First day...

All our kids have officially started school.  That means for the first time in 15 years I am home by myself for 6 hours every day! Wow.  I never thought this day would come!  I sobbed like a baby all the way home from dropping off Kurt at school.  But of course he loves kindergarten and his new teacher and friends and recess and music and art and on and on.  He loves it.  My kids are growing up.  Dang it. How do I slow this process down?  Look at Nathan's feet.  He and Derek have this thing where they stand on their tip toes at the last second to try to look much taller than the other.  They are both on their tip toes for this one.

 Here is Kurt with his AWESOME teacher Mrs. Ally.

 Bring out legos and Kurt is a happy boy.  Insta-happy.

 Here's my high school sophomore getting ready to go to the football game and dance.  My baby's all grown up and savin China...can anyone name that movie??

Happy Birthday

This is one of my new favorite music videos-  Thanks to my sister Tess for showing me!!!!  Happy Birthday to Michael Jackson today!  This is a video worth watching:)

Tribute to my piano students

We recently had our spring piano recital!  It was lots of fun and the kids worked really hard on their songs.  I won't be teaching next year so I am really going to miss all my sweet piano students.  They are the best!  Miss you guys:)  Of course I still have my own kids to teach and this year we will get more practicing in.  Right guys?

 

 

 

 

Aren't they beautiful.

Arrow of Light ceremony

 

 

 

Derek and his best friend Nate got their Arrow of Light awards and did their cubscout crossing over ceremony last week.  Yay for my webelos!  For those who don't have cubscouts, the arrow of light award is like the Eagle Scout Award for cubs.  Quite an honor.  You can tell by Derek's face that he's taking this all very seriously.  Yeah that's me in charge back there in my scout shirt. When my webelos cross over I choose a theme song for them to walk across the bridge to.  So we've done Star Wars and Rocky in the past, but this occasion called for something special.  Beat It!

 

Easter Lambs

Every Easter the kids get a new lamb in their basket to symbolize following Jesus Christ.  On the couch is our growing flock:)  Kurt was crying because his lamb was so funny looking (the round one on the left), so Derek thinking it was the best one because it was so funny gladly switched, but then Nathan came down and really wanted the funny lamb shaped like a ball so Derek gave it to him.  They were being so funny about it!  And by the end Kurt wanted it back! We had a beautiful Easter spent with family and the weather the day before at the egg hunt was perfect! 

Anne of Green Gables

One of my favorite characters of all time is Anne Shirley.  For the past week in the car I've listened to nothing but Anne of Green Gables and I just love her.  We finished the book on cd yesterday and I kind of want to start it all over again.  Since her birthday is in March we have a Green Gables movie marathon during spring break.  Even the boys loved it last year (though they probably wouldn't admit it)...and they did moan and groan every time we got in the car and tuned in to the next chapter, but Lauren and I were in heaven...and Nicole when she was with us.  Can't wait til Spring Break!!! 

 Love you Anne with an e. 

“Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?But am I talking too much? People are always telling me I do. Would you rather I didn't talk? If you say so I'll stop. I can STOP when I make up my mind to it, although it's difficult.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

 

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

“It is ever so much easier to be good if your clothes are fashionable.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

“They keep coming up new all the time - things to perplex you, you know. You settle one question and there's another right after. There are so many things to be thought over and decided when you're beginning to grow up. It keeps me busy all the time thinking them over and deciding what's right. It's a serious thing to grow up, isn't it, Marilla?”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

My favorite sister missionary!

One of my very special girls from Young Womens is now in the MTC getting ready to head out into the mission field.  I love Hannah Moore!  This is us a couple weeks ago at the Portland temple.

 

Here we are at girls camp in 2006

Merry Christmas!

This year in an effort to make my life a bit simpler, I have decided to be lame and not send out a Christmas card.   I know, I know...a blog post is not the same and won't even reach many aunts and uncles and long time friends, but some little extras this season just didn't happen.  I am loving getting family and friends cards in the mail.  They are all up on the fridge and every time I see them I smile and think 'maybe I should send out cards'.  But this year it is just not happening.  Over the last few years (since being out of the baby phase around our house) I've felt like I was in a pretty set routine.  Now that Nicole is in high school, my sweet little routine just went out the window.  Now I get up at 5am and get her to seminary.  Then take my other 3 to school, then take Kurt to preschool.  Then pick up Kurt, then pick up my other 3.  Then teach piano then pick up Nicole from play practice or basketball practice or games or choir rehearsal or scouts...uh wait that's Nathan in scouts then take Nathan to basketball etc.  And now that we live 15 minutes out of town I drive about that in whatever direction I'm headed.  By the end of the day I feel like I should go out to my mini-van and collect my cab fare.  But then I realize that I don't do it all for a tip at the end of the day.  And then I start to really ponder why do I do this?  Why do I run them here there and everywhere from 5am to 9pm?  Why don't I just tuck them all inside the house and selfishly keep them all for myself?  It's because Dave and I love them all so much that we want them to have all the new experiences that church and school and plays and piano and scouts and sports brings.  They are learning and growing in the gospel and in their testimonies and in confidence in themselves.  We can't give them all those experiences here inside the walls of our home.  Dang it.  And in a way that makes me feel sad that they are starting to need things that I can't give them.  What we can give them inside these walls is love, patience, good counsel and a listening ear.  I can also give them their own laundry baskets and a list of chores so they can learn to pick up after themselves.  No more wet towels on the floor please.  We're still working on that one.   So this year is one of change and growth.  For us all.  That is what this life is all about right?  Learning how to become our best selves.  Growing-Changing and eventually Becoming who we are meant to become.  Becoming our Potential.  I saw a quote today that said "Life is a Happy Adventure".   So that is what I am looking forward to in the years to come.  Our family is growing, changing and becoming something new and it is my job as a mother to make sure that we are as happy as we can be while we have this adventure called Life together.  Here is the card that we would have sent out to you all.  We love you and merry Christmas!

Meeting Michael Mclean

Last weekend my parents took Nicole, Dave and I along with my brothers and their wives to The Forgotten Carols with Michael Mclean.  We weren't expecting to meet him after the show, but it was a great finishing touch to a really great evening.

And what's up with Nicole meeting Carmen Rasmusen a couple weeks ago??? Knock it off:)

MJ

Those who know me know that I am a big MJ fan.   My sister in law (and neighbor) Liane put on an awesome Halloween party.  This year I was Michael Jackson and Dave was...eh....ummm...a thriller monster guy?

Beat it baby.  Michael lives:)

Time machine

Last weekend Dave and I took a short trip to Washington for a business dinner. On the way we stopped in Auburn where I grew up from age 0-12. It was the first time I'd been back in 20 years and the first time Dave got to see the house I grew up in and my old elementary school. The school was brand new when I started kindergarten in 1981. I think it opened in 1980. It was so awesome to be back in the school. My old P.E. teacher and basketball coach was still working there after 30 years! Ms. Jennings. And the old murals that were painted on the hallways brought back such memories and a few happy tears. Cafeteria smelled the same:)

 My favorite recess activities-box hockey and the ring bars.

Here's the old house.  My Dad planted those trees behind me when they were just little things.  We use to have a basketball hoop by that telephone pole to the left.  Many hours spent on that hoop.

 

Back in 1984-ish.  My Dad getting ready to mow and my little brother Brigham

and little sister Jandi hangin out in the front yard.  The good old days.

total concentration

You know when a little kid is completely focused on something important to them?  So focused that their tongue sticks out and slowly moves in rhythm with their concentration?  For example...when they are drawing, or coloring or......................playing a really intense Star Wars video game!!!  I know, I know, it's probably not a good parent of me to giggle at Kurt during his Jedi focus, but I could not resist getting a little video. 

Lauren's Baptism

 Lauren was baptized on her birthday this past Saturday.  Thank you to all the family that was able to come and be here with us!  Lauren wanted to go to the Portland temple after her baptism and to the church bookstore.  It was a wonderful day:)