Go Jazz!

For the past few years, Mike's company gets to have a kid's basketball clinic with a Jazz player. This year, they were lucky to be on the actual Delta Center court! (I know it's a different name now, but it will always be the Delta Center to me)
Mike spent FHE with the kids teaching them some basics so they would be prepared for the big day. They had a great time and didn't want to stop playing bball with their Dad!

They started with some warm-ups. Amanda is in the black pants with pink stripes, Sydney is right next to her in the brown pants. (Brandon was too young to participate, but did get a shirt, picture and autograph from CJ).

Their Jazz player was CJ Miles and Mike said he was really cute with the kids. (I had to miss it because I was teaching). Amanda got a high five from CJ because she's left-handed like him!

Amanda Dribbling....

Sydney waiting her turn to try a lay-up...Sydney had a killer cold, but still wanted to go. She did great!Look at little Syd under that TALL basket!Sydney doing more drills (she's on the left with her back to us). Amanda's lay-up attempt

Sydney's free-throw. She said there is a nail on the floor that the players line up to shoot the basket and CJ showed it to the kids.

Amanda's free-throw attempt

That was fun!

Picture Time!

Brandon got to have his picture taken!

Our cute kiddos on a NBA Basketball Court! Thanks, Baileys!

A Joyful Noise!

I had my annual (sometimes semi-) piano recital on Friday night.

l to r: Morgan, Keturah, Amanda, Dillon, Casey, Nick, Suzie, Sam, Alaina, Nate, Steph and Missy in front.

Usually, I try to have it at the library so the kids can play on a baby grand, but this year I couldn't get there to get it reserved. It was much easier to do it at the church....and so I did. Having at the church also meant I could serve refreshments and gave me time to visit with my student's parents. The library charges more $$ if you bring food.

Another thing I tried this year was dividing my students into 2 groups for 2 separate recitals. This worked out nicely. Each recital was shorter and the room wasn't too crowded. All my students were ready, but some suffered from nerves and struggled a little. It was really neat to see their determination in getting through their performance and they played beautifully!

l to r: Braydon, Maddy, Lindsey, Sydnie, Matt, Preston, Allie, Rachel & me (my Sydney as well as Dallin, Marissa, & Megan Barlow missed the picture)

I didn't have too many beginning students this year. So it was really fun to see how each student had improved in the past year.

I'm a foodie!

As I was making spaghetti and breadsticks the other night

(Daddy was gone, so it was psaghetti night), I started to think about how far I have come in the cooking dept.

Not the spaghetti, mind you, but the homemade breadsticks are illustrating my point.

I told this story to my Beehives last week as I was teaching a lesson on

sharing work in the home.

When Mike & I were first married, our main dinner every night was baked potatoes. We would also go out a lot (my favorite dinner still is going out). I remember distinctly the day that Mikey asked me if we could maybe have some meat in our dinners!

To tell you the truth, it never crossed my mind!

I didn't learn how to cook before I got married. I could bake. I make killer cookies.

But, not real, nourishing food. My cute Mom told me once that she was sorry she didn't teach me to cook.

No worries, Mom.

I could have asked.

I have been able to take a little food journey for the past little while and I'm really enjoying it! I'm obsessed with Food Network.

I read food blogs constantly.

I'm always looking for something new to try.

I dream about 'plating' food so that my family goes, 'Ooooo, Ahhhh'

Ok, not really. But it's nice to feel appreciated!

I have made a very strong effort to make dinner every night. I also explore different recipes. Some work, some don't.

But, I do feel we are getting some family favorites.

The most fun has been how interested the kids are in helping me!

Whenever they ask, I make sure to let them help me with everything, even though it can make a mess. Sometimes, I enlisted their help. Like the other night.....

The other night, I was busy teaching piano (as usual). We were having spaghetti-like I said, Mike was gone. He doesn't like spaghetti, so it's not on the menu when he's around.

I wanted to have homemade breadsticks. So, I called in the girls.

I told them that they needed to make the breadsticks for dinner. I gave brief instructions and then went back to teaching. After a few questions, they were able to make the dough and get it ready to rise for an hour and a half.

When the dough was ready, I told them how to make the breadsticks and get them on the baking sheet. They even brushed them with melted butter and sprinkled parmesean cheese over the top. They smelled so great baking and they tasted even better.

The girls did great! I'm also liking the confidence they are building. It's so fun to have them in the kitchen with me. Especially when we all wear our aprons.

Brandon loves to help me, too.

I think that it will help them to appreciate all the work that goes into making meals. I can also send them off into the big world knowing that they will have a few recipes under their cooking belts (or under their cute aprons!).

Cute kiddos!

The other night, Mike put his ski helmet and goggles on Brandon. He loved it and ended up wearing for hours and also the next day!

Sydney also wanted her picture taken. Hi Syd!

A cheesy dinner!

Last weekend, we decided to use our gift cards from our generous grandparents and go to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It was Valentine's Day weekend, but we thought if we went early enough we wouldn't have to wait long.

Wrong!

We arrived at 3pm and had an hour and a half wait! We waited, of course, because we had driven 30 minutes to dine there.

We walked through the mall and Mike & the kids got some new things.

We had a great dinner and enjoyed each other's company. While we were waiting for cheesecake, Sydney decided to entertain us. She put her napkin in her headband and started to dance in her seat. Her antics ended up cracking all of us up!

Amanda tried so hard not to laugh, but Sydney won out!

Amanda's 5th grade program

Our girl in green!

Last week, Amanda and the 5th grade put on their annual program. I have to say that I really enjoyed this program! The songs were great and the performances were really cute. Amanda told me that I would cry during a certain part. They sang a patriotic song and then asked anyone who served in the military or had any family members who have served or are serving stand. I was excited to be able to stand on behalf of my brother, Evan, who is currently in the Air Force. As the audience was applauding, the waterworks started. Luckily, I was standing next to my friend, Melanie, who's father served in Vietnam and she was crying, too!

Amanda had two speaking parts.

Amanda did a few of the props. She made this poster which they used during a song about the Underground Railroad.

Amanda with some of her friends, Maddy, Allison and Liz

With Daddy and Bubba

The rest of the group....Liz, Susie, Maddy and Hanalee
Great job, Amanda!

We are proud of you!

Happy Birthday, Max!

Max turned one on Friday!

The kids were so excited!

We fed him tuna for breakfast for his special treat!

Happy Birthday, boy!

Nuturing Update

It's getting harder!

I think our whole household is PMSing.

However, I am keeping my goal in mind about nuturing our children more.

But, today I am working on nuturing myself.

Something I hadn't thought about before.

I woke up in a funk....bad mood.....luckily, Mike is on a golf trip with his buddies to St. George. He won't have to deal with me.

The kids are not lucky to be stuck with me and so I am trying extra hard to be kind.

So far, so good.

Earlier, as I was drying Amanda's hair and she was missing the bus, I was thinking to myself, I missed my 5:30am weight class...what am I going to do for me today? As I was driving Amanda to school (she was mad because I made her miss the bus by doing her hair and finishing her jobs), I was vacillating between doing no exercise, doing weights on my own, going for a walk later tonight (putting it off), doing a exercise dvd or getting on my treadmill, I was about to give up. Doing nothing was sounding so good!

This whole week in my constant battle with my weight, I have been working out really hard. Running, stair machine, weight class, spin class....it's what has gotten me through this week!

Thank goodness

I talked myself into getting on the treadmill! (This is not me, don't be confused-ha, ha:)

I think it may have saved my day! I struggled so hard getting through the first 2 miles, but once I found a groove, I went 5!

A new personal record!

Running and spinning

have become more of a mental savior for me

I have had a lot of stress in the past year

Really, who hasn't

But finally I am doing better at making sure I am

Happy

and mentally sound

I decided to blog about this today to remind me....on those days like today....what I can do to nuture myself. Everyone wins in the end when Mommy does this first. I do have a goal to get outside and run. I know it's harder than my treadmill.

But, we'll just take one goal at a time!

Personal progress?

I am earning my Young Womanhood Recognition Award again.

Our YW President challenged us to work on it and inspire the girls.

Luckily, the requirements are shortened a bit for leaders and mothers (did you know you could earn it again with your daughter?). I'm sure it's because as wives and mothers we already do a lot of what is required for the young women.

So, I was working on this last night.
One of the value experiences in Divine Nature talks about discussing with your mother or leader some attributes that would be useful as a mother.
Also, reading "The Family Proclamation" and read 2 conference talks that were geared to women. After doing all these things,
then you pick an attribute to work on for two weeks.

After thinking awhile, I decided to work on nuturing. Being so busy, especially right when my girls get home from school (teaching piano lessons), I felt I could make an extra effort on strengthening their spirits through love.

Seriously....


Today, is President's Day. The girls are home from school.
I think that Heavenly Father decided to really put me to the test.
There have been tears since 9am from one or all of the kids.

In an effort to get piano done earlier, I tried to schedule my students in the morning. But, due to some crazy schedules, I ended up teaching
all day long
here and there.
The laundry is piled up to the ceiling, as well as the ironing. Breakfast dishes are still in the sink and my bed is not made (because I haven't cleaned up the dog hair yet-see my last post).

In the midst of the housework and children fighting chaos,
I tried to teach Sydney on the piano and remembering that I'm working on nurturing, had to really work at encouraging her even though she wanted to give up and was flinging her body around as she was having a fit (I'm sure in an attempt to have me let her leave the piano).

Then, my sweet daughter, Amanda,
was trying to get me to help her with charging her iPod.
When I couldn't quickly solve the problem, I was tempted to have her wait until the all-knowing Daddy got home to save the day.
But, remembering my goal, I left all my chores behind and 'googled' many a website trying to fix her iPod.
Mission accomplished.
But, when she went to find her new cd's that she got for Christmas so I could download them to her iPod, our next moment came roaring full steam ahead.

Friend problems.
A certain friend who broke the cd cases and misplaced the cd's. I went downstairs to 'nurture' my daughter through this problem and she was so upset her nose started bleeding.....really, really bleeding.....

And, then phone calls with the insurance people, repair shop and car rental place trying to get my car fixed.

I needed to take a five minute break.....which is what brought me here.

I really wanted to document my first day of increased nurturing...and even as I do so, Brandon is begging me to come see what he did on the game he's playing on the Wii....

Ok, I went and looked.
He turned a stormtrooper from the Star Wars game red instead of white.
Cool!

I am so grateful for these amazing spirits that have come to
Michael and me.
I realize I can do so much more for them. I really thought that my nurturing experiment would have consisted of reading books together, maybe doing some crafts or teaching the girls piano, or having some nice one-on-one chats with each child. Maybe it will be more of me patiently helping them through the hard stuff.

Stay tuned!

Love the dog...don't love the hair...

Since the weather turned chilly, big Max gets to sleep inside. He has a specified spot...on an old towel next to the chaise on Mike's side of the bed. He does really well and we can tell he appreciates and prefers the nice, warm bed as opposed to the freezing patio. The dog has a dog house...he's scared to go inside.

Can you imagine? This big, scary, intimidating doggy is scared of the dark?

So, now I have a hair removal routine every morning. These are my tools of the trade. First I take the old towel outside and give it a shaky, shaky, shake. Then, it goes into the garage where it will wait until all the old towels are ready to go in the wash. Then, I do a quick wash with them, fold them, and leave them on the laundry floor until they are ready for use.

Next, I use the vacuum without the power head to remove all stray hair from the chaise, blankets, bedspread, pillows, and bedskirt. Then, I use the lint roller on the kids. See, they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the dog and HUG and HUG and HUG the dog. BLAHHHHHHHHH. Then, I vacuum our entire bedroom and hall. Only then, do I feel like I can make the bed. It gets a little old, but it's worth it because we love the dog.....

C.R.U.N.C.H.

Mike & I love our cars. However, we haven't had the best of luck, lately. Last year, they each were both in the shop multiple times for leaks, etc. This year, it seems we are going to be in the shop for body repairs!

Crunch #1 happened to Mike's car at church. A newbie driver backed into his car. (about $1000 to repair!) I'm going to sound old now, but 'gotta love those teen-agers.' A whole slew of 16 year old whippersnappers in our ward will be getting their coveted drivers licenses this year.
Be on the look-out!

Crunch #2 happened to me today. While sitting in the left-hand turn lane waiting to get on the freeway, a gal in a Ford F350 with a lift-rear-ended me! Nice. (Estimated $2800 to repair!)It doesn't look that bad unless I point a few things out. The hatch won't open. The right side of the bumper is jammed in against the car. There are some slight puncture wounds in the hatch and in the bumper. The truck who hit me lost her front license plate! Not a fun way to start the day. I was just glad that none of the kids were with me. Now the dealing with the awful insurance company begins.

Anyone have a spare rabbit's foot or two?