Phillip Phillips - Home (Piano/Cello Cover) - ThePianoGuys

Yet another masterpiece from the The Piano Guys. Beautiful music in a beautiful setting. Everything they touch turns to gold!

Our Latest Movie Reviews

It's been a while since we shared some of our movie reviews (it's been a while since we posted on that blog, but that's a different story altogether!). Like 10 months or so. As a result, some of these came out a while ago. Do forgive us.

So, without further ado, here you have them:

OUR FAVORITE: Downton Abbey. So it's not really a movie, but we are DA devotees.

LOVED: Won't Back Down, Arthur Christmas, Jiro Dreams of Sushi (incredible biography), Masterpiece Classic: The Diary of Anne Frank

LIKED: Brave, Wreck-It Ralph, The Avengers, Source Code, For Keeps, Now is Good, The Words, Trouble With the Curve, Abel's Field, A Mile in His Shoes, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, Pray for Japan

WORTH SEEING ONCE: Taken 2, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Robot and Frank, Moonrise Kingdom, People Like Us, What to Expect When You're Expecting, The Lucky One (Elizabeth liked his a lot more than I did :), Broken Hill, Warrior, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer

DIDN'T LIKE: Salmon Fishing in Yemen, Hope Springs, Snow White and the Huntsman, Girl in Progress, Bernie, LOL

AVOID AT ALL COSTS: Damsels in Distress

Mountains to Climb

Life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs. Sometimes we feel absolute joy and elation in the journey. At other times, we go through difficulties and challenges so severe we sometimes don't think we will survive. Faith in Heavenly Father and in our Savior Jesus Christ can make the ultimate difference. It can help us maintain an eternal perspective that lifts us.

We can do much good in alleviating others' pains and sorrows. Look around you. Chances are someone near you is suffering. Service can be a balm. Prayer can be a help. Don't underestimate the influence you can have on another, even through a smile.

We are all in this life together. I know our Father in Heaven and our oldest brother both love us more than we can comprehend. In this, I have faith.

Happy Birthday to our Kadence!

Seven years ago today, one of our life's dreams came true: a baby girl joined our family. Happy Birthday to our sweet Kadence! We cannot comprehend how fast the time is flying. We are so blessed to have you. We love your giggles, your diligence at school, how you put your heart into things you are doing (writing stories, drawing, learning Spanish, etc), and how you dote over Cambria.

You are such a beautiful, kind, smart, loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend. Words cannot properly express how much Mommy and Daddy, as well as Tayah, Stockton, and Cambria love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS!

02.13.06, the day Heavenly Father sent you to us

See, you (and Tayah and Stockton) were just as adorable a baby as Cambria is!

Clasic falling asleep at the table

Five years old beauty

Daddy/daughter dates are among our most special times.

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

I cannot tell you how much I love being a father. This Mormon Message captures so many of the feelings I have each day, knowing that I am the Daddy to four beautiful children. I cherish it. That's not to say that there are not difficult or challenging times and I most definitely have many shortcomings. Thankfully, love, joy, gratitude, and humility outweigh those feelings. As this beautiful video states, fatherhood is divine responsibility and I constantly pray that I can be the father our children need and deserve. I love being a Daddy!

Christmas 2012 Activities

Okay, so this entry is as much for us as it is for you. Here is a list of all the Christmas activities which helped make for us a marvelous, magical, and memorable Noel:

• The Festival of Trees
• Temple Square lights and walking around the very Christmasy City Creek
• The Messiah Sing-In at Abravanel Hall
• The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert with Alfie Boe and Tom Brokow. Oh, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir :). 
• The First Presidency Christmas devotional.
• Black Friday shopping
• Elayna and Aubrey's ballet performance in the Nutcracker 
• The Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork
• BYU's Christmas party
• Christmas at Nauvoo program at BYU
• Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand concert at the Covey Center
• Our ward Christmas party
• Gingerbread house at our great friends, the Wilkins', house
• Elizabeth and I singing in our ward Christmas program
• The Utah County Christmas Craft Show
• Utah County Handbell Ringers concert at the Springville Museum of Art
• Nelson Family Christmas party
• Our regular Christmas Eve dinner and nativity
• Christmas get-together at Dad and Donna's house
• Christmas cards and neighborhood gifts
• The wonderful cadre of Christmas movies
• Non-stop Christmas music
• I was able to do the 12 Days of Christmas for the ninth straight year for Elizabeth and the kids. Have to be creative more and more these days!
• Too much food

It was the best Christmas yet, and we have no doubts that this will be the case again in 2013!

Things We Love About Our Children

There are so many things we love about our children. Here are just a few that come readily to mind this morning.

Here's us playing with the webcam feature... :)

Cambria: her heart-melting smiles; the way she pats our cheeks without knowing she is doing so; her patience with some siblings who love to "take care of her;" how sweet and mellow she is, crying only when she's hungry or tired; the way she beams at everyone.

Stockton: the way he runs as fast as he can, whether is does the street or from the couch to the dining table--gives it his all!; how he still snuggles on demand; how easily he goes to bed; the way he carries around his blankie.

Tayah: She is such a helper; we've seen a dramatic decrease in fit-throwing and an equally great increase in sweetness!; how she asks how we are doing; how determined she is when she is working on a project; the way she dances to keep Cambria happy; our extrovert!

Kadence: She's Cambria's second mother--so nurturing and loving, she just dotes on her baby sister; what a voracious reader. Sometimes we have to pry books out of her hands; so dainty; she sings with all her heart...and is starting to get better with pitch :); so shy in public and anything but at home.