EMILY

I took two videos of Emily. (I will post soon.)

I am shocked I didn't get more than a couple of pictures.

She came in from Houston the same time I came in from Fruita.

We had a blast together.

So glad we could vacation together.



PLAYING with KATE

 They had a party playing with their cousins and their toys.

Sierra was a little too big for them but she didn't mind too much.

Kate and Madison played so well this visit.

GROWING UP

 They are growing up.

I hate it.

I truly hate it.

I remember the day they were born like it was yesterday.

It was twenty years ago.

They are moving out.

It won't be the same when we come back to visit.

No more sitting on their beds and chatting till one o'clock in the morning.

No more walking past their rooms on the way to bed and seeing them finishing up a last minute homework assignment or studying their scriptures.

I know it is time. I just wish it wasn't.

GOOD BOY

 He was such a sweet boy our whole visit.

PUZZLE

 This puzzle sat on my parent's table the whole time I visisted.

It was ridiculous.

I worked on it for four hours and put three pieces in.

The only parts left were the straight blue sky.

You basically had to try ever piece.

I don't miss it, good luck girls.

RELAXING AFTERNOON

One afternoon we went over to Jenn's house.

She only lives two blocks from my parents, so we walked.

The sun was up and it was a beautiful day.

Emily, Jenn, and I sat infront of the fireplace and chatted about being moms.

These three cuddled on the lovesac in Jenn's theater room and watched Tangled.

We ate noodles and cheese and carrots, while our babies peacefully napped.

INEZ's BFA PROJECT

 Inez is a dear friend of mine.

We met through Nate.

Nate and Inez and her husband grew up together.

She is one of my favorite people to visit with.

I always wish we had more time when I come into town.

She did this amazing art project.

She created the world's longest tie-die.

She landed her self in the Guinness Book of World Records.

She has been busy interviewing all month.

She will be a famous artist someday, I have no doubt.

JAMES's CHAIR

(Thank you so much Bonnie for taking these pictures!)

 For family night we got to go over to my in-laws new home.
We had an amazing dinner of Hawaiian Haystacks.
They were made with brown rice.
I forgot how much I love brown rice.
It was so good.
We had a quick lesson and everyone got to sand James's chair.
Then we played a really fun game of jump rope.

 

The Chair.

 

Family tradition says that this chair is the last remaining piece of a set of furniture made in 1858 by James McKnight, who was born in Kirconnel, Scotland, in 1830.  It was originally a rocking chair but for a couple of generations, at least, the rockers have been cut off.  It was passed down to James’ second son, William Howell McKnight, then to William’s oldest son, Harrison, then to Harrison’s oldest son, H. Neil, then to Neil’s oldest son, Ralph.

 

Because it is a chair, and an heirloom that is passed from father to son, some of the family have jokingly referred to a future owner as “heir to the McKnight throne.” This month there is a new owner, our oldest son, Nathan, who now has a newborn future heir, James Nathan McKnight. 

 

By tradition this chair becomes the possession of the next heir at the time his first son is born.  It has been either partially or completely restored and refinished at least twice before my (Ralph’s) generation. When I deliver it to Nathan, it will be completely restored yet one more time.

 

 



JAMES at HIS COUSIN's BLESSING

 Love this kid with every fiber of my soul.

I was glad to bring him to Utah and let him meet my family.

I was grateful for the breaks my sisters gave me.

They both just loved on him.

OUR LITTLE MIRACLE

 I was so glad to get in on two baby blessings.

They were on different Sundays.

 

This little girl is our beautiful miracle.

We all feel so blessed to have her.

She has the sweetest cry on the planet. It sounds like a soft meow of a little kitten.

She is absolutely beautiful.

She has filled all of us with such joy.

MADISON WALLACE

Madison grew up two doors down from my parents.

Next door to my grandparents.

Her mother was my Laurel's Advisor.

I taught Madison's younger siblings in Primary when Nate and I were first married.

I watched all the news clips of her tragic death.

(Her and her brother were playing near the Siox Falls, when her brother fell in. Madison jumped in the freezing cold water to save him. Her brother miraculously made it out of the water. Madison passed away along with an onlooker who tried to help the children.)

I was haunted. I kept having nightmares about it.

I was glad her funeral fell on the weekend I was there not only to show support to her beautiful parents but also to find some peace about such a tragic situation.

Saturday morning I got up and got dressed and went down to our local chapel.

From the moment I entered the chapel, I was filled with such peace and hope.

Her mother stood up and read her life sketch.

She was composed and faith filled and although you knew her heart was breaking, you also knew she knew families are eternal and that she would be with Madison again.

Her strength, strengthened me.

I felt so blessed to be there and so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that teaches us that there is  a life beyond this and that we can be together, with those we love, forever.

 

In Madison's mother's words. She was with her children picnicking by the Falls when the tragedy happened.

 

It's been interesting that I still get people asking questions of did Garrett really go into the water, or was he just in the foam. For those who want to know what really happened. Garrett said he did not try to jump in the foam. He was playing way to close and fell onto the rocks, he had scratches and torn pants then when he reached the bottom of the rocks under the foam he slipped on the rocks and fell into the river. He was in the river but close to the side then he heard a splash and Madison had gone into try and find him he heard her, and they were really close to each other but the foam was making it difficult to see each other. Cory Lawrence started brushing the foam away and was reaching towards Madison, then in Cory's words: "Lyle jumped right into help. He was a strong-minded person. He knew what was right and what we had to do. He offered to have me and my friend lower him down but to hold onto him, so we lowered him down, gave him my friend's jacket in his left hand and the girl grabbed onto the jacket. At first he was like, pull me up, pull me up, but then he's like wait a minute, she's on my legs, I've got her, I've got her hold on."

"So he stood there for about a minute as she gripped onto his legs and then he's like alright pull me up. We tried to pull him up. The weight was too much, the current was strong. We both had his one arm and we tried to pull him up. We couldn't, so then we yelled, he's slipping we need help, somebody help!"

"There were about 10, 15 people behind us, we yelled for help. One person came and grabbed onto my friends leg so she didn't get pulled in. Lyle sat there and yelled at his friend to grab his left arm and no body else came to help, (this is disappointing, this is the part where I'd wished I was at the scene so that I could have helped them hold on for longer, another 5 minutes and they would have been saved) but We held on for about five minutes and the weight was too much and they slipped out of our hand and disappeared." Garrett told me that he was able to grab on the rocks, he pretty much stayed in the same area but Madison drifted down a little bit with the strong current, but Garrett miraculously pulled himself out about the time Madison and Lyle slipped and started to climb up the rocks, no body pushed him he "saved himself" he said as he used the large rocks in the river as stairs to pull himself out of the water and to climb upward, then Cory saw him and helped pull him out of the foam. I am so grateful Garrett had some heavenly help to get out, I don't think I could have handled loosing two children, one is bad enough.

FAVORITE MORNING

 I woke up the next morning to snow.

The weather is so unpredicatable in Utah Valley.

I was glad I made it over the summit on Thursday before the snow.

I was so fortunate to spend most of my life growing up next to my Grandparents.

Currently, my Grandma Craven lives one street up from us and my Grandma and Grandpa Hair live right next door.

I love them all and I am happy when I get to spend time in their homes.

Both of my grandparents have such beautiful peaceful spirits in their home.

 

My mother had the day off and I wanted to see my grandparents.

We went next door.

I left my kids with my sisters, who were so sweet to watch them.

 I love listening to my grandpa play the piano.

He is amazing. Amazing.

I love to watch his hands run over the keys.

I am always happy when he chooses to play when I am around.

He teased me about having three piano's in his home and how he thought it might be excessive.

I teased back about having two in my home, when nobody plays.

(Seriously, we are storing a piano for our homeowners and we were given a piano while I was in labor with James.)

 I helped my mother give my grandma a perm.

Mom teased about how bad I was rolling the curlers and I teased back.

She redid some of mine and I redid some of her's.

All in all I think it was a success.

Grandma looked gorgeous.

Then in true grandma style she made us lunch.

She is ever the caregiver.

You can never escape her excessive kindness.

COLTON'S BIRTHDAY

I and the three kid headed to Utah for Spring Break.

The drive is about four hours.

It went well.

The girls were great.

James was good. 

We got in on Colton's 3rd Birthday the night we arrived.

Isn't this kid insanely beautiful?

Look at those eyes!

Don't they just melt your heart.

 He was reaching for his cake.

It was cute.

My sister Tamara made it.

She is talented.

 I love the look on Sierra and James's face.

Same look.

Eyes going different direction.

Cracks me up.

He loved his nerf gun. His excitement level was off the charts.

It made me excited for my little boy when he is three.

He ran around the house squealing and shooting everyone.

Nate would have gotten a real kick out of it, if James was that enthused.

The little nerf bullets left welts on everyone they hit and Colton had a really good aim.

The next day someone put it up on the fridge.



SHE IS A TURKEY WHISPERER

 She loves the farm.

She loves the she turkey.

The she turkey lost her he turkey a few months ago.

He turkey got too fat and died hopping down from a small bail of hay.

She turkey has been sad, and mean ever since.

This girl has tamed it.

She is a turkey whisperer.

She turkey will even let her pet her.

She mimics her sound perfectly and she says they talk to each other.

I am sure they do.

 

It is honestly amazing how much this girl really connects with animals.

She loves them.

Every animal she has ever known.

He hung out with me up in the yard, in his car seat.

Don't you love his double chin.

Pure cream. Pure cream baby.

He is lovin' it. :)

34 TODAY

(Thanks Darcy for the Beautiful Picture.)

 

 

I am 34.

The last year was amazing in so many ways.

I have never been happier.

I have made amazing friends who support and love me.

I miss my Pittsburgh friends but truly love my Fruita friends. They are family.

Nate has started his own practice.

Although we haven't been amazingly successful, we are making ends meet and for being in business six months I think that is pretty amazing.

We had our third child and he is such a joy. Oh, how I love this new addition, my sweet Jamesy Boy.

Sierra and Madison bring me such joy and are growing in fabulous ways.

I am happy in my marriage and my role as a mother.

I feel blessed beyond words.

Bring on year 35

PURE HAPPINESS.

 



MUD MONSTERS

 They both love mud so much.

Nothing makes them happier lately.

They make mud soup and mud pies.

It is so messy.

 

I want you to pay attention to Sierra's pants.

They have been in the mending box for a few months.

There was a small hole on the right knee.

I mended the hole this morning and told her she could wear them to school.

She was excited.

She came home with a small whole in the left knee and a large tear in the right.

What does she do at school to reek such havoc on her pants?

I have no idea.

 

Back to mud...

I carried this poor mud monster to the bathtub when she was done.

I have never in my life seen bath water that black.

Holy cow little girl you can get dirty!

 

Madison was so intense playing with her mud she didn't even notice I was taking pictures.

Mud play is serious business.