Momma Mia!

Mother's Day seems to get better every year!! Perhaps the miracle is the kids getting older and being a bit more appreciative and having a personal desire to make it a special day for me. It's hard to beat starting out the day with breakfast made by my handsome boys and then a video chat from Romania. 

Annual Mom and kiddo picture - Tyler and I were burnt to a crisp yesterday at tennis districts.

Yummo breakfast the boys made for me

Last video conference call until Elder Ditto comes home in August!

Also, overwhelming gratitude to my momma who leads with a quiet example of endless selflessness. I recently was able to spend hours looking through old pictures and was reminded how beautiful my mommy has always been. Happy Mother's Day!!

After church I was treated to a tasty dinner and dessert made by Chef Chloe.

Showered upon with gifts!  But the best gift is when the family went around and shared what they loved about me.  It made me feel special knowing that they notice some of the little things.

And when you son asks you for a picture with just him -- how can you turn that down?  And when did I get so short and he get so tall?

Handsome Tyler

A mom and her chicklets

I'm grateful for this hard and wonderful calling as Momma!!

Rackets in the Sun

Saturday was spent outside ALL DAY!!  Tyler had tennis districts from 7 am until 5:30 pm.  It was a hot day and Tyler played three games.  He drew the unlucky straw and was seeded with the top player from Wenatchee for his first match.  Tyler knew he didn't have a chance to win but he was proud of himself for getting a few points.  After losing that match, Tyler went on to win his second match.  Birch and the boys made it back just in time to catch the end of his second match.  The third match was smack dab in the hottest hour of the day.  Both boys played hard and looked like they were wilting my the end of the match.  Tyler ended up losing that match but played hard.  It was fun to watch them volley for so long.

I had to throw in this picture - seriously too funny.  He looked SO tired but the end of the third match!

The reason my legs are a bright shade of red today - first time these legs of mine have seen the sun all year!

I love how tennis is such a gentleman's sport.  Tyler was disappointed he lost and was out of the bracket as it was double elimination.  He played hard, though and should feel proud of his efforts.

Father/Son Campout - Camp Fife

Thank goodness the Father/Son Campout was not snowed out this year like last year.  It always takes Coop a bit to get into camping but once he actually gets to the location he always ends up having a great time.  Both Nate and Coop needed to pass off a few things for scout advancement and merit badges so they were the camp cooks for the night.

Dinner was a deluxe version of ramen noodle stir fry and twistyloonies (cinnamon rolls wrapped around a kabob stick).

Tyler came up for the evening dinner and fireside and then got a ride home so he could be ready to play tennis districts bright and early in the morning. 

Nate and Coop also make coconut chocolate chip brownie pancakes for dessert.  Sounds like they were pretty good.

This is how Coop prefers to spend his time -- carving!

In the evening a group of boys put on a fabulous skit about the reenactment of the Restoration of the Priesthood.  Breakfast was biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, and fruit.

This was Truman's first year getting to go camping with is daddy.  He was SO excited!!

So glad my boys get to share these special times with their dad!

Giving Back

For the past fifteen years much of my life has been devoted to volunteering in the kid's classrooms and more often the kid's schools.  Much of my efforts have been focused on Summitview Elementary School.  This year marks the end of our kids attending SV.  I've had the chance to pioneer the first jog-a-thon that has raised over $90,000 in the past six years, put on six open houses with a full dinner for 450 people, years of heading up staff appreciation with lunches and treats all week/month, dances, movie nights, gymnastic plus nights, serving on bond and levy committees, student socials, talent shows, photographing students, spearheading spirit weeks, popping popcorn, designing t-shirts, organizing Silverwood reading rewards, finding volunteers, serving on the PTO/PTA boards, bringing in various assemblies, bingo nights, etc...

I don't share this to brag but really to remind myself of the importance in giving back a little each year in order to brighten my kid's school dreams and lift the loads of others.  I've loved feeling like I have been apart of bringing experience to kids that may never have certain opportunities in their lives due to financial woes or trouble homes.  I love that I have been a part of my kid's school lives and have gotten to know the staff so well. 

The past few years I have taken a step back from serving on the boards but have just volunteered to do events that I enjoy the most.  The past two years I have been able to be in charge of the assemblies.  I loved the chance to bring unique experiences to a school that has many kids that otherwise wouldn't have had the same opportunities. 

T-shirts I designed and ended up being really popular this year by the staff and students.  I spent hours selling, folding, collecting money, etc... but coming to the school every Thursday and seeing all the kids and staff wearing their shirts is pretty rewarding!

This is such an undertaking each year but I credit all the massive church dinners I have been able to be in charge of that have taught me how to put on a fabulous entertaining night for 450 people with a yummy dinner.

This year I chose to use some of the assembly money to bring hands-on opportunities to the students.  I purchased owl pellets for all the students and was able to get some volunteers from the Autobahn Society to come teach a wonderful lesson about owls and then dissect the pellets together.  We spent a week going into each classroom and did an hour lesson.  It was a long week but really turned out fabulous!

The best part of volunteering is getting to see my kids in their element with their friends.  Chloe loves having me come to school!

I brought in Native American dancers, a ventriloquist that taught about how to be a good friend, and a rainforest animal assembly.

This past week I spent a bazillion hours at the school doing art lessons with each class.  I was able to find a local artist who taught an art lesson to each class.  It was SO much work prepping, teaching, cleaning up, and now I need to put on student name labels and prepare to have the artwork displayed.  But hearing the kids rave about how much fun they had or that it was the first time they had every watercolored painted made it all worth it.

Chloe was a great helping each morning setting up all the supplies.

The kindergartners and first graders had the best time doing some paint art with marbles.

And my last hoorah will be putting on the school talent show.  This is a first for me but I really wanted the kids to have an opportunity to display their art and since no one volunteered to do the talent show I figured it wouldn't be too painful.  We start practices this week so I guess I'll find out soon.

I just barely help out in the other three schools the kids are at.  It's been wonderful to be apart of the community in this way!

Ron's Robot Run

This weekend our family had the opportunity to support a wonderful family that recently found out their dad has inoperable lung cancer.  We know this family through the dad being a teacher at the Junior High (Alex had him as a teacher) and also through mutual friends.  Anyways, our hearts have been broken for this family and we've had the pleasure to carol, bring dinner, and write comforting texts. 

When we heard of the benefit run being done in Ron's honor we knew we wanted to support this great event!

The kids got their shirts a few days early and were able to wear them as walking advertisements. 

I LOVE that Ron dressed up as a robot for the event.  His wife is a terrific writer and has opened her heart to many readers in their journey.

 Let the raise begin...

Chloe and Alysee were originally going to do the 1 mile run vs. the 5K but when they saw you only got race bibs for doing the 5K they both switched.  Birch was Chloe's running cheerleader. 

Tyler said that he kept yelling to Nate to wait for him so they could run together.  

Coop struggles with asthma so I worried about him running the 5K but he ended up finishing without being too winded.

Alysee was all smiles and she pushed through the 5K.  I was really proud of her for making it the whole way!

Chloe may have been walking (actually it looked more like she was trying to ice skate on the wet grass) and then she picked up into a full speed run when she saw the camera.

Robot Ron and his daughter cheering on the runners

The top for finishers for the 5K - first place as an adult avid runner, 2nd place Tyler, 4th place Nate!!!

Nate gives EVERYTHING his 100%

Finished strong!

She made it!!!  

I think Chloe made have finished strong because she saw everyone eating donuts.  I found it so ironic that everyone ran so hard and then ate a donut...

Our supportive kiddos and Robot Ron

Fighting a good fight!

I feel a couple of times each year I struggle with the Lord's timing, why do bad things happen to good people, fear for my own family's future unknowns, etc...  Once I make peace with my mind and heart than I am faced with these questions again. This quote gets me through some of those days when I am questioning, "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard