Congratulations Officer Lutz

My baby brother graduated from the police academy today in Az. I didn't get to attend the graduation unfortunately but I am real proud of him. I know our dad is very proud of him today too! Congratulations Chadwick!!

More family pics!

Here's a few more photos from our little photo shoot.. She took a ton!


Me and my honey.. he looks great. Me- not so much! Too much cheese! lol Contimplating something

A family shot- they look great. Me again- not so much.

I love this picture of Reese!

Ahhh! We still like each other!

Fall!!!

My adorable babies!!!

And my favorite family picture!

Oppppppssssss....

I get a call yesterday from my husband while Anna and I are at NorthPoint enjoying our shopping day. He says "I should never try to fix anything".

Our furnace wasn't lighting so Jon went up into the attic to try to see what's going on. Course like every other light in our house, the bulb was out so he went to fix that and as he was going to go down the attic stairs (I think this is what happened) he FELL THROUGH THE CEILING!!!!!

He was able to catch himself but in the process, bruised his back and pulled a fat chunk out of his arm.

So Gregg North to the rescue!! This is one of the reasons I'm so grateful to be part of the church. The service that people give. Everyone is skilled in a different area. So where Jon lacks in any home improvement skills, he is amazing with a computer. But with just a phone call, we were able to get someone willing to come help us fix the ceiling. He was here from around 9ish until almost midnight! Not only did he patch our ceiling, he got our furnace working. We are truely grateful!

We still have some work to do but this is the after!!! No more gapping hole in my attic!

Just have to share

We got our family pictures done on Saturday and they're in the process of being edited but I just had to share this one of my little Rielly. She amazes me!!! I can't wait to post others! If you're reading this and live in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend Melanie North (Barefoot Photography) for your family pictures.

Welcome to America Anna!!

My good friend Anna is here visiting me for a week from Sweden! I am looking forward to a fun filled week with a great friend!

Welcome to America Anna Banana!!

For the Beauty of the Earth

My friend Brenda and I went for a walk this morning because the weather was absolutely beautiful! A slight breeze, few clouds and the trees... oh my heavens THE TREES!! I love fall. It is my absolutely favorite time of yr. The smells, the colors, the air and just that wonderful feeling. It fills me with joy and with that joy, I think of all the other beauty I come across every day. The beauty of my friends, the beauty of family, the beauty of children and their perfect innocence. The beauty of church houses and the temples. I can go on and on. And today just made me think of the wonderful hymn:

1. For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,


[Chorus]
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.


2. For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light,


3. For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,


How could we not look at the beauty all around us and just wonder and praise the creator who created this place? There is so much trouble in the world *cough Obama cough* but just look out your window.. so much good also!

I found this from the wonderful prophet Gordon B Hinckley- he gave a talk at BYU once and talked of 10 of his own personal beliefs. This is what he wrote about being thankful for the earth and the beauty.

"Two: I believe in beauty.
The earth in its pristine beauty is an expression of the nature of its Creator. The language of the opening chapter of Genesis intrigues me. It states that “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” (Gen. 1:2.) I suppose it presented anything but a picture of beauty.

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3.) And so the creation continued until “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31.)

I interpret this to mean that it was beautiful, for “out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight.” (Gen. 2:9.)

I believe in the beauty of nature—the flowers, the fruit, the sky, the peaks, and the plains from which they rise. I see and believe in the beauty of animals.

I see and admire beauty in people. I am not so concerned with the look that comes of lotions and creams, of pastes and packs as seen in slick-paper magazines and on television. I am not concerned whether the skin be fair or dark. I have seen beautiful people in all of the scores of nations through which I have walked. Little children are beautiful everywhere. And so are the aged, whose wrinkled hands and faces speak of struggle and survival.

I believe in the beauty of personal virtue. There is so much of ugliness in the world in which we live. It is expressed in coarse language, in sloppy dress and manners, in immoral behavior which mocks the beauty of virtue and always leaves a scar. Each of us can and must stand above this sordid and destructive evil, this ugly stain of immorality."

Breathtaking isn't it???

I'm thankful for perfect moments... Tuesday

I'm thankful for a lot of things but this morning, I am thankful for the perfect moments in life. When Rielly was first born, I remember we all were walking around Target and just for a moment I looked at my family and I though wow.. this is truely perfect. I can't even express it.. such a feeling of contentment and pure joy and happiness and so much love. 3 yrs later, I still remember that feeling so vividly.

I had it again this morning.

Today is my 29th birthday and it started off.. well perfectly. Rielly climbed into bed with me followed by Reese. I had a kid on each side and they were snuggled up close to me and cuddling and QUIET. And Jon was on the end of the bed (poor guy he was getting slowly pushed off). I felt these kids pure love and comfort and adoration towards ME-- their mother. And all I could think about was this is absolutely perfect. These moments remind me of why I am here... why I have been given this devine calling as a women to be a mother. Not just any mother but THEIR mother. And I am truely lucky. What an awesome responsibility I have been given and much too often I take it for granted. But in that perfect moment, I was reminded of why I chose this calling and was given this right and for that, I am truely grateful.