Favorite Day of the Year

I love Mother's Day! My family does such a great job of pampering me and showing me how much they love me. It is always a very rewarding and happy day. I helped it become this way early on by telling Mike and the kids what a perfect Mothers Day for me would consist of, and they've done a great job of making it happen every year. Usually the day starts off by Mike cooking a big breakfast consisting of hashbrowns, bacon, eggs, and orange rolls. The three years he was bishop, he cancelled his morning meetings so he could still do that for me. This year however, just being a counselor, he wasn't in the position to do that (shouldn't every Bishop cancel morning meetings on Mother's day anyway?) so before he left for his 8:30 meeting, he set up a nice place setting for me with my favorite cereal, bread for toast and OJ- using our nicest china and goblets (he had been willing to make the big breakfast and have me reheat it, but I wouldn't let him). We visited the Weyerts after he got home church, then we had the Ericksons, Skeens, Searles, Hatchs, Petersens and Bundys over for dinner and kickball at the park. I didn't lift a finger to prepare or cleanup any part of the party or food. Everyone was assigned something to bring, and Mike and the girls did the rest. We had great food, good visiting, and a competitive and fun kickball game. After everyone left, we opened presents (which all included a very nice note from each of the kids- including Brody, and Mike. . . this is my very favorite part of the day, and it's all I really want in the form of gifts, but if they must give me actual presents, I'm not going to be rude about not accepting them. Haha) The day ended with a great episode of LOST from last Wednesday night that I watched with Kylee and Brody since they had been unable to watch it until now. I'm so glad I could spend time with my Mom, my mom-in-law, all my kids, and many extended family on this most fun day.

Should someone tell Mike it's easier to kick the ball with your foot instead of your knee? Haha

"Looking" through the years

Cam's double header baseball games have been rained out the last two Saturdays, so we've found ourselves with some unexpected time on our hands. Since Mike, Jessica and Jake have recently gotten new eye glasses, I thought it would be fun to dig out everyone's old eye glasses and see the improvements. No ones were more drastic than Mike's. But then no-one's been wearing glasses for the last 20 years. I cannot believe that these hideous spectacles were the style back in the day, but I promise they were! Mike was a good sport to put them on and sit there while me and Jessica were rolling on the ground laughing and trying to hold still long enough to take the picture.

It's hard to imagine that we'll ever be rolling on the ground laughing at these awesome looking glasses, but I'm sure it will happen. Next is me. Since I got this first pair of happening glasses when I was in the 4th grade, and got contacts in the 8th grade, I only have my first pair and my current pair to show since I went about 20 years with no eye glasses. I don't wear these current ones much, since I can see much better with my contacts, but it's still nice to have them.

Sadly, we didn't save Jessica's first pair of glasses she wore before getting contacts. Just this pair she had for a back up, and the new current cute pair. She likes to wear the new ones some days just for fun, and if they match her outfit. Haha

Jake got glasses in the third grade, tried contacts in the 6th grade, and has decided he now needs glasses only badly enough when he drives or watches a movie. Contacts didn't agree with him, so he's saving his month for lasix eye surgery someday.

Cam got this cute pair of glasses in the 3rd or 4th grade, and contacts in the 5th grade which he wears everyday. He only wears these glasses very occassionally.

I hope you've enjoyed this tour through the years of our evolving styling eyeglasses. I'm sure most of you have your own you could do a fashion show with as well.

WICKED X 3

For my third time in a year, I attended the musical WICKED- this time in SLC. I love it so much! It was so much fun to go with three of my sisters, my daughters, and 4 nieces. I thought my idea (sorta stolen from the Lake's) for us all to wear green and black was a fun one. We got lots of comments and stares. Especially me with my long green gloves. We had a great time together. It was especially exciting to those who hadn't seen it before (everyone but me, Ky, Jess and Von). I had a dream about going the night before we went, and still can't get the music out of my head three days later. I guess listening to the soundtrack everyday isn't helping. It's not a bad problem to have, so I'll keep it up until I get really sick of it! I'm thankful I was able to get tickets through my friend Denise who has season tickets to the capital theatre. I'm glad Carol's pneumonia that came on that night once we got home didn't come one day earlier or else she would have been home in bed and missed out! Get well soon Carol.

Mt. Everest

I just added to my list of Blogs I Follow, one called "The Seventh Summit." It's a blog a friend in our ward is doing for her husband who at this very moment is at base camp on Mt. Everest- preparing to summit it in the next few weeks. I know many of you would enjoy reading about his experiences, and seeing the beautiful pictures he's emailing his family. Be sure and start at the beginning of her blog where it tells about his climbing experiences. He really is amazing, and it's been fun to be in the same ward as them for the past 6 years and hear about his adventures. He was our home teacher for a few years, and that's what we would spend all the time doing when he came to visit each month- talking about his latest or upcoming climb. And, as a shout out to Janet, his wife--- that's what I call being a supportive wife of your husbands dreams. Wow- she should get as much recognition to his accomplishments as him! Don't you agree?

Home Tour

This past December marked the longest amount of time we've lived in one home- that amount of time being 6 years and 4 months. Second longest was our home in Mesa, and third longest was the home before this one where we lived for 5 years. We're not sure yet how long we'll be here, since this isn't my dream home, but we've been very happy here, we love our neighbors and ward, so who knows. These first few pictures are rooms on the main floor. This is our guest room.

Boys bathroom

Master Bedroom

Kitchen

Living Room

Cam's room (also upstairs but not pictured is a laundry room and master bathroom).

Downstairs: Game room

Family Room

Jessica's room

Jessica's bathroom

Jake's room

Sewing room

Computer room (also downstairs is a nice sized storage room).

Giving In

For as long as I can remember, I have been saying no- most emphatically- over most of my mom years to our kids BEGGING for a dog. No way, no how. However, I've felt myself beginning to soften towards the idea, and after seeing our friends Dachshund 1 week old puppies, I've decided to cave, and allow a dog to join our family (in 7-8 weeks when she's old enough). I know it's a miracle as far as those of you who know me well are concerned, but I can't be a mean ole mom forever can I? We told the kids today, and you'd think we just announced that we'd won the lottery! We need help with a name. Any ideas?

Random Things

We have been busy lately doing a few different activities, so I thought I would share some of what's been happening. Jake participated this past weekend in a Lacrosse tournament in South Jordan. He played 9 games in three days! (and had to miss two days of school. Make-up work is a bummer.) Sadly the weather was less than desirable, so that made for some miserably cold games. Luckily whimpy parents like me could see the games from our cars. Speaking of less than desirable weather, we have sure had some crazy weather the past few weeks. Three weeks ago, on Monday, we got a foot of snow. It was cold all week, and it stayed around. The next week, it warmed up nicely, most of the snow melted, and by that Saturday, we enjoyed a lovely 70 degree day. Mike got all 7 of our bikes out and tuned up thinking we'd be riding them before long. Infact, he went for a nice bike ride that day instead of spinning indoors. Mike helped Cam and his friends put up our trampoline. We were sure spring was on the way. But no. Two days later, we had 3-4" of snow on the ground, followed by another 3-4" two days later, 4-5" the day after that, AND, 8-9" this morning. AHHHH! It's so hard to take after being teased with that one warm week. Oh well, spring is here, April is just around the corner, and I know we're done with the worst of snow until next winter. It sure made the skiers and snowboarders happy.

Lastly, an update on my dental problems. The tooth actually isn't fractured as I reported in my "injuries/crashes" post. I decided to have surgery done on my sore tooth, and while I was at it (since I was going to be asleep) why not have my top two wisdom teeth pulled that I should have had done 25 years ago? I thought it was a great plan. And I was right! (could I just say that going to sleep- a first for me- is the greatest thing ever. I think that should happen for any medical procedure) I had no problems at all from the surgery, which happened a little over a week ago- and I lost 3 pounds in three days! See, there are positives to teeth pain! Hopefully this surgery will take care of my toothache, and we won't have to go to plan B which is pulling the tooth and an implant. Time will tell.