I have been thinking a lot this month! Reflecting on who I am and the person I want to become. 

I have had so many examples to look to in my life, most of whom have been members of our family.

I am 21! Crazy thanks for all the birthday wishes. It seems like yesterday I was a Junior in High school  and now I am a Junior in college! CRAZY! Where has the time gone. My mom is getting older as well, but she still looks like she is 21! So all is good ;)

General conference was amazing! I look forward to hearing where all my cousins will be serving missions especially Austin and Spencer!!!!!!

Every Halloween here at BYU-Idaho it gives girls the excuse to dress up like sluts, and in all my previous Halloweens I was living with cousins, so it always made the decision easy. This year I was on my own, with new roommates who liked the idea of one weekend of freedom to dress as they pleased. 

The decision to dress modestly still came fairly easy to me because in the back of my mind all I could think of is... there is NO WAY that I want my little cousins who watch me, and see pictures of me to ever have the idea that... that is OKAY. 

I always had older cousins and siblings who have set tremendous examples for me and I know I am no where near perfection, but I care so much what my little cousins and nieces and nephews think of me, and I pray that I am able to set a good example for each of them. 

Last Saturday was the five year anniversary of Little Weston's death. I can honestly say not a single day has passed that I have not thought of him. He also makes me want to be a better person. I have felt his as well as grandpas watchful eyes and protection over me multiple times. I know that they watch over all of us on a daily basis and want what is the best for us. I know that they laugh as well as cry with us. I try to go to the temple on the anniversary of Little Weston's death every year, and I have finally come to realize that he's not LITTLE Weston anymore. I will always have amazing memories of this little boy in my life, from the time he told me and my mom to shut up when we were singing, to body slams on the air mattress in the living room, to baking cookies because he wanted to be a chef. I would and always will do ANYTHING for any of my cousins. There were so many times when I was the one watching over Gavin and Weston, that it is hard for me to realize he is the one watching over me now. So although I will always remember Weston as being Little Weston I know that he is a great missionary and a great man. I know with everything inside of me that Weston and Grandpa are working hard together, and they want us to work hard as well. I know that they love us. More than anything I know that Families can be Together Forever. 

I missed seeing everyones Halloween Costumes and hope y'all post plenty of pictures! 

It was great seeing Benny and Laurie's family this month as well! I have to mention this every time I write anything! WE TRULY HAVE THE BEST FAMILY!!!!!

Love YOU ALL!!!!

Great Message! Enjoy!

Few Pics Grandma's 80th!

Here are a few pictures from My Mom's Camera.... of the pictures from Grandma's 80th birthday party! It was great to see everyone!

Watch, It's Worth Your TIme!

Savanna & Anna - Willard IMS Talent Show! They had so much fun!

Thanks Vernet!

By the way i just wanted to thank Vernet for making that book of grandpa after he left....

....

.....

i was cleaning the other day and came across it and when she asked something along the line of what was his greatest joy in his life.... He said ME! Haha he said his grandchildren!

that means a lot so thank you Vernet for taking the time to bring up some important memories throughout our lives!

I dont have a Valentine!

I dont have a valentine, i know way surprising, i mean truth be told i had many options and lots of guys just begging to be my valentine but i didnt want one ;) haha no i just am kidding!Well i really dont have one, but that is not what i was getting at!

What i really wanted to get at is how much i LOVE our family!

I mean there are not many families that are as close as we are, and for that i am forever grateful!

It is so fun spending time with my cousins, it doesnt matter if they are half my age, it doesnt matter if it is a newborn baby, or balding aged man! It doesnt matter if it is a cousin i have RARELY EVER seen, or a cousin i grew up with almost my ENTIRE LIFE!

Our family is amazing!

I can be with cousins i hardly knew growing up but still have a blast, and the great part is i feel like we have always been close! I have been blessed enough to growup around the majority of my cousins! And truth be told i can not imagine it another way!

My best friends growing up were and always have been MY COUSINS!

The truth is.... now that i have grown older

all my cousins my age have gone their separate ways!

I mean all the kids i grew up with are married with kids! CRAZY!

I am the last one standing with out a little family of my own!

But the best part is i have plenty of cousins younger than me, and i still get along with them great :) And as all the cousins my age have gone different ways i get to know cousins that are not in my age range! I am close with my married cousins as well as my younger cousins!

I love the new additions to our family if it is a new baby, or a married in cousin!

I am sorry that in some cases i do not know some of my cousins to the best that i can, but i honestly can say i love each and everyone in my family! I would gladly die for anyone of you! Because i love each one of you soooo much!!!!!!

Bottom line! Life would have been so useless growing up without cousins! I have learned so much from everyone... and continue to learn more from everyone, more than you can even realize! SO thank you! thank you for being you!

haha thanks for giving me a childhood of building forts, making mud pies, going on adventures, creating cooking shows, eating salsa and chips on my humpty dumpty blanket, watching That Thing You Do, going to school dances, dressing in matching clothes, stealing grandma's popsicles, making performances at family campouts or in the storage room in the basement at grandmas!

Thank you for letting me hold your babies at church, for letting me live with you, thank you for the tea parties, the hand me down clothes, the countless car rides, taking care of me when i was sick, thanks for laughing with me and crying with me! Thanks for everything!!!

Haha the list could go on forever, ...... most of my greatest memories in my life have been with my cousins!!!!!!!!!!! FACT!!!!!!

We love you!

Hi family! Just a quick note to remind you all how much we love you :) We are so blessed to have the family we do. You ALL make an impact in our lives, and we love hearing what your up to. Mom always says that she has the best kids, and the spouses are just the same :) We agree! We love feeling so close to you all, even though we are miles apart, because of the Internet. Whether it's Facebook, Blogs, or emails, we love to hear testimonies, hello's, or what you've been up to's :) Our family is the BEST!!!

And here is a sorta recent picture of the cutest kid on earth! Sawyer will be 8 months on Christmas day. He is about 22 pounds, and so cuddly. And he is crawling up to everything to stand or walk along. We love him so much!

Well, we love you guys. Be good, and work hard, and don't complain. I've been reminded of this lately as I read in Nephi. Nephi is amazing, he reminds me so much of Eric :) He was always striving to do what was right. He worked soooooo hard. And he never murmured. Even his dad, Lehi murmured, but Nephi just kept LIVING his testimony. I hope I can do better living what I have come to know to be true :) Life is too short to not do what we know we should :)

Have a Merry Christmas!

~Melissa

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

So me and Kelsie are pretty excited to get home for Christmas! As well as Syd and Dallin! We leave this week and are stoked! We started packing last week and are loving every second of it! It has been a great semester but I am ready for a break! That being said I am sure I will be ready to come back to school before April as well! I am just so excited to see our family!

I am not going to lie I was pretty bummed to find out that everyone had the family dinner with out us, but I am still excited to see y'all!

Christmas time makes me reflect a lot about myself and my life! I am so thankful for our family and the joy everyone brings into my life! I am filled with gratitude for my older brother the Savior Jesus Christ and the love he has for me, I am thankful for the atonement and I know that through it we are all able to return to our Father in Heaven! I am so very, very thankful that we can be together forever as a family! I am grateful for our family members here on the earth today and those that have gone before us especially Grandpa and Weston, and I have no doubt that they watch over and protect us daily! I am thankful for the priesthood that I have in my life and am thankful that my dad, brothers, uncles, and cousins can have it, I am thankful that I am able to attend college and work! I am grateful for the temple and the church! I am thankful for the roof over my head and the shoes on my feet! I am thankful that I have never had to go hungry and have always lived comfortably! I am not going to lie this list could continue on forever!

I just want to challenge everyone to do acts of service through the season and this upcoming year, remember your blessings and what is really important in life! Tell your loved ones that you love them, and tell them often! Pick up the phone and call your siblings! And give prayers of gratitude! I promise that as you serve others and show gratitude you will be happier and you will feel the Saviors love in your life!!!

That being said I love you all and miss everyone! I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year! I love our family! We truly are so very blessed! NEVER forget that!

Help Spencer!

Spencer works for an exterminating company and if he gets 1000 views on this video by Monday - Halloween he earns $500. So help him out. Just click and watch!

Love This!

Great Video!

Summer Fun 2011

I just think my girls had the best summer of their lives with Halee and Jaycee. We were so blessed to be able to get to know you cute girls better :) The swimming, pizza, zoo, and ocean were so much fun. Please come out next summer too! We love you!

Summer is not complete in California until you visit the beach!

Awesome creation Hannah and Halee! I wonder if he is still laying there in the sand?

Summer Fun 2011

We loved the beach on the California coast. It was a little chilly, but the girls didn't care!

Sharran and Benny looking for sea glass, everyone was on the hunt :)

The cousins at Sacramento Zoo. What a great lookin bunch!

Halee and Hannah were soooo cute together, instant friends!

Jaycee and Eliza were inseparable as well. We miss you guys a ton! Please come play next summer too!!! We love you.

Thanks Carroll!!!!

ok so the rest of the family needs to get on ball and post on here!!!!

and I started my own little random blog! I probably wont post too often and it will be completely random but if anyone wants me to add you to my blog email me!!!

brenwilko@gmail.com

love everyone and miss everyone!!!!

p.s. me and kelsie are living together and she is tons of fun! We see sydnie a lot too and she is still cool even though she got married.. just in case you were worried!!!:) love ya all!

The Weston Wilkins Family - Especially for Breanne

OK Breanne, here is the  Weston Wilkins condensed version of what is going on in our family :)

Terriann and Todd are currently home in Fair Grove. Todd is finishing up his degree this semester at Missouri State.  Terriann is still making temple bags and sells them in her ETSY shop and on her blog.  Wes and Ty are growing older and wiser :). Ty will be 1 on October 13, Wes will be 4 December 1.

Shanell and Logan are in Salt Lake City.  Logan works for Deseret Digital Media - Logan does web marketing. Shanell just got a job  at the Huntsman Cancer center in SLC.  She is nervous to actually be working, but is also excited.

Rachelle and Taylor are both TOGETHER in Bolivar.  It was a long time apart while he was in Afghanistan, but he is home and working at the Bolivar Police Dept.  Rachelle is going to school at Missouri State.  She has 2 or 3 semesters and then will do her student teaching to be a PE teacher.

Sydnie and Dallin spent the summer in Alaska working.  Dallin drove a shuttle bus and Syd directed people to their desired tours.  The were able to do some fun things that they might not have ever been able to do if they hadn't been working there.  They are both back in school in Rexburg and are living in a nice little apartment for married students.

Kelsie graduated from MCE in May.  She worked at the pool in Willard lifeguarding again this summer.  She is currently in Rexburg - rooming with Breanne - and getting her feet wet with the whole college life stuff.  When I left her, she looked like she was going to have a great time.

Taylor is the lone girl left at home.  She is a junior this year.  She is looking forward to basketball and has been working out with the Junior High to get/stay in shape.  She spends a lot of time with the Stoll girls and Ciara - they are ALL crazy!!

Hunter is in 8th grade this year.  He is getting taller and taller.  He is playing on the basketball team.  He will be 14 on the 17th and will advance to a Teacher.  I can't believe that!  He is a lot like his Dad and loves to work with him fixing fence, working cows, etc.  He is a huge help.

Connor turned 12 in March.  He was excited to be a Deacon.  He is also playing basketball and LOVES it.  He is in 7th grade - school isn't too hard for him yet.  He likes being in mutual now - no more Primary Sacrament programs :).

I am teaching Early Morning Seminary.  I have 4 students and we hold it at my house - which is very convenient :)  Sometimes it's not so great though when we have a busy evening the night before and we still have to have the kitchen table for seminary - if you get my meaning.  I am busy with my vinyl, and I enjoy it.  I miss my kids that are far away, and always look forward to visits from all of them - even the close by ones :)

Weston is always busy with work, the cows, the ward, etc.  He seems to balance everything out.  He is a good Bishop and is concerned about the members in the ward.  We've had some fun ward activities including a ward campout that was very well attended and enjoyed by everyone.

So that is us right now in a nutshell.  We would love to hear what everybody else has going on.  We love you all!

Happy Anniversary!!!

Happy Anniversary to my mom and dad!

As I have been out at school it seems like everyone around me is getting engaged and married left and right! This has caused me to be anti-marriage for a little while! I can't believe these couples that hardly even know each other want to be married FOREVER! I can't imagine being so in love with someone that you would want to be with them FOREVER! Then I look at my parents who have been married for over 30 years, and the truth is I could never imagine them not being together FOREVER! FOREVER is a long, long time, but I guess after seeing my parents together it seems like a great plan. My mom is coming to pick me up from school this week and I cannot wait to get home to see my dad waiting on the porch for her to get home! I know everyone's marriage is not perfect but I would consider my parents 30+ years a success! So ya Happy Anniversary to the BEST parents in the world!!!!!! I love you!! Thank you! can't wait to come home!!!!!!!!

Breaking News: Strong, LDS bishop helps thousands!

This is old news to many, but we thought that we would send over a "higher-res" version of Weston on the cover of the Church News.

Enjoy :)

What a man!

Here is a link to the full story: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/61008/Helping-Hands-reach-Joplin-community.html

Love,
Logan and Shanell

Breanne's Challenge- The Jones Family!

Breanne posted earlier a challenge for each family to post something about their families on the Wilkins Blog. So here I go taking the challenge. And I am going to tag someone to follow me. My challenge is to keep the tags going until everyone is reached! If anyone needs an invite to the blog please let me know so I can send you one!

Anyway today was our first official half day off for summer vacation. The kids are very excited and a bit sad too because they loved their teachers and friends at school. But with summer comes more freedom and with more freedom comes more responsibility in my opinion. One of the things I like to do in the summer with the kids is come up with something creative and fun for the day. For example today we made play dough, went to the library and went on an indoor scavenger hunt since it was raining. If you have any fun ideas to contribute, they will most likely be used and appreciated. We also do a hundred mile challenge each summer. At the end of the summer the kids get a new pair of shoes if they complete their miles. It's great for me because they need a new pair of shoes for school anyway, so instead of just getting them for them they get to earn them and that makes them appreciate them that much more! This year we are going to try to up the challenge to two hundred miles for the older kids. Sometimes the kids don't always love it, especially if we get a late start and it's hot but hey we always make it and they are always so happy they completed their goal. This summer Mister Porter will turn 8 years old and we will baptized sometime in July. He is so excited to begin the scouting program. Benny and Eric if you are reading this, you are Porter's hero's since you both received your Eagle Scout Award. He asked if he could interview you. Too cute! Savanna just completed the 4th grade which in Willard School district is the end of elementary school. She loves writing and poetry. Sher performed in the Willard North Talent Show reciting her poetry. Parker is my adventure man. He is very excited about his Watermelon plants he planted this year. I hope they live just for him. He keeps asking when are they going to be ready. Carson has a smile that can still your heart and a scream that make you want to run the other way. I love that sweet boy, he loves me holding him which I love to do. And of course our little girl is awaiting her arrival mid-August. Brent stays busy with Photography and in my opinion has a heart of gold. I love that man. He drives me crazy at times, as I do him but we do love each other very much and that's whats important. My favorite activity is spending time with my family. To me there is nothing better. Don't get me wrong there are times it's nice to have a break from them and them from me, but truly I do love being with them.

So there you have it- our little family in a nutshell. NEXT I would like to challenge Cindy & Allen Wilkins to take the challenge and share a blurb about your family. Then you need to tag someone else! Let's keep this going! Deadline for repost is one week from today! So you have until June 4th to complete the challenge!

Sawyer Lyn Wilkins

Our little Sawyer is here! We have been waiting, for what seemed like forever, for this little guy and now he is here! He was born on April 25th, at 6:44pm. He weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces, and was 21 inches long. The kids were able to come to the hospital about an hour after he was born. It was quite a sight to see all of our kids gather in toward Eric, who was holding Sawyer, to see their new little brother :) I can't believe we have done this 6 times! And I am so thankful for our testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the eternities. Family is what life is all about. We aren't all perfect, but we were sent here on earth together to help teach each other how to be. I must need extra teaching that's why I was sent 6 kids...oh wait...what does that say about Grandmother? Haha, I love you Mabel!

This is Sawyer about a week old! What a cutie :)

This was last Sunday, Sawyer's first church attendance. He did great, but it is definitely tricky keeping everyone reverent while Eric sits on the stand. Sacrifice brings forth blessings!

So here is the latest picture at 3 weeks old! We love our little Sawyer boy. And we love all of you. Thanks for the phone calls, and thoughts and prayers. We miss and love you all!

Love,
Melissa

Happy Mother's Day

I hope you all had a fun and relaxing mother's day! Matthew and I love you all! Since im on the topic of mother!! I want to thank you all who are mother's! All of myAunts, Grandmothers and my own mom have been the best example to my whole life! you taught me to work hard, and to love my family and my husband! I hope to one day teach my children what you taught me! you taught me to kind, to play nice, to share, and to be happy! you held me when i cried and you showered me with love and affection my whole life! I love you all! I want to give a special shout out to my own mother Tresa!!! Thank you so much for putting my with me for all these years and for letting me marry matt and come to australia! I love you and think of you daily! i wish i could always have you here with me. i cant wait for the day when we dont have to worry about time and distance to call, see and talk to oneother. I sorry i didnt tell you i loved you more when i was younger. I never relised how important and how much work you did for me! Thank you! i love you!
Love
Matthew and Victoria