The Francis Family: January 2013

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The Blairs came!!

So after Christmas we were more than spoiled to have our dear friends, the Blairs come and visit! We have been friends since before any of us were married and after all they have done for us, they are more like family than friends! We were SO excited to see them!

Here are all of the kids digging into the gingerbread train! They were so excited!

Nichole is the friend who convinced me to run the marathon and we spent many hours training together. We have also spent hours cleaning, sewing, cooking, serving, and driving together. I respect her and her opinion more than nearly anyone I know!

Here are the kids playing with some toys the neighbor dropped off! Wasn't that nice?

On New Year's day, we were so tired (and half of us were sick) we just vegged and watched the New Year's Day parade :)

After that, we went to play in the snow!

The best part about the Blairs is they are awesome! When we were all first married we took a trip to Lava Hot Springs and stayed with Nichole's grandpa. We stayed up all night playing mafia and just having fun. I think we could stay up all night every night with them and never get bored!

They are acclimated to the Texas weather now :)

The snow was perfect for a snowball fight!

Abi was so cute! She got to wear Austin's clothes to stay warm, but she still looks like the cutest little girl!

We walked around the park and Nichole found this giant leaf! It's almost as big as Abi!!

On their last night here we went to ice cream--Happy New Years!

Austin couldn't get enough!! Tyson was so cute to share with him after he finished his all the way! We have such sweet boys!

We played hide and go seek in the dark, killer spoons, Dominion, Bohnanza, Stone Age, For Sale, Pinnochle, and just had so much fun! We have missed them so much!

Here's the birthday card Tyson made for his cousin Addie :)

I didn't realize until after that he thought he was sending it to Abi! He said he really hoped she would come back! We hope so, too! Thanks for the best Christmas present ever, Blairs! This year is already off to a great start!!

The Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

A Beautiful Quote

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." Marjorie Pay Hinckley