Happy Birthday Rebekah Madelyn!

First of, let me apologize for the quality of the pictures of pictures. 23 years ago today I was 25 years old, 3 small children at home and a little angel in my arms. This little baby completed our family and has added such joy and happiness to our lives. She has (and still) endures countless teasing from her older siblings and always had to be the "little sister" -- the one to blame for everything. Even when it is rightly deserved (remember Little Foot and the lipstick encounter?) It has been so wonderful to watch Rebekah grow and drink life in. She has truely been an amazing example to so many. Now my little baby has her own little baby soon to be in her arms. It will be so fun to watch her and Curtis over the next few months. She is an amazing young woman. Happy birthday sweet heart!!

The women who inspire me

Oh mother I give you my love with each flower. To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through. For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking, I learn how to love them, dear Mother, from you.


Mothers Day is an interesting day in most every woman's life. It is a day to reflect on your mother, being a mother and other mothers who touch your life. Sometimes it is a day to reflect on missed opportunities of life. But today has been a day of joy. Much of it due to my thoughtful husband (thanks for the roses and the stuffed french toast and strawberries this morning) and also my wonderful children who give me so much, especially my fabulous grand children. I am so grateful for my beautiful mother, for Lova and for my wonderful daughters. For sweet sisters and sisters in laws and nieces. For good friends who are like my sisters and for animals who give us the opportunity to mother. For the little spirits who our Heavenly Father entrusts to our care for a life time. Some of these sweet sisters are close and some are distant. Some have passed onto other spheres. A few months ago I penned a few thoughts for Rachael that are sacred to me. I have held them close to my heart, but now I want to share them and dedicate them not only to my four daughters and to my mother, but my to all of those women that have touched my life.

January 10, 2009 2 am Milan, Italy
My dear sweet daughter,
As you labor only steps away blocked from me by these hazy glass doors, all of my thoughts, prayers and love surround you with all of the parts of my soul. You so valiantly labored today drawing first on your own powers, then of those around you and then your Supreme Creator. What a gift to be able to give life, To allow it to nurture and grow inside of you. And then to go through the process of allowing that little life to be borne. Now this sweet little spirit represents all of the generations that came before her. Many are gone and some remain. I remember the night of your birth. I labored, then pushed you until your sweet little face appeared. And I fell in love with you immediately. Then an overwhelming love for my own mother filled my heart. I then could understand what it meant to be a mother, to love as a mother and cry as a mother. Many times through your life we have discussed "mothering" How many people have been a mother to you ... and mothered by you. but beyond all of those I am so grateful that I could be YOUR mother. What a gift you have been. And as we have been able to share life also as friends, it is important for me that you know that I love you.

The Disfunctional Family --- hmmmmmm

Spring time with little Lottie

Hannah Montana Banana Pudding

Look what happened today at Megaplex 20! This is what Deseret News had to say--








Miley Cyrus surprises movie-goers at Utah theater

April 10th, 2009 @ 3:50pm

By Brooke Walker

SOUTH JORDAN -- It was the surprise of a lifetime for a theater full of "Hannah Montana" fans when pop princess Miley Cyrus made an appearance at a Utah premiere of her new movie.

Coming Up

Tonight at 6:
Watch the surprise and hear fan reaction tonight on KSL News at 6.

After a staged "technical glitch" at the 3:30 p.m. showing of "Hannah Montana: The Movie" at The District in South Jordan, the star of the show came out in front of a stunned crowd. She was joined by her father, and co-star, singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

For the last several weeks, commercials for the movie have run on the Disney Channel. They included a taped interview with Miley Cyrus, promising several surprise appearances at premiers across the country.

"You just may be seeing me in your hometown theaters," the singing sensation said in a Disney promotional video. "So get ready!"

"Hannah Montana: The Movie" is a spin-off of the popular Disney television show. The series portrays a normal girl who leads a double life as a famous pop singer.

E-mail: bwalker@ksl.com

My boys and their Toys

Santa brought the big boys remote control cars. With all of the snow we finally found a good Sunday after dinner a couple of weeks ago to get them on the road. It was loads of fun!

Great, Great, Great Grandpa

I have a few great grandparents. Not only "great" because of the seperation of relation, but also because they were just plain GREAT!! I teach the 16-17 year old Sunday School class and this year we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants. I have always had an interest in my fore fathers and why they choose the paths that they did. All of my fraternal and maternal ancestors joined the church and traveled across the plains by wagon train. This is a picture of Titus Billings. This is the information about him in Wikipedia. He would be my mothers grandfather's grandfather, I believe. I think he was my first ancestor to be baptized, though Daniel Allen followed a few months later. I have been spending a few hours the past weeks reading about these ancestors such as Titus Billings, Daniel Allen, Edwin Dilworth Woolley, Louisa Jane Berry and John Sivel Smith. I have always considered myself of "pioneer stock" and hope that I can live up to the heritage that they sacrificed so much for.

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Titus Billings
Born	March 25, 1793(1793-03-25)
Place of birth	Greenfield, Massachusetts
Died	February 6, 1866 (aged 72)
Place of death	Provo, Utah Territory
LDS Church General Authority
Second Counselor to the Bishop of the Church
Called by	Edward Partridge
Start of term	August 1, 1837 (aged 44)
End of term	May 27, 1840 (aged 47)
End reason	Honorably released at the death of Edward Partridge

Titus Billings (March 25, 1793 – February 6, 1866) was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and a contemporary of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. He was one of the first converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Billings was present at many of the early events of the LDS church, and served as a church leader in Ohio, Missouri and Utah.

Billings was born on March 25, 1793 in Greenfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts, the son of Ebeneezer Billings and Esther Joyce. He was a carpenter by trade. On February 16, 1817, he married Diantha Morley, the sister of Isaac Morley. As a member of the LDS church, Billings later practiced plural marriage and had nineteen children.

[edit] Church history and service

Billings was baptized in November 1830 by LDS missionaries sent to the Lamanites or American Indians. He was the second person baptized in Kirtland, Ohio. He received priesthood offices during his church service, including:

• ordained a Deacon: October 1831
• ordained an Elder: March 10, 1832 by Thomas B. Marsh.
• ordained High Priest: August 1, 1837; under the hands of Edward Partridge and Isaac Morley, his brother-in-law.

Billings was called to serve the church as Second Counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge in 1837 and served in this position until the death of Partridge on May 27, 1840. He received his temple Endowment on December 13, 1845 in the Nauvoo Temple and was sealed to his wife Diantha on January 30, 1846.

Billings died on February 6, 1866 in Provo, Utah County, Utah Territory.

[edit] External links

• The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 63:39