last week of school.....

Wow! What a crazy, busy, fun week this has been, especially in the Elementary School. It has been a whirlwind. I have had fun seeing Mark and Cass in their various activities.

First up was the Manila Dance Festival. This is a tradition every May where each grade learns a dance and they perform it for the school. Mark's class danced to a Tarzan song, "Trashing the Camp" and Cassie's grade danced to one from High School Musical.


Next was the Talent Show. Every year students can try out for the talent show either individually or in a group. They only choose a handful of those that try out. I was proud of Cassie, her best friend Aubry and two other little girls from the neighborhood. They chorigraphed a dance number completely by themselves. It had cute stunts and fun moves. They worked so hard and made the show. They raided our costume box and found some cute outfits. They were a blast to watch! She didn't get these moves from me, that's for sure. I have two left feet!


Cassie did her sixth grade Graduation Walk this morning. It was sad to think she is leaving Manila Elementary and moving on to Jr. High. Where did the time go? I am not ready for her to grow up. She is sad to leave, but is looking forward to new adventures with her friends.

Simple Joys....

Sunshine. Sunshine. Sunshine!

A hug and "I love you mom" from my eight year old

Seeing a sweet little aging married couple holding hands and their canes while they walked.

Trying a new recipe and having it work!

A seventeen year old son, who randomly and without provocation, cleaned the most unorganized room in the house (no, it's not even his room!) just to say a belated Happy Mother's Day.

A husband who tells me I am beautiful despite what the mirror and scale say.

A flowerbed free of weeds (at least for today).

A daughter playing a hymn on a piano that desperately needs tuning.

An empty laundry basket. (we know that will only last five minutes!)

Brightly painted toenails

A a quiet day to think of my many blessings and then the noise the kids make coming home to tell me about their day.

(I want you all to notice that chocolate was not on my list! I am being good today!)

practice makes perfect....

I remember as a teenager I was asked to play the piano to accompany a young women's choir number in church. I had been taking piano lessons for years and the song was fairly simple. I was scared to death, I hated to perform. I remember weeks of practicing the song over and over until I could play it in my sleep. However, on the day of the performance as I was sitting looking at this music, a strange thing happened. It was as if my fingers had lost their way and they had no connection to the notes in my head. I totally went into a deep freeze with no thaw in sight. I lost it. The musical number turned into an acapella number with a few wrong notes thrown in randomly from the piano. I was mortified and have never played in public since that day.

The phrase practice makes perfect is common but is it accurate? When most people say they have over seventeen years experience in something, you would think them a master. I have found the opposite is true in parenting, the more experience I have, the less I know. I have often said you receive more instructions and directions when you buy a toaster than when you bring a child into this world. And the toaster instructions come in five languages!! I struggle with just speaking English to my children, and on many days simply trying to put the right name to the right child proves a daunting task. I should have named them all the same name and then at least, I would have stood a chance.

I think Mother's Day last week brought this all to my mind. It's a hard time of year for me. All around me, there are stories of incredible mother's and on many days, all I see are my failings. I mean how many times can I teach a child that a clean room means you should be able to actually see the floor not just assume it's there. To scour a bathroom is more than picking up a towel and turning off the light. Maybe they are taking the faith family home evening lessons to seriously, sometimes it is important to see to believe. How many years does it take to understand that homework projects are best when not left until the night before; a kind word to a sibling should be the rule not the exception. I am failing on all these things!

I have incredible children, don't get me wrong. They came to earth perfect and then I came into the picture. :) What was Heavenly Father thinking? If I can't even play a piece on the piano, how does He expect me to cope with motherhood?

Motherhood keeps you humble. Just when you think you have something figured out with one child, you have another one who is completely different and it's back to the drawing board. Come on, really?

The one thing I do know is that despite all my mistakes and misgivings, I wouldn't trade being a mother for anything. What an incredible and frightening experience it is to be put in a situation where your sphere of influence has such lasting impact. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is the only instruction book I will ever need. What a blessing it is to know that I am not alone flailing in the darkness, that I can receive help and inspiration during the struggling times. I am in such awe of single mothers. I know many whose faith, hard work and diligence astounds me. I could not be a parent without my husband. He bails me out on those days when I feel I'm on a sinking ship and land is nowhere in sight.

Mostly, I am grateful to know that although this family choir of mine sings acapella some days, they still keep singing waiting patiently for me to refocus and hit a right note once in awhile.

Cinco de Mayo...

We had a fun family party to celebrate cinco de mayo last week. We had great food, pinata's and fun visiting and hanging out. I mean who can't smile when wearing a sombrero?

Happy Mother's Day to my mom...

This is but a small gift for you on Mother’s day.
It’s designed to be a symbol of what I want to convey.

I could have brought you cut flowers that are beautiful right now-
but their beauty and enjoyment would only a few days allow.

So instead, I brought you seeds that will take some work along the way,
before their beauty will be realized and they will multiply and stay.

To me this represents what you’ve done for me throughout my life.
Someone that has quietly sown seeds here and there and often pulled weeds of strife.

Your work was often unappreciated and the result took years to tell;
but as you look in the faces and lives of your children, I hope you’ll realize you’ve excelled.

For what once were dirty faces, tantrums and teenage rebellion;
has now evolved into temple marriages and an abundance of grandchildren.

This did not happen by mere coincidence
But through daily sowing seeds of faith and patience that was immense.

So today as you look at these packets of simple unsown seeds
I want to thank for not taking a life full of comfort and ease.

For realizing that eternity takes much time and effort to create,
and your divine role of mother is something you never did forsake.

I love my mom, she is an incredible example to me. I am so blessed to have the privilege of being her daughter.

Prom 2010

Ryan attended Pleasant Grove High School's Prom last night. The group he went with asked if Kelly could take pictures before the dance. Kelly met them in the early evening at this fun house in Lindon that has become popular for pictures. He did a great job! It was so fun to be able to have an inside track to pictures so I didn't have to go stalk Ry at the dance and get some! He looked pretty darn handsome in his tux, and Keslee, his date was absolutely beautiful.

it started with a tree and grew into so much more...

Summer of 89 I met the man I would later marry. We met at a stake young adult activity, planting trees on a church welfare farm. He was six months off his mission and I was taking a summer break between my two years at Ricks College. He was putting the trees in the holes and I was in charge of making sure they were straight and aligned with others in the row. He was making me laugh and I was trying to figure out why I had never bumped into him before, considering we grew up practically neighbors. To this day Kelly tells people that from the day we met I have been telling him what to do and not much has changed. :)

The first thing I remember about Kelly was his sense of humor. Not many people could have as much fun in the sun and the dirt as we did that day planting trees, Kelly kept things light and happy that afternoon. For the next year and a half we ended up on dates together..although he would be dating my friends and I his. In October of 90 I was living in an apartment in Provo, but started attending some activities in my old Stake ward in Orem. I was setting a roommate up on a blind date and she wanted me to get a date and come along. I was recently out of a relationship and didn't know who to ask. I thought, "I'll ask my friend Kelly.." who I admit I'd been thinking a lot about recently. Thank goodness he said yes. Good thing I was smart back then and didn't wait around for him to ask me out! That next February we were engaged and April 30, 1991 we married in the Salt Lake temple.

As I think back over the last nineteen years I am amazed at the impact of that decision. When I said yes that day in the temple, I never could have imagined what the next nearly two decades would have in store. I always tell my kids that service brings blessings. Who would have thought that something else was planted that day besides apple trees and later blossomed into so much more. I love you Kelly! You are and will always be my greatest blessing, my best friend and owner of my heart. Happy Anniversary!

We were able to get away to a local resort for a couple of days and it was a wonderful break. Thanks to the kids and others who helped make this spontaneous trip happen.