saturday mornings

It was my turn to drive ballet carpool today- I was glad.

Glad to have a few peaceful moments by myself during the hour & fifteen minute wait.

First I went to the fabric store & picked

out this for an apron I want to make for a wedding giftThen I stopped in here- Great Harvest Bread to get a scone.

Isn't this the cutest store front?

Back to the ballet studio to read alone in the car- bliss.

I'm reading Eat Cake-

because heaven knows there is not enough cake around here...?When I was growing up as a teen I played church ball. I was horrible at it. I didn't necessarily want to play- in those days you just had to. Mildred Lee our coach & one of the player's mom would usually take us to practice/games on Saturday mornings. It's great memory for me. I think now about the sacrifice she made to do this, even though her daughter was playing- surely we weren't always easy & I wasn't even talented- slowly I got better- thanks to her. By my senior year I could play softball, pretty good... well I could play.

My favorite Saturdays were the ones where after practice she would take us to get a Slurpee. Great memory there. So- I love to take these girls to get one too.

I hope they will have fond memories of Chloe's mom driving them to ballet & those occasions when she took them to get a Slurpee.

Sometimes it's the simple things.

enough! i give in- uncle already....

I'm wiped out.

It's been the busiest week ever, I think... well maybe.

I'm pretty sure the schools plans so much the last month of school so us moms will be so worn down & tired we'll do anything to get it over with. Even if it means having the kids home for the summer. jk There have been class parties.

Extra room mother projects for Trent's teacher who is retiring.

3rd grade International day

(I agreed to do a presentation on Chile... then found out two days before it was supposed to be 25 minutes long & I was doing it for 5 different groups- what? panic followed by a trip to the library, followed by intense study- just what i needed to do with all my free time...? It actually turned out great & I way over worried & planned... as usual- will I ever learn?)

Charlie Brown

Cast parties

Ballet Carpool

Scout field trips & scout meetings

Pack meeting

Trent earned his BEar.

creative day & lunch at my house

my phone/internet went down

Hailey was sick- now Jack

Dr. appointments

dentist appointments

birthday parties

cupcakes

wedding showers

more cupcakes

awards dinners

BBQ's

My personal favorite...

Big time guilt-

I told some PTA presidents I would do something & haven't gotten it done & I won't get it done- I hate when I can't get something done I said I would do- not cool.

Senior activities

not to mention the regular stuff- you know

dinner- homework- mold experiments- concert reports - etc....

tonight was the last Jr. High Choir concert for the year.

On a Friday night- I know?

it had to be changed since Seminary graduation is next week.
this was Hailey's last time preforming as a jr. high madrigal. I think it has been a good learning experience for her & I hope she has had a lot of fun & growth from it.

This is a horrible picture I know-

We sat way in the back so this was the best I could do.

why did we sit so far back?

besides the fact is was jam packed crowded

It was so hot I wanted to get out of there!

I was hoping that back in the back, near the back door it wouldn't be so hot- no luck.

SO HOT- full of bodies--- like 95 degrees!!

HOly hot misery.

The eighth grade choir got up to sing
Bohemian Rhapsody complete with a jr. high drummer, keyboard & electric guitar player.

I braced myself.

As if the heat alone wasn't bad enough. I was scared. I was worried for them. Heck, I was worried for myself! Looking around I could see looks of painful anticipation on other parent's faces-- who arranges this stuff?

Well- to my surprise- it wasn't that bad, really.

Did I forget to mention Bishopric training- with the wives? Brett was called into the Bishopric two weeks ago. He will still be YM stake presiedent for another month, since he is heavily involved with next month's pioneer trek- wow-

I guess I shouldn't complain- not that I'm complaining... I mean there is always a bright side.

At least I'm not going on trek-

*is your may like this?

hailey & a different note... or two

Tonight was the 9th Grade Merit & Honors Dinner.

To qualify for the Merit Award at our Jr. High- you have to apply. The application is divided up into different areas that you receive points in. Such as 10 points for musical theatre, service points, academic points, sports points...etc. Each applicant needs at least 50 points. Points can only be earned their 9th grade year. Students also need to have a teacher support their application. Hooray for Hailey who had more than enough points to qualify!!

Hailey is an absolute joy!

She is talented in many, many ways- especially music.

Her & her BFF have been writing & singing music together & it is Fantastic!

(video to come- if she will let me?)

She's a lot of fun to be around & that's sayin' a lot considering she's ...... fifteen- rough age- to say the least. I feel so privileged to be her mom- lucky me!! She is a daughter who is easy to love.

On a different note-

today was our last creative day of the school year- yes on a Wednesday- some of us had conflicting schedules tomorrow. Thank heavens we brought our calendars & planned on meeting throughout the summer- with & with out kids. I am so glad & think I'll survive the summer now. We met here at my house & it was so fun to have the preschoolers playing with the dogs & playdoh & bubbles (I miss preschoolers.) WEnde took some pictures, as soon as she posts them I will stick one here.

On another different note-

Our phone & internet line has been down for a little more than 24 hours- OH MY GOSH- this has been rough for me. It's like taking heroin from an addict. I was a mess this morning, not being able to have my morning reading & email checking. Funny how I got the painted floor scrubbed, a load of laundry done, picked up & made bread for our lunch...? hmmm- maybe my time should be used more wisely on a regular basis? Ouch- reality hurts.

On another different note-

Today is Linda -my wonderful neighbor's birthday! I made cupcakes for her surprise party which was darling- just like her!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA

On another different note-

graduation announcements are finally out- fewww- (just a million & one things going on this month) We are on the single digit count down to school being out. I don't know about you- but this school year has flown by!

good mail

I thought I had nothing to blog about today...

Then I went to get the mail- WOOOO HOOOO

Good Mail from Shannon!!!

MARSHMELLOW FLUFF- STRAWBERRY EVEN
i had NO idea they make strawberry fluff?

It's true- happiness can come in the mail!

thanks shannon for totally, completely making my day!!

seniors

{mike, jack, zack, cory}

Saturday night was the senior banquet.

Best Dress

I can't believe the lunch bunch- my knick name for them- is graduating. I just can't believe it. I will miss them coming here for lunch- something they don't do as often as they used to...

Jack decided to get jiggy & wear this old white (cream) suit from Brian's senior days to the banquet. Hey- you only live once, I told him to go for it! In fact if he wore it without a shirt I told him he could get a summer job as a chip & dales dancer! I bet they make good money?

hahahahhhaaaaa. Oh I got a good laugh out of that one. He didn't think it was funny.
cracks me up
Only eight more days until graduation!

twenty three years

Yesterday was our anniversary-

twenty three years

Amazing!We decided if Jack is old enough to go off to college in the fall & on a mission next year... then he can stay over night with his siblings!

Everyone was great. I think it was bonding for the kids to stay home together & a much needed time away for us. We really should do that more often. It's just so busy/hard to get away. We decided on a whim, Friday afternoon to take off- I guess that's what we need to do, not plan it- just do it.

This is the view coming out from dinner- stunning.

I love the beautiful mountains here.

Not as much as I love you Brett- marrying you was the best/smartest decision I have ever made- I hope we have more than 23 more years together.
last year I wrote about our 22nd anniversary & it is one of my favorite posts ever.

You can read it here-

creative thursday- cupcake edition

thanks to the blogger moms for helping me get these cupcakes ready yesterday!

I am so sad that our last real Creative Thursday is next week.

so sad

Think about it: us six blogger mom's have-

TWENTY EIGHT KIDS BETWEEN US

holy smokes!

That's a load of kids- so getting together all of us is difficult.

We will still be meeting up...

it's just a little more difficult in the summer

*do you have summer plans?

*do you get together with your girl friends & kids all summer?

cubscouts & cupcakes& kris

Yesterday was a better day
although I spent a good part of the day anticipating our afternoon scout field trip. You just never know how those are gonna go- and it was GREat!

In honor of Memorial Day coming up, we went to Fort Douglas & learned about Utah soldiers. It was a really cool place- outside there were tanks & army helicopters, really cool.

I came home to start making these-

Loads & Loads of cupcakes for a bridal shower tonight!

My cutest neighbor ever- is getting married next month- so there is a neighborhood shower tonight. We are serving cupcakes & slushes.

It was a great night to be in the house baking with all the American Idol excitement. I don't post or discuss the fact that I like American Idol- don't love it... not anymore....

I had a break through a few years back when my favorite contestant got voted off & I almost started crying, then was upset for days...???
Ya- I decided not to take TV so seriously.

But then- what do ya know?!!

Hooray Kris won!!

love him- love the guitar & piano & that voice- he totally deserved it!

Tune in to this blog tomorrow to see what us blogger mom's do with these cupcakes- they are helping me decorate them today during creative Thursday.

good day gone wrong

It started out as such a great day--
I have a list of things done, I even made bread- BREAD people! I've been making loads of homemade bread & feeling very martha - ish... thanks to this: the greatest bread recipe of all time.
I sewed, cleaned, ran a couple of errands, visited with a friend, cleaned the fridge, weeded the front yard- because jack said he would then didn't..... (the start of my anger) then I planted flowers in the back yard & had a couple plants left over for some pots. I even watered my newly planted garden, twice.
It should've been bliss.
Should've been.
I lost it- completely lost it-
screaming mad- horrible potty words like: stupid even the SH word slipped in there - under my breath, but I'm sure they heard it.
What put me over the edge?
There was a whole long list of things going wrong. I snapped. I hate it when I snap. I had a little snap yesterday when a neighborhood kid talked Trent into thinking that slashing his bike tires would get him a new bike.... maybe some of that carried over.
Anyhow-
it feels like someone rototilled the back of my legs & my hands are aching.
i have such guilt for yelling my head off - then going to bed.
I should've gotten in bed 45 minutes earlier.....
I hope the ibuprofen kicks in soon & that today is better.

why I couldn't sleep last night....

well- the senior photos are in-
they are over the top AMAZING!
Wende emailed me that they were done, i got onto her website to check them out...
then it

hit me.

like a brick to the forehead.
we are losing another one. another one out.
in all my thrilling excitement over his acceptance to BYU it hadn't dawned on me...
Until Now
darn kids-
I mistakenly thought this was going to get easier {sigh}

if you would like to check them out go here -
click on online proofs- password- jack
I like eleven, twenty three, thirty four & fifty one-
which ones do you like?
I need to get his announcements out soon- if you leave a comment & a way to get your address- I will send you one!

what's up

Yesterday Wende took Jack's senior photos-

I hung out as the assistant & smile maker.

She didn't need help especially after calling him America's next top model over & over.

That got him laughing.

This is just a simple shot from my camera....

You can just imagine how cool hers are-

I am so excited about these

and he...

could care less- or at least that's how he tries to act-

secretly I think he is pretty excited about them too.

I bought plants this morning for our garden.

This is the first year, I think... that we've gotten a garden in before June. I am so happy about this- I just can't believe how great it feels to get this done. May is always the busiest month of the year. I still have a bunch of things to get done in the garden & I know it will be a summer long project ... but I am still excited to have the basics in.

For family night we had my favorite strawberry shortcakes & finally came to a conclusion on our family mission statement that will soon be over our front door.

be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

There were a lot of contenders- but this scripture won out.

It's nice having Hailey home after school- no more play practice. I'm doing loads & loads of heavy duty laundry (happiness), getting ready for a bridal shower, sewing some baby things...

what's up at your house?

closing night of the "best show ever"

Tonight was closing night of what Trent has declared -" the best show ever!"Knowing how much he hated Wicked in NY last month & not to mention how he has refused to go to see his sibling's in musicals over the years... we were really nervous to take him to the parent preview on Wednesday night. Even so, I bought him a ticket for closing night & invited his best buddy lily & her sister Caroline to come along. Closing night is always my favorite performance in all the shows my kids are in, and the most difficult tickets to come by. The energy & excitement is right on. The actors/kids always put their all into closing night, and tonight was no different. Funny thing is-

Trent loved it!

We all loved it!!

Trent sat on the edge of his seat, clapped & laughed in all the right places, and at one point leaned over & hollered- "I hope you are recording this- I want to watch it again later!"

What in the world?

The kids were GREat-

The show was darling. Catchy music, cute costumes. It's really amazing what fabulous musical theater experiences there are in our town for kids. These kids don't know how lucky they are.

Hailey was the cutest- of course!

Her & her best friend Tiff.

Trent ran down stage as soon as the show was over to see all the characters. Hailey introduced him to his favorite- Snoopy. You can see by the look on his face- he was delighted. I asked him if he wanted Hailey to introduce him to the kid who played Charlie Brown- no thanks.

This kid was a fantastic snoopy-

Trent- "He was so funny!" His favorite part, when snoopy was pretending to fight the Red Baron on his tree house pretending it was an airplane.

This video is for you trent!

way to go hailey

my kind of thrilling

These babies were delivered to my house Thursday while I was at the Y.

The are so beautiful- so beautiful. A couple of weeks ago my blogger mom friend Kristy bought a set just like them but red. She found this seriously fantastic deal on them. I knew our old ones were almost dead... I knew it. I told Brett, but hey- I just didn't want to spend that kind of money when we didn't need to. I mean ours were really really old- bought before Hailey arrived in our lives- but they still worked!

Then it happened.
After. the. sale.
We even talked to the salesman about honoring the- two week ago sale- possibly for us...
it just wasn't a possibility.
I was mad.
Mad at myself.
Mad that I didn't buy them when I had the chance for $900 off!!
Instead of celebrating our new purchase I chose to just be mad. Until they arrived.
Oh my
they are amazing
I washed EVERY SINGLE DIRTY TOWEL IN MY HOUSE AT ONE TIME!
Then- my really heavy queens sized duvet with sheets.
Next all the dog bedding- washed on the SANITIZE/STEAM cycle.

That is after I spent a good part of the day figuring them out.

pta convention 09

It's been a busy week for us all, I'm sure!

These last few weeks before school gets out- are jam packed with loads of goodness- plays, parties, college orientation (already?)

Plus, all the ol' regular activities- scouts, ballet... you get the idea.

Spring also brings- the Utah PTA convention at one of my favorite places in the whole world- BYU campus. Oh again... how I love that campus!

Yesterday I drove down by myself- I had to be there early & stay late for some legislative issues. The older I get the more I enjoy being alone with myself. Interesting... the younger me hated being alone & always wanted to be busy (well I guess that hasn't changed but I am doing better.)

I guess being in my 40's now- I'm finally coming to terms with myself & who I am.

(most of the time)

Brett was so great to work from home, get the kids off, be there when they got home- order pizza, the whole mom bit- he's so supportive of me always. I don't think I give him credit here on this blog enough- he is the best!

I found this fabulous parking spot right across the street from the Monte L. Bean life science museum. When Brett was in school I would take Megan & Brian there. It's full of taxidermy animals- kind of gross now that I think about it- but two toddlers loved it & it was free. The best price for our little college family. It was delightful walking down past the bell tower in the morning sun as the bells played "Come, Come Ye Saints."
And look at this-
Right down from my car...
loads & loads of blooming lilacs!!
I took this shot as I came around to the Wilkenson center. I love it. the sun is coming over the mountains, students walking & the Y in the background. Happiness. There is just a feeling here-

This year in PTA I am the region legislative representative. My goal is to educate & increase awareness of what the PTA locally & nationally does for children. Increase my own awareness & knowledge of local & national issues & use my voice to hopefully make a difference.

I love legislative issues, the legislative session, being at the capitol, etc. This position is a good fit for me & has made me excited to be involved on a different level.

At this meeting I was sitting next to my PTA friends, Charity & Natalie- (I should have gotten a photo) Charity was worried about here parking spot & left to move her car- I was of course telling her about my Fabulous spot near the bell tower- gush gush.
I met Janae for lunch- we shared a mint brownie- the verdict is in... hers are SO MUCH better! I feel so privileged to have experienced her mint brownies in real life.
Ms. Utah spoke- she was surprisingly excellent
Ryan Shupe & the Rubber band was there- they are FAntastic!
I went to three classes:
1. Legislative VP 101- been here before
2. Legislative VP- what is the National PTA's agenda
3. Protecting Children from Abuse
I checked out all the vendors trying to get fundraiser commitments, & I won a Marie Calendars Pie!! woo hoo- I didn't want to carry that around all day- so I called my newly engaged nephew Marcus aka: BYU student extraordinaire & he came & picked it up. I hope it was good, I don't even know what flavor it was!? Later I stayed & voted on this next year's resolutions.
As I walked back to my car... I saw something in the distance on my windshield?

WHAT THE???
how does that scripture go-
pride goeth before the fall
I guess I didn't see the "Y zone only parking" that was not clearly marked on the curb.
dang it!
When will I ever learn? I tell you I am just like one of my kids...
The good news?

I had a dinner date set up to meet Jill & this oh so fabulous Bacon, Blue Cheese Burger!

Jill is the best.

I talked and talked and talked my full blown head off & she was so GREat!

Jill is one of those people who just get it-

she is amazing & so warm & kind & even brought me Chocolate chip cookies!

I am so lucky to know her in REal life.

Thanks Jill!

I came home to find my two guys waiting for me.

Brett & Trent

What a great day

charlie brown

Hailey's musical theater class has been working on this musical for months now.

Did you know there was a Charlie Brown- the musical?

It's opening night in just a couple of days.

Yesterday I chaperoned for 2 1/2 hours & was transported back in time to the SEVEN other times I have had kids in this class. Seven- Megan, Brian, Jack were in it two years each & Hailey was in it last year. It's a great fun experience but I have to admit- I was not sad when Chloe told me she didn't want to be in it next year, and was not trying out. I would have supported her- she is just all ballerina.

Not that it has been any work for me- it hasn't. I made Hailey's costume & shuttle her back & forth to the theater, that's it. I am so amazed at the other mom's who volunteer so, so, so much time. I feel indebted. I also feel like I don't have it in me- to be with 30+ Jr. high school age kids for more than 2 hours. they were being really good...

but listen- I do cub scouts- doesn't that count for something?

(the last half hour I left... I snuck out the door- I swear they didn't really need me- please don't tell!)

I wonder if Trent will want to be in Musical Theater?

Hmmm

Maybe?