Band Concert

Erin and Ethan had their End-of-the-year Band Concert on Monday night - AWESOME JOB!!! This was Erin's last concert for Elementary school - can you believe that?!? I could see Ethan rockin' out back there, too. So Fun! Ethan plays alto sax, so he's harder to see because they sit along the back of the band, but Erin plays flute so she's always on the side and usually easier to see.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!!!

My friend sent me this e-card and we thought it was so funny - try it out! (Click on the flowers on the sides)

http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=EG1151712843154M261623045Y&product_id==

More Talin

O.k., another Talin moment. Talin is 13 1/2 month old and can fully open our doors! Now, we have mostly the handle-type door knobs, but still - mine are not usually tall enough to even TRY at this age! So, this morning he thought he was pretty cool opening and closing the door while daddy shaved. You're pretty helpless when he opens the door while you're showering! And, luckily, all the outside doors have actual knobs so he can't open them yet.

All Sealed!

This was my project last night! I just got a new steam canner, and apricots just happened to go on sale!!! So, last night I bottled 14 quarts of apricots for the first time all by myself - and they ALL SEALED!!! And I won't let anybody eat them yet - :)

Piano

Talin wanted to play the piano this morning and I thought it was cute. If anyone sits down to play the piano, he immediately comes in and "helps". It makes piano lessons very interesting!

Talin and Shoes

Talin started this the other day and we all thought it was so funny. I don't know where he got the idea, but he'll put a shoe on either hand and crawl through the house like that. So, I had to get a picture, and, of course, I had to share it with you!

Puppies - again

Erin wanted me to post some more pictures of the puppies, so here are some she took this morning while she was bored because everyone else was at school and she was waiting for the Jr. High orientation day. If you wondered how the whole feeding thing worked with 10.....

Birthdays

Two of my very best friends have their birthday on the same day - TODAY!
This is Sabrina! Despite being in the same ward and neighborhood since we were 4, we actually didn't meet until 5th grade when our teacher assigned us to edit each others books - we came away laughing so hard and it was an instant friendship. We've stayed friends since - this picture is in our 7th grade Pre-Algebra class with the poster we gave out teacher on the last day of school. We now both still live here, only about 1/2 hr. away - which is far when you have busy families. We both have 6 kids, all about 9mo. - 1yr. apart from each other. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!This is April! We met on freshman floor at Deseret Towers at BYU. We had a BLAST!!! Despite my unwillingness to go out and do stuff, she kept insisting and we became really great friends! We've been friends ever since - even with my weird little quirkinesses. ( she is so nice ) This is a picture of us playing a game - probably speed - in my dorm room. She now lives far away in Texas with 4 kids - two of which I've never seen, and two of mine she hasn't seen. We're still aiming for a Women's Conference one of these days! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Talin's walking!

O.k., this is funny. We have tried for WEEKS to get Talin to try walking and he absolutely refuses and cries and just falls forward. So, I leave him with my mom last Thursday so I can work in Laura's classroom and when I get back she said he took 3 steps - Hooray!!! That was Thursday. Saturday afternoon I walk into the family room and he's standing in the middle of the floor - "What are you doing?" I ask, and he smiles and takes about 4 more steps. WHAT? He decided it's time to walk. After that he would just randomly decide he wanted to walk across the room and just go - 8 - 10 steps! Crazy kid. Then, he wouldn't do it for me - even if I was in the room he'd through a fit. Pretty soon, that didn't matter and so now he's walking - YEAH!!! He can only go until he falls, so next will be figuring out how to get back up. It's so funny to see him just walk across the room - so cute! P.S. - He was playing with a water bottle right before this picture today, so that's why he's all wet :)

Dance Recital

Yesterday was the girls' dance recital - so fun! Our first year with THREE in dance! Kelcie was hillarious trying to remember what to do, and Laura and Jamie did great! Good job, you guys!

Here comes Summer!

The kids are determined that it's warm enough for swimming-and it is. So, here comes SUMMER!!!

And what says "summer" better than corn on the cob? O.k., so it wasn't that great, but it's coming... This was Talin's first one - kept him busy for 15 minutes!!!

SUCCESS!!!

My garden is growing!!! I am so excited! This is the best turn-out I've ever had - I credit it to our new bubblers - wonderful! You can't see everything, so I'll have to give you a closer look:

Grape Tomatoes

Regular Tomatoes

Artichokes

Tomatillos

My little baby corns - I didn't think they'd come up because I haven't been very diligent about watering them everyday - woohoo! There's strawberries and squash, too, but no pictures - sorry.

Spring Sing

Last night was the kids' Spring Sing where all the grades sing for the parents. It's nearly impossible to get a picture of them on stage, so I decided it would be better to just get them outside. Goofy kids - Ethan had to pose, Jamie is being Miss Drama, and Erin can hardly stand to be between them! Laura wasn't in it because Kindergarten does something separate - thank goodness! It's fun, though, because 1st and 2nd sing together, 3rd and 4th, and 5th and 6th. So Erin and Ethan learn the same songs and sing together - I love the years where that works out. Last year we had a kid in every group. So fun - they have incredible music teachers!!!

Overwhelmed

O.k., I'm way overwhelmed and discouraged this morning!!! Erin is entering teens and is starting with the attitude that she knows all. She expects everything from her younger siblings and does not talk nice to them - it's about to drive me mad! I don't know how to handle it, apparently, because nothing I've said has sunk in over the last 4 years!!! She is such a great young woman, but I can's stand the constant tension and mean corrections on all of us. I love it when we are just sharing and talking and enjoying them, instead. And, Laura is at an incredibly emotional stage - she accidently tore a little bit of a page in a library book yesterday and came unglued - all I was was supportive, so I'm not sure what was going on! I finally had to just walk away. This morning she fell apart over missing Fit City again for her Dance Recital this Saturday - the dance recital we've been preparing for (and paying for) all year! And, Talin is in his bed because he just won't stop crying. Kelcie's got the 3-yr. old attitude going, and wants so badly to play with friends. Then, scheduling alone may make me lose my mind - AHHHHH! Baseball games, dance, Spring Sing, Mutual camp meeting, preschool, meetings with "people", visiting teaching, keep the house clean - or just try to GET it clean, and oh, I have a lesson to teach in 2 weeks! And, I'm sure I say the wrong things to my kids all the time, like this morning - " I'm just done with kids this morning!" - that probably builds positive self-image, don't ya think? And, I need to lose some weight and excercise, but I seriously can't figure out when to do it. And, stress makes me want a treat - that works against me. Well, sorry no picture and such a depressing post, but I need to vent! But, now I've got to got try - AGAIN - to get Talin to eat some breakfast.

Scottsdale Resort and Villas

I am going away with my husband for a romantic evening at this place tonight - Hooray!!! Lafe has a convention in Scottsdale this week, so I'll meet him there tonight for a little get-away. Of course, Talin woke up with a little croup, but we're hoping it's not a big deal. It's always so hard for me to leave the kids because it's so hard for me to get ready for it. The kids will be fine, I just worry about all the logistics of running the family, you know? It's just easier for me to do it. But, we need a chance to get away, and once I'm gone I'm fine, so wish me luck.

Sunday Treat

O.k., so I wanted another Sunday treat (I've really got to start exercising!), and I decided it would be fun to share. Sorry, no picture this time. And, April - you've already got it - thanks, our family will never be the same!

Cup-a cup-a

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
2 9-10 oz. bags of Fritos

Combine first 3 ingred. in saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour over Fritos, stir, and lay out on cookie sheet to cool. Enjoy!

SO GOOD! When Lafe came home from April's in Kansas with this idea, I thought he was crazy, but we love it! So, we're spreading the joy... Oh, and Cindy - come visit and we'll send the kids somewhere outside or something so you can try it :)

Talin's 1 yr. old pictures

I took Talin to get his 1 yr. old pictures today. He was a little apprehensive, but he ended up doing pretty good. We had to take a break and walk around to get the last two, but I really like them, so it was worth it. My sweet boy:

General Conference

178th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints

Yesterday and Today we listened to Conference. I think my favorite session was Sunday afternoon. I don't know if maybe it was because Talin was asleep for most of it, but it just seemed like I listened and really understood more of the talks from that session. I loved Pres. Monson's talk in the Sunday morning session. I never questioned his calling as our new Prophet and President of the church, and I didn't expect or need an overwhelming testament of him being called of God to that position. But, during his talk, at one point it was distinctly different - it was really hard to place words to it and I've tried all afternoon to try and describe it. He has always been a great animated speaker and I've always loved him for his stories and how down to earth he was and seemed to understand everday life. Today, at that time, he seemed to be commanding in appearance or position. Command was the word that immediately came to mind and I couldn't place in my mind what was so incredibly different. It was so different - it was a testimony to me that he was a Prophet and now the President of our church. I thought maybe I was just imagining, or making more of a more subdued talk of his, but then when Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of the mantel descending upon Pres. Monson, I knew I was not the only one who had both seen and heard this change - wonderful change. In some ways it made me view him differently - which is precisely what is supposed to happen. I testify that Pres. Monson is a man of God and has been called to be a latter-day Prophet for the world. I know he can and will guide us and lead us as a church and the world, if they will hear him. I am so grateful that I have the Gospel and a testimony of it in my life. I'm grateful that I know what to teach my children. I'm grateful for the sacrifices that Joseph Smith and the early leaders of the church as well as my own ancestors made for me and the world to have this Gospel. This Conference made me want to study more earnestly to KNOW the Gospel and understand it better spiritually.

Jamie's Birthday!

It's Jamie's Birthday today!!! She's nine today! Lafe was on-call this morning so we had to wake her up a little early so he could watch her open her presents.

We love Jamie - she is such a happy kid! Always singing (much to the dismay of her older siblings) and is at such a helpful age. She loves dance and singing and is our social butterfly - that kid can make a friend at McDonald's in 1 minute flat! ( that actually happened when she was about 2 or 3 years old. It never matters to her to know their name, though) She's our little Missouri baby and sometimes I tell people she was our recessive baby - lefthanded, blond(er), blue (now green) eyes. We love Jamie. Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Honor Band

Erin's Honor Band concert was last night and they did such a good job - what a GREAT concert! They were so GREAT! This isn't a great picture because it was outside the Mesa Arts Center and it was dark, but I had to blog it! She was so happy and just beamed up there.