Jake's First Talk

Jake gave his first talk yesterday in our ward.  Like me he opened with a joke.  Laughter is a great way to get everyone's attention.  Below are his notes for his talk.  He didn't stick strictly to them but got in many points.  The two items missing from his notes are how he told everyone what a great mom I am and how much he loves me.  When he was talking about me I could feel myself blushing.  And he spoke about a recent incident when Payton chose to do the right by returning something that was accidentally given to him.  He spoke about how proud he was of Payton.

MESSAGE  “ Having the Courage to Stand up for what is right”

I am a recent move in to the Ward

I just recently got married Aug 22^nd at the St. George Temple

We have 4 Children, 2 Dogs, and a Cat,  I guess you can say I got the Costco Variety Pack when I got married. 

I love them all very much even though as you can imagine it comes with its challenges from time to time being newly married and raising a family but we are both up for the challenge. They all have their own crazy personalities and I feel very blessed to be a part of their lives and grateful to have the best most beautiful & smart companion to take that on with me. We will talk more on that when I'm sure in the near future you will have the opportunity to hear from my wife and I in which she can tell our story much better than I can.

A little more about me, I was born in Las Vegas. Then moved to Yuma, AZ was raised there I am an Eagle Scout and served a mission in The Missouri Independence Mission. I have one older brother. who is now married and has two children. Funny thing is my mother always wanted to have a huge family but wasn’t able to. Lets just say that she was pretty excited for Amy and I to get married because she is now a grandmother of 6 grandchildren and very happy about the size of our family. We also hope to have a few more children in the future and add to that number.

I just recently had the opportunity to be called as a First Councilor in the Young Men’s Presidency. Looks like living in the same neighborhood as the Bishopric mean you will not slip under the radar. I am very grateful for this calling. I’m sure I will learn and grow a lot and also have a good time with Payton and soon Hadley.

Which as member of the Church we have plenty of opportunities in our everyday lives to do so with others that are not members around us or just setting the example for our own families.  Having the courage to do what is right in my own life. Started at a young age for me when I made the choice to serve a mission at the age of 10. Which I know from that point on kept me from making bad choices because I knew what I could and couldn't do to be worthy to serve a mission. That is what should be focused on for our young men to keep that as a goal and to do what it takes to stay on the straight and narrow to get there.  

I would like to share a quote from a talk that was in the OCT 2011 General Conference talk of Jose L Alonso of the Seventy. Called “ Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay”  He goes on to say.  President Thomas S Monson has asked us to go “to the rescue” and serve others. He said: “ We will discover that those whom  we serve. Who have felt through our labors the touch of the master's hand, somehow cannot explain the change which comes into their lives. There is a desire to serve faithfully, to walk humbly, and to live more like the savior. Having received their spiritual eyesight and glimpsed the promises of eternity, they echo the words of the blind man to whom Jesus restored sight, who said, ‘One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. “

We all have opportunities to serve and show love to our fellow men and have the courage to stand up for what we all know is right and blesses our lives and our families s as well. I know God lives and loves all of his children and we have a great responsibility more than ever before to set a great example. I SAY THIS IN THE NAME OF Jesus Christ AMEN!!

Again, these are just his notes, not word for word or anything but I wanted to remember his first talk in our ward and the first time I got to hear him talk.  Looks like we will be talking again in Nov or Dec and Jake's says I get an extra 5 mins because he already did part of his this weekend.  LOL

Jake is a great husband and father and his faith makes his an amazing man.  The children and I are so lucky to have him in our lives.

Time to Start Writing Again

Jake (mu husband) thought I should start maintain our family blog.  I think he meant just for us but I thought it would be nice to sometimes share insight with others.  I have a ton if ideas for posts but for now I just wanted to intro our family,

We are the Parry's!  A growing happy Mormon family living here in Utah's Dixie.  

Jake and I are newlyweds but have been a party of each other's lives for years.  

Jake has never been married, no kids.

But now...

Now he has 4!!

Again, not sure where this blog will become but we are excited to see what we can make of it.

Tender Mercy

I know I don't write on our family blog much but I really felt like this needed to be written down.

Yesterday, after a long weekend of moving into our new house and everyone fighting headcolds colds, I decided to let the kids all stay home from school and get rest.  Normally I wouldn't let them stay home from school for just a cold... normally they have to be puking, fever, can't leave the bathroom sick to miss school, but I felt like they needed to be here at home.  I couldn't have explained it yesterday morning. I just felt the need to keep them all home and safe with me, especially Uma.  I had a dream about her the night before and needed her not to go school.  We didn't even leave the house yesterday.

Then last night I read this on my friends facebook

I am counting my blessings right now. It's amazing how in a blink of an eye you could possibly have your child taken from you. There was a runaway car at school in the parking lot and not only did this woman come within inches of hitting my car she then decided to turn and almost ran over about 50 kids including my 7 year old that she barely missed. I would have much rather her hit my car than take out innocent children. Thank god no one got hurt...

As soon as I read this, I knew why I had that feeling.  Something tells me, if the kids had went to school, if Uma had been at the school, I would not be sitting her at my desk right now listening to her play with her puppy and kitty in the living room.

And I got another confirmation this morning when I received this email from the school this morning.

Vista Parents and Students,

As some of you are aware, we had an accident at Vista today at the end of the school day.  In what was described as a “miracle” by those who witnessed it, no one was injured in this unfortunate accident that took place just as the students were being released from classes for pick-up. Due to a brake failure, a driver lost control of her car hitting another car that was waiting to pick up students. Fortunately, the collision slowed the vehicle that malfunctioned, preventing it from doing even more damage. The car did travel through the area where students were staged waiting for their rides, but thankfully no one was hit.  A big thanks goes out to faculty and staff who got children out of the way.

I feel like the spirit directed me yesterday and thankful my children and all the children of Vista are safe and unharmed this morning.

We're Back!

Spooky right?!

Post will be made here and on our other blog.  This blog will remain open for all family and friends.  

Fox staying busy after church on Sunday

 Oobie is more a multitasker (most girls are, ha!)  Here she is working play doh, watching youtube, and eating lunch.  And yes, she wore the tiara all day!

 Had won't leave Ollie Ba Ba alone!  The cat is tearing him up!!

 The weekly Sunday wrestling match.  I don't get a quiet moment around this place… Even on Sunday.

Fox's homework… due on Friday.  Lucky he loves Mrs Clark's class and history and finished tonight!

 Car pool!

 He calls this his old man face!

Oobie and Fox and I bought a gift for the Toys for Tots drive in honor of Natalie tonight.  

 Parade today, and Oobie and I went down to watch Payton and I volunteered to help out.  I was in charge of the pizza lunch.  26 pizzas had to be dished out!  And holy cow the JR high kids can eat.

 There is my little drummer boy!

Uma's field trip

Some of these pics didn't load last post.  This was pics mostly from Uma's field trip to Stehli Farm.

 I volunteered for the field trip and had so much fun with Oob and her friends.

 This is Gracie, Uma's best friend.  It makes me laugh they look so much a like, just like I did when I was little with my best friend Gianna.

 Uma and Addy.

 Ro, Uma, Gracie, Sienna.

 After school lunch and Wendy's

 Fox looking handsome.

 Gooniebird by Uma

 Uma helping me with chores one day.

 Oob and her kitty.

 After school snack.  Soup and ice-cream.

Oobie style

Fall Haps

It has been a busy fall, full of more firsts, happy times, and some pretty sad times.

 Oob at jazz, one of her have dance classes

 Oob working on one of her drawings called "Uma's garden"

 Payton at his Court of Honor.  He got 27 badges!  27!  Including the Thomas S Monson Award.  Payton lead the Scout Oath and Law.  We are so proud of him.  He just needs to complete one more item and then he begins working on his Eagle Scout.

Oob and Monk

 Jame's baby sister, who we just love!

 Fox and bestie, Christian.

 Oobie and one of her besties, Kylie… aka Christian's sister.

 Wood's neighborhood party

 Saturday wrestingling… never a dull moment I tell you.

 A warm Halloween (which we loved!) with swimming at Christian's, a ride in a side by side, Halloween parties (I volunteered in 3 classes that day), lunch with friends, a Halloween school parade, and trick or treating.  Busy day and Uma and Fox still made to bed in by 9.  

 A lady bug and her soldier.

 The big boys swam on Halloween too.

 We took over Wendy's at lunch.

 Uma and one her best friends, Addy.

 Making a ghost.

 Uma in the parade with best friend Gracie (who looks a lot like Uma), and friend Sadie.

Mrs Smith is so cute.

 Uma helping me in Had's class.

 I ran a game for Had's class.  It was a "word game" but I was told it was boring, but the candy I gave out made up for it.

 Family pics

 Tuscan and Sienna's Halloween party.

 More wresting

 Payton was is a parade for band.  SCMS band is one of the best!

 Oob had to come to the parade right after rehearsal on Saturday.  The parade was for Dixie homecoming.

 Had and Mom date to the gold course.  

 School fall carnival

 A gooniebird trying to fly. 

 She got her hair painted at the carnival.

 Friday lunch, and he took Had's challenge to see how many straws he could put in his lemonade.

 Uma made a fort, and kitty proceeded to pounce on it.

 This is Monk.  Grandma Janie gave it to her (use to be Jake's).

 Took the kids to the driving range, and Had hits it to the black!  

 Monday morning dance.

 This picture although cute, is our saddest picture.  Our dearest friends, the Peterson's, daughter Natalie (age 3 and Uma's friend), was killed in an accident a few weeks ago.  In honor of her memory we decorated our home with pink bows and pink lights as did many neighborhoods and houses in St George.  I was afraid Uma wouldn't understand, but thanks to our faith, Uma knows she will see Natalie again someday in heaven.  We continue to pray for her family, for comfort and healing. 

Sunday fort building and reading

 I asked Had to do his chores (gather laundry) and he came up with this… I think he had other things on his mind.

 Went to the movies for FHE and saw "meet the mormons"

 Oob and I are ready this book each night for bed time.  Sometimes Fox joins us.

 Payton's last football game this season.

 Fox was sad, Hadley was sad for him.

 Fox and Dallas

 Lauren's bday lunch!

 Jake home for dinner… and they attack.  (Jake does not live here yet… after the wedding)

 Gold with some of my besties.

Wresting

Natalie will forever be in our hearts.

In other news… Had's braces come off before Payton's.  Ha!

We are heading south for Thanksgiving and Hadley has already started working on our Thanksgiving pageant, and this week I am hoping Payton will work on a Thanksgiving guitar performance for our family.  Fox starts guitar lessons this week too. 

The holiday season is already started and the kids schedule is full of parties, performances, and recitals. January starts spring sports practices and a campout for Payton.