A LUCKY DAY in March 2014 :) Better Late than Never!

We have been in St. George, Utah for 3.5 years... having left our beloved beautiful Mona behind, and falling in love with a whole new landscape and energy down here.

Cierra is now 15 1/2 - getting her braces off today... yea! Sophomore at Pine View High.

Brennen is 12 and is officially taller than Mom and Cierra. 6th Grader at George Washington Academy.

Matthew is almost 8!!! He is in 2nd grade at George Washington Academy as well.

We are mindful of the multitude of blessings we have been granted each year, and feel somewhat ungrateful for not journaling/blogging/ expressing more of our lives for records and history.

We will keep trying!!  hopefully it won't be every 4 years :)

Love to any and all that may ever come across this or read it in the future.

To our children: I love you more than I can ever explain, express, or comprehend. Know that my imperfections and inabilities have never stopped me from wanting to do the best by you.  I apologize for falling short at times, but I know the Lord will make up my weakness and yours and will help us through anything and everything that comes our way!!  Can't wait to spend more days, months, and years with each of you.  Love you forever and ever.

To my Chris:  I love you more than ever, I love you for all that you are, were, and are becoming. Thank you for your patience with me.  Thank you for being you, and for cheering all of us on.  You are my rock. I am so eternally grateful for you. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I remembered my blog password!

OCTOBER 2009:

Halloween - 2009 BAPTISM, TRICK OR TREATING all in one Day?

Brennen had a great 8th BDAY on the 22nd, then BAPTISM, and Trick or Treating on Halloween.

slightly ironic, but still very fun!

HIYA! We are still alive, didn't get Christmas cards out (again), but will email or BLOGGITY BLOG some recent pics of us and call it good!

Hope all is well with everyone one that even checks this thing...

We still love where we live, hope to stay forever. I was telling my friend Michele, its like waking up in a picture every morning, and wanting to freeze time every night because it is so beautiful and peaceful here. I will cherish this quiet little slice of heaven forever : )

Kids started school, .... Blah blah - tons of great stuff!

• (HERE IT IS NOV. 23rd, 2010 - realizing I never posted this...)

• Then we moved to St. George in JULY of 2010!

Soooo behind on the Blog thing!

Will have to catch you all up soon...Our latest adventures; family pics:. :)

• Or we could skip all the way to 2014????   Oh My.

2008 - About US -- MATTHEW-BuG

ALWAYS Making us Smile, Suprising, Smart, Athletic, Strong-willed, Cuddly, Cute:

King Matthew

How do I start. Basically, he is his own. He is Hillarious.
Chris and I both have people tell us all the time, "he is so cute!"
There is a phenomenal pull about this kid.

He sucks you in and you end up doing whatever he wants you to... play ball, read books, tickle, wrap his blanket around him over and over, tell him where we are going again for the 20th time... and you never tire of it.

It is a pleasure.


Some days I think, is it possible to love some little being this much? Seriously, it is all- consuming. I look at him and want to munch him to death. He tells me where to go though when he's had enough.


We call him KING Matthew because since he could walk, he would bring his blanket of the day to you, turn around, back up to you, hands behind him, and wait... Like a Japanese sight-see-er waiting for the next tour.
Your job is to wrap that blanket around him and then pick him up, place him on his pillow, and get him a bottle. He does this everytime he gets tired. Still.


Please don't ever call him Matt - yuk. That is not this kid. He is Matthew, and Matthew-bug, and King Matthew. Ok thanks. 

This one is a complete natural when it comes to sporty stuff. He was never taught to swing a bat, he just started one day and had the perfect stance. He was trying to play volleyball with me for about 2 weeks -- I had no clue what he was putting his hands together and swinging them up for, instead of just catching the ball like normal, frustrating me to death. I finally got it. He was about 18 months.

He runs up and kicks soccer balls left or right footed. He hits base balls off the bounce (cuz mom's pitching isn't always accurate). He drop kicks balls to himself. He throws quite accurately and hard! Amazingly, he can take off speed when you explain to throw softer, and yet it is still accurate.
CASE IN POINT: Last night was the school Halloween Carnival/(MAD HOUSE)... There was a cut out with three holes for a bean bag toss. Chris took him to it-- 3 for 3. All different holes. I didn't see too many kids that actually attend school get all 3 in the same hole.


He is stinking loveable... thats my best description at this point. Every day is something totally new, and our hearts warms up over and over again.


Basically-- we are in over our heads with WONDERFUL, TALENTED, AWESOME CHILDREN. I am at a loss many times a day. Inadequate. Short-sighted, and in great need of ADvice all the time. It is a given that I don't handle things the way they deserve... hope we don't stunt their growth from being so crazy!!


WE ARE TOTALLY GRATEFUL for the many lessons we have learned from them...


They are Spiritual Giants in these small little bodies. : )

2008- About US - BRENNEN

HERE he Is... unique, brilliant, pure boy, pure soul, loves life and learning

Mr. Bren

I was watching him today as he walked with his class outside for an assembly on the grass. (I happened to be helping at school today at the same time). He yelled, "MOM!" and waved, and looked back at me and smiled about 3 more times. All I could think is "man, I love that kid."
He is very very smart. He is also in the weird-noisy-jumping-pounding-pouting-finding-his-way 7 year old boy stages. I miss my quiet, pondering, loving little guy from Pre-school. But he's still in there, just more independent. He is actually pretty dang funny, and cracks himself up as much as the rest of us. He's a pretty good dancer too... got a few awesome moves.


Brennen came home from school the other day having won the monthly "Fun & Excitement" student award. His teacher nominated him saying: "Brennen comes to school ready to learn and loves to do it. He is always excited about what he is learning and has fun coming up with new ways to learn." They gave him a certificate, pin, and took his picture. He was so excited he told his Dad about it 2 or 3 days in a row, like it was all brand new again.

Both his school teacher and church teacher have told me recently that they really enjoy having him in class. His church teacher said, "I just love him, he is such a great kid."

Brennen reads very well - and loves doing Math. I am grateful he is not bored in 1st grade, and totally digs into whatever they are learning. He is very particular about doing his best in his handwriting, and coding words, etc.

Brennen played T-ball and Soccer this year. He is one of the tallest on both of his teams. He has great coordination, and totally enjoys being part of a team, hangin out with all his Buds.


His 7th Birthday was last week... he asked for a skateboard. Thanks to cousin Rob, Brennen has the coolest, Bruce Lee / Kung Fu throw back skateboard in the whole town.
He is growing up SOOO fast.


It is bittersweet...

All I have to say is I hope my Heavenly Father gives me this big theatre room when I die - one that has eternal/virtual reality options- so I can go back in time and watch, see, hear, feel and remember what my children were like in each stage of their lives. : )

2008 - About US - CIERRA

Determined, Forward-thinking, Intelligent, Inquisitive, Kind-hearted:

Ms. Cierra

Cierra is 10! She is in the 5th grade. This is insane to me. WOW. I remember chasing her around and calling her "punkin" and reminding her not to eat watermelon so fast, let me be the Mom, or stop teasing Brennen - ( I am still saying these things). Cierra is a natural at writing stories and literary assignments. She loves to read, play sports- listen, dance, & sing to music. She is a great PERSUADER, and sees things certain ways, trying to convince you her way works best. She is very compassionate and kind. She is fiercely loyal. She loves to be prepared and on time (definitely from her FATHER). She came home today with a "perfect attendance" award from her school, which made her Daddy very proud.


Prime example: Cierra was given an assignment -about the middle of Oct.- to read a book and write about it in newspaper form. It is due Nov. 22nd. She turned it in completely finished 3 days ago. (it is now Oct. 29th). She definitely did not get that from her Mom.


She seriously is my superior in so many ways. I am always getting a dose of Humble Pie when it comes to this business of life and Cierra's mastery of it. I seriously wonder if I am the Mom in this relationship!?

She enjoys her friends and being a part of sports teams and class activities. Cierra played softball and soccer this year. She can definitely "hang" with the boys when it comes to soccer. Aggressive and competitive. She loves to play. Cierra's softball team won the city tournament this year. They made the ultimate come back. Cierra was the catcher on the team, full gear and everything! Her soccer team took second in the league this year, and she scored a goal. Cierra is a big help at home and we are so grateful for the blessing she is to our lives. Always teaching us and keeping us on our toes!! She is a great big sister, and takes good care of Bren, Matthew, and our Dog: Chubbers.

She is FULL of life, and LOVES life so innocently, and hugely.


You have to see it to understand it.


She is an absolute LIGHT to all those around her! Unwavering.

2008 About US - Chris n Heather

Chris and I have been married for 11 years now. WO. It is so funny to think we are now in our 30's and yet in our heads we are still early 20's. I am finding that everyone older than us has the same false notion. What is age anyway?

We have 3 wonderful munchkins, who you will see plenty of shortly after...
Cierra is 10, Brennen is 7, and Matthew is 2 1/2.
Here are some pics of Chris and I from our 10 year anniversary trip to Hawaii.

What completely amazes me is that in this world of convenience, and always wanting something new and more exciting... Is that true love, staying the course, staying committed, is completely satisfying, and utterly new and exciting ALL the time! There are moments of drama and stress... But I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a handsome, hard-working companion in this life that actually LOVES ME?!! And is happy to see me, be with me, and hang out with me.

Crazy.

I am still totally in love with this hunk, but insanely, even more than 11 1/2 years ago.

How cool is that??!!

I highly recommend marriage to anyone who hasn't tried it yet. : )

Why The Costa Crusade?

Where did that name come from? About everything else we could think of was taken, so Chris and I busted out the dictionary... (well I did, while Chris was falling asleep on the couch) and saw "crusade" which means "a religious journey."

And there you go.

Crusade totally fits our current mindset.

We are all on a journey... learning and choosing.

We have noticed that once you've seen and done, built and destroyed, triumphed and failed in the world's eyes, your purpose in life is questioned at the very core --

Hopefully at this point we all decide to grow up and step outside of ourselves.

We have realized that not much else matters other than what is between our ears, is dear to our hearts, and gives us deep, lasting joy... Family, Friends, and Faith.

And we are totally okay with that.