A Chocolate Cake Day

Click here to view the YW broadcast.

Makayla is viewed in the first hymn, "High on the Mountain Top".

There are no words to describe the beauty the Young Women portrayed in music and spirit.

Lica and Grandma and I drove up to the Conference Center to share this day with Makayla.

Be Strong and of Good Courage

Women of Faith

It was a Chocolate Cake Day!

Book Haven vs/ Real Life

It just kills me that I have to buy books in multiples simply to appease my little readers.  Haven’t our ‘sharing’ lessons taught them anything?

I know I have posted about our book addiction before, however, it is continuous, ridiculous, tiring and a good thing.

Disclaimer:  the kids do pay for half their books.

Our life is like a book – every thing we do has a beginning, middle and an end.

The Beginning:

This morning (Thursday 3/25) I woke up to this….

*Jarin:  "Guess what today is?" 

*My thoughts:  Hmm, I wonder?  He has been counting down for Fablehaven 5 for months.

*Makayla:  "Which store are you going to?  I bet Costco has the better deal?"

*My thoughts:  I don’t remember agreeing to this.

*Jarin:  "I know where you are going today!"  (big smile)

*My thoughts:  Oh great!  Now I have to do my hair.

After school….

Makayla gets in the car and looks around and says, “Where is it?”

Jarin walks through the door, tosses his coat and backpack into his locker totally missing the empty hooks and says, “Where’s my book?”

What happened to, “Hi Mom” ?

I guess that’s too much to expect for a mom that did her hair and make up just to run to Costco.

The Middle:  (actually - this occurs daily)

*reading

*reading

*reading

*forgetting to do chores

*giving friends the brush off

*no desire to practice piano

*forgetting to do chores

*reading under the covers with a flashlight after lights out

I think half the pretzels made it between the couch - I haven't dared look yet.

Even Oreo reads.

The Ending:

*lost book jackets

*back to reality – yes you have chores

*lost privileges

*searching for the next book

*scattered books everywhere!

Jarin's nook - listening library included.

This really isn't bad at all.

Leave it to Makayla - 

She is in the process of covering all of her paperback books in contact paper.

Yeah - I wish her joy and pleasure.

The real problem with this 'book haven vs/ real life' is that  I am not much different when I read - teeheehee.

Boys and Football

Jarin's Buddies!

This is what my backyard looks like at 4:00 after school.

12 or more boys gathered for some good ol' tackle football.

Other yards have banned tackle - I haven't yet (teeheehee).

They have learned to not come tromping through the house for drinks anymore - grrrr.  

There's a perfectly good water faucet right outside and it gets used A LOT. 

I really should have some home baked cookies for them next time.

It's even snowing!
I love our neighbor boys.

Temple Square

Temple Square in Salt Lake

After Makayla’s Young Women broadcast rehearsal, we spent the afternoon walking the grounds of Temple Square.  It was a perfect day to practice my photo taking skills….

Kids:  whine – complain – boo – groan

Me:  I’ll take you to the Lion House for dessert if you work with me.

Kids:  pause – pose – cheery

Dad:  eyebrows raised wondering where his wife went.

Yeah, yeah, I know.  I’m such a penny pincher.  Bribing the kids with dessert produced over 300 photos – so worth it!

I love Trevor's look and pose in every picture.

Wow! There are pennies in here!

Just FYI and mine too for when I am old and gray:

Kerri is in the brown and Rebekah is wearing the red shirt.

The Assembly Hall is my favorite building on Temple Square - it is beautiful.

This Gothic-style building was constructed by Latter-day Saint pioneers in 1877.

The original benches.

I could sit in here for hours.

I love the stained-glass windows.

We did end up buying the kids a club turkey sandwich at the Nauvoo Cafe ten minutes prior to the Joseph Smith showing in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (we didn’t have time to trek back to the car for our picnic lunch).  The kids were in heaven!

Trevor:  “Mom, you HAVE to get their recipe – it’s the best!”

Really?  A recipe for a sandwich or are you that hungry?  I think I need to work on my basic culinary skills a little more.

I Love to See the Temple

Can you believe that my teenage daughter is fishing for coins in the reflecting pool?

At least she is doing it for her sisters to throw back in.

I don't think Jarin knows there's a smooching couple behind him.

Of course our day cannot end without losing a child.  After throwing recycled pennies back into the reflecting pool, we headed to the Lion House.  It took us a good five + minutes to meander that way.  When we started counted heads, Kerri was missing.  Being practiced in losing kids (we’re such great parents – ahem), our search party dispersed in different directions.  The ‘Mom & Jarin’ team found a VERY upset Kerri near the reflecting pool.  Whew!  Poor girl.

We happily ate dessert while Dad emptied his wallet and took in relaxing breaths.  He ages about a year every time we lose someone.  That puts him a good 5 years older than he is – that’s only counting the really scary missing children episodes that I can remember.   Don’t like to remember those very often.

Not bad for a 'child-aged induced' man.

What a wonderful day!

Families Are Forever

I'm so glad.