dinner of champions (as phrased by dave)

I shouldn't even admit that I let Dave eat this. This is what he had for dinner and all his medications were dessert (all 7 of them). He did have other options I will have you know. The rest of us had quesadillas. I guess that was just an appetizer for him. I am going to have to get tough with him, and myself. FORZA (for my italian speaking friends). ps and if you didn't know. Yoohoo is one of Dave's most favorite drinks. It is in our year supply. Found these tall babies at walmart. Knew Dave would be so excited about them. The kids know they are totally off limits. Also, I always call them yahoo on accident (like mom always calling millers outpost-lou millers. I have a million mix ups like that too in my vocabulary. Keeps me laughing at myself).

I love this

This struck me as so funny when I pulled up to the house this afternoon. This says it all about how my home life is right now. Can you guess how many kids were currently playing at our house? This is what I always wanted. A house full of kids. A safe haven. A comfortable and fun place to be. I love the ages my kids are right now. 5-12. They are still always in my sight so I know they are safe, and they love to be home and with me. They love to talk about things and play games. They love to hang out and watch movies and eat treats. They love to read the scriptures and discuss the gospel of Jesus Christ. They love to pray, and their prayers are the sweetest things you have ever heard. No diapers need to be changed and they love to cook. Life is pretty good. I am so content with where we are right now. It's a good place. I challenge you to take a picture that captures for you why you like where you are right now.

Jacob's hot moves

my 12 year old boy. love him!

the best things

Yesterday was a good day. the best kind in fact. The kind when I feel like a missionary again. When I load up the car with goodies and addresses and head out to visit people that Heavenly Father loves and has prompted me to visit. You really really really love who you serve. It is such a high. It's the mormon high. ha ha. If you don't believe me try it for yourself. Go and visit an elderly person who is lonely, help someone clean their home as they are in the process of moving, call someone just because you are thinking about them. Do this for a day and than look in the mirror. Look at the light that is in your eyes, the smile that is on your lips, and recognize the feeling of contentment that you have. That feeling that all is right in the world instead of the anxiety, frustration, depression, fear, and discontent that can so often creep into our daily lives. Want to take it one step further....involve your family. Show them how to have peace and joy in life. Take them with you. There is nothing so awesome as to see one of your children really getting it, and seeing that light I was talking about in them. A family moved into our ward and her husband is in the army and left yesterday for Africa for a year. She has a four and one year old who don't even understand what that really means.... dad gone for a year. Mom is scared and lonely. We stopped by as a family last night. As Dave helped move a piece of furniture into the car for her I see Rachel on her own going over and helping her mom unpack and fold clothing and play with the kids. She took the initiative all on her own. I realized that she knew what it meant to serve, to love, and to reach out to others. Nothing could make me happier than that.

The picture above is one of my favorites. It was made for me by the talented Natalie Kidd. She transferred it onto a tile. It sits by my sink in my kitchen (where I am the most ha) a constant reminder to me that the greatest among us are those that give themselves in service to others. I read a quoteby elder Christiansen from this month's ensign that says it all. "there is a calling far higher than that of stake president, bishop, or relief society president. It is to be a doer of good, a disciple of Christ, an intermediary through whom God answers others' prayers. He explains that he fasted and prayed that God would give him opportunities daily to bless and help people. As he acted upon those promptings from the holy ghost that he received, it was as if God spoke to him more frequently because He knew that he was listening. I LOVE THAT! and I know that it is true because I have experienced that at certain times in my life (it's hard to keep that up all the time sheesh). But how cool is that to feel like Heavenly Father knows He can depend on you. That you are listening and ready to do what He needs done. That is the kind of person I want to be. An "intermediary through whom God can answer His children's prayers." Dave must be praying for me to make dinner because Natalie Matkin felt prompted to bring by recipes that I have been wanting from her. This in turn prompted me to actually feel motivated to make dinner tonight. I guess Dave isn't loving my cream of wheat dinners (i love them). ha ha. Anywho...just some things on my mind. ALONG WITH THE FABULOUS NEWS THAT MY BROTHER JUST WAS AWARDED CUSTODY OF HIS 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER!!!!! that was the answer to many prayers. Alot of amazing things have happened since my Mom passed away. It is as if all of her greatest desires that she had in life are finally coming to fruition. I wonder if Heavenly Father is regretting just a little that He brought her home to Him so soon. He didn't realize that she would be so insistent in finishing up quickly all her undone business. I really feel her influence in all that has happened in my family's life lately. It helps me not miss her quite so much. Although "not quite so much" can still be hard sometimes. So here is a shout out to Kathryn Crepps Reneer. To my example of how a Mom should teach her children to trust completely in the Lord, and be dedicated to living his gospel.

The BOys

This is for Brady. He was wondering why there weren't any pictures of him and jake. Sadly this is the only one that I took the whole week that they were here of them together. So here you go Brades, soaking it up in the hottub with your soul mate. Jacob sure misses you. We also miss Dallens sweet seriousness, and Landon's "in your face". Little wild man.

The Lady of chalot

this was the girls being Anne (with an e) acting out when she goes into the river in the canoe. Hair flowing and reciting the lady of chalot. I don't know how to spell that. Kelly I am sure you know. this is what we do in February. How about you? hee hee

A makeover story

Lizzie did gloria's hair and makeup? Do you like it? I think she is a natural. smile

Baby Penelope

Finally had time to take pictures of sweet baby Penny. Couldn't you just kiss her all day? More pictures of her photo shoot on my photography website http://heatherivesphotography.blogspot.com

Mothers to be

kennedy and rachel decided that they would carry these babies with them wherever they went. It was so cute to see them playing moms.

They even tried out nursing. They thought that was the funniest thing ever. So cute though.

Rachel of course wanted to have "Grandpa Ives" hold her baby. Dave was so cute too. He loves his new smokin hOt bbq shirt. Perfect for the smokin hot husband. ha.

ANNOUNCING HEATHER IVES PHOTOGRAPHY

I AM SO EXCITED! I HAVE REALIZED A LIFE LONG GOAL TO GET MY PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS UP AND RUNNING. MY PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG IS READY TO GO! GO CHECK IT OUT AND TELL ME HOW YOU LIKE IT! IT IS http://heatherivesphotography.blogspot.com hope you enjoy it!!!!!

happy Valentines Day!

I am hangin with my lover all day today!!! Working on healing that heart of his! Also my sista Glor and kids are here. Lots of love floating around this place. We heated the pool and have been swimming and enjoying the arizona winter. woo hoo. My advice to you. Give someone a big kiss that you love today!! Lots of loves and snuggles!

A YEAR TO REMEMBER

I signed up to take a year long online class with Heidi Swapp entitled "A Year to Remember." I have been really surprised at how meaningful it really has become. There are weekly assignments and challenges to do concerning LIFE. Making it what you want it to be, going for those dreams we put off. The first challenge was to pick a goal with a date, have five reasons why you chose it and what you will tell yourself to motivate yourself every day. I really spent alot of time thinking about what I really wanted to accomplish. It took me a few weeks, and lots of discussion with Dave. Here is my scrapbook page telling my goal and why. This is something that scares me to death, yet something I want more than anything. I always knew I needed a marketable skill in case I ever needed to provide for my family, but I didn't know what. So I had to come up with that too. I decided that like my mother before me I couldn't do just one thing (so boring). I decided I could incorporate the three things I love. This made me really excited. I cannot believe how much I have been able to do in just one month to realize this goal. Also, how motivated I have been! I actually have been doing family photo shoots, loving yoga again, and have my first violin student lined up. My goal is to just be prepared. I want to just continually keep up my skills. So I came up with the goal one photo shoot a month, always have one student, and teaching yoga just as a sub or at the most one morning a week. Although really I just always want to be in shape to be able to get a job. Thats another whole goal that I accomplish by being ready to teach yoga. Lose the love handles (even though my kids do think they are cozy. ha ha). So here I have set this goal finally be prepared and after 3 weeks of working on it, Dave has a heart attack. I told him, "DAVE I DON'T EVEN HAVE MY PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE READY YET!" We got a good laugh out of that. Only funny because he is ok. I hope I am not getting the help that I need from above because he really is going to leave me. I don't think so, but I definitely will have more peace knowing I am prepared for whatever the Lord has in store for us.

HAPPIEST MAN ALIVE!

Most spoiled patient ever

you wouldn't believe how well Dave was treated by the nurses in the cardiovascular surgical ICU. They thought he was the greatest and went to great lengths to help him. These are our two favorites as they wheel him to the biggest room. They snuck salt in for him, ordered take out for us, and were at our beck and call. It was better than the Ritz Carlton (and I am sure more expensive too ha). Dave did keep them laughing with his usual wit.

superbowl sunday

GO COLTS...GO GO GO COLTS!! this was the cheer/chant delivered to us sunday after

noon by our friendly neighborhood colts fans. Dave and Jacob had their own party at 4am monday morning. Had some friends over and made a big, yummy, greasy (perfect for the post heart attack diet) breakfast. This really lifted the spirits of the big (little) boy who lives in our home.

matters of the heart

January 28th the phone rang at 7:30 am. I knew it was Dave. He is the only one who would call me that early in the morning. It is usually with the intent to wake me up if he has left the house and can't do it in person. (He's my alarm clock). I picked up the phone to hear his sweet voice and asked, "Where are you?" The answer is classic Dave! He proceeds to tell me that he is at the hospital and is checked into a room in the cardiac unit. Delivered calmly and nonchalantly (as only Dave can). He casually explains that he woke up a 1am with chest pain and pain in his arm and not wanting wake me (knowing how i don't like that, having had experience as my alarm clock) drove himself to the emergency room. To calm me he simply explained that he had his cell phone if he needed to call 911, and if anything happened at the hospital he wrote down my name and number to be contacted...no worries. WHO DOES THAT? I ask you. If you know my husband, he would be the first one to come to your mind. He played it off like nothing was wrong and that he was just waiting there for some more tests to come back and then he would be home. With the attitude of you don't need to bother coming down. IS HE FOR REAL? I ask myself that often.. like from the movie kicking and screaming with will ferrell "ARe you a robot, ARE YOU A ROBOT MAN? So, I just told the kids that dad wasn't feeling well and went to the doctor and that I was going to pick him up. I rush down there. Find him all hooked and in a gown. The doctor soon arrived and explained that he had a heart attack and will need to be transported to another hospital (in an ambulance) that has open heart surgery capabilities in case they need do emergency surgery after having an angiogram done. I started crying, Dave asks why I am crying. BECAUSE WHAT IF YOU HAD DIED AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN WAKE ME UP!!!!! I left to go and get the kids so they could see him before he was transferred to the surgical ICU. I had a good bawl on the way home, arrange with my neighbor to watch them after and went to get the kids worrying specifically how Jacob would handle it. As I pulled up Jacob was standing outside. I got out of the car and he said, "I already know mom, (me looking puzzled) I had a dream last night that Dad went to the hospital and everyone was upset and I was calm. He was there a few days and came home just fine." Jacob continued to be a calming enfluence during this whole experience and kept the rest of the kids calm too. A tender mercy extended with love by our Heavenly Father. If something like this had to happen, it couldn't have happened more smoothly. We were watched over in every instance. We really felt the effects of so many prayers given in our behalf and for Dave. WE are so BLESSED!!! More to share but out of time for now. Thank you Thank you for all your prayers!! We are so happy to have him home!!!!!!!!