Easter

getting ready for the Easter egg hunt

Chad took Zach to the 0-2 egg hunt

I took the big kids to the 6-9 yr old egg hunt.

Zach would not stand by the dang bunny so here we are, loving the bunny!

The kids sitting on the back of the firetruck after the egg hunt!

Just a sample of what we left the Bunny!  Sami was so excited and worried about whether or not the bunny had enough to eat! (really, oh ya)

A cute note she left the bunny!

Easter morning-- wake up Chad-- nice hair Sami-

This was suppose to be one of those great "Easter, new church clothes" shots OR my kids are all challenged!  Bless their hearts!  I tried!

Field Trips and Spring Break



Kindergarten Field Trip at Wheeler Farm





Alex and some of the other Kindergartner's at Wheeler Farm  (they look thrilled)


I went with Alex on his field trip to Wheeler Farm.  We have been there a million times, but it was really fun for him to ride the bus and be with some of his friends.  We rode the hay wagon and watch a guy make horseshoes with fire.  It was cool.


We went to Idaho for spring break for a couple of days!  It was nice to get away and do some fun things.  Sami and Alex played in the snow.  We went for a walk one afternoon with umbrellas in the rain, by the time we got back to grandma's house it was snowing.  There is something very adventuresome about walking in the rain.  The kids loved it.  Zach had the opportunity to play with Tate.  He is Reed and Courtney's oldest. He just turned 3.  They had a great time together.  While I was there my mom took me and Courtney to dinner for my 35th birthday and to a high school play (we laughed so hard I cried).  It was a really really fun trip!  The night before we came home my mom made homemade french fries and the kids had a pick nick on her kitchen floor.   Again, it was a fun trip and it was great to see family and make some special memories!  thanks mom~



Zach and Tate playing on the stairs




A night out with the ladies for my 35th birthday!




Pick nick with homemade french fries and cousins!



Grandma's Funeral

I have not blogged for several weeks and there is always so much to going on.  Life is great that way!  I am turning 35 and had to get a new drivers license, ss card and passport!  That has taken most of the month of March to do all three.  My grandma Dayton passed away.  She was 101 years old.  I never really felt super close to her and I don't have a ton of personal memories of her, which is sad!  The kids and  I went to her funeral in Cokeville, Wyoming.  Chad couldn't make it.  The funeral was very special.  I learned a lot about myself as I heard my uncles speak of my Grandma and some of her qualities.  They said she was mild and happy and always willing to serve.  Those are some of the qualities I think I got from her.  Also, there was a general authority there  (which is her son in law L.Tom Perry) and two members of the seventy.  That was kind of neat.  I thought the best part of the funeral was the closing song when all the grandchildren and spouses got up and sang together.  There are 49 grandchildren.  I was overwhelmed when we sang.  I felt so much love and was so proud to be part of that great heritage.  I felt the spirit pour over me with such pure love, that tears filled my eyes as I sang.  It was a "once in a lifetime" experience.  Afterwards, I had the chance to visit with cousins and family!  I am so thankful for such a great family! 



The Pall Bearers and some of the grandsons!!



Cathy, Courtney and I got the giggles during the song practice!

Some of the grandchildren at song practice!

Aeraters and Tea Parties

So, I am not even sure their are words for a night like this!  Maybe perfect!  The kids pulled out all their stuffed animals and had a tea party and Chad aerated the lawn.  This is a good life!!!!!

Small Things

Alex lost his front tooth after being head butted by Zach the other night.

What is it about the little small things that make life worth living.  Alex lost his tooth the other night after Zach head butted him at Costco.  He then said to me about 17 times, "I can't believe I lost my tooth."  When I rolled over in bed Saturday morning about 6:12 am... Alex was standing there with a dollar bill and a smile so big I thought his face might crack.....  Was it really just because the tooth fairy came?   He is so intense and smart.  He is so creative and happy.  He is so passionate and sweet, that there are times when I think my heart might actually burst because I love him so much.
The other day I picked Sami up from school and she came running and yelling to the car.. "I won, I actually won."  She entered a writing contest at school and won 2nd place.  It was a poem called "A World Without Books." She was so so proud of herself, and there I was simply amazed at the way she radiated as she told me all about the contest and that she won $10.  Again, something so small and yet it brought so much happiness.
On Tuesday, the I had the opportunity to do a session at the Salt Lake Temple with my mom.  It is such a privilege to live so close to the temple.  It was such a privilege to go with my mom.  It was a great day.  As we were sitting there in the temple, I noticed the lady beside me silently weeping.  It would have been such a small simple thing for me to put me hand on her knee to offer he comfort or to simply put my arm around her.  I wanted too, I actually ached to do it, and yet I didn't.  I am not sure if it was because of our setting or just that I didn't want to intrude on her and her deep silent pleading.  Yet, I now regret not offering her some sort of comfort. 
It is very interesting to see how the small and simple things effect our lives on a daily basis, whether good or bad.  It is the small things that count!!!

Time-Out

I have had a crazy couple of weeks and I wanted to take a small time out and really appreciate some of the greatest blessings in my life.  If you have watched the news at all lately, it sounds like the world is going to "hell in a hand basket."  The tsunami in Japan, the bombing in Libya, the troops in several other countries, the murdering and child abuse on the 10pm news, etc..etc..etc.. I could go on and on.  I have several specific things that bless my life.  The first is CHAD-
He took me on a week long vacation to Hawaii for our 10 yr anniversary... It was a such a great trip.  (I will post about it later.. once I edit pictures!)
Tonight he and I had one of the best conversations we have had in a while.  We really communicated, I mean really communicated.  It is so refreshing to be able to have such a great companion and person to share my life, stress, happiness, and love with.
                                      The second thing I am thankful for is friends....
I have in  my midst, the most Christ like, loving, serving, generous, spunky, REAL, friends a person could ask for.  They balance me out, they support me, they laugh at me and with me, they cry with me and they just plain 'ole love me.  For that I am so so thankful.
                                      The third thing I am thankful for is my mom....
She made me who I am.  She is encouraging and strong.  She is selfless and always serving me and helping me.  She makes me laugh and she really "gets" me.  She is so talented and witty and strong.... Someday I hope to be just like her.
                                     The fourth thing I am thankful for is my life and freedom...
I live in America, that in and of itself is amazing.  I was born in Idaho to great parents and a great family!  I have the gospel in my life and a healthy body.  My biggest stresses are what kind of treats to buy at the store.  Seriously, I have food, shelter, love, health, water, healthy kids, vehicles, etc..etc..etc...
                                     The fifth thing I am thankful for is my little family...
I had no idea about service or loving someone until I had children.  I think that is the only way Heavenly Father could help us understand how much he loves us.  He had to give us a small dose of how it feels to love unconditionally.  It is amazing what these little people have done to my life on so many different levels.  I am so so thankful for them. 

So, there are  many other things I want to say, but I didn't want this to be too long.  I just wanted to take a minute, a small time out, to really appreciate my life and how much I have been blessed.

NBA

Why is it that I love the NBA???  Is it that we watch Jazz games as a family?  Do I associate the NBA with memories of my childhood and watching games with my parents?  Is is the thrill of seeing new tattoos and hearing foul language?  Is it the sure rush I feel after a team comes back and wins a game in the last tenth of a second?  Is it eye candy?   Do I like to see confidence and arrogance?  I am not sure, but I can tell you this.  I feel like I know these players personally, like they are my friends.  I feel attached to them in some weird way!  I am disappointed when they lose and elated when they win.  I feel sad when they cheat on their wives or when their kids have eye cancer.  I think I want them as athletes to really be superheroes and they are not.  I watch them and bond with them and feel a real connection to them.  So I have to say that I am sad that the Jazz traded Deron Williams and feel like I have lost a dear friend......