Happy 4th Birthday, Carter!

Happy 4th Birthday, Carter Boy! For breakfast, he requested pancakes with a "4" candle in it. He woke up bright and early and excited for the day! :)

Carter with his presents. He loves Thomas the Train and the collection of trains sooooooo much!! Most of his gifts consisted of those items.

He got to take the snacks today to preschool since it was his birthday. He chose to take fruit snacks and juicy juice drinks. Here he is with Ms. Deana where he got a "special" crown. 

Carter wanted to go to the park. We went to the park in the evening...and it was so nice temperature wise for it being Oct. 22nd. Here he is pushing his little bro in the swing. :)

It wouldn't be a birthday for Carter without a Thomas the Train cake. He said he had a good day...I sure hope so! Here are four fun facts about today's birthday boy: 1) He has a contagious smile. 2) He is a HUGE Thomas the Train fan. 3) He is our puzzle man. He loves to complete a puzzle a day, if not more. 4) He is mom's BEST laundry helper. Happy 4th Carter Boy! We are thankful you are a part of our clan! We love you!!!

Happy 5th Birthday, Cannon!

Happy 5th Birthday to Cannon Boy!!! October 21st, 2008 we welcomed you into this world!!! Five tidbits about this boy: 1) He has an INCREDIBLE memory. 2) He loves to read and be read to. 3) He is very helpful with his younger brothers, and is always looking out for them. He roots for the underdog. 4) He is our technology man. He is especially fond of Angry Birds. 5) He is wise beyond his years.

This boy has pancakes almost every morning for breakfast. Today was extra special because the pancakes contained five candles.

Cannon wanted to eat lunch at the park and play on the monkey bars and swings...easy enough. We went to McDonald's (his choice) to get lunch, and ate it at the park. This picture shows Cannon and Carter at the top of a hill/mound. They rolled down the hill in the leaves. It was a perfect fall day.

Curtis pushing Cannon on the swing during lunch at the park. 

Cannon with his bros.

We made Cannon an Angry Birds cake. It wasn't perfection, but he loved it! Cannon said "thank you" at least 20 times throughout the day. He was grateful for his special day. He made it easy...he only wanted grilled cheese for dinner. :) What a good boy we have been blessed with! We are so grateful to have you in our family! We love you!!!

183rd Semi-Annual General Conference Quotes

Here are some quotes that really stood out to me during conference in no particular order:

"God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him."  - Sister Carole M. Stephens

"Meekness does not mean weakness." - Elder Ulisses Soares

"Never look back - look at what we still have to do." -Elder Edward Dube

"There should be no more shame in acknowledging mental illness than in acknowledging high blood pressure." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Live by faith, hold fast to hope, and show compassion one to another." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." -Elder D. Todd Christoffersen

"The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection." - Elder Boyd K. Packer

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." - Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"If we see healthy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see there are things and choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding." -Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The acorn of honest inquiry has often sprouted and matured into a great oak of understanding." - Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The church follows two simple financial principles - we live within our means and we set some money aside each year for unforeseen contingencies." - Elder David A. Bednar

"It is not where you serve, but how." -Elder Edward Dube

"Our theology begins with eternal parents." - Elder Dallin A. Oaks

"You were supposed to remember." -Pres. Henry B. Eyring

"God has devised means to save each of His children." -Pres. Henry B. Eyring

"I gave Him to you, because I knew you could and would love Him, no matter what He did." - Pres. Henry B. Eyring

"There is joy guaranteed to the faithful." -Pres. Henry B. Eyring

"Man's law cannot make moral what God has declared immoral." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"There is an urgency for each one of us to be engaged in sharing the gospel." -Elder M. Russell Ballard

"Sometimes we just need someone to take our hands look us in the eyes, and say, 'You can do it now!'" -Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Courage - not compromise - brings the smile of God's approval." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks quoting Pres. Monson

"Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"We must not set our hearts so much on the things of the world and aspire to the honors of men that we stop trying to achieve our eternal destiny." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"The ultimate treasures on earth and heaven are our children and posterity." -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"The Lord sees weakness different than He does rebellion. With weakness there is always mercy." - Elder Richard G. Scott

"Repentance is not punishment, it is the hope filled path to a more glorious future." -Elder Richard G. Scott

"Think the best of each other, especially of those you say you love. Assume the good and doubt the bad." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Don't be just a 15 minutes a month home teacher or visiting teacher. Reach out to each individual member of the family. Get to know them personally. Be a real friend!" - Elder Richard G. Scott

"Our theology begins with eternal parents." -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"Good timber does not grow with ease; The stronger the wind, the stronger the tree." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson

"Will you finish or will you falter?" -Pres. Thomas S. Monson

"There are not only harmful addictive substances, but also harmful addictive philosophies." -Elder Quentin L. Cook

"The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one asked to administer the gift." -Elder Neil L. Andersen

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is that penetrating light which shines through the darkness of our lives." - Pres. Thomas S. Monson

"Men are not the priesthood, a man may pull back the drapes, but he does not own the sun." - Elder Neil L. Andersen

"When the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost come, you must have the courage to set aside your outlines and your notes and go where those promptings take you. When you do this the lesson you deliver is no longer the lesson, but becomes the Savior's lesson." - Elder David M. McConkie

"Don't neglect to look up!" - Elder Adrian Ochoa

"Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he things is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson

"If we do not take time to be well, we most assuredly will take time later on to be ill." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"If the bitter cup does not pass, drink and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Never too young to learn. Never too old to change." -Elder Russell M. Nelson

"Men and women, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters of God, we move forward together." -Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Self-mastery is to place reason over appetite." -Elder Russell M. Nelson

"The Lord needs the integrity of our hearts." - Elder Terence M. Vinson

"It is not easy to be a Latter-Day Saint. It was not meant to be easy. The ultimate goal of living in the presence of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a privilege almost beyond comprehension." - Elder Quentin L. Cook