Let Freedom Ring

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln


I am many things. I am a daughter and I am a wife. I am a mother and I am a woman.


But on Friday I was reminded that I AM AN AMERICAN.


I am so grateful to live in this country with so many opportunities and blessings. I love this nation, "one nation under God". And, if you ask me, our 4th of July was a perfect day of celebrating.


Johnny, Lonica and I headed out early to line up for the parade.

I LOVE PARADES!

It was so much fun! Here is Johnny entertaining the crowd and one of the dances that I spent last week teaching to about 80 girls (and a few boys).





After the parade we loaded into the car and headed to Uncle Kent's and Aunt Blythe's for our annual family 4th of July Party.


Where we ate and ate AND ATE!




Played in the pool.

And lit fireworks.

These three put on the most amazing firework show. I am surprised that they didn't singe the hair off their arms. They put their lives on the line for our enjoyment. Thanks guys!

FAMILY, FOOD AND FIREWORKS. It doesn't get any better than that!

This truly is the land I love.

May I never wake up from the American dream. ~Carrie Latet

Moving Forward

I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes. ~Sara Teasdale

I'm baaaack! As of last night at 6:30 p.m. we are officially up and running. Our family went just over two weeks with no home phone, Internet or t.v. It was .....well, it was wonderful, quiet and peaceful. We played games, read, and actually talked to each other. We were able to get so much accomplished without any interruptions. Yes, I am glad to be back. I am grateful however, for the time that I had to get things in our new home a little more organized.

Yes, you read that right, I said "HOME". It truly is starting to feel that way. I still have a lot of work to do, boxes to unpack, pictures to hang. But, I am content. Content??? No, that is the wrong word. I am excited and ready to "make the most of all that comes".

Father's Day and the Big Move

I must hurry. I think our computer and desk are next on the list for Dathan to pack. Yikes! The sad part is that I won't have any internet access until next week. A week without a computer. I am not sure how I am going to survive. Just the thought of it makes me feel so......so alone. Weird! I will be back just as soon as I can.

We had a very memorable Father's Day. My sweet Dathan was served an early breakfast before we headed out for 9:00 church. Then we came home and bar-b-qued a pork tenderloin for dinner. Delicious! Finally, for dessert, we made homemade ice cream in the ice cream maker that Dathan received as a Father's Day gift.

It was a great day for a great dad. Actually the only thing missing was a place to sit down. Our kitchen table has already been moved out, along with most of our other furniture. We had fun making the best of it. It will certainly be a day that we will remember forever!

Economics 101

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. ~ Helen Keller

A few weeks ago was the third grade Economics Fair. This is a wonderful activity that teaches the kids about work and the value of money. For a month or so before the fair the students are able to earn "money" in all sorts of ways, turning in homework, doing well on test, listening, staying on task, etc. They also have to pay when they don't do the things on the previous list.

On the day of the fair each child is to bring 30 items to sell at their store. Loni chose to make and sell boondoggles. 30 BOONDOGGLES She also brought nail polish to paint nails.

The boondoggles were a big hit. When I arrived she had almost sold all of her goods including the one that I was hoping to get. Darn, I guess the early bird gets the worm.

Her nail painting was also a favorite. She even had a few unexpected customers. It is amazing what boys will do for a pretty face.

The day was a complete success. Not only did she sell out, she was able to purchase all sorts of treasures: beaded necklaces, playdough, painted rocks, handmade cards, erasers, bookmarks, and I could go on. This was a fun way to teach about the value of work. A big thanks to Mrs. Godfrey for such a wonderful lesson.

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary"

When it comes to work, I am not a big fan. There are times that I would almost rather do anything else. But looking back it is the work that I have done for my family that has brought me the most joy. I love the feeling of cooking a nice meal or knowing my kids have clean, matching socks. It is so rewarding to paint a room or finish a science project. There are so many things that I dread but feel such a sense of accomplishment when completed.

"Work IS love made visible"~Kahlil Gibran (Simple Abundance)

When it comes to work these are the rooms that I think of.

Our Kitchen-where our family usually hangs out.




Our Laundry/Bathroom I love this room it totally makes doing laundry happy!

When Your Hut is on Fire!

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost.. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

This morning I rolled out of bed with a little less bounce than usual. I knew this day was coming, but it has arrived much too soon. Today I officially start packing. PACKING!! I'm not ready! Can this really be happening? Why me?!?

I decided, rather than jump right in, that I would hurry and check my e-mail. Boy was I glad that I did. This story had arrived just in time and it was exactly what I needed to hear. Joanna, you were inspired!

I know that things will work out. We are only moving a few miles away. It will be fun decorating a new house. All we need to do is wait for our ship to come in. I'm sure it's on it's way!














Our Living Room













Our Eating Nook


Master Bedroom


Master Bath


Golf Bathroom

I wanted to document the rooms in our house before they get too torn up. I will put up a few rooms every day or so.

The Hearts of the Children

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.- Alex Haley


We have been so lucky this past week to have Grammy and Grampy come and spend some time with us. They are always so supportive and helpful. We are totally spoiled when they are here. They may live 3 states away, but they make every effort to be here for all of our family's important events. Our lives are blessed because of these two wonderful people. Aren't they cute?


They drove all night so they would arrive on time for Lonica's dance competition. They are definitely her number one fans.


Grampy and Jalen had fun making fresh squeezed lemon-aide from the lemons off of Grampy's trees.


Lonica was delighted to have a private sewing lesson and made her doll this fabulous outfit.


Grampy taught Johnny how to fix a flat tire. Johnny was so excited that he tried to change Lonica's flat and accidentally put so much air in her tube that it exploded. But he learned his lesson and is now a pro.



Grampy and Loni shared their traditional glass of buttermilk. Weird I know. But they both love it.



Yesterday it was so sad to see them go. This is probably the last time they will visit us in this house. But I am grateful for the memories we have and the wonderful example they are to me. I love you Mom and Dad. Thank you for all that you are.

Count Your Many Blessings

Whenever I need a quick pick me up, I open up the book "Way to Be" by Pres. Hinckley. It is full of wonderful advice that really puts things in perspective. Today I came across a quote that was just what I needed to hear.

"Cultivate an attitude of optimism. Know that God is watching over you, that He will hear your prayers and will answer them, that He loves you and will make that love manifest."

What a great reminder. And, I have found this to be so true. When I make an effort to "cultivate" optimism, I am overcome with gratitude for all of the good in my life.

The past few weeks have been so hectic and crazy. There have been moments I really thought about check'n myself into a loony bin. Then, just when I thought I was at the end of my rope, my sweet son Johnny posted his 11 year old testimony on his blog. God truly is watching over me and IS manifesting His love. I just need to open my eyes.

Count your many blessings name them one by one, and it WILL surprise you!

When Life Gives You Lemons

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit



Lately I have really had to remind myself to look on the bright side. There always is one you know. But sometimes the clouds seems to block the sun.


It looks like our house has sold. That makes me sad........ or maybe happy. I can't decide! I should probably go with the happy. Sometimes that can be easier said than done.

I really love my house. There is a little bit of me everywhere I look. I love my neighbors. I love my yard. I am happy here. But, it must be time for a change.


A little over a year ago Dathan, my dad and a friend of ours bought some land and started building a house as an investment. A few months into it, home sales slowed down. Now the house is finished and available. We decided to put our house up for sale and then wait to see which one sold first. So, I guess in the next month I will be moving into a big, beautiful, brand new house. It is exciting and scary.


What I need to do is take a deep breath, smile and have a whole lot of faith. In other words "make lemon-aide"


Good thing Grampy brought us a huge bag of lemons off of his trees in Calif. We can always count on him to make our day. Jalen had so much fun squeezing the juice and boy was it delicious.


Here is our recipe for fabulous fresh squeezed Lemon-aide


1 cup of Lemon Juice
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 gallon of water

Thank you Dad! We love you. (And we can't wait until the avocados are ripe)

Boys To Men

Well I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was better than I could have imagined. My kids and my Sweetie did everything they could to make it a perfect day. I was served a delicious breakfast, Justin did an amazing job making me look good in his talk for Sacrament Meeting, and Loni's talk in primary was darling. We had bar-b-qued ribs for dinner and then roasted marshmallows in our newly dug fire pit that evening. How did I ever get so lucky? Hmmm was it luck?

Let's go back a couple years. It was right around Christmas time. My sister Erin was up for the weekend and heard my oldest son Jordan ask me what I wanted for Christmas. I quickly responded that I didn't need anything and he should save his money for something more important. The same answer I had been giving for every occasion that involved gift giving for years. Well Erin quickly let me know that she thought I was making a big mistake. She reminded me that I was preparing my 4 boys to one day be husbands and fathers. She believed that their future wives would not be pleased with spouses who were trained in this way. And of course she was right!

I guess I remember being young and wandering all over a store with no idea what to give my mom or dad. Of course I knew they were fine with anything. I still worried. And so I thought I was saving my kids from the stress. But my eyes were opened.

So, what to do? I wanted gift giving to be fun and positive. I wanted my boys to feel successful and excited with their choices. Here is what has worked for me.

A few weeks in advance I start dropping reminders of the upcoming occasion. For example, "Can you believe my birthday is in 3 weeks?". Then I make a list of things I want and need. I am still pretty easy to please and my lists usually consist of pretty simple things.

Now you might think that knowing everything you are going to get doesn't sound like any fun at all. But it sure has worked for us. On Mother's Day morning my kids, even the big and tough ones, couldn't wait for me to open their gifts. It was awesome!

Here was my Mother's Day wish list:

sunglasses
a book
body wash
flip flops
ankle socks
lotion
lip gloss with spf 15
a wallet

Guess what?? I got it all. But I never imagined that Loni would paint me picture and pick out sunglasses as cool as these.



Or that Jordan would have picked out (all on his own) this book.

Justin bought me this cool black wallet and threw in TWO-1 1/2 lb bags of Reese's Pieces (my all time fav. treat). I also got enough socks that I can wear a new pair every day for just over two weeks. Heavenly!!! Jalen got me body wash AND a new pouf. Yippie! From Johnny I got a great picture of him, a fabulous letter and a cute pair of black flip flop. (my flip flops are always black)

Everything I wanted and more. So, I am proud to say mission accomplished. I think my boys are heading in the right direction. Thank you Erin.

WE LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!☺ were crazy about you!

I Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself!

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

~ Eric Hoffer

Last night Loni asked me to come and read her new post. It was so darling and heartfelt that I wanted to share it with you.

It was just what I needed to hear and such a lovely reminder. Thank you Sweetie.

"...And a little child shall lead them" ~ Isa 11:6

http://lonicadancer.blogspot.com/

This will make your day!

Too Funny!

Well, it has officially started, my absolute busiest time of the year. April and May are months that I am barely able to find time to sleep. My boys keep me running to games, practices, conditioning, trainings, etc. It is competition season for my daughter and my dance team. And it just so happens to be the months that most dance studio's contract for pictures. In the past 6 weeks my cousin and I have taken pictures at 4 studios and we have 3 more in the next two weeks. That requires hundreds of hours in taking, ordering, sorting, packaging and delivering pictures. It's crazy, but hey.....someone's got to do it!

I have had so many thoughts and ideas that I have wanted to share. I just can't seem to justify the time that it would require. This story however, was just too good to keep to myself. I know that I have written an very high percentage of my post about my son Justin. What the heck, here I go again.

Our house happens to be up for sale. (I will save the details of that for another day) Yesterday a Realtor called that he was going to bring a family by around 4:00. So, we decided to go to the movies. Unfortunately, Justin had to be at work at 5:00 so he stayed behind. Not wanting to be in the house when the Realtor got here, Justin grabbed a blanket and went out in the back and fell asleep on the tramp.

A while later he woke up to voices. The family was in the back yard and he wasn't sure what to do. It was obvious to him that they did not realize that he was out there. He hid himself under the blanket praying that they would go away. His version is so funny. He claims that it was the worst experience of his life. He was under the blanket panicking and fretting over what to do, when things took a turn for the worse.

The kids started jumping on the tramp. WITH JUSTIN IN THE MIDDLE, HIDING UNDER A BLANKET. The image of that is soooo hilarious!!!! It only took a couple bounces and the blanket started coming off of his legs. He was caught. He sat up and endured a few seconds of awkward silence. The realtor's jaw hit the floor and the kids were scared speechless. Finally the father, after gathering his kids, said "takin' a little nap". Justin just grabbed the blanket apologized and walked in the house. He wanted to shrivel up and die!

Well we may not get a sale. But this will be a house they will never forget.

Half Empty?

I am having an "I feel sorry for myself" kind of day. To start off with I woke up with major allergies. AAaaaChoo! I have 5 (yes you read that right) 5 cold sores. I am bloated and crampy. And I just looked out the window and it is SNOWING! To make matters worse I have an appointment to take pictures at a pre-school today. Yippie! I get to take pictures of preschoolers all afternoon! Just imagine it. When I try to get them to smile, my lip will crack and start bleeding. I can't wait!!!

So, I stumbled down stairs to make breakfast and of coarse the first thing I see is this quote we have up on our fridge which reads:

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes. Charles Swindoll

So, I have decided to put it to the test. I am going to see my glass as half full. I am so glad that it is cold today. I get to wear my baggy sweatshirt which means that no one will know that I can't button my pants. hee hee Wow! I am feeling better already.

Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway! Emory Austin

The Secret Garden

Last weekend Johnny and Lonica performed in the ballet The Secret Garden. It was such a wonderful production. The music was composed, and the orchestra conducted by Kurt Bestor. If you haven't heard his name you have heard his music. His credits include more than 30 film scores and more than 40 themes for national TV programs and commercials. It is his music that introduces Good Morning America, Monday Night Football, and and ABC's Sunday Night Movie. It was such a privilege for my children to get to meet and work with him.

Johnny has really been a trooper. He had no interest in being in a "ballet". Infact, he is not happy that I posted these pictures. But they needed a boy his age and with a little bribing he said yes. It hasn't been easy. We have been going to rehearsals for about 12 hours/week for just over 2 months. It was a difficult schedule. Especially when you have to add in gymnastics, soccer and basketball. But the outcome was worth every minute of it.

I was asked to take pictures for the media and advertisements. So I figured I would take advantage and share a few of the shots that Johnny and Lonica were in. Johnny was in the waltz scene or has he put it "the little dude in the tux that dies". He was also the little gardener. Lonica was an orphan and a little crocus. They were amazing and I was so proud of both of them. Hope you enjoy!

What do ya think?

One tradition around here (maybe it is everywhere) is that you don't just ask someone to a dance, you need to come up with some fun, elaborate plan. It's cute, don't get me wrong. It has just been a bit overwhelming for my boys. It is so not their style and is one of the reasons they dread school dances.

Justin has given in and has asked a girl to the prom. He TEXT her. I told him that even though she already has accepted his offer, he needs to do something "special".

In the past we have had girls do some cute things to ask my boys to the girls choice dances. I thought I would share them so that I would have a record of them. And, to give you some ideas if you ever have to do something like this at your house. Here are a few that stick out in my mind.

#1 Jordan's room was filled with die cut stars, Starburst, and confetti stars. A poster was left on his bed that said something like "Be my star and go with me to the dance" and then there was a P.S. that said "My name is written in the stars". So he looked and looked through all the stars around his room and didn't find anything. That night when he went to bed, her name was written on his ceiling in glow and the dark stars. Pretty cute!

#2 Justin's entire bed was COVERED with punched out hearts, all colors and sizes. Then right in the middle was a pretty big red plastic container with a note that said "It would melt my heart if you would go to the dance with me". Inside the container was a huge piece of ice in the shape of a heart. Obviously the name of the girl was inside the frozen heart. Justin waited a day and a half and still couldn't get to the card to reveal the name. Finally he ran it under hot water to find out who it was. Fun stuff!

#3 Hundreds of Tootsie Rolls were THROWN ALL OVER Jordan's room. (This was over a year ago and I still don't think we have found them all Ü) A cute poster was on his wall that said "Hey Toots, wanna roll to the dance". That was creative, even though I don't really like the image of him "rolling" with this girl. hee hee

#4 Justin received a gift basket full of EVERYTHING you could possible need to make banana splits with a card that read "I'll go bananas if you won't go to the dance with me." Now this was a family favorite since Justin was nice enough to share his treat with the rest of us.

Well back to today. Justin came up with this idea all on his own. It is so funny and is totally his personality. But I wanted to get some other opinions. So, I will tell you what he came up with, and you tell me what you think:

He wants to get a bunch of Baby Ruth candy bars, unwrap them and put them all over her room. Then leave a roll of toilet paper which has the message, "Thanks for going to prom with me. If you would have said no, I would have felt like crap".

I know you are crack'n up. It is so dang hilarious. But is it too much? Would you be offended if it was your daughter? Be honest! We really want to know!

The Perfect Choice

Yesterday in church we were discussing Adam and the fall. Someone commented that Adam made the choice to disobey. The teacher then asked, "Was it a bad choice?". "Because" she said "I think it was the perfect choice!"

That got my wheels a turn'n. We have been taught to "liken the scriptures unto us". Could the bad choices we make be part of the plan? Would our Heavenly Father only set up this scenario once? And if so, why would it be important that we know about it? Hmmm it makes me wonder.

My son Jordan is in the process of figuring things out for himself. He is not sure of what he believes and has made a few choices that have been difficult for me to accept. Have some of his choices been bad? Absolutely! Will there be consequences? Of course, just as there were for Adam and Eve. But, could they be the perfect choices for him? I don't know! I have never really thought about it in this way. I wish I could see the bigger picture. I guess that only time will tell. It is an interesting concept.

This I do know. He is a wonderful young man and I know that he will accomplish great things in his life. He is talented and loving and I am grateful that I was chosen to be his mom.

What's Not to Like

A few nights ago Justin, nonchalantly, mentioned that he was nominated for Prom King. He quickly added that it was no big deal and he wasn't even planning on going to prom. I didn't really know what to think and figured that maybe it wasn't that big of a deal. But, being a curious mommy I decided to give the school a call. "No big deal?" came the response on the other end of the line. "The entire school voted and only the three with the most votes were selected."

The little stinker! I was a sort of surprised. Justin is a amazing, don't get me wrong. In fact, everybody loves the kid. But he is one that just does his own thing. He doesn't try to fit in. He doesn't try to be cool. He doesn't care if he is popular or belongs to a particular "group". He is just as happy around the athletes as the thespians or the honor students as the drop outs.

I guess I just don't remember kids like him getting noticed. You know "the nice guys never win". But this time he did and I couldn't be prouder.

See what I mean!

When I saw this picture I just had to laugh. There is Justin (team captain) right in the middle with this big smile on his face. The only one smiling out of 35 boys.

Justin, you crack me up!

Game On

These pictures totally make me laugh! A few weeks ago Rick (my bro in-law)and our cousin Jerom came to visit from Texas. We had a great time with the two of them. Spent a day skiing/snowboarding. Had a big Sunday dinner and played games. And then, on the night before they left, we all got together for pizza and basketball. I actually had to be talked into going, but I was so glad. It was fun for young and old alike! I didn't end up playing but had a great time behind the camera.

I always love finding activities that everyone can enjoy together. Of course the teenagers balled their dads. (sorry hunny! but lets's face it, you're just not jumping as high as you used to. Ü) And the little ones didn't think they got passed the ball enough. But all in all everyone ended up tired and sweaty with a smile on their face. What fun!