Binkies & Blankies

Olivia did this.
I love it.

What You Can't See

BYU Graduation April 2002

This picture re-surfaced this week - water splattered and all, but it brought a smile to my face. I'm mean, look how young we look! It doesn't seem that long ago, yet at the same time, it feels like it was SO long ago.

You know what you can see in this picture?
Me. Me in my cap and gown.
Standing outside the Marriott Center at BYU.
Ryan & I with our almost 10 month old Rylee.
Me, with my hot husband.


Do you know what you can't see?
Me. The 2nd female in my entire family - my mom's side and my dad's side, who had graduated with a four year degree. The first in my immediate family.
Graduating on time although I'd taken the Fall Semester off after Rylee was born.
Standing with my mom who watched Rylee for hours while I finished my last 3 classes.
Me, 13 weeks pregnant with Clay.
Standing with my husband who was going to school full-time and working full-time - the graveyard shift at a juvenile detention center.

Do you ever wonder how you ever did something, or made it through?

I do.

Just Like Me

As a teenager, my dad would say, "when you have children, you'll probably have one just like you."

Lately, I'm finding that to be so true! Not necessarily with just one of the kids, but it makes me smile.

Example #1:

Last year I had this comment left on my blog from a gal that I knew growing up in Canada. It isn't something I remembered, but figured I was about 3 or 4 years old. Here's a snippet:

I was thinking about you and I remember a funny Honey story. When you first moved to Calgary me and my mom stopped by. You stepped on my mom's foot and asked, "Does that hurt?" She said no. So you did it again harder and asked again. Again she said no. The third time you did it really hard, I think you jumped on it and my mom said, "Yeah, that really hurt." You shrugged your shoulders and walked away as if, "Mission Accomplished".

Nice. As a mother, I'm embarrassed thinking "what a brat!" but then I laughed to myself and thought "I could totally see Kaycee doing this."

Sure enough, only a few months later, Kaycee did it. To poor, unsuspecting Uncle Spencer.

Example #2:

I did this A LOT growing up (any wonder how we've both managed to break BOTH our arms?)

Example #3 - This one really made me smile.


This Sunday, Rylee will sing her first solo in the Primary program at church. Would you believe that she's singing the same song - Beautiful Savior - that I sang as my first solo in a Primary Program?! I was a couple years older than she is and she sounds amazing! Wish you all could hear it.

Example #4

Did you ever play church or primary growing up? Reecy and I always did. We'd sit in our pew (the bottom wooden step) and hear/say the talks. Then move to the fireplace for Primary.

Just this past week, I could hear Lucy and Kaycee playing. When I came to sneak a peek, Kaycee was up on the fireplace teaching and leading the music - ah, such fond memories. (The picture was taken on a different day, when they were dancing.)

I never did this, but wanted to include this picture of Olivia. I was at the sink rinsing off dishes getting ready to load the dishwasher, when I turned to see this. What a helpful girl!