Christmas long past

I found this little note while packing that my younger sister left for me many years ago and just had to share it. Jenny would have been only 10 years old and I was 14. This was 36 Christmases ago. (Christmases?? Is that even a real word??...and quit that adding in your head...quit it!) Jenny is the sunshine in our family. She always kept us laughing as she still does today. Jen, I love you!!

Hmmmmph

Last Saturday we had a garage sale. It went really well and Chantile and Jasmine came over to help George and me. Windall was a "BIG" help too. I think her expression says it all, but just in case you need an interpretation............

"Hmmmph...what in the world does she think she's doing making me sit here in this silly basket....like I'm supposed to be all cute and everything.... I mean really ..... doesn't she know I could hunt her down in like ....seconds .............. this is humiliating...I hope the neighbor cat doesn't see.....I'll never live this one down........."

Life is Always Changing!

There are two things we can always count on in this life, Our Heavenly Father/ the gospel and CHANGE! Because of one of those, I have been closely in touch with the other. George and I have made the decision to move to Williston, North Dakota. George accepted a contract to work as a project manager for a development there for a modular home company. There are 104 lots so we expect that to be about a two year gig. After that??? Who knows!! We would love to be able to come back to Billings if the market here is moving again by that time. We consider ourselves so blessed to have our prayers answered with this work. Leaving is going to be extremely hard, but I know Heavenly Father will help take care of my family that I have to leave. My family is everything to me and being away from them is probably the hardest thing anyone could ask of me. But I know what happens when we are obedient and I know the Lord is directing us to Williston. So while I still pang for my family , the peace is greater still . I will send pictures when I can...Its going to be a fun adventure. Housing is incredibly tight in Williston, so the company we are working with arranged for a single wide for us and it was set yesterday on a lot in the sub division George will be working in. We are the first ones in the neighbor hood. (Well, there is another single wide right next door that was also set for one of the salesmen) But its in a great big open field. Kinda has that Iowa-out-in-the-middle-of-no-where look. OOOOOOOoooooo maybe we will see some UFO's! Hopefully there will be no abductions involved though. HAHAHAHA Love you all!!!!

Spoiler Alert - Pictures of a RAT! hahaha

Jasmine is in 4H and she is doing a display in the county fair with Patrick, her rat. He really is a unique and unusual rat. He has such a cute personality and he and Jasmine are quite the buds!! They came over for a photo shoot so Jasmine could put some pictures together for her display. Thought I would share a couple - they came out really cute.

Best Friends


Patrick's Halloween costume - he's a musketeer.


Ready for some fun in the sun!



Is this hilarious or what?

Good luck Jasmine at the fair!! I love you!!!

Oh, and keep scrolling and reading...I put up several posts..catching up on all the summer fun so far....

Serious Protection!

On Sunday July 11, Tabby, Joe, Griffin, and LJ came over for family night. After dinner we had a short Family Home Evening lesson on the Armor of God. Griffin was our model and put on the armor as we read the scriptures explaining it. He had a great time being a warrior for Heavenly Father. It was a really fun evening.

Mom and Dad Fuqua Visit

June was a great month. Not only did we have a surprise visit from Amber and Zane, Mom and Dad got to come as well! Ingrid came with them and we all had a fabulous time with plenty of laughter and fun. It was so great to see them all again. I love you, Mom and Dad and Aunt Ingrid!!

No, I didn't make them sleep in a teepee...hahaha..this was at the Trading Post at Custer's Battlefield. George had just finished doing a remodel and expansion for them so we all went to Crow and take a look. It was a fun drive.


We celebrated Father's Day (late) and Dad's birthday (again, late) while he was here.


Jasmine made the cakes for the celebration...she just might have a career starting!! :-D

A Special Surprise Visit

In the middle of June I got a most welcomed and unexpected phone call. It was Amber saying they were coming for a short visit and would be there the next night. WHAT A THRILL!! It was the longest few hours waiting for their arrival even though I was busy getting everything ready. It was so awesome to see them and feel my sweet babies in my arms!


My Jellybean smiling at his mom...oh how he loves his mom!


Papa and Dalin looking at a picture of Captain Moroni



Ciara showing off her missing teeth...just the right space for a straw she tells me!


A proud daddy and three incredibly beautiful kids!!



Jellybean is such a happy baby...but who wouldn't be when you are as loved as he is.

Baby Fox

On our way home tonight George spotted some baby fox by the road. There were actually three, but one was too shy to come out to have his pictures taken. They sure are cute!

Temple Square

The beauty and power of Temple Square has never faded. We went on Saturday and spent pretty much the whole day there. There were many people there from lots of families celebrating weddings - there was a steady stream of newly weds coming from the temple and taking pictures - to NYS (Not-Yet-Saints) coming to see the beauty and majesty of that building and soak in the Spirit that is there on those sacred grounds. It was wonderful. We went through the church museum and both visitor centers. Here are just a few of the pictures we took.

Nikkie, Zane, Dalin, Amber, Jace, Jared, and Ciara all standing next to the entrance into the Temple


This little nook is on the west side of the temple and is a favorite picture taking spot for newly weds - Amber and Zane wanted one there...what makes it priceless for me is little Dalin peeking up at Mom and Dad!!



Dalin making the great escape (really he just wanted to slide down the granite....he found out it looks smoother than it is )

You can see the blue sky - it was a perfect day.

Dalin peeking out from the podium...future general authority??? Who knows!!!

As always the grounds were breathtaking!

Together forever

Simply amazing

The whole troop...except for Jared who is taking the picture...he was a life-safer that day chasing after the kids...well...ok...mainly Dalin...hahahaha

Ooooodles of Pictures!

Ok so I have lots of pictures and a LOT more I wanted to post but my connection keeps freezing before I can get them all uploaded....grrrrrr.....but here are a few and I will keep trying to get more on.

I was able to go to Utah last weekend thanks to Nikkie! I rode with her since George was unable to go. We had a wonderful time. Jace was blessed and we spent a day at Temple Square and another day at the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point. It was such a treat to spend all that time with them - Friday afternoon till Tuesday morning!! Thanks to Rich and Ronda for letting us stay at their house. We stopped in Idaho Falls on the way home and spent a little time with Heather and Ella - icing on the cake! Enjoy the pictures and I'll get some more on soon!


Jace wasn't too thriled about the photo shoot....can you tell? Hey Mom and Dad doesn't he look a little like Jenny when she was a baby in this shot? Not the crying part...hahaha



All the family that could come. From left: back row: Noel Cooley, Me, Travis Kotter, Rich & Ronda (holding Jacob Laidlaw) Kotter, Darcy (Kotter) Laidlaw, Ryan Laidlaw. In the front row from the left: Molly Cooley, Zane (holding Dalin), Ciara, Amber (holding Jace) Thomas Laidlaw, Jared Kotter.

I love my "punkin" isn't she beautiful?

Pete and re-pete......two handsome guys!

The beautiful family Kotter

My happy little Jelly Bean smiling at his mom.

Jace in his blessing outfit...lovingly given to him by his big brother Dalin.

Our future paleantologist honing her skills at the dinosaur museum.

YIKES!!!!! SCAREY SHARK!!!!

Duh duh....duh duh .. duh duh..... (humming the Jaws theme music here)

Dalin was fascinated with it all even though he's been to the museum before...so fun to watch those little minds whirling and soaking it all in.

Jace even had a good time too!

Not sure what this exhibit was, but the girls were having fun...

The miracle in the eyes of a child.

We saw a buffalo on the way home...not unusual but considering we were yards away from West Yellowstone it was a bit unusual.

Tank...what a funny dog...a soooooo good with Ella

Isn't Heather so beautiful?? (me, not so much...no makeup that day..)

My first hug and snuggles from Ella!!

We did so much more that weekend. I will keep trying to get more pics up.