future chef

I usually let Abbey and Lauren watch a cartoon in the morning while I'm getting ready for the day.  Because my children turn into zombies as soon as the tv turns on, I know they won't be getting into trouble for that thirty minutes I'm not with them.  The other morning I came out to find Abbey had changed the channel from cartoons to a cooking show. She then told me all about the meat pie they were making, flakey crust and all.  Now, I know Abbey loves food, but she was passionate about this show!  I sat down with her and we watched them make trifle and then dip pretzels in carmel.  Later that night we made a little trifle of our own.  Mmmm!

Friends

Brent reminded me the other day that my fifteen year high school reunion will be this summer.  Am I seriously that old!?  There are times when I still feel eighteen, and then I look in the mirror.  Hmmm...an awesome husband, four lovely children, and twenty extra (not so lovely) pounds tell me differently.  My childhood best friend called the other day.  I met her at a beach house nearby and spent the afternoon catching up.  It really was wonderful to see her.  We were inseparable as children but grew apart after high school.  She moved to Oregon and married while I went to college and...er..studied for the next seven years.  I really did study.. a little.  I also had a whole lot of fun.  My college years were such a defining time for me.  I guess the simplest way to say it is..I grew up.  I became an adult.  My identity and my life goals became clear to me. And then I was blessed to find a companion who shared those same goals.  Now we are six and life is so good!  I quite literally thank God for every day.  For anybody reading this who doesn't already know it, let me tell you, FAMILY is where it's at. Even with the big, bad, ugly days that come now and then, it just doesn't get any better than this.

And here's my childhood best friend and I,  thirty plus years and four children each later.  Look closely.  Can you see the two rowdy ten year olds we used to be?

She growing up!

I've been trying for months to convince Lauren to let me braid her hair. On Sunday, out of the blue, she asked me for braids.  I think it had to be her idea.  Doesn't she look so grown up?!

Sisters

I've been thinking about my sister today.   We spent almost two weeks at her house over spring break and had so much fun!!  I really, really, REALLY love my sister!  Funny thing is, it wasn't always this way.  I don't think I really appreciated my sister until after she left for college. In fact, upon her leaving, I recall feelings of great joy.  Freedom from tyranny and all that.  No, we were definitely not close growing up.  But I always admired her and wanted very much to be like her.   She seemed so popular and confident.  Not to mention beautiful, intelligent, independent, etc., etc.  After I graduated from high school, we lived near each other at BYU.  And now, aside from my husband, she is my very best friend.  I tell this to my daughters when they fight.  Quite frankly, they adore their aunt and don't believe me when I tell them it took us twenty years to become friends.  I adore their aunt too.  Our lives have thrown us so many curves!  She has taken hers head on and is honestly one of the strongest, kindest women I have ever known.  

We came from sunny Cal to snow nearly every day.  The kids had a blast with their cousins and regularly beg to go back!
I love this picture!  My sister can't sit down without one of my girls claiming her lap.  I don't think she minds.

Blessings of today

I took Abbey with me to the store the other day.  We saw a woman there with a severe disability struggling to lift a gallon of milk into the basket of her scooter.  Among other things, she couldn't stand upright and had also lost the use of her hands.   I hesitated to offer help, unsure if I would offend her.  For whatever reason, drawing attention to someone's disability can be a little scary for me.  This doesn't appear to be true for Abbey.  Before I could stop her, Abbey marched right up to the woman and asked her WHY she couldn't stand up?  And why did her hands look like that?  There have been many times in Abbey's life I've wished she had a mute button, or at least some way I could edit her directness.  I've come to the conclusion that, well... there just isn't.  She thinks therefore she says.  So my current approach is just to sit back and watch.  Eventually her life experience will teach her what is appropriate and what isn't.  And you know, the funny thing is, people usually respond really well to her!  She's not asking you about that wide gap between your front teeth to be mean.  She just recognizes it as different and wants to know "why".  This woman at the store was so sweet in her response that I just wanted to hug her!  She sincerely thanked Abbey for asking.  And then they had a wonderful conversation about what happened in her life to make her this way.  She had been healthy and strong until just a few years ago when she got this disease.  Abbey had several ideas that might make her life easier, two of which included a maid and a personal shopping assistant. I left the store with a greater appreciation for my daughter.  She is brave and strong, and will accomplish so much if she can hang on to that!  I'm also grateful for that amazing woman at the store.  Each day we have to spend with our loved ones is a gift!  Life can change in a moment and so I'm grateful for the blessings of today.

Day at the beach

It's official.  Summer has finally arrived!  We spent yesterday morning at Newport beach enjoying the sun, surf, and half naked, pasty white people lounging all around us.  Yikes!!  I suppose it's admirable that some are so comfortable with their bodies.  I'm of the opinion that no matter how fit you are, a string bikini just isn't all that flattering. And, lets be honest. Most of the people who wear them are pretty far from fit. But that's another post for another day.  We had a blast.  I can't think of anything more lovely than the sound of the surf moving in and out. Add to that an ocean breeze, and there you have it.  A perfect day. Notice I didn't say a perfectly relaxing day.  Chasing four little ones around a very large beach isn't exactly my idea of relaxing.  But very fun none the less.  We saw a pod of dolphins (they swam right by us), a sea lion (also swam right by us), and lots and lots of pelicans. Yes, in case you're wondering, we like it here.

A Jedi Knight

Instead of a birthday party this year, Sarah wanted to go to Disneyland with JUST her mom and no one else.  Can I just tell you how totally awesome that was?  I've found that as her age increases, my coolness definitely decreases (that might be because I say things like "totally awesome").   Half the time she won't even hold my hand!  So I decided bribery was in order and bought her all the junk food she could eat.  It was so much fun just spending time with her!  As our family grows, it's hard to get that one on one time with each of the children, and I really miss it.  One of the highlights of the night was the Star Wars Jedi Knight training camp. Sarah, of course, was chosen to train as a Jedi.  Who wouldn't pick her?  She's adorable!!  She learned a fight sequence with her light saber, rejected the Dark Side and then fought Darth Vader all by her little, sweet self.  I was so proud!!!

After she was chosen, they gave her a robe and light saber.  Let the training begin!

One of the Jedi Knights gave Sarah some special instruction about being a Jedi.

In the middle of their training, the back of the stage rose out of the ground and Darth Vader and Darth Mahl made their entrance!  It was so cool with all the smoke and lights!

She was incredibly brave fighting Darth Vader!  He was so big and she, so little.

Love the braids!

And it's official.  Certificate and all.  Sarah is now a genuine padowan of the Jedi Knights.