I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking the kids to scout camp. I want there to be a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.
~Marjorie Pay Hinckley~

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Programs and Recitals

So this is what I have been doing all Spring. There is nothing more fun than watching my kids perform.

Kaden's School program. It was about rocks and minerals. Kaden was a TV. It was a cute program, and he learned so much about geology.

Aubree's school program. The third grade always does a cultural program and this year they learned about Polynesia. It was the coolest program to watch. They did dances from all the different islands. The boys even did the Haka, which was a hoot. The girls did a hula and that was way fun. She also learned a lot in her program.

Tyson's tumbling recital. Their class did a routine to the song from Kung Fu Panda, thus the karate outfits. His tumbling class is such a blast to watch, because it is a bunch of preschool boys with way too much energy. This is Tyson's teacher, Troy, helping him do a back flip.

Kaden was in the school choir "Musical Mustangs" this year. Their spring program was all about dinosaurs, which was perfect for him. It was a cute program, with some fun songs. Kaden yawned through the whole thing though, because this day was also his first day of Cub Scouts, and he was so excited he woke up that morning at 6:00. By the time his 7:00 p.m. program rolled around, he was bushed.

Aubree's ballet recital. Aubree has the BEST ballet teacher and her program was beautiful! It was based on the book "On the Day You Were Born" and each class was a different part of nature. Aubree's class was the ocean waves. I can't believe how graceful Aubree has become. This is her with our neighbor and best friend Darby. (Thanks to Darby's mom for the pic.)

Tyson's preschool graduation. He did both morning and afternoon since his mom is the teacher. This is our classes doing the "montherana". It's the macarena to the months of the year song. I am so sad to see him be finished with preschool. I can't believe he is big enough for Kindergarten!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Kaden's 8th Birthday

So i can't believe it, but Kaden turned 8 over the weekend. They grow up so fast! We had kind of a whirlwind birthday weekend. Friday night was Fathers and sons campout, so we hurried and opened presents before they left. We got him a new bike and all his cub scout stuff. He needed his scout stuff Thursday, so that didn't get wrapped, and it's hard to wrap a bike. I wanted him to have something to open, so I took a picture of the bike and put it in a frame. When he opened the frame and saw the bike, he asked excitedly, "Is this a Clue?" He ran to the room the picture was taken and there was his brand new bike1


He wanted a Transformer party just like his brother, so I did the exact same cake, but I am pretty proud of my cake skills lately, so I will post it again. We had his party Saturday afternoon. We didn't have a great turnout because of everything that was going on, but he still had fun.
After the party, the kids and I packed up and went to Delta for Steve and Lesli's new baby's blessing. We had a little party for him and Kacie's little girl who shares his birthday. I think that was the most fun, just being with all the cousins. Although it was hectic, we had a great weekend.
We love Kaden so much and are so proud of the Young Man he is becoming. I can't believe how grown up is is becoming. He is so excited to be a Cub Scout! He is also one of the kindest and most caring people I know. He makes sure everyone is included and is a friend to everyone! We are so blessed to have him in our family.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

My random thoughts today

OK, am I the only person in America not in love with Adam Lambert (American Idol)? Seriously, he really scares me. And every time he sings, I feel like I'm watching some freaky rock opera. My boy is Kris Allen. Super talented and super good looking. And along those lines, I'm really miffed with the judging panel this year and their blatant favoritism of Adam Lambert. Seriously. Sometimes I fast forward through their comments because I can't stand to watch his "groupies" Kara and Paula wet themselves with joy over how wonderful he is. And of course he was the best of the night this week. Who else can sing rock. I don't want to hear Danny and Kris sing rock.
Along the same line, I think that we need to eliminate both Paula and Kara from American Idol. Their critiques are toatally irrevelvant. Let Randy and Simon be the judges. No more overtime shows, and the judges comments will actually mean something. Just a thought.

I've been thinking a lot this week about PTA. Let me preface this by saying that I think PTA is a great organization and does a lot for our kids and our schools. However does it really need to be so time consuming. Couldn't I actually be a better mom by spending all the time I spend volunteering for PTA and organizing projects with my children? I think sometimes we as women tend to take things a little over board at times. The programs are great. Let's just make them a little simpler. Then we have more time o spend with our children. Isn't that why we had them in the first place?

I love watching T Ball games. I love that most of the kids don't have a clue what they are doing. I love that they are in the out field chasing butterflies and throwing their mitts in the air then trying to catch them. I love that they don't even know where to run when they hit the ball. I think that they are going to grow up too fast and start being competitve too soon, so I enjoy just watching them play the sport to have fun and be with friends.

I have decided that the worst month of the year is MAy. We take a lot of things and try to cram them all in before the school year ends. Why do we do that? Why not spread it all out over a few months? I have honestly not been able to sleep for a week thinking of all the things I need to do in the next two weeks and wondering if I can even do it all.

Thanks for letting me post my random thoughts. If you are even still reading. I just sometimes like to ramble........

Saturday, May 2, 2009

11 Years!

Bruce and I celebrated our 11th anniversary yesterday. It's crazy to think it's been that long, but I can't imagine life without him either. I wanted to post some old pictures from our wedding, but I can't figure out how to get my scanner to work on this new computer. So I will just tell a brief version of our story.
We met while in the same singles ward at SUU in Cedar City. We actually met at Ward council meeting. Bruce was the Elder's Quorum president of our ward, and I was in the Relief Society Presidency and had to fill in for the president who was out of town. There was a girl's choice dance coming up at the institute, and all my roommates were bugging me to get a date and go with them. I wasn't much interested in dating because I was waiting for a missionary. The next night at family home evening, they were bugging me a gain and one of the guys in our group said that Bruce didn't have a date and then dared me to ask him. Who can turn down a dare? So I called and asked him out. I had a lot of fun with him, but he never ever called or asked me out again, so I just figured that was that. Well a few months later, some girls from our LDS sorority, got together and were setting each other up on blind dates for a big group date we wanted to do, so I set Bruce up with one of my friends and I got set up with someone else. Bruce and I ended up spending the whole night talking to each other and we really connected. After that we started dating and became pretty close. A few weeks after that was Christmas vacation. Bruce had to work for most of the break, so he decided not to go home. Well my mom felt bad for him and invited him up for Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my family. So he came to Orangeville and met the fam.
We dating pretty seriously after that. After seeing him with my family, I knew he was the man I wanted to marry. On January 30, 1998 he asked me to marry him and I said yes. It was hard to Dear John my missionaries, but I knew that I was making the right decision. We were married May 1st 1998.
Marrying Bruce was probably the best thing I have ever done in my life. I definitely married above myself. He is my best friend in the whole world and I love him so much. We have been through some trials in our marriage, as everyone has, but they have only made us stronger. I am so grateful everyday to have him on my life, and here is hoping the next 11 years will be even better!