Amanda's state fair!

Amanda's state was Tennesse! This was their program which was darling. It included Miley Cyrus' song, "Party in the USA" Amanda's part was "Groovy Baby!"

Here is Amanda's quadarama (I'm sure I didn't get that word right). She had to design this 3-D model explaining her state (which was Tennessee). She was very creative! Amanda's teacher, Mrs. Duke and the other 5th grade teachers made this really fun. It was a great State Fair!

Amanda's first soccer game was the week before spring break. It was sooooo cold! I had Sydney & Brandon stay home so I wouldn't have to hear the whine about how cold they were. Smart move. I was freezing and wanted to whine to someone!!! Mike was out of town, so he promised her for every goal she made, he would pay her $20! Enough motivation for her....she made two!

I love the contrast of this picture. Our cute girl in her soccer gear wearing her ballet Nutcracker jacket!

Sydney's little creation from school.....she was the photog

Max's first haircut. Boy....does he shed! (I don't know what those funny white marks are on his face...might have been taken through the window).

Snowy Funeral

On Wednesday, Mike, Sydney and I attended Mike's uncle Jack's funeral. We didn't know Jack all that well, so it was nice to hear people talk about him. Mike's Dad, Jim, conducted the meeting. At the end of the service, Jim bore his testimony and it was very powerful and moving. Most of the people there were not active in the Church. Jim reminded them of the sacrifices that their grandparents made to come to America and specifically to Utah so that their posterity could be close to the church. He told them they needed to do more with their Faith. Of course, we wondered if anyone would be offended, but soon the Spirit told us that he was doing the right thing. I know his powerful testimony touched more than just Mike & I.

When we went to the graveside, there was this lone bagpiper playing out in the blowing snow. I'm at a loss for words (strange, I know) on how to describe that. It was just really cool. We also let balloons off into the snow drenched sky. It was neat to see how the balloons stood out against the clouds. They moved in slow motion. I'm sure most of them got so weighed down by the falling snow that they themselves fell.

Afterward, we went to Mimi's for lunch. Matt, Alisa, Kelsey, Jimmy and Mike, Syd and I sat together at a table separated from the others. It was nice, though, to be able to sit and chat with our family. Dad Jim had talked about making excuses for getting together, instead of excuses for not getting together. I know he meant it for the members of his extended family, but it works for our families, too. Families are important. I think when a family member dies, we reassess our relationships. It makes us want to do better and that is the blessing in disguise.

We scream for ice cream!

Last year I misunderstood Mike. I thought he said our ice cream maker was broken and so I threw it away! We don't make homemade ice cream that often, but we sure love it! So, when we were at the kitchen store last week, we noticed this beauty on sale! Combined with a 10% off coupon, we picked up a new, fiery-red ice cream maker! Yea! (With matching ice cream scoop that Mike spotted).

So, this ice cream maker is quiet and does many things including making slushies and sorbet. You stick the bowl in the freezer to get it super cold (takes like 24 hours). Then, when you are ready...pull it out, pour in the ingredients and watch it go!

It's so quiet! We had yummy ice cream in 20 minutes!

No salt or ice needed!

Here are Sydney and her bff, Abby. We made our first ice cream on the same night they were having a 'late night'. Par-tay.
And wa-la! Put in some crushed oreos during the last 5 minutes and we had yummy homemade cookies and cream ice cream! We likey our new ice cream maker!

Here's how we spent April Fools Day.....

No Foolin'!

Springtime in Utah....gotta love it!

We can make Sushi!!!

After reading a post from my friend, Sarah, about her sushi making experience...I knew what I wanted to do for our 18th wedding anniversary! Go to a Sushi making class at Sur La Table! Our anniversary was on the 12th. We went to dinner (sushi) and shipped the kids off to my parent's for an overnighter and spent the evening in a quiet house watching the NCAA tourney....romantic, huh! Next morning, we went to the gym together and then down to pick-up the kids.....

Sushi is what Mike & I love to eat now when we have a choice. Amazingly enough, our kids love sushi, too! I'm not sure this is a good thing. Then we have to share! It's not like sushi is a cheap thing. But, we do love that our kids have some extreme tastes. Amanda can eat a whole roll by herself. Brandon chows it down. Sydney will alway eat one or two pieces.

I called up Elise Jensen to see if she and Darin wanted to come along. They are our sushi friends. When we need a sushi fix, we call each other.

It was so much fun! Even thought I did feel quilty as I dragged him across the Gateway into this kitchen store, when we could have just walked a little farther to the east and been at the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney. Had I known Salt Lake was hosting, I probably would have bought tickets for that instead of this cooking class. Sorry, babe!

Anyway, I think Mike should have been a chef. He was making great rolls and then plating them. I just sent my over to the chef to cut and plate it up. He spent some time chatting with the chef and his assistants asking them how long it took to get where they are. It was a good outlet for his creative side! He's a chef trapped in an accountant's body! He was a maverick, too, because he did an inside-out roll while the rest of us were doing an outside in....I can't remember all the names!

He and Darin were having some competition. Here's Mike's rainbow roll. The sad thing was that we ran out of vegi's, etc and so the rolls got kind of boring after a bit. We had about 20 people in our class.

This is one of my good rolls.....

As I was making my leftover roll....all there was left was fish and rice....I went to cut it and sliced my finger a bit. This, of course, after the chef said don't cut yourself. So, I got a little band-aid and Mikey was good enough to cut and plate my leftover roll.

Elise with one of the knives....see why I cut myself? I kept feeling like we were in the movie, 'Hitch' where they go to the cooking class.....the set-up was pretty similair. You would think the best part would have been eating the sushi, but to tell you the truth....it wasn't! Rookies just don't know how to put the flavors together. We will still just eat out for our sushi.

Anyway, we had a great time! So glad that the Jensen's joined us! Elise & I want to grab some gals and do another class....they have a ton...and it was tons of fun!!!

Gibby Easter Egg Hunt

Some of the Gibby cousins...Aidan, Zach, Ari, B, Manda, Garrett, Syd & Kate
It's the annual Gibson Easter egg hunt. Thanks to Dan & Stacie for all your work to bring this together. We had it a little early, but we got to spend Issac's birthday with him!

Little cuties...Issac checking out Makayla's Easter bucket

B and his baby blues!

Mikey, Amanda & Sydney

Brandon filling up his basket fast!

Now it's the big girls turn.....Amanda is good at getting the high eggs!

Sydney's haul

The par-tay

Quiet....baking in session

On Saturday, I decided to bake some cookies. I wanted to give some to my Beehives on Sunday. Then, I also wanted to take some to my family Easter egg hunt. So, I started baking.

Then, Amanda came in and wanted to use cupcake maker kit that she received as a bday present. So, she started baking.
Then, Sydney came in and wanted to use her cake making/decorating kit that she received as a Christmas gift. So, she started baking.

Then, Brandon came in and wanted to help me with the cookies!

We all donned our aprons and cooked away. It was a fun afternoon! And when all was said and done, my family got some cookies (that made up for the cake, right Rog?), but I didn't have enough for my Bees. We have almost 20 girls now? Anyway, I had run out of frosting and decided that the Bees would be fine without cookies......it's the thought that counts, right?

Friends in high places.....

Yesterday, Sydney came home from school and didn't say a word. She just giggled and giggled and giggled. I asked her what was up. She started digging in her backpack and proceeded to pull out a paper which stated that she was selected to have lunch with the Mayor this Friday! She's so cute. She got picked last year, too. But, she still so giddy about it!

We are proud of you, Sydney!

Addtion: I wanted to add what Sydney's teacher wrote about her and why she was picked. "She is a well-behaved, great student. She does her best at school and is friendly to others. She overcame her fear of giving her oral animal report in front of the class last week. Even though she was tearful and afraid, she showed bravery and a willingness to do something that was hard for her, even though I gave her the option of just reading her report to me alone. She did a great job! She is a wonderful young lady and I am happy to have her in my class!" Karen McKinnon - 2nd Grade

Random St. Paddy's...

An update on Sydney's report: She wasn't completely without drama, but she did deliver her report and did awesome! Brandon and I were able to go see her. We were so proud. We immediately texted Daddy and let him know she did it! At the beginning of the month, we took our YW to the General YW offices for a tour. We had 2 of the board members show us around, speak with the girls and then take us to Sis. Dalton's office where this picture was taken. They also got to go to the YW Board room, sit around the table and also say the YW Theme. A really fun night....so I wanted to post the picture of some of our girls in the General YW President's office.


Now-I was trying to make St. Patrick's Day at little more fun than I usually do. I had acquired beforehand some treats that the Leprechauns could leave our kids. However, on Tuesday night while Mike was flying home from Denver and Sydney & I were partying with the Arvy's at Litza's for dinner and later PTC for a play, Amanda found said stash and proceeded to eat (and share) the 'gold' (rolos) and Lucky Charms with Brandon. Well, needless to say, the Leprechauns didn't visit that night and our kids were a little bummed when they heard that the Leprechauns had visited Harwood's and Francis'. Taye and Zoe came with cool St. Paddy's necklaces and told us how they found green pee in the toliets. Oh well, maybe next year.


I did make dinner semi-fun though. I dyed the eggs green.

The girls in our house loved it.

The boys (which includes Daddy) not so much.

Brandon told me, 'I am NOT eating that' and I had to make him a boring, normal-colored egg.
Sydney made the shamrock toast!

Now, they don't really go with the green eggs, but I also made guac with chips and later



brownies with mint chocolate chip ice cream!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Shout-out to a great Daddy!

I just witnessed a very precious moment and I wanted to record it so that someday, Sydney will be able to look back and remember. Syd has to give an oral report tomorrow (Monday). They have been working on an animal report for about a month.

Friday, she came home and asked me if she could fake sick (this is our straight A student talking!) on Monday so she wouldn't have to give the report. This continued all weekend long. She is worried that she'll be so nervous that she'll break down and cry. This has happened to her in Primary for talks and prayers, but not recently. Even a couple of weeks ago, she played a memorized piano piece in the recital without a problem. But, this report (which she just reads aloud), is throwing off her groove.

The kids were in bed tonight, when we heard Amanda call for us saying Sydney was crying. Sydney was in the middle of a panic attack! I went in and started trying to calm her down. Then, my wonderful husband pulled her into our room and sat with her, dried her tears, talked about her 'world record' which comes from a video about Chad Hymas that Mike brought home to discuss this past week. (Really inspirational stuff) He calmed her fears.

For about ten minutes, I got to witness the tender care of a Daddy to his little girl.

He prayed with her and then tucked her into bed.

She was ready to go to sleep and could face her day tomorrow.

Luckily, I get to be there to see her give her report. Mike would be there, but has a plane to catch. But, I feel like he did more to support her tonight.

He gave her courage.