Life Long Friends

As many of you know I recently returned from Oregon of which I still need to finish writing about but just wanted to post these fun pictures. I am so great full of the time I was able to spend with the Rowe's Angela Jason and Abbie thank you for another great visit. Abbie thanks for reminding me how much I love what I do. I really miss Oregon!!! Next I will be bringing Brittney and getting to play with baby Rowe.

Tonya Is in Oregon for 6 Days

Day one drive from Cedar City to Medford 13.5 hours in the car with Kasey, Pauline, Trent, and Jadon. It was a blast movies treats and pit stops all combined with XM radio 90's channel. we even included the lakers game. Whoa!!! Thanks Durbin family for the fun ride. The boys did great and I think we only herd are we at the beach yet a few hundred times.(Its ok Trent I was that excited to be in Oregon too!!!!)

Day Two In bed by 3:00a.m. and up at 7:00 am with Abby. Angela was off to work at 9:00 and so Abby and I got to quietly read books, build with blocks, cook in the play kitchen, learn all about the alphabet from Abby(This girl is a genius 2 and truly knows the Alphabet), bear crawl up and down the hall, and even watch Sid the Science Kid Abby's favorite. During nap time I finished all of my home work and we waited for Angela to return home from work. I promised Abby we would go for a walk and she kept telling me go to the MALL!!! a Girl after my own heart. So at 5:30 Angela, Abby and I where all off for a night of walking the mall Yeah!!!! At 7:45 it was time to load back into the car and take Abby home to put her to bed. Abby is cutting molars right now and so Angela got a taste of the terrible two's at bed time. She did awesome, after only about 35 min Abby was a sleep and in bed Great work Angela. Then it was on to the introducing of Digital Express Club and Story Tellers, Angela loves to scrapbook as much as I do, now she will know how to do it even faster. In bed by 12:30 not to bad.

Day Three We bummed around the house tell about 10:00 and then it was off on a day of hitting the old favorites. Are first stop was Food For Lees for Groceries for the BBQ. Are next stop was my favorite place to get dance cloths when I was on drill team. Yes Brittney scored but what do you expect. Next stop was Tiffany's second hand Store Jack and Jill's it is a super cute shop and Tiff has really done a great job. Congrats Tiff on the business and your cute family. It was really fun catching up. Are next Stop was The mall this time for shopping. We hit Children's place first, and than the Gap, Brittney's school Cloths wardrobe for 1st grade is well on it way. Little baby Rowe will be styling in his new jams sorry Angela I will not be able to stay for the shower but I know I will see pictures soon enough. Now we where on to target to look for flip flops for Abby(her new love), found cute pink ones and it was off to see what time the movie started.(Ghost of Girl Friends Past) With an hour tell the movie we went to Red Lobster for soup and salad so it would be quick,and of course cheddar bay biscuits. The movie was great and we where so full we did not even eat popcorn great weigh watchers weekend. For those who know me yes I stayed awake for the whole movie!!!! But than we came home to watch he his just not that in to you and in case you where excited I did fall a sleep about 45min in! Sorry Angela but thanks for letting me sleep anyways.

Day Four I caught Abby early this morning so Jason and Angela could sleep in so it was a morning of Cereal and Tinker bell movie. We had lots to get done to get ready for the birthday party wrapping presents picking out cloth and teaching Angela how to do Topsy tails. I also introduced Angela to spray Gel I am excited I was able to pass something on. I was suppose to meet up with my friend Nicki today but she never text me back so it was off to Keria's Birthday which was super fun anyways. Jason's Dad was a great chef and Tiff did a great job with all of the party stuff it was perfect. I also got to visit with Angela's mom whom I love and still rate as one of my few adopted mom from High School. After the party it was home to bed for Abby and Jason and Angela and I watched Grand Torrino. Lots of swearing but great movie anyways, and no I did not fall a sleep. Went to bed about 11:30 thow
TO be continued........

Count My Many Blessing Name Them One by One

Over the past six months I feel like I have been on the world’s largest roller coaster. With school, work, PTA, church calling, wrestling, dance, family events and every thing else I may have missed I am grateful to finally take this time to count all the many blessing in my life.
1. The Gospel
Eternal Families (To know that I will be able to see my father in law again I miss him more and more every day it seems), Repentance (I am grateful that the choices I make in life do not have to be held over me forever), The Holy Ghost (to remind me of why things might not be what they seem), Families (My Husband, my children, parents, grandparents, in laws, and even friends), Genealogy (I am sure if I ever take the time to do genealogy I will find more ways I can be growing my family) The ability to serve others, faith, Testimonies, great leaders, forgiveness, The Prophet (whom I was able to hear speak in person thanks to my amazing friend Shannon), Primary children, Home teachers, Visiting Teachers, The Scouting Program, The Scriptures and the priesthood. I have no Idea where my life would be without the Gospel. Thank you, Heavenly father for sending your son. Joseph Smith, for sacrificing your life for the greater good of man kind it is a blessing we all must share.
2. My Husband Travis, thank you for your Example, for always working hard, for the amazing example of service you are to our children and others, your smile, the way you look at me when you want something, your ability to forgive others, your many talents, the peace maker you are in our families, and any and all other things that you may do that can seem to go unnoticed.
3. My Children, Cameron for always encouraging me to work harder and not give up, Blake for never giving up even when things in life seem way more work for you than others, Billy for always smiling and the way to carry on the name of the great man you Grandpa Bill is I know he is proud of you and always will be, Brittney for your promise to always be my best friend no matter what happens in our life’s that might want to change your mind(Remember you put it in writing for me so you can't go back on it)
4. My Parents, Mom, for teaching me how to work hard, how to serve others, to put others needs before your own, how to bake, how to sew, the important of family time, for your many examples of giving of your self to save others, for your example of the importance of the gospel in are lives, and for just being my mom. Dad, for showing me how to stuff a turkey, cook almost anything, fix a flat, change a tire, tear apart an engine and put it back together, for believing I could do anything even boy things, for taking us to church when mom had to work, and forgiving me when I made mistakes.
5. My Sibling's, Troy for the amazing brother you are and always will be for the sacrifice you gave of your own life and time to help raise all of us I know Mom will never be able to repay the sacrifice but I am eternally grateful for it. Cindy for always being forgiving of my many faults, for helping with my children, my work, and my patients, I know it is not easy to live with me but thank you for sharing your special sprit with my family. Doug, for being my best defender growing up, for protecting me from the hurt of stupid boys (even if I didn't think they where stupid), for now protecting are country, you could be anything yet choose to serve are country. Christina, for be my twin growing up, for being my best friend and my worst enemy, for also choosing to give of your self to serve are country, for being a great mom to my wonderful nieces and nephews and for being an example to your husband and his family (some day your sacrifice will pay off).
6. My many friends from Oregon to Utah from Elementary School, Junior High, High school, College, Work, Church, PTA, associations with my children and the mom’s and dad’s of daycare. I think I often forget to remember the shoulders of those I leaned on that got me to the point that I am in my life. I have a mental list a mile long, but for fear of forgetting someone I am leaving it a mental list but those of you who read this just know I am the person I am to day because of your examples.

To be continued……

School is going Great!!!!

Life at the Fails' house is crazy. I do not know what made me think I could go to school, run a business, be PTA president, be a mom and wife ALL at the same time, but it seems to be working. I pasted yet another math test and my grades just keep getting better. I am also taking a photography class. So I decided I would post some of the pictures, I have had to take for different assignments. The first is of Cam's football game it was for shutter speeds, the next two where for abstract photography, the fourth is depth of field, and the fifth is for street photography it is capturing things that tell a different story. If you can tell the little girl in the pink coat is crying and it looks like Brittney is celebrating like she hurt her or something. The truth is Britney is in a race with the other children and Cozy had just fallen down.

ALL BY MY SELF

I am finally going to get this thing going. Today is the first day in two months that I have taken the whole day just for my self. Travis if the worlds greatest dad and husband. He took all of the boys hunting for Chuckers today. And thanks to Brittney's large desire to have sisters and my great neighbor Jared, Brittney has been gone all day as well. I have caught up on sleep, worked on our blog and watched lots of movies.