Just To Let You Know

Recently, Paige decided to take Lady Speed Stick's challenge. You know, how it says "Dare To Wear Black?" Yesterday, Paige put on a black shirt, then took the deodorant and rubbed it on the front of the shirt she was wearing. Well, the results are in. It doesn't work. You could see a big stripe of white on the t-shirt. We know you will all sleep better tonight knowing the results of Paige's experiment. Oh well, disappointment won't be getting Paige down. Inquiring minds want to know and Paige definitely has an inquiring mind.

She's 17!

Sarah turned 17 today. This is her making a wish and blowing out the candle on her birthday

fudge. Yup, that's right, she wanted birthday fudge.

We had lasagna for dinner, one of her favorites.

Then we went to see Tangleld as a family. You've got to love a girl who knows how to handle a frying pan. Happy birthday, Sarah, we love you!

A Star Is Born

This past month, Kaylee has been practicing for the 4th grade school play. This week it was finally showtime! Kaylee was one of Cinderella's stepsisters in the play, which was called The "Granny" Awards. She sang a song and fought over the glass slipper with the other stepsister in the play. She did a fantastic job! Here is Kaylee on the morning of the play, dressed in her costume, wearing stage make-up and excited for her 3 performances that day. Way to go, Kaylee!

They Make Me Laugh!

Paige told me this week that if she ever became really, really rich she would have a freezer full of chicken nuggets, a pantry full of Goldfish and Ritz crackers and really super soft toilet paper in her bathroom. Where does she come up with this stuff? We will send out invitations in a few years if Paige becomes wealthy so that we can all party at her house.

Kaylee had to write a paragraph outline in her class this week and this is what she chose for her topic:

Topic Sentence: This is how you annoy your sister in three super steps.

First, find a topic that makes her super angry. Next, say something about that topic, but don't say it mean or you'll get in trouble. Last, just keep doing it till she doesn't care anymore. Then, find a new topic.

Conclusion: If this doesn't work, then you are doing something wrong. I love doing this every once in awhile.

It is pretty tough to be upset when you are trying not to smile. Pretty observant for a 4th grader.

January Jollies

Richard and I attended this play at the Mesa Arts Center. Mesa High School performed it and it was really a lot of fun. Neither of us had seen this play before and we both really enjoyed it. Richard will be disappointed with me saying this, but this play was even better (in my opinion) than ABBA MANIA.

Also this month, I had an opportunity to go to lunch with some friends that I don't get to see very often. We had so much fun! We ate at Charlestons, which I had never been to - Delicious! We all used to live in the same Ward many years ago and now we are all mother-in-laws and all but one of us is a Grandma. Talk about some funny stories. Next to me is Shelle Napier, who now lives in Japan, but just bought the house across the street from me and will be moving in April 2012 (hooray) and our friend Judy Bittner who had her first child get married last month.

To the left is Sheryle Crisp who told one of her sons that she was out to lunch with her friends and he told her that was ridiculous because she didn't have any friends. What our children think and what is actually the truth is often very different and we all got a laugh out of him teasing her. To the right is Maria Westbrook who has survived three weddings but sent out her first missionary this month.

The lovely lady in light blue, Kay Hatch, sat at the table and laughed with us while she shared that her first grandchild was being born that day at a nearby hospital. When we all lived in the same neighborhood we all had young children and now time has passed and our children have grown. Lucky for all of us our friendships and love for each other have grown too. Whenever we do happen to get together it is as if we have never been apart and we can laugh and talk as if we see each other on a weekly basis. Friends like this are priceless. Thanks for the fun afternoon and the walk down memory lane ladies!

Flying Kites

When I was a little girl I used to love to fly kites. Once, my mom bought me a kite that was supposed to dive and do tricks and it "dove" right from the air and hit her in the eye and gave her a huge shiner. I'm sure it hurt, but I remember her laughing and saying that it had done exactly what the package had said it would.

Lately I think about flying kites a lot, but in a whole different way from when I was little. I have always thought flying kites was similar to parenting because you have to experiment to know just how much string to let out so that your kite can fly high and be successful, but not so much that your kite flys out of control or gets so high that the string breaks and you lose your kite to the wind. At times, when the wind is blowing hard, it takes a lot of patience not to just reel all of the string in and decide to just fly your kite another day.

This past year I have added 2 more kites to the ones I was already holding and that is my parents. I have found that helping them to be able to maintain their independence as they age is a lot like helping our children to obtain their independence; challenging but often fun. I like to think that I am getting better at flying kites as I get older, but the truth is, some days I am still tempted to just reel in all of the string and try again another day.

All of these thoughts make me so grateful for the opportunity that Heavenly Father has given me to be able to fly any "kites" at all, given my inexperience. It also testifies to me that He loves us and knows us individually and is a very patient "kite" flyer Himself.:)

Happy Birthday Meg!

Happy 23rd Birthday Meg! We hope you are having as great of a birthday as you can have with a class full of third graders.

It seems like not very long ago you looked like this.

Time sure doesn't seem like it goes very fast on a daily basis, but when you look back, it sure seems like things happen pretty quickly.

Just last year you were student teaching and still in college.

Then you graduated.

Then you met Hyrum, got married and started your life together...

And now the next time we see you, you could look like this. I'm beginning to think those insurance commercials on t.v. that say life comes at you fast are right. We are so glad that it is your birthday and that you are starting your own little family. Have a wonderful day and know that we love you! Happy Birthday!