Roots and Wings: Cruise 2012

Our trip with the Hansens to the Western Carribean was a trip of a lifetime.  I know I need to devote a whole post to our experiences, replete with pictures and memories...but, alas, I am a little short on time currently so I thought I'd share some words from some emails that were exchanged following the cruise...
My brother Matt wrote,
 "All,  
They say all good things must come to an end.  I am not sure I entirely buy into that. I'd jump at the chance to keep cruisin' the Caribbean with you all.  Even if the rough seas, cheesy greetings from the cruise director, and gaining 3 pounds a day grew old--hanging with you all never would.  We created so many wonderful memories.  The whole drive home, and now here at home, I just keep thinking about all that we crammed into our week on the high seas.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  If I had a wish, I'd wish that we could turn back time a week.  A week ago we were cruising though the Gulf, and just getting ready to sit down to our first dinner in the dining room--full of anticipation, and soon to be very full of warm chocolate melting cake!!  I am sure all week long, as I sit in my office I will be thinking about what we were doing exactly a week prior.  My mind seems to work that way, and it will be a great way to re-live all of the memories.  


It was so great to see you all.  I don't feel like I was able to spend the one-on-one time with each of you that I would have liked, but I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with each of you.  I love and admire you all so much.  I wish that circumstances allowed for us to spend more time together.  But I am grateful for the time we are able to spend.


A special thanks to Mom and Dad for making this all possible.  You both are the greatest.  We are all lucky to have you.  Thank you for your generosity, and your commitment to creating experiences like this.  Also, thank you to Rob, Rach, Dan, and all others that were involved in planning such great excursions.  Melissa, for the shirts.  And, we mustn't forgot Helaman's little buddy that smuggled us  back to the big boat--otherwise we might be languishing somewhere on the Yucatan peninsula . . . on second thought, that might beat the alternative . . . going to work tomorrow.


Root 'n Wings Est. 1972.


Love and miss you all,  Matt"


And as a follow up he wrote, "'I'm standing on the street corner, and just got a big whiff of second-hand smoke.  It made me miss the cruise.;)"


Nana wrote, "Matt and All,

No one can say it better than Matt.  I am sitting here on the couch at Justin's with ice packs on my knees and grabbed Dad's laptop for a quick peak at my emails.  The week together was wonderful and last night I kept thinking that the times I have all my children together are too few and too seldom but I will treasure the memories forever.  I second Matt's thanks and appreciation to Rachel and Rob for all their time and effort in getting us organized and lining up such great excursions.  I have to admit our trip to Tulum and the ferry situation caused me some stress but once we got to Tulum I felt calm and decided that the Lord would provide........thanks to Helaman and his connections!  Love you all more than words can tell...........Miles and Siena and Cyrus are on their way to the other side of the world.  We definitely have to get together and make it happen without too much time passing.  The shirts..........Roots and Wings Est. 1972 truly reflects what Dad and I did our best (however imperfect) to accomplish through the years.  Thanks to Melissa for coming up with our family theme.......Couldn't be more proud or grateful for all of you!!

Dad kept telling me how happy he was to see you all together.  The interaction between the cousins was a highlight for him and for both of us.  We have a wonderful family!!  

Good night for now and lots of love to all!

Mom"

And from sister Natalie, " Dear Family,

I too agree with Matt, Mom and Rach. What a wonderful adventure we all experienced. Someone in our ward asked me yesterday if I had any "magical" moments. I thought back and really the magical moments for me were the times we were all together enjoying each others company whether playing games in the conference center, catching and getting  stingray massages, scrambling up a waterfall with 5,453 other people, eating, smuggling on boats, boarding the "Sea Fire" with Captain Gleeson and Carl (whom I called Kerry) while speculating why Captain Crosby was in court, eating, snorkeling*, doing the conga line while wearing mardi gras beads and masks, more eating, the list goes on...eating... But, for me the truly magical, magical moment was all of us together at Tulum. I felt a peace there and I am so glad we had that chance to be there and experience that together as a family. So, the person that asked me about that...said, "when you get stressed or overwhelmed close your eyes and go back to Tulum....what did you feel, see, smell, hear...I have put it to the test and you know what... I can't help but smile. So, think of your magical moment or maybe even food...:) and go there when you get stressed or bogged down. Thank you to each of you. Thank you deeply to Mom and Dad for giving us the opportunity to create these memories.  

Love you all and miss you already....Bren- I haven't stopped missing you...I'm glad Jorgen was there-he reminds me of you in many ways (doll) !

Natalie

* I did a little research on my coral reef scratch. It is called "reef rash" and it itches like crazy!!! Apparently it can take up to weeks (I hope that means 2) to heal completely. I hope the rest of you are peeling evenly. ;) For those of you who used waterproof sunscreen this doesn't apply..."

And finally, one more from Nana,"This will be short because my modem died so I can't access internet except via phone. I loved reading Natalie's magical moments. I regret I let the anxiety of being left behind in Mexico impact my experience. However, it is true that once we arrived in Tulum I felt a peace and that I should trust all would be well as it turned out to be. Even though I had been to Tulum before I was amazed by the beauty of the setting and Helaman's insights impressed me even though I don't remember them word for word.

I agree the best part was just being together. Dinner every night  and seeing our dancers is what I like to close my eyes and see again. The picture taken of us all when we boarded is on my night stand and both Dad and I looked at it last night just before we turned out the light. Now I wish I had splurged and bought you all a copy. It is a great picture!  At the eye doctor. Love you all so much!

We need to make a commitment to all get together. Dad kept saying how seeing the cousins together made it all worthwhile. I agreed. Plus for me anytime i am with all our children I feel complete. Missed Bren!! One day I was walking behind Jorgen who was skipping along and I thought "there goes Bren"

Love you all,

Mom"

It really was such a great trip!!!! Hopefully some pictures will be coming!

February 2012 Top Ten...in no particular order...sorry it is short on pictures!

10.  Can we say cruise?!?

Boarding the Carnival Magic, Galveston TX Feb 19, 2012

9.  Davey takes his very own vacation, enjoying time with the Naegles, Jeppesens and Yospes!

Storytime with Jeppesens

Snowmobiling with Andrew

Sledding at Naegle's cabin in Fish Haven

Lots of fun with Henry and Mae!

Way Above: Playing with Mae! And Right Above: Playing with Margaret!

8. Abby's very first real volleyball tournament...And finally gets a few serves over the net!

9. Found out that Aunt Siena is having a baby!

8. Rob attends seven high school basketball state playoff games (and only three of those were Bountiful's) in five days! Wish Bountiful would have won in the semi-finals and it would have been eight games in six days!

7. Lizzie starts her orthodontic treatment plan...code for 1. she thinks she is pretty cool until it starts to hurt and 2. mom and dad's budget suddenly shrinks

6. Emily plays the best tennis of her life, even though she loses! She had a match against a really, really strong server and it really brought out some great tennis!

5. Rachel surprises Rob with a surprise overnighter downtown for Valentine's Day and the kids hold down the fort at home all by themselves! Figured he hadn't had a free Tuesday in a long time and since Valentine's fell on a Tuesday we might as well live it up!

4. Anna learns about some of the early presidents of the US and doesn't stop talking about them and sharing little known facts all month long!

3. Superbowl XLVI means two fun parties with the Howe's and the Hansens's, and lots of yummy food...partly thanks to cute friend Kristin who surprised Rachel with a new cookbook and ingredients for three of the recipes...and a suprisingly close football game (at least for the Superbowl), even though we wished the 49ers would have been playing!

2. Rachel goes against sage advice and medical research and lets the older girls go tanning a few times before the cruise! I know, irresponsible parenting...but maybe a rite of passage too?!?

1. Our humble abode seemed more "cluttery" than ever and is screaming for a good cleaning! January deep clean never happened! Maybe I should get of the computer and get scrubbing! Haha!

Still A Long Way Away...

Me: Davey, you look sad, are you okay?
Davey (nods): Yes, I am sad. (slumping shoulders turns and walks down the hall to get dressed).
Me: (starts to follow)
Davey: (Very loud wailing and crying suddenly comes from his bedroom)
Me: (Enters his room) What's wrong, little guy?
Davey: (Hugging me, then looks up with a very tear-stained face...and completely naked I must add...just finished his bath) I don't want to go away to college! (More wailing and crying ensues)!
Me: Why?
Davey: (still crying) It's boring!
Me and Anna: (trying to keep in our smiles and laughter...) It's okay! It is still a long way away!!!! And by the time it gets here you will be all grown up and will want to go!
Davey: Ok...
P.S. Later at lunch Anna asked Davey if he wanted to go to "Utah" or "BIU"?  He shook his head, said "None...I want to go to New York. Do you want to go with me?"

Overheard On the Playground...

It was a sunny February afternoon with blue sky and no inversion. Davey and I couldn't resist a quick trip to the park while Anna was dancing her heart out at her creative dance class. We grabbed cousins Josh and Charlie and Aunt Natalie and cruised up to a family favorite: Rocket Park. Davey and Josh were playing a game they called "Firefighters". Suddenly I heard David tell Josh to wait a minute. Josh didn't hear him. Davey looks at him and says, "Hey, Joshua, pause the game!" Josh says, "Okay" and stops! Pause the game! Seriously, must be children of the electronic generation!

Ping-Pong Can Be Dangerous...Ask Anna!

Anna learned the hard way why it is important to listen to your sister when she tells you to stay out of the way when a heated ping pong match is going on! Emily swung and hit the ball and then anna's eye! This is what your eye will look like the next day if you don't heed your sisters warning! The best is that she, in a pain-induced rant, blamed Emily's friend Andrew for her injury because he "was the one who taught Emily to swing so hard!" She did apologize when she had calmed down and is doing better about staying out of the way when the ping-pong table is in use!

January 2012 Top Ten...in no particular order!

10. Celebrated both my grandma's birthday days!  Grandma Elyse is in town staying with Aunt Julie so we hosted a birthday dinner for her at Nana's and had a great time! Grandma Hansen is down south in St. George but I had a fun visit with her on the phone on her birthday! Both such inspiring women! I love my grandmas!!!!! So many fun memories past and present!

9.  Rob and I actually made it to a movie together, sans kiddos.  We don't make it out to the movie theater to often so when we do, it is reason to celebrate...although we had to go to the 5 o'clock show (Rob went straight from work and I met him there), make arrangements for Emily to get picked up from dance by a friend, and rush to get home so the teenagers could make it to a couple of Junior Jazz basketball games (as spectators not players)!  By the way, we saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and really enjoyed it (Rob likes Sherlock Holmes, Rachel really, really likes Sherlock Holmes) and Centerville has a new Megaplex theater complex which simplifies seeing movies for us!

8.  End of the 1st semester of school for the 2011-2012 school year!  Which means we are now more than half-way through the school year and report cards arrived!  Kudos to my kiddos, who all did fantastic for the most part!!!! And the grades that weren't "A"s were grades that had improved from the previous report card. Hard work pays-off, right guys?!? Speaking of school, we got to attend SEP conferences with Lizzie and Anna.  Glowing reports from both their teachers.  They both have fantastic teachers this year and they are both learning so much! Ms. Cox and Mrs. Howell rock! Anna was just telling us yesterday a story about the third president of the United States. She mentioned that he had red hair as part of the story and I told her she must be mistaken because Thomas Jefferson didn't have red hair!  She emphatically replied, "If he was the guy who lived at "Mont-i-Cello" he had red hair!" I came home and googled it and guess what, Thomas Jefferson did have red hair! And along the school days lines: Three out of the four weeks this month were 4 day-school weeks!  We love those! Wish I could say we did something significant but to be honest I can't remember. I do know on Martin Luther King Day some of us headed to dinner with the extended Howe clan to our favorite Cowboy Grub while the rest of us headed to an emergency dental appointment that ended up being pain from a six-year-old molar that was trying to come in in Davey's mouth! Life with kids...you never know!

7.   January means Book Group Book Choosing night for me and my book-group gals! It is always a fun night and we really have the system perfected. We started with about 36 titles and narrowed it down to 11!  If anyone needs some help figuring out a great and efficient way of whittling down their groups book picks, give me a ring and I will fill you in! We had a great list to choose from again this year and I had a hard time deciding where to throw my support but we ended up with a great list!  Surprisingly, two of the books I didn't vote for were two that I have read since we picked and loved them both! Crazy! Hope the ones I did vote for are as good!  Haha! I don't host until November.  Since we finished our house but still have not much landscaping, I always try and snag early spring or later fall to host so I don't have to worry about the bare yard!  Haha! Not that any of them would care...but you know how it goes! Anyways, here is this year picks in case you are looking for some good reads:

Persuasion by Jane Austen and/or The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (high school English anybody?)

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Bonds That Make Us Free by Terry Warner

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Destiny of a Republic by Candice Millard

A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

6. Abby participated in her first volleyball tournament.  It was actually just an inter-squad tourney but it still was a lot of fun.  Her last game of the day was against a U13 Power (competitive) team.  Abby plays for the U14 Club (since she is an August birthday she plays with the U14 by 4 days...when she decided to switch from dance to volleyball we went with the Club team...next year I think we will move to a Power team...). Abby's team was a year older but they are all beginners for the most part.  They went the first two games neck and neck, each winning one.  The third game is played to 15 but you have to win by two.  Abby's team ended up losing 20-18, which if you are familiar with volleyball means it was a very exciting final game!! The crazy thing was that Abby's coach actually is the coach for both teams!  Made it even more exciting!

5. The YM/YW in our ward headed to Z-Park (our stake's property) for their annual Mutual Theme kick-off with the Bishopric.  It was an overnighter and I think it was fun for everyone!  The theme this year is ARISE AND SHINE FORTH. It is a tradition that Rob and his counselors started and that the kids in our ward love! The girls are lucky because they get to sleep in the lodge with the heat (remember we are talking January in the Wasatch Mountains) but the boys have to sleep in the cabins with no heat! Rob actually sleep in the Suburban with a space heater that he ran with a long extension cord to the lodge! Said he was toasty warm! It was a bittersweet time because the bishopric kinda knew that it might be their last over-night outing with all the youth! While they were gone, Natalie and her kids came over for dinner and a movie night.  The kids ate pizza and Natalie and I got some yummy grown-up pizza and salad and then they watched movies in the basement while we watched Persuasion upstairs.  Half-way through some of Emily's friends showed up (even though she was out-of-town) and visited with us for a while!  That was fun.  She has really great friends!

4.  And they were right! January 29th rolled around and Rob was released as Bishop of our ward. He has served faithfully as a committed and humble man, continually striving to do what the Lord would have him do. I think that he might even deserve his very own post!  Watch for it, it will be coming soon!

3. Davey finally moved on from working on his "G"s at Talking Time to focusing on his "K" sound! He has worked hard and diligently since school started on his G's. Every Wednesday, we head down the street to a Headstart location for Davis School District where he spends and an hour at Talking Time.  There are about five other kids and their adult (parent or grandparent).  We rotate around to different learning centers where we play fun games that help him with his speech.  At two the stations he actually works with speech therapists who he really adores. If you haven't noticed, when you make a G sound you have to pull your tongue down and back. If you don't and it stays forward your G becomes a T.  I knew he was making progress one day a few months ago when he brought me a toy dinosaur with sharp teeth and a tongue right behind its teeth. "Mom", Davey said, "The dinosaur is making T sounds instead of G sounds! His tongue isn't back enough!" Smart boy!!! He still doesn't get the G all the time in his regular conversations but he is getting better and when he thinks about it he always gets it! And considering where he has come from as a two-year old that only made deep, throaty growling sounds I am pretty amazed!

2. Emily played her very first competitive singles match! For the high school in the fall she only played doubles but she is playing in a winter league on Saturday nights and has discovered that she loves singles. She was so nervous to start but once she got going she loved it!  They play for 55 minutes and whoever wins the most games (no add) in the time frame is the winner.  While she lost 9-7, she played better than I had ever seen her and really had a blast! (She and her doubles partner won that night as well). It was a fun evening and even more fun because she played at the tennis club near Nana and Papa's home so they came to watch too.  After words, she left with her friend Andrew to hang out with some friends and Rob and I discovered that Kneaders has all their treats 1/2 off on Saturday night!  We splurged and the kids had a yummy Sunday morning breakfast! The raspberry bread pudding is out of this world!!!

1. Lizzie and her dear friend, Meg, who moved last autumn got to have a couple of weekend late-overs this month!  We miss the Murri's so much and long to hop the fence to visit like the good old days (prior to their move)! Luckily, they didn't move to far so we still get to hang-out but it does take a little more planning that it used to take! While they beg for sleepovers, lateovers will have to suffice until they are older! We love having Meg around with her brown eyes, beautiful skin, and very kind heart!

Last Day of School 2010-2011

Back to School 2011-2012

Coming Out Of The Closet...

So, I have been giving my blog some thought....hmmmmmmm...and well, I have decided that the reason I blog is to record my family's history for me and for them.  I mean I do enjoy catching up with loved ones, close and far, through their blogs and I do enjoy the occasional comment on my blog but when it comes right down to it, this blog is a way that I can preserve the happenings in my family's life...especially since I am not a scrapbooker or even a very good journaler!  I still haven't put together one of those "blog books" but I am going to...hint, hint, mother's day maybe? So in thinking about turning my blog into a hard copy to remember forever, I wonder if my "nicknames" will cause confusion years down the road.  I felt, initially, they were necessary to protect my kids from stranger danger but in watching the traffic my blog gets...I don't think it is an issue!  Plus, I posted my Christmas Card and if you look close, it has all our names on it! Get out! Right there in print! So, therefore, the nicknames are gone and we are coming out of the closet with our real names!  Drumroll, please.....

CHOCHO:  Rachel...yep it is usually me that you have to listen to rambling on and on and on...

SENIOR: Rob...my handsome and hardworking better half...

BERNINA: Emily or Emi, currently enjoying high school...Go BRAVES!

GIADA: Abigail or Abby, currently enjoying junior high...Go EAGLES!

SLICK: Elizabeth or Lizzie, currently embracing her curls...FINALLY!

QUEEN BUBS: Anna May or Annie, currently talking and talking...and TALKING!

JUNIOR: David or for as long as it will last DAVEY, currently playing the role of the typical little brother...slyly PUSHING BUTTONS!

Phew, I did it! And it feels good!  Now for getting us all caught up (yes, I am going to attempt to get 2011 covered) and ready to start a new year of blogging...only a month and 3 days late!  Enjoy!

"LIFE IS GOOD" Family Gala 2011

Coming soon

Join The Rebelution 2012

Stay Tuned!

Backseat Drivers...Yep, We Start 'Em Young

Stay Tuned!

Family Photo Shoot with Natali!

Christmas Card 2011!

Photo and Card by Natali Naegle

December 2011 Top Ten

Stay Tuned!

November 2011 Top Ten

Stay Tuned!

October 2011 Top Ten

Stay Tuned!

Summer 2011 Top Twelve...in no particular order!

CAA 2011-2012 Topaz Team

Go Abby!

Emi and Lexi EFY 2012

12. EFY, Volleyball Camps, and Dancing lessons, plus a little soccer too! Everyone had something fun to do!

I have hundreds of pictures the kids have taking doing "photo shoots!" Impossible to decide which to post!

11. Sprinklers, Popsicles and Photo Shoots (the kiddos doing their own)...what summer would be complete without those!

August 2011 Bear Lake with The Naegles

June 2011 Howe Family Cabin

10.  Bear Lake TWICE...Yep, the whole family headed up north in June for our annual retreat at the Howe Family Cabin and had a blast with our Howe cousins!  Then the kids were thrilled to be invited to the Naegle Cabin in August to celebrate the last weekend of summer!  Rob and I spent our own little weekend get-away at home sans kiddos! Talk about win-win!

St. George June 2011

9.  Oh how we love St. George! Especially when we get to celebrate Grandpa Hansen's 90th birthday party with lots of Hansen's cousins!  I think one of the highlights of the trip was Rob and I sharing the bunk room with Matt, Justin, and Brenley! Haha!

Summer Fun 2011!

8. Visits and outings with our out-of-town cousins and friends! We made it to Kennecott Copper Mine, The Children's Museum, swam, did crazy make-overs, dyed our hair with Kool-aid and even recorded our own version of cupcake wars!

Mode of Transport to tennis courts: Scooter
Dedicated tennis partner: Andrew

7.   Tennis, tennis and tennis...Emily worked hard all through July and got the last spot on the Bountiful Braves Tennis Team!  Way to go!

We will be there every year!

6.  Discovered the West Bountiful Fourth of July parade...short and sweet! It was perfect.  Even better was that Abby was in it representing her junior high as a 7th grade officer!

Meeting Trapper!

5.  Meeting Trapper, Uncle Sam's new horse, added some excitement to our July!  The kids even got to feed him!

Maplewood Summer Camps 2011

4.  Maplewood Summer Camps run by Emily and Abby will definitely become an annual event at our home.  They made a little cash and the kids had a lot of fun!

Davey loves Andrew's wheels!

3.  The scooter was replaced by Colonel Mustard!  The truck and Davey became fast friends...we miss Colonel Mustard! And occasionally, the motorcycle would make a short appearance...and Rob even let Emily go on a few rides!

We even got to see the Adams Family there too! 

2.  Oakley Rodeo was lots of fun.  It had been way to long since we headed that way! Enjoyed by all...even with a little rain and even though we lost TWO umbrellas!

No more tears! It used to be tough for a 13 year old to compete with a 1 year old on her birthday! Poor Missa...I am sorry we weren't more sensitive! But now just happy birthday girls!

3. Celebrated Abby and Aunt Missa's August birthdays just as school was getting ready to start.  Are you impressed with our treats?

Holbrook Canyon, just five minutes from our house! Sadly, the only picture of me in this post is on an early-morning hike! Scary! We had to say a prayer half-way up because Lizzie's fear of mountain lions was literally paralyzing her! We made it back safely! 

2. Very successful Girls Camp and Family Gala and even a few early AM hikes!

You don't get much cuter than this!

1.  Cyrus came to stay all by himself while his parents visited South America! We sure loved having that little guy around! Too bad he really lives in Armenia!

September 2011 Top Ten

10. BHS Tennis season is in full-swing! Lots of fun in the sun watching Emily play! They even get to travel to St. George for a tourney!

9. Abby works hard at manager for the BJH Volleyball team and learns some great skills along the way!

8. Anna decides to take a creative dance class at CAA just down the street and around the corner!

7. Lizzie works hard at her new dance studio CAA in the Topaz Company!

6. Rob actually lets Emily go on a few motorcycle rides with Andrew! She says they take away the school stress!

5. Emily and Abby learn the ropes at junior and senior high! It is kinda of an emotional month for the higher schooler trying to figure it all out but she does enjoy it too!

4. Rachel bottles a few tomatoes from our garden.  Wishes it was more!

3. Emily heads up to the Naegle cabin at Bear Lake again! Lucky girl!

2. High school football begins! Go Braves!

1. We finally get family pictures taken! We haven't done that since Emily was one!!!!!

Love of Learning and Love of Us!

Stay tuned!

May 2011 Top Ten

10.  Memorial Day Weekend spent in St. George with some of our dearest friends! We soaked up the sun, splashed in the pool, noshed on yummy food, enjoyed the out-of-doors, stayed up late and marveled at our great kids!  

9.  Chocho and Bernina enjoyed Chocho's  all-time favorite musical.  I am talking nothing better ever.  Les Miserables rocks!

8. Enjoyed a yummy family dinner at the classic-can't-go-wrong Cowboy Grub to celebrate Papa's birthday.  Laughed when we saw that Senior and Bernina and Giada all ordered the exact same thing:  Pot Roast Sandwich with cheese spuds!  The server commented about how well-behaved all the little cousins were...what, that is a first?!? They must be growing up...

7.  A couple of memorable Sunday dinners and desserts...celebrated Mother's Day with our favorite mothers, Nana and Grandma.  What would we do without them?!?  Also, held our traditional Sunday Dinner at the Bishop's with the graduating seniors in our ward.  Sure have enjoyed having those great kids in our home over the years and hearing about their plans and dreams for the future.  We wish them all only the best!

6. Listened to Giada fiddle away on her viola with a couple hundred other kids at the school districts infamous "Monster Concert."  She did great although she is packing up the viola after this year. Going to go the school choir route...speaking of school choirs, enjoyed Bernina's last choir concert of ninth grade.  She was a trooper seeing how she was throwing up her guts just 30 minutes before she was supposed to sing! 

5.  Watched Slick dance her little heart out as part of her Activity Days Recognition Night.  They did a 

creative skit about the Ugly Duckling and served us lasagna that they had made themselves.  It was fun!  Thanks to her awesome leaders!  Watched Queen Bubs dance her heart out at her end of year dance recital.  You go girl!

4.  Smiled as Queen Bubs participated in her Preschool Graduation, complete with patriotic songs and popscicles.  The night before as I was tucking her into bed she told me she prayed that she wouldn't be so sad that school was over.  She has loved her preschool.  Kudos to Slick as well...I had double-booked my life unknowingly and was supposed to be attending the third grade fieldtrip at the same time as Bub's preschool.  Rob was gonna cover the preschool but had something at work come up, so Slick came through and told me she would be okay if I went to the graduation.  Thanks Slick! You helped out a lot!

May 2008, Senior and family prior to his parents leaving on their LDS mission to Hartford, Connecticut

3.  Enjoyed a yummy dinner and some great conversation with Senior's parents at one of our favorite restaurants, The Mandarin.  Bernina and Giada held down the fort.  Thanks gals!  

2.  Hiked from NSL to downtown SLC with Bernina and Giada via the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  What a fantastic way to spend a Friday afternoon.  It was beautiful. 

1.  Got the garden planted...finally.  Now if the sun would shine and warm up the soil so the plants would grow and the rain would slow down so the weeds would slow down a bit...is that too much to ask? I mean it's Utah and it is the end of May...

ABOVE and BEYOND

Between the last week of May and the middle of June, we celebrate some pretty important days.  Both my Dad (aka Papa) and Senior's Dad (aka Grandpa or Pops as Giada has been calling him lately) celebrate their birthday days and then we wrap up the festivities with both of them as well as Senior with Father's Day!  So this time of year gives me a lot of time to ponder on how blessed I am to have such great men in my life and the lives of my family.  Since the parties begin with Papa and his birthday, I thought I'd write a post in his honor...thus the title ABOVE and BEYOND is in honor of Papa!  

Very, very late Christmas Day 2008

This picture says it all:  Not to many men post 50 would be willing to hop in the hot tub, late at night, in the freezing cold, to hang out with their grandkids and kids.  I mean really who does that?  Notice that my kiddos own mom and dad aren't there...but this Papa is.  In fact, it was probably his idea!  This Papa is not only fun and exciting to hang out with but goes ABOVE and BEYOND in just about everything he does.  From generously helping others (family and those who aren't family) to his various business ventures and career, from talking to his children about their stresses and successes to serving the Lord and others in all sorts of capacities, from playing hard (yep, even still playing hard...let the church basketball thing go a few years back but still likes to mix it up with sons and grandkids...did two marathons not so long ago one of them being the famous Boston) and cheering with enthusiasm (all sorts of sports...grandkids to professionals, dance recitals, good movies (westerns are his favorite) even American Idol rumor has it), from reading the best books (how many guys can you find who have read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables cover to cover?) to finding the best pieces of property, from dispensing wisdom gained over the years to reminiscing about crazy times past THIS GUY ALWAYS GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND.  Really, he doesn't do things half way. He inspires us.  All the time.  Dad and Papa, we love you!  If we could only bottle your enthusiasm and willingness to share we would be millionaires!  But since we can't bottle it, we will just continue to revel in it and enjoy being part of your life and you part of ours!  Happy Birthday!  XXOO 

P.S. Dad, now I am crying just thinking of you as I finish up this post and the next thing on my list today is cleaning the toilets...Warning to everyone but my Dad...the rest of this sentence is an inside joke so don't even try to understand or interpret it because it isn't what you think... so I guess I will continue to cry as I clean the toilets 'cause you know even the toilets will remind me of you and how you always go ABOVE and BEYOND.  

One Of My Favorite Things...

I am a pretty simple person...At least I like to think so!  And one of my very favorite treasures is a special necklace my sisters (just so you know, when I say sisters that includes my sister-in-laws, lets just get that clear) gave me for my birthday last year.  It is a necklace with a story to tell...

It starts way back in the mid-nineties.  I was a new mommy with a cutie named Bernina.  Suddenly, "LucyAnn" Necklaces were all the rage.  It was way before Etsy and let's just say you had to drive to the mall, park inside the parking garage, load the kiddo in the stroller, and walk all the way into the store.  I know that is an event that doesn't happen as much anymore (on a side note, Queen Bubs wasn't even sure what a "mall" was the other day).  Anyways back to the Lucy Ann Necklaces  Yep, some of you might remember them...

They hung on a long chain and seemed to be the gift to get and give to every mother and grandmother along the Wasatch Front.  I had one and loved it and wore it a lot!  Until the dreadful day that Bernina, Senior and I were enjoying the Rocky Mountain Revue (its a NBA thing) and suddenly LucyAnn fell from my neck in down through the cracks between the bleachers never to be found again...I was sad but life must go on and it did...

Fast forward to the day before Mother's Day 2009.  For the previous couple of years, I had been hinting that I'd enjoy a piece of jewelery that was simple enough to wear most every day but that could be my signature piece that I would wear for the rest of my life and my kids could fight over it after I was gone.  Nothing expensive mind you but something with meaning.  Well, the Saturday before Mother's Day seemed like most until the evening rolled around and I heard Senior conferencing with the kiddos.  They brought me into the family room and said,

"Dad wants to give you your Mother's Day present early."

"Sure,"  I said.  "You mean you guys don't want to wait."

"Actually, they are right.  I can't wait. I've never been so excited to give you a present!  Let's do it!" Rob confessed.

So out came a little box and inside was something like this:

  Except it there were two charms, both with the initial "R".  One of the kids pipes up, "We wanted to get one for each kid but there are too many of us so Dad decided to get one for you and for him since you are married and in love!"  I love my necklace and wore it nearly everyday for over a year until it disappeared...okay, I'll admit, I lost it.  Grabbed as I was running out the door and then couldn't find it that evening.  Sad day.  Very sad day.  Very sad sad day.  Really.

Enter great sisters...called around my birthday last year and said, "You know your favorite necklace...well, for your birthday we are replacing it.  You can decide if you want to tell Senior you found it or that it is a new one"  Well, I decided that perhaps, in case my original suddenly shows up one day maybe I would get something a little different.  So cute sisters went to work and this is what was delivered on my birthday:

I wear it almost all the time as a reminder of my best friend!  

And speaking of cute things like necklaces and other fun things, those above-mentioned sisters are pretty creative as well as thoughtful.  In fact check out their etsy shops:

VERRUCKT

A Slip Shop

burntsiena designs

You will be glad you stopped by!  

 

My New Prayer List

So, when it comes to spiritual understandings, I think we all have our strengths and weaknesses...for me there is one concept that is a little difficult to reconcile in my mind.  I won't delve into all my crazy thought processes as I've attempted to completely grasp this subject over the years but let's just say that understanding prayer and all of its ins and outs is something that I have grappled with over the years.  I am not saying that my faith in prayer is not strong or that I don't believe it is a key component of this mortal journey, I am just saying that the whole concept of how we pray and what we pray for sometimes gets a little jumbled in my mind when I throw in the whole aligning our will with God's will idea.  Do I pray to counsel the Lord as to what would be best for me? or Do I pray and ask Him for strength to accept whatever He sends my way?  Or is it a little of both? I have to admit that I really love the definition of prayer in the Bible Dictionary (as a side note, the Bible Dictionary is one my favorite parts of the scriptures and in my humble opinion way underutilized).  The Bible Dictionary tells me that:

 "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings." 

Pretty powerful stuff.  And this little nugget is the thing I always cling to when I start those "prayer issues" start creeping up in my mind.  But the way to go about it all seems to get a little confusing at times in my mortal mind.  Until today.  Thanks to a really great post on a blog, I stumbled upon some pretty incredible words by President Eyring. I made a little "Prayer List" to stick in my bedroom and then thought the list is definitely share worthy.  If you click on each item it will link you to the place it came from...

My Prayer List 

Courtesy of President Henry B. Eyring

1.What blessings do I have that I am not aware of?

2.Whom can I help?

3. What have I done today or not done that displeases Thee? If I can only know, I will repent with all my heart without delay

4. Pray with the intent to obey.

5. Pray for charity and for the opportunity to share the Gospel

6. Pray for help to serve in your calling

7. Pray for strength to endure our trials

Pretty wise words from a pretty inspired man...can't wait to try it all out!

Monday Feature: From The Archives

Last year Senior's cute sis Auntie Alison and I started scanning Senior's parents slides to convert to DVD.  After a lot of hours worth of work we decided that it would be more time effective and actually not that expensive to hire Costco to finish it up...however, I still have a bunch of the photos on my hard drive which is pretty fun.  New feature for Monday will highlight one of those pictures from the archives...

Senior and his little brother Fig.  Based on the note taped to Fig's shirt it is most likely Father's Day 1977.  Looking pretty snazzy for church!  BTW:  Note reads, "I will help my Dad by eating my food well and obeying."  Good advice for just about any five year old.  Note the detailing on the belts...classic 1970s!

Stories From the Tree

So, if you had not heard Chocho tends to get a little into history.  She likes all kinds of history but one of her favorites is family history.  So it is understandable the excitement she felt when she got an email about a new endeavor her Aunt Julie was undertaking...you will just have to check it out for yourself:

Stories From the Tree

I am sure Aunt Julie would love your comments!

A Little Slice

Youth Activities with our church definitely play a role in our lives each week...thought I'd give you "A LITTLE SLICE" as to what they have consisted of lately:

Six mile hike with the YW

Ping-pong, pizza and planning with the Priests

The making of lasagnas with the Activity Day girls for a recognition dinner with parents coming up soon

A rappelling prep activity to get ready to head out on the rocks with the YW

A Futsol (indoor soccer) tourney with the YW and YM

First aid training night with the YW

Cleaning assignment at the church granary with the YM and their dads

HAVE TO SAY IT GETS A LITTLE BUSY BUT WE STILL HAVE FUN!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

As we were walking down the street in the middle of a cold and windy rain storm (we had an umbrella, I just hadn't realized how cold it was until after we left)to pick up Junior's from a friend's house, Queen Bubs exclaims "This must be a super-lion today!"  Took me a second...then I got it.  Once March rolls around, preschools everywhere teach the ancient truth:  "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb!"  Trouble around here (and just about everywhere) the lion doesn't seem to want to leave...hopefully those April showers finish up so we can get the May flowers planted (another little truth I gleaned from Joy School in 1977)!

April 2011 Top Ten...Remember, there is no meaning to the order...

1.A. Guess who is the new seventh grade vice president at the Junior High? Yep our very own Giada!  Have to say her portfolio she had to put together rocked (it might even get its very own post) and she walked out of her interview with the current SBO officers and told her momma, "I think I nailed it!" And guess what?  She did.  Way to go Giada!

1B.  Easter...It was a special time to reflect on the Resurrection of our Savior  and we also enjoyed Grandma and Grandpa's traditional egg hunt.

1.C.  Yep, we really did wake up at 1:55 AM watched whole thing!  Nana and Auntie  Natalie joined us at Nana's house for the festivities.  Senior and Junior enjoyed having the house to themselves!

1.D.  Chocho and Bernina enjoyed a Bobbi Brown makeover at Nordies with Auntie Natalie, courtesy of Auntie Missa!

2.  Ninth Grade is almost over...Bernina was honored at the Eagle Evening of Excellence!  Also a chance to grab some photos of some of her cute friends.  

3.  Matching Easter outfits!  Some years it happens, some years it doesn't...Some years I get a photo of it, some years I don't.  This year they both happened!

4. Traditional Egg Roll with the Hansen's...we seem to make just about everything competitive...even Easter!  

5. Celebrated Queen Bubs 5th birthday in style with a Barbie cake!  Her birthday date was with Mom and Dad at good ole Chuck-A-Rama!

6.  Celebrated Bernina's 15th birthday! For her birthday date she headed to see The King's Speech and then dinner at Ruth's Diner (which happens to be the restaurant that Chocho's parents and Senior's parents first met soon after the "proposal" way back when).

7.  Queen Bubs was a mouse in her preschool play...what a cute mouse!

8. Sunday morning pretend primary with Sister Slick.  They made the shield representing the Armor of God. 

9. Lec/Dem CDT at an elementary school in Daybreak. Again, they danced their hearts out!

10. Spring.Break.St.George.We.Love.It.Seriously!