Family Traditions
Pictures, Boat Races, and Pinata
Family Conference Part 3

The family proclamation states that "happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities".
For as long as I have been married into the Miller Family, there has been a family reunion. Each and every reunion is filled with faith, prayer, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. Every year we gather as a family and our traditions center on family prayer, family scripture study, family devotionals, family service projects, and family fun! I absolutely love these traditions. Traditions have a way of tying our hearts to all those involved. I am grateful to Jolene and Terry for setting an example of how we should raise our families.

 

Here are a few of my favorite Family Conference Traditions:

#1 Family Pictures

Grand kids

Aunties and Grandma

Girlies

"Hey Man, I've Got Your Back!"

The Nashes

 

 

#2 Boat Races

On Your Marks

Amber-1st place; Aaron-2nd place; and Tanner-3rd place

Oldies Class--boats that have raced in at least 5 years of racing.  (Grandpa Terry's Cow pie should be in this category as well, but he left before the picture was taken.)

#3 Pinata 

FAMILY CONFERENCE PART 2

On Saturday we ran a 5K. It was our declaration of "hating" cancer in Michelle's honor. I had initially planned on walking the race; however, as we started, I decided to try running. I hadn't ran in quite some time. My exercise levels were definitely needing an improvement--I was out of shape. I had only ran a short distance when I began picking out trees at the end of the trail, and promising myself a break if I could only reach them. At one point in time, I was ready to slow to a walk when my sister-in-law, Andrea, came to my rescue. She shouted words of encouragement, and kept my mind off my tired lungs. Several times I wanted to stop, and each and every time I started to slow down--she encouraged me to continue. I remember her vividly telling me that if I told my mind I could accomplish it--then I would. She said over and over again that my mind could conquer my body--I just had to believe I could. Throughout the run, I begged her to leave me and run ahead. I knew I was slowing her progress, and I felt guilty. Even with my persistence, she wouldn't leave. It was her words of encouragement, and my determination to express love to Michelle, that kept me running. When we were nearing the finish line, she encouraged me to run hard to the finish. With her encouragement, I finished the race--not walking, but running.

This race has blessed my life. Not only was I able to sacrifice (and it truly was a sacrifice for me) for a dear sister-in-law, but I was given an example of our Father in Heaven's love for us. Andrea didn't leave me. She encouraged me. And because of her--I succeeded. Her encouragement parallels our Father in Heaven's love for us as He encourages us on our sojourn here on Earth. He wants us to succeed, and because it is important to Him that we do succeed--He sends messengers to give us encouragement and love in times of need. He does not give up on us! There have been numerous times in my life when I have felt that I couldn't take another step, and in those moments of despair--my loving Father in Heaven has sent me an angel. An angel in the form of a friend, a family member, or sometimes a complete stranger. As I seek Him, He sends me aide. I am so grateful to a Heavenly Father who loves me, who is keenly aware of me and who cares about the smallest details of my life. When I think of Heavenly Father's love, my feelings of insignificance seem to disappear, and I my dreams are within reach! Because like Ammon said in the Book of Mormon, "...in his [the Lord's] strength I can do all things".

I will forever look to this race with fondness. Not only did I learn a lesson about my Father's love, but I also gained a greater appreciation for my family. As we ran toward a common goal, our hearts were knit together, and I felt united with my loved ones.

The START.

Drinking from an Icing Bag, because there was no other water, and I was about to die.

Michelle, Zachary, Amber, Robert

Uncle Jeff, and Owen

Hailey, Matthew, and Aunt Shaura

Carly and Ava

FINISH.

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE...for the Lord Thy God is with Thee

Joshua 1:9

Hey Man, I've Got Your Back

This year for Family Conference, Bryan and I were in charge, so we were able to choose the theme of Family Conference. We chose to focus our thoughts on the support we receive from our Father in Heaven (Joshua 1:9), and from our families. Believing in our Father and Heaven, and our family has been a theme in our home for quite some time: 

About two years ago a friend of our family passed away. Ever since then, Jacob constantly asks questions concerning death. After a while those questions turned inward, and he began asking questions concerning his death. Jacob was afraid of dying, and anything that could be a “cause” of his dying. As his mother, I felt that we needed to help Jacob in his fears. As I turned to the Lord in prayer, I felt guided in taking off the training wheels from his bike; however, whenever Jacob cried for his training wheels—I questioned my methods. One day Jacob sat beside his bike begging me to “please put back on the training wheels”. I sat down beside him, and as tenderly as possible, I made a promise that I was not going to put the training wheels back on his bike. As I spoke these words, my heart broke. Why would I willingly cause my child fear? Another time as I encouraged Jake to start peddling, he looked up at me and asked, “what if I don’t?” Again, my heart fumbled. My mind reflected on our spiritual journey here on Earth. What if we don’t? What if we don’t follow the plan? What if? Just like I couldn’t MAKE Jake ride a bike, the Lord cannot MAKE us choose His way. Without answering his question, I silently prayed that he would, and he did. Slowly our work turned into progress, and Jake began riding his bike; however, each time he rode—he still struggled with fear. One morning as we were getting ready to ride, I felt prompted to have Jake pray. We talked about praying for help in riding his bike, and then we prayed for that help. After his prayer, I asked Jake to tell me his favorite scripture. He slowly began reciting Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid…” as soon as Jacob said those words, I stopped him and asked him to repeat the last part again. As he slowly said the words, “be not afraid”, understanding seemed to change his countenance. I then asked him to tell me the rest of the scripture, to which he concluded “for the Lord thy God is with thee” (Joshua 1:9). We set out to ride bikes with a new determination; however, Jacob quickly lost his new found courage, and started to cry out in desperation. It was at this moment that I reminded Jacob of our scripture, “Jake—be not afraid.” Remembrance flickered on his face and he began chanting, “be not afraid, be not afraid, be not afraid” (Joshua 1:9). Jake’s bike steadied, and ever since that moment, whenever he finds he is nervous—he chants, “be not afraid, be not afraid, be not afraid”. We have begun using this phrase for all of Jake's fears, and as we cheer and encourage, Jake is feeling his Father in Heaven, and his heart knows that God is with him. Each time he is reminded of the phrase, "...the Lord Thy God is With Thee..."--Jacob's face turns from turmoil to peace.  Together with our Father in Heaven, we are overcoming for after all--family is God's institution on the Earth--we are His hands, and it is through us that God can work his greatest miracles.

Just recently our dear sister, sister-in-law, and aunt was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. It is in moments like these that we become what God wants us to become. This is the time when we rally, cheer, and support. This is when we show our love, and through our love we become disciples of our Heavenly Father. We become His hands, and together we make a difference!

Thus, as we have conquered fears, and as we have rallied our love for both Jake and Michelle--our theme was born!

Devotional
Playing scripture charades centered on stories of the Lord and great courage.

FAMILY GAMES--I'VE GOT YOUR BACK!
Each family was timed at different stations. The family that had the best time overall won a prize, but the biggest prize went to the family who worked together and supported each other!

Ring Toss
Adam, Matt, Tim, Uncle Jeff

Sharp Shooting
 

Shake Your Booty
Shaking Ping Pong Balls from a Kleenex Box

 

 

Cheese Puff Throw

 

Frisbee Golf

After Family Games, we played a game of Ultimate Frisbee...

Hailey, Amber, and Jake wanted to have a Drive-In Movie Night with their cousins. They picked out treats, and set up a projector. The kids had so much fun!

 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I LOVE FATHER'S DAY! I LOVE CELEBRATING MY HUSBAND, AND THE GREAT DAD THAT HE IS. I love expressing our appreciation to him for all he does,  and all that he is in our lives.This year I asked the kids questions about their dad. I loved their answers. Here is what they said:

My daddy’s name is Bryan David Miller.
He is 35 years old.  Five ft. 6 in. tall and weighs 120 pounds.
His favorite food is ice cream.
My daddy is really good at choosing the right.
He loves to eat ice cream.
He is smart because he knows how to love me.
My dad works hard at work.
Daddy always tells me to do your best.
It makes my dad happy when I do my best, or choose the right.
It makes me happy when dad comes and plays with me.
I really love when my dad gives me hugs.
My favorite thing(s) to do with my dad is playing soccer, playing board games, and riding bikes.
I’m just like my dad because I am short.
Daddy,
I love you, daddy. You are always being a good example to me by helping those in need, by taking the sacrament to grandpa, and by taking time to serve others. I want to be like you. Love, Hailey
 

My daddy’s name is Bryan.
He is 35 years old.  Five feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
His favorite food is teriyaki chicken.
My daddy is really good at Risk.
He loves to eat ice cream.
He is smart because he knows everything.
My dad works hard at his job.
Daddy always tells me to be a monkey.
It makes my dad happy when I am good kid.
It makes me happy when dad jumps me on the trampoline or plays Settlers of Zarahemla.
I really love when dad and I go out to eat together.
My favorite thing(s) to do with my dad is jumping on the trampoline, and playing Settlers of Zarahemla.
I’m just like my dad because we love doing stuff together.
Daddy,
I love you so much! You make me happy. I love that you care about me. Thanks for being such a good dad, because you always jump me on the tramp and play Settlers of Zarahemla. Love, Amber
 

My daddy’s name is Bryan.
He is 10 years old.  Thirteen tall and weighs 20 pounds.
His favorite food is carrots and chocolate hearts.
My daddy is really good at getting me a lot of things.
He loves to eat carrots.
He is smart because he knows my numbers.
My dad works hard at doing my numbers.
Daddy always tells me he says to me every night to learn my alphabets.
It makes my dad happy when I ride my bike.
It makes me happy when dad gives me a bath.
I really love when daddy comes home.
My favorite thing(s) to do with my dad is giving him a hug.
I’m just like my dad because he gives me chocolate kisses.
Daddy,
I love you. Hee Hee Ha Ha. I love you so much, because you share your presents and treats with me. I love you share with me chocolate kisses. He is righteous. I feel good when you come home from work. Love, Jacob
 

Dearest Bryan,

I can’t begin to describe the love I feel for you. My life has been blessed each and every day because you are in it. Thank you for being the kind of dad that loves to play with his children, but most importantly—for loving our kids enough to set a Christ-like example. Thank you for loving me, and demonstrating to our daughters the importance of respect in a marriage. Thank you for many, many years of laughter. Thirteen years ago when my father called me “weasel”, I had no idea how much that word would become such an intricate part of my life. For weeks you teased me with the phrase, and what was once a tease became a term of endearment.

…with that being said…”never tease a weasel”.
Happy Father’s Day 2012
Love, Weasel

 

When Bryan and I were first married, my father called me a "weasel". Bryan thought that word described me perfectly. He felt that my eyes, my mannerisms...everything allotted me anything and everything I wanted. From that moment on, I was called a weasel. In the beginning, I hated it! However, it has now become a term of endearment, and I know that when he is saying weasel, he is really saying, "You are my World, and I love you". I had to get him this children's book--it held so much meaning for us.

LEMONADE STAND

Seven years ago I was in a serious car accident. I fell asleep while driving to Utah and rolled my car 2 1/2 times. I don't actually remember the rolling--my mind has blocked that from my memory. What I do remember is the dust billowing around the car, and my desperate fight to get to my two daughters in the back seat. As soon as I had accomplished that one objective, my adrenaline left, and I collapsed in pain. As I laid on the side of the road, looking at the totaled car, feeling pains I had never experienced--I wandered if this was it? I remember talking to my husband on the phone, laboring for breath, and begging him to hurry because I didn't know if I was going to make it. In addition to being scared for my own life, my heart was constricted with fear for my 10 month-old baby girl. She never stopped screaming--for two hours--she screamed. Her screams haunted my thoughts, and I begged for someone to do something to help her. It wasn't until life flight landed and Amber was rushed to a different part of the hospital that there was silence, and then the quiet was almost more difficult. At least with her screaming I knew she was still alive. It was the scariest experience of my life.

The weeks and months that followed were difficult; however, we were blessed to have all survived the crash. During my families' recovery, this experience went from being the scariest moment to being a sweet blessing. Something happens to our souls when we experience tragedy. Our eternal perspective becomes clearer, and the things that should matter most--become our priority. I am grateful for this experience. It has given my insight I would never have otherwise. It has also given me empathy for others and their sufferings. I hope that I will be blessed to use that empathy the way God intended.

Just recently, someone I love, fell from a Culvert and landed on her head. She underwent immediate brain surgery. There were moments where we wondered if it was her time to pass onto the other side.

 As a family, we prayed for her family, her children, and for her recovery. We begged the Father that it be His will that she remain on the Earth to raise her family. I remembered having similar thoughts for myself, and it caused my heart anguish. Anguish for her family, and for the pain she was experiencing. Anguish for the tragedy. And just like my experience offered me an eternal perspective--once again my perspective widened, and the heavens taught me more about what truly matters. And this time--I taught my children.

As a family, we discussed ways in which we could help Jamie and her family raise money for her expenses. My children suggested we do a Lemonade Stand, and so we did! I was touched by the generosity of neighbors and friends. We were blessed to have felt of their examples.  Our hearts were full as we finished our stand, and we wished we could do more. I am sad that it is through tragedy that powerful lessons are learned--Jamie's tragedy taught my children to serve and to pray for something greater than themselves. Their whole hearts and souls were focused on Jamie, and her recovery. They will never forget the love they felt through serving another in need. They will never forget that their prayers were answered, and Jamie is on her way to recovery.

 

Jake danced up and down the sidewalk yelling, "Come get your lemonade! Fitty Cents!" I wanted to record his cute little chant!

THE RONALD McDONALD DONATION
(We didn't deliver these gifts until October 4.)

Hailey had a birthday party this year, and her guests brought gifts to donate to The Ronald McDonald House. After 3 months, we finally delivered the items. We were all touched at the spirit we felt as we gave the gifts to the patrons. We were grateful to have shared. On the way home, Jake asked if he "could give all of his toys to The Ronald McDonald House too?" I told him that the next time he had a "friend" party, we could do that. He was so excited. Hailey said that was grateful, and happy to have given them the toys. Amber also felt moved by the spirit. Honestly, we are grateful to have shared. It wouldn't have been possible without Hailey's generous friends donating to the cause. In fact, I don't feel that we did much at all--it was all them. I just wish they could have delivered it with us. 

Happy 11th Birthday, Hailey!

In our family, we do not have many "friend" parties. We love to celebrate birthdays in a big way; however, it is usually done as a family. Because we do not have many "friend" party's, when we do have a party--it's a bigger deal. Somehow my children have determined that "friend" party's only happen every 5 years. To be honest, we never meant to have a specified "time frame". Years simply passed without having a "friend" party, and when we realized the gap--we determined to have another party. It was this gap that convinced our children of the specified time frame. Following the five year schedule, Hailey should have had a friend party on her 10th birthday; however, she insisted on waiting until her 11th birthday due to the fact that her 11th birthday would be her GOLDEN BIRTHDAY. A "golden birthday" is the birthday that matches the date of the actual birthday to the age a person is turning. Since Hailey was turning 11, and she was born on June 11--it was her "golden birthday".

So, for a year, Hailey had been planning on having a "friend" party for her eleventh birthday. However, also for a year, I wanted to throw Hailey a surprise party, which meant I needed to deter her from her plan. Every time Hailey would ask about her birthday--my answer was always vague and noncommittal. When her birthday was only a few days away, Hailey was sure that her dream of a friend party wasn't the reality.

Planning a surprise party for Hailey was a bit tricky. I enlisted the help of her friend, Taylor Harris, who gathered addresses, emails, and phone numbers of all of their friends. I also asked April, Taylor's mom, if Taylor could invite Hailey to do something on the day of her birthday disguised as a birthday celebration for the two friends. When Taylor asked Hailey to go on an outing, I faked hesitation--saying that birthday's are usually a day for the family; however, because Hailey wanted to go, and because I wanted her to have a special birthday--I obliged. The plan for her birthday was determined to first go to the zoo and have a picnic lunch (as a family). I then dropped Hailey off at Taylor's house with the instructions that daddy would pick her and Taylor up after work (we invited Taylor over for our family party). I then rushed home to prepare for her party!

Here's her day:

 

 ZOO 

 

 

PICNIC

Hailey had asked for another CTR ring.

CARNIVAL SURPRISE PARTY

We ate hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and chips--all carnival foods.

Group Picture
Katie, Rachael, Avery, Elise, Anna, Mattie, Wendy, Amber, Taylor, Hailey, Kortlyn, Jacob, Brooke, and Breanna

Football Throw through a Ladder (Back of Picture)
Ping Pong Toss Into Cups (Middle)
Water Squirt (Front)

Dart Throw

We also had a Ladder's game, Face Painting, and a Lawn Dart Throw.

Prize Table.
At each game, they earned tickets... and then received prizes for the tickets earned.

Carnival Cake

 

 

We asked Hailey's friends to bring gifts to donate to The Ronald McDonald House. Hailey's sister had done this previously, and Hailey had always said she wanted to do the same. It made me nervous to make this decision without consulting her, but in the end--I felt she would have wanted it that way, and I was right.


We have a tradition where we pass a paper labeled "You Are Special", and write what we love about that child. Here is what was written about Hailey:
I love your smile. -Mom
I love your singing. ~Mom
You are a good friend. ~Amber
I love that you include your siblings. ~Dad
You make me feel good. ~Amber
I love that you work hard in everything you do. ~Mom
I love that you read your scriptures. ~Dad
You are so giving. ~Amber
I love your attitude when things don't go your way--you take things in stride. ~Mom
I love your obedience. ~Mom
I love that you include your siblings. ~Dad
You can light up my day. ~Amber
You can be so nice. ~Jake