I knew it!

You Are Cinderella!

Dignified and hard working. With a gentle and soft-spoken manner you have something many people don't. Patience. Even through the moments of heartbreak you're still able to hold onto all of your hopes and dreams. Bide your time; your dream will come true.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I read through the other options and this one fits me perfectly. Since I'm up in the middle of the night washing Zach's church clothes that are dirty because he had to wear them all week out at the dance and he got home late tonight and now he needs them clean for the dedication tomorrow (Is laundry at 1 a.m. on Sunday considered breaking the Sabbath?)So, I'm feeling sorry for my very sleepy self and this little test has made me feel a little better about another sleepless night. Hey, you know the saying, "If the crown fits...." (I'm really tired, I'm rambling) Okay, What about you? Which princess are you?

YCC (Youth Cultural Celebration)

Tonight our youth performed their celebration dances for the prophet in honor of the temple dedication which will take place tomorrow. Yesterday was thier first dress rehearsal and our Bishop gave Ken tickets so that the kids and I could go out and watch Zach perform. It has been hard for me to let Zach go to practice each Wednesday evening for the last 3 months knowing that I would never see this performance. I know, selfish of me! I wouldn't have had him miss this opportunity for anything, as a mother, I just really wanted to see him perform. So, when the Bishop announced in church that he had a few extra tickets I nudged Ken really hard and he obtained 8 tickets. Since my parents were in Texas this weekend for David's wedding, we took Alisa (Matt's wife) and Holly (her daughter) with us since Ken and Matt were working marine patrol that evening. I loved the whole evening. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I know, I don't get out much, but the idea of 4000 youth from 14 stakes all coming together to make something so beautiful, it was overwhelming for me. My Zach had a grin on his face all night long. It was awesome!

This is the chior walking over from the high school to the fair grounds. It was a solid line of youth. Justyn said it looked like Helaman's Stripling Warriors. I had to agree. It was a beautiful sight!

They transformed our county fair grounds into this beautiful stage exquiped with sod, stage, wood floor and waterfall. It looked amazing.

(This is the Paul Stake. Amy, do your kids recognize anyone?)

The next several pictures are of Zach. He is the handsome young man in the middle. I think he's the best looking one out there, but then, I'm his mother so I get to think that.

This is the final number "Carry On" (from the hymn book) and it was all the youth together. It was an awesome site. Zach is in the dark blue in the center of the picture next to the turquiose blue.

This is the choir. I couldn't get up high enough to get all the youth in one picture. I needed a helicopter but there wasn't one there so I just ran to the top of the bleachers and then wished I knew how to do that stitch thing with my camera. I don't know how so you just get to look at two pictures. You get the idea though that it was a pretty awesome site!

Zach just got home and he is flying high on adrenaline. He just got to see the prophet and he loved it. His exact words were, "This has been the best day of my entire life so far. That was so awesome." He said President Monson stood up and clapped after each performance and he said he was so proud of them that they did a great job. When it was over, Zach said they just kept waving their "Carry On" flags while the prophet stood and clapped for them. Then he got in his little golf car and drove away. I'm sure this is a day he will never, ever forget! What an amazing experience for the youth of this valley. We are so blessed to have a temple built here in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Ken got to work security tonight with SLC and escorting President Monson to and from the temple. I haven't heard from him yet tonight but he called home earlier today and asked me to iron his uniform. As I ironed his clothes to perfection, I thought about what an honor this was for Ken. He has always dreamed of doing church security and now he has gotten the chance of a lifetime. Tomorrow he will be in the temple during the dedication. I thought, "This is the ultimate. I'm ironing the uniform that will be worn when Ken sees the living prophet of God." I'm a nerd, I know, but like I said already, I don't get out much so this is pretty big stuff for this stay-at-home mom of 6 little munchkins. I didn't get to do anything up front and exciting during these last few weeks around here, but like so many other women and mothers, all the little things I did here at home made a difference in the lives of those around me and helped to build their testimony's as well as my own. This has been an amazing experience.

Update: Ken is now home and he had a wonderful evening also. He and Matt(his cousin) along with his Uncle Don and another cousin Terry (all local law enforcement officers) spent the last 5 hours providing security for the Prophet and the other General Authorities that were with him. Ken had the opportunity to shake President Monson's hand and visited with him for a few minutes. He also breifly spoke with President Eyring. Life is definately good!

Lowder Family Reunion

Last Saturday we drove out to the Grandpa's farm for the Robert Lowder family reunion.

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with alot of my extended family. Grandma counted up 103 people in attendance. Considering she has 8 children, 47 grandchildren and 97 great-grandchildren, I think she had a decent showing. She was really really tired when it was over though and said that this is her last year hosting it. If this reunion is to continue, someone else will have to step and be in charge. This makes me sad because I'm not sure who is strong enough to keep it going. Grandma and Grandpa are the glue. All right family, let's put our heads together and figure this one out! We went one year without this reunion and I went through Lowder cousin withdrawals. Email me your ideas. We'll make this work. I'd love to hear what everyone else's family's do for reunions and how you keep them going each year.

Now for some pictures:

This picture has Seressa(Ben's ex) and her baby, Grandma, Cali (Brian's wife), Joel and Deb and little Tanner, Jami is way back there, ME! and my Dad. The boys standing in the background is Cindy's son Alex. Aunt Janice is way back there talking to Lyle who is holding his beautiful little Lauren (she has the brightest blue eyes and the prettiest red hair. She really was very cute!)

This picture has Kaylee(Sariah's daughter) and Sariah sitting next to Lyle's wife, Linda, Aunt Janice is standing next to David, Jenny is sitting at the far table, Uncle Bob and Kimbol and Casey are all at that table also, my Ken is way in the back wearing the ball cap and Heidi is in the stripes up front. Not sure who the other little girl is and look at all the people in the sun room.

These are our gourmet chef's, Uncle Dennis and Monte, and Heidi's husband Todd has his back to the camera.

This is Kurt and his fiance Leandra and their son Jaydin, Aunt Cindy and her husband Loren.

And this is the returning deadly bounce house. My Alexys is in the pink and my Shaelynne is in the blue. I think that more little kids fell out of this thing hurt and in tears and my kids said that the conversations that went on inside were a little rough also. I'm not sure I vote for this toy to return.

And that's it! I'm so bummed. I did not have my camera so these are shots from my mom's camera and I have no idea who was even taking them. There were so many more people there. Janice, I know you had a camera. I'm wanting to see what you got. Please post them or send me some.

Now for some family business:

For the first and only time this year, Aunt Janice is filling her pool up and rumor has it that she is planning to party hard on her water slide the next two weekends. The more the merrier! Talk to her or Jami for more details.

AND in January, Brian's wife Cali is having Great-Grand baby #100!!!!! So we are planning to do something super fun to honor that milestone! I will be putting that together so if you have any ideas on that one, let me know also!

(How did this post turn into a family email? Oops!)

Funny, funny Justyn

I just have to write these down or I will forget them.


Justyn: I can't wait for the first day of school.
Me: Why?
Justyn: Because then I am finally one day closer to the last day of school.



On Monday, before David's wedding:
Justyn: Mom, Grandma is so weird. She won't let David and Kimberly sleep together.
Me: That's a good thing. They aren't married yet.
Justyn: What does that have to do with sleeping?
Me: Are you serious?



Justyn: Mom, David told me that he has never kissed a girl before Kimberly. He said he never even had a girlfriend until after his mission.
Me: Really? Cool!
Justyn: I think that's kind of strange. He said that he set a goal a long time ago to serve a mission and the only thing he could think of that would keep him from going was girls so he set a goal to never have a girlfriend until after his mission. That way he would be sure to be worthy to go.
Me: Wow! Very good idea. What do you think of that goal?
Justyn: I think he's crazy! He's a guy! Guys like girls!
Me: All the better reason to set that as a goal. Then you'll be sure to be worthy when you turn 19 to serve a mission.
Justyn: I don't know about that. I told him I would have to think about it and see what I thought about girls when I got a little older. I'm still way too young to commit to making that kind of a sacrifice. I may really like girls when I get bigger. After all, I am a guy!
Me: Yes, yes. Well good luck on that one.
(thinking to myself: what in the heck??? wow! what am I in for? it should be lots of fun. I hope I survive!!)



Justyn: Mom, I had a strange dream last night.
Me: Oh yeah?
Justyn: Yea, I dreamed that you told Nick, Jacob and Kayla that they couldn't play with Sara.
Me: Really? Who are all those kids
Justyn: I don't know. I was just thinking I was glad that my name wasn't mentioned. I thought you were a little strange though. Do you know any of those kids?
Me: Hello! It was your dream, not mine.
Justyn: But you were the one not making any sense.

Kathryn is 4!

Tuesday was a busy day. Besides David's wedding, it was also Kathryn's 4th birthday. My sister Melanie did the wedding luncheon so for the dessert and Kate's birthday, she had purple and yellow cupcakes as the centerpieces. It worked out well because even though purple and yellow were the wedding colors, Kate's favorite color is purple so she thought all the purple ones were for her and the yellow one's were for the wedding. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to her and she didn't like that much attention so while she liked it, she wasn't sure how to handle it. We didn't do her presents until after the reception was over and all cleaned up. It was pretty late. She was so happy though. She kept saying to me all the next day, "That was my favorite day ever!" An entire day filled with lots of family, food and fun....Life to a 4 year old really doesn't get much better than that!

4 fun facts about Kate:

1. She is a big tease! Her favorite person to tease is her Daddy and because she is his little princess, she is the only one who can get away with it.

2. She loves being a girl. She likes to wear pretty shoes and clothes and wear fingernail polish and make up and play dolls. She dreams of growing up to have big boobs and a boy to love her.

3. She loves having two big sisters. She calls them the "girly girls" and she goes everywhere and does everything with them. They are honestly her best friends.

4. She is a princess in-training. She loves to dance and sing and watch princess movies. She is not going to pre-school but pretty-school. Someday she is not going to kindergarten but pretty-garten. She makes us laugh.

Happy Birthday to my Kitty Kat! Thank you for always making me smile. I love you, baby girl!

David is married!

We are so excited! My little brother is now married to the cutest girl and she is now the newest member of our family. I just had a thought....My mom has always told us that when one of us gets married, she does not loose a child but gains another. Well, I now have all my sisters here. 10 girls! Cool! Welcome Kimberly! We love you and can't wait to get to know you better.

My brother David and his new bride Kimberly:

David and Kimberly were married Tuesday morning in the Rexburg, ID temple.

All of my siblings and their spouses and children were all able to attend except my little sister Kami who is currently in the Philippines serving a mission for our church. We missed you Kami! It was so awesome to be sitting in the sealing room surrounded by all our loved ones and then to realize that most of the people in that room were my own siblings and their spouses. I remember looking around the sealing room at my own wedding many years ago and, though the room was filled with loved ones, I remember experiencing a feeling of loneliness, or maybe empyiness is a better word. Nine of my most favorite people, whom I had spent my entire life with were missing. At that moment, I began dreaming of the day when all of my brothers and sisters, along with our amazing parents, would all be there together....NO EMPTY CHAIRS! What's ironic to me, was that when the doors closed and the ceremony started, there were still 2 empty chairs in the room. We are getting closer...only two more weddings to go. Kami and Chanae, we are still waiting for you!

After one of my siblings weddings, I was talking with my sister Kami. She told me that the hardest part of weddings for her has been that she is one of the youngest in the family and, each time there is a wedding, she has had to wait outside the temple and watch as everyone else gets to go inside. That has helped instill in her a strong desire to always live worthy so she would not have to be left outside of the temple for any other reason than age. I have thought about this conversation many times and the powerful lesson she showed me that day. Seriously, look at this crowd. They are 40+ of the most amazing people I know and I get to have the honor of calling them "My Family"! When I look at the eternal picture of this life and the things that really really matter in the end, I want to be with them. ALL of them. For Forever! But it's all up to me....There's no way I'm missing out on this party!


I love seeing a bride, dressed in her pure white dress, along side her handsome suited groom on immacutely landscaped grounds with the Temple of the Lord in the background. There is something so reverent and beautiful in the knowledge that the union, that was just created inside those walls, between those two beings, is bound by God, for Eternity, according to their faithfulness.


It's a small glimpse into the awesomeness of God's eternal plan and the happiness that can be ours if we remain faithful to the end.

A Busy Time of Year!

I just finished....

Have you read it? What did you think?

This week has been busy!

I have spent way too much time driving this....

while we drive, we have been listening to this.....what a great story!

My grandma is having a family reunion next weekend and my sister took over the family directory. Between the two of us we typed like crazy, made a ton of phone calls, and sent several email notes trying to be as acurate as possible. It's done, and off to the printers. I can't wait for my own published copy.

My baby brother is getting married in 12 days, and there is lots to do to get ready. I'm sewing some of the dresses. This is where I go when my mind needs to tune out the world!



Apricots are falling on the ground around here and how do you walk away, and just let them waste? We're making freezer jam! YUMMY!

I just canned my strawberries that thawed in my freezer a couple of weeks ago. They didn't really turn out as I had hoped.....but now I have lots of strawberry syrup. We had some over pancakes and it was delicious! I love strawberries!

I just got a phone call that beans are ready so my plans for the weekend have changed and I'm off to sit in a hot field picking beans the rest of the day. At least I now know exactly what I will be doing the rest of the week! There's nothing better than home canned beans though!

Between canning, weddings, family reunions, and more harvesting, the days are just not long enough anymore. Then it's Back-to-School, more harvesting and canning, and then winter is here!

Where did the summer just go?
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