how max lost his tooth

pretty sure max is the coolest kid ever. he begged us to do it this way. enjoy!

Mother's Day 2011

I really wanted to get a picture with my kids for mother's day. of course nothing ever really goes as planned, so this is the best we could come up with. paul was busy with meetings before and after church, so i had to use self timer and small ones as photographers. good thing those kids are cute as can be - no matter what!

sweet ella

jack...who was not happy to be photographed. glad we caught a smile!

max in what might be his last picture taken with his front baby teeth. more on that later...you won't want to miss it.

do you think nora minds having her picture taken? nope! i love it!

two attempts and the self timer.

i'm so happy i get to be a mom. hope it was a great day for all!

2011 reading challenge

a friend of mine posted this challenge on her blog and since i LOVE to read i thought i'd join in.

read a book in 2011 for every letter of the alphabet.
(as seen here).

make a list of 26 books, one for each letter of the alphabet.
don't count THE and A at the beginnings of the titles.
The X can have an "x" anywhere in the title.

here is my a-z list of books for 2011. let me know if i should change anything because i hate to wast precious reading time with mediocre books. join in if you so desire!



A - Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
B - Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Amy Chua
C - Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese
D - Dairy Queen - Catherine Gilbert Murdock
E - East of Eden - John Steinbeck
F - Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
G - Gentleman and players - Joanne Harris
H - Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffennegger
I - In the Woods - Tana French
J - Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan
K - Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
L - Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
M - Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
N - Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
O - Operating Instructions: A Journal of my sons first year - Anne Lamott
P - Peace like a River - Leif Enger
Q - Sarah's Quilt - Nancy E. Turner (i know i'm cheating a little on this one but "Q" was hard!)
R - The Rhythm of Life: Living Everyday with Passion and Purpose - Matthew Kelly
S - Still Alice - Lisa Genova
T - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
U - Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
V - Villette - Charlotte Bronte
W - Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
X - eXtremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer
Y - 5000 Year Leap - Cleon Skousen
Z - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig

MLK

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

“I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.”

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Martin Luther King Jr.

happy new year - 2011

PACE

"we women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. we have

to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is

comfortable for us. we have to develop the maturity to stop trying

to prove something. we have to learn to be content with what we

are."

- marjorie pay hinckley

choosing 'pace' as my word for 2011 has been on my mind for a couple of months now, but when i read the above quote it was a done deal. it is dead on. it also didn't hurt that it contained two of the words that i have chosen as my 'word of the year' in the past. i was new to blogging and hadn't written about 'patience' in 2006, or 'simplify' in 2007, but in 2008 i wrote about my word 'gentle'. in 2009 i had chosen 'focus', and this past year my word has been 'contentment'. i've re-read these posts and had to laugh at how similar my feelings have been in choosing each of them. i guess i'm just finding different ways to learn the same lessons.

i wrote a bit in my 'gentle' post about how i tend to do everything at a hurried pace. i'm not sure why that is, but i'm starting to drive myself crazy. for instance a few months ago, when the weather was still really hot, i found myself in front of the fridge filling up water bottles to send with the kids to school. as i was forced to stand there waiting for the seeming trickle of water to fill up the contrastingly enormous bottles i was overcome with the feeling that i was not being efficient enough. i mean i was trapped holding this bottle under the dispenser and i couldn't even reach a washcloth to wipe the counter with my other hand while i waited. there wasn't anything on the stove for me to stir, and there was no way the child who needed her hair brushed was going to oblige. i'm embarrassed to say that it was torture. right when i thought i was going to go nuts with all my nervous energy, i realized i had a true problem. who in the world cannot stand still for 2 minutes without feeling lazy? me...that's who. i mean i was filling up the water bottles, but that was the only thing i was doing...and it wasn't enough. like i said...i have a problem. that is when i truly decided that i need to do something about it. i don't have to be doing 100 things at the same time to be effective. in fact, i'm pretty sure the opposite is true. i have failed to give my full attention to any one task or person for years. what a waste. i desire to live more fully in each moment and savor the everyday.

i recently came across another quote that really inspired me, and seems to relay a similar message. it is one from helen keller. it reads:

"i long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but my duty is to accomplish humble tasks as if they were noble and great." (and i would add at the end: ...because they are)

oh how i wish i could sear that into my soul. i have been enjoying my most favorite christmas present (because i didn't get what i really wanted which was kids who always spoke kindly, got along famously, and listened the first time...but where's the fun in that right?!) which is the complete set of little house on the prairie episodes. i loved that show with all my heart as a child, and probably even more so as an adult and mother. i have found myself longing to be just like ma ingalls. she embodies the above quote. yes yes i know it's a t.v. show and there isn't anyone quite that perfect, but i can strive to be like that no?! she is sweet, good, loving, selfless, and kind. i know if i can pace myself better then i can get that much closer to becoming like caroline ingalls.
so happy new year to all, and here's to slowing down our pace a little. take time to really see, hear, and enjoy all the things our beautiful lives have to offer. we are blessed, i am blessed, and i'm going to do my best to live like mother theresa said, 'do small things with great love'.

merry christmas to all

EVMCO

(click picture to enlarge)

if you live anywhere near here you should go to this concert. it is put on my the East Valley Mormon Choir and Orchestra. i know it would be blasphemy to say that it rivals the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but it kind of does. the fun part is that in addition to the adult choir, there is a youth choir, children's choir, and young singers choir.

my sweet ella is a part of the children's choir and i can't wait to be there. now...if your thinking that this is just a glorified school christmas concert, or a cheesy singing group you would be sorely mistaken. it is a high quality professional group. i guarantee you will leave wanting more and be blown away by the power, quality, and talent displayed.

you will want to take the whole family (except babies and toddlers) and make it a holiday tradition.

join me by clicking HERE!!

i won! i won!

what a happy surprise! i was browsing my reader while sitting on hold, (i hate that) and came upon one of my favorite blogs...
i had actually forgotten about the giveaway they were doing with:...but there it was...my name in lights!! i had been so sure i wouldn't win that i had actually ordered their sampler pack last week! it arrived yesterday and i must say that the twine is beautiful!

so, head on over to The Twinery, and to the Favorite Things blog. you won't be disappointed!

it's time

just got back from a fabulous trip with my mom and sisters. what amazing people i'm related to! i've decided i really do need to get back into blogging. even if it is just to get rid of that awful scorpion picture at the top of the blog. (should i mention that nora got stung by one last week?) anyway, i really need to learn how to 'mobile blog' because my facebook has seen much more attention due to it's ease with the iPhone. anyway, i'll put the pictures here that i had uploaded to my facebook while on the trip and then try my best to be a better blogger.

on the deck of the cruise ship...doing what i love best.

all you can eat ice cream 24 hours a day...dangerous.

walking the freedom trail in boston, ma

in front of the boston temple

the uss constitution

lighthouse in portland maine

one of the many towel animals they leave for you on the cruise

good ol' NYC and lady liberty

*disclaimer: all photos taken with my phone...enough said.

scorpion sting

note to self:

don't go out and run 7 miles right after being stung by one of these...not good.

lesson learned.

iGot

...iHappy!!

oops...he did it again!

you may remember our eventful memorial day last year, documented here by paul, and here by yours truly.  well...our little crazy man max did it again.  this time no head injury was involved...thankfully.  but he took a pretty good spill over the banister onto the hardwood floor.  we are estimating that he fell a good 10 feet.  once again...it could have been much worse.  this time he came away with a broken wrist.  it went through both bones and was badly misaligned...right along the growth plate.  of course.  so...they had to take him to the operating room to reset the bones.  

no swim team this summer...again.  it's so sad too because he was so excited...again.  he smacked his face pretty good and sprained his foot, but other than that he's okay.  i think next year we'll just have a movie marathon weekend...full of blankets and pillows.  

here he is post surgery.

poor kid.

ella is 10!

my oldest child is in the double digits!!! could it be true? this was a special birthday for ella, so we wanted to to something exciting for her. she never asks for anything, so we decided to update her bedroom to be more 'tween' friendly.

i'm sorry for the quality of these pictures, but they were taken at 10:30 pm the night before her birthday. we wanted to surprise her on her birthday, so we updated while she was sleeping. our kids love to have 'sleepovers' in each others rooms, so we convinced her to sleep in the boys room that night.

she had a wall of black chalkboard paint that we cleaned off and added some frames. we also decorated with some blank cd's. we really only added a new bedspread and throw pillow, but it all transformed the room in a really fun way. she LOVED it.

ella continues to be the best big sister in the world. seeing these two ride around on that scooter is about the cutest thing ever.

ella is very laid back and unassuming. she is so easy to be around and has a very calming influence.

a quick picture of ella with her sister, mother, and grandmother!

i had to include this picture because it just shows how friendly ella is. we went to get a pedicure for her birthday and there were a few other little girls there. it didn't take long for ella to befriend them all and start them in on some games. she loves people and they love her right back.

ella was in dance this spring and did such a great job. doesn't she look so sweet? the last picture is of ella with her bff/cousin romey. these two have such a great time when they are together. i'm so glad they have each other.

let me just finish by saying that the amount of good packed into this girl is unbelievable. i honestly don't know how i got so lucky to be her mother. happy birthday dear sweet ella. it's been the best 10 years of my life!

anyone in the market?

so...i'm losing my mind.  i made this necklace for my good friend to give to her niece for graduation.  i then promptly lost it on the way to the post office and had to make her a new one.  well...one month later look what made an appearance in the dark recesses of my mini van!  yes...it is a scary place.  anyway,  i think it's adorable and figured someone might want it.  if you do, it's $19 and 100% sterling silver...with a fresh water pearl.  the disc that says BYU is a nickle size, and the other one is a dime size.  first come first serve.  you can leave a comment or send me an email.  thanks!

jack's baptism

i honestly cannot believe how fast my kids are growing up. jack is such a special kid. his baptism day was wonderful. he was ready for this day and i'm pretty sure he felt loved by all of our guests.

some of the honored guests...cousin romey, ella, cousin lucy, and cousin adam.

grandpa colin, cousin andrew, grandpa stuart, uncle dave, dad, uncle ryan

mom (me with a mouth full), aunt jenny and cousin wyatt, grammy

cousin elle, sister ella, cousin ashley (left), beautiful aunts heather and christy

cousin jersey, aunt sue, uncle ryan

me with jack's grandma's

cousin crew, jack, cousin ryan

same cute boys!

me and my boy (left) jack and his dad (right)

jack with each set of grandparents

we are so so proud of the amazing kid he is!!

power of moms

i just wanted to quickly send you all HERE.  it is an awesome website for any and all kinds of mothers.  and while your there check out THIS.  they have a video contest going on right now, and one of my most dear friends in all the world, erika, is one of their two finalists!!!  her video is called 'i am a mother' and is amazing.  please check it out (90 seconds long...c'mon...you have 90 seconds), and then vote for it at the bottom.  you might even see a familiar face in a couple of the pictures.

erika is one of the most amazing people i know and i would love for her to win this contest so she can attend the power of moms retreat with me in june!!!  any of you are invited to attend as well, but you'll have to register and pay the regular way.  click HERE for details. 

mom's have power!  and I AM A MOTHER!!

happy mother's day.