It's That Time of Year AGAIN!!!

YEP!!! It's basketball season again. M'Tali loves playing basketball and has played almost every year with the Jr. Jazz since she was 5. She is playing really well this year and has improved so much over the past year. She made 3 baskets her 2ND game and 1 in the third game. M'Tali...grandma loved to watch you play her favorite sport, she loved to be your bench couch, she would be so proud of you. Keep up the hard work and I know it will take you farther then you could imagine.


Logan wasn't to happy that Dakoda kept putting his hat on him but I managed to get this cute picture of him smiling!!!

RINGIN' IN THE NEW YEAR!!

2009 DEFINITELY WASN'T THE BEST YEAR FOR US, WE HAD MANY TRIALS THAT WE HAD TO FACE. WE WERE FIRST BLESSED WITH LOGAN IN JUNE, AND WHEN HE WAS 3 DAYS OLD HE GOT JAUNDICE REALLY BAD AND HAD TO BE ADMITTED BACK IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 4 DAYS. AS A MOTHER ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I HAD TO DO WAS TO WATCH HIM LAY IN THE HOSPITAL WITH IVS IN HIM AND KNOW THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO TO HELP HIM. AFTER WE WERE RELEASED WE FIGURED IT COULD ONLY GET BETTER, WE BROUGHT HIM HOME AND ENJOYED A FEW WEEKS TOGETHER. ON JUNE 28TH WHILE CAMPING FOR THE WEEKEND WE RECEIVED THE HORRIBLE NEWS FROM MY DAD THAT MY MOM HAD PASSED AWAY(IT STILL SEEMS LIKE SUCH A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE), AFTER WE GOT ALL OF HER FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS DONE AND WE THOUGHT WE COULD SETTLE DOWN AND JUST HAVE TIME TO GRIEVE, LOGAN STARTED TO LOOSE WEIGHT AND TO MAKE A VERY LONG STORY SHORT WAS HOSPITALIZED 3 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 14 DAYS AND HAD MULTIPLE TESTS DONE, ONE AFTER ANOTHER THEY ALL CAME BACK NEGATIVE FOR ANY CHILDHOOD DISEASES THAT WOULD AFFECT HIS GROWTH. THEY NEVER FOUND A REASON TO HIS WEIGHT LOSS (OTHER THEN TO TEST MY FAITH IN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER) AND STOPPED TESTING HIM. HE IS DOING MUCH BETTER, AND IS SLOWLY GAINING WEIGHT. I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME, I COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE TRIALS WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK JOSH FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME THROUGH IT ALL AND FOR JUST LETTING ME CRY WHEN I NEEDED TO AND BELIEVE ME I DO ALOT. M'TALI, DALLIN, AND DAKODA ATTEND FREEDOM ACADEMY AND ARE DOING REALLY WELL IN SCHOOL, THEY ARE ALL SUCH A BIG HELP AROUND THE HOUSE AND WITH LOGAN. I HAVE AN AMAZING FAMILY AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT I AM SO THANKFUL FOR. I HOPE 2010 IS A MUCH BETTER YEAR FOR OUR FAMILY!


FOR NEW YEARS EVE WE HEADED UP TO THE CABIN, JOSH'S MOM TOOK THE OLDER 3 ON TUESDAY AND WE WENT UP ON THURSDAY. ON OUR WAY UP JOSH WAS TELLING ME HOW HIS FRIEND HAD TOLD HIM ABOUT THE ELK THAT HE HAD SEEM UP IN PROVO CANYON, AND ABOUT 45 SECONDS LATER I LOOKED OVER AND SAW THIS BEAUTIFUL ELK STANDING IN THE TREES SO JOSH TURNED AROUND AND WE PULLED OVER AND TOOK THIS PICTURE.

ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE MIDNIGHT WE LOOK OVER AT DAKODA AND HE WAS DEAD ASLEEP. LUCKILY HE WOKE UP JUST IN TIME TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH US.

LOGAN EVEN MADE IT TO MIDNIGHT AND ENJOYED WATCHING THE FIREWORKS(POPPERS) ON UNCLE JAKE'S LAP.

M'TALI DOING HER POPPERS

LOGAN'S FIRST NEW YEARS KISS!!!

DALLIN'S ABOUT TO GET A DRINK DUMPED ON HIS HEAD BY UNCLE JAY!!

DALLIN, UNCLE JAY, AND AUNT BETH




JORDEN WANTED TO GIVE M'TALI A NEW YEARS KISS, BUT SHE WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

DRINKING OUR "CHAMPAGNE"!!!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF NEW YEARS IS SLEDDING, I DIDN'T GET TO SPEND ALOT OF TIME OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT WAS TO COLD FOR LOGAN, BUT AT 12:30AM WE DECIDED TO GO SLEDDING, I AGREED TO 2 RUNS DOWN THE HILL, BUT WE ENDED UP STAYING OUT THERE TILL 2:30 IN THE MORNING. IT WAS ALOT OF FUN TO WATCH THE KIDS HAVE SO MUCH FUN.

THE KIDS WOULD SLED DOWN THIS HILL AND EITHER WALK BACK UP OR HITCH A RIDE FROM THE FOUR WHEELERS.

DAKODA LOVES THIS SLED THAT HOOKS UP TO THE SNOWMOBILE, ON THE BACK IT SAYS ARCTIC CAT, BUT HE CALLS IT THE KITTY CAT.

M'TALI SLEDDING

DALLIN LOVES TO SLED!!!

"THE SCAREDY CATS" !!!! I LOVE THAT WE CAN JUST SIT UP AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND WATCH THE KIDS

DALLIN, CARTER, AND ANTONIO LOVED TO SIT AT THE FIRE PIT OUSIDE, BUT THEY SAID THAT THE SMOKE HURT THEIR EYES SO THEY DECIDED THE GOGGLES WOULD KEEP THE SMOKE OUT.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!! THEY HAD SO MUCH FUN, AND I LOVE WATCHING MY KIDS GET ALONG!!

MOM'S CHRISTMAS

SAYING THAT MOM LOVED CHRISTMAS WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE WHO LOVED IT MORE THEN HER. SO SINCE SHE COULDN'T BE HERE WITH US FOR CHRISTMAS WE KNEW WE HAD TO BRING CHRISTMAS TO HER. WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE HER HEADSTONE HERE IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS SO WE DECORATED THE BASE STONE WITH ALL THE CHRISTMAS STUFF, BUT A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS WE GOT THE CALL SAYING IT WAS IN, AND WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER CHRISTMAS GIFT.

THE WHOLE FAMILY MINUS BECKY AND THE 2 BABIES. BECKY HAD TO WORK, AND IT WAS TO COLD TO GET THE BABIES OUT OF THE CAR.
DAD, A.J. JAMI, ME, AND TANNER

I'M SO THANKFUL THAT THIS TRIAL THAT WE HAVE HAD TO FACE HAS BROUGHT US SO MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, THEY HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL SUPPORT TO ME AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT, I COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE GOING THROUGH THIS WITHOUT THEM.

WE FOUND SOME SOLAR LIGHTS TO PUT ON HER GRAVE BUT WE HADN'T SEEN IT IN THE DARK, SO THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS WE WENT UP THERE AT NIGHT AND TOOK SOME CANDLES IN A TIN CUP TO LIGHT, I KNOW SHE WOULD HAVE LOVED IT.

MOM, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAD TO LEAVE US WHEN YOU DID, AND WE ARE ANGRY THAT YOU HAD TO GO, WE THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY, AND LOVE YOU SO MUCH, WE CHECK ON DAD ALL THE TIME AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIM. M'TALI STILL SPENDS THE WEEKENDS WITH HIM, AND WE TRY TO MAKE IT SO HE DOESN'T SPEND MUCH TIME ALONE. HE MISSES YOU SO MUCH, WE ALL MISS YOU SO MUCH AND OUR HEARTS ACHE LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE. YOU'VE MISSED A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT. LOGAN IS ROLLING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS TO BE ABLE TO CALL YOU AND TELL YOU ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE 10 BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAD TO GO. WE KNEW YOU WATCH OVER US ALL THE TIME BUT THERE IS AN EMPTY HOLE IN ALL OF OUR HEARTS THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HEAL. PLEASE KNOW THAT WE AREN'T MAD AT YOU, WE ARE JUST MAD YOU HAD TO LEAVE US WHEN YOU DID. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH. LOVE YOUR FAMILY

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I FORGOT TO ADD THIS PICTURE SO THAT'S WHY IT'S KINDA OUT OF LINE BUT I LOVE THE LOOK ON LOGANS FACE, HE JUST STARTED SUCKING ON HIS BOTTOM LIP A FEW WEEKS AGO AND HE ALSO JUST STARTED SITTING UP. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE HE'S ALMOST 7 MONTHS

THIS DEFINITELY WAS THE HARDEST CHRISTMAS THAT WE HAVE EVER CELEBRATED. MOM LOVED CHRISTMAS, IT WAS HER FAVORITE DAY OF THE WHOLE YEAR, SHE PLANNED AND PLANNED FOR MONTHS FOR THIS ONE DAY. EVERYTHING HAD TO BE PERFECT FOR HER. SHE WOULD SPEND DAYS GETTING HER CHRISTMAS TREE UP, ALL THE DECORATIONS HAD TO BE IN JUST THE RIGHT SPOT, THE LIGHTS HAD TO BE HUNG JUST THE RIGHT WAY, AND OF COURSE THE PRESENTS HAD TO BE WRAPPED WITH ALL THE EDGES CREASED, THEY HAD TO LOOK PERFECT. I ALWAYS HATED WRAPPING PRESENTS WITH HER, BUT I'D GIVE ANYTHING TO BE ABLE TO WRAP JUST ONE GIFT WITH HER.

M'TALI'S STUFF FROM SANTA
DAKODA'S STUFF FROM SANTA

DALLIN AND LOGAN'S STUFF FROM SANTA

ALL THE PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE FROM MOM AND DAD

EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO GO WAKE UP THE KIDS ( WHICH I LOVE). THEY ALL SLEEP IN THE SAME BED EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY SLEEP ALL THAT WELL THOUGH WITH THREE KIDS IN ONE BED...SOON IT WILL BE FOUR. THIS YEAR WE HAD A VERY BUSY DAY SO WE WOKE THEM UP AT 7:30 AND IT WAS NON STOP GO FROM THEN TILL ABOUT 9:00 AT NIGHT

LOGAN WAS THE ONLY ONE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WAKE UP, HE WAS WIDE AWAKE AND READY TO OPEN PRESENTS

"LOOK MOM THIS ONES FOR DAKODA" LOGAN GOT THIS BUMBO CHAIR FROM SANTA AND HAS ALREADY FIGURED OUT HOW TO CLIMB OUT OF IT.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE, IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACKGROUND LOGAN IS TRYING TO TAKE DAKODA'S PRESENT AWAY FROM HIM. MY TWO CUTE BABIES!! DAKODA IS SUCH A GOOD BIG BROTHER, HE LOVES LOGAN SO MUCH, I ALWAYS LAY HIM ON THE FLOOR TO PLAY AND IF HE EVEN MAKES A FUSS DAKODA WILL PICK HIM UP AND I TELL HIM TO LAY HIM BACK DOWN AND HE SAYS NO HE'S CRYING

M'TALI AND DAKODA TRYING TO HELP LOGAN OPEN HIS PRESENTS

LOGAN LOVED TO OPEN HIS GIFTS IT JUST TOOK HIM A LONG TIME.

TEN MINUTES LATER AND HE FINALLY GOT IT!!!

ALL OF LOGAN'S GIFTS, WE JUST SAT THEM ALL IN FRONT OF HIM AND LET HIM HAVE AT IT FOR AWHILE!!

M'TALI LOVES TO DRAW AND WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT HER DRAWING PAD

DALLIN AND DAKODA GOT NEW CD PLAYERS FOR CHRISTMAS SO THEY COULD LISTEN TO THE BOOK OF MORMON ON CD

WE LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
AFTER OPENING ALL HIS GIFTS, WE LAID LOGAN DOWN TO LOAD SOME STUFF IN THE CAR AND THIS IS HOW WE FOUND HIM JUST MINUTES LATER, HE WAS SO EXHAUSTED FROM ALL THE EXCITEMENT

AFTER ALL THE PRESENTS WERE OPEN WE HEADED TO AJ'S FOR A WONDERFUL DINNER, WE HAD TONS OF APPETIZERS, HAM, POTATOES, ROLLS, SALADS, AND OF COURSE MOM'S ANNUAL YUMMY CHEESECAKE. THANK YOU AJ AND MISSY FOR HOSTING CHRISTMAS DINNER AT YOUR HOUSE.

CHRISTMAS EVE

ON CHRISTMAS EVE WE WENT UP TO JOSH'S SISTERS HOUSE FOR DINNER, THE FOOD WAS AMAZING, WE HAD PRIME RIB, SPINACH SALAD, GARLIC MASHED POTATOES AND ROLLS. THANKS BROOKE FOR THE FUN EVENING. THIS IS ALL THE KIDS.....ALL 16 OF THEM

Better late then never!!

Tuesday December 8Th was M'Tali 11Th birthday. It's so hard to believe it's been 11 years since she was born. We are so thankful to have her in our lives. She is such an amazing daughter, she is always willing to help out, she has a wonderful spirit, and is such a caring and loving person. She loves to skateboard, play Basketball, Softball and any other sport. She loves the Utah Jazz and always loved to go to grandma and grandpa Heaps' and watch the game with them. Thank you dad for keeping up with that tradition even though mom's not here to enjoy it with you two!! She loves Tony Hawk(professional skateboarder) and wants to be just like him someday!!Who would have thought that this tiny little girl in her cute Christmas dress who grow up to be such a tom boy!!! :0)

M'Tali loves the Utah Jazz and can tell you almost all the players so when I couldn't get a skateboarding cake the next best thing was the Utah Jazz colors with a basketball.

M'Tali-Dad and I are so proud of you, you are such an amazing and beautiful girl. Always remember the special relationship that you and grandma had it can NEVER be replaced. She loved you more then anything and was so proud that you were her first grandchild. You two had a special bond that was unbreakable. You were her right hand "girl". Always remember the love she had for you. We love you with all our hearts and are so honored to have you as our daughter. Thank you for spending the day with me, I enjoyed going to lunch with you, I always love our girl dates!!

We hope you had a wonderful birthday.

Happy Halloween!!

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN, OURS WAS REALLY FUN AND THE KIDS GOT WAY TO MUCH CANDY!!
Logan was a cute mummy, we had planned for him to be a bumble bee, we had a costume from when Dakoda was a baby, but the the day before halloween Josh went to go get it out so I could wash it but he couldn't find it so I had to hurry and sew this together. It was alot more work then I thought but it turned out way cute.
Our cute kids....M'Tali and Dallin were skateboarders, Dakoda was a cowboy, and Logan our little mummy.

"Howdy partner"

Every Year for Halloween we make a stop at Josh's grandpas house for doughnuts and snacks, its such a fun tradition and the kids look forward to it. After we left there we headed down to my dad's for chili and pie, my dad made the most wonderful chili. Thanks dad for dinner!!! This time of year is my favorite time, I really love the holidays and the memories that we get to create for our kids!!