mile high cougar run

a few weeks ago dave and i ran a byu alumni 5K. 

it was hot, there wasn't any water on the course, there was some serious off-roading with the stroller and the kids definitely got bounced around (emma's hat even got bounced off). it felt way harder than a 5K usually is (and i couldn't believe how totally wasted i felt afterward), but we finished! and had some seriously red faces to show for it.

logan and emma were sporting their cute byu shirts, which logan calls his b-i-u shirt.

my friend seth took this picture on the final stretch (a hill) of the race. if you can't tell, i want to die :) i kinda wanted to cry when i saw that hill and i think i was barely running and able to push the kids up that thing. but i did. woohoo!

hose + water = endless fun

this past saturday i attended a photography workshop, "say no to auto" put on by photographer kristen duke. i had actually heard about the class before and thought, "that class sounds perfect for me. i have no idea how to use my camera and i always shoot on auto." well lucky me, she was passing through colorado and holding a workshop and really lucky me, i entered a contest on a blog to attend the class and won! woohoo! so i learned the basics about shooting manually and adjusting my ISO, aperature (f-stop), and shutter speed. of course now i actually have to practice so i'm not tempted to switch back to auto (it's easier). on monday the kids were playing outside and i decided to practice a little. just remember, i'm learning ;)

these picture just feel like summer to me! i love watching them play together. it's amazing how anything with water is instant fun.

i think logan had just doused emma with cold water in the crying picture below. and of course i took a picture before comforting her. we're trying to raise tough kids ;) haha!

 

if you look closely at the picture of logan below, i caught him jumping and his feet aren't touching the ground!

and just a few bonus pictures of last week when we were watering the grass and logan just couldn't resist running through the sprinklers. 

 

his pants got so wet they kept falling down! haha!

and emma watched longingly from the back door. she just needs to start walking so she can join in the fun (she doesn't like the feel of grass and of course that is only magnified i'm sure with our grass being so errr...crappy!)

mother's day 2012

kari brought it to my attention the other day that i never posted about mother's day (which was also her birthday). and i'm so glad she reminded me because somehow these pictures got "lost" in iPhoto (i had a hard time finding them, which is why they probably didn't get blogged). it was a wonderful day spent with family, celebrating the wonderful mothers in our lives. kari hosted a brunch at her house, which was so thoughtful considering it was her birthday and first mother's day! we ate yummy food and had a great time chatting.

lisa & korrie - beautiful mother & daughter

me, kari, kathy, korrie, lisa, kristi, collin, grandma gg

i feel so lucky to be part of the wessler family. not only have i been blessed with an incredible mother, but i have been blessed with an incredible mother-in-law. she is so sweet, kind, generous, selfless, fun and loving. it's no wonder she raised such a good boy. 

lovin' up on baby collin. isn't he the cutest (he actually looks a lot like logan did as a baby too)?! i love the picture of he and kari. you can just tell how much she loves being the mama of that little guy. she is such a great mom and he is one lucky boy! 

grandma gg was lucky enough to be with all 3 of her girls on mother's day since kristi was visiting from vegas. she was in heaven!

since mother's day was spent with family (breakfast at kari's, dinner at the wessler's and dessert at my parent's) dave didn't get the chance to spoil me (food wise, that is). so a few days later he and logan whipped up some cap'n crunch encrusted french toast. i am a huge breakfast fan (probably my favorite kind of food) and french toast is my favorite. dave had seen them make this at the culinary school and decided to give it a try. it was unique and yummy and i always love having my boys cook for me. besides, i can't get enough of logan in the chef's hat!

while the boys cooked, emma snacked...and looked cute!

dave gave me these gorgeous lily's and they made our whole house smell incredible! unfortunately they also made dave's allergies go crazy. he suffered for a 4 or 5 days before he finally couldn't take it anymore and the flowers found a new home with our friends (who had just had a baby so it was perfect)!

"Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children which have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no greater mission than to rear them in light and trust, and understanding and love; that she will have no greater happiness than to see them grow into young men and women who respect principles of virtue, who walk free from the stain of immorality and from the shame of delinquency.... I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world."-- Gordon B. Hinckley

as i read the quote above, i couldn't help but think of my wonderful mother, who has and still does, find her greatest joy in motherhood. she is someone who took seriously the mission to rear her children in "light and trust, and understanding and love." she recognized the sanctity of her calling as a mother and still strives effortlessly to draw her children/their spouses/grandchildren closer to the savior. when i have hard mothering days or begin to feel overwhelmed by the incredible trust the lord has placed in me to raise these sweet spirits, i am so grateful for the example of my mother, who has taught me that i can turn to the lord in all things (especially mothering). i am so grateful to be a mother! i'm also sad i didn't get a single picture with my kiddos on mother's day. figures! 

moptop and a puzzle

emma's hair is getting longer and longer and crazier and crazier! my favorite is her bedhead! it's a little moptop going in every direction

 a rare instance where emma is the one harassing logan. usually it's the other way around (motivated by love...mostly).

 logan is at the age where he can start to play games and do puzzles. this was our first time doing his construction puzzle. he was so proud of himself every time he found pieces that fit together...and so was i!

10 years ago today...

10 years ago today i entered the missionary training center and began my 18 month mission for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. i can't believe it has been 10 years! seriously, i am starting to feel old ;) i can honestly say serving a mission is one of the best decisions i have ever made. before i went on my mission i was promised in a blessing that my mission would be a blessing in my life and a source of strength and joy that would bring dividends. 

(with suzi just before going into the mtc. and my camera date was wrong because it was the 5th!)

i've been thinking about those promises a lot today. the things i learned weren't necessarily new to me, but i began to understand them in a more real and personal way. it was on my mission that i really learned to recognize the promptings of the spirit and i saw how the lord can lead us. i learned with unshakable assurance that god knows us as individuals and hears and answers our prayers.  

i caught a glimpse of the love that god has for his children as i served those around me. i felt god's love for me in a real and unmistakable way. i learned that watching others exercise their agency can sometimes be frustrating and heartbreaking (oh the tears i cried on my mission). 

(the other 3 sister missionaries in my district)

and i was reminded that you can't give someone a testimony. you can't convince them to believe. you can only testify (and oh how amazing it was to bear testimony all day, everyday) of the truth, and then they must choose to find out for themselves and act on that knowledge.  

(the classic mtc picture with my district)

i was reminded of the joy that comes from the gospel and from being obedient to god's commandments (and that there is no other way to find true joy). i learned that jesus christ is my savior and that his atonement not only allows me to become clean again, but enables me to do and be more than i ever could on my own. 

(one of the greatest cities. seriously, go there!)

 i learned the joy that comes from service and building the kingdom of god. and that it is hard work and tiring :) man being a missionary was hard, hard, hard!

(president and sister taylor. they are the best and i love them!)

i learned that few things in life can compare to the feeling you have when someone learns the truth for themselves and accepts the gospel of jesus christ. it is the most amazing feeling! talk about joy!

(melanie donahoo, my trainer)

i was also promised in my setting apart that i would serve with eternal friends and that couldn't be more true. i created amazing bonds because of our experiences and service together.

(liz thomas. i have no idea where we were)

(sally lambert and kimber donohue)

(cheryl o'brien)

(andrea lewis, my last companion)

and it is no doubt the things i have learned have blessed me with strength and joy in life and have brought me dividends, because i have had to draw on them constantly over the past 8 and a half years since i got home. i especially find application right now in my calling and as i navigate this great adventure of motherhood and creating my family. who knew the lessons from a mission would help so much in motherhood?! yea for the ctem!

and i just have to say, these pictures are not cute! i actually can't believe that i am posting them on here, but i'm doing it for the sake of preserving memories. at least i know that people listened to me because of my message and definitely not because i was nice to look at! :)

ordinary days

we play with trains a lot around here. i love when logan makes these really long trains. he's pretty proud of himself too!

emma loves to empty the silverware out of the dishwasher. the second i open the dishwasher, she is crawling as fast as she can to get there. i put silverware in and she takes it right out. it's not a big deal when the dishes are dirty, but i have to make sure to be a little more on top of things when they're clean. and emma's been doing a little squatting thing lately (pic above) and i think it is so funny!

emma discovered the grapes the other day while we were putting the groceries away and went to town!

i love this picture of the kids from the other morning when we went in to get emma. they sure love each other!

logan made a tunnel for his trains. i love seeing his little imagination at work!

today we stopped at a garage sale and logan got to play a set of drums. it made his day!