Convention and More

Well, lots of exciting things have happened.  I attended dōTERRA's 2012 Engage Convention and went to Fairbanks to visit the Holts. 
Convention was inspiring, motivational, educational, and FUN!  Too many things to mention, but I'll explain the pictures.  First off, a couple days after I left, Travis picked up the mail and found my certificate for becoming silver and a charm bracelet with silver on there.  :)
Next I am sitting in front of a big ENGAGE display at convention.  That was the theme.
I got to walk across the big stage as a silver rank and received an award. 
I went to the Gala which was a fancy dinner and dance while also recognizing those who reached the rank  of diamond and above.  That was AMAZING!  Reminded me of church dances as a youth. 
Kyle Maynard was a guest speaker.  He was born without limbs yet does incredible things.  He bear crawled Mt. Kilimanjaro was State wrestling champion in high school, etc.  I waited 2 hours in line to get this pic with him, and his book No Excuses.
Then MaryJo got a pic with Tell before we took off back to Alaska.
The rest are with the cousins.  One of Tiff during her piano lessons, woot woot!  John eating pancakes with chocolate syrup made by Travis.  Mmmm.
Now the last one of Tell is what he started doing just yesterday.   Sucking his thumb!  It is so cute.  But I'm afraid it won't stay this cute...
Love ya!!

 We can see the northern lights again!  Woohoo!  Something to make up for the long dark winters we have. It's beautiful to watch.  And that big dipper you see...there is a reason it's on the state flag.  It's huge and bright all winter long.

Really long post coming up by the way.

 The Kellers have been up in Fairbanks for a couple weeks now.  Nettie went to convention in Utah and Travis went hunting, so all the boys and Naomi have been with us.  Nettie and Travis both got back last week, and the kids are having a ball being together. 

Fall has come and gone while they are here.  Travis brought home moose for us to process, and Joseph really liked helping grind the meat.  So did John and Naomi actually.

Fridays we do a cooking class at my house and the Keller kids got to join us while they are here.  This week was decorating cupcakes with gumdrops.  They really had a ball with it.  Helps that they get to eat their work when it is all done :)

 Sariah was baptized tonight after church.  It was so fun.  I made her dress, and I just have to say I am proud of the fact that I had it done BEFORE it was time to go to church at 1!  It would have been finished the night before, but we had to go to the ER the night before because Sariah broke her two front teeth with a PVC pipe.  Fun times.

Grinding moose burger

 

Labeling packages for the freezer.  And I bought colored Sharpies so all the packages can be pretty :)

 

Travis at the end of the pile

Travis and Naomi starting the day off with some raw meat

 

Sariah after her baptism

 

Nettie and Rebekah sang "Baptism" from the Children's Songbook 

Afterwards

 

 All my girls except Mary Rose who was asleep by then.

We took pictures when we got home and Mary Rose decided to suck on Tell's head.  I don't think he liked it very much! Hahaha!

 

 

The pictures are all out of order, but they are all from the day Jacob had his race.

Jacob had a 5K he ran recently.  It was on the airport runway on base. Afterwards they had aircraft out for people to look at.  This is a Blackhawk.  It's what Jacob flies.

John cheering on his Papa. It's getting cold here.  Can you tell?

Jacob paused long enough at the end to pick up John and run to the finish line.  John had been waiting in the middle of the track and didn't want to leave until Jacob got there.

Everyone but Mary Rose and me

 That is Jacob running right in front of the helicopter.

After the race

Lizzie 

Sariah

Jacob explaining how the winch on the helicopter works to Joe

This is our new car.  I honestly never wanted to drive a "bus," but after our last trip down to Nettie's I was all for it.  Sariah was in the seat between Jacob and I, and I was driving.  Sariah kept putting her foot on mine and grabbing me when she would turn to talk to people in the back.  I kept yelling at her to" knock it off, You're going to kill us all!"  So we stopped in Anchorage and bought a passenger van, and I love it!

Mary Rose with the sweet little cheeks.  She's a doll baby.  

Checking out the blackhawk

Running their own races while they wait for Jacob to get done.

Tell and Mom in Utah and Idaho

Hello everyone from Idaho!  Just Tell and I have flown the coop for about 10 days for dōTERRA's convention on the 13-15 of September.  I came a bit early to visit with the Keller side of the family and see the ranch.  Travis is at home with the rest of the kiddos (4 of them!) and seems to be doing good!  I hope he will have a better understanding of the ins and outs of being a stay-at-home mom.  :)  And I hope they will all be sane and alive when I come back.  Not to mention the kids will be staying with the LittleHolts for 4 days while Travis goes moose hunting...  So sorry Tiff.  I'm coming home as quick as I can. 
So in packing for this trip I made the silly decision of bringing a coat.  Yes, in Alaska it is coat weather.  I just thought it would be that way in Utah too.  They do have winters here, right?  Well I'm enjoying the heat, but also appreciating Alaska's mild summers.  Now if only I would remember this thought on rainy summer days next year...
  Just enjoying the people and weather. Really relaxing and forgetting the stresses of having 5 rambunctious children. I'm afraid I'm enjoying this a bit too much.  I could get used to this...  But I'm sure by the end of this week I'll be missing them and ready to come back refreshed and ready to tackle motherhood ambitiously and in full force!  :) 
So Adam is being an awesome uncle holding Tell, Kyle and Tyson (1.5 wks)- Lexi and Brian's kiddos. 
Alice loved on Tell for about 30 min or more.  She was so tickled, she's never held any baby that long.  :)
Then Grampa Kevin in his recliner with Tell watching tv.  I'll try and take more and get one with MaryJo. 
Next week I'll have a TON more and lots of exciting news and experiences from convention.  Woot woot!
One more picture, just before I left of Naomi, Tracker, and Tell.  PS it's so fun to talk to my kids on the phone!!