Chapter 67: Hey MOM..............

Lainee "Hey Mom, (sniffle, sniffle) I accidently dropped my roly-poly."

Mom says with a sigh "The one I told you not to bring into the house?"

"Well yes, but it wasn't my fault!" she states as her voice goes higher with excitment, "I had it in my had and all I did was this..." to which she shows me how she flicked her wrist.

"Hummmmm" thought Mom, "well go back to where you think you lost it and look for the little bugger."

As Lainee turns to head back down the hall from whence she came, a shout from Mom stops her in her tracks.

"HOLD STILL" at this point Mom who just happened to be packing her camera for a weekend trip starts snapping pictures.

"I think your search is over Lainee!" Mom says with a chuckle.

Chapter 66: Feng-Shui Festival Flyers

Is it just me or has this school year just flown by!!!! One of my favorite things that they do at the end of the school year is the Dance Festival. Each grade is taught a different dance and even some of the Teachers get into the action as they perform for their parents. Zachary danced to a song about a frog (I can't remember the exact title, but I know it was definitely about a frog.) It was adorable, and I can't tell you how fun it is to watch them when they actually MOVE!!!! Kennadee did a rendition of the Virginia Reel and lucky for her, her partner was just as little as she is :) She did really great and looked like a pro out there. Bradley danced to a song that I hear many, many, many times a day it goes a little something like this: "There's a hundred and four days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it............." sounding a little familiar???? Of course you know Phineas and Ferb's theme song, who doesn't? I know this day of the school year will always be one of my FAVORITES!!!!







After the Festival I got rid of a couple of kids (Zac and Kennadee) and headed to meet Erin, Alesa, Cassie and baby Bridget at the Salt Lake Library, at this point in my story I would just like to announce that I did not get lost, I actually found the Library without the use of my GPS...........hold for applause........and Thank You!!! If you have never been to this Library you need to go, it makes me feel calm and I know my blood pressure goes down when I walk in and see all the books and all the chairs to go sit in and enjoy the books!!! The children's floor is incredible, it has little rooms that the kids can just go and play in as well as rooms to just sit and read or look at their books, it has a glass elevator which I think goes entirely to fast, but most people seem to enjoy it, and then on the rooftop there's a garden area with tables and chairs and an incredible view of the Salt Lake Valley, It was such a nice day outside and I literally could have sat there and read all day, but alas Kari and Landon were waiting at Paradise to have lunch with us so we left our "Feng-shui" garden behind and off we went!!!

I didn't want lunch to ever end that day (and not just because it was yummy!) but because I knew that soon it would be time for me to go and drop Erin and Alesa off at the airport so they could go back to Maryland. I have had so much fun getting to know Alesa and listening to her talk, watching her sign, play peek-a-boo and pretty much wrap all of her Aunts and Uncles around her cute little finger. But good news for me, even though I had to say good-bye to the flyers I knew that it would just be for a little while..................????

Chapter 65: Reflections

As I watched my youngest Sister marry her eternal companion this weekend, I was filled with a little to much nostalgia. I guess I could blame it on the lack of sleep or the fact that I had been sewing and baking my little heart out and still needed a liitle more time in my day, or maybe it was just the simple fact that my eyes caught a glimpse of what was and now what is!!!

I saw a beautiful grown woman all dressed in white smiling as the man of her dreams knelt across from her in the Temple as they were sealed for time and all eternity, this woman who at my wedding was just a mere girl of 6 who had just finished her first year of school as a Kindergartener.

I saw another beautiful woman with a softness about her, and eyes rimmed with tears as she held the hand of yet another daughter who was now leaving her home to go out and build her own home with her new husband.

And as I looked upon another beautiful young woman dressed in purple, her red hair piled high on her head, she looked so grown and her eyes held the same enthusiasm about brides and weddings as her mothers did at that tender age.

I also saw my 4 brothers differently as well, one a brand new Dad who has already shown qualities of becoming a fantastic father. Another who has learned to take life in stride and love your kids through the rough times. One who comes and puts him arm around you for no reason and then after a long night in high heels grabs your aching feet just to simply give them a little massage. And another who always looks for opportunities to serve others whether by music, bringing out games for the nieces and nephews or getting up really early after a long night to make sure a little sister makes it to the airport on time. (and also forgiving another sister's pesky dog for whining and keeping him up that night!!!)

Even though my wedding may have been a "few" years ago, it truly seems like it could have been yesterday, except for the fact that now I am grown. It is hard sometimes to admit that, but when you reflect on how far you have come or you look at your family as it is now, I feel very grateful to be where I am. My little growing family is so incredible (yes even Bradley) and when I look at all my brothers and sisters I consider myself so incredibly lucky to have each and everyone of them in my life, I hate that we only get to be together for occasions such as this but when we are together we definitely make the most of our time.

Congratulations James and Cami I hope you enjoy the journey you are about to travel and just remember how many people you have that love and support you!!! (and really thanks alot -insert sarcasm here- for making me reflect on things and for especially making me feel OLD............sigh*)

Love to you all!!!!!!!

p.s. I think I was so busy reflecting on how old I have become that I didn't take one single picture with my camera, so I am going to have to wait until Cami gets us some pics from her photograper before I can show you what an unbelievably gorgeous family I have :)

Chapter 64: Dancing at Disneyland

so really, truly and honestly how cool is it to be able to say you have DANCED AT DISNEYLAND!!!!!!! I would say it ranks pretty darn high on my scale, but of course I am a little bit...........shall we say nerdy when it comes to stuff like that.

The girls' dance company Jazz-in-it set it up for their competition team to have this incredible opportunity, so I immediately jumped at the chance and needless to say we left behind the cold, windy, rainy (sometimes snowy) Utah to go spend 4 days in the warmth and beauty of CA, but most importantly Disneyland!!!!! I have to say that Disneyland is without a doubt one of favorite places to be, I love to see all the excitement of kids and adults alike. I love to watch the expression on my kids faces as they see their favorite characters come to life and as they experience an atmosphere dedicated strictly to FUN!!!!

When it came time for Kennadee and Lainee to go backstage, I became a melting pot of emotion, I was soooooo excited for them, then I started reeling with nervousness, I'm pretty sure I felt the full 7 dwarves of emotion: happy, sleepy, grumpy, dopey, bashful, etc. etc. Their routine this year was based on Michael Jackson's music, which surprisingly enough since his death Disneyland brought back the 3-D movie he made for them back in the 80's called Captian EO, so I thought we tied in quite nicely with the "theme". Here are a few pics of the *oh so awesome* experience!!!!