4 Days

On Monday January 3, 2011 we took all the family and a couple of friends out to Tucano's to celebrate Ben's 19th Birthday!  It was so fun!

 They had Ben stand on a chair while we all sang to him.  Yes...shy Ben was on a chair being crazy...and loving all the attention (hmmm...)

 We had fun at the Riverbottoms...they decorate for Christmas so fun!

 We especially loved warming up by the fire!

 Knowing it was FREEZING!...  We gathered all our coats, gloves, hats and blankets before we left home.  After dinner we went to one of our favorite places..."The MTC Hill"...it is right across the street from the MTC, below the Provo Temple.  With each of our missionaries, we have gone to that hill and looked down on the MTC...James has shared advice and testimony.  Ethan has his favorite "Ethan's tree"...  we went up the hill and through the snow to get to his tree.  We had 4 returned missionaries there (James, Tyler, Brad and Cami) who shared their testimony with Ben.
 It was priceless!  Oh...and did I mention it was cold???!!!

 We then sang "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission, "Called to Serve", and our family song
"Golden Roads" that Tyler wrote.  It was one of the most tender, special and spiritual moments of my life. 
The Spirit surrounded us all...

"GOLDEN ROADS"

Dixon Family Song

by Tyler Dixon

Looking outside, it's raining again...it reminds me of the time when...

Leaves would turn red, and there were still questions inside my head...

And for every answer there came two more to take it's place.

But I'll...I'll follow your words back

to the place where you told me that love has no boundaries,

and I'll...I'll hold your hand as we walk down the road made of gold that we know exists...

There have been times where I've had my doubts of what this life is all about...

It's not about money or temporal things...it's about FAMILY and God holds the keys

to everything that we need to grow and to realize the things that we already know...

I'll follow your words back

to the place where you told me that love has no boundaries,

and I...I'll hold your hand as we walk down the road made of gold that we know exists...

 And I'll see you there my love...and we'll talk about the way we felt 

when we were down here from above...were we grateful enough?  

Well I think that's one thing that we can all work on, so we can stay strong...

And I'll follow your words back to the place where you told me that love has no boundaries,

I'll hold you hand as we walk down the road made of gold that we know exists...

You really should hear Tyler sing it sometime...or even better... all my boys and James wrote in some harmonies and sang it at Brad's Wedding.  It is a special song for us and I am so grateful for the tears that came that night as we sang this song as a family, in the freezing cold...
but the Spirit warmed our hearts!

6 Days!

On January 2, 2010 Elder Ben spoke in Church.  We had so many friends and family that came to support Ben.  We are so lucky to have so many people who are supportive and such examples to each of us!

 Aunt Linda, Uncle Allyn and Amy were able to come from Vegas!

 Doran, Missy, Olivia and Aunt Nita!  We were so happy they could come...they are always there for us and we love them so much!

Ben has always had such GREAT friends! 

 Ben and Scott have been best friends since they went to Pre-School together!  

Scott is now serving in the Colombia Bogota Mission!

Family Picures...

Kalvin wasn't too happy about being squished!

 Ben has always been Ethan's best friend!  Ethan made him a rock...that says "You Rock" on it and made sure Ben took it with him in his suitcase...along with some notes tucked away!

 Kalvin loved playing bubbles with Uncle Ben!

This was such a spiritual feast of a Sunday!  Ben did an amazing job expressing his unwavering Testimony of Jesus Christ!  He expressed his excitement to go teach the Chinese people in Arcadia California about the Gospel...

8 days!

Ben was at back at school and we were busy planning Brad and Cami's Wedding for the next couple of months.  Brad and Cami were married November 27th, 2010.  What a beautiful day.

Brad, James and all the brothers formed a band for the luncheon and the reception!  Seeing them all singing together is one of my favorite memories.

I am so grateful for my family...my sweet husband and my great boys!  I am blessed!

9 Days!

It is really hard to believe our Ben will be home from him mission in 9 days!  I didn't start this blog until he had been gone 6 months...so I really wanted to capture the beginning of his mission before he gets home.

Ben was at Utah State when his mission call arrived.  He thought he could wait for the weekend to come home to open it...but he couldn't!  We had some of his good friends and the family over to hear the great news.  We had the Vegas family on the phone!

With tears in his eyes...he read:  Elder Benjamin Dixon, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the California Arcadia Mission.  It is anticipated you will serve for a period of 24 months.  You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on January 5, 2011.  You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Mandarin Chinese language.

Everyone was cheering and excited when we heard Califonia Arcadia...and then when he read

Mandarin Chinese...it was crazy and loud!  Chinese?!!!!! Ben had taken Chinese for 2 years in high school and already had a love of the language... but over the next two years none of us had any idea how that love for the Chinese people would grow and become a part of him.

It is such a blessing to know the Lord sends his missionaries right to where they are supposed to be!

Thanksgiving!

We were able to go to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving this year!  Thanks so much to Linda and Allyn for being such amazing hosts...as usual!  We really appreciate you and your family and all you do for us!

Of course Linda put on an amazing spread of fabulous food!

This was Asa's first visit to Vegas and we loved introducing him to the family!

Meeting Grampa Jack!...Four Generations!

Meeting Grama and Grampa Dixon...Four Generations!

 Brad brought his "slackline" and set it up in the Schlauder's backyard...so fun!

The ultimate slackline family!

Teaching Amy...

 Asa is pretty much in love with her!

 On the way home...eating his sock, of course!

 I missed out on pictures of the wonderful food... and the rest of the family...but we had such a wonderful time.  We were able to Skype with Tyler and his family...their ward had Thanksgiving at the Church for all those in school...they had a great time (We sure missed them, though)

We are so grateful for wonderful family...we are blessed with the knowledge that 

Families are Forever!