on friendship

 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “friendship is one of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism.’” ¹ That thought ought to inspire and motivate all of us because I feel that friendship is a fundamental need of our world. I think in all of us there is a profound longing for friendship, a deep yearning for the satisfaction and security that close and lasting relationships can give. Perhaps one reason the scriptures make little specific mention of the principle of friendship is because it should be manifest quite naturally as we live the gospel. In fact, if the consummate Christian attribute of charity has a first cousin, it is friendship. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul slightly, friendship “suffereth long, and is kind; [friendship] envieth not; … seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; … [friendship] never faileth.” ²

MARLIN K. JENSEN

Of the Presidency of the Seventy

#latergram : apple picking

A few weeks ago we went apple picking.

It's one of our very favorite family traditions.

 Our fake adopted daughter (REAL friend) Ellen met us there.

Ellen and Leeli are BFFs.

They can't wait to get the party started whenever they're together.

The thing is,

there are a lot of RULES at this orchard we love...

we joke about the challenge it is for this particular group to have to follow so many rules.

#kiddingNOTkidding

(they climb each other instead of the trees)

So there we were, 

minding the rules and enjoying tradition,

when what to our wondering eyes should appear, 

but our fake FAMILY!

They may or may not have had plans to pick apples on the very same Saturday, 

and decided to surprise us in our happy place.

We like to call them the Swiftcombs.

That's what they call us, too.

There was frolicking in the apple orchard

On the hay ride

and racing through the corn maze.

It was the most REAL fun to be had on a Fall Saturday.

Thank you Mr. Dub, 

for ensuring that tradition 

is a priority.

XO

Cocoa Beach + Friends = HAPPY!

Cocoa Beach with the Parsons makes us HAPPY!! from Jenny Hutchins Whitcomb on Vimeo.

first things first

First thing we did after arriving in Florida was to find THIS happy group.

We LOVE the Parsons!

We haven't been all together since they left Massachusetts SIX years ago.

It was a sweet reunion.

i LOVE technology.

and i LOVE being able to see these people when we talk! 

LOVE them.