"What is most important almost always involves the people around us."

~Hiking up Scout Mountain for Anna's birthday. 

"Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, 'They do not love that do not show their love.' We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us."

 ~President Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey" Ensign Nov. 2008, 86.

"When we have sampled much and have wandered far and have seen how fleeting and sometimes superficial a lot of the world is, our gratitude grows for the privilege of being part of someting we can count on--home and family and the loyalty of loved ones. We come to know what it means to be bound together by duty, by respect, by belonging. We learn that nothing can fully take the place of the blessed relationship of family life."

~"A Sanctuary from the World," Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Feb. 9, 2008, 29.

My dad really is awesome. He gives the best advice, and I value his wisdom. He is ever supportive of me and my family and always respectful of my beilefs. I try to be more like him every year.

Wayment Family Luao, August 2011 

(1.My dad and I, 2. Russ, Kya, and Ben 3. My sisters Emma, Alisha, Haylee, and me!)

I have the BEST sisters. They are all my bestest of friends. We have overcome so much and they will always be the ones who remain the closest to my heart (along with my husband and children) 

"Everyone has weaknesses. The adversary knows the Achilles' heel of your loved ones, your friends, your roomates, your brothers and sisters, and your parents. Do you understand your Achilles' heel? Do you know the situations you have to stay away from and what your weaknesses are? The secret of a happy marriage is to protect the Achilles' heel and not take advantage of the weakness of those you know the best, love the most, and ultimately can hurt the most.

"Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings" (D&C 108:7)"

~Elder Robert D. Hales, "A Little Heaven on Earth" Ensign, Sept. 2011, 48.

"Give your child a compliment and a hug; say, 'I love you' more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It's so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they're gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of 'what if' and 'if only'...

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family. One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important."

~President Thomas S. Monson, "Joy in the Journey" (Brigham Young University Women's Conference, May 2, 2008)

 Mosiah 5:15 “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.”

"To you who are parents, I say, show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them."

~"Abundantly Blessed" Ensign, May 2008, 112.

 Fun at the Pocatello Zoo...the toys were the best part!

"...express your love to your children. Pray for them that they may be able to withstand the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and testimony. Pray that they may pursue lives of goodness and of service to others."

~"Until We Meet Again," Ensign, May 2009, 113

“Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119).

"May our families and homes be filled with love; love of each other, love of the gospel, love of our fellowmen, and love of our Savior. As a result, heaven will be a little closer here on earth.

"May we make of our homes sanctuaries to which our family members will ever want to return."

~"A Sanctuary From the World," 30-31


All of these quotes have described exactly what has been on my mind over the summer, what I am trying to accomplish with my own family and within my own home. I wanted to share them with you, in hopes that they will help inspire and uplift you like they have me, in giving direction and instruction to better help all families everywhere to be a little better, and to reach a little higher. Much is asked of us in these latter days, but I know I can do what Heavenly Father sent me here to do, as long as I have the help of my family, gospel, scriptures, and words from our Prophet and Apostles, general authorities, and local church leaders. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints is a blessing in my life and I will ever be thankful to be a member for all that I have learned and how it has helped and will continue to help me become more like my Savior. It is hard to go through the "refiner's fire" but I know it is worth it in the end. I was sent here to do many things, and one thing I know for sure, was to be a mother. How grateful I am to be one! And I am so ready to wake up each day and find ways where I can be a better one. I will always have a purpose in this life as long as I have my children gathered around me.

Kindergarten babies, FIRST GRADE tots...

...second grade angels, third grade snots. Fourth grade peaches, fifth grade pears, and all the rest are BIG FAT BEARS!!!!

Anna Belle.....6 years old and as sassy as ever! Quite smart too, and independant. She will start first grade this week!!! Wow!

Here she is, 6 years ago, July 29, 2005

There is nothing in the world that brings me greater happiness, peace, joy, and inspiration than holding a newborn, fresh from Heaven. Every breath they take seems like a miracle, so perfect and wonderful, and I am always overcome with awe thinking that such a beautiful creation grew inside of me. I am always so thankful our sweet babies get to stay with us, too, healthy and thriving. Such a blessing.

I loved my baby girl from the moment we met, and she became attached to my hip (and heart)...a habit I carried on with each of my babies! Anna went everywhere with me! And I went everywhere with her! Sure, I didn't do everything right, but we learned so much beginning our journey as parents for the first time.

I feel like the past 6 years have passed by so quickly. I have so many wonderful memories already of my beautiful daughter, and I am so thankful to have her a part of my everyday. Here are some of my favorite moments with Anna:

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. 

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.

When I look at my daughter I see myself...only better.

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. 

A little girl can be sweeter (and badder) oftener than anyone else in the world. she can jitter around, and stomp, and make funny noises that frazzle your nerves yet just when you open your mouth she stands there demure with that special look in her eyes. A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot.
-- Alan Beck

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.

What the daughter does, the mother did. 

And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships.

Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth.

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer. 

I believe in love and hope, in jamming out by yourself in the car.
I believe in having someone tell you You're Beautiful, dancing in the rain and miracles.
I believe in smiling until your cheeks hurt and laughing until you cry.

Mothers and daughters are closest, when daughters become mothers.

Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty, and sometimes attract pests.

Suddenly, through birthing a daughter, a woman finds herself face to face not only with an infant, a little girl, a woman-to-be, but also with her own unresolved conflicts from the past and her hopes and dreams for the future.... As though experiencing an earthquake, mothers of daughters may find their lives shifted, their deep feelings unearthed, the balance struck in all relationships once again off kilter. 

Oh Miss Nanners...what would we ever do without you???
I Love this little sassafrass drama queen to Heaven and back...and maybe a bit more...

Now that miss Kya is getting older and entertaining herself, I am gaining back more time during the days to do more, which is a nice change! I love blogs about people and the things they create. Crafts, sewing projects, stuff for kids....very fun to see all the things people can come up with! I am hoping that one of these years, Russ will get me a sewing machine, because I have so many ideas in my head that are just dying to be created!!!! If you are interested, I have a friend who started a blog about what she creates.

Click here: *CreatingSarah*

After checking out her blog, I feel the need to create!!! Check it out. And create something too! Hey, it beats sitting in front of the t.v. Or raiding the kitchen cupboards out of boredom, right?

*Thanks miss Kya for finally learning how to crawl, for taking such awesome long naps, and for going to bed early each night! Really appreciating it. A LOT! Maybe I can actually start painting, writing, and creating once again....and blogging!

Cheesy chicken jalapeño dip. Easy, spicy, and sure to be a crowd pleaser!

So, we tried a new recipe last night and it was so SO yummy, I had to share! Try it this weekend and let me know how you liked it!!!

You will need:
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 C sour cream
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 can chopped green chilies
1-2 cans chicken, or same amount cooked shredded chicken breast
3 small jalapeños, roasted
Garlic, salt, and pepper to taste

1 pkg flour tortilla shells (small size for fajitas)
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomato

1-2 bags Birdseye Steamfresh southwestern style rice

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream with hand mixer. Stir in cheese, spices and chicken. In a small frying pan, add canola oil and jalapeños. Roast peppers until soft and skin is bubbly. (that's the only word that comes to mind, but you know what I mean, right?).

In a food processor, combine green chilies and jalapeños. Blend. Add to chicken mixture. (make sure to taste for spiciness. We roasted 6 small jalapeños, and the peppers combined with the green chilies was super spicy! I barely touched the tip of my finger in the mixture, and when I tasted it, my whole mouth was on fire! So we didn't add all of it to our chicken and cream cheese mixture!)

Pour chicken mixture into a square 9x9 baking dish, and I sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top. Then bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. (30 minutes was perfect for mine)

When done, you can eat the chicken dip with tortilla chips, or like we did last night, put it on soft tortilla shells, added lettuce and tomatoes, and the cooked rice.

It was YUMMYLICIOUS!!!!!!

Carter ate his all! Now that's saying something!

So.....try it.....SOON!!! You'll thank me, really....you will.


Ps: it is great for leftovers...and we are pretty picky about leftovers!

Let's celebrate 4 years of raising one little BOY...

Carter John Meredith

Born July 24, 2007

7lbs 8oz

A boy is a magical creature. You can lock him out of your workshop, but you can't lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you can't get him out of your mind.

A treasure to a little boy does not consist of money, gems or jewellery. He will find far greater pleasure in the wonder of a rock, pebble, stick or beetle.

 My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.
   -- Mark Twain

 To become a real boy you must prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish.
     -- From "Pinnochio"

  Tall oaks from little acorns grow.

I can sometimes resist temptation, but never mischief.

   He was born with a gift of laughter.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
   -- T.S. Eliot

You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes.

The past four years have been filled with everything from dirty cheeks and feet, slivers, bruises, tantrums, tent-building, monster fighting, pirate ship sailing, corner sitting, rolling, jumping, running, falling....a lot of falling, hugs and tickles, tears, and tears, and big ol crocodile tears...

It's been the kind of day when you wish it would never end, and the kind of evening where you wish the silence would never end. The years have been filled with, "you have 10 seconds to get to your room..." kind of threats, "you have 5 seconds to get up off the floor and stop crying" and often someting like, "you are out of seconds buddy" and somehow the fit ends abruptly and I find a little boy hugging my legs saying, "I'm sorry mom, I won't frow anymow fits."

4 years of push and push and pull at my heartstrings, a year where my patience reached it's last thread, only to find that through year two and three and four, my patience grew more threads! Kinda funny how that happens. And how funny it is that when I look back, those so called "awful" days don't seem so awful anymore, and most of em have already been forgotten, and all I find myself doing is remembering the chubby little baby I used to hold in my arms, with red rosy cheeks and drool dribbling down his chin. And I think back to his first steps, first words, first giggle, first smile...

and it becomes such an amazing miracle and journey...this life....his life...

And all I feel is GRATITUDE...

for the opportunity to have 4 years with my little man.

Love ya buddy! A whole lot!!

Ooooh!!

So Stinking CUTE!!!