Lost Somewhere In The Desert

I'm lost somewhere in the desert in a place called St George. It's been just over a year that we embarked on a new adventure! I'm beginning to think that's the only way we know to have fun.
Ken is working on a new arm of the business helping develop a POS software. I know... that is the last thing I thought I would ever see him do! The software that the company bought was from here and so it needed someone to oversee it and guess who got the part?? I've learned over the years that the only way to make memories is to go out and make them, so here we are, making memories in the last place that I would ever choose to do so!
Time is about up for us here and we have fallen in love with this dry red ground. Life seems a bit slower and we live just a few miles away from town. Not crazy traffic or people, just small town feel. There would be some who disagree with that, but every time we head up North I can't wait to get back to this crazy! For the first year June 2014-June 2015 we were very excited to have spent time off of Snow Canyon Parkway in Entrada. The subdivision was a dream with views of the Red Mountains and Snow Canyon. The home was beautiful and for a year we lived on Vacation! We are now living in another beautiful location with the feel of more like home. Our backyard backs the desert and we are living in a beautiful home while our friends (Loves) parents are serving a mission. The kids have went to two different schools and they too are moving out of comfort zones as they adapt.
Jaden came home to a different home. We sold our Mountain Green home in March and we did so with a few tears. Dakotah and Mikayla were drug down with us and now live in Hurricane. They also have found beauty in this part of the world! Being with my new daughter-in-law over this past year has been such a blessing to me. I love her as a daughter and a bestie! We have explored the shopping and the food and have made the Swig Drink place rich! She spends most of her days working at T.J. Maxxs and I am left to fill my days anxiously awaiting the kids coming home from school. The Temple here is beautiful and close. There is such amazing history here. There is plenty to do if you hike or bike but with the temp average of about 100.. I enjoy the inside. The big boys are doing school, Dakotah at Dixie and Jaden on-line at Weber. We have reconnected with some old friends. Kristy and Kent Bodily. Ke'Nia has found a bestie in their daughter Cherstin and Jaden spends time with their sons Brandon and Austin.
Life is Good!
We are Happy!!
What more could I ask for? Surrounded by our Children and a man I can't keep my hands off of <3 p="">

Double- Digits

Our youngest is now into the double digits!  10 years ago?? 10 years ago!  Ke'Nia was born in Coupeville Washington...such a tiny part of our lives but enough time to gain some most fabulous friends for a lifetime.  We love and miss Washington and that part of our lives.  Such an important chapter to never ever be forgotten.  Heavenly Father really knows whats best for us and oh how glad I am that He steers the ship.  Moving to Washington would have never been considered if Ken and I were given the choice or had our prayers answered the way we thought they needed to be answered.   Faith was practiced in a way that seemed to be the ONLY way to mending, growing and learning.  The trial was a blessing and we are way better off because of it.  So happy to have a piece of our family born into that beautiful time of our lives in such a beautiful place.  No longer a trial thats memory is bitter, but a memory that is a strength and a blessing surrounded by peace and love.  It may have taken me close to now to realize it, but when you "Let it Go..." you can find blessings that were there all along.  Anywhooooo She is 10 and we did celebrate!  The proof is in the pictures!

You can already see that tween sass!

no baby dolls??

Lil Mermaid

Maxwells Pizza in Park City

We stayed the night in Park City, Swam, Ate and played a game of Farkel.  Oh ya.... and SHOPPED!

Backing up.......

The Wedding wasn't the only thing going on in our world believe it or not!  No that we are breathing again I'm taking a moment to step back... OCTOBER...wouldn't be the same without the good ol' Pumpkin Patch!

Girlie Cousins

Cousins!

Cousin Fun

 Ke'Nia had a piano recital!

 Oh how we love Traditions!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture!

2 Brides for one Scarecrow??  Sounds like a good idea to me!

Hmm it may have lasted a couple of days!

Halloween at the Martins

Gardner Village!  another to do on our list!

Witches and shopping! 

Leaf Angel...Leaf Angel...I LOVE FALL!!

Around and around the go....

Done Deal for Eternity

He did it!  Our oldest is now a married man.  Yep..time did go by and the unimaginable really did happen.  Our first baby that we held for the first time and could not even think that 22 years would come so quickly.... came.  We now are parents to 5 children...What a blessing!!  Ke'Nia now officially has a sister!  There day was PERFECT and beautiful! Only thing that could have made it better??  Elder Martin being there to share it.

The first few Minutes after becoming Mr and Mrs Martin

Friends forever

Freezing but beautiful day!

Who's the Newlyweds??

I got all my bros....Isn't Ridge so handsome?  Perfect Best Man!

They Will Be Hitched Before We Know It!

Yesterday I gave MiKayla a Sugar and Spice a Little Naughty and Nice bridal shower and of course it snowed and snowed and snowed!  But amazingly almost everyone showed and showered her with wonderful stuff!  It was so fun to Parteee and catch up with everyone.  This is how it went down....

The Party is Here!

Lace and Burlap

Brown Sugar scrup for the Mrs.

Sugar Cinnamon for the Miss's

Spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!  YUM

 The house was filled with dear friends and family!  We served Taco Salads for the Spice part and she received plenty of spicey gifts ;)

Once Upon A Time

So there was this handsome Prince who one day found this beautiful Princess in a land filled with books and more books.  Books of Ancient History, Books of The Human Body, Books of Numbers and Books of Art....a most romantic place ever!  He finally got up the nerve to ask this Princess to accompany him on an outing.  And so they went and found it to be most pleasant!  The courting began and before long the Prince knew that this Princess was to be the one for him.  He decided one evening, the first day of Autumn to ask this beautiful Princess if she would join him on his journey to start their kingdom in a time for all of eternity.  She said YES!  The Queen and King were very very happy and knew that this lovely lady would love their Prince dearly.  This is the beginning of their story....

The Prince lit his lantern..got down one one knee and asked her the most important question of a lifetime...

She looked out upon all the lantern floating on the horizon...

and she said YES!

Never have I seen this Prince this happy!!

These are the well-wishers!

News..NEWs and BIGGER NEWS!

Playing Catch -Up is not my favorite so why oh why do I get behind!!  Oh well...Anyhow, Ke'Nia and I hosted our Mom and Me party in Sept and we had a blast!  You know me..I LOVE fall so we had a party!  We made each girl a smash book for fall, went on a hike to Snowbasin to enjoy the start of some beautiful leaf changes and decorated accordingly.  We made bread bowls that resembled pumpkins, Creamy Chicken Noodle soup, carmeled apples, had pumpkin marshmellow s'mores, hot carmeled cider and melon kabobs.  Enjoyed a bonfire and started our fall 2013 bucket list!

Added blue to our fall colors and loved the look!

Made the Hike just a bit more interesting

Cute friends..So Much Fun!  Thank you Rileigh, Annie and Maddie and Moms!

BIGGER NEWS to post...but not today maybe tomorrow hahahahahahhaahahahahahahah

Oh Summer...Where did you go?

It's not that we didn't get in fun...because we did!  But really??  Didn't have time to get bored and tired of the kids and now with school 8 days away... I am sooooo sad!  Not ready for schedules and bedtimes and reading, homework and taxiing!  Why does it have to end so soon?? 
I think I left off at about the 4th of July.  Ken and Ridge had Scout camp the week of!  Really!  What a way to kill a holiday.  So Ke'Nia and I joined the Baltazars and did the Morgan parade and swam at their house. 

Then we played The Amazing Race with the Whitemyer family, Amberlee's sis Nicole and kids  and cousin Chance.  Such a great time!  A lil educational the 1st night with some young teen boys, alcohol, and potty mouths that at 2:30 or so in the morning we grabbed the kids and came home.  We went right back up that morning and played and even stayed that night.  SO much FUN! 

Designing t-shirts

lil Miss Nells soo excited for her new outfit!

Same Teamsters

Ahh just take care of me boys...

Ke'Nia learned how to wake board this summer and is definitely feeling like she didn't get enough.  Ridge was not quite ready to take the plunge.  But the boat ride was definitely good enough!

Love all these boys!  and of course the lil princess!

Dakotah in all his studliness

popped right up but is sure she is going down!

Then a little last min trip for about a week to Oregon to see Crater Lake and catch a few fish then on to California to be awed by the Redwoods!  San Francisco was fabulous and Yosemite Park was Spectacular!  Ending the trip in Ely Wendover was not the highlight of the trip but with a great deserted never ending road and the BMW we flew across the desert like a fathom in the night!  No faster than triple digits of course ;)

Somewhere in Oregon Prairie City I believe??

Nicest Hotel of the trip

Just a lil incident...dang that nail!

Crater Lake

Catchin some fish in the Williamson River

Good Ol Paul Bunyan

The Redwoods

Loved Ocean World!

Yep...those ARE sharks!

She's smiling now.....

This is the way we play Gin Rummy!

WAY to much McDonalds on this trip and still no Fiat!

San Fran!!

Yummy seafood in San Fran!

Yosemite

El Capitan

 

The end....

 Great trip with Ridge and Ke'Nia ...we played while Dakotah worked on his truck.  Those pictures coming soon....
But speaking of Dakotah...22 He is now 22!!  Can't believe it but it's true!  Maybe by the time he is 23 he will be a married man.  Love his cute girlfriend!

His cake is on fire haha

Aren't they the cutest??!!