Giving Tuesday and reporting

Just by way of reporting, you all gave a total of $780 this year. Jacob and I were able to match that, bringing the total I donated to Mary's Meals to $1560. After that was tripled by an anonymous donor, the grand total was $4680. Which means that next year, for an entire school year, 187 children will receive a daily meal because of so many of you.

Thank you sweet friends. Your goodness is not only blessing many dozen children throughout the world in the coming year, but I just can't quit thinking of the gratitude and relief felt by those who love each of those children most.

Just so honored to know you. I hope you can feel that.

Light the World

Easily one of my favorite holiday traditions at our house. I know simple acts of service, by our family members,
to as many people as possible, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, isn't going to change the world.
But it might make it feel a little lighter and brighter. And it may help others to feel God's love  for them.
Mostly, it changes each of us. And for all of those reasons, this tradition isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Giving Tuesday and Mary's Meals

Dear Wonderful Friends,

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday and once again, I will be making a donation to one of our favorite organizations that accomplishes a huge amount of good in the world, by serving God's children (more than 2.4 million currently) a meal in their place of education, every single school day. I'm so thankful for what they are able to accomplish and so overwhelmed and heart heavy by how many more sweet children throughout the world still need our help.

Which is why Jacob and I are just so honored and humbled to serve alongside Mary's Meals where we can.

If any of you wanted to contribute to this outstanding organization during this sweet and sacred time of the year, I would love to include your donation with ours (only if it makes it easier for you not to have to go through the whole process yourself). As always, absolutely no pressure. But also as always, even a dollar or two makes a difference when you consider that Mary's Meals can feed a single child a nutritious and filling meal, for an entire school year, for just under 25 US dollars in total.

And just so you are aware, as we've been able to do in the past, Jacob and I will match every penny we receive. Plus, an anonymous donor has agreed that for every dollar that is given through tomorrow, they will give an additional two dollars, tripling the impact of the donation. So actually, every dollar you give, after being matched by us and another donor, will have six times the impact for these darling children all around the world.

Thanks dear friends. More than I could ever explain in mere words. So grateful for each of you and how much you care and love all of God's children. Sure honored to know each of you.

With great gratitude,

Linn

This darling girl

This gorgeous girl just blows me away with her kindness. When she was here for a few days over Thanksgiving,
she spent the entire time decorating (first for Thanksgiving, then  for Christmas), and beautifying everything
 in our home (and running multiple errands to make it all work). I previously shared her Thanksgiving decor
on my Instagram account, but then she and Kelsey and Grace (all our darling daughters together putting up
Christmas about burst my heart) made sure the house was festive for the holidays. I'm so thankful to them.

And then Annie went the extra mile by helping me to figure out how to make my Savior shelf in our front
room work beautifully for Christmas and how to add something under our Jesus tree (also in the front room)
 to make it pure perfection. I'll share the Jesus tree below, but the shelf will take a few more days for everything
to arrive. But I didn't want to wait that long for Annie to know how thankful I am for how she loves and

 serves. It's honestly extraordinary and means more than this mom could ever put into words.

This is our Jesus tree. It is filled with ornaments that have different names of the Savior on it and it is my favorite.
I was struggling this year to figure out what to put under it to fill the empty space and that would also be meaningful.

Cue Annie Allen and her brilliant mind. And these gorgeously wrapped boxes with
our favorite scriptures about the Savior printed on the tags. I love it so, so much.

It so reminds me of something my Mom would have had in her home and I actually sensed her huge smile,

more than once, during the days Annie was creating and making beautiful things happen in our home.

Utah cake fun

Utah cakes today with this little darling. I love seeing her happy
goodness in the classroom. She's truly just the sweetest.

Nate's 12th birthday party

Our kids get a friend birthday party when they turn 5, 8 and 12. But like several
of his older siblings, Nate decided he wanted a different version of a 12th birthday party.
One that included the boys in the family going to Top Golf and lunch.

So today that is exactly what happened. And they had a blast. Love this Nathan boy so
incredibly much and so grateful for how deeply he adores his dad and siblings. And how good
they are to him. Man, I love these amazing guys fiercely. They are truly just the best.

 

Harvest dance

This handsome boy, and his darling date Addi, had a blast at the Harvest dance
Saturday night. I'm so grateful for Ben and his fabulous group of friends.

This amazing boy

This incredible boy spoke in sacrament meeting today. His talk was beautiful
and he spoke with confidence and happiness. His pure testimony did something
to my heart. I'm so thankful for Ben and who he chooses to be.

Cowboy pianists

Just playing the piano in his cowboy gear, while waiting for his date to
the Harvest Dance to pick him up any second. As one does.

Yesterday

Celebrating this tremendous boy

Exactly twelve years ago today, this incredible boy joined our family in one of the most sacred
experiences of my life. Everything is better and brighter and more happy and fun because of our
Nathan. He is athletic to a degree that I've seldom seen in someone so young, loves his Savior and
his Heavenly Father deeply, is brilliant beyond measure and as hilarious and energetic as can be.
His extraordinary heart and extreme kindness bless me on a daily basis and I just can't believe
God would allow me the beautiful privilege of being this boy's mom.

Happy Birthday my amazing Nate! You are so deeply loved.

Lake Powell ~ Beauty edition

And finally, it seems appropriate to finish my Lake Powell posting with the beauty that
took my breath away, over and over again, during our trip. God loves us. I'm positive of this
truth. And one of the ways He reminds us of that love is with the gorgeousness of nature. 

 I'm so thankful. 

For beauty, for family vacations, for fun and laughter and time together,
for those I love most in all the world..and for a God that gave them all to me. 

 Oh He's something else.

Lake Powell ~ Just for fun edition

I love these people so much. And how well they get along and adore each other (and let's be honest,
tease each other). It's just the greatest privilege of my life to know them and to love them.