SILAS TURNS 3!

Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls of all ages. Welcome to the 3rd annual Silas Circus!


Silas asked for a Circus Train cake, so I gave it my best shot. Not too bad considering it only cost about $13 for everything.

The Engine.

The Engine and the first car which has a Rhino and Hippo.

Here is the Elephant and Warthog, the Zebra and Gazelle, an Alligator and Crane.
Here we have a car of Tigers, a car with a Lion and Lioness, a Gorilla and babies.

Here is the Gorilla. So sad I didn't get a better picture, this was Si's favorite one!
And last but not least. What is a circus train without a Giraffe caboose!


Hippo birdie two ewes. Hippo birdie two ewees. Hippo birdie to Silas, hippo birdie two ewes!!!

PRESENTS! Just look at that face. Beaming with excitement.
Ben 10 Alien shirt from his buddy Cohen! He's saying, "humungosaur" out of the side of his mouth.

It was a great celebration. It's so hard to believe he is already 3. My sweet little baby turning into a sweet little boy.

This last year has been quite a memorable one from breaking his leg by jumping off the truck onto the RV pad, to having hernia surgery. I think we've seen enough of hospitals to last several years. At least he hasn't had to have stitches yet, knock on wood. He's very active, and into everything, quite normal for a little boy. Magic Erasers and the Spot Bot have been my best friend this last year against Cyclone Silo. Just this last week alone I had to steam clean the couch upstairs because he rubbed an entire tube of chapstick all over the ottoman. I had to steam clean both cushions on the couch downstairs because he decided to take off his diaper while watching cartoons, and pee'd. I had to steam clean the carpet in several spots where he spilled french toast and syrup, colored on the carpet with a washable marker and where he decided to have a water fight with Logan using his sippy cup full of chocolate milk. As rambunctious as he is, I wouldn't trade him for anything! He's definitely a firecracker, or full of piss and vinegar as Nanna Sharyn says. I love to hear his "good mawnin mom" as he climbs into my bed each morning to snuggle or how he comes up to me for no reason, sometimes several times a day, "i wanna gif you luffs and kisses mom", and how he still wants me to rock him to sleep at night and sing him is "Siley truck song." He absolutely loves his big brother Logan. He follows him everywhere and wants to do everything that he does. Si was devastated when Logan started 1st grade this year because he is in all day school. He cried so hard the first couple days that I thought his little heart would break. Everyday during that first week he was asking me every 30 minutes, "Is et time yet to git Logan fwom school mom?", and when I would say not yet, he'd cry all over again. He's quite independent, very adventurous and not afraid of many things. There have been several times when I'd go to wake him up in the morning and his closet door would be wide open. This went on for several mornings until I finally asked him why his closet door was opened. He said to me, "Aye hode a noise in da cwosit last night, and so I went to see if a monsto was theo." He didn't call out to us in the middle of the night, or come and wake us up, he checked it out himself. He loves "keytos" (taquitos) m&ms, "cooby cooby doo, wet are you", his "faveit bankie", matchbox cars, suckers, "choket miyoke", and puzzles.

FORGIVENESS: MY BURDEN WAS MADE LIGHT

What a remarkable, beautiful and uplifting example about the healing power of forgiveness. This is a personal account of Chris Williams, who lost his wife, unborn child, his only daughter and second oldest son in a head on collision caused by a drunk teenage driver. He gives a personal account of his great loss, his journey through sorrow and how through the healing powers of the atonement and knowledge of His Savior Jesus Christ, he was able to accept this tragedy, forgive the young man and look forward with hope.


Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

TIDBITS FROM THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS..............

Jason was watching the boys as I was packing for my tip to Oregon (more on my trip to come), and Silas walked up to him and asked for something, "Ets en da dua dad." It's in the door Jason said. "No, en da dua" Silas replied. It's on the floor Jason said. Now Silas was getting frustrated, 'No dad, en da dua!!" Logan walks in and quickly says, "He's saying it's in the drawer dad."

The night before I had the long ride to Oregon with the kids to visit mom for a week, Jason decided we should do dinner out, less stressful. We headed to IHOP and dusk was beginning to grow into night, and the moon was just coming out. All of a sudden, from the backseat, Silas screams, "Ets a meteo, a meteo, mom a meteo es coming toad us way up en da sky. Is et gonna hit us." I turn around to see what he's talking about and he's pointing at the moon! I'm sure we can thank Monsters vs. Aliens for this one!

As we were getting closer to Irrigon, OR after 10 hours of driving in the van, mom called my cell to get an ETA. Silas must have overheard my conversation from the backseat, because as soon as I hung up he said, "Are yew so ekited to see yews mom, mama?" Sweet boy!

One of the evenings in OR we had a blood moon due to all he smoke in the atmosphere from forest fires (made beautiful sunsets!) Logan was more than concerned that the moon was red, because it's supposed to be "yellowish-white" he pointed out. Silas overheard Logans comment and he turned to him to say, "Maybe ets wed cuz ets sad, maybe ets bin cwying."

Silas was falling into the bed at Nanna Sharyn's house, face first yelling, "TTTTIIIMMMBBOOOO!!" He did this over and over again, then Logan finally joined in on all the fun. After several more minutes of playing and giggles, Logan felt that it was finally time to correct Silas. "This is fun, huh buddy, but it's not timbo, it's timble."

The first couple of days in OR all three of us suffered from allergies. Me, the most. Thank you Russian Elms...spawns of satan!! I asked Logan one morning how his allergies were and he replied, " They're okay, but mom my nose if stiffy."

We were driving through Tillamook, OR on our way to Astoria when we hit the unsavory stench of a cow manure pond. Very loudly from the back seat Silas pipes up, "EEEEWWWW yuck!! Icky kunk, I don yike dat smeel, ets a bad smeel. I don yike kunks mom, dey stinky."

As were were taking a family walk down the beach in Long Beach, WA we came across a very interesting seaweed. It was shaped like a tadpope with a 15 foot tail. At first glance, Logan says, "Hey look mom, its a horses whopper, how'd that get here?" LOL

IN REMEMBRANCE OF RAY WALLACE, AN AMERICAN HERO

My heart is aching for a very dear friend of mine. My college roommate Janelle. Such a sweet lady. I remember her well, and have fond memories of her, memories I'll never forget. Her husband Ray was killed in combat in Afghanistan a few days ago, fighting for the freedom of people he's never even met. He leaves behind 4 small children. Words can never express the deep ache, the loss, the sadness, the shock of what has happened. What an amazing guy he was. I never had the chance to meet Ray. I knew of him years ago. Jan waited for him while he served an LDS mission, and he returned just after she left for her mission. They have been life loves. This was his third tour, and he was doing what he felt was right, and needed to be done. He was sacrificing so my children could have a better life. Jan and Ray's earth mission may have come to an end, but I know they are an eternal family and that he is waiting for her right now. Ray was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a soldier, and an American Hero. Please pray for his family, and never forget the sacrifice of those that keep us safe. Pray for them everyday. Pray for their safety, and strength for their families.

Thank you Ray, for everything you have done, for fighting for those who can't fight for themselves. Thank you for bringing Jan happiness, she was always so proud of you. Thank you for your amazing example, thank you for being a true christian. You leave an incredible legacy.

The Plan of the Master Weaver
by - author unknown

Our lives are but fine weavings that God and we prepare,

Each life becomes a fabric planned and fashioned in His care.
We may not always see just how the weavings intertwine,
But we must trust the Master's hand and follow His design,
For He can view the pattern upon the upper side,
While we must look from underneath and trust His hand to guide...

Sometimes a strand of sorrow is added to His plan,
And though it's difficult for us, we still must understand
That it's He who fills the shuttle, it's He who knows what's best,
So we must weave in patience and leave to Him the rest.

Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why...
The dark threads are as needed in the Weaver's skillful hand.
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

An article about him from the Salt Lake Tribune:

It was an uncommon summer — as if something had brought them together to say their final goodbyes.

Just two months after his family staged one of its first reunions in years, Capt. Ellery “Ray” Wallace was killed in Afghanistan when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle. The 33-year-old University of Utah grad died Sunday.

“The Lord was preparing us for it,” said his younger sister Jessica Bayless, who described the end-of-June reunion as divinely inspired for bringing all seven siblings together for a last time.

Wallace had hardly reached Afghanistan when he was hit. He announced his arrival in mid-August, musing to Facebook friends that the countryside “kind of looks like Utah.”

“Well the good news is … wait, is being here in Afghanistan good news?” he quipped in second lighthearted post to family and friends. Wallace was on patrol in Babur when his vehicle came under attack.

Wallace wasn’t a native of Utah. But he followed his sweetheart to the Beehive State, where he eventually was married and completed a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminology. He was currently working toward a master’s degree in business online.

But Wallace’s heart had always been in the military. He had dreamed since childhood of following in his grandfather’s footsteps and becoming a soldier, Bayless said. It was a fitting career path for a protective big brother who once tailed Bayless during her first date to make sure she was treated well.

Wallace joined the Army in Salt Lake City. And when he received his captain’s bars, they came from his grandfather, Elton DeWayne Wallace. He later was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky.

Bayless described her brother as a man who put God, family and country first — in that order.

Bayless said her brother would have been proud to give his life for his country.

“He always felt the sacrifice for freedom was worth it, no matter the cost,” Bayless said. “He was protecting his family and his country.”

Wallace leaves behind a wife, Janelle L. Wallace; and four children, Liam, Adara, Kael and Ehlana; who live in Clarksville, Tenn. He also is survived by his parents, Elton DeWayne and Elaine Wallace, who reside in Elkhart, Texas.

The family plans to bury Wallace in his boyhood town of Big Spring, Texas, where he’ll have a perfect resting place: beside his grandfather.