President's Day

If I were President...I would make a rule that said no littering and no throwing trash.

By Carter
1st Grade

Piggy Tails and Tootsie Pops

We finally tried out piggy tails in Josie's hair. They really look like little pig tails because they curl up just like the pigs. She has lots of natural curl in her thin little hair. She had a very firm hold on the sucker.

Holes

We have a very large sandbox in our backyard. Ok, that's all we have in our yard is sand. :) Our kids, especially the boys, love to go out and dig holes. Carter knows that someday he is going to find a treasure. He is very diligent in digging for this said treasure. Kind of cute that they are wearing matching polo's. Carter has to wear polo's for a school uniform and so that is all Mason will wear also. He really admires his "big brother."

I love the determined look in their faces.Look at the strain in those muscles!

Oh, the strength of a lion!

I can't wait to get some grass for the kids to play on, but I think I will

miss seeing them work so hard digging.

Mom & Dad's Bed

When I was growing up, my bedroom was the closest to my parents. I liked it that way, because I would often wake up and feel afraid. As I would lay in my bed shivering, I knew I needed to get to my parents bed, but that would mean having to dart from my room, through the living room, small hallway, and into their bed, and who knows how many dark scary shadows between here and there. I would eventually reach the point that I couldn't be brave anymore, so I would make a run for it. I was always welcomed by a warm bed in between two warm parent's bodies. At last I would feel safe.

I knew that I wanted my kids to have the same security of "Mom & Dad's Bed" that I felt growing up. We received a king size bed from my parents when we were first married, and that seemed like plenty of bed for kids...and parents. Well, our kids do come into our bed often and we are grateful. However, we didn't know how small a king size bed really is. We have resorted to making one rule and one rule only for "Mom & Dad's Bed." That is...you have to start out the night in your own bed and then at any point during the night you can come get in our bed. This works nice, so that Matt and I can at least get a few hours of rest before our bodies have to kink and bend in order to fit all 6 of us.

Whatever makes our kids feel safe...we will make the sacrifice. We know that someday, that bed is going to be too big for us.

Hosting the BYU Young Ambassadors

The BYU Young Ambassadors came to visit Rio Rancho, New Mexico. A sign-up sheet for Host Families was sent around the Relief Society in our ward. I decided to sign-up thinking it would be fun for the kids. At first they didn't need us to host, but at the last minute they had some families cancel and so they asked if we would be willing. We were excited, but besides me, no one was really sure what they were all about. Matt took Carter and Chloe and looked them up on the internet. http://pam.byu.edu/similarpage.asp?title=Young%20Ambassadors They watched a few of the songs and got excited to see who would be the ones to stay with us. Silently, they each picked their favorites.

As the day of the show arrived, we found a babysitter for Mason and Josie, while the rest of us went off to be entertained. We sat in the balcony and had a great view of the performers. Carter was glued to his chair and didn't utter a word...I often wondered if he was even enjoying himself. Chloe played musical chairs a little bit, but loved the singing and dancing. I think she is an aspiring Young Ambassador. :) The show was wonderful and we had many highlights to the afternoon. One of Matt and my favorites was "Defying Gravity" from the Musical Wicked. It was really incredible. I really liked Unwritten also. The theme was "The New Music Makers" and they sang songs from several eras. Matt said it was a life changing experience for him...he had never seen anything like this. (I seriously need to get him out more often!!) Too bad he wasn't around to witness us in Madrigals. :) Just kidding!

Anyway, the night was lots of fun. As we left the show, feeling inspired, we asked the kids what their favorite parts were. Chloe liked when they sang Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen. Carter said his favorite part was the girl in the red and blue dress from Act 1. I wasn't sure who he was referring to, but Matt said it was the girl they had seen on the internet. We talked about who they hoped would come stay with us. Any guesses who Carter hoped for? You'd be right...the girl in the blue and red dress. (I must mention that during intermission Carter was very studiously studying the program.) Chloe said that she hoped for several of the girls, including the one with blonde curly hair.

Well, we got home and then had to wait several hours before we could pick them up and bring them home...they had another show to perform. Carter and Chloe wanted to wait up to go with daddy to pick them up. Anyway, they eventually fell asleep and when Matt came home from picking up the girls...any guesses who he brought with him? We were assigned the girl in the blue and red dress (which was also the girl that he had watched on the internet days prior) and the girl with the blonde curly hair! We couldn't believe that it worked out so great for the kids. We went to bed knowing that the kids were going to be ecstatic!

Since we have afternoon church, we all slept in. When Carter woke up I asked him if he wanted to know who daddy brought home. I told him it was Dani and Annie. (I know...too cute!) He seemed a little disappointed and said, "Oh, I was hoping for Frogley." I grabbed the program to look and see who Frogley was...after verifying the name and I asked him to tell me what Frogley's whole name was. He read Danielle Frogley and then got an enormous smile on his face. He wasn't the same the rest of the weekend. Shall we say, a little "girl crazy!" He is so shy that he was embarrassed to even be near her, but all could tell that he was a pretty happy boy. Chloe was just as thrilled to have Annie in our home. She didn't leave her alone or her side the whole weekend. Thankfully the bathroom door had a lock on it. :) Annalece Boothe was the daughter of the director and so we felt extra special to have her. :) So, here are a few pictures of our new friends.

Chloe soaking up the love from Annie. She has a new hero.

Mason wanted some extra attention, so he threw his basketball and hit Dani in the head. :(

Dani was so sweet, she took it with a smile.

These were their cute church outfits. They said they have matching outfits everywhere they go.

Mason was laying on the kitchen table enjoying himself, while Dani was running her hands through his hair. By the time I got the camera, he realized we were giggling about him and he turned around embarrassed.

Chloe posing with her new hero. (Annie knows Charpay from High School Musical!!) Notice the TV in the background. High School Musical was playing because Dani was in the 1st and 3rd movies. Wow, to be associated with 2 people familiar with our very own HSM stars! This is really big! :)

Josie hopes that one day her curly hair will be as beautiful as Annie's...

for now it is just wobbly bed hair.

Josie and Annie making funny faces at each other.

Mason pretending to be shy, meanwhile soaking up the attention. He is a ladies man for sure.

Carter wanted a picture with Dani, but he was too shy, so I took an angle shot and got Dani with both boy admirers. :)

Funny Faces...:) or in my case...scary! :)What a privilege it was to host such sweet, kind and fun girls. We really had a great time and hope to keep in touch with them. Our new resolution is to broaden our horizons and visit more musical events.

Valentine

Since I didn't get my wife flowers for Valentines day, I would like to give her some here.

So, Alice had her version of our Valentine evening. I promise, my version will be shorter. I must confirm that she is exact with the description. I am normally impatient when it comes to waiting for hours to eat. This night was different. I was just thrilled to be with her. I just love being with her. When you are with your best friend, what more do you want - right? Many days go by and we rarely get to just be together. There is always something distracting or demanding our attention. I feel we have a common bond that gives us security in our friendship and marital relationship. I have really put our family in a long and exhausting travel of life. Trying to lead our family has not been an easy thing to do. I know that without Alice being my cheerleader, my confidant, my support, and my friend, life would be very difficult to endure. She may disagree with me, but she really is the most essential person in my (our home) life. I wish I could write in words the love I have for her...I am an artist, not an author! With that being said, it will preface my poem I wrote for her...forgive me if it is innacurate or doesn't follow literary or rythmic laws. Here goes:

Laughter invites investigation
Harmonious familiarities
Your presence captures my soul
I surrender my loyalty to the One

Frequent encounters
Eye to eye contacts
Stimulating heartbeats
Forsaken feelings

Letters of friendship
Anticipation for arrival
Distant flights
Finally home

Anxious proposals
On bended knee
Security

Best friends
Love

Eternity is Ours

I love you Alice.

Simple Truths

Sometimes it is a struggle to get the kids to do the things we want them to do. (And for us adults to do the things we know we should...) Today, I said something simple and maybe even cliche', but I think it has a lot of truth. It might be another popular saying in our home from now on. It is something for even Matt and I to live by...

"If you do it, Then you'll get it...If you don't, Then you won't!"

Chloe was excited because it rhymed...I hope that she, and all of us, will soon understand that sometimes rewards come as a suprise, AFTER we do things just for the sake of doing them in obedience.

This has really got me thinking and applying to all aspects of life...oh, to think like a child...