Checking In

 I had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. I am so blessed. I hope you had a lovely day, too. 

Our weekend was a little crazier than usual. Spring time is here and so are the birthday parties. Rylee, Clay, Kaycee and Olivia had birthday parties this weekend. Of course, the kids always love birthday parties, and I'm finding May is turning into December with all the gift giving around here. We've got two more parties this weekend - not to mention, Lucy's birthday coming up next week and Kaycee's birthday and baptism just days after.

And who can forget all the year-end activities and teachers' gifts at school! May is busy. This week is our last week of school so it means activities galore. I've got every single thing penned on my calendar to make sure I don't miss a thing, or forget anything I'm supposed to bring to these said activities. Sure hope our bank account holds up. ;)

Ryan and I were able to make some great head way in one part of the backyard. We built a bit of a retaining wall and have been able to level out our greatly sloped yard. I'll finish the rest of the leveling today and I think we just might be able to get the play-set up and running tonight. The kids have been patient and I can see the hours of play throughout the summer. We're crossing our fingers for no broken bones or knocked out teeth - Henry has already learned to climb up the ladder to the tower. Next purchase: buying a baby swing that he hopefully won't be able to get out of... who are we kidding.

Oh, the joys!

A WICKED Time

Rylee and I went to WICKED last night we our dear friends.

To say we LOVED it would be an understatement. We had such a fantastic time – what talent!

This picture is completely fuzzy, but look how close we were! We were the 5th row back, in ‘limited view’ seats, but so worth it.           I can’t wait to go back with Ryan

Thanks Camille & Maddy!

Number 3

Some Gems

While in Utah last month, I dove into some family pictures.
Instead of taking the time to scan them, I just took a picture of my favorites with my phone.
You know, high quality. ;)

Here are some gems
(with my best date estimation as well).

 1983 (2 years old)

 Later in 1983

 1985 or 1986? (4 or 5 years old)

1990? Just the girls.

This is the best, WORST picture. 

Aren't we lovely? No outfit coordination whatsoever. 

 At the Cardston, Alberta Temple re-dedication 1991. 

(10 years old)

I prefer this one. :)

Reece and Travis's wedding last month - April 2012

Temple Walk

I don’t think I mention enough how wonderful it is to live so close to the temple.  We love it.

Sundays we take our Temple walk.  We usually do it while Ryan’s in meetings, but we waited for him this time.

What? You Don’t Think So?

Trying to get a rise out of Ryan, I asked him if we should have another baby.

He said no.

Sunday Thoughts

I haven't done very well this month blogging.
I noticed that I usually post about 7 times a month - poor April only has 3. Maybe 4.
I wonder if I'd ever be able to blog daily.
Speaking of blogging though, have you ever checked out your stats, under design?
Am I the only one that thinks that those numbers are totally inflated?
Well, I think they are.
I'm pretty sure I don't have that many people reading this.

Moving on.
I've been sick this week. Boo.
Mothers should not be able/allowed to get sick.
Sore throat, chest congestion, stuffy nose and just plain exhaustion.
I rarely get sick, so when I do, it's very annoying. 
Poor Henry though, he had pink eye AND strep this week.
I would have had no clue about the strep had I not taken him in for his massively red eyes.
He's a champ though and keeps plugging away.

We're inheriting a play structure next week.
We're very excited.
That means this week is a total overhaul on the backyard.
It wouldn't be a big deal except our yard is insane.
Insanely overgrown and daunting.
We're talking tearing bushes out; a complete overhaul.
It will be worth it and definitely about time.
Wish us luck.

We paid for Clay's orthodontics (orthodontia?) this week.
Glad it's out of the way.
Glad we didn't have to file for bankruptcy either.
It was close though. ;)


I just looked at the calendar.
We have 3 weeks of school left.
THREE.
In the meantime, swim team will start up before then and before we know it, we'll be full blown into Summer.
Where does the time go?

Lately, when I lay down with littles to go to bed, instead of only singing them to sleep I've been listening to conference talks.
My favorites: this one, this one and this one - which has a post coming soon all it's own.
I've listened to them several times now.
They're wonderful.
Not only do they knock Olivia and Henry out ;) but I love the fulness I feel after listening to them.

Have a great week!
We'll see if I can get another post up tomorrow, so poor April isn't so bare.

Changing that Frown Upside Down

Yesterday was a gorgeous day; the perfect day to BBQ. It wasn't until about 430 though that I whizzed off to Costco for the goods. Ryan texted a friend to see if they could join us.  After the goods were stuffed around a sleeping Henry in the Costco cart, Ryan texted me to let me know that our friends couldn't make it. ( Insert complete mood shift.)

Now grumpy, I still continue onto the next store. Making it home around 5:30 I started thinking of others I could invite. (Who invites people to dinner at 530?) Now, I'm a complete grump, angry that I hadn't taken action sooner in the day. Meanwhile, I'm praying as I unload the groceries that I can work myself out of this bad, bad mood.

Putting groceries away, I shrugged and shrugged the ideas of people I could invite. It was getting so late.

6:09 I get a text from a friend about Wednesday. I shoot back,

Getting ready to bbq - have you guys eaten?

N0--we're freaking starving. What can we bring?


Everyone (me) is happy again. I rush to get things ready and in no time we have friends in our house and a person for (almost) each kid to play with. It isn't long before my friend gets a call from her oldest daughter. She's coming with her boyfriend. Sweet, the more the merrier (and now I get to meet the boyfriend.)

We start eating. We eat with our friend and another teenage daughter inside while all the kids are eating on the deck - probably to spy on the oldest daughter. ;) They eventually come in a join us. Ryan mentions family home evening and the oldest daughter explains they have to go. Ryan teases and says they can't go before the lesson.

We tease back and forth but then gather the children inside for the lesson. Sweet oldest daughter is now shifting a little in her chair not ecstatic about doing this with her boyfriend who doesn't really know much about Mormons. Oldest daughter herself isn't too sure about the church right now.

Ryan and my friend move to the living room with all the littles. I stay back at the table with the two teenage daughters and the boyfriend. Ryan starts the lesson about prayer and moves on to the Joseph Smith story. Not long after, I watch the boyfriend move with his girlfriend to the couch to hear more.

Impressed, I'm still sitting with the younger teenage daughter trading scripture references, But just as we promised, short lesson, big treat.

We finish and give the kids their ice cream. They go running off outside. Now we've all moved to the living room. The boyfriend, still on the couch, says he wants more lesson. (Big smile.) Ryan asks what he wants to know. Ryan shares about the Restoration of the Gospel. Being a fairly religious person himself, Boyfriend still wants to know more. Ryan asks if he knows why we're called Mormons. Ryan then introduces and explains the Book of Mormon and gives him a copy.

Best night ever.

That's the to-the-point-version of the evening, but God hears our prayers. My prayers and your prayers. He cares about me and my bad moods. He cares about you, too. If you've forgotten that, fix it. :)

Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto to you.

Wedded Bliss

You know when you're part of an occasion that is just so wonderful you don't know how you'll return to daily life again?

That may be a little dramatic, but this past weekend was one of those;
watching my sister get married.

Ashley, Reece & Travis, Blake

Ultimate joy

I couldn't be more thrilled
Such a sweet, sweet family.

Travis & Blake
I think this picture is one of my favorites.

A Beautiful Bride

The reception was absolutely gorgeous - my mother is amazing.
I snapped some pictures (with my phone. lame.) before we had finished setting up and moving things around, but it was absolutely stunning. I tried to convince my mother and sisters that we need to go into business together. It looked beautiful and we had a ball working together.


Congratulations, Beckett Family!

Making it to the Zoo

We went to the zoo last week...
On the last day of Spring Break - for the entire city.
It was a mad house.
It took me 30 minutes just to park.
Even then it was a made-up space.

Luckily, we were with great company or else I would have turned around and driven the 30 minutes back home.
Ah, the difference wonderful family and great friends make. Seriously.

I didn't lose anyone and although people would stare when Henry would scream leaving EVERY animal, we made it.
(Dragging him or stuffing him in the stroller against his will.)

And we'll go back (certainly not with the rest of Denver) because the kids loved it.
And I can suck it up. ;)

The only picture I snapped
Henry and cousin Ethan