April in Utah =

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

(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

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

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

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

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!