads. They were to fast for me.

Spring has Sprung!

Yes, we have Popcorn on our Apricot tree. I love the little white blossoms but know that with blossoming out so soon will mean no Apricots.

They smell so sweet and you can hear the buzz of the bees.

The next day we woke to the blossoms covered in snow.

My Little Friends

I have enjoyed these little Birds that made a home on our Ranch. They are California Spotted Quail. Richville is the only place you can find them in Arizona. They probably were brought here from someone that had them as pets and were released or got away from their cage. My brother Sherod was the one that told me this info. Isn't that cool? We really feel special that they made this their home.
I have to protect them (they are an endangered species when you have boys with pellet guns). The boys see them and want to go after them. Bart will tell the boys to leave their mom's birds alone. I guess I have claimed them as my own. I have tried to raise every other kind of domesticated bird. This might be the only kind I can have, wild birds, and call them mine with out having to do a thing and they can take care of themselves. I can sit back, watch, and just enjoy.

Life has lost it's enchantment!

You know, I have realized that this blogging thing can be kind of therapeutic. You can write down all that you're thinking and someone will read it and give you feed back. How amazing is that? And I don't have to pay $80.00 an hour. So here is my therapy session for the day.
Do you ever get in the blog stalking mood and before you know it you are feeling really kinda lousy? The more I read about how successful people are with their children, husbands, jobs and general life the more I slump down in my chair. I think to myself "Self, you are just a big Dud! You are not near as successful in your parenting, your children talk back and don't mind. Your husband thinks you are a piece of the furniture and you are late on your bills!!" I really feel like others must live such different lives. Why, they must not have to clean house, fight kids and their marriage must be so loving. Where was that sigh-up list? I missed it. I signed up on the "Hard Knock Life" list. Or maybe it was the "Real Life" list.
Don't get me wrong, I have kids that are good sometimes. I have a husband that notices me when I put make-up on once a month and my bills are paid when I talk to the collector on the phone! (Hey, I do have my organization skills, that's just how I choose to be organized.)
I guess It's 1:08 in the afternoon, time to get dressed for the day, the kids will be walking in from school. (You won't read that on perfect blogger moms ' blog now will ya?) Whew that was a great session. Thanks, I feel better already!

Sunday with Jaxten and Brayden

Sunday mornings, don't you just love them? Ours' at the Wiltbank home are rough and hectic. However hard I try to be prepared, you know the song "Saturday is a special day it's the day we get ready for Sunday" I have 2 saboteur's...Brayden and Jaxten. On Saturday I ask the boys "Did you put your Sunday clothes in the hamper from last week? Cuz I don't think I wash them." I hear nothing but crickets. So what am I to think? Okay, don't worry about it. So we get up on Sunday and first thing both boys say "Mom I can't find my clothes." Me..."oh come on, I asked you yesterday if you had them." Brayden comes in with a ball of wrinkled clothes and says he found them under his bed. (Big Surprise) Jaxten goes into that ugly whine and says he can't find anything. We find his clothes mixed in with Landon's behind ONE shirt. How hard is it to lOOk? Then it's the belt and next the tie that was left in the car from the LAST Sunday. (Good Grief) It just seems to be one of THOSE Sundays. Bart and Brayden leave early so Brayden can do his assignment to get ready for Sacrament meeting and Jaxten and I have to drive Landon's pick-up because he has my car. I'm hurrying and can't figure out how to move Landon's seat forward so I'm pushing the gas peddle with my tippy toes. We walk in the church just as they're shutting the Chapel doors. I scan each row to find my husband's loving bald head. Can't see it anywhere. I look towards the front of the Chapel and there he sits...allllll the wayyy in the front. So here I go dragging Jaxten behind me trying to look put together and hoping I don't have my skirt tucked into my pantyhose and mooning everyone as I go (I think those weird thoughts when I feel hurried). So I sit and listen to the welcome and introductions and they announce the opening prayer will be by ME! I thought I was the closing prayer so I was glad I made it on time. I say the prayer and (is it wrong to say uhm during a prayer?) sit down. That's when Jaxten starts in on me. He has to go through my purse, plays with his gum, unzips my boots. He starts his gripes about being hungry, tired, thirsty. He decides that I'm the jungle gym and sits, lays, rolls on me. I am out of patients and turn to Bart and say "I feel like I've been holding a bag of monkey's"

Then it's all over 3 hours later. Time to head home and nap. The truck feels kind of strange, no power. What did I do to it? I look down and the gas gage is on the big red E! Thank goodness Bart comes driving up. Don't you just wish you were there or maybe you had that kind of Sunday too. Boy was my nap long and good!!

Surprise, Surprise!

It has been eon's since I posted last. My excuse was Landon's on a mission.
I had to write him a weekly letter so I used that as "my family journal". Isn't that good enough? I have a 2 year history. Well that is now over and I ran out of excuses. Our family has gone through many changes. Landon leaving now home. Macie graduating and moving to Utah, then coming home, than moving up there again, and now coming home again to get ready to go to the Valley in a few months after she saves up some Denero. Brayden has out grown me and is shooting up so tall. He is going to be huge if you look at his feet. They look like a rats foot, very long and skinny. I will have to post a picture, if I can catch him when he's not looking. Jaxten is the little one and drives us all to a point we feel insane. (yes we do love him) most the time.
We have enjoyed having Landon home. It is kind of weird having all our children under one roof again. It's also strange to not pray for Landon's missionary efforts but now have change to praying for all missionaries again. I can't tell you how much his mission has helped our family. We all loved it so much. It really did bless us. I know this because the first week he was home the dryer broke, I was overdrawn in my bank account and the t.v. when on the fritz! I had friends warn me that this would happen. I guess we were blessed that our junk would keep working while he was out. I guess we can look forward to Brayden going in a few years.
I would post lots of pictures of his arrival at the airport if I had any. My camera was turned on by accident for a day and when I pulled it out the battery light was flashing. Maybe some of those that were there will share with me.
We waited for Landon to open our Christmas presents on the 31st of Dec. It was the best Christmas ever! It was weird waiting. I thought maybe it wouldn't feel real but it was even better. I am kind of lazy right now so I will post pictures soon.
All I wanted to really say is "I'm back to the posting world" and I need to work on this so I can created a "fabulous" book for our generations to come will be impressed with there great-great grandmother's
family history skills. Maybe I can fool them!!

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Macie goes to Prom ~ Jaxten and Rachel go to the Zoo, not in it!

It has been forever since I posted anything. We haven't fallen off of the face of the Earth, I promise. This past week has been a fun and exciting week. Jaxten and I went to Albuquerque and stayed at my cousin, Donna's house. We had such a good time with her, Louis and Tanner. I was able to spend two weeks in a row seeing her. She came up here and I went to dinner with her and then we stayed with her and visited. We just don't see enough of family in the winter time. I'm glad summer's almost here. People start to get out more. Jaxten and I went to the Natural History and Science Museum with his 2ND grade class. I'm glad we drove in our own car. It was a little crazy with 40 2ND graders running around. The Museum was great. Jaxten had been there before but was to little to remember. I took lots of pictures but on one of those little disposable cameras because I forgot mine. I payed big bucks for it at the Gift shop, I guess I'll learn to bring mine the next time.

Jaxten was impressed with the HUGE DINOSAUR, I was too. I can't believe those things roamed the Earth. WOW, I'm sure glad their gone....or we would be goners!! :o)

We then grabbed some lunch and headed to the Zoo. It was a cold and drizzly day but we were still able to have a good time. Albuquerque really has a nice little Zoo. Jaxten's favorite was the Polar Bears, and I loved the Sea Lions. We enjoyed all of the animals, although we didn't get to see the Gorillas or Orangutans. It was cold and they were all hiding out. It was a nice trip just being able to have some one on one time with each other.

Macie was asked to her Senior Prom. She has this friend, Collin Burnham that asked her a year or so ago. He told her after he turned 16 he wanted to ask her to Prom and he did. He is so sweet. She prepared weeks ago, you know how girls are. She went with her friend Jennifer to the Valley and they found the perfected dresses. It took them all weekend I was just glad Jennifer's mom was the one that did all the shopping. She said it wore her out! The girl's (Macie's friends) all went to Show low and had their nails done. Then it was eyebrows waxed and all the other stuff; hair, make-up. Boy it's a lot of work and money for one night but it sure was worth it. They looked like Princesses. So beautiful. All the Mom's helped the Girl's get ready at Jen's house. It was fun to help get our Girl's all dolled up . Then the time had come, the arrival of the boys. They looked sharp!! What a bunch of good looking kids. I just wanted to stare at them. Plus all that money....WOW! I told them I could have gone on a Cruise with as much as they spent. I guess Prom is once in a lifetime so it's worth it. They all had a wonderful time.



Landon is doing so good. He has 8 more months and the time is quickly winding down. I can't believe it. He said he might get to go back to one of his area's he was first in. I hope so.



Bunny our dog got into the Porcupines again. She will never learn!! I took her to the Vet this time and he sedated her. He also gave her a couple of shots and by the time I got out it was $175.00. I couldn't believe it. I think I'm gona put some fruit out and started baiting and killin' me some porcupines...(Say it like a REDNECK Rancher) I's bout had it with them SKUNKS and PINES. Somethin's gona die round her pruty quick like! Dog or Varmints...it's between the twos of them!!



Jaxten is starting little league baseball. UGH! He has practice 3 times a week and I have to just sit and wait. That's the hard part about living away from town. Brayden was into Track, well for about 2 weeks and then he was done with it. I was just fine with that! School will soon be out. I just can't WAIT for Summer break...if ya know what I mean. (I'm being Sarcastic)

So that's the grand up date. I feel a lot better, I'm a believer in Vitamins and Iron...it does a body good. I don't want to be old before I'm old. So take you VITAMINS ya all.....

It's Alarming

Don't you just hate mornings? I was laying in bed and couldn't sleep. I try but I just can't. I'm thinking of all the things that need to get done and all the things that aren't done. Soon, all too soon, the Alarms will start going off. First Bart's at 5:00, then Macie's at 5:10. She has to be to School at 6:30 and has to leave the house by 6:00. Then my Alarm at 5:45 to wake me up enough to wake the boys up. Then Brayden's goes off at 6:00 and it takes him and Jaxten about 10 minutes to roll out of bed with my pleading or errr, yelling. Then the phone rings, it's the bus driver to check and see if the boys will be on the bus at 6:38. I tell you it's enough to keep someone awake in the middle of the night, oh yeah, that's me. Now what time do I need to get started again..??? 5, 6, oh heck I think I'll just stay in bed.

I need some get-up and GO!

I think I had people thinking I'm the most laziest person in the world, well at least my kids. Then I started thinking it myself. I just couldn't get anything done...you know the dreaded house cleaning and all the mom stuff my life entails. I couldn't ever vacuum my floors with out stopping and resting. That's when the light bulb or more like a flood light hit me between the eyes. I thought "Something is not right in my body." I feel like a 40 year old in a 70 year old body and my brain is more like an 80 year old. I just couldn't shake this worn out feeling. I finally get my lazy bones to the Dr. and they run all the fun test and come back that I am extremely anemic. The Dr. asked me how I'm even getting out of bed. I admitted that I usually don't until afternoon. She said that she was surprised I'm even getting out at all. The Dr. says that I'm losing blood some where in my body and they have to find out where. I really am not to worried and I'm a huge worrier. Maybe I'm too tired to worry. No really, I feel like they will find what's going on and it will be corrected. It's just a matter of the right test.
I guess I don't have enough blood pumpin' in this body of mine. I have to do a few more test before I can start taking the Iron my body needs. I can't wait to take it so I can start to feel alive again. I was talking to a friend and she said "If your kids were sick and feeling run down wouldn't you get them to the Dr.?" and I know I would first thing, then she said "Then why won't you get yourself there?" and she's right. Why do mom's wait until an anvil drops on us? I could have started feeling better a while ago. So what I'm saying is...Us Mom's are important too. I can see what my job is in this family and when I'm down...everyone is OUT! I have also learned empathy for people who have chronic illness and don't feel good all the time. Health is a blessing not just something we pray about in our prayers. It truly is something to be thankful for...I know I will be when I start to feel better again.

Lost in Love 2~13~1987

Where are these Kids? 22 years of Marriage this month and I still look in the mirror and try to find this girl with curly blond hair. I don't seem to recognize this 21 year old boy with hair. Time has seemed to steal them away into the past. I still get glimpse of them though. They don't look quite as young but the love is still there. It isn't the giddy, starting life anew kind of love. It has been seasoned with peak's and valley's. We have spent more time with each other than we have apart. I think of what Kate on "John and Kate plus 8" says at the beginning of her show..."It hasn't always been an easy life but it's our life." I can't imagine my life with out Bart or our children. Here's to many, many more.

Ancient Chinese Secret

My friend Michelle and I were talking about making Sugar Cookies once. She said "I've got the best recipe, they turn out so soft and crisp." I told her that I had also found a good recipe in an old Relief Society Cook Book . I said "They don't turn out tasting like biscuits." We compared recipes and it turns out it's the same one. She got hers from a town she once lived in and I looked at the Sister that added the recipe, she lived in that same small town. Funny how the R.S. sisters pass things around. Once we find something good, it's no longer a secret! I thought I'd share this recipe since it's Valentines time and that means good ol' yummy SUGAR COOKIES!

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 Cup Sifted Powder Sugar

1 Cup Soft Butter

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

2 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

Cream sugar and butter; add egg and flavoring. Mix thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and stir in. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Heat oven to 350. Divide dough in half and roll out on lightly floured surface. Roll thin, but thick enough to pick up. Bake 10-12 minutes. Frost with butter cream frosting.

This makes the best Cookies! Jaxten's face is all the evidence you need.

Renewed Faith

I witnessed something so special today I had to share.
One of my long time and close friends fulfilled a goal of going through the repentance process and being re-baptized. It was not an easy process to go through. I saw many tears and sorrow as she suffer shame, embarrassment, judgment from MANY people and family struggles and forgiveness. This has been an enormous trial. But I saw her faithfully believe in the love of the Savior and his atonement in her life. It was beautiful. The spirit was the strongest I have ever felt. I felt the love our Savior has for each of us. How much he loves her and the gladness he has when we follow the way back to him. I saw how each family member is loved and welcomed back into the eternal circle. Not only welcomed but rejoicing. Her Husband baptized her and I know that the font was full of as many tears as gallons of water. He wrapped his loving and forgiving arms around her and I'm sure felt peace, relief and happiness. How her father laid his hands on her head to pronounce her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints and the blessing of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. His voice cracked with emotion. She said that one of the biggest things she missed was having the Holy Ghost with her, to guide and direct her, that there is a huge loss when he is not with us. I am so proud of her. She is amazing and gives me and Bart hope. Trials are not easy, we all go through them but when you lose the most precious of all gifts, the blessings of being a member of Christ Church, all others pale in comparison. Being LDS is the greatest blessing and sometimes I know I take it for granted. I have always been a member, my family was always active. I didn't have to seek the missionaries out to attain it. It was my gift from the time of birth. I don't think I will ever take it for granted again. I see the pain and sorrow Bart suffers every day of his life if not every moment. He wants so badly to be re-baptized but because of his circumstances it will still be many years. Today was a happy sad day for him. He was so happy and hopeful but wishes that those blessings for him were around the corner. I told him to envision that for him someday and not to give up hope.
I wish every member of the church could witness a re-baptism of someone. It is the most beautiful thing. I learned so much today. To be less judging of someone, that what a person needs when they are down is love and encouragement not back biting and gossip. It could be anyone of us and what we would want most is to be forgiven and understood not talked about and discussed as the latest juicy story. I realized the love our Savior really has for us. I have been taught that all my life but to see and feel it so strongly is amazing. The Holy Ghost is truly a gift and what happens to a person when they go without him. Our Father in Heaven knows our needs and he knew hers. She had a wonderful friend move into our community just at the right time to help guide, strengthen and lift her at the right moment. Forgiveness is a blessing for the person who has made mistakes but also for the person who gives it.
I saw how many people love a person and who matters most. The song "Each life that touches ours for good" kept going through my mind. She has touched mine. We have share so much together. She has truly been like a sister and I am so proud of her and love her tremendously! She is a Daughter of God. I know, because of this, she will help many of our Fathers children. She can say "I have been down this road and I can show you the way, you will make it."
My heart is full, I am so grateful! What a Blessing!

Dad and Mom were so proud of our little boy!


Jaxten's interview with Bishop Martin

The excitement was building

Jaxten loves Granny and Grandpa

We love our little guy!

Jaxten's Special Day

January 3rd 2009 was a very important day in Jaxten and our families lives. He became the newest baptized member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. It was such a special day. He is usually really shy when it comes to showing any emotion but on this day he was all smiles. He couldn't hold it back. He was so excited. I know it was truly his choice, not just his parents choice, to be baptized. He has really been thinking a lot about gospel questions such as the Resurrection, and the baptism of Jesus Christ. We were driving home from Church the other Sunday with just him in the car. He spent the whole drive home asking his dad and me all sorts of random questions. It amazed me how much his little mind could comprehend. I just think of him as my little boy but he is growing up and thinking for himself.

The baptism was very nice. He planned the whole program. He wanted his Uncles' Erick and Brian to say the prayers. He asked his Granny Karen to talk on Baptism and Aunt Kami to talk on the Holy Ghost. I know that his sweet Grandma Bigelow and Grandma Carlene were there also. Grandpa Bill had the honor of Baptizing him and Grandpa Bigelow confirmed him a member of the church and blessed him with the gift of the Holy Ghost. He wanted to sing "Book of Mormon Stories" and we sang it after he changed out of his wet clothes. He was so happy. He didn't want to plug his nose to go under water so Grandpa Bill just dipped him in. As we were changing him into dry clothes he said "Mom this has been the funnest day of my life, I feel so clean." I felt his little spirit knew what just happened. I can tell that in a sense he HAS changed. We have always fought him with being wiggly during prayers. Sunday as we listened to the Sacrament prayer I didn't even have to remind him to fold his arms and be still. When we have family prayer, he seems to be a little more reverent.
The only thing he could have change was to have his older brother Landon baptize him. I told him he would have to wait another year for Landon to come home from his mission. He was willing to do that. We told him "WE" couldn't wait. He just wished Landon could have been here but when we told him that is what Landon is doing, baptizing people into the Lord's church, he understood.
Aunt Amie asked me if I saw him during his confirmation. She said he had the biggest smile on his little face until Grandpa Bigelow said something about taking a sweet daughter of God to the Temple. She said he kind of got a "not so sure look" on his face. Remember he is still 8. He wanted a pair of Nike's for Christmas so he could run fast to get away from the annoying little girls.

He is excited to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He would tell me all the things the Holy Ghost does for someone. "As long as they don't do anything bad, huh mom?" We'll see how long an 8 year old little boy can be perfect, the next lesson will be on what to do to repent......stay tuned!

Jaxten's Birthday 12/26/08

Poor Jaxten. He kind of gets jipped when it comes to his Birthday. I went into labor with him 8 years ago on Christmas day. We drove to Showlow in the middle of a blizzard. That's why his middle name is Snow. We wanted some kind of Christmas, Winter connection. I know, weird but I tell him that it means "Christmas Snow" the most purest of all Snows. We tell him it is to remind him to live a pure life. He didn't come on Christmas but was born at 12:30 a.m. The Nurse's name was "Noel" and the Anaesthesiologist had a big fluffy white beard and smelled like ham. The Nurse's put him in a red stocking and placed a Santa hat on his head. It was a Christmas Story we will tell him every year and share with his children someday. It was our "Special Delivery"

Anyways, when his Birthday comes there is no cupcakes at School, everyone is tired of parties and money has run out. Mom is just plan worn out to plan anything else. He usually ends up with a little money to run and pick out his own presents. He did remember that Grandpa Bill gives money for birthdays so he kept asking Macie and Brayden "How much money did Grandpa give you?" He was excited for that. We were suppose to have his Baptism the Saturday after Christmas and that even got postponed. We will have it on the 3rd of January. I know I should plan more but it's a hard one to get through. He just gets everything in a lump sum. Poor Kid!

We gave him a card with his own money and Granny came through and reminded Grandpa Bill about his Birthday. We made a cake and Aunt Leah and Uncle Sherod came down that evening. It did make it seem like it was a real birthday. He wants to go to the movies and celebrate when he is baptized. He is still little so we can sort of get away with it but not for long!! We are so thankful for our little guy and we are so glad we have him. He still lets us love on him and gives us hugs and kisses. We still need them even if he is a big 8 year old. We hope the hugs and kisses never stop but sitting on our laps to do it is getting a little hard, he is getting so big!

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