"When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves".

Julie B. Beck

Stones Family Reunion & Birthdays!

Yup Micaiah and I are both one year older! Micaiah turned the big 18 on July 14th and I turned the bigger 22 on July 18th! Elder Stones (who is currently in Brazil) turned the mediocre 20 this year! We missed him but we know he is in the right place and we are so proud of him!
So how did we celebrate our birthdays this year?! None other than the "Stones Family Reunion"!

Micaiah and Ashley shared birthday celebrations at "Don Pedro's" in Vernal! Happy Birthday Ashley!

One cabin in Dutch John, Ten tents outside, and loads of "Stones" all combined for four days of fun! Kai seems to be having a blast! I love this little guy! He is getting so big and we are so happy he has a little brother on the way!

This picture is going to be a classic someday! One thing everyone needs to know about the cabin is that the plumbing/toilets aren't the best. Above is a picture of my Dad and "Gammy" trying to make sure the sewage water from an overflowing toilet didn't get on the kitchen table! I think my dads face says it all!

Thanks for keeping me entertained all weekend Kai!

Family photo in Dutch John!

Cute Family photos! Wish Jared, Karen, and Kai lived closer!

For one of the days our family embarked on an 11 mile hike that lead to....NO WHERE! That wasn't the ideal plan. We were actually supposed to be hiking 7 miles to a lake! Unfortunetly we missed the turnoff and the only ones who made it to the lake were Grandpa, my mom, and Aunt JanetteWe still had a blast, and I felt very accomplished that I had hiked 11 miles! Bring on Mt. Rainer!

My mom in her tent!

Can you tell that I love this little munchkin?! This little man loves his food! He is a bottomless pit!

The parentals! I love this picture!

The funniest Trio you will ever meet! When these three get together you can't help but smile!

A family reunion wouldn't be complete without a little mud and four wheelers! Nicely done Abby and Nathan!

Boys and their food!

Naked Babies! PRECIOUS!

The girls and Ben! Love you Ben, you always make me smile and keep things very interesting!

Stones Family Portrait!

I love this picture of Nate, Micaiah, Rachel and I!

All the girls!

Ashley and I! UVU ALLUMNI here we come!

Four Generation Picture! And all of them are the oldest sons!

Stones Trio!

"We get it from our mamma"!!

Rachel, Caleb, and I! I owe Caleb and Rachel so much! Thanks for being around for me! Love you both!

Karen and I! I am so lucky to have the best sister-in-laws! It definetly puts alot of pressure on Seth to pick someone amazing!

Uncle Jon, Jared and I!

Jared and I! I love my big brothers! Thanks for everything you've done for me Jared!

Me and my momma! Abby told me I look like a little girl who is so excited to be with her mom, and she is so right! Love you mom!

Emily and I!

Kristin, Dan, and I!

Me with the Northcotts! Love all three of you!

I come from the best family and I am grateful to all of them for the love and support they have given me! Love you all!

"And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high tower."

D&C 97:20

GONE

PRIORITIES

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order".

-Mosiah 4:27

"Just take things one day at a time, otherwise you'll be overwhelmed"

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

WORST FEELING

Finding out someone your heart has been broken over could care less.

Not knowing if you'll ever be able to trust someone again.

Feeling completely used up and discarded.

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

- Epicurus

Baby Zane!

Zane Robert Crawford is due July 31, 2010! Karen and Joe Crawford are the lucky parents-to-be and we can't wait to see their new little addition! Nicole Freeman through Karen a friends and family baby shower at her house Saturday afternoon! She did a great job and the food was AMAZING!
Karen and Grandma

Karen and her best friend Kylie

Karen and baby belly!

Rachel

What do girls do best?! Talk!!!

Karen's friends!

Stephanie and Kylie

My favorite part of the baby shower! The food!

We are so excited for baby Zane to come! Congratulations Joe and Karen!

Today's Life Lesson

"You give up joy when you spend your irreplaceable gift of time doing something that goes against your soul or fails to feed your soul"

-Amanda Dickson

"HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO LET YOU DOWN"

-Jennifer

"THE PAIN WILL FADE, BUT THE MEMORY OF THE PAIN WILL NEVER GO AWAY"

-Cathleen

A true Brazilian at heart!

Elder Stones looks like he is doing pretty good in Brazil! His letters always are so happy and upbeat. I really look forward to his little "boost" of encouragement each week!
Seth says that the people of Brazil say he is a true Brazilian at heart! We always used to tease Seth, because of his dark skin, (we were all just jealous) that he was adopted. Perhaps he was destined for Brazil before this life, and that is where his heart truly lies.

Seth has already had four baptisms since he has been in Brazil! Keep up the good work Elder Stones. We love you and miss you very much!

CASA VOLUNTEER!

I am a certified CASA volunteer! I decided a while back that I wanted to be a volunteer of some kind to 1) take my mind off of everything that is going on in my life and 2) to hlep others who are going through worse/different trials in their lives.
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. In a nut shell I am a mentor to children who come from abused or neglected homes. I act as their advocate in court, voicing the childrens oppinion. The ultimate goal of the courts is to help the families become reunited. I help by being a friend to the kids so that they trust me enough to tell me what is going on in their lives. I am very excited for this opportunity. Above are pictures of my "class" (yup you have to be trained) being sworn in by the judge!

WORLD CUP

URUGUAY WINS IN THEIR QUARTER FINAL GAME AGAINST GHANA! It was the most exciting game I have watched in the world cup. Full game played (tied one to one), they added extra time and finally came down to a shoot out!
I started out with four teams: the USA, Mexico (where Jared served his mission), Uruguay (where Caleb served his mission), and Brazil (where Seth is currently on his mission)! I am now down to one team, URUGUAY! Brazil lost this morning to the Netherlands, and what a sad loss it was!

Best of luck Uruguay!! I am going to have to go to a world cup game one of these years!