The 4th

This 4th of July was very busy. Here are some pictures from throughout the day:

All the cousins watching fireworks in the street

the fireworks...they were much more exciting as a child

Adam is secretly terrified of fire, but he was being a man and lighting the fireworks anyway

Savannah is always causing mischief, and somehow always gets away with it. She took Jake's phone and it was very sad...but this face is hilarious!

The Neeley Brothers

My cute grandpa and very cute cousin Dax

The best friends

They were obsessed with looking at the lawnmower. It was so funny.

Roman and Megan looking awfully patriotic

My adorable roommate Luisa

Dyl. So cute.

Jake kept telling everyone that his hair was spiky like a rhino. The kid is smart.

This girl always has the cutest clothes. She won the award for cutest outfit.

Here I am with my special friends waiting all night long for the parade that we didn't even watch because we got too hungry. I watched part of it from my yard and it was incredibly boring...I don't know why everyone made such a huge deal out of it. We had tons of fun staying up all night though.

Me and Luisa are in love. Can't you tell?

That was my day. I am so proud to be AMERICAN!

Good things will come...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nczw6xHJ0I

"...it will be alright in the end. Trust God, and good things will come."

The Happy Couple

So Luisa and I make quite the cute couple...and we just want the world to know that we are also very happy. We have lots of adventures together, and we are currently considering making a couple blog since that's what all the hip couples do. Our adventure for today was applesauce chocolate chip cookies. They are almost as delicious as us. They turned our real great.

Try for yourself! We have like 4 dozen over here if you live close. If not here's the recipe:

In a bowl cream:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of shortening

2 Eggs

after creaming add 3 3/4 cups of flour

In a separate bowl mix:

2 cups of applesauce

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. clove

1 tsp. salt

Mix applesauce yumminess with flour fluff and then add as many chocolate chips as your heart desires (2 cups is good)

Bake around 415 (depending on your oven) for 7-8 minutes

ENJOY!

highlights

Life has been full of highlights lately. I just want to say that I am so blessed. I am not going to go into full blown details of all my happiness, but I just want the world to know how much I love my Savior and his Gospel. It is truly the source of perfect happiness. So here are some highlights from this week.

1. Temple

I love the temple so much. Last week I stupidly went on a Monday and I was so depressed when it was closed. I still sat outside and pondered over all my blessings and I was overcome with peace. This week I made sure that I could get inside. I never have huge revelation while I am at the temple but just being there makes me feel so good. I am grateful for temples!

2. Work

I love my job! It's lots of manual labor, and I am always totally pooped when I get home...but I am learning a lot and it's so fun! Plus I get to wear a totally dorky outfit which I accidentally tucked into my underwear today....pretty sure everyone saw. Oh well.

Some funny things that happened today:

-a little kid totally touched my butt

-same little kid sliced his finger open and bled all over the place...but not to worry! I saved the day and then they brought me ice cream because I am that cool.

-a little girl was totally fascinated by the brachiopods...which I explained as ancient clams. After that, everything was an "ANCIENT CLAM!!!!" I didn't have the heart to tell her it was just water. She also wanted to know how Ariel could wear such small seashells (brachiopods are like 1/2 a centimeter). My answer to that, "well she was the little mermaid. She didn't get it, but I cracked myself up. Same little girl ran around screaming "I FOUND A TRIB LO BIT!!!" I tried to tell her it's TRY-LO-BITE, but she would not have that.

-People talk to me like I'm Einstein and I love feeling so in charge! Grown ups admire my knowledge, which is pretty sweet. (Not going to lie...sometimes I make stuff up when I don't know the answers....don't tell)

3. Friends

I love my friends near and far. We are always having so many adventures. I love the friends that lift me up. I have had so many good experiences lately with my friends. Huge shout out to my FHE brothers, my roommates, and my Brynn.

and now we are proud to present...Luisa Lynette

OK so I do not have a picture of this girl and with the changes to facebook, I can no longer steal one from her page. Regardless I wanted to make a shout out. We are currently sitting on my flour discussing boys. It's funny how we've become so close in such a short time. I seriously love her, and I am so lucky to have her. So here's to her. Thanks for being born. After all it is her birthday today. Who knew 19 years ago today this girl could change so many lives just by coming to earth?!

He's Been There Before

I went to a homecoming today and I thought about this poem I once read about missionaries. I love my Savior and I am glad he is there for all of us and understands our exact pain. I hope we can remember to make small sacrifices for him since he sacrificed all for us.

The alarm rings at 6:30; I stumble to my feet I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheet. A groan fills the room. It's already time to arise?" It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes. The morning activities follow: study, prayer and such When its time to leave the apartment, you feel haven't accomplished much "We have a super day planned," my Companion says with a grin. I lowly utter a faithless breath, Yea, if anyone lets us in. With the word of God and my faithful schwinn, we ride off in the street. Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through. My companion and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought we'd do. We ride up to the mail box hoping to recieve a lot. Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "AIRBOX" We go up to our apartment; the day is now complete the only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet It's past 10:30 PM, my companion is fast asleep. Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray; I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say. "Oh Father," I begin, "What happened to us today? I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away My hands, my aching hands worn, hurt and beat If our area was any smaller,we'd have knocked on every street." Why on missions are the days so much alike? the only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike. Will you send some cooler weather? the heat is killing me! I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes. Its very hard to see. Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough? People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff. Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack; I want to give them Book of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back. And what about my Family? They don't have much to say. I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day. Oh Father,why am I here, am I just wasting my time? Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind. My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me? The way he rides his bicycle I don't know if he can even see! Now you have it, I can't go on. I DON'T KNOW what to do! That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I leave you." My prayer now finished I stand up, then jump right into bed. I need my feet for tomorrow; we have another long day ahead Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away. Then it sems a vision takes me to another time in another day. I'm standing alone on the hill, the view is very nice. A man walks towards me and says, My name is Jesus Christ. Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet. "Arise he states, follow me to the shade you and I need to speak." My attention towrads my Saviour, total and complete He says, "Your Mission is similar of what happened to me. I understand how you feel, I know what your going through; In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you. "Even know how you felt when no one listened to you At times I felt now quite sure what else that I could do. I know you don't like to ride a bicycle for a car would be sweet. Just remember the donkey I rode I was not equipped with 21 speed. I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something to hate. I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, " Oh, the agony was great. I see you don't like your companion you would rather have someone else. I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth. It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you. I remember when they put thorns in my head and called me King of the Jews. So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack. I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back." Your hands hurt from tracking and knocking on doors all day I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ache in a similar way. It's hard not to hear from home when your family was not there to see. I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why has though forsaken me?" We have a lot in common, but there is a difference between us you see. I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me." He embraced me with his arms, His light filled me with His love. With tears in my eyes, I watched as he went back to the Father above. I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head. I listened and heard the alarm, when I realized I was in my bed. My companion let's out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!" I sat up and said. Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!" No matter what we go through when we feel we can't take more, Just stop and think about Jesus Christ, He's been there before

by Troy Whittle

the things my daddy taught

Values from a man of values that I learned to value

Some things really stick out to me this day as we celebrate how much we love our fathers. To my own daddy:

1. The value of hard work-my dad is probably the hardest working person I know. He is always, and I mean always, problem-solving. He knows how to fix everything and even if he doesn't he figures it out. Through many nights of calculus homework, he taught me about how to figure things out and work through them and try all possibilities before giving up.
2. The value of a good laugh- my dad can be pretty serious but he definitely knows how to laugh. He has taught me that it is important to laugh at little things to help you get through what may be hard. I can't think of a dinner where we didn't all end up hysterically laughing at some random thing...and it was usually because of him. He has taught me how to laugh things off, which has got me through lots of insecurities and bad days.
3. The value of a loving, happy home-Coming to college has made me realized just how blessed I am to have parents and especially a father who supports me and makes sure our home is a good place. I miss my family terribly and I know it's because my father made my home a place of safety and love.
4. The value of the priesthood-No one honors their priesthood like my father. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and he is so humble. His example has blessed me in countless ways.
5. The value of quality time-I love spending time with my family. As annoying as it used to be, I am so grateful that my dad took the time to make sure we all spent time together. I look back at those memories and if I close my eyes for long enough I can sometimes get lost in a nostalgic haze. I long for those times now.
6. The value of marriage- I hope with all my heart to one day love someone as much as my parents love each other. My mom always tells me the cute things she loves about my dad and I gag a little, but it is pretty cute. My dad is a wonderful man and part of all that wonder comes from being an outstanding husband.
7. The value of values-My dad taught me my whole life through his example. I discussed this with one of my roommates how I don't remember being punished much as a child and I know it's because my parents taught me a righteous way of living...choosing the wrong never even seemed like an option. Thank you dad for teaching me to choose the right.

I love you so much daddy, I couldn't ask for a better father!

Love,
Peep