comfy chaos continued

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T08:36:00.009-07:00

Thanks to my dear friend Michelle we were able to pull off a family picture a week before Christmas (cards coming soon!). We walked over to a neighbors yard, threw our coats in a pile and smiled big as little Mary held branches behind her momma's head like antler ears as she snapped away.

It truly is such a magical time of year. Having all my babies home snuggled under my protective wings makes it extra special. We are blessed and give thanks to our kind, loving Father in Heaven and to his Son who sacrificed all to give us life eternal.

From our home to yours, have the Merriest Christmas! Love, the Nielson's

gratitude

2011-11-22T21:38:00.002-07:00

Our sweet little 9th grader heads up to the high school at 6:10am for early morning seminary. On most days her Dad shuffles out of bed to drive her there. A few days ago he found this note on his pillow.

How happy I am to have a child (and children for that matter) with a grateful heart.

Halloween at the Care Center

2011-10-29T07:39:00.001-06:00

We decided to visit some old friends at the Alzheimer's Care Center by singing, playing some tunes and trying our skills at puppet theater. Samuel wasn't sure what was scarier, his monster puppet, Chomp, or some ornery patient shouting at him to sit down. I looked over at him and gave him the crazy person sign. He smiled, nodded and understood. Just sharing some Halloween love, people! Who knows if they'll remember us tomorrow but we had fun dressing up and sharing nonetheless.

π

2011-10-26T09:46:00.002-06:00

Thanks to the generosity of our sweet neighbors the Hills, Katherine was taught how to make perfectly scrumptious homemade pie. Paul's 110 year old recipe is the best! We all gained a few pounds just smelling it. So good!

Midway to heaven

2011-10-24T10:03:00.002-06:00

I highly suggest you take a couple hours out of your day to day, grab a picnic, crank up a tune like this (or whatever tickles your fancy) and head for the hills! You'll be glad you did. Promise.

this little piggy went to the market

2011-10-23T22:00:00.003-06:00

How I love Fall with all it's sights, tastes and colors. My handy little phone has doubled as my camera as of late. Life has been crazy, busy, wonderful! With the convenience of Facebook and text messaging I have neglected this sweet little site. But since those things aren't as easy to print, I will have to try and keep this dear blog/book of mine alive with pictures and small tales of life as I see it. Happy Fall!

Nielson girls at their best, kinda

2011-10-03T09:22:00.004-06:00

I was uploading footage from my Flip camera on to my computer and found all kinds of little treasures!

The first was taken early this summer at one of Sarah's voice lessons. Oh how I miss those times with her. Listening to her sing and make little break through's was exhilarating.

This next clip is of the multi-talented and athletic Analisa. She makes it look so easy! If only it were so.

This was taken last week at an informal violin recital. The song suited my lovely Kate so perfectly.

The last clip I found on my handy camera was taken on my 40th birthday in NYC. I'll have you know it takes incredible talent to enjoy food the way I do. Don't believe me? Try taking my last bite of something I'm savoring and watch me bite your head off;)

College Bound

2011-08-29T10:00:00.003-06:00

Our girl Sarah starts life in the big school today. The big ole BYU that is. It's been a roller coaster of emotions for me since we dropped her off last Wednesday. Sunday dinner was straight up SAD. We miss her crazy, bubbly self around these parts. And her singing. Ah, her singing. That's probably the thing I miss very most. I can text and call and hear her sweet voice through the phone, but I love busying myself around the house while listening to that voice float out of her room. There's nothing quite like it to this mothers ears. I am adjusting though. Enjoying loads of one on one time with Analisa before she turns around and does the same thing a year from now. There are gobs of books and classes on bringing these little one's into the world but no one can quite prepare you for letting them go.

Happy Anniversary Gipsy Style

2011-08-17T21:10:00.003-06:00

Last night we celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary with one of my favorite outings, an outdoor concert under the stars, dancing to awesome music.

We met up with some dear friends, Rhett and Willow and danced the night away.

And by the way, if you're ever hurting for motivation to deep clean your house, turn this up really loud and watch the clutter practically put itself away;) Gotta love The Gipsy Kings!

7 Brides for 7 Brothers

2011-08-14T22:29:00.008-06:00

Once upon a time there was a 12 year old girl who reluctantly went to a combined Young Men/ Young Women volleyball activity at the church. She noticed a curly haired blond boy, just barely dating age, and became smitten when he turned and smiled her way. A few minutes after this exchange a volleyball came crashing down on her face leaving her totally embarrassed thinking life as she knew it was over! Surely he'd only think of her as the clumsy little beehive who couldn't play volleyball.

There were other small exchanges over the years even a couple letters from Brazil. But it wasn't until last fall, 5 years after that first encounter, that the same cute boy got the nerve to ask her to join him on a motorcycle ride. Her mother watched out the kitchen window as she hopped on the back of that bike grinning from ear to ear, arms wrapped around him holding on for dear life.

They have had many adventures over the past 10 months. One of which was doing a summer play together. Something I'm sure he never imagined doing. He learned a solo for the audition. And even learned to polka with the best of them. Oh, the things he's done for love! The hardest thing he's had to do is watch her kiss another guy three times a week on stage during the wedding scene. How many couples can say they've been through that one? The show plays Tuesday, Thursday and closes Saturday this week.

They are off to college next week. Who knows what the future holds for these two dear ones. But oh what a fun ride it's been!

h2O

2011-08-08T10:12:00.002-06:00

I asked the Dad of a struggling teenager who's life had miraculously turned from dark to light what made the difference in his daughter's transformation. His response was simple, "We bought a boat."

Thanks to the generosity of Papa Hill, (Blake's Dad) I understood why an afternoon on the water surrounded by nature and loved ones would make for the best kind of medicine.

Here are way too many pictures (30) of our recent boating adventures.

cute little boating couple

Samuel is so lucky to have discovered the joy of boating at the ripe old age of 6! He loves the tube but mainly he likes to lay out at the very front of the boat and daydream.

My first time on the tube ever. I laughed so hard I cried. Thank goodness Paul was driving the boat. He was gentle but still made it to where it was fun without tossing us over.

Kate decides to water ski for the first time ever. Can you see the excitement in her eyes?

Paul and Blake gave her careful instructions. No one better to learn from than the patient Hill boys.

Love her nervous little grin here.

And she's up. First try! Way to go Kit-Kat!

Cute couple again.

Sammy took his role as flag holder very serious.

Analisa's turn.

And she's up. First try too!

The girls decided to go tubing rough style. Blake is giving Sarah instructions on how to hold on for dear life.

I love this picture even though it's blurry. So fun!

After everyone had their fill of skiing, the boat became a napping boat. The mellow playlist kicked in on the speakers and people clustered in different areas of what we affectionately call the Paul Hill/James Bond boat. Here he is chit chatting with my Katherine asking her about Junior High and life at 14. What a great time to relax, munch and mingle all on the quite of a beautiful lake.

Here I am before my first attempt at water skiing. Everyone made it look so easy. What was I thinking?! Yes folks, I even got my hair wet.

Blake was even sweet enough to get in the water to help me. Unfortunately, I was only able to stand up for 5 seconds, if that. Well, there's always next time!

Rain

2011-08-02T08:06:00.007-06:00

I remember growing up in Houston looking forward to Hurricane season. Something about rain, wind and dark clouds brought excitement to our humble home on Exchange Street. Almost always it was accompanied by power outages which meant my sister Moni and I got to huddle next to windows with candles and watch as the flood waters rose and crept closer and closer to our front door. We'd take turns running outside to see how deep the water was on our skinny little legs. It was exhilarating. When the storms would finally pass it seemed like everyone on the block would gather outside to assess the damage while us kids tried our long jump skills by seeing who could jump farthest over the overflowing ditches without falling in.

Yesterday, while driving home on the freeway from Matthew's piano lesson, a rain shower that rivaled those of my youth hit Salt Lake full force. We pulled over at our local grocery store which sits high on the hill to watch as the rain cleansed over the valley. It was beautiful. We even stepped out and danced in it just for fun. We came home to find that the rest of the gang had the same idea. Love summer rain!

because I live with a super model

2011-08-01T17:51:00.002-06:00

I had to share just a few more stunning pictures of baby girl, Analisa.

We have had a whirlwind of a summer! I plan on going back and documenting our many little adventures. While the pictures won't come anything close to this caliber, still, it's fun to share.

Happy August!

my girl at seventeen

2011-06-28T19:11:00.006-06:00

It's hard to believe this lovely lady is beginning her last year as a full time resident on Sunnydale Dr. No need to remind me of how fast this next year will go. Little did I know when I had her and her older sister a mere 17 months apart, that they'd venture off to college and life outside my arms' reach all in a single year.

But my how she has blossomed over the years! I admire her qualities of faith, perseverance, humor, kindness and humility so much. As the next year flies by I will be sure to relish in our time laughing over silly texts and letters she gets from not so secret admirers. Bake extra batches of cookies as she crams for tests and continue to stay up til wee hours of the morning to keep her company when she hammers out papers on the computer. I'll even promise to work extra hard to get the latest dance moves she teaches us on a regular basis. And as always, I'll take every opportunity to tell her how amazing she is to me and those around her as she fills our lives with love and laughter.

Idawho?

2011-06-26T22:33:00.007-06:00

I must admit, when I heard a family reunion was to be held in spud country, I wasn't all that excited to go. There are so many fabulous places to stay-cation right in our own backyard after all. But I sucked it up, dropped a couple hundred in prep for our three day adventure and off we went to Napoleon Dynamite's hometown of Preston, Idaho.

The drive couldn't have been better. Brett drove up with the boys in the over packed van while the girls and I followed along with Analisa playing DJ on the iPod. We jammed out the entire way! I can always count on those girls of mine to keep me current.

After a few twists and turns off the beaten path we ended up on 200 acres of gorgeous farm land. Grandma Judith's brother, Uncle Brent was kind enough to share his newly built "cabin" with us that frankly made my quaint little home look rustic. I miss the double sink bathroom already!

The kids took turns riding the 4 wheelers and enjoyed beautiful vistas for miles around. Here is a one minute video I filmed with my flipcamera to document my first spin on the bad boy.

The boys had fun hangin with their one and only cousin on the trip.

We roasted hotdogs, ate one too many smores and were entertained by the lovely Katherine on violin.

As the sun started to set, Brett entertained us with his made up ghost stories that always include 3 little heroes that just so happen to be the same ages as our boys. He even went as far as to make up a G rated version of La Llorona. The real story still brings back so many scary memories of my days as a child in Mexico.

While the kids and company went off to shoot guns, I decided to stay home to sweep up crumbs. And somehow managed to find a few minutes to dive into a romance novel. This picture is hilarious! I took it as a joke on my own Mr. Darcy's cell phone. He thought it was so funny I had to include it on this little post just for a laugh!

There was plenty of time for playing games, hide and seek and late night Harry Potter movie thrills on the big screen.

Here are my darling inlaws and Aunt Lindsay just before a hike up the Idaho mountains. Just gorgeous.

The rivers and lakes were full to overflowing, but we still managed to enjoy a little time playing in its waters.

Who knew that potato land had so much to offer! A great time was had by all.

'til next time.

pomp and circumstance

2011-06-13T21:06:00.005-06:00

I love this picture for so many reasons. Love the sign that our dear friends made for the occasion. Love the care her sisters took getting the sign up to begin with. Her dad in the background watching his baby girl take center stage. And then of course her, poised and eager to move on to the next stage of life.

We were so lucky to sit right across the aisle from her. I snapped this right after she received her diploma. Radiant.

The boyfriend, the grandparents, her mama, her newest baby cousin, her Tias, and baby brother Samuel, lover of all things fuzzy, who insisted on getting her a stuffed animal she could take away to college. "In case she gets homesick" he said.

Because it was such a small graduating class, they had everyone set up tables with special tokens and mementos to honor the graduates. Hence, there sat Osi, a stuffed bear I made when I carried that girl inside of me as I anxiously awaited her arrival. She loved that bear 'til the beads and stuffing left trials everywhere she went. I think I restitched it a dozen times. It traveled from Provo to Ohio, got lost and found in little bakeries and museums across Chicago. It made it's way to hot, humid Texas and finally back to a shelf by her bed in Utah. Yes, little Osi has been through a lot over the last 18 years but is no worse for wear for all it's adventures.

We thought we'd give her a bike to get around the BYU campus similar to what my parents gave me my first year at the same place all those years ago. It has the cutest red birds and music notes painted on it with the word Melody painted on the side. How apropos for my little singing bird so ready to take flight.

Mabel

2011-06-04T21:11:00.002-06:00

We've been busy wrapping up an eventful month of May. Miss Sarah who played the part of Mabel in her class recital graduates on Wednesday! Exciting times to say the least. I'll have to come back and share more of our doings later. For now, hope you enjoy this cute little song from Pirates of Penzance, "Poor Wandering One."

dishes

2011-05-16T13:49:00.008-06:00

About 6 weeks ago our dishwasher went out. When you make 3+ meals for 8+ people per day dirty dishes add up pretty quick. I bought paper products thinking it would get fixed in no time but was shocked to find the repair cost almost as much as a new machine. So we waited til we had time to go shop for a new one or fix the old one. While we kept deciding on which route to take in no particular hurry, April turned into May and we kinda got use to the ole' washing by hand routine.

At first I dreaded the mountainous task at hand, but after a while as I repeatedly soaked my hands in the warm soapy water that accompanied the dishes after nourishing the people I love, it didn't seem so arduous after all. It quickly became a time for contemplation and prayer. And when invited, helpers willingly joined me at the sink full of bubbles. I found that it became a time to talk through the events of the day, problems and victories. I understood in a small way, why even though my own mother had a nice dishwasher in perfect working condition, she still chose to do them by hand.

Tomorrow will be the end to the stacks and stacks of flipped over piles of drying cups, plates, pots and pans. And while I'll miss that one on one time accomplishing and finishing a task in the company of my family, I will be happy to hear the hum of the dishwasher again. Guess we'll have to transfer the one on one, working together time out to the yard.

A chick named Katherine

2011-05-13T13:20:00.003-06:00

Being the youngest of three girls has it's perks. Your parents have been "broken in" for the most part. Your sense of fashion, hair and make-up do's and don't s are leap years ahead of those without sisters who aren't afraid to tell you like it is. And if you're lucky enough to share a room with them, you get to stay up late chit chatting about life and boys and dreams about what it will be like when you get your turn to experience things you've seen them do.

Such a day came today on the stage of Wasatch Jr. High. Twice, miss Kate sat in the audience as her sisters put it all out there by running for student body officer. First step was deciding what to run for. Second was coming up with a theme and poster/picture. Having my dear friend Michelle around the block came in extra handy for that one! When we went over for a photo, all we knew was that she was running for historian. Within minutes Michelle and her trusty assistant Hans, whipped out a giant History of the World book, a beautiful backdrop and a real live chick for added cute factor. The rest as they say, is History. Ha!

This is the dance routine she choreographed with a little help from big sis Analisa and her Aunt Lindsay. The song, Who's that Chick? seemed most fitting for the occasion.

Results are announce at the WOW assembly next Friday. Either way, she's forever a winner in my book.

A Satisfied Customer

2011-05-12T07:43:00.000-06:00

I know I'd want to buy Big O tires after watching that! Wouldn't you? :)

I love being their Mom

2011-05-08T22:02:00.003-06:00

“To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help, to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home – which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storms and strife.” Pres. Spencer W. Kimball

guitar man

2011-05-03T10:20:00.006-06:00

After a good two years of off and on lessons and practice our little charmer, Joseph, finally passed off Book 1. Being the 5th child in a musically enriched family he could hardly wait for his turn to be in the spotlight! He was nervous and giddy but still managed to strum out a few tunes. It was so hard for his excited 9 year old mind to stay totally focused with a room full of people smiling and staring at him. His nervous energy turned into a little comedy routine in a few instances. It was delightful nonetheless. Hopefully, this will motivate him to charge through Book 2 a little bit quicker.

chiquita

2011-05-01T14:11:00.005-06:00

Say hello to my darling niece, Analea. In hopes of transplanting their little family to Utah, my sister, Cristina thought it best to introduce Rolando to life with countless cousins and snow covered mountains. After less than 24 hours here he secured a job, threw his first snow ball and accepted the fact that Mormon folk really aren't quite as scary as he'd seen in the movies.

Wait til he really gets to know us...;)

My dear friend and photographer extraordinaire Michelle, took some photos of this beautiful little angel even while she took her very first steps. Can't wait to see what the magic of her lens captured. For now we'll have to settle for my amateur point and shoot pics, darling nonetheless, given my subject matter.

smile with your eyes

2011-04-29T21:53:00.007-06:00

Or smizing as my sister Crystal might say. Yeah, I think the girls have that one down pat. Here are a few teasers from a photo shoot they did a couple days ago. The photographer was SO enamored with them that she and her trainee shot them for 4 hours straight, til the moonlight didn't give off enough light! She hired the girls to model during one of her mentoring sessions. You can see the before and afters here. The last photo reminds me of a country rock album cover.

Maybe we should reconsider sending Miss Sarah off to BYU in a few months...

And for the record, I'm making up reasons to keep Analisa home these days. Poor thing.

Easter Blessings

2011-04-25T20:16:00.004-06:00

Every year that I get older it seems like the holidays mean more and more as I watch some of my babies prepare to leave our little nest. Long gone are the days of frilly socks and giant hair bows. They now pick out their own outfits and hair accessories but as in days gone by, I still stand back and gaze in awe at their beauty.

We had amazing Sacrament speakers who set the tone for the day. Matthew played a Nephite in sharing time and expressed in his own words what it would have been like if he had been there when the resurrected Savior visited the American continent. It was powerful.

We spent the early afternoon preparing for the festivities. I found this amazing recipe for Sprinkles strawberry cupcakes. They were yummylicious! I made our families favorite green beans which can be found here along with the Favorites version of Mandarin-Almond Green Salad. My sisters took care of the rest and we ate to our hearts content!

If you ever decide to make these little puffs of sweetness be sure to also make the to die for frosting. I licked the bowl. Twice!

We mounted them on this lovely tree along with the bunnies Katherine made the day before. Once one cupcake disappeared, it was only a matter of seconds before the whole tree was empty!

My beautiful sisters, Crystal and Moni.

Sarah, Serina, Katherine, Ariana and Analisa.

Jonah goes into cousin heaven when Samuel and rest of the boys come over. Needless to say, they all slept soundly that night!

I first met Paige when he served a mission in our Spanish branch 22 years ago. He even attended my wedding. We jokingly call him our brother from another mother. It's been fun to be near him and his lovely wife Dulce. Their kids call me Aunt Claudia, which I love!

How lucky to have your BFF as your cousin! Love these two girls. Their beauty runs deep.

Can't have Easter without a hunt! Thank goodness the weather cooperated. There were so many kids we had to divide them into 2 groups. The littles and the bigs.

It has been so nice to have our Analisa home from Costa Rica. I will have to have her guest blog to share some of her amazing stories. You can still see a smear of paint on the back of her forearm. Pura Vida is her new mantra. I couldn't agree more.

Hoppy Easter

2011-04-23T20:03:00.001-06:00

Perspective

2011-04-21T19:46:00.003-06:00

A few days before a scheduled humanitarian trip to Costa Rica, Analisa took a terrible fall and severely sprained her left ankle. She was coming back for the kill in an intense tennis match when her foot gave out from under her and down she went. How could she be of any use to anyone thousands of miles away from home while wobbling around on a badly hurt foot? Tears were shed. We followed doctors orders and made a permanent bed for her on the couch while she iced and elevated her black and blue foot. During one of her pity party icing sessions, little Samuel came up to her and asked,

"Analisa, are you dying?"

"Yes Sammy, I think I am," she said.

"Well, at I least I was able to have my pizza party at school today," he said thoughtfully.

She burst out laughing while giving him a big hug!

"And at least I made you smile", he said smugly.

Seriously, how bad can life be when you you have a sweet little face like that staring back at you?

She made it out to the jungles of the Amazon anyway, big boot,crutches and all. We have missed her like crazy and can't wait to hear about her many adventures!

bye, bye braces!!!

2011-04-07T19:22:00.004-06:00

Having braces as an adult is like walking around for 11 looong months with a big zit on the tip of your nose waiting to be popped! It's painful, inconvenient and it's the first thing people notice with a face to face encounter.

As much as I hated little babies reaching for the bling on my teeth, and drive-thru clerks staring at my mouth with raised eyebrows; I must say, it was so nice to always come home and feel loved no matter what I looked like. My family always looked at me and loved me for me.

It took hours of hanging out with Samuel before he even noticed they were gone. It was only after I gave him a big cheesy grin and pointed to my smile that he noticed. He smiled back, gave me a hug with a gentle pat on the back, and said, "Good job mommy. You look pretty. I never noticed you had them to begin with."

I am blessed.

Now off to bite into my CK Cummings chocolate dipped in Oreo caramel apple. Ah, bliss!

March Madness...

2011-03-28T08:53:00.009-06:00

March was a blur! I just found this unfinished post and feel badly I have neglected my little blog. Since this a journal type record for my family and me, I'll try to back track and share some of the highlights of the last few months.

***

The culmination of hours of practice time bore their fruits at recitals, Piano and Violin Federation, care centers, NATS, a special musical fireside, a school play, wrestling season, a tennis tournament, being asked and responding to dances and the girls yearly CDT concert. A major time commitment also included Saturday trips to Provo which resulted in my three boys dancing on the big stage at BYU in the Lamanite Generation/ Living Legends alumni reunion. It was nostalgic to see my beautiful Sarah dressed in Native American attire singing "Go My Son" just like I did 22 years ago! We also celebrated Miss Kate's 14th birthday all in the sweet little month of March. It's no wonder I haven't blogged for awhile.

I think we'll spend Spring break next month in our jammies, watching our tulips take center stage as they take their turn basking in the sun. (Not! It's rained every single day! It's Friday now and we just caught our first glimpse of sunshine. )

Katherine, Matthew and Analisa all received superiors at Federation. Every year the pieces get harder and more intense. We were so proud of them!

He is our guitarist, Joseph, jammin out to Steady Hands at the care center. Sarah, Katherine and Analisa had 2 separate opportunities to perform for the Utah Daughters of Pioneers. They were hits.

Katherine lit up the stage in her school play Once Upon A Mattress. It was delightful.

I was thrilled to catch some shots of the girls on stage at the Capital Theater. I will post a little video soon!

Kate turned 14!!! I'm doing my best to keep the boys at bay. She thinks I'm being a wee bit overprotective but she's my youngest girl, what does she expect? Instead of the coveted cell phone she wanted she graciously conceded to a bike instead. I need her to stay my baby Kate just a little bit longer!

Samuel stole the show in the LG/LL Alumni show. He danced like he had ants in his pants. It was awesome! A video coming soon:)

Sarah graced the stage with her beautiful voice which charmed the current LL director so much that she's asked for Sarah to be the upcoming groups lead singer in the Fall at BYU. It is surreal watching her follow the same path I did all those years ago at the same age. She will thrive in ways she never imagined and I couldn't be more excited for the adventure that awaits her.

Back by popular demand...

2011-02-25T17:40:00.004-07:00

well not really, but the filming and sound quality is so much better than my original hand held camera job, I thought I'd share it again.

Click HERE, then scroll down to A Stud and a Babe to see Kooper and Sarah in action.

And a random picture of me and my Stud just because:)

growing pains

2011-02-22T10:50:00.007-07:00

Last month my poor little Lisey had her wisdom teeth removed. She laid around with ice packs and mumbled gibberish for the first day or so while we tended to her every need and fed her smoothies with a spoon.

We all laid around her room to keep her company while she insisted we stop making her laugh 'cause it hurt to much.

Just as she'd recovered from puffy cheek syndrome, her close friend, who's a boy, decided (over a text) to go separate ways and explore greener pastures. She sprained her toe in dance shortly after and limped around on crutches reflecting her sad state both inside and out.

Good friends and trusted time healed her various wounds and had her back in the saddle in no time.

She even landed a job to model for an upcoming book trailer in the Edward/Bella genre. So mysterious...

She looks so serious in this photo shoot but truth is she is a happy, positive little light for good in the world and I am so grateful to watch her work her magic as we journey these winding roads together.

a LOVEly day

2011-02-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Since Señor Nielson and I had a hot date planned for Valentine's day we decided to have a party to celebrate the holiday Sunday after church. We pulled the boxes of card stock from my old stamping days and decided to focus on making cards for each other that we'd surprise each other with throughout the coming days. Analisa helped cut out heart shaped bread for the french toast while Brett and Katherine, Sarah and Blake danced to a little Natalie Cole in the dining room. (Wish I would have taken a picture!)

Who knew my sweet husband could design a card like the best of 'em. He even wrote me a poem in Spanish and printed off a picture of us which he glued on the inside. Presh, as my teenage girls would say.

Analisa made a special Valentine dedicated to all the boys who she's cautiously given her heart to only to have it ripped in half. Ouch. Poor girl thinks no boy will ever come around again. Yet she has 4 dates lined up in the next 10 days. ??

Even Samuel got in on the action. This was after he'd returned from a screaming fit in time out for not wanting to share the alphabet stamp set. What's a party without a few tears, right?

Overall, love was definitely in the air on Sunnydale.

After a few hours of food, card making and music we took our party outside and enjoyed our first day of true Spring weather! I kept asking why everyday couldn't be like this. The answer always the same, so we can fully appreciate the good ones when they do come! Snow expected tomorrow. (heavy sigh)

Mr. and Miss's Chicken are the nick names they've affectionately called each other over the last year or so. They look out for each other.

I love Valentine's day! Any holiday really, for the chance it gives us to celebrate this beautiful family we've created together.

Sarah

2011-02-02T11:00:00.005-07:00

My first born officially became an adult last month. She turned the ripe young age of 18. We have been busy testing, rehearsing, auditioning and visiting college campuses wondering which of the many paths that lie ahead is the best choice for her.

As her mother, I've always sought to direct her in all aspects of life. Friends, books, music, classes to take, people to date or NOT to date. For the most part she's heeded my council. However, being the free spirited soul she is, sometimes not. She has taught me so much about trust, faith, patience and most importantly about finding the good in ALL types of people. At times she has stood out as a little ray of sunshine in a sea of darkness. I instinctively have wanted to protect her from possible threats to her spirit but have learned to let go, just a little.

It has been fascinating to watch her blossom into someone who can easily hold her ground for that which is good and right. When I've accompanied her to various school or church functions I sit back in awe as she lights up the room and has everyone smiling within minutes. Her testimony is solid, her future bright. The closer she gets to leaving home the more she realizes what a special place it truly is and for that I am most grateful.

When asked what fun adventuresome thing we could do to celebrate her birthday, her reply was, "I just want a single cupcake, your famous enchiladas and to be surrounded by my family. That is my ideal day." Wish granted.

Grammy and Grampy. Two of her biggest fans.

sunshine

With her Tia Moni, who always says she loved her first and most!

Sarah and the real live Blake. (Her boyfriend of the last 4 months.) They spend most of their time together laughing and giggling. I think they're adorable. Brett...not so much...not yet anyway.

flu

2011-02-01T17:20:00.003-07:00

You know they're sick when they cry out, "I feel badder than the word, BAD!" Poor little babies.

NYC 2011

2011-01-16T20:16:00.003-07:00

Because sometimes you just need a little "sister time"...in NEW YORK CITY!

I got a call from my sister Moni, asking if I wanted to join her in celebrating her birthday in "The Big Apple." I'd never been before. It sounded like too good of a thing to pass up! Our long time family friend, Paige, and his sweet wife Dulce were planning on going as well. We called in frequent flyer miles, arranged a warm spot for sleeping on the floor of our dear friend Alicia's condo, and off we went. Moni and I and Marisa and Crystal and her son Jacob all took off for the famed city! We walked, ate, and laughed ourselves to exhaustion from 8 am till 2 am the next morning all four days! The city, the shows, the sites and sounds were more than I ever imagined. But I must say, spending time with these people I love, made it all the more sweet.

This was the view from Page and Dulce's hotel room. I had to keep pinching myself asking, "Wait. Is this real?" How can a city street look like day time at midnight? And where on earth did all these Taxi's come from? More importantly, how are we not dead driving in them! Ah, city life is a crazy life.

Us. Posing it up in the subway. Not as scary as I thought it would be but you definitely need to know where you're going to navigate your way in a timely fashion.

My beautiful sisters, Crystal and Moni, looking all stylish in their rain boots. This was taken just in front of our most gracious hosts, Alicia and Joshs' apartment.

Our hosts live a few blocks away from Central Park. We didn't get to explore it this time around but hope to in the near, warmer future!

Crystal and I trying our luck for lotto Wicked tickets. We didn't win, but had fun trying.

We saw Mary Poppins at New Amsterdam Theatre. The singing and tapping and flying were fabulous. Practically perfect in every way!

Paige, Dulce and I scored tickets to Next to Normal which was incredibly intense. I was just as fascinated by the row of Asians sitting next to me bawling their eyes out as I was the show. Pulitzer Prize winner for a reason.

Saw Addams Family which starred Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. The whole plot revolved around Wednesday bringing her boyfriends family to meet the Addams for the first time. Their love story was so sweet. It was fun, naughty, clever and hilarious! We left snapping our thumbs all the way to the subway.

And finally, I saw In the Heights, third row and still can't stop thinking about it. So close, I could see spit flying. The music, the flavor, the acting, dancing, rapping. Absolutely loved it!!! My kids say I'm obsessed. I say just Breathe.

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm a girl who takes her lunch most seriously. Good food makes me happy! I savor every bite. New York did not disappoint. Katzs Deli, Ferrara, Serendipity, Lombardi and Magnolia Bakery to name a few! Ummmm.

We shopped on Canal Street where little Asian men shouted in Spanish with perfect accents, "Bueno, bonito, barrato". Which translates to good, pretty, cheap. They even took us back to some secret rooms filled with purses. Talk about scary.

Me trying to play Twinkle on the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz. Scarier than the secret purse room.

We visited Julliard, Lincoln Center, The Manhattan Temple, The World Trade Center Museum and of course, The Statue of Liberty. Places that left significant impressions on me that I won't soon forget.

Love NYC. LOVE my New York posse! Can't wait to go again soon!

The End.

New Year

2011-01-04T09:25:00.003-07:00

This made me laugh and cry. The corresponding talk by Jeffery Holland "The Best Is Yet to Be" is worth reading too! Happy Day everyone :)

A date with Sammy

2010-12-31T08:34:00.008-07:00

Since we already had plans to take our girls to the MOTAB Christmas Concert we decided to venture out to see the lights on Temple Square with just the boys of the family. Everything sparkled in the cold night air and it was truly beautiful. While there, we saw a sign for the musical, Savior of the World being performed that very night and jumped on the chance to take the boys to see it. We purchased the tickets and later realized it was only for guests 8 and older which meant Samuel was out of the loop. I didn't want Matthew and Joseph to miss out on the show and offered to hang out with little man and make a date of the evening.

It was so fun to walk hand and in hand with my youngest son and soak in the magic of Temple Square this time of year. We watched the nativity presentation, listened to carolers in the Visitors Center and talked about the larger than life paintings that draped the walls of the building, but it was the Christus statue he loved the best. He kept asking me to take a picture of him with "The Second Coming" and so I did. How I love that little man of mine!

Life on a Sleigh Ride

2010-12-21T22:39:00.007-07:00

So much to say and so little time to say it! We have been busy making/enjoying ridiculous amounts of music. I'll have to post more when things slow down around here. For now, enjoy a little duet performed Sunday night by Analisa and her friend Alex.

Winter Formal

2010-12-09T19:55:00.003-07:00

Analisa asked her long time tennis friend to the latest dance. The asking looked like this:

A few weeks later this was the response:

In case you can't read the blurry snowflake it say's, "Even though I was a Flake for not answering sooner...Not even a blizzard could stop me from going with you!" The blizzard contained her favorite, an Oreo shake with the words YES written on the spoon. Cute, huh?

They went ice skating downtown before hitting it up on the tennis court.

They went home and cleaned up looking like this:

Thanksgiving Oklahoma style

2010-12-08T09:00:00.002-07:00

After our three day excursion to Disney, the girls and I hopped on a plane and headed to my sister Marisa' s place for a Zarate Thanksgiving Reunion.

My Dad, aka Papi, decided it was high time to gather his girls and as much of his posterity as could make it, to a central meeting place to celebrate the bounties the good Lord has given us as we enjoyed each others company.

And that we did! There were 32 of us in all. Air mattresses were stacked high in corners of bed rooms while cute little dark haired children ran a muck of the place. My talented Momma took over the kitchen and worked hours preparing meal after meal of scrumptious food that left us wanting MORE!

Amidst the chaos there was ...

music

feasting

drama

fashion

bonding and laughter

pride

cuteness

craziness

and LOVE! I miss my little tribe. Can't wait to see them all again soon!

Girl Time

2010-12-04T21:26:00.005-07:00

Christmas came early for me this year! Remember the trip to Disney we won off the radio. Well, we cashed in our frequent flier miles and and headed out West.

There is no way we could have spent a week away without the incredible support of Handsome Hubby/Super Dad. Love you babe!!

Our flight was a little turbulent at the get go. I looked over at the girls and saw them holding hands, taking care of each other and my heart melted just a little.

Spending three days in close proximity with these girls, memorizing every freckle and eyelash on each others faces while waiting in lines was priceless. We reminisced about the crazy boys we live with and their silly antics, made friends with strangers and made some pretty crazy memories of our own along the way.

The little white dog Sarah brought along on EVERY ride is affectionately named "Blakey". Who would think the girl who turns 18 in a month and a half would be carrying around a stuffed animal?! But she did, and we love her for it!

I'm a BIG chicken when it comes to big dip rides. But I rode them and I was proud of myself. Can't you see me? Crouched down, hiding there behind Sarah.

Dumbo was more my speed:)

We got to hang with one of our favorite galaxy defenders, Buzz Lightyear.

Along with some of are favorite princesses who, unlike the movies they star in, were fully dressed this time. They spoke with us about the lands they came from and took a genuine interest in my own little princesses. It was a delightful time.

We got serenaded by some way cool jazz singers one chilly evening. Jazz hands!

We had an Absolutely, Awesome time. A treasured time I'll hold close for years to come.

because I love her smile

2010-11-12T22:22:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd post just a few more tennis pics.

...warms my heart every time.

senioritis

2010-11-10T21:37:00.005-07:00

A friend of a friend was looking for a high school senior to shoot some photos for a training video called Photo Vision. Long story short, she hired Sarah for the job and these were some of the results.

This girl of mine has been busy applying for colleges, preparing audition pieces and dragging herself to school and seminary everyday. She's already been accepted to a few schools and is anxious to get started on the next phase of life. Me, I just sit back and hum the tune to Taylor Swifts new song, Never Grow Up as I watch my little butterfly spread her wings as she prepares to take flight.

I love you, Sarah!

because boys will be boys

2010-11-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sammy's pumpkin just kinda rolled off the roof, but it was way exciting none the less.

music,music,music

2010-11-06T15:05:00.005-06:00

The kids around these parts are always engaged in some sort of music study. Even Sammy chimes in with his harmonica now and then. On any given day, at almost any given hour, music can be heard emanating from some part of our home. Poor neighbors.

This fall brought with it a special focus for Joseph and Katherine as they were required to polish up some special pieces for the Suzuki Celebration event held at the Conference Center. Joseph, who has taken the slower route on finishing Book 1 in guitar (2 years and counting), was pushed to learn some more advanced pieces and Katherine spent hours perfecting Vocalise by Rachmaninoff. Matthew has been busy getting piano pieces ready for piano federation and was fortunate to jump in to the mix because he happened to know the Vivaldi piece they performed.

There were hundreds of kids involved in the event. It was really hard to spot my babes in the swarm of performers.

But as soon as Concerto in A minor began my mommy radar zoomed in and found Matthew, the boy with the dancing violin.

Joseph was easy to spot because his small group was featured on the Jumbo tron.

And out of the hundreds of kids they chose to zoom in on, our sweet Kate was featured on the big screen not once but twice!

The following two video's are of Matthew. In the first he is performing a Hayden Concerto accompanied by our own Analisa. A piece he felt was too "babyish". He was more than happy to put it to rest and has started full force into next years 17 page Mozart Concerto.

The second piece is a Chopin Prelude he performed up at Weber State yesterday. He said the piano was way too "bangy" and hard to shape phrases with. I thought he did great.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T23:12:00.007-06:00

Introducing Frankenstein, Sassy Flapper girl, Crabby Patty and a Bloody Soldier.

Despite the very uncooperative weather, Halloween rocked at Comfy Chaos this year.

We had the traditional pumpkin carving fest.

The elementary school parades.

Even the teachers got in on the action. The kids (and parents) loved it!

Miss Kate and I spent the morning making popcorn balls and some pretty spectacular Brain Cupcakes. They were so gross it was awesome.

Later, Miss Nerd girl (yeah, right) and I made tortellini soup while make-up artist extraordinaire, Sarah, created her masterpieces. Grammy and Grampy came over for some hugs and to take some pics. Even Topher tried to get in on the love fest. Too bad he didn't make it past the wrapper.

The kids scattered in different directions but came back with company for all the good stuff at home.

You know you've made it big when...

2010-10-28T16:04:00.002-06:00

Your picture is on the Rock' n Style Microphone box at every Toys' R Us worldwide. Come on, you know you want one? ;)

Best Waffle Recipe, EVER.

2010-10-27T09:10:00.005-06:00

(take that Bisquick)

Because I'm crazy and have 6 children at FIVE different schools, mornings can be a little chaotic here on Sunnydale. I stumbled upon this fabulous recipe found at Annie Eats. It is meant to be prepared the night before so that in the morning all you have to do is flip the on switch to the waffle maker, throw in 2 eggs and a dash of baking soda and voilà! You've got piping fresh, hot waffles that put IHOP to shame. The best part for me is smearing on a little butter and apricot jam and handing them over to my teenage girls as they run out the door in three different directions. Your family will sing your praises. They are seriously that good!

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
2¼ tsp. active dry yeast (I use instant – either is fine)
2 cups milk, warmed
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp. baking soda

Directions:
Combine the water and yeast in a large mixing bowl. (If using active dry yeast, let stand to dissolve 5 minutes before proceeding.) Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour to the bowl. Whisk until well blended and smooth (you can also use an electric mixer.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight. Do not put in the fridge!

When you are ready to make the waffles, preheat the waffle iron. Just before making the waffles, whisk the eggs and baking soda into the batter until smooth. The batter will be very thin. Fill waffle wells and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook until crisp and golden. Top as desired with butter, syrup, or fresh sliced strawberries, etc.

drama queen

2010-10-16T10:48:00.006-06:00

On second thought, make that Lady of the Theater.

At the end of last term and as part of her theater grade, Sarah was "forced" to audition for Shakespeare Competition which her school takes place in every year. Belonging to an Arts school she felt pretty confident that the parts would go to the seasoned, thespians of the group. Not the opera loving, musical theater type of gals. To her utter dismay, she landed a role that would take her places completely OUT of her comfort zone. She would be playing Queen Elizabeth in Richard III soon after her husband and sons had been murdered. Rehearsals were held every morning in September beginning at 6:30am. Getting into this character was not her ideal way of starting the day! She fought against completely giving in to the process til just a few weeks leading up to the big day. The director called her bluff in front of the entire company which forced her to dig deep and discover ways to conquer the whole miserable experience. She spent hours in the basement, shouting out lines, mastering the iambic pentameter of the scene and lowering her voice to the right tone to fit the mood of her character.

Brett drove down to Cedar City to support the team and watch our baby girl in action. I held the down the fort on Sunnydale and got word through text on how she was holding up.

This was her a few hours before competition

This was her during rehearsal

The team took 1st place in their division. A great accomplishment for a work well done. But not one she'd want to repeat anytime soon!

chick magnet

2010-10-13T12:57:00.003-06:00

I observed dozens of squealing girls chasing him around the playground today. And I must say, I did not like it. One. Little. Bit.

bitter sweet victory

2010-10-10T11:04:00.008-06:00

If you get the Deseret News, you might turn to the sports section and see this!

Skyline's Analisa Nielson competes in the first doubles finals at Liberty Park, helping the Eagles claim the 5A team title.

I mean seriously. Couldn't she just she just quit tennis and get a few endorsements from say Nike or Wilson? Tough stuff, girlfriend!!

I am a fan of any sport that let's a gal get away with hair-bows, pearls and yes, even...

Gold Spanks

She and her partner, Syd, fought their way to a third set in the finals! As can be seen from their cried out puffy eyes, they came just a little short that day, and took 2nd, but boy were we PROUD!

Due to some amazing wins earlier that day on their part, Skyline took State which was a huge accomplishment in and of itself. Congrats on a stellar season Lady Eagles!
You AMAZE ME Analisa... just the way you are!

a true story

2010-10-06T14:52:00.007-06:00

Once upon a time there was a little girl that loved tennis. At first, she admits, it was all about the outfits. But soon it became more than just the newest pleated skirt and more about how hard and fast she could wack the ball over the net. She spent tireless hours perfecting her strokes, moving her way slowly up the rankings when a silly fall down some stairs landed her with two fractures on her left wrist. "Who needs a backhand anyway," she thought. "I'll just work on my forehand and footwork and continue improving my game as best as I can." And so she did. Three to four hour work outs became her norm that summer. A dumb sweaty old cast wasn't going to slow her down. No sir-ee-Bob. The cast finally came off and life as she knew it was sparkly and new again. Til one day, the little girl who loved tennis, while in a third set tie break match, heard a pop on her right wrist which forced her yet again to the inside of an all too familiar Instacare. Severe tendinitis was the new diagnosis. "No more tennis til it all heals up. Could be weeks, could be months", she was told. With the start of High School tennis a couple weeks away her dream of playing Varsity seemed impossible. Driving to and from physical therapy with her love being put on indefinite hold she leaned over to put her broken little hand on her mother's hand and said, "Thank you. Thank you for driving me to and from all these visits and caring so much for me. I don't know what I'd do without you." At that moment, the girl who loved tennis and her mother just cried and cried. And her mother knew that even more than a love for tennis the girl had developed a grateful heart.

Her coach saved her spot on Varsity until she was well enough to hold a racquet again. Last week she and her doubles partner who went undefeated the entire season, won Region.

Tomorrow and Saturday... STATE!!

Homecoming

2010-09-25T19:57:00.004-06:00

Yesterday's post may or may not have had something to do with one of the following individuals... but anyway.

The traditional banging on the door by secret suitors in hopes of winning over a date caught us all by surprise again. You think we'd be used to this by now. But when it involves giant fish shaped balloons and Rottweilers that could pass for grizzly bears it catches you off guard a little. My camera was no where to be found this year but the girls had a ball being asked and replying to this years Homecoming dance.

Here is Analisa, aka my brunette Taylor Swift...

she went with her good friend Travis.

Sarah's dance was a 20's theme. She went with her friend and co-worker James, who graduated last year never having gone to a single dance. I think he cleaned up rather nicely. They had a great time. Sarah was even voted Homecoming Queen which made the evening extra special!

Sarah and her bud Landon, Salt Lake School for Performing Arts King and Queen.

The victory dance...

my mantra

2010-09-25T17:09:00.003-06:00

Because let's face it, don't we all have days when we'd just love to wring someone's neck???

Meet some Mormons

2010-09-14T10:24:00.000-06:00

The church has a website found at Mormon.org that features mini videos of members from all walks of life sharing a little bit about themselves and what their faith means to them. Scroll to the right over the little boxes with the faces. Click on one you like and press play. It is fabulous. There were some that stood out to me that I wanted to share with a few of my favorite people. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Mom (click on Chris): I want to find you a guy like Chris. Or Robert. Aren't they awesome?

Dad Nielson (click on Jeff): A kindred spirit. Member of Sinners Motorcycle Club. Love it.

Moni (click on Rose): She reminded me of you. You may not be an artist but you create magic with what you do so well at CTMH.

Crystal (click on Valentin): Doesn't he remind you of some boys from our old stomping ground? Like Edmundo and Uvalado. I just want to give him a hug.

Lindsay (type in Josh M in the search): He is a skateboarder who reminded me of Uncle Funky. What do you think?

Sarah (click on Alex to see her favorite) He is speaking to the kids in our stake next Sunday. Can't wait to hear him sing. It will rock at church. Oh yeah!

Me (click on Casandra and Daisy. They are two of my favorites) I love, love, love Casandra's art. I have already been in touch with her and can't wait to meet her someday soon. I also love the simpleness and directness of Daisy's story. I looked up her blog and saw that she recently married in the temple! She looks so happy which makes me happy too!

To all my fellow mommy bloggers: Click on Jenny only if you have a box of tissues handy. Oh my! What or where would we be without the gospel as our anchor?

I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother. My name Claudia Zarate Nielson. And I am a Mormon.

date night

2010-09-09T11:37:00.003-06:00

Ever since we met, my sweetie and I have always gone on a weekly date. At times it has been as fancy as dinner at Francks and a Broadway show or as simple as holding hands, walking around the neighborhood. It's kept our marriage fresh and energized and I wouldn't trade that time with just him for anything.

A few weeks ago we got our groove on and jammed out with this guy. It was awesome. Even though we payed a pretty penny for some great seats, I stood with Brett's arms wrapped around my waist as we swayed to the beat of the music the whole night. As my girls would say, it was romantical. Oh yes, the heart of life is ever so good!

Look we even made it on the jumbotron... NOT... cool effect though!

joseph

2010-09-02T13:32:00.008-06:00

If you were to ask any acquaintance of his, "Do you know Joseph Nielson?" Their immediate response would be, "Ah yes! I love that kid!" His love for life and others is truly contagious. There really is nothing that gets him down for very long. Sometimes I think I learn more from him and his beautiful spirit than I could possibly teach him.

For his NINTH birthday we decided to invite some his buddies to see our local baseball team, The Bees, in action. After a little dinner, cake and ice-cream we headed downtown.

We camped out on the lawn and took in the scene.

After about 20 minutes in, the boys turned our relaxing spectator sport into a full on wrestling match!

After the game they let us camp it right out on the field where we enjoyed fireworks that shot right over our heads. The boys loved it! It was the perfect ending to a great day for my sweetie, Joseph.

Sammy boy at 6

2010-09-02T10:52:00.003-06:00

My sweet boy Samuel celebrated his LONG AWAITED birthday with a few friends and cousins at Seven Peaks. He learned to swim this summer and has thus deemed himself ruler of all things water.

A tradition Brett brought into the marriage is the present game, "Heavy, Heavy Hangover." The person giving the gift dangles the gift over the birthday recipients head and repeats the rhyme, "Heavy, heavy hangover thy poor head what do you wish this person with a bump on the head?" They then give a little thump with the gift and are given a wish in return. In Samuel's case the party goers were wished super speed, super strength and special ninja powers.

I just love this age. He has new found independence but is definitely not too old to give his mom a smooch in public when necessary.

Probably the highlight of his birthday was spending time with this little dolly, Analea. More on her visit soon.

I will

2010-08-27T14:02:00.007-06:00

About 3 weeks ago my girls, who where off to various camps at the time, where asked to sing for my niece Julia's baptism. We picked the girls up that Saturday morning, headed to the church and pretty much gave them 20 minutes to rehearse before the actual event. Analisa had probably played the song twice in her life and it was the first time my cute nieces Ariana and Serina had ever sang it with the piano. I tip toed into the room where they were rehearsing, camera in hand and filmed a small portion of their song. In my typical fashion, it is wobbly, out of focus and not complete. The message and spirit however, are there which is why I even bother sharing.

With the start of school and the many adventures that lie ahead for these little beauties, I pray the words to this song will guide their path.

tree of good and evil

2010-08-19T09:18:00.003-06:00

the good:

the evil:

want some?

My Spanish Rose

2010-08-18T07:04:00.000-06:00

From Brett:

20 Years Ago...

This photo represents one of the happiest days of my life. I felt like I was the luckiest man alive and I couldn't believe that I actually had found her and she actually said yes.

I spent a-lot of years waiting for my turn and I had no idea that I would find a priceless pearl from the Spanish barrios of Houston. Who would have thought that? I had no clue, no inkling of the road that would lead me to where I am now and that I would find her when I did and how I did. Life is full of serendipity and twists and turns. If you listen down deep, life will take you on adventures and journeys you never imagined or anticipated. And they all will lead you to your true and best self, your most fulfilled self, the one that can only emerge when you have that unique person in your life that fills in all the empty spaces.

longing

2010-08-13T08:29:00.011-06:00

Life has been on turbo speed these last few weeks. Only 10 days left of summer and I feel like it just began. Sad.

My mom, dad and two sisters came in from out-of-town which have made things around here extra eventful. Mom impressed us yet again with her absolutely divine cooking. I wish I had the photo skills and vocabulary to adequately describe her gift. It is pure magic what that mama of mine can do with a few simple ingredients. In Papi's exact words, "Pues Martha, te aventaste como siempre." Translation: "Well Martha, as always, you out did yourself!" I have picked up a few of her secrets and can duplicate a teeny, tiny bit of her recipes but mostly I just sit back in awe and take just one, or two, or three... extra bites to savor her magic before she leaves and we're left with cold cereal and boring pizza.

As much as I LOVE her cooking I miss her company the most. Her sweet laugh and the sound of her voice. We enjoyed some quiet time lounging around the pool watching the kids jump off the high dive while talking politics, dating and future possibilities. We'd come home, send the kids to bed and talk some more. It's usually when she's here that I realize how much I truly missed her company. Now she's gone- back to school, work and life's up's and downs in Oklahoma. What I wouldn't give for one more mole enchilada, but even more, a warm mom embrace and the chance to tell her face to face how much she is loved.

miss you, mom.

bear cubs

2010-07-30T08:56:00.004-06:00

If you happen to be out and about on the east side of Salt Lake during the summer, you might catch a glimpse of my DH going on a run, hitting some tennis balls with Analisa, or his latest thrill, hiking up the canyon with our little bear cubs. Here are some pics of their latest adventure.

lemonade

2010-07-25T21:33:00.009-06:00

On April 21 she played piano on Temple Square.
On April 23 she performed on stage at the Capitol Theater.
On April 24 she fell down a steep flight of stairs at Fort Cooke and broke her wrist in two places.

In the words of my sister Crystal, "...when life throws you lemons you should make lemon bars, lemon curd, lemon tarts, lemon sherbet, lemon cupcakes and my favorite, good old fashion lemonade!"

And so she did.

Notice the VIP treatment with dear 'ole mom washing her hair in the sink. That lasted about a week. Then she moved on to her own style pass at the salon.

She continued to dance as well as play treble clef only on the piano, accompanied by 9 weeks of serious music theory study with her piano teacher Bridget, who wouldn't hear of taking time off for a broken wrist.

She was able to attend Youth Conference and Girls Camp...

She finished up drivers ed and made the blue sweatshirt (above) and the white dress (below) in sewing class.

And continue life as any normal teenage girl would.

The one thing she had to give up for a few weeks before she couldn't stand it any longer was tennis. She went out on the court anyway, cast and all, and worked on her forehand. Her signature stroke, the two handed backhand, took a THIRTEEN week hiatus and she was forced to run around the ball or slice and change up her game drastically. Her non LDS coach said to me the other day, "Well, I guess you could call this, how would you say, a blessing?" Hilarious, coming from our somewhat serious coach Mark. Who knew taking away use of her left hand would build confidence in her forehand, improve her back hand slice and break tennis habits that had no other possible way of being corrected.

She took off her removable cast a few weeks ago, still not able to fully bend or use her left hand and signed up for a local tournament and wouldn't you know it, she won the whole darn thing in her age group. Yes, we believe in a having a few lemons thrown our way every now and then. The results can be quite delicious.

Love you Analisa. You are my hero!

quote of the day

2010-07-19T21:26:00.000-06:00

"I didn't cry once today. It seems all my twoubles are disappeawing."

typecast

2010-07-16T07:54:00.004-06:00

Sarah and Kooper perform for the kids at YASE. Her voice teacher, Shawna said they were way to babe-a-licious to pull this off but I think they did a good job. Happy weekend!

SOAR

2010-07-15T09:18:00.001-06:00

A couple weeks ago we shipped our fair skinned Sarah off 45 miles south to bond with her brown skinned brothers and sisters at a multicultural camp called SOAR. It stands for Summer Of Academic Refinement. At the camp the kids are assigned a mentor who helps with the entire college application process as well as an in depth look at possible majors. They prep the entire week for the ACT, hike the Y and get involved in service projects. Kids flew in from as far as Tonga, Hawaii, Hong Kong and Texas to name a few, for a week of spiritual and cultural feasting. As can be seen from the smile on her face in the picture below, my girl had the time of her life! She even met several girls who she'd love to room with next year if the stars align.

Brett and I drove down for the banquet where we were greeted with the sweetest embrace. She forgets sometimes how much she loves us. Sending her away for a week is worth every penny because it helps her realize that her Dad and I are indeed two of her biggest fans who want nothing but the best for her crazy self! So after our warm embrace the first thing she says to me is, "Come here Mom, I can't wait for you to meet my boyfriend! Actually I have two! I just know your gonna love'em..." See what I mean. Crazy. We met counselors, mentors and roommates all of which felt like life long friends. I've never seen so many beautiful, wholesome 17 year old kids gathered in one place! We shared an awesome meal followed by a mini fireside/ slide show put to music that the kids all sang along to. It was my first introduction to the song Waka Waka which has since become our family party song.

Boyfriend # 1

Boyfriend # 2

One of her many delightful roomies from Hawaii

They call themselves soul sistas.

land that i love

2010-07-13T22:23:00.008-06:00

I figure I'd better post a few of our 4th of July pics before the month slips away!

We made what's becoming our yearly traditional trek to Provo and met up with Crystal and Omar for The Stadium of Fire. This year Brett and I and the boys watched from the outside of the stadium while our three girls watched from the inside. Sarah met up with one of her SOAR boyfriends (more on that later) while Kate and Lisey sat in the BYU co-ed section and sang their guts out with the live and in person, Carrie Underwood . The songs Cowboy Casanova and Undo it (dedicated to a too cool for words, H.C.) never sounded so good says Lisey.

Samuel insisted I take pictures of the fire works. "Did you get that? Did you get that?", he would say. It doesn't matter how many times you've seen them, "fire.works" (pronounced as two separate words in our family) always light up the sky like magic. I love this holiday and everything it represents!

I forgot to mention. If you are ever in Provo and looking for a good, very inexpensive place to eat yummy Mexican food, try Gallo Giro. It's the bomb. Thanks sissy.

mo' please

2010-07-09T23:19:00.006-06:00

You may have seen some very cool Billboards over the last few years with inspirational sayings like the one with a picture of a 9-11 firefighter and the message When others ran out, he rushed in. Courage. Pass it on. I remember the very first time I laid eyes on one of these. I drove home and told Brett all about it. I thought it was so awesome that someone would put time and money into putting something out there not only worth reading but thought provoking as well. It turns out the people behind it from The Foundation For A Better Life do tv-spots as well! Click the link and pick any one. They are beautiful!

Thanks to a few people we know in the biz, our three little "orphan boys" were able to participate in an upcoming spot ...

Remember Oliver? The message is about manners and saying please and thank you. The boys had a blast getting into character pretending to eat cold porridge. After the shoot we drove straight to the pool and let them dive in, head first!

sweet sixteen

2010-07-09T21:12:00.002-06:00

It was a windy day in Chicago. I had just put my newest baby girl, Katherine, down for a nap and headed toward the kitchen when I overheard Sarah and Analisa deep in make-believe conversation. "Well I am almost SIXTEEN," I heard Analisa say as she peeked her head around the door just into my view. I froze that moment with a picture because it hit me like a ton of bricks. Someday those sweet little faces that consumed my every thought and move would grow up, and life would be more than baby dolls, dress-ups and pb & j!

That day came on June 28. My little Lisey pie has grown taller than her own mama, and has in fact, turned 16.

As I look back and think about how that sweet little girl used to sneak into my bed and snuggle my face every morning. I am in awe at the incredible young lady she has become. She's a genuine beauty through and through. How lucky I am to travel this journey with her and forever call her mine.

Oh, What do you do in the summertime...

2010-06-28T07:33:00.005-06:00

when all the world is green....

Do you swim in a pool, to keep yourself cool?

Oh yes. Most definitely. Along with a few other things that have kept us busy these past two weeks.

The big girls headed east to Reid Ranch and tried out a little horse-back riding. Analisa came home and asked to take up lessons. You know, on our free time. Heaven knows we just don't take enough lessons around here. HA!

I think we'll stick with tennis for now. Cause of the outfits and all;)

Miss Kate spent a week at Suzuki Institute fine tuning her skills on the violin.

A very nice person, affectionately called Papi, spent an all too short week visiting from Mexico. Watching the World Cup with him was such a treat! We miss you Papi! GOOOOOOOOL!!!!

Mr. Samuel Brett lost his very first tooth. After watching everyone in his entire kindergarten class lose various teeth throughout the year this was a very proud moment to say the least.

Marisa and her kids spent a few days with us as well. We played dress up, went up the canyon for a cook out and joined up with my other two sisters and their kiddos for the girls dance performance in Sandy.

Don't you just love summer?.... So do I!

si se puede

2010-06-12T18:07:00.002-06:00

These are my people...

Minus my Mom and my baby sister Cristina, these are the people I grew up with. The little caption in the back over my Dad's shoulder says it all. Everyone has a story to tell. And do they ever! Each one of these people have led fascinating lives full of love, hardships, and triumphs.

I love them dearly and feel blessed to call them mine.

At 5am this morning Crystal, Marisa and Omar took to the canyon to play out a physical representation of the journey we call life in the form of a marathon. Even driving into the parking lot watching runners of all ages and backgrounds head toward the finish line made me emotional.

Marisa (in the blue tank) drove with her three kids all the way from Oklahoma to support Crystal. She ran her 2nd half marathon and beat her own time. I am so proud of her! Her tenacity for life is inspiring.

And this is Crystal, running with her incredibly supportive husband, Omar. Words cannot describe how proud I am of her. She trained for her first half marathon less than a year ago while her husband worked in California. She maintained a full time job, took care of her two awesome boys and fought diabetes all on her own while reaching her goal. She and Omar decided to train together for the full marathon and crossed the finish line with tears of joy, pain and a huge sense of accomplishment.

Si se puede Crystal. You are my example and inspiration. There is nothing you can't do sweet girl. Don't forget that!

born to sing

2010-06-06T10:55:00.010-06:00

Friday night we wrapped up the end of recital season with this...

An hour or so later she joined up with the band in Rock the Lot and jammed out to a little Muse and Heart.

Talk about a rose among thorns... never a dull moment... rock on

Schools out for Summer

2010-06-04T12:59:00.002-06:00

Goodbye to making these 5 days a week!

(This was obviously taken during our Narnia craze.)

Hello to flexing our muscles at the pool and tennis courts. Ready or not here we come!

growing pains

2010-05-30T08:06:00.002-06:00

Maybe it's the season or maybe it's just that I'm getting older, but lately I've been reflecting on how fast time has gone by and how quickly my sweet, precious babies are growing up on me and it makes me sad.

We spent Mothers Day at my in-laws and she had pictures like this draped around the table as a centerpiece.

That's my mother in the center photo holding Sarah at 6 weeks old. She always told me watching her girls grow up and leave her nest was the hardest thing she's ever been through. And that's saying A LOT coming from her. Oh, how I miss her! And there I am with my little 2 year old Sarah, sporting our red coats. How I miss those days of packing her and Analisa in the stroller and showing them the world through my eyes. Where has the time gone?

Brett and I went to a neighbors wedding yesterday. I spent most of the time with my face in my napkin sopping up tears thinking this could be us a handful of years from now. Will they be ready? Have we taught them enough to help them navigate through life's inevitable twists and turns? Will they remember all the things we tried to give them and teach them? I hope so!

Happy Day

2010-05-21T18:18:00.003-06:00

I awoke to a telephone call from some of my favorite people singing Las Mañanitas/Happy Birthday all the way from Oklahoma. A few minutes later I stumbled on to my computer where I was flooded with sweet messages and well wishers from near and far. If there was ever a reason to have a Facebook, that would be it. I have spent the day surrounded by my kids and handsome hubby, just the way I like it! Thank you to all for your sweet texts, phone calls and messages. I am truly blessed beyond measure!

xoxo, me

silly girl

2010-05-19T09:45:00.006-06:00

Silly girl Sarah got asked to Skyline's Prom by her best bud Canon. It all started with the late night banging on the door and a poster on the doorstep that looked like this:

She responded in kind with this:

A few weeks before the big date we realized she had a dance performance the same night as prom. Sarah reluctantly called her date to cancel. Long story short (Which she told Sarah style from the pulpit the next day in Sacrament meeting! Call me for more details on that one!), he wouldn't take no for an answer. He picked her up for pictures looking like this:

For dinner he took her through the Wendy's drive-thru while the rest of the group went to a fancy restaurant, and waited in the audience in his tux while she did this:

She changed back into her Cinderella dress as soon as her number was over and enjoyed a wonderful evening reminiscing with her date and good 'ole Skyline friends who she hadn't seen all year. Leave it to her to make an evening like that amazing.

brace face

2010-05-15T09:52:00.007-06:00

Going through orthodontics with three of my girls didn't seem so bad. Go in with with crooked teeth, slap some braces on and voilà, a year or so later, perfectly straight, gorgeous teeth. With my 40th b.day looming around the corner, I said to Brett, "You know, I've always wanted to have straight teeth. Maybe it's time for me to just go ahead and bite the bullet."

And bite it I did!

As I lay in the doctors chair looking up at the TV screen on the ceiling, the movie they had playing was none other than The Princess Bride. "Oh good!" I thought. "This will really help get my mind off things."

Typically, my favorite scene in the movie, the one that replays in my head long after the movie's end, looks something like this:

On that particular day all I could see was this:

And the words repeated by this guy over and over again!

They stretched and pulled and super glued 28 baby tooth sized razor blades on to my permanent teeth leaving me questioning why in the world I would ever put myself and my children through such torture.

Needless to say, my vita-mix has been running on turbo speed and I have rekindled a love for mashed potatoes and ice-cream. I hope and pray that a year from now I can smile with confidence and say it was all worth it. Today ...not so sure.

True North

2010-05-11T16:47:00.008-06:00

Had to share some photos of our annual CDT concert at the Capital Theater. This was one of the first years I didn't sneak a peak at rehearsals and waited for an actual performance to watch my girls in action. All I'd heard from them was how unexciting it was and things like, "Hope you're not too disappointed." During one of the school matinees, I sat way in the back of the balcony with my date Joseph, not expecting to much. Surprisingly, I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of the message. The title True North embodied it perfectly.

There was a birth and a childhood..

a journey and migration (Analisa was in a dance that depicted caribou, her friend nicknamed her Bambs in honor of her gorgeous deer like stag leaps)...

there were threats and temptations...

and the purifying power of water...

There were many other symbols (Aurora Borealis) and metaphors that all pointed back to their journey...

towards True North...

During Capital Theater week, the older girls are assigned "little sisters" to mentor and look after. Analisa's little sister clung to her like glue.

There was also plenty of time to bond with dear friends.

And time for scary poses for the camera.

I snapped this picture of the family greeting the girls after coming off stage.

You've got to love the proud grandparents who dote on their girls.

And the Tias and cousins who show their support year after year! Thanks guys!

How I adore these girls and how privileged I am to be on this journey with them.

Piano Girl

2010-05-11T11:02:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago my girl Analisa had the chance to audition, win and play at the beautiful Assembly Hall on Temple Square. She put in countless hours in order to pull off a solid audition. Come performance time she was looking a little like this:

As she stepped on to the very high platform to play the piece I'd heard a thousand times before, I felt my heart pound out of my chest for her. A hundred little silent prayers shot out of my head as I held my breath listening to her music fill the room. She was poised and confident and played it better than I'd ever heard it all other 999 times before. We were so proud of her! I wish I'd been allowed to record it. It was gorgeous. She's a hard worker, that girl of mine, and it was so rewarding to see it all pay off when she needed it the most.

My pictures don't do the night justice. Brett, Matthew, Grandpa David, Tia Moni, and her not so secret admirer, Howard, all treked out in the rain to hear her play. It was a night we'll long remember.

April in Utah =

2010-04-29T11:15:00.004-06:00

Lovely tulips dancing around my front yard...

Family parties that can be taken outdoors...

Glorious views like this from my spot on the baseball field...

And occasional storms producing white fluffy stuff like this... spring in Utah...gotta love it!

mind over matter

2010-04-26T13:49:00.007-06:00

(Me and my gorgeous girl Analisa at her Honors Recital on Temple Square. Day 16)

Because consuming food on a daily basis is required for survival, I think I sometimes lose track of how much "good" vs. "not so good" goes into my body. While I have always been a health conscience person, I do tend to indulge in my fair share of treats and brown fizzy stuff that tastes good with fresh squeezed lime. Those who know me well know what happens when I bite into gourmet, homemade goodies. It's comical really. My head tilts back, my eyes close and "oohs" and "aahs" can be heard in my general vicinity. As a personal challenge to myself I decided to participate in a 21 day purification/detoxification program. My diet consisted of spring water, fruits and vegetables with chicken and salmon added on day 11. Protein powder and nutritional supplements were also included. NO sugar, no fizzy stuff, no carbs. Yes, you can call me crazy. And yes, I believe in occasional self torture;) (Remind me to write about my all natural child birth experience with Samuel)

I dusted off my Vita-mix , headed to whole foods, and pulled out every veggie/salad recipe I could find. Day 3 presented a challenge when my dear friend Blue dropped off a platter (not a plate) of beautiful treats. I let the kids go to town, went to my room, shed a few tears and came back a new determined woman. While I learned many things through this experience, I can honestly say the # 1 thing I learned is that if I am determined to see something through to the end, no matter how tempting it may be to cheat just a little, I have within me the discipline to do it. The longer I dedicate my energy towards it, the easier it becomes. I feel healthier, lighter, clear headed and unencumbered. I've seen positive effects of self control flow into other aspects of my life as well which has been a really cool bonus that I didn't expect.

I am looking forward to a scrumptious treat tomorrow, Day 22. I will do so with caution and control and a few oohs and aahs thrown into the mix for good measure.

Sarah's turn

2010-04-23T12:43:00.005-06:00

I just loved the way Sarah's pictures turned out! I felt that they captured her personality just perfectly. Some nice lady from Park City left the following comment on Jamie's blog:

"Will my daughter have that confidence at that age, oh I hope so. What have her mom and dad said to make her so confident and lovely? Not that it's about them but what got her here? The red lipstick is Gwen Stefani good. She is lovely, your eye is incredible. Nicely done!"

In response to that I say, Miss Sarah was born confident. Her zeal and love for life and people is contagious. While I probably wouldn't have chosen ripped up jeans and hand decorated Converse for her pictures, they describe who she is at the moment and I accept her for that. She tests my boundaries to the limit and gets grounded more than anyone else in the family but always she knows she is loved. We've tried our hardest to give her positive outlets for her specific personality and she has found great success in music and the arts in general. Every child comes with his/her own approach to life and I guess it's up to us parents to figure out who that child is and gently, lovingly guide them back home.

So three cheers for Sarah! Rock that red lipstick baby girl. Don't know many people that can wear a blue sweater dress quite like you!

Vogue

2010-04-17T19:56:00.004-06:00

About a month ago my little sis Crystal sent me an e-mail stating that her favorite photo blogger was having a contest and insisted that I enter. As my lucky 1/100th Irish side would have it, I won! Sarah and Analisa got to hang with the quirky and stylish Jamie Sampson and play supermodel for an afternoon. She posted a sneak peak of Lisey on her blog. Scary, huh? Brett is thinking of going Catholic in hopes of entering them into convent. Can't wait to see the rest.

music man strikes again

2010-04-07T23:00:00.004-06:00

In case you haven't heard, our little music lover is featured in this months The Friend. I wrote about how this experience came to be last April here. It's hard to believe that was a whole year ago. Time flies when you're having fun! While a few things have changed with Matthew since then, such as a shift in his front tooth and a few added inches in height, his love and passion for music remain the same. You can also follow the link on the church website to get a peak at the experience on video.

April Fools

2010-04-01T16:26:00.003-06:00

This photo was taken today. And that ain't no joke! I give up trying to wear ruffle skirts. I think I'll hit the slopes tomorrow with my boys. Happy spring break to you too!

naughty nun talk

2010-03-27T11:56:00.002-06:00

If you were a fly on the wall during one of the abbey scenes you might have heard a whispered conversation among nuns that sounded something like this:

"Sister Katherine, check out that blond priest on the right."

"Oh yes, Sister Maren, he's hot."

"Um hum. You know something Sister Katherine? I think I'd like to spend some time praying with him!"

Silly nuns. They've got some repenting to do!

her turn

2010-03-27T09:57:00.007-06:00

Miss Katherine had her grand debut in the Wasatch school musical The Sound of Music. If you recall the post back in August entitled anticipation, you would know that this was a week she'd been looking forward to since she was three. Well it finally came and it was everything she'd dreamed of and more.

While she originally got a call back for one of the Van Trapp children, she ended up as a nun, (yummy nunny, as Grandpa saw it). She was also a villager and a party goer. Trying to find her in a sea of nuns was like a Where's Waldo maze at first. But we found her. She had a strut in her step that made her pretty easy to spot. She glowed as a villager and her cup never ran empty at the party scene. She bonded with her cast members and partied with her fellow nuns 'til midnight after the show. When her Dad picked her up, he couldn't help busting a move with her on the dance floor. Any ordinary nun would have been mortified, but not Kate she was out there dancing a circle right along with him.

March Madness

2010-03-26T07:46:00.008-06:00

At Comfy Chaos headquarters, March = Federation, which has nothing do with Star Trek, but everything to do with hours upon hours of practice, recitals and several trips to the University of the Utah and one to Weber State. This place has been rockin & rollin' with music since January in preparation for this month. It's quite amazing to see the rough, sometimes very shaky beginnings turn into something truly beautiful.

The kids all brought home glowing certificates which hang proudly on our fridge:

Sarah placed 2nd in the Classical Singing division of N.A.T.S in Utah. She was beat out by a guy and was pretty bummed about it til she got her prize money which she happily spent at Urban Outfitters. In April, Analisa will be auditioning for a piano honors recital at Temple Square and Miss Sarah is working hard on her belting skills for the upcoming Musical Theater division. Wish us luck! April and May promise to be just as exciting as this one.

Yummylicious

2010-03-19T21:02:00.000-06:00

This lovely young lady is the newest inductee to the Nielson hall of teenagedom. I now officially have three teenage daughters sharing a bathroom. Oh, heaven help us! Her Grandpa David has nick-named her Yummylicious because she is delightful in every way. She is my daily dose of sunshine and as far as I'm concerned will always be my baby Kate.

In the Spirit of Giving

2010-03-18T11:06:00.007-06:00

So tell us Mrs. N., how did you win a family of four, 3 day 2 night Disney Resort plus park hopper tickets vacation???

Last summer a sweet but spunky senior sister in our ward asked if our family would like to accompany her in a Pioneer presentation to a local Alzheimer's Center. Sure why not, I thought, they won't remember us anyway. We brought along our bonnets, violins and western attire and had a nice time visiting with the old folks. Spunky Senior Sister (S.S.S.) was so enamored with our skills that she decided to take our little Von Trapp family on the road. We visited a dozen care centers that summer. By the end of it I thought I never wanted to step foot in one of those places again! Yeah, I know, rude, huh? Well my guilt and a little begging from S.S.S brought on a traveling Christmas program. I know, I know, the fun never ends... Although it was never my intention to visit every care center along the Wasatch front, we have managed to put a smile on few gentle faces along the way. And that has made it totally worth it in the end.

The following clip (so spontaneous and unrehearsed!) and pictures are from a couple visits to the care center David and Judith have stewardship over. I never planned on writing about this so I have very few pictures to show for it, but you get the idea.

I submitted a few of these pictures on Today's 106.5 and was chosen a winner of the Disney, Spirit of Giving contest. The girls and I plan on going sometime in May or October :)

might as well call me Irish

2010-03-17T08:15:00.002-06:00

I just won a family Disney Vacation off a radio station!!! Oh yeah, Oh yeah...happy dance!!!

A wee bit of Irish trivia: It is estimated that there are about 10,000 regular three-leaf clovers for every one lucky four leaf clover. Legend says that each leaf on the clover represents something: the first is hope (check), the second is faith (check), the third is love (check), and the fourth is LUCK (triple check)!

Oh yeah, Oh yeah...happy dance!!!

my name in lights

2010-03-15T22:06:00.004-06:00

Well it's really more like my nick-name on the back of a dirty Pontiac! We pulled up behind this car at a stop light and lo and behold there it was. My uncles, cousins, sisters and now my brother-in-laws call me this. I don't particularly like the sound of it but find it endearing nonetheless.

fickle March

2010-03-13T16:05:00.010-07:00

Yesterday I busted out my tiered ruffle skirt that spins and my opened toe sandals and skipped around like a five year old girl. We all enjoyed basking in some much needed, almost forgotten, sunshine and all was well with the world!

This was the view from my bedroom window this morning. It hasn't let up once all day! The trees and streets are now covered in white slush.

Depressing. No offense my dear Juliana, but days like this remind me of Ohio. Katherine tells me she loves days like this because they remind her of warmer days ahead. Where did she come from anyway??? That March baby of mine, guess you could say she's like my own personal ray of sunshine.

Post edit: We ordered pizza and took the kids to a local production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. What started off as a rather gloomy day ended as a very enjoyable evening.

Stay tuned tomorrow for pictures of snowmen;)

Strings

2010-03-09T19:14:00.010-07:00

Growing up in D.H. (aka Denver Harbor, also affectionately know as da hood) classical music was NOT something I grew up listening to. We learned to carry a tune in church thanks to a handful of Young Women leaders as well as my dear mother, who gained her instruction from listening to Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt on the radio. The majority of our little branch was tone deaf so when we sang musical numbers for the congregation you would have thought we were superstars!

It wasn't until I attended The High School for Performing & Visual Arts in Houston (HSPVA) that I heard my very first live classical violin. I'd heard my fair share of mariachis, but this was so different. I can still see the picture vividly in my mind. There was a quartet sitting on an open balcony playing Pachebel's Canon in D my first week of high school. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. I stood there immovable between classes and just wept. It was a spiritual imprint that I would later insist on developing in the lives of my children.

Raising the kids here in Utah has afforded us the opportunity to be around some amazingly talented people. I was told early on that while there are a plethora of good kids everywhere, the majority of them stick together in band or orchestra. There is a connection between these kids that make music together that is hard to duplicate any where else. While I don't recommend taking up multiple instruments to any sane person out there, e.g.: piano & violin or piano & viola or voice & cello (yeah, I know call me CRAZY!!!) I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Here is Analisa and a few of her pals with their beloved junior high orchestra teacher, Mr. Watson. Can't you just feel the love?

Look, they even show up to play at other peoples school productions when called upon! Aren't they beautiful?!

Life can stink, literally, when your in "the pit" but WOW do they make a show with their mad skills. They all dressed western for the show Annie Get your Gun.

Analisa is gearing up to play her viola in, count them, seventeen concerto's at Skyline on March 30th. She's dying. But it's a good kind of death. Here are a few samples of the kids playing back in November. The sound quality and filming are nothing to brag about but you get a flavor for what they do so well.

St. Cloud commercial

2010-03-04T22:06:00.003-07:00

Meet Maria. She is a front desk clerk at the Marriott in Provo. She is married to a steel worker named Rodrigo who is just about to open a delicious Mexican restaurant. They have three adorable boys who look just like their mother. Enjoy;)

little hunks

2010-02-28T21:33:00.010-07:00

Samuel and Joseph were invited to do a photo shoot with a BYU student photographer a few weeks ago. They took along swords, light sabers and a few Nerf guns and came up with this...

Who knew they could both be so still and serious at the same time? If anyone knows the energy of these two combined you would know that it was no small feat. They put the chaos in comfy. Way to go Christine!

A person I call Papi

2010-02-23T21:58:00.001-07:00

A couple months ago I was able to spend quality time with some of my favorite people including the handsome gray haired guy I affectionately call Papi.

Since he is the #1 reader of this little blog, I thought I'd share some of these sweet pictures of him and also wish him a Happy Birthday! One of my favorite things is when he calls all the way from Mexico and in his thick Spanish accent starts quoting things I've written followed by a "Wow" or "Really?".

Being with him at Disney was like taking a child to a candy store for the very first time. He kept saying he felt like he was in a movie come to life. He did however wish he'd taken a pass on Space Mountain. "Mija, don't ever put me on a ride like that again!" he said. Nemo and Soarin' were more his speed. We chuckled hard when Moni got a call on her cell phone from a Disney cast member saying, "Hello. Mrs. W. I have a your Dad here with me. What is your location?"

Here he is with 15 of his soon to be 19 grandchildren. He'd call it a little bit of heaven. I call us blessed.

little tokens of love

2010-02-16T15:28:00.002-07:00

I am a card lover. I have files and files full of little notes I've saved over the years. Thank you notes, letters, birthday cards and valentines are little treasures that fill boxes in my basement. I even have notes my mom sent me back in my Camp Liahona days! Something about her beautiful penmanship still warms me up inside.

A fun thing for visitors to do when they hang out with me in my kitchen is to glance at my wall of Christmas cards and hear stories of how so and so is doing and so forth. Towards the end of summer I add each card to a designated scrapbook page corresponding to that particular family and see how much their family has grown and changed over the years. It's so fun.

My own pile of Christmas cards which meant to double as New Years cards still sit in a basket on my counter :( Maybe I'll send them as belated Valentine's, Mardi Gras or even St. Patrick's Day cards. Regardless, if you happen to see one poking out of your mail box, know that it was sent with much love and heart felt wishes coming your way.

sweethearts 2010

2010-02-13T23:12:00.003-07:00

Now that the costumes have been cleaned and returned and my own home is somewhat back in order, I thought I'd share pictures of my girls at the latest dance-(Sweethearts).

Analisa went with her friend Will. She once asked him jokingly if she could hold his hand. As she went to take hold, he gave his a hand a twist and left her holding his detached prosthetic hand. Nothing like a guy with a good sense of humor.

Miss Sarah went to her dance with her good buddy Kooper. She made his night apparently with a big smooch on the cheek. The only kiss of the night I might add.

Making the change from Skyline to SPA has brought so many blessings. The biggest ones being the three girls pictured below: Zoe (pictured on the left), Marte (a Norwegian exchange student, on Sarah's right) and Maddie (who we affectionately call blue eyed beauty) are the best-est friends a girl could have.