Heeere's JOHNNY!

This is a belated birthday post for my sweet Johnny. He is a big 12 years old and has been a delight from the moment he was born. He is smart, organized, dedicated, and extremely athletic. He is the kind of person that others love to be around and he sets a great example for everyone that knows him.

Johnny is working on level 8 skills in gymnastics. As soon as football season ends, he plans on increasing his gym workouts from 15 to 20 hours a week, that's 3 1/2 hours/day Mon.-Sat. Except he will leave a little early on Tuesday night so that he can go to Scouts. He does his reading in the car as we drive and his homework every morning and still manages to have a clean room and practically perfect grades in school.

Johnny's motto is:
"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right" Henry Ford

This is a difficult lifestyle and I sometimes have dreams of being "normal". But Johnny has set his goals high and as long as he is willing to work this hard to accomplish those goals we are behind him 100%.

We love you son and all that you stand for. How lucky we are to have you in our lives.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Cap and Hook $3.98
Bleach $1.50
Developer $3.25
An Afternoon of laughs Priceless

I just have to say how wonderful it is to have a daughter as fabulous as Loni. I really needed a pick me up and she had the great idea of giving me a make-over. Not bad for a nine year old eh?

We sure had fun taking pictures of ourselves.

before and after hee hee

"A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous… loving and caring and truly amazing." - Deanna Beisser

come'n clean

It is never too late to turn from the errors of our ways: He who repents of his sins is almost innocent. - Seneca


Well Sunday was quite a special day. Johnny was ordained a Deacon. My heart was so happy as I watched my handsome 12 year old pass the Sacrament for his first time. It actually got me thinking about the Sacrament and how privileged I am to participate in that ordinance each week. Isn't it wonderful that every Sunday we can renew our Baptismal covenants and come "clean".


Speaking of clean...Jalen had a great time playing mud volleyball a few weeks ago. In fact, it was so much fun that Loni couldn't resist jumping in.





Yes with a little work even the worst messes can come out as good as new.

Super Star

I was going to add my own thoughts, but I think this says it all.

Starting up

There are two fatal errors that keep great projects from coming to life:

1. Not finishing, and...
2. Not starting."
Author Unknown

Thank you all for your sweet comments. I don't really know why it has been so difficult for me to get things posted lately. I guess the "not starting" thing is my big problem. Our family has had such wonderful things going on and we have been extreemly blessed. I really need to get it all written down.

So today I have decided to set some blogging/journaling goals for myself. Infact, I am going to set some goals in a few other areas of my life as well.

President Spencer W. Kimball said concerning goals:
We do believe in setting goals. We live by goals. We must have goals to make progress. Our total existence is goal-oriented.

Wow! Just what I needed to hear.

Look out world, the new and improved me in on its way.

Smile Ü

A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. ~Author Unknown


Well it has finally happened. We have been waiting for years, almost 4 years to be exact. But let me tell you, some things sure are worth waiting for. Justin finally got his braces off. He was one good look'n kid before. But now when he smiles......Oh baby!



before



after


His braces may have cost us a pretty penny but

A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. ~Charles Gordy

Relishing Motherhood

Michal from Relishing Motherhood is having a writing contest. The topic is basically your thoughts on motherhood or as she put it an Ah Ha moment. I really haven't ever done anything like this but, I have recently put a few of my thoughts together and figured what the heck.

Being a mother has changed me. It has taught me things that I did not even know I needed to learn. It has tested me and stretched me into a person I am just getting to know.

Twenty years ago, as I was anticipating the birth of my first son, I realized that now my life was no longer about me. All of my thoughts, dreams and actions were focused around this new little spirit. I was excited and ready to take on the challenge. The minute he was placed in my arms I was changed forever.

Along this journey I have had many wonderful experiences. Looking back however, it has been the difficult experiences that have been the most rewarding. Isn’t it ironic? It is the latter that I have chosen to write about today.

It was a Wednesday night in early February. As we sat down to eat, my three year old son Justin pulled the cord on the electric skillet spilling boiling oil onto his head and arms. We spent many sleepless nights in the burn trauma unit. It was physically and emotionally almost more than I could bear. Nothing is as difficult as seeing your child suffer.

Once we knew that his life was no longer threatened, my list of worries began to change. I mourned the loss of my perfect, beautiful little boy. I would stare at his before pictures for hours thinking “what if” and “if only”. It didn’t take long however, to realize that he was still beautiful and perfect. HE WAS JUST THE SAME. Beauty comes from within. I had been taught an amazing lesson and I was changed forever.

Next I remember a long, terrible night. I had noticed some changes in my son Jalen’s normal routine. He was barely eating and always tired. Finally, after a week or so, I took him to the doctor. We found that his digestive system was plugged up. His intestines were compacted and had been for three or more weeks. Needless to say the doctor was concerned and he gave us a few things to try. That night we saw no results. We went back the next day and were given one last option before they would have to schedule surgery.

No one but I would know what that little boy endured that night. For hours his body trembled with pain and his pride was completely stripped away. In between his gasp he would apologize and whisper “thank you mom”. It was physically and emotionally almost more than I could bear. Nothing is as difficult as seeing your child suffer. That night I learned a very difficult lesson about true compassion and I was changed forever.

This last experience is from about six month ago. It was the darkest and most difficult time of my life. My oldest son Jordan was making choices that went against the things that we had always taught him. We were constantly arguing and our home was always a place of contention. I was so tired of it and to be honest I felt like I couldn’t stand it or him anymore.

One night things were especially awful and scary. After hours of heated arguing Jordan grabbed a handful of clothes and walked out the door. He was gone. How could this be happening? It was physically and emotionally almost more than I could bear. Nothing is as difficult as seeing your child suffer. This was not my dream when that precious infant was placed in my arms. But I learned a few important lessons that night. I learned to pray. I mean to really pray and pour my soul out to God. I learned to never say never. And I learned unconditional love. It took him walking out the door for me to fully understand how much I truly loved him. That night I was changed forever.

I am grateful for these and the many other things that I have experienced as a mother. These are lessons that I could have learned in no other way. I am humbled that my children were willing to go through these trials to help their mother change and grow. So now twenty years later I think I may have changed my mind; maybe, just maybe it is all about me after all.

Happy Birthday J-Dawg

Well it's official. My precious little boy is no longer a little boy. He has overnight grown into a handsome young man. It all happened so fast and I feel so unprepared. Will somebody do something? It's gotten to where I am afraid to blink.

Monday was Jalen's 14th birthday. We have been blessed to have him in our lives for fourteen wonderful years and I am not sure how we survived life without him. Jalen is our third son. And I thought I wanted a girl. Silly me!

Jalen is amazing! He is thoughtful, quiet, kind and mellow. A good word to describe him is even tempered. With him you always know what to expect. He is a hard worker and probably put in longer hours helping us get moved than all the other kids put together.

Jalen is creative and artistic. You should see the drawings he does in his art class. They are almost as good as the ones he does in his science, english and math classes. He loves to build and put things together. For his birthday Dathan brought him a whole truck load of lumber. Since then Jalen has been busy building a fort and baracades to turn our back yard into a airsoft gun battle ground.

Happy Birthday J. You are such a blessing in all of our lives. Thank you for being our middle child. It is a difficult spot and you have handled it beautifully. I love you more than words can say. How lucky I am that you are mine.

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!