4th of July in Clearfield

The parade was fun this year. Taggert didn't cry when the firetrucks came by, he was clapping, when the cheerleaders came by dancing, Taggert was dancing, probably better than some of the cheerleaders! Whitley looked so cute with her little hat on. The kids had fun chasing after the candy. Trent and I have been reading some books on the Revolutionary War and it has gotten quite emotional for me knowing what the people here in America went through so that I could enjoy all the freedoms that I do. The declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776, but the war for our independence lasted much longer. We are on the 5th or 6th book in the "Prelude to Glory" series and we are in 1780 with three or four books to go. I guess it's a lot like the pioneers. They were tried and tested to see if they really had faith in God to continue what he asked of them even under the severest persecutions.

Summer in small town Littlefield

Yes, Taggert is swimming naked! Whitley is so hot her cheeks are turning red, and Tanner has a huge toad that was just sitting in the grass. Life is good in a small town!

Messes or Memories

A few months ago I read an article in the Ensign that really bothered me. This dear sweet, obviously drugged up mother wrote that "they didn't make messes at their house, they made memories." I wanted to throw up. I feel it is these kind of people who make the rest of us feel like we just aren't cut out for motherhood. Well, I am here to tell you that at the Reber house, WE MAKE MESSES! And most of our messes have nothing to do with the good memories that we also make!!!!!

Summer Fun

We went to the Manti Pageant a couple of weeks ago and decided to make a camping trip out of it. Tanner has been wanting to go fishing so we did some of that, but we didn't catch any fish. We went to Panguitch Lake, Palisades Lake Resort, and then ended up at Fish Lake. The weather was so cool and nice we didn't want to come home to the heat, but all good things must come to an end(:

Whitley got so dirty, before I put the blanket down, she put a handful of dirt in her mouth!

Trent got out little boat out which the boys loved.

I've been Tagged!

4 Things I am looking forward to in the coming year:

1. Being married to my schoompy for 10 whole years!
2. Having my family room painted.
3. My new niece (My side of the family has produced 14 boys and only 3 girls) so another girl is exciting(:
4. Taggert being potty trained-yeah, we'll see about that one(:

3 joys in my life:

1. My beatiful family.
2. My eternal marriage.
3. My knowledge of the fact that I will be with my loved ones again.

4 movies I have watched more than once or twice:

1. Steel Magnolias-Hello, all time favorite!
2. Liar, Liar-whenever I need a pick me up because it makes me laugh-hard!
3. Harry Potter-all of them because Tanner likes them
4. August Rush-my favorite this year

3 Fears:

1. CANCER.
2. Not being prepared enough if a disaster hits.
3. Not doing all I can to spread the gospel when I am prompted to do so.

4 favorite foods:

1. PIZZA! I could eat it everyday!
2. Steak and shrimp
3. anything chocolate
4. chocolate everything-I already said that didn't I(:

3 goals I have set for myself:

1. Cook healthy, tasty meals-okay, let's not kid ourselves, my real goal is just to cook!
2. Get caught up on my scrapbooks-that is going to take a miracle.
3. Get more intune with the spirit so I can be a better mom.

4 tv shows I watch:

1. Grey's Anatomy-I still want to be a nurse someday!
2. ER-I started watching this show when I was dating Mark; I still like the show.
3. CSI-I love how they put all the little pieces together to find out who dunnit.
4. House-another medicine one

3 current obsessions:

1. cook books
2. buying clothes for my cute baby girl
3. reading the pioneer woman's love story-Thanks, Jen! I read for four hours straight one day

4 places I have visited:

1. Does my mission count? Guam and Kosrae
2. Yellowstone
3. Yosemite
4. Boardman, Oregon

3 places I'd like to visit:

1. Hawaii-Trent if you are reading this, our 10th anniversary is in February!!!
2. Nauvoo
3. New York

4 random facts about me:

1. I could bench 185 when I was a Senior in High School- I can barely lift my daughter now(:
2. I actually like geneology work and getting to do it for my mom's family
3. I only have seven cousins-reunions are real fun!
4. I have this thing for my schoompy in Wranglers on a horse(:

I officially tag Jen Wade, Kandie walter, and Famous Bullinger!

A funny!

Yesterday afternoon, I was outside with the kids trying to pump up our new pool. I think Trent's parents saw me struggling and they came out to help. Grandma had her eyes covered and I couldn't figure out what she was doing, maybe playing peek-a-boo with Whitley. Then, Tanner comes running over to me and says, "MOM, Grandma had her eyes violated today!" I just busted up laughing. She had gone to the eye doctor and had her eyes "dilated". Good times at the Reber home(:

Trek Adventure

You can't see this picture very well, but this is the day we came home from Trek. It was a great experience, one I won't soon forget. We had eleven kids in our family and they were all very good. Our first day out, we walked just over eight miles. The next day, walked 11. Our kids were so good to help and not complain. I was truly impressed by them. If it weren't for the blisters on my feet, I would have done really well, but as it was, my shoes shrank! I tried to put them on that second day and they didn
t fit me. I joked with my kids that I took it upon myself to get a blister for each one of them. There were several kids along the way that had to get IV's and other medical attention, but we got lucky. Trent would squirt the kids with his water bottle and we would make them drink a cup of gatorade a few times throughout the day. We were really blessed with a good Trek family. As we have been home for almost a week, I have caught myself thinking about them and what they are doing this summer. I was very nervous about being a "Ma" to kids I didn't know, but we all seemed to get along really well. I would do it again in a heart beat!

My love and respect of the pioneers has deepend so much because of this experience. They endured to the end. They had faith, great faith, to leave most of their possessions and walk to an unknown destination day after day. When my blisters really got hurting, I told myself to buck up because some of those pioneers walked barefoot in the snow leaving bloody tracks-I surely could handle a few blisters. I ended up riding the horse the last few miles. I felt so guilty, I wanted to be with my family to the very end. It was hard and it was hot, but I will never regret going. It was well worth my time to experience just a little bit of what those early pioneers went through so that we could enjoy all the blessings the gospel has to offer. WE all need to be grateful to them, even if we didn't have actual family members walk because without them and the pesecutions they went through, we wouldn't have all the blessings the gospel provides us.