Growing Tummy

Per several requests, for all of you who I don't get to see much, here are a couple of pictures of my growing tummy. The first picture has a bit of a shadow, so I look a little bigger.

I miss you all! Love, Jill.

Baby A & Baby B

Wow, the big news is out and it seems so unreal. First off Nate and I would like to thank everyone for your best wishes, advice and support. We love you! Here are our most recent pictures of our two little miracles. They are about 4 inches long and growing so fast. It's amazing to me how they can be so small and have developed so many little features.

Valentines Video

My husband is the best videographer in the world!!!
Watch this and tell me what you think.

Happy Valentines.

Love Jill


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CLICK HERE (Apple Users)

Gordon Bitner Hinkley

After the passing of the Prophet I've seen a lot of pictures of him. Which has been a cool way to think back on him. To think of who he was and to remember and reflect on the great things he stood for.

One of my favorite pictures of him can found at Jim & Angie's blog (see the links on the side to get there). But I chose to share this picture above because it really made an impact on me when I first saw it. I can't say exactly why it did...except for the expression on his face as he waves. It is so kind and happy, as if to say "hey, I'm a normal nice guy...just saying hello" and its even better because he is with his wife.

One of my favorite memories of President Hinkley was reading his words in his book "Standing for Something" I read it on my mission and it was an easy read because it was so inspiring. And most recently it would be the talk he gave in priesthood session about anger, which Jill would tell you was specifically inspired by her prayers for me. In the talk He explained "he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty" and counseled us that we shouldn't be so easily offended in order to be happier. He said that we should leave our grudges behind and, simply stated, that we get into trouble when we get angry.

I remember when in an interview he said that he couldn't remember ever raising his voice to his wife or yelling at her. Maybe it was even Sister Hinkley who said that about him, I don't remember exactly, but it was true I'm sure. I wouldn't have believed it had it not been the Prophet. If there were a very small room reserved in heaven for those who never raised their voices to their spouses it would probably still be a pretty roomy room. I can think of many times I was ashamed for having lost my temper. That is one of those things that he made me realize that I can do a little better at. The "stuff I can do a little better at" list is kind of a long one though. Not as long as the "stuff I could do a lot better at" list, but I won't go into the details of either.

I really starting typing here not really thinking what I would say. Honestly I thought this would be a quick short post, but I'm glad that I've taken a second to write down a few things here. Its fun to think and write about President Hinkley. He has been the Prophet for most of my life and even though I have never met him I certainly feel like I know him pretty well and when I reminisce about memories of him or listen to other people share their thoughts and feelings about him it really is like talking about a good friend. One that I will miss very much. I loved him. He was really a great guy and an inspiration to us who want to stand a little taller and do a little more. He was a servant of God and what a blessing it has been to live in this time that he has been the Prophet. So here is a thanks to him for his great life and his contagious smile. Till we meet again.

Dave's Homecoming...

DAVE HAS RETURNED!!! His first task after coming home was getting his hands on a delicious jamba juice, which he hadn't had for a long long time. That is where I came in. I was hiding behind the fridge waiting at the Allphin's to greet David on his arrival home. My perfectly timed hello to Dave as I jumped around the corner surprised him so much and filled him with so much joy that he threw his jamba to the ground to hug his favorite brother-in-law. After realizing what had just happened, he was very upset and my ranking as favorite brother in law dropped to dead last. Trent, if you want to stay at number one don't mess with Dave's Jamba!

First Snow of Winter Season

Nothing could prepare me for the surprise that awaiting me when I woke up the first of December. I had to literally pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. For when I looked outside and saw Jill, dressed up fashionbly in her scarf and gloves, SHOVELING!! the driveway I thought to myself, "I am the luckiest man on earth" and I went back to bed.

Honestly the surprise actually was that the snow came so late in the season this year, but it hasn't seem to let up yet.

In the end we finished shoveling the driveway together.

Thanksgiving - Manti 2007 - Days 2 & 3

We spent three days in Manti during the Thanksgiving Holiday. I would personally rank it in the top 3 thanksgivings in my life. Food was excellent..really good sweet potatoes--my favorite, lots of cool stuff to do, and BYU beat the Utes. What more could one ask for?

The kids competed in one legged races and other things for prizes...see the picture of Isaac with the bow and arrow. Later the little kids made sugar cookies. They could make two each. One to eat for themselves and another to give away. Corbin had made one for him and one for his mom. After giving the cookie to his mom he asked his uncle Brian if he had gotten a cookie. Uncle Brian told him that he didn't have a cookie yet and said, "why don't you go get me one..." So a few seconds later Corby brought his uncle his own half eaten cookie to enjoy. What a good kid...hard to imagine that he is Jordan's boy.

Jenny also celebrated her 16th birthday. The aunts all pitched in and got her a nice new outfit for her new adventure in dating. I mostly enjoyed the cake and ice cream.

Jill and I also experienced our very first horse ride together. The tension grew after we mounted the wild beasts, knowing that at any second they could turn on us and buck us off. But, we were safe. The horses at times were deciding where and how fast we were going to go. With Jenny's help we were able to keep them under control, except for the few times Jill couldn't stop her horse from turning around to go home and there was nothing she said she could do about it. So, eventually we all gave in and trotted back to the Cluff's. Crisis averted.

The guys did some sweet clay pigeon shooting and a serious session of Turkey Style football. I'm pretty sure the team I was on won.

The accident of this family get together was yet another 4-Wheelin misadventure. One of the wheels to the four wheeler hit a rut while Kevin was riding and it flipped over. Kevin flew off hitting his face on the handle bars as he went. Something like that anyways the details are a little hazzy at this point... I try and block out anything to do with four wheeling since my own accident.

Well thanks to the Cluff's for letting us all rampage and enjoy Thanksgiving at their home in Manti this year. Also a very special thanks to Angie for making the best sweet potatoes known to man. And thus making it one of the best Thanksgivings to date.