Fiora's Baptism

Fiora's baptism day started with an unexpected package in the mail. Aunt Robin Schauers surprised Fiora with her very own baptism pillow case! Fiora was delighted with a personal gift in the mail. Thanks Robin!


Aunt Shawna Schauers was so generous and kind as to make Fiora's baptism dress. It turned out beautiful, and Fiora looked like an angel in it. How nice to have a seamstress in the family so we can have family heirloom dresses like this.


We reserved the church so we could invite all the baptism guests to a luncheon before her baptism. We had ham, potatoes, salad, bread, and dessert. It couldn't have happened without everyone pulling together and bringing food, so thanks everyone, and it was delicious!




We had to change venues to attend the baptism in the Stake Center, but it went pretty smoothly I think, no one got lost. Fiora was nervous and excited as we changed into her white baptism clothes. Kayden Nielson, her cousin, was lucky enough to get permission to be baptised at our Stake Center as well, so we could have a family baptism! Kayden was handsome and Fiora was beautiful and it was a very special day.

Bishop Mike Hill with Fiora. Bishop Hill presided and did a great job at making Fiora and Kayden feel special.

Here Fiora is with her new scriptures. Unfortunately, when I was curling Fiora's bangs after the baptism I accidently dropped the curling iron and it hit her head. She had a bad burn on her forehead and I was so sad and worried that it would interfere with her special confirmation afterwards. She was very brave and kept a smile on her face the whole time.

We love you Fiora and are so pleased with your decision to be baptized! Love, Mom and Dad

Helaman 1-3

I've been gaining a lot of self awareness in the past 2 years, and it hasn't been an easy journey. But it has kept the pride out of my heart. The book of Helaman is hard for me to read because of the pride that keeps entering into the pepole's hearts. If they would just take a good hard look at themselves I wonder if they would be so apt to think so greatly of themselves. I think one reason why the Lord allowed the Lamanites to come to war with them so often is because it was the only way to get them out of their pride and into an eternal perspective.

Some remained steadfast in the faith and kept God in their hearts and minds. Verse 35is how I have felt about my journey of self awareness. Sometimes the heat of the refiner's fire can be unbearable, but it leads to purification.

35Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

Gerbil funeral

We have already lost one of our gerbils. Squeaker McSqueaken died Tuesday night, after suffering what appeared to be a broken hip. Squeaker was definitely the alpha male in the pack and had a tendency to do wild acrobatics trying to escape from the cage. He would try to jump a foot in the air when the cover was off to get out, he would jump to the wire mesh cover and climb like a monkey and try to chew his way out. We cannot verify this, but we suspect he was doing just that and fell on his wooden house and broke his left hip one day. Fiora put him in his gerbil ball so she could clean out his cage and he was limping, cold, and could barely open his eyes. Jared held him to warm him up, but it death was imminent, a couple hours later he stopped breathing. The kids were all three crying and upset that evening, it was a sad time.

Squeaker was Fiora's gerbil.


But the next morning they seemed to accept it, and were already talking about getting a replacement. We had a funeral for Squeaker and by then the kids were joking during Jared's eloquent soliloquy. Jared said, "Here lies Squeaker, may he rest in peace" and Savanna quickly added, "more like may he rest in pieces, he broke his bones." And Fiora asked "will a bunch of gerbil trees grow right there where he's planted?" Weston was more realistic and wondered if a bunch of night crawlers would get him. Hopefully his plastic sandwich-meat-container coffin will protect him from the worms.

Bangs

The girls have been begging me to cut their bangs for years, well it seems like years, and I decided to humor them Saturday. We got them real hair cuts and the stylists cut their bangs, not me. They are cute girls, no matter what, and they love the new look so it is worth the hassle of doing bangs.

BEFORE


BEFORE

BEFORE



AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

Fiora's Eight

FIORA had a birthday on Sunday the 13th of February. On Saturday I played "restaraunt" with the kids, they had a menu and chose what they wanted to drink and eat and I made their respective dishes and served them. They all loved it.


Fiora's friend part included a trip to Carl's Jr for lunch and then a hot tub party. Fiora got just what she wanted, a pillow pet and a hula hoop and had a lot of fun playing with her friends. Cathy Webb saved me the trouble of making a cake and cupcakes, they were so pretty and Fiora loved them!



(If you look close in the above picture, you will see Savanna biting her nails. She's got a bad habit of it.) Sunday morning we had a treasure hunt Savanna put together for Fiora and she found her three birthday presents from us. We got her shoes and a watch and a zhu zhu pet dog. After church Aunt Wendy came over and gave Fiora a Baptism Book and sang to her. Fiora felt very special that Wendy would make a special trip and special gift just for her.


The Barrents all came over for a turkey dinner that evening and showered Fiora with more gifts. Nanny aunt Karli gave Fiora a glass doll which she loved, and she got two huge stuffed bears and lots of adorable shirts from Grandma and Grandpa Barrett! It was a special day for a special girl.







This beautiful card was made by Krystal and Karli. THANKS everyone for all your love and gifts!

Glasses Buddy

Jared had fun with Weston at Dads and Donuts yesterday in Weston's class. I missed moms and muffins with Savanna but thankfully Karli was willing and able to go and so Savanna got aunts and muffins.



Jared is getting LASIK surgery on Friday and so he has had to wear glasses this past week. Fiora calls Jared her "glasses buddy" and they both look so cute together. I think I'm going to miss my "contacts buddy" as I will be all on my own with contacts after tomorrow.

Ice Fishing

When did we go ice fishin mom? O yeah Saturday. My mom and dad and Weston and Savanna and me went ice fishing. At the Dear Creek lake. It was very fun! I caught a fish. Ok just to let you know, I'm Fiora. Um, I know, mommy and savanna pulled me in the ice fishing sled on the lake. Daddy gave me the keys to unlock the car when we went home. But I have more, ice fishing was fun. Didn't I just say that? Well, this is a picture of me when I got a fish.



Weton and Savanna didn't catch a fish, but Weston was very patient. And he should have caught a fish. Savanna was sad because my fish was dead and she wanted it to go back in the water. It flipped and flopped all over for like ten minutes and savanna kept saying let it go let it go!