Hunger Games

My commute to and from work has recently increased by 15 minutes each way, making it about an hour one way. You might think I'm crazy. Well, yes I'm crazy. However, I have found a way to survive my 2 hour commutes each day. Since I've started this job I've listened to all 7 books of the Chronicles of Narnia, books 1-6 of the Harry Potter series and in the last 3 weeks I listened to all 3 books of the Hunger  that Courtney bought me for Christmas. Let me tell you, it has been an enjoyable past 3 weeks of commuting. If you haven't read The Hunger Games yet, I highly recommend them!! I can't wait for the movie this March!! I bet it'll be awesome!

I think next book on my list is Jesus the Christ. Let me know of any suggestions you might have and I'll look into local libraries to see if I can get them.

Naming our baby boy!

This coming Tuesday we will officially be full term (37 weeks)!  Our baby boy will be here before we know it, and we are super excited!  His room is all set up down in the house in Payson, our hospital bags are packed, and as our doctor says, we are on "cruise control."  Here's a 36 week picture from Tuesday.  I feel like I just get bigger and bigger every day!

So now, we need your help.  We are trying to decide on Jackson's middle name and thought it would be fun to make a list and get your opinions!  Shawn and I both have our favorites, but I'm not going to tell you what they are so we don't sway your votes.  The list is in alphabetical order so we don't play favorites :)

Jackson Alan Ward

Jackson Conner Ward

Jackson Emery Ward

Jackson Jeffrey Ward

Jackson Mckay Ward

Leave us a comment and let us know what you like best! 

What am I getting myself into!?

It is that time of year again. At the beginning of each new year there is a common theme of new year's resolutions that runs rampant. My friend once told me he hates this time of year. For those who attend the gym regularly, the gyms are crowded January and February as people try to be more healthy and active.  By March it calms down as these same people lose their resolve to keep their resolutions. For those who regularly attend the gym, the gym becomes much less busy, he explained.

What does this have to do with me? Well, on New Year's Day Court and I were eating dinner with my sister and her family while discussing our resolutions for the year. I had recently seen an app called Couch to 5k and I wanted to get back to the days when I ran cross country and was in shape, maybe not the exact same shape but close to it. Not the greatest idea to bring this idea up to others, needless to say, the 4 of us (Sister, Sister's Husband, Court and I) are now planning to do the Utah Valley 5k on June 9th. Now there is no turning back. Who knows this could be a great thing for us all! I'll keep you up to date at how we do.

Another resolution of mine came to me at chruch Sunday. Ezra Taft Benson, a former Prophet of God and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was quoted saying,

It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (see D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.

                                - "The Book of Mormon - Keystone of Our Religion" Ensign 1986

It was with those words I resolved to more seriously study the Book of Mormon along with other scripture in order to invite that power he mentions more fully into my life. Who couldn't use more of that kind of power in their lives? Ezra Taft Benson had a great love for the Book of Mormon and knew of the power it can bring to those who read it diligently. Check out this talk he gave about the Book of Mormon.