Our Missionaries are Home!!

Andrew's parents came home from their mission to Bolivia on April 11th

we were pretty excited on the drive up to the airport

their plane was supposed to come in from Dallas-FtWorth  at 11:00 PM

but it got delayed several times

they ended up getting there around 12:30 AM on Friday April 12th

This a group shot of those of us who went to the airport and our signs

Gerald was there...you can see a peek-a-boo of his head behind Makayla

and Kevin and Heidi came after this shot was taken

Conner and Makayla entertained Stella with Ring Around the Rosies

Right when they got off the plane!

Lots of hugs and tears from Grandpa and Grandma

After a fun reunion at the airport and gathering their luggage

We all headed home.

Stella never fell asleep.

Not on the drive up to the airport,

not while we sat in Darren and Jen's car watching a moving waiting for the delayed plane,

not in the airport,

and 

NOT on the drive home!

We rolled in at 2 AM and Stella fell asleep one block before our house.

I tell ya, this girl does not need sleep.

We are incredibly happy to have Grandpa and Grandma home!

We are so grateful for their wonderful example.

We know that we received many blessings because of their service

Their mission was tough and so was being away from their family

but they are pretty awesome to do it all.

It definitely shows what is most important.

They both gave great homecoming talks this past Sunday.

Our testimonies have been strengthened by theirs.

Welcome Home!!

Give Your Kids an Extra Hug Today

While vacationing this past week, we received one of the worst phone calls ever.

We found out that Andrew's little 6 year old cousin, Sierra

had been tragically killed.

You may have been following her story with the local news.

If not you can read more about it here.

This has been a really sad, hard week.

Everyday I cry over it and I pray for Andrew's uncle, aunt and cousins.

We weren't able to attend the funeral because we were out of town.

So I got these pictures from ksl.com

When life and our trials seem to hard to bear,

I'm so glad that I can lean on my testimony.

Andrew and I cannot believe how impossible it would be

for someone to deal with this if they didn't have the knowledge

that families can be together forever and that this little girl is in a better place.

Or how difficult it would be to ever find peace

without the Holy Ghost to comfort you.

I'm grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ

and for the chance our family has to be reunited with Sierra one day.

Preparing my Lesson

I recently got called to be a Relief Society teacher.

I had this calling once before--in a singles ward.

I guess I need more practice.

The best thing about being a teacher

is that it forces YOU to study.

Mormon Census

We got a kick out of this....one of them is bound to make you laugh out loud.

1. Name: __________
2. Descendant of:  A) Adam and Eve   B) Cain and Abel   C) Laman and Lemuel   D) Laurel and Hardy
3. Tribe:________
4: Number of occupants in home:
Nursery __
Jr. Primary__
Sr. Primary __
Young Women __
Young Men __
Relief Society __
Elder __
Dearly Departed __
High Priest __
5. Occupation:   A) Amway dealer   B) Shaklee dealer   C) Nonie juice dealer    D) Nu Skin dealer
6, Automobile:    A) Station Wagon   B) Van    C) Suburban    D) School Bus    E) Double Decker
7. Favorite place to eat the night before Fast Sunday    A) Chuck-a-Rama    B) Home Town Buffet    C) Sumo Sam's All You Can Eat Feeding Trough
8. Hero:   A) Nephi   B) Abinadi   C)  Samuel the Lamanite   D) Steve Young    E) Johnny Lingo
9. Which of the following do you bring to church?    A) Scriptures   B) Daytimers   C) Pen/Pencil   D) Lifesavers   E) Tic Tacs   F) Game Boy   G) Big Gulp   H) Cooler   I) Sony Walkman   J) TV Watch   K) All of the above
10. Do you prepare your lessons: A) A month in advance  B) A week in advance  C) While in the bathtub   D) While on the toilet   E) During Sacrament Meeting   F) During the closing prayer of Sacrament Meeting   G) During the opening prayer of the class you're teaching  H) Just wing it
11. Do you think pews should be permanently equipped with Big Gulp holders: __yes __no
12.  How many years has your family sat in the same place for Sacrament Meeting?  A) 10-20 yrs   B) 20-30 yrs   C) 30-40 yrs   D) Over 3 generations
13.  How much time does it take for you to fall asleep during a high council talk?  A) 1/100,000,000th of a second   B) 1/999,999,999th of a second   C) 1/999,999,998th of a second
14. What day of the month do you go home/visiting teaching? A) 31st   B) 31st   C) 31st   D) 31st
15. How many church basketball fight were you in last year?  A) 1-10   B) 10-20   C) 20-30   D) You'll have to ask my lawyer
16. Which of the following has been your most effective FHE?  A) Arguing about getting along   B) Having an opening and closing prayer with dinner   C) Gathering around the television to watch "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
17.  How many times a year do you make:
__Jello Salad
__Funeral Potatoes
__Cabbage and Top Ramen salad
__ Turkey, cashews, and grape-stuffed croissants
18.  how many water-filled two-liter bottles do you own?  A) 1-2 thousand   B) 2-3 thousand   C) 3-4 thousand   D) Enough to fill the Great Salt Lake
19.  Which of the following do you feel is the most secure facility in the nation:  A) Alcatraz  B) Fort Knox  C) Ward Libraries
20.  How many aerodynamic, mechanical and structural engineers do you hire annually insure you'll win the pinewood derby?
21.  Keeping the Word of Wisdom in mind, how much of the following do you consume:
Chocolate ___ pounds daily X 365 days annually
Cola ___ pounds daily X 365  days annually
22. If you had to choose between witnessing the Second Coming  or attending a BYU/U of U football game, which would you chose?

Quick Get.a.way

A couple weekends ago we went on the shortest trip ever.

We went to see my cousin Chris.

He was leaving for his mission.

We left at 8 AM on Saturday...

drove 6 hours to Boise...

As soon as we got to there...

we checked into our hotel...

changed our clothes...

went to the temple with the fam...

came back and got the kids...

went to dinner...

came back to the hotel...

got in our jammies...

my mom, Brooke, and I watched the Miss America pageant til 1 AM...

went to bed...

woke up in the morning and checked out of the hotel...

went to hear Chris speak...

went straight to Chris' house to set-up, eat, and clean-up the luncheon...

and then drove 7 hours home...

It was a 36 hour trip....

With 13 hours in the car....

But it was SOOOOO worth it....

Because Chris gave an AMAZING talk!!!

laughed.cried.uplifted.touched.strengthened

I can't believe Chris is old enough to go on a mission!

I love it!!!

I've always had a special place in my heart for missionary work.

Chris is going to be an awesome missionary.

We will miss him but we know he is where he is supposed to be.

So that makes for 3 current Elder Ballantynes.

Justin-Korea. Jason-Germay/Austria. Chris-Cali.

The field is white and the Ballantyne's are ready to harvest.