2010 Highlights

2010 has been a very difficult year in alot of ways. But I have learned that gratitude changes our whole focus and can turn our trials into triumphs. I choose to focus on the blessings...and they are many (in no particular order):

hawaii!!!

josh home

fh city council

selecthealth

jake- mini-bowl

maddy- nutcracker

hawaii

time-out for women (1st time) - SUCH an inspiration!

started Jazz

started snowboarding

student ward

hawaii

more homework, carpools, football, dance, piano, soccer, etc.

josh- started college

chad (my brother)- divorce :( (so sad but a huge part of our life right now)

10 lbs on

4-wheeling

heritage plaza

4.0 honor roll

cabin

ward split to webster meadows

jeremy (my brother) graduated from college!

improved on goals-fhe and fasting (tough one!)

5 lbs off

jake finished the book of mormon

snowhorse

chevelle done!

kjh

happiness project

trip to arches (jeff, jake, and maddy)

josh move in with great-grandma m

wsu

new callings-primary to rs and sunday school

5 lbs back on

Whew! No wonder I'm tired. But I am also SO blessed!

Welcome 2011!

A look-back on being "Proactive"

As you know, my "word" of focus for 2010 was PROACTIVE. As I look back on 2010 and evaluate how I did on accomplishing this goal, I am proud of my efforts. Despite some difficult circumstances and the year turning out differently than I had planned (as usual), I feel that I am learning to put the most important things first. Sometimes that means being surrounded by a messy house and chaos so that I can make a homemade dinner after work. Sometimes it means working late nights so that I can help my kids with something now. This is very hard for me in that I have to feel organized to be at peace. We live in a fast-paced, drive-in, get it now, do more-type world. There are always things to add to the to-do list and always someone to try and keep up with. But once again, I have been reminded what things are most important in my life - and that is my family. Are we perfect? Do we have family prayer and scripture study everyday? Family Home Evening every week? I wish!! But just the fact that I am trying, that I haven't given up, that I still want to - gives me hope. Although there is so much more I want to be, so much more I want to give my children and husband, and so much more I want to give the Lord, I am proud of myself for the efforts I have made. I haven't given up. I still believe in the importance of being proactive. I have tried being more organized so that I can be more proactive and plan opportunities for my family before time slips through my fingers. I continue to try. I still have a long ways to go but I am happy just that I am on the path. I feel I am more conscientious in my mothering, more deliberate, and because of that, more fulfilled. That is what I was striving for.

Tangled

Why is it that many important life's lessons, I learn from Disney? I'm not sure what that says about me but it seems I take away something meaningful every time I see one of their movies. I have always loved Disney movies! I love their simplicity and pureness and sharing that wonder with my children. And of course, most importantly, I love a happy ending! I've always been sappy that way. But this time, I really think Disney out-did even themselves.

Maddy and I went to see this movie about 3 weeks ago. We loved it so much, we went again yesterday while the boys went to a different movie we didn't care to see. As I watched it for the second time, new things came to me that I felt applied to my current state of life. First of all, I was so angry with Rapunzel's mother for not letting her ever leave the safety of their tower. It was so obvious to me how selfish her mother was being by not allowing her to experience the world, keeping her only to herself. But as I thought of that, I realized I have probably been alot like that in the past. I instantly remembered how scary it is to be the Mother and have to let one of your children "go" in a sense. It's especially frightening if we know they are fragile or vulnerable. Just as the movie portrays, the world can be a very scary place! Now hopefully I am not to the wicked stage that Rapunzel's mother is at in the movie, but I thought to myself that this is something that I need to continue to work out at, to be better at. It's been a long journey for me learning about parenting and free agency. I am learning how important it is to Heavenly Father's plan but it also takes a giant leap of faith for me because I want to protect my children from all those things that can hurt them. I need to continue to practice trust in a loving Heavenly Father who knows so much more than me and to place faith in my children that I love so much.

The other lesson I learned from the movie is to follow the light. For some reason, when seeing it this second time, it just hit home to me how her dream is signified by light. She shows courage and faith by following her dream, following the light. That was just such a powerful reminder to me to do the same. In the upcoming year, I hope to remember to always follow the light. If I do, I know my dream will end even more beautifully than Rapunzel's did. And as President Uchtdorf promised us in a talk earlier this year, we will all have our "happily ever after."

Christmas Memories

We had a wonderful holiday season and I enjoyed every minute of it! As always, we squeezed out every little minute we could, which means staying up until the wee hours of the morning and sleeping in whenever possible. Unfortunately, this can be difficult on me because I don't want to miss out on any action. I stay up late and then don't want to wake up in the morning (which is not all that unusual, I guess.) It's totally worth it, though, to have this special time with my family.

I feel such peace during this wonderful time of year. Life slows down (at least after all the shopping is done), people try to be kinder, we try to spend more time with those that matter most, and we put our troubles to the side, even if only for a time. It's amazing the happiness that comes when we focus on what matters most. This time of year, the whole world seems "right." I am so thankful for the season and the peace and hope it brings to my life.

Following are a few of our highlights caught on camera:

And others that may or may not have been:

food, family, and friends

snowboarding

Nutcracker

candlelight dinner

Daddy/daughter date - to dance performance and ice cream (Mom tagged along, too)

no snow = brown Christmas

new tradition - sharing the "light"

Tyrell's missionary farewell

no school/lessons/days off work

Maddy's own Christmas tree

late nights

Christmas Eve

Nativity pageant

new movies - Avatar, Inception, Prince of Persia, & Toy Story 3 (What would the holidays be without new videos to watch, right?)

chocolate!

good books

scented candles

no Christmas cards :(

weight sets

Just Dance 2 (Now THIS is what I've got to get pictures of! Watching people dance to the Wii game is hilarious! We had a blast and it was something everyone could do)

late mornings

And last and most importantly, celebrating the birth of our Savior and His gospel in our lives!

Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night!
What is wrong with this picture?? I forgot to take pictures of my kids in their Christmas jammies this year! That makes me so sad :( How did that happen?? I think Santa needs some sleep.

Christmas Eve and a Nativity Pageant

It has become a tradition that every year, we head to Tremonton on Christmas Eve to spend it with Jeff's extended family. Since we have been married, it has been tradition to have tacos for dinner on Christmas Eve. In more recent years, we have started re-enacting the nativity scene and singing "The Nativity Song" from Primary. It's fun to see the the kids graduate from Baby Jesus to Mary or shepherds or wisemen. This year, we had no baby to play Baby Jesus so Morgan (@ 21 yrs. old) played Jesus this year. Especially fun to see, are the costumes that Grandma has rounded up throughout the year. New this year is Jake's lovely gown (check that out!) and Gwen and Thea's angel dresses, which actually used to be worn by Teri and Tina.

I think this picture captures the whole gang?? As you can see, my boys think it is funny to pull a serious face in EVERY picture. Although I'm sure the parts they are playing are obvious (ha ha):

Josh (with the mop on his head) was Samuel the Lamanite

Jake was a wiseman

Maddy was Mary

After the mayhem of all of that, we exchange gifts. Grandpa even wears a Santa hat as he and grandma pass out their gifts to the grandchildren. We can't leave without opening our new "jammies." That has been a tradition from my family since I was little. (Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of my kids in their PJ's this year! I usually do that every Christmas morning in front of the tree. I'm so mad at myself!!) I love Christmas Eve and especially the ride home where I can picture in my mind that night in Bethlehem so long ago. I am so grateful for that and often wonder what it would have been like to be a witness to that miracle.

But I must say that my very favorite part of Christmas Eve is in the wee hours of the morning after everyone is asleep and it is just me and light Christmas music playing by the glow of the Christmas tree. Even though I am completely exhausted by this time in the season, I love this! This is such a peaceful time of reflection for me as I think of my children, our family, the year we have had, and the wonderful blessings we have in our life. For those few moments, everything seems alright in the world, knowing that my children our all snuggled in their beds (well, Josh's bed) safely. It's a time that I realize how truly blessed I am! No matter what my trials are at that point.

It makes me want to do more, be more, love more...

I think that is what the Christmas spirit is truly about.

The "Light" of Christmas...A New Christmas Tradition

As my children get older, I want so badly to give them the gift of the true spirit of Christmas. I want them to think of Christ -of his birth and more importantly, of the life he led and the example he gave us. I know that if they can capture that feeling, Christmas will be so much more meaningful and will leave lasting, heart-felt memories.

I am also learning the importance of traditions. Not only are they fun, but I think they empasize the importance of certain things and bind families together in a way that nothing else can.

It was with these goals in mind that I set off to try to make Christmas a little different this year- more about "Christ" and less about "mas" (which means more.) I'm not sure how successful I was but I do feel good about one thing we did - a special candlelight dinner. My Mom always used to make candlelight dinners for really special occasions so I had thought of doing a special Christmas dinner for several years. Well this year, I finally did it! I was also given a neat idea at our RS Enrichment Christmas dinner that I incorporated into our dinner. I sent out an invitiation to everyone inviting them to a special, candlelight dinner the Sunday before Christmas. We had ham and potatoes, which we all love. After dinner, I gave everyone a candle. We all sat in a circle with another candle sitting in the center. Each family member took a turn lighting their candle and as they did, everyone else said something nice about that person. What a powerful experience! I hope my children felt the same Spirit in that room that I did. I know things like this can be awkward at times but I was really proud of everyone for coming up with creative things to say and really putting thought and feeling into it. It's amazing how hearing just a few good things about yourself can really lift you! And I know each of us needed that (probably more than we even knew.) I believe it helped in healing hearts and binding love. I hope it's something my children remember and cherish for years to come. It is definitely a tradition I want to carry forward.

Ballet West Presents The Nutcracker

Ballet West Presents...The Nutcracker After being in the Clytie Adams Nutcracker for 3 years, we decided it was time to take these cute girls to Ballet West's version at Capitol Theater.

I must admit that after seeing the Nutcracker about 6 times already this year, I was not super excited to go. But I ended up having a great time. I just love being with Maddy and am once again, so grateful to have a daughter to share these things with. (Let me tell you, it is no picnic trying to talk the boys into going to things like this...not even when their sister is in it!) But on top of spending time with my Maddy, I love being able to watch her interact with her friends. There is nothing I love more than hearing the giggles of little girls. It is so fun watching them get along and just loving being together. They have so much fun together! Good friends can truly "lift" us. I know these are memories she will always treasure.Bottom picture L to R: Maddy, Libby, & Brea

Side note: It was actually Claire's (a fellow dancer) mom that organized this little outing but were unable to attend at the last minute, due to a unplanned family vacation. But we were thrilled to have Libby, as she goes to a different school now so the girls hadn't seen her in several months.

Jake turns 15

Jake is 15!!!

I really can't believe it! I look at pictures of him from just a couple of years ago and can't believe the change. He has grown up so fast. He is truly a young man now. We even had someone at Deseret Book ask if he was going on a mission. What? He's only 15 and he's starting to look that old. I know he will be at that age in the blink of an eye.

As you can see, Maddy and I snuck (is that a word?) into his bedroom while he was snowboarding and decorated his room. I thought that would be a fun tradition to start with the kids' birthdays this year and I think they enjoy it. It's always fun to have something that makes you feel a little extra special for that day. I love the smiley face that Maddy thought of putting on his wall.
It doesn't look like he got much for his birthday but with a season snowboarding pass, he was happy! He also got a helmet, PS3 game, shoes, and lots of hugs. :) His birthday was on a Sunday so he went snowboarding with his friends the day before. Other than his favorite dinner and playing PlayStation after church with Josh, it was a pretty quiet day.


Man, I love this kid!!

15 things I love about Jake:

I love his smile!! It's kind of that shy-type that sneaks in and it makes me smile.

I love his eyes - they can make me laugh out loud when he makes funny expressions with them. And they can melt my heart.

I love Jake's sense of humor. Somehow he always knows how to bring a smile to my face. (Even when I dont' want him to. HaHa. He is definitely a tease like his father and brother)

I love, love, LOVE to watch Jake play football. There is simply nothing like it! There is something so satisfying about watching your children do something they absolutely love... even if it scares you to death.

Jake is so much fun to be with. No matter what we are doing, if he's there, it is better. With his sense of humor, he makes everyone laugh.

I love that Jake puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Literally...everything! If he believes in it, he gives 110%.

I love that Jake loves Seminary. It just shows what a great kid he is and how he is spiritually-grounded. That makes a mother proud!

Jake is an awesome big brother! I can hardly think of Maddy without thinking of Jake. He is always so good to spend time with her playing games, making up dances, listening to music, etc. Maddy always loves to be by her big brother. Jake is also a good "little" brother. It has been fun to see Jake's friendship with Josh grow this year. I think they are now more than brothers, they are friends. They have alot of the same interests and it is so fun to watch them share those together.

I love that Jake gets straight A's and the sense of accomplishment that it gives him. I sometimes worry that he thinks he has to get straight A's for me to be proud of him. I always tell him that as long as he tries his hardest, that's all I care about. But once again, Jake goes above and beyond. I'm proud of him no matter what his grades are because he works hard!

Jake is such a caring person. He feels things very deeply and is sensitvie to other's feelings. I love that he tries to make people feel better about themselves and lifts them up. I think that is hard to find in a friend.

I love that Jake finished the Book of Mormon this year - what an accomplishment!! And every bit of it came from his own desire. Jake is so self-driven that way. I never have to push or prod. If he sets out to do something, it's as good as done.

I love that Jake is so sensitive and caring. Like with everything else in his life, he gives his whole heart and soul in his relationships. I think that is one of his most important traits that will always serve him well in his life.

Jake is a loyal. Once you become his friend, he will stick by you through anything and everything.

I love that Jake always wants to be better. No matter how high of grades he gets, he aims higher. Many times he has been close to a hundred percent in a class but he does extra credit to make sure he's over the top. How awesome is that! No matter how well he does in football, he always wants to be better. While I sometimes worry that Jake expects too much of himself, I know that this is a wonderful characteristic that will serve him well as he moves into adulthood. His sense of responsibility and drive to achieve perfection will always serve him well in all endeavors.

I love Jake for the strength he gives me. He has truly been a stabilizing force in my life over the past couple of years. He has been strong on days that I've really needed strength. He has brought me happiness and security in a time in my life that I didn't feel secure. The funny thing is, I dont' think Jake even realizes what he has done for me and meant to me. I am so thankful he is my son and can't imagine having to face life without him!


I love you so much, Jake! Thanks for all the goodness that you bring to my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought this little turkey was so cute! The little girl our whole family is in love with, Kailey Parkin, brought these to us the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Her mom is so creative!

For Thanksgiving this year, it was our year to go to the Oylers. This year we had everyone there except Jordan, Jodie, and Jaxson. Even Morgan and Josh were both home from their missions. As always, the meal was delicious. It was a great day and we all ate too much. After resting, we played games, including a mean game of Twister. My kids loved that!

I'm so thankful for all of the blessings I have in my life! They are too numerous to count. I want so badly for my children to understand the blessing of gratitude. As I age, I continue to learn how gratitude can change my life as it changes my perspective. If we focus on what we already have instead of what we don't or what we want, miracles can happen. We start to realize how blessed we are and it makes us want to be more. It makes us focus on the Savior who gave us everything and it makes us want to give back. That is the miracle of giving thanks~

Nutcracker 2010

"But a child is only a moment, only a snowflake of sweet remember when. Yes, a child is only a moment, a wonderful moment that never comes again. Yes, a child is only a moment, hold on to that moment, for it never comes again." -Earl Brown

Clytie introduced the Nutcracker with this quote. Although it makes me feel like crying, I think it is so beautiful...and so true. I know to enjoy these memories with Maddy because I have watched Josh grow up so quickly that it felt like he was gone in the blink of an eye. I know it will be the same with Maddy. So we are enjoying every minute of this wonderful experience (no matter how tiring it can be:)

I was so happy for Maddy that she made the Nutcracker! I don't know who gets more nervous, me or her? I was especially proud of her this year for the way she has handled herself. You see, Maddy made the Nutcracker which is obviously a huge honor, but unfortunately, she got a part she didn't want - Gingerbread. It's not that it is not a cute part, because it is. It's just that usually the younger kids are in this part and Maddy has been in this same scene for the past 2 years. In spite of this, Maddy decided to accept the part and even though a few people commented about her being with the younger girls, she handled it all with such grace. I really am so proud of her for this! She knows that the parts are determined by size, due to the costumes that are available and has decided to just enjoy the experience and have fun. I think she has learned alot from the experience and certainly had fun along the way. In addition to that little trial, one of her best friends got the part that she (and every other little girl) wanted - Party Girl. Instead of being jealous, Maddy showed nothing but excitement for Brea. She was gracious and kind throughout the whole experience. And when performance time came, she reveled in the experienced and smiled just as big as she did the other years. That smile makes all the parent volunteer hours, the carpools, and time away from home worth it.

Performances go for basically a week, with Dress Rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 4 performances Thursday through Saturday. It's a whirlwind week! This year, I was on the Sweats committee so I helped sell sweats one Saturday, chaperoned 2 nights, and sold sweats at the boutique one night. We always go with our whole family and grandmas and grandpas one night and take her out to dinner before. This year, Grandpa M and Shay weren't able to come because they were out of town but Uncle Jeremy was there, along with her brothers. Even her friends, Lindsee and Olivia came to see her this year. That meant alot. We met Grandma and Grandpa O at Tony's Pizza before. Daddy brought her flowers, which always makes her night.

Then Jeff and I always go and see her at the Saturday matinee. We've been lucky so far because we've been able to sneak her out after Act 1 and take her to lunch. This year we went to Texas Roadhouse. I think she really enjoys having this one on one time with just Mom and Dad. I really think kids need that and I think it makes her feel special and to realize what a big deal this is. It really is such an honor!

This year, we gave out little Nutcracker notebooks and Nutcracker cookies as Maddy's gifts to the other Gingerbreads. She received lots of great gifts including ornaments, soap, shower gel, flowers, a Nutcracker, socks, cookies, and candy. This is always a favorite part of the experience. Other than performing, Maddy's favorite part is the time she gets to spend with her friends in between. As you can see, they keep themselves entertained and build wonderful memories that I hope she will remember forever.

I love Fall!

I love Fall! The colors, the smells, the harvest, the crispness of the air - I love it all! I love the thought of hunkering down with my family and enjoying time indoors together as the weather cools down. It used to discourage me to think of Fall coming because I knew it meant that long winters are coming too. But now, I take time to enjoy the beauty of this season, instead of worrying about the next. And I love the time of year that Fall ushers in.

And this is what's left...

Mini-Bowl Week

Football Playoffs

Today Jake played West Point in the Semi-Finals at Ogden High School. I LOVE watching this kid play football! I never thought I would.

It scares me.

But he has such a passion for this sport that it is hard not to enjoy watching him.

You can tell he's loving every minute of it.

That helps me love every minute of it. And yes, I'm one of those crazy football Moms that runs along the sidelines, yells really loud, and jumps up and downs when her son scores.

I never thought I would be.

But I'm so proud of this kid.

He got the most awesome touchdown today!! Did I get it on film? Of course not. Neither camera nor video. I got these other great shots but not the touchdown...of course. It seems that whenever I have the camera on, I jinx him. But luckily, a photographer for the WFFL got a GREAT picture of him running to receive the touchdown pass so hopefully I can figure out how to download that picture and share. It's a fabulous picture. One I could never get.

I love these picture of the team huddled together. (Gotta love those sideburns on Jake. He's so proud of them.) It's amazing how hard these boys work all summer to get to this point. We are not talking a couple of days a week. We're talking 5 days a week, 2 hours a day! Now that's dedication.

And love of the game.

Well, it's contagious... because I love this game, too. Even more,I love this kid! Congratulations on a HUGE win today, Jake - You're heading to the Mini-Bowl!!

Happy Halloween!

This is my beautiful, 10-yr old Halloween punk fairy. Isn't she gorgeous?This year, her and her friends made these skirts at Apron Strings at Olivia's house. So they decided clear back in August what they were going to be for Halloween. At first, Maddy was a little concerned because we weren't exactly sure what a "punk fairy" wears. But as you can see in the picture below, they all turned out so cute! It's fun to see each of their personalities shine through.
They trucked all over the neighborhoods together. In past years, we have walked around with the Fuhriman's and all the little girls. This year, Mike was hunting and Jeff was getting ready to leave on a hunting trip so Sheri and I drove the girls around together. I really enjoy this tradition! I'm wondering if the girls will allow us to accompany them 1 more year? I sure hope so!


Sadly, Jake was not as "cute" this year. As you can see below, he was downright scary! He and his friend, Christian, decided to dress up as rock stars when they found these lovely zebra pants at the Halloween store. Once we saw how much Christian looked like Axel Rose, we decided to call them "Guns N' Roses." What a pair! It's especially funny because these 2 boys are both 4.0 students and such great kids. Hard to tell from the picture, huh? They left early to go trick-or-treat to close friends and their Young Men leaders. The pictures below show the beautiful weather we were having that night. It actually poured rain for about an hour. (Luckily, by the time the little girls went, the rain had almost stopped.) After that, Christian headed to a party and Jake went out to his cousin, Colton's.

And Halloween wouldn't be completed without Jeff and a mask. He went with a different choice this year than his usual mask. I think he fits right in with the scary side.

And what Halloween would be complete without Jack-O-Lanterns? We made pumpkin carving at the last minute this year. It has been so crazy with football, Nutcracker, work, etc. this year that we seriously started carving pumpkins (homegrown, of course) about 1 hour before trick-or-treating.

It was a great night, as usual. For some reason, I love Halloween! I love the autumn season, the fall colors, the crisp air and the wonderful smells it brings. I watch my kids get older by the second and have learned to treasure each year, each event. Happy Halloween!

Colors of Autumn

I love the colors of Autumn all around us! At times, they literally take my breath away with their beauty. And although we didn't get on our annual "leaf drive" this year (which makes me very sad), I couldn't help whipping out the camera every so often to capture these amazing colors. Wow we are blessed to live in this state this time of year!!

Learning Picasa

I'm slowly but surely trying to find a fast and easy, yet attractive way to catch up on my children's scrapbooks. I am also hoping to be able to print out my blog in the same 8x8 format that I hope to do their picture books in so I can trade pictures back and forth. Ignore the scary, unedited pix below but look how cool this collage tools is in Picasa. Maybe there's hope for me yet!