Nature Walk

We woke up to a beautiful spring morning and did not want to waste to much time inside. We quickly had breakfast and found our shoes. Then set off down our usual path. We were first greeted by these two friendly geese on there way to the pond.

So many butterflies stopped on nearby flowers to say hello.

Our next detour was to the garden to check out the onions and potatoes.

The boys were pretty excited to see that our favorite berry patch had a few ripe and juicy blackberries just waiting to be our morning snack.

Down the road the field of dandelions were dancing in the wind inviting us to come and join them.

I hope this lovely spring weather stays for many more weeks and holds the summer heat at bay. We so enjoy being able to actually go outside and play!

The litte things.

This morning I opened up my computer turned it on and my screen was filled with this simple message.

Hello

I LOVE YOU, + Miss you!
   See you later

My heart stopped for a moment and I felt remembered, loved, and happy. How did he know that I would need just those things at that exact moment. Alma says it best, "that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

Easter Sunday

We started this whirlwind day off at church in our Easter duds.

After church the boys were released outside to get a few wiggles out of their system.

We're free!

Then we rushed over to Grammy’s house, got rid of the nice clothes and got started on our Easter traditions of resurrection rolls and an egg hunt.

The Easter bunny stopped by Grammys house why we were baking and left a bubble bucket for the boys!

On the hunt!

When every egg was accounted for we headed on in for a little treat.

Resurrection rolls!

With our belly’s full we waved goodbye to Grammy and joined up with the Waite’s for Easter dinner. My sister Angie, and her family were in town and having dinner with us as well. Emerson was a little tuckered out and crashed in a spare bedroom.

He later joined in the fun with his cousins…

and his buddy Luigi.

Donaven doesn’t have time for silly things like pictures when his cousins around. He doesn’t want to miss a single minute!

I really loved spending the day focusing on my family and teaching them about the gift the Savior so willingly gave to us. When all the festivities were said and done and we were driving back down are little country lane I couldn’t help but be overcome with the feeling of how blessed I truly am.

This was one of those moments I wanted bottle up, to freeze it and replay it over and over. To cling to during those hard times.

Isaiah 51:3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

I am so thankful for the comfort and joy the Lord so abundantly pours out into my life. I wish you all the happiness and joy the power of the atonement can bring into your life as well.

Happy Easter to you and yours,

Love  - The Mathis’

General Conf.

General conference was quite enjoyable this year. We all gathered in the living room and it seemed quite idealistic in the beginning.

 

 

The boys sat quietly listening to the hymns and waited with anticipation to see the Prophet.

Donaven even listened along to the talks and played his conference square game that his primary leaders gave him. I felt the spirit strongly and felt that the talks were extra pertinent to things I was going through or needed help with. Emerson could only last so long though and the sitting quietly was quickly replaced with loud giggles and jumpy boys trying to get attention. They lasted much longer than I thought they would.

I really am looking forward to getting my Ensign and going back and studying the talks that were given. I think we will use them as our FHE lessons for the remainder of the year. I love the renewed feeling I get after conference. The since of unity and closeness to my Heavenly Father seems stronger. A lot of things stood out to me this year but the two most important in my opinion were one; Family time is sacred and should be respected & two; that Donaven picks up a lot more than I think he does. Even if he appears to not be listening. I need to use my everyday situations and teach him and Emerson the gospel in unplanned natural ways that invite the spirit. I hope you also felt uplifted and strengthened during General Conference!

Rootin' Tootin' Party

The whole family had the pleasure of spending the afternoon at a ranch celebrating a friends birthday. It was quite the event jam-packed with a bouncy house, playground fun, horse rides, cotton candy, stick horse races, hay rides, and much more fun.

 

Donaven's expression at seeing the cute baby horse Valentino.

 

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 The boy's weren't to sure about the horse rides. They instead enjoyed watching securely from the other side of the gate.

Cowboy Donaven

 Here Emerson is enjoying his cotton candy. Isn't he to stinking cute!

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(I can not take credit for those last two beautiful shots though. Or the earlier ones of the horse. My very talented friend took them. You should go check out her photography blog here. Seriously click on the link she is amazing!)

To say we had a good time would be the under-statement of the century. Happy 4th Birthday Kayelea, thanks for letting us be apart of your special day!