Easter Sunday 2013

 My handsome son and my beautiful girls on Easter Sunday 2013

Easter 2013

We had a lunch picnic today....so beautiful - and no wind!  The kids also opened their Easter gift bags.  I am so blessed to be their mom.  I love creating memories with my kids and the whole process of making holidays and their birthdays special so they know they are loved.  Taking the time for my kids....and when there are no distractions is when they open up to me and talk and share their thoughts, opinions and view on life...and I love it.  Sometimes with life being busy it's hard to find that time...but it's so important!  They thrive on it - and so do I.  I am grateful to my Savior for the atonement.  I am grateful for the many blessings in my life for they are all around me and I tear up thinking how much my Savior knows and loves me and that he atoned for my sins and made it possible for me to live with my Heavenly Father again.

We took a drive together today as well and I talked to them about the Atonement and bore my testimony to them.  After I was done Jaron said he had watched a movie on the Atonement in Seminary  class and that he said it was amazing watching a movie that showed what our Savior did for us all.  It helped him to see it to have a deeper understanding for himself of the Atonement and his Savior.  Mikenna started talking about the 17 Miracles movie - that she watched on her own a couple days ago about the pioneers and the sacrifices they made.  She said it made her cry and she felt the Spirit when the angels came to help some of the pioneers who needed food and then when the woman went to thank the angel - which she didn't know at the time was an angel - the angel was gone.  And when a family showed faith in Christ and asked for their family member to be spared and live - they went back to her body and she was still alive.  I love that as my kids are getting older they are gaining their own testimony's and share it in their own ways to me.  I need to remember to start more conversations with them that will lead to their own thinking and testimony's.  I remember growing up I would usually open up to my mom and talk to her about things and questions when she was baking.  She was never too busy to listen or help me with my feelings.  And a lot of times she wouldn't tell me what to do - she would talk about her experiences and help me form my own opinion and testimony on my own.   It was a great memory made today to remind my kids and myself the true meaning of Easter and share with each other our testimony's.

Jaron~Turning 15!?

Jaron....after his haircut and delivering birthday party invitations to his friends....he was making me smile today!  I am so grateful for him and his ability to make me laugh!

I can't believe my handsome son is almost 15 years old!  Where has the time gone??  Sometimes I feel like I am racing against the clock trying to fit in everything I need to teach him, spend time with him, have him experience certain things before he leaves....there just isn't enough time with my kids before they will be off on their own...and though they will make mistakes as we all do - they are all growing up I hope with good heads on their shoulders and individual goals and dreams...that I know they will someday accomplish with continued hard work and good choices....and you can bet I will be there always cheering them on and telling them they can and will accomplish all they set their heart and mind to do....and I will pick them up when they make a mistake or have a hard lesson to learn and love on them and tell them brush it off and get back in there and work hard.  I always try to tell them in teaching moments that I love them and that I do certain things because I love them and want their hapiness and then I hope that translates into something....and maybe I won't see it all right now; but I know we are all learning and growing in our journey's that we are all trying to do the best we can with what we have been given and our Savior makes up the rest if we choose to work hard and do our part.  And learning we don't have control over other people's choices or sometimes what the world hands you to deal with - we have the choice to be happy and do the best we can with our Savior's help.  I am so proud of Jaron and the hard work he puts into not only the things that come natural to him, but the things that don't.  It's not all fun being a teenager - and wanting all that freedom - and learning that it's earned and comes after responsibilities are taken care of.  I am proud of the young man he is becoming and strives to be.  He is so talented creatively and artistically and I know I will see his work in the world someday.  I am so blessed to be his mom and work hard every day to make sure he knows I love him and balance that with giving him more freedom making sure he knows hard work and responsibility comes first.  His smile melts my heart...and I love to see that big smile of his!  I love you buddy!  Keep making your mark in the world for GOOD!!

Mikenna~High Cap Classes

 Mikenna had her parent teacher conferences today and I talked to each one of her teachers and they are recommending her for high cap classes!  Mikenna is excelling in school and getting a 4.0 and needs to be challenged more.  She will be able to take pre-algebra and other classes that will give her high school credit before her freshman year.  She is already one of the youngest in her class and will be 17 when she graduates - and she may even graduate earlier with these high cap classes - and make up the lost seminary credit for taking seminary.  We are so proud of her and her desire to get good grades and set high goals for herself.  I am even more proud of the example she sets to her peers and the joy she brings into her friends and those around her lives - including her teachers.  They love her - and so do we!

Brielle~Fairness Award!

My sweet Brielle received the Fairness Award today at school!  2nd year in a row - she received the same award in Kindergarten!  I am so proud of her and how she treats her friends and peers at school.  She was a little shell shocked being called up in front of so many people - but once she saw me  - she gave me a big smile!  We love you Brielle and are so proud of you!

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

St. Patty's Day!  We had rainbows, clouds, pots of gold and shamrocks!  Green Eggs and Green French Toast and Green Melon Powerade and sausage for dinner!  Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!!

Birthday Party!

Mikenna's friend Paige had a Willy Wonka b-day party Saturday...with chocolate fountain and everything!  Mikenna's friends are all pretty much 12 now - and she is sooo ready to turn 12 to be in Young Women's with them-she and her friends are already excited for Girls Camp this summer!!

Brielle's Artwork

Brielle's picture of herself....I love it....it made me laugh!

Mikenna~Choir Concert

Mikenna had a choir concert tonight at the high school auditorium.  Her 6th grade group sang two songs.  I couldn't use flash photography during the performance - plus I was recording it with the camcorder so these pictures are all of them warming up and getting their positions right and lights, etc.  Mikenna really enjoys choir and her teacher is awesome - he does a really great job with them.

 Mikenna is with 3 of her friends here - 2 girls from our ward and also a soccer buddy.

Jaron~Track

Jaron practicing on the Track today....my long legged boy!  He sure loves running...he's so much happier when he is running in Track or Cross Country...it's great he loves something he can do his whole life for enjoyment and stress relief!

It's was kinda weird picking Jaron up from the Pasco High School track where I used to compete in track meets at the Pasco Invite when I was a high schooler - I have great memories there...it also kinda made me feel old though...man how time flies!!

Jaron and his buddy Logan....it's nice to have friends from our ward and seminary class on the track team too!