One of my FAVORITE talks

Clicking on the link below will take you to a 3 minute video on YouTube that includes a portion of one of my favorite talks.  I love how Elder Eyring says, 

"You can ask a loving God, 'Please let me serve this day.  It doesn’t matter to me how few things I may be able to do, just let me know what I can do.  I will obey this day.  I know that I can, with Thy help.”'

Choose This Day

And another quote by Elder Packer that I like:

"If [you] have a good, miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out."

Ashlie's Sledding Party!

Ashlie wanted to have a sledding party this year for her birthday, but with not enough snow near her birthday, then the Christmastime rush, the party had to wait until January!  We ended up with a beautiful, sunny day - some of the kids even took their coats off!

 

  

 

 

 

What's New...

So stinkin' cute!

 

Above: Aunt Jenny put the girls' hair in sponge curlers Saturday night.  They had fun sporting their curly locks to church the next day. 

Below: Little Baby Max.  I love this stage!

Above: Olivia and Emma love playing together.

Below: Rob with our boys, Alex and Avery.

Uncle Jon and Avery!  My kids have always loved my brother Jon.

 

Above:  Ashlie and baby Max. 

Below: Emma-nem, after Ashlie styled her hair.

 

My perfect little angel, asleep in his bed.

 

Ashlie, Olivia and Emma, just before they took the new dog for a walk.

 When cousin Emma slept over recently, the girls did some "sewing" and made the dress Olivia is sporting in this picture.  Notice the cell phone pocket!

What Is a Testimony Good For?

Why would a person want to have his or her own testimony of the Gospel?  I read these words by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and thought they were worth sharing:


"A testimony provides proper perspective, motivation, and a solid foundation on which to build a life of purpose and personal growth. It is a constant source of confidence, a true and faithful companion during good times and bad. A testimony provides us with a reason for hope and gladness. It helps us cultivate a spirit of optimism and happiness and enables us to rejoice in the beauties of nature. A testimony motivates us to choose the right at all times and in all circumstances. It motivates us to draw nearer to God, allowing Him to draw nearer to us (see James 4:8).

"Our personal testimony is a protective shield, and like an iron rod it is guiding us safely through darkness and confusion.

"Nephi's testimony gave him the courage to stand up and be counted as one who obeys the Lord. He did not murmur, doubt, or fear no matter what the circumstances. When times got tough he said, "I will go and do [what] the Lord [has] commanded, for I know that the Lord . . . shall prepare a way . . . [to] accomplish [it]" (1 Nephi 3:7).

"Just as the Lord knew Nephi, God knows us and loves us. This is our time; these are our days. We are where the action is. Our firm personal testimony will motivate us to change ourselves and then bless the world. Of this I testify and leave you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Is it worth the effort to seek out a testimony for yourself?  You bet it is.  Take the time.  Find out for yourself.

Everyone Loves Baby Max!

Look how cute little baby Max is! Everyone loves to hold him - especially Auntie Krista! He is still just a "little bundle of baby".

Some Recent Pictures

My little Avery - he is at such a perfect age. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Whenever Rob works late or is gone somewhere at bedtime, the kids all want to camp out in my room. They sneak into my room and it's awfully hard to get them out because they act all sweet and just want to hang out. I know this is a stalling technique, but every now and then I have to give in because I know the days of kids wanting to hang out on my bed are numbered. These are the kinds of moments I'll miss when they're grown.

All the kids ADORE the newest baby in the family - Max Emery Ortega. He is my little sister Aubrey's third boy. He is a beautiful baby and Avery was really taken with him last Sunday. He was very gentle and kept wanting to touch him and kiss his head and lean his head on Max's.

Ashlie is very comfortable holding babies because of all her experience with Avery!

Tonight at dinner Avery sat at the table with us. I just had to take a picture because he looked so cute!



This is the first time Avery has ever fake smiled for a picture.

Avery gives kisses now. It's so adorable because he will make this kissing face (see above) and lean toward whomever he wants to kiss. He always wants to kiss people before they leave, and before bed he wants to make the rounds kissing everyone in the house.

Avery learned to fold his arms today!

Avery does this cute knee-walking. He hasn't figured out how to get back up to walk without furniture when he falls down, so he walks on his knees over to the nearest piece of furniture and then climbs back up to standing. He also did this knee walking for some time before he was really interested in learning to walk.

Avery just LOVES Ashlie. If Rob or I aren't available, she is the next best thing; sometimes he even prefers her to us! They're lucky to have each other.

He's Just So Darn Cute!

Mark Your Calendar!

Holiday Gift Boutique!

Tuesday, November 24

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Conveniently located at the Riley home

574 East 1130 North, Bountiful.

Featuring handcrafted Jewelry, bows, squeaky toddler shoes, Mary Kay, Designer Jeans & Apparel, ornaments, “stocking stuffers”, gifts under $5 and much more!

Standing for Something

"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right."
Martin Luther King Jr.

INJUSTICE!

The longer I live, the more I see that the legal system in America is not the same as a justice system. I can see how people become bitter after living a while. I have so much to say, but can't find the words to say it. Instead, I'll include words that others have said that I find particularly meaningful right now:

"This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

From the Bible: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Exodus 20:16

"Honesty is a principle of salvation in the kingdom of God...Just as no man or woman can be saved without baptism, so no one can be saved without honesty." ~Mark E. Petersen, CR, Oct 1971, 63

"There are many ways of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by our gestures, by a look, by silence, or by telling only part of a truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest. The Lord is not pleased with such dishonesty, and we will have to account for our lies." ~L. Tom Perry

"You might ask, "How can we be completely honest?" To be completely honest, we must look carefully at our lives and have the courage to face the whole truth." ~L. Tom Perry

"Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still wrong." ~David McPherson

"It happens subtly over a period of time until lies and deceptions are part of us. It becomes not only acceptable, but an automated approach to obtaining what we think we deserve." ~David McPherson

"Today the unwillingness to accept individual responsibility and accountability is epidemic throughout our society. There is a lack of constancy and commitment to honor, correct principles, and righteous values. It seems that truth no longer needs to be based on fundamental principles. Instead, much of society confuses "what is" with what it wants it to be. Fiction and fantasy are confused with actuality and reality. More succinctly, the prophet Isaiah said: 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20'" ~David McPherson

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's 13th Article of Faith:
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

"Honesty is a principle, and we have our moral agency to determine how we will apply this principle. We have the agency to make choices, but ultimately we will be accountable for each choice we make. We may deceive others, but there is One we will never deceive. From the Book of Mormon we learn, 'The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.'” ~James E. Faust

"There are different shades of truth telling. When we tell little white lies, we become progressively color-blind." ~James E. Faust

"To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice." ~Confucious.

"Good lawyers know the law; great lawyers know the judge." ~Author Unknown

"The law condemns and punishes only actions within certain definite and narrow limits; it thereby justifies, in a way, all similar actions that lie outside those limits." ~Leo Tolstoy, What I Believe

"The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour." ~Japanese Proverb

"It is better to be defeated on principle than to win on lies." ~Arthur Calwell

"Judges are but men, and are swayed like other men by vehement prejudices. This is corruption in reality, give it whatever other name you please." ~David Dudley Field

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." ~Bishop Desmond Tutu

"One does evil enough when one does nothing good." ~German Proverb

"You do not wake up one morning a bad person. It happens by a thousand tiny surrenders of self-respect to self-interest." ~Robert Brault

"It's impossible to be loyal to your family, your friends, your country, and your principles, all at the same time." ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

"'Tis better to suffer wrong than do it." ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

"Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain't so." ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935