Pass Along Cards

Well we finally got our pass along cards finished. We will be getting them out to all of our friends and family members here shortly.

So what exactly is a Pass Along Card?

Pass Along Cards are the latest tool for adoptive couples to find potential birth parents. They can be given to friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers and church leaders in hopes that they will know of someone who is interested in placing a baby for adoption. The cards can include information such as the hopeful couple's blog address, adoption agency profile address, email address, caseworker's phone number, etc.

(Thank You Spaces for Faces)

Eve and I both hope that through the help of all of you we will be able to meet the individual or couple who will be willing to trust us to raise their little one.


I have been asked a lot lately as to why we want more children since we already have two. It is kind of hard to explain, I think that the only way that I can explain it is that I am able to see the beauty and goodness in my children that I feel like at times I have lost it within myself. As we get older and more involved in our lives we tend to forget what life is really about. We tend to focus on the "Job", "Bills", and all of the other stuff that comes along with being an adult. We forget that we need to be more carefree and willing to trust others instead of always looking for the worst. It seems like all Connor and Eden want is to be happy and enjoy life, I love that in them. I love seeing them happy and knowing that Eve and I are doing our part to provide a home where they can find that happiness. I truly feel that my family is not finished with the four of us and that it will continue to grow. I know that there is someone out there who with all of your help might be guided to us and be able to help our family grow.

Thank you for all of your help.

Matthew, Eve, Connor, and Eden

Like Mother Like Daughter

I love love love to cook! I wouldn't say I'm a gourmet cook or anything but I love to be in the kitchen. So, naturally this love of mine is rubbing off on my daughter. Since she was old enough to stand on a chair,she's been right beside me in the kitchen "helping". Often it takes me twice as long as it should to prepare a meal but hey I'm teaching my little girl a life skill right? Sometimes she likes to just be in the kitchen making her own "recipes". I get out different ingredients for her and then just let her have at it. She mixes them all together and makes a big ol' mess. I don't mind letting her do this because I think it's important to let her creative juices flow. She can get lost in her own world doing this for hours. Well, tonight she was nice enough to make a "dinner" for the rest of us. She actually dished it up into little bowls for us. Yikes!

Ingredients: lots of sugar, a little flour, potato pearls, crushed mint (a whole bottle), savory (a whole bottle), some dried minced onion, goldfish & marshmallows.
Delicious, right?



Look at her... she's so proud of her self. How could you tell that face no when she wants to "cook"?



Connor's Big Ol' Truck

Connor's 16th birthday is sneaking up on us fast! I can't believe he will be driving and DATING! I think I'm more worried about the dating than I am the driving. He's actually a pretty good driver. We have this old 1982 Chevy Pickup Truck that was originally Matthew's grandpa's then his uncle bought it from him, then Matthew's dad ended up with it from him, then Matthew's brother in-law bought it from him, then a few years ago we bought it from him. Are ya following me? Oh well, it doesn't really matter, the point is that the truck has been in the family for years. So, this truck has been sitting in Matthew's parents garage since we bought it. (yep, I did say that we bought it a few years ago) It needed a little work... Now that Connor is so close to having his license we decided to get it fixed up and give it to him. We swore we would never just give a car to any of our kids, but well what else are we gonna do with this big ol' truck that's just been sitting in Matthew's dad's garage? Anyway, Matthew, Connor and I went over the other day to do some sanding so that we can get it painted. It was fun to do it together as a family (shhhh.... don't tell anyone but Matthew and Connor really did most of the work). I know Matthew's dad is going to be ecstatic when we finally get that thing out of his garage!

Matthew's Dad's Birthday

So we all got together to night to celebrate my Dad's birthday, he is lucky to be the only person in both of our families to have a January birthday. I am very lucky to have him for a father he has taught me so much in life about how to be a good husband and father. Eve and I are very lucky to have the parents that we do.

I Love you Dad.......

Dad with with 12 out of his 16 grandchildren

Connor had a rough day at swimming

Talisha and her little brother Jack

A House of Education

Wow our house feels like a school. For the past week or so we have been potty training Eden, I would say it has been tough, but then I haven’t had to do the majority of the work Eve has. I know it has been hard on Eve when Eden doesn’t let her know that she needs to go, but she has been very patient with her and her little messes. I love to see how excited Eden gets when she does go in the toilet and gets to put a sticker on her tracking chart so that when it is full she can get an Ice Cream cone. I love my wife a lot for being home and able to raise our kids.

Connor recently got his learners permit. So now not only are we teaching one kid to use the bathroom we are teaching another one to drive. Now that can be a scary experience, but so far Connor has done pretty well. I was thinking about getting him a chart to keep track of his good driving days….I wonder if he would get as excited as Eden does?

Primary Songs

Today as I've been cleaning the house and doing all the things that need to be done, I have been singing primary songs in my head. I love being in Primary! The kids have so much faith and they have these incredibly strong spirits and they say super funny things all the time. One of my favorite things about Primary though is the music. I constantly have primary songs going round and round in my head. Sometimes I don't think much of them, but somedays there is one that will really hit home to me and touch my heart. Today is one of those days. The song I've been singing is A Child's Prayer. Make sure you click the button to the left to hear the words and the music. I love this song but today it has really hit home. My favorite part is in the second verse where it says: Pray, He is there. Speak He is listening. You are his child. His love now surrounds you. I know this to be true, the Spirit has confirmed this for me today. I know that Heavenly Father is listening and that He knows each of us and loves us all the same. I have sung this song over and over today and each time it makes my eyes well up.

Spaghetti Dinner with Eve's Family

I really love the chance we have to spend time with all of our family. Last night we went over to Eve's parents house for spaghetti, I love getting together with both of our families we always end up having a lot of fun with one another. Eve has three brother but last night only one of them was able to make it. Eden ends up running around with her cousins and not eating anything, but that is normal when your with your cousins. I love both of our families very much.

Left to right: Jared (Eve's baby brother), Connor, Dad, Mom and Evie

Connor is a growing boy who needs lots of food

Silly kids: Easton and Eden

Just the girls: Eden, Lola and Hadlee



Today at Church

Today during Elders Quorum they gave a wonderful lesson on trust. The instructor took his lesson from a conference talk given by President Henry B. Eyring called Trust in God, Then Go and Do. The instructor asked the question if we have had anyone in our life give us their trust and what has it done for us. I told him that Eden's birth mother had given Eve and I trust in her daughter to raise and to be our own, I explained that that trust has inspired me to be a better husband, father and man. And I hope that I will continue to be worthy of that trust. I love Eden's birth mother and I promise to her that I will always strive to be the best father I can be. I know that I will make mistakes and I hope that I will always be able to learn from those mistakes. Pres. Eyring said "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks." I hope and pray that I will always be able to show my trust in the Lord and I am willing and able to act upon all that he asks of me. I love the Lord with all of my heart and I am grateful for all that I have in this life.

Teenage Party Night

Last night wasn't supposed to be a party, but it turned out that way... Yesterday Connor asked if he could have a few friends over to watch movies. Being the incredibly cool parents we are, we said yes. Just Kidding. We didn't say yes because we are cool, we just like having his friends here because then we get to know them all and we can keep an eye on them. (see how cool we are... Connor thinks we're just nice but we are really serving our own purpose...Mwhaaahaaa) Anyway, a few friends turned into about 10! I think 10 friends over classifies as a party not "a few friends over to watch movies". Besides I'm pretty sure there was no movie watching involved because they were way too loud and having way too much fun to be watching a movie. So we are definitely talking about a party here. We didn't mind though. Connor has a really great group of friends. Eden spent a lot of the night hanging out down stairs with the big kids. The great thing is that they don't care in fact they LOVE her. And Connor is a super awesome brother because instead of getting mad that his little sister won't leave him alone he actually welcomes her.  I really think that Eden is convinced that they Connor's friends are really hers and being the awesome brother that Connor is... he lets her think so. I love these two!

Old news is still good news!

In November Eve and I celebrated our seventh year anniversary. We ended up getting away for the night and spent a wonderful time at a bread and breakfast up near Bear Lake. It was a very fun evening to be able to be with my best friend and enjoy this huge inn all by ourselves. The next day we went to the Logan Temple and were able to enjoy the beauty and peace that the temple brings. What made the day even more special was that it was the two year anniversary of Eden being sealed to us. I am very glad that I was able to get away with my sweetheart. I love you Eve......