Dancing---it's for the Birds!

You've got to check this out! Your kids will LOVE it too!

May I Have This Dance?

Brothers and Sisters

They scream, they fight, they tattle, they rush to be the first one to do this, the last one to do that, to get the biggest bowl of cookie dough ice cream, the smallest portion of the chore list, the longest hug, the shortest lecture and best of everything. Bottom line, they are 2 happy, healthy, normal kids!

At the end of the day, despite everything, they love each other in a way that only they can understand. She turns to him for a sense of security and protection, He turns to her for a sense of fun and adventure. They teach each other things that a parent could go blue in the face trying to get through to them. There are days when I want to pull my hair out and scream loud enough that they could hear me if they were half way around the world "STOP FIGHTING, SETTLE DOWN, BE QUIET!!!" (I know, the irony isn't lost on me) but then they do....at the end of the day, they are still clinging on to those last few moments together. As a mother, I can't even begin to describe the emotions that this invokes in me. I know that someday I will be gone, their father will be gone and they will only have each other. Only THEY will understand what it's like to grow up in this family, only they will be able to support each as brother and sister & if we're lucky,friends.

Tonight I went in to tuck them in, say my final goodnight and noticed that Carson was not in his bed. I looked in to see if they were hiding out, up to a few final moments of night-time mischief, instead I found them all hunkered down in Karlee's room. I couldn't help take a walk down memory lane, reminiscing of all the other times I have found them asleep together, from cribs and toddler beds, floors, couches and even closets and sleeping bags. I wonder what their last words were to each other were as they drifted off to sleep. They'll hate this picture for now, but someday, I know they'll secretly hope that their own kids will want to happily spend every last moment together.

This is one of my favorite videos. It's one of those songs that really puts things in perspective. But be warned it's a *TEAR JERKER*

Contact Sport?!

In case you've ever wondered whether or not Soccer is a contact sport....Here's Proof!



Mountain Crest's #6 Amy Petersen (right) gets a face full of ball while keeping it away from Orem's #8 Maggie Plothow as Orem and Mountain Crest girls battle in the first round of the girls 4A soccer playoffs at Orem. Orem won 4-1.Photo by Scott G. Winterton / Deseret Morning News.

Who Do They Look Like?

This is so funny and so interesting to me on so many levels! If you want to do your own "Look Alike Contest" click here.





So try it out, let me know who your kids look like!

ADDICTED!

Have you guys had these?! Oh, they are so tasty! I love the colorful little seeds, the cool see-thru tube with the flip-top lid and best of all...the sweet and salty taste!

They're DEEEEE-LICIOUS! Try some!

Three Amigos

Ya gotta love boys! They have such a fun energy! So easily entertained, no squabbles over silly things, "The More the Merrier" attitude, Big grins, goofy-silly ideas, and just absolutely delighted over the simplest of things like rocks, sticks and leaves of all things!

These boys are good buddies! They've seen each other through a lot of hardships in the last year. You may think that 7 year olds couldn't have much trauma in their short lives, but these boys have. Turner's daddy passed away last year on the first day of school while fighting wildfires, and one of their other best buddies, Parker, died after going into a diabetic coma. That's a lot for LITTLE boys. But through it all, they remain grounded and "OK". They still like building forts, climbing trees, playing in the water....and even better than that....MUD! They jump, they run, they squeal like girls just for fun! And my favorite is when they sit under the tree and call "dibs" on the cute girls in their 2nd grade classes. They are good buddies! I hope they stay that way. And I hope the rest of their lives are filled with pure joy & good friends.


(Yes, that's Carson doing the Chinese Splits! This is the reason he's in gymnastics! Last winter he came home and demonstrated this new trick to me and added..."I can do it REALLY good on the ice in my socks!" *CRINGE*)

These three were having such a fun time posing for me. Turner says to Carson & Blake: "Let's act like Carson's mom tied us up because we were too crazy!" I told him thanks for the great idea to which he quickly reminded me that if I tried to tie one of them up, I'd be fighting off the other two! What fun and crazy-fun boys!

Be Loyal to the Royal Within You

I serve in the Young Women's Presidency in my ward. One of the many perks of my church calling is that I get to make all of the birthday cards for the girls and other leaders as well as all of the invitations. This invitation is for our upcoming "Evening of Excellence". I wanted it to have a "Royal" feel to it to drive home the theme. I was really thrilled with how this one turned out.

*Note: After I took this picture, I sponged some Elegant Eggplant around the edges of the insert. It looks even better now! Only 29 more to make! WOOHOO!!!!


Recipe:
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, A Little Love (SU)
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White Craft (SU) Black Staz-On, Silver (Color Box)
Cardstock: Lilac (Roberts), Elegant Eggplant (SU), White (Source Unknown) Green (Bazzill)
Ribbon: White Organdy (SU)
Punches: Round Tab (SU), Circle Scallop (SU)
Other: Dazzling Diamonds Embossing Powder (SU), Silver Stickles, Lilac Jewel (Doodlebug)
Inspiration: Julie Buhlers "Revamped Criss Cross Card"