Liza Jane

Liza Beth,

Happy 17th birthday, baby girl!

Sisters are one of the best blessings in life. As the chubbiest, most coddled baby of the family, you are blossoming into a beautiful woman before our very eyes. I cannot believe you're 17 years old today. Where has the time gone? Sometimes I wish we were our little baby selfs again, playing "jobs" in the basement and running around the backyard in nothing but our underwear. But alas, those times can no longer exist:) However, moving back home has definitely been one of the BIGGEST blessings in my life right now because it has brought me closer to you. I see the decisions you are making and the way you are living your life and I couldn't be more proud of you, proud to be your sister. You radiate goodness and courage and I can see what a great friend you are to others. Thank you for being so brave, even when it gets tough.

I love you, Liza Jane! Happy Birthday!

thank goodness

Happy Thanksgiving. This year, Thanksgiving was something special. It was a time to let go and be a kid again. I love my cousins. I love them so much. As you can see in the pictures, the place is beautiful, but really it's all about the people for me, and there was no where else I would've rather been than with these hooligans. 

the beach

morning walks on the beach

" Good morning, Gill."

I said, "Good morning, Gill" 

(obviously, we have only had our eyes open for no longer than 10 minutes:)

playing on the beach

We made up games, flew kites, played a little Turkey Bowl (until the injuries started to surface), surfed, skimboarded, built sandcastles and crushed them. It was such a wonderful week of nothing productive!! Just what I needed!

Jumping over the waves.

Cutest couple award goes to these two^^

Wally found this treasure on the beach (the body of a stingray!!) 

As you can see our family is treated with girls...lots of little girls.

Aren't they adorable?

The girls thought it would be a good idea to do Nick's hair...haha such flirts. 

Also would you look at Maggie's face.  Priceless.

but we can't forget the outnumbered, darling little boys...

{Ficher^^ asked me to take his picture and immediately faked he was asleep when I began snapping. Don't let this little act fool ya:)}

surfing

 all the day long...

Nick convinced me to get a wetsuit for Black Friday! BEST investment EVER! It was the warmest thing I have ever worn...definitely came in handy with the ice cold water. 

 into the night...

Abby, Hannah and Liza^^^

^^Hannah

my lovely parents

and of course, the sleepover

All the single cousins were shun to the basement of the beach house. By the end of the week we had 10 bodies in this room. Needless to say, this was one of the highlights of the week for me. We stayed up late in the night watching crazy hippo YouTube clips, laughing, crashing hard and waking up to Miranda Sings. I love my cousins more and more. They are pure and curious about life. Being one of the oldest in the basement, I couldn't help but look at this younger generation and think how lucky I am to be related to such smart, genuine people. Oh I love them!

This trip accentuated that love even more. 

 Ian's face says it all!!

 Speaking of kind, genuine people--I know where my cousins get it^^. My grandparents are the most loving couple alive, literally! I am so lucky to be included in such a powerhouse lineage. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for such a wonderful Thanksgiving!! It was a great break from the real world and a chance to be a child again. 

I love you both!!

Lot's Wife

Sundays are always a great day for reflection, aren't they? Sundays for me are my release day. I tend to bottle things up throughout the week, and Sunday is my time to let everything go and sort through the messes I tend to get myself into.

Today, as I think about my life, I am partly in awe that I have gotten this far but also discouraged, wondering why am I not further in this journey I am currently traveling. 

I dedicate this post to those, like me, who may be discouraged at times with reoccurring battles, sometimes resulting in the inability to look forward in faith.

My mother referenced a talk today in church, "Remember Lot's Wife," by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. At first, I didn't think twice about this reference, but as I listened to the words of Elder Holland, I realized, this cycle I am living is a result of me acting like Lot's wife.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” 

                                                         -George Santayana                 

For those who don't know the story of Lot's wife, I will retell a short, concise (very humble) version.

In the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord commanded Lot and his family to flee these wicked cities that were soon to be destroyed, asking them never to look back. With a less than enthusiastic response, Lot and his family eventually left the city, just in time, avoiding the rained brimstone and fire that resulted in the cities' destruction.

Against the Lord's commandments, Lot's wife looked back to the cities, turning her into a pillar of salt.

Her destruction came as a direct result--not speaking of disobedience or sin-- of her inability to have faith for a brighter future.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said,

"The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind."

I absolutely love this! It's all about faith. Faith to change. Faith to learn from the past and MOVE ON. No more negative labels (whether they are vocally stated or just internalized silently). The beautiful aspect of the Atonement is allowing for room to change and grow. 

"To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now; to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future; to miss the here-and-now-and-tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there-and-then-and-yesterday—these are some of the sins, if we may call them that, of...Lot’s wife."

So between you and me, let's take the good from the past, learn from the bad, and make way for a brighter future. No more negativity and being debilitated by the inability to change and progress. 

To all such of every generation, I call out, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the “high priest of good things to come.”

Be brave and live for today! 

Welcome Autumn!

This weekend has been the BEST! Full of wonderful family, friends, uplifting messages, laughter, and love all around. There is nothing cozier than bringing lots of loved ones together to enjoy each other and welcome the autumn season. 

Two things: 

I love the gospel. I love it so much. There is nothing more warm and enjoyable than being uplifted by true, faithful disciples of Christ. The messages we heard are so encouraging and seem to be a ray of hope and light in a world of so much confusion and hurt. 

Family. It is so nice to be gathered together as a family. I never laugh so hard or love so much as when I'm with my family. We were also privileged to have a few more visitors -- my cousins came into town. When I was little, playing at my grandmother's house in Snowflake, Arizona with all my cousins was heaven on earth. Although my idea of heaven has expanded to encompass a few other things, I still believe cousins are some of the best angels around. 

Here is a little sneak peek of this weekend. 

After General Conference, we all ventured outside to enjoy the autumn leaves and get some fresh air. 

Oh, I love autumn and these goofs.

*Rach and Cars were at the Garretts' Sunday afternoon, so sadly I couldn't capture them in these photos but we love them all the same.