Idawho?

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

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

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

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

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

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

I love being their Mom

“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

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

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

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.