Say Cheese...

 Taking pictures can be so stressful! This is the best shot we could get of the children. Z is probably the hardest to get to cooperate with. She is always doing something. She is such a cutie...but she does not like the camera.

Our boys

the background in this picture is lame. But, I love these two boys with their flat caps.

Struggling in getting a picture of the girls

Our Cole...he's getting to big! He's such a handsome guy! Must take after his father! :)

Lady! I love her hair color. All NATURAL people! I use to have this color until I started coloring my hair after Cole was born! Wish I never started that!!  

This is just a shot of ladies personality. I love it!

Our Ryn is pretty easy to take pictures of. I love this picture of her. If we can hold time still....

Little Buster. This kid is always smiling. He can lighten your day with one of his smiles and hugs.

And here is Z... I LITERALLY took 50 shots of Azure. The first 30 I thought for sure we got a good one. But, when we got home and reviewed this is what we got....She was already playing and got her shirt dirty so we changed went back to our photo spot and took 20 more. HOLY MOLY child!

                         I love this! It is UNCLE RICO from Napeleon Dymanite. I Love it.

                                    This one was super cute. She is such a cutie if she could open her eyes.

 Finally! We got it! Her eyes are open, has a great smile, the lighting is perfect and wala! We didn't use this one on our wall. But it's one of the better ones. She has such pretty eyes! No photo shop here...I kind of don't like photo shop. It doesn't capture who they really are with their eyes changed and all. I want to remember who they are...Not photo shop.

YUP they are 5!

 Holy Moly they turned 5! Upon request... the twins wanted a jeep cake. So, I did my best.

 The kids loved this game...some have never heard of it! What the?

 All the little friends. Raegan, Z, Brielle, Jane, Daniel, Ashton & Lady

 Z was having the time of her life! This was the twins first "friend" birthday.

HaPpY BirThDay to our little friends! We love you so much and are so grateful you are in our lives! Though you were a surprise...YOU are both worth it! Kind of sad your getting old! :( You have been a ton of fun!  Lots of laughter with you two around. We have loved your personality's. Z with your spunky funky attitude and Ashton with all your smiles and hugs!

Christopher's Miracles

This is my brother Christopher with his family, his wife Mikel and  Daughter Kailey (by marriage with her husband and daughter Lily ). Christopher met Mikel 6 years ago. At the time he was an alcoholic. (since the age of 13) Christopher felt like a "loss cause" because our family, extended family, friends and neighbors have tried to help Christopher. Family counseling, rehab, living with family, being homeless, etc. It was a painful road to see your brother like this. I loved him. But, nothing...helped. No words could express the many times I would pray for him. We all prayed for him.

And then he met Mikel. A gentle soul.  I do not know what clicked in his brain to change. But, he took the challenge to do so. He has been sober for almost 4 years. He goes to AA faithfully...every Thursday night never fails, traveling or not. He "sponsors" lots of kids that struggle too.
Christopher and Mikel wanted to get sealed in the temple. They set a goal  for  December 2011.
In order for Christopher to go to the temple he had to pay off his child support. $20,000 for his son Austin who is 17 and lived in California. As of August 2011 they had nothing. Christopher and Mikel kept praying and fasting for more work to pay the dept. Christopher met with his Stake President to see what they could do...because nothing was happening...and they wanted to go to the temple. The Stake Pres. said they could NOT go until it was paid.

Miracle 1. Christopher landed a ton of  jobs in cleaning windows. One was a very huge client that Christopher was able to make $20,000 in 3 months to pay his dept.

Miracle 2. Tracy who is Austin's mom... Would NEVER talk to Christopher. Christopher could not see or talk to Austin. (who could blame her?) He wrote to Austin weekly. No response. But, this was when he was in his sober years. Anyway, Christopher called Tracy to see if she could accept the payment and get the legal work taken care of so he could go to the temple. I know she probably had her doubts that he would come through. But, on December 10, 2011. Christopher paid Tracy the $20,000. When Christopher & Mikel met with the Stake Pres. he asked to see the letter for himself that the dept was paid. He wept. They all wept.

Miracle 3. Christopher & Mikel got sealed in the Salt Lake Temple the 27th of December 2011. Christopher was supported by his family, close friends & his Stake President. A beautiful moment.

Miracle 4. Tracy wrote Christopher with thanks and asked if Austin can come live with him.

Miracle 5. Austin is here in Utah with us. It is fun to see who he is. I give thanks to Tracy for sharing him with us. She did a fantastic job and I am grateful for her and her family!

Meet Austin! Ashton and Austin.

Holy Moly they look similar! It is crazy that Austin and Christopher are a lot alike. Their mannerisms, slang's, and  personality.

Miracle 6. Christopher is going to college with a 4.0 at the  Uof U.

I'm proud of you Christopher! YOu have shown humlity, presurvance, determination, service and love. Thank you for your example to me. I admire the person you are becoming.

Wishing YOU a Merry ChrisTmas

 Making the gingerbread houses

Christmas Eve....The Lyman's all gathered at our home and had our traditional Christmas eve. But, this year my brother Christopher called Santa Claus to come see us! What a treat for the little ones! It was a perfect evening!

Z with Santa 

Ryn

Lady

Soup

My brother Christopher

All the children and cousins rein acted the birth of our Savior. While the story was read by my brother in law Jay. Super cute.

Awe! Great picture! Love those smiles! These two our my beloved parents...Who started it all.

This is what Santa brought. I love hanging out with Santa when all the children are asleep! It's fun and exciting. :)

Meryn is all smiles in the morning

HOLY MOLY! Azure got a DOG!!! Hurray! ( It's a upgrade from her paper dog that she made and took it everywhere with us) All smiles for Z

I love this picture. Such a classic! Checking out all the goods that the toy comes with.

Ashton is a happy little man

Lady got this outfit for her doll and was so excited!

Cole. Calm that morning. But, happy.

All dressed up ready to go to church at 9 AM! Our Cole set every phone, Ipad, clock for 5 am. We told the kids we would have to wait until church was over. NOT so! Cole took charge and woke us all up! We loved it though, the kids were so excited. We only had sacrament and it was perfect. I love this time of year! I love that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. I love that the focus is on him like it should be all year long. I am grateful that I get to know him through the scriptures. I am grateful for him.

Deep Thoughts

It's been so long since I have last posted. I have a ton to update. I'll have to get to that in a minute...has been my line for blogging. Two weeks ago Bryce and I got to hear our fav song sung in our ward.  It was humbling! The words in this  song really speaks to me .  I have LEARNED about the power of music both good and bad. I realize the POWER of the music & lyrics that can have a hold on your soul. If my heart could sing....this is what it would say.

Come thou fount of ev'ry blessing,
Tune thy heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise!

Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer:
Hither by thy help I'm come.
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive home.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed his precious blood.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.

O, to grace , how great a deptor,
 Daily I'm constrained to be!
May thy goodness,like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
 Prone to leave the God I love.
 Here's my heart, O take and seal it.
 Seal it for thy courts above.

Seal it for thy courts above!

I don't think there could be more perfect words than this! This is what my heart sings!! I wish I could sing! I would share with the world my love for him! I never thought of myself as stranger to him. I have always known he is there. But, It is up to me to FOLLOW him.
Sometimes you just get caught up in ALL the "day to day" stuff. That you forget to stop and see, smell and ENJOY the tremendous amount of beauty surrounding you. To feel his presence near you...saying he is here.