Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

Our family got the chance to have a VIP tour to the Oquirrh Temple open house on Friday the 22nd. We were invited as a vendor to the LDS Church. It was a great experience. I love the Temples and the oppertunity that I have to attend them. These smaller Temples have a different feeling than the larger ones. You feel more a part of the Temple with the smaller rooms and area. The Temple was georgeous inside, clean bright colors. I cannot wait to attend once it has been dedicated. (I don't know why the pics are blue, I used my small camera)

Mandy, Kory, Dad, Mom, Kari, Me and Darren

This Temple will be our "home" Temple, or in other words the Temple that we will attend. With that being the case we have the chance to volunteer. Darren and I volunteered today, he was in parking and got burnt to a crisp. Meanwhile I was an Usher, who's wonderful job is to stand in the Temple and smile at those who come to tour. I got to stand for 4 hours in the sealing rooms of the Temple... it was an amazing experience.


The kids played at Grandma and Grandpa Steck's while we attended. After we picked them up we stopped at Artic Circle for a shake... I went in as Drive Through was backed up, This is what I found on my camera....

Never leave a bored Husband alone with kids and a Camera!

Mother's Day

My sweet husband isn't having good luck with "Kat Holiday's" this year. Mother's Day started off with great plans in his mind, but at 2:00am that all changed. Preston woke up and decided to throw up, luckily he went to Daddy and not Mommy (he must have known it was my day off). At 4:30 Weston woke up and was WIDE Awake, I tried for about 30 minutes and then laid him back in bed to put himself to sleep. Trying to be a Mother's Day Husband, Darren got up for an hour with Weston and no luck! At this point he was back in his bed crying, Bryson woke up for the morning! I got back out of bed - all this time laying their half asleep - picked up Weston and he finally went back to sleep. Preston then woke up around 6:30, I got him to come lay down with me and he and I, mainly I, slept for an hour. I woke up to the sound of the bath tub running, Preston had thrown up again and the pressure made other things happen (figure it out on your own) so he was in the tub. Once morning arrived we found the Preston had also had a night time accident. It was about 7:30 by now and Darren had breakfast all ready for me... but needless to say he was fried. He was tired and upset that this is how Mother's Day had started out. Did I mention he fixed French Toast... my favorite... and we were out of syrup!
Thanks to my sweet hubby for trying so hard to recover from a disastrous morning and give me a day to enjoy as a mom... Sometimes, All the times, you simply cannot control what is going to happen. I simply love being a mother to these 3 boys, they keep me on my toes and keep me laughing. And I love being able to parent them along side of my best friend!

These are my beautiful Flowers! I love how they brighten my room.

We ended the day with a wonderful dinner up with my Mom and sister, two women who I look up to and admire for their accomplishments. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!

Alex's Autism Walk - Go Speed Racers

Today was a great experience, so many people showed up to support Kari and Alex. HOWEVER the rain was not helping things, everyone was wet and a bit cold. But no one let that stop them. I loved watching all the groups that had matching t-shirts, all getting behind one kid to show their support to them. Most of these kids will never get the feeling of hitting a home run, making the winning touch down or that last minute basket that wins the game. But they got that feeling today of being the most important person to alot of people.
I love Alex, he is such a joy in our lives. Alex has taught me a lot about loving everyone and accepting people for who they are. My boys just love him... maybe too much! Alex is the greatest in their eyes... Cousin nights are as good as Lagoon to them. And then Kari... I love her even more! She has taken everything that has been given to her in life with such a great determination and attitude. She hasen't had an easy road, but she is an amazing mother to Alex and is so very patient to him
Thank you for sharing this amazing day with us!

Alex - The Man of the day!

The whole Speed Racer Clain

Kari and Alex

Alex, Bryson and Preston with their new umbrella's

Me and my hunny - he wouldn't smile seriously for nothing! (boy layers make you look skinny)

Weston and Daddy

Alex, Preston and Bryson

Our family with Guz Guz (our good friend's son is his high school's mascot and he came to the event for Alex... he was a hit!)

This is a slide show that goes through the entire day's events and pics...

Ausitm Speaks

Tomorrow I will be going my Nephew and Sister to walk with Alex's Speed Racers at the annual Autism Speaks Walk now for Autism. Alex was diagnosed with autism when he was 3, he currently attends the Carmen B Pingree school for Autism children. He has come leaps and bounds from his 3 year old state.

However excited we are about Alex's progress, it does not deminish the fact that every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with Autism.

Please help my sister and I fight against Autism and find a cure. For every dollar donated Autism Speaks give $0.75 directly to the research of a cure. Please follow this link to both donate and find out more about Autism https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=294979&lis=1&kntae294979=0F2A9BB10187420DB92D4B356164F4A9&supId=248373123

A Sign of Warm Weather...

We put on Weston's flip flops... he had the hardest time walking in them. We have since found out that they really hurt his little feet, but they were cut for a day!

Sleepy Time

A few random pics that I find to irresitable to take. I love it when my boys are sleeping, they look so peaceful. I wonder what is going through their heads, and if they feel safe. The boys randomly go through stuffed animal stages where they won't sleep with out them.

Preston asleep on Bryson, it's hard watch his brother play his DS

On Friday nights we let them watch a movie in bed, this is how I found Bryson... who sleeps on the top bunk.

Preston and his Dog - Jet

OK- so Bryson looks like he is smiling in this photo... he was sound asleep.

EASTER

Easter morning is always an exciting place at the Steck house! And to the boys surprise the bunny did not let them down. There was candy everywhere! and we had to try to contain the mayhem. Darren and I are really trying to teach the boys about holidays and WHY we have them and that it isn't just about candy... not an easy task.

Here is the letter from the Easter Bunny explaining the true meaning of Easter

The boys didn't let us down... up at 6:30... on a Sunday... on a holiday... on a day I don't have my usual morning meetings... but we love them and it was worth it :)

Weston wasn't too into it... just upset he couldn't sit and eat and the big boys were taking stuff from him! It's rough being the little guy of the house.

Preston found his basket first!

Bryson with his basket!

Looking for Candy!

Weston picking up whatever he could... as fast as he could

My Sweet boys!

Egg hunt at Grandma Hydee's House

Grandma Hydee and Bryson

Cousin time - Alex, Bryson, Preston and Weston