Tutu's & new shoes...

Adelyn was SO excited for her dance recital this year. She just could not wait to get up on the big stage & do her thang! She did an awesome job & we are so proud of her. Here are the highlights:

Graduation!

Where does the time go? This school year has flown by & here we are at Owen & Adelyn's preschool graduation. Their teacher was Miss Dani & they completely adore her! But who doesn't? They have learned so much this year & Owen has matured a lot! The graduation was really cute-they sang songs & talked about what they wanted to be when they grow up. Then Miss Dani put together a slide show of pictures from the year -it was so funny! Kids are such a hoot :0) Here are some pics from the evening:I can't believe Adee will be in Kindergarten next year- she can't wait! Now bring on the popsicles, flip flops & swim suits cuz Summer-here we come! :0)

Birthday in Zions

Well, another birthday has come & gone, but at least I don't FEEL any older right? When Danny asked what I wanted for my birthday I said that I wanted to go to Zions & hike Angels Landing, then go to dinner & a movie. He agreed & we had a great day. We ate lunch at a cute little place in Springdale & the weather was perfect. Then we headed out on the hike. Let me just preface with the fact that it has been about 15 years (and 4 kids) since I have done Angels Landing & it was a lot harder than I remembered! I wanted to give up & turn back several times but Danny kept me going & it was totally worth it! The view was amazing & I had such an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. It literally felt like we were on top of the world. But the best part was so much uninterrupted time with my main squeeze ;0) We rushed home to shower & change then met some friends at the Anasazi Steakhouse-YUM! Since we had some time to kill before the movie, we went and grabbed some Krave-double YUM! Then we went and saw Robin Hood. It was a pretty good flick-Russell Crowe is always amazing. I still like the Kevin Costner Robin Hood too, they are very different versions of the Robin Hood story, so it is kinda hard to compare them. Anyway- it was an awesome day-best birthday in a LONG time. Thanks Hot Stuff for a great birthday!

Tickle those Ivories

Averee started piano at the beginning of the year & has loved it. It has been so fun to see her progress so far. Averee did really well at the recital & we are so proud of her. When I asked her if she was nervous she said no, but then after the recital she admitted that she got a little nervous since she had to wait so long for her turn. She was near the end of the program. Here are a couple pics from her first recital. Her teacher is Jennifer Redfearn & we just LOVE her!

BYU Womens Conference

I recently returned from the BYU Womens Conference. It was awesome of course! I get the opportunity to go each year (thanks Hot Stuff!) with my sister-in-laws. 2 of them are pictures above. Michelle is in the middle-she is married to Danny's brother Todd. Kim is on the end-she is Danny's oldest sister. Usually my sister-in-law Shannon comes too, but couldn't make it this year due to family responsiblities, i.e. her daughter had a dance recital. Oh how we missed her! This was our 4th year & the first time that one of us couldn't make it :0(
I wanted to share a few of the tidbits I learned. Plus, since this is my journal, so to speak, I wanted to record my thoughts & what I learned & the personal inspiration I felt.
It started Thursday morning with Sister Julie B. Beck-isn't she just amazing! Everytime I hear her speak I want to be better & do better. Here are a few of the highlights from her talk:
* We are only limited by our faithfulness
* The most important skill we can gain in this life is to discern & use the spirit (personal revelation)
* Mothers are the Lioness at the gate of the home. We need to guard our homes just like a Lioness would guard her cubs
* What matters to the mother happens in the home. If FHE matters to the mother-it will happen in the home. Where are our priorities & what matters to us?
*If our priorities are out of order we will lose our power
* She mentioned that when she was a young mother, and sturggling with balancing & juggling it all, she came up with a system that helped her keep her priorities in line. She made 3 lists. The first list was the Essentials (essential to eternal life & exhaltation): prayer, scripture study, temple attendance, FHE, fulfilling callings, church attendance, service, visiting teaching. The second list was the Neccesary (neccesary to sustain home & family life): cooking, cleaning, laundry, homemaking, homework. The third list was the Nice To Do: hobbies, crafts, recreation, girls nite out, lunch with friends. She promised that if we will make the Essentials our first priority then we will always have time for the Neccesary & even a few of the Nice To Do, but if we focus on the other two first, then we will never find the time for the Essentials. How profound! This was my most favorite insight of the weekend. I can't wait to implament this in my life-I think it will make a huge difference. I am embarrased to admit, but the Essential were probably the last things that I worried about doing. The Neccesary seem to run my life-leaving little time for much else. I am excited to put her ideas & promise to the test :0)
Thursday I chose several classes on scriptures & how to study them. Here are the highlights from those classes:
* Show children how to use the scriptures to solve problems or answer questions
* Keep scriptures in your car & purse-when you have a moment waiting in line at the drive up window, waiting for children etc, use that time to read the scriptures
* Patient Persistance...it takes time & effort to understand & enjoy studying the scriptures
*Are our children spiritually starving? We are the mothers-it is our responsibility to teach our children the gospel. We can't leave it up to the primary, YM/YW, or seminary. It is up to us!
* Our testimony is the greatest gift we can give our children...do they have it?
* It is thru rearing children that a mother works out her own salvation
* Repeat the scripture stories over & over until children know them by heart
* Expect more, not less, from our children & ourselves. Children can read & memorize scrpitures from a very early age. Take the time!
* A wise parent never misses a chance to teach of Christ
The thursday afternoon speaker was Sister Forste. She talked about being united in the gospel. Here are the highlights from her talk:
* We all share a testimony of the restored gospel
* We are individuals united in the gospel
* When we all come together it creates a PERFECT 10
* We need to sustain & respect each others righteous choices
* My personal revelation is only for ME! Don't push or judge others based on our own personal revelation (this was an A-ha moment for me)
* Our righteous differences can bond us together
Friday morning started with Sister Allred & Sister Thompson (from the general Relief Society Presidency) talking about all the humanitarian efforts made by the church. They showed several video clips of some of the ways our church is able to reach out & help people all around the world. It was amazing & awe-inspiring. I felt so blessed to be apart of a church that does SO much good all around the world-for member & non-members alike. My favorite quote from Sister Allred: 'We are commanded to become self-reliant so that we can help others'. My favorite quote from Sister Thompson: 'Pray to be the answer to someone's prayer'.
My first class on Friday was 'Selflessness & Sacrifice in Marriage'. Here are the highlights:
* Be united with spouse against Satan
* Selfishness gives Satan power
* Sancification allows unity
* The spirit will not reside side by side with worldly desires
The next class was 'Giving Children the Gift of Work'-this was a great class. One of the presenters was a guy I went to high school with: Hank Smith. He is a seminary & institute teacher now. Apparently he speaks all the time & even has a few CD's out. Pretty much the next John Bytheway. I went and said hi after & it was fun to catch up. He especially made my day when he said 'How come you still look 18 & I look 40?!" Oh Hank, always a charmer! :0)
* The surest way to make it hard for our children is to make it too easy
* Recogize limitations
* Have realistic expectations & give clear instructions
* Teach by working together
* Give praise & give it often! Positive reinforcement yields positive results
* Give service
* See work & the ability to do work as a blessing
* Balance work & play
* The Lord works! 'This is my WORK & my glory'
* It is not fair to judge past decisions with current knowledge (loved this-thanks Hank!)
* Successful parenting is not judged by the righteousness of our children (thanks again Hank!)
* Sweating is as much a divine command as is prayer
* D&C 59:10-we can't rest if we aren't working
* The 3 P's of Helping: Partner Up (don't push, pull or tell, work with them), Positive (consider what God could say vs. what He does say), Patient (we are growing children, not vegetables)
* Consider the difference between Good Success & Bad Success
The next class was 'An Educated Women never ceaseth to Learn', here are the highlights:
* Learn the doctrines of the kingdom-get the understanding in our lives & the lives of our children. Elder Nelson: 'Get the doctrine into our bones'
* "Getting" of the world doesn't go with us. Proverbs 4:7, D&C 130: 18-19
*John Taylor: "It is true intelligence for a woman to take a subject that is mysterious & great in itself & to unfold & simplify it so that a child can understand"
*D&C 93:36- the glory of God is intelligence
* Moses 1:11-use our spiritual eyes. The more pure we are the better our spiritual eyes will work & the more spiritual things we will see
* True knowledge-remember & understanding things we already knew in the pre-existance
* Scriptures are the source of all blessings, answers & happiness
* Act on personal revelation-heed promptings quickly
* We will not recognize big promptings if we are not listening & heeding the small ones
The final talk on friday afternoon was Elder & Sister Oaks. They were incredible! I couldnt take notes fast enough! What a wonderful spirit they brought to the conference. From Sister Oaks:
* We can make a difference only to the degree that we are different
* In the resurrection we will be a product of our choices
* Seek for an increase in spirit & avoid worldly distractions
* Counting calories vs. counting blessings
* Time & age may ravish us, but our core beliefs & knowledge of the doctrine will remain intact
* Rise above form & meet the function
Elder Oaks:
*Our world today is summed up by 'American worship of Individualism' (Selfishness, self-centered, living unto self)
* Frank Sinatra's 'I did it my way' will NOT be sung in the Celestial Kingdom
* Being a mother is a cure for our own self-centeredness
* The Lord knows our heart & the reasons we serve. Why do I serve?
* Work for a condition of less concern for self
* Obsessive concern for self is destructive (where does a "bad hair day' fit into the eternal scheme of things...besides-no one else cares!)
* Without service our spiritual growth is stunted
* It is amazing what you can get done when you aren't worried about who gets the credit
* Weak marriages are caused by putting our own needs above our spouse & family
* Marriages are al iving thing-if they are 'sick', we try to heal them, not give up on them
* Selfishness weakens family bonds
* Never forget Who you serve & Who is in charge. Trust in His words, promises & blessings
It is such an awesome experience to be there with 15,000 women who have the same concerns, hopes & fears as you do. That many women singing the hymns together is quite powerful as well! Anyway-that about covers it. Sorry if this is long & boring-or makes no sense! But I hope to never forget the things I learned & the feelings that I had. Thank heavens for Womens Conference! It is always the boost that I need to recommit to the things I know I should be doing. See ya next year!

A Yummy First

So, it's official: Reese loves licorice! She had her first piece today & enjoyed it immensely-as you can tell from her face :0) Not sure if she got more on her face or in her mouth? She will get plenty of licorice in her lifetime cuz Grandma V & Papa always bring the kids a piece of licorice when they come over...the kids pretty much expect it now, so Grandma & Grandpa keep a stash in their car. What a fun Grandma & Grandpa!

Too much help?

How do you know when you are helping TOO much?

Last week, Averee had a big assignment due & I had major guilt about helping her TOO much. The project was to pick a MagicTree House book, read it a few times, research the subject matter & create a tri-fold display board to showcase the book & what you learned about the subject matter. She is in 1st grade! I loved the idea of the assignment-but realistically how much of this can a 1st grader do on their own. I know her teacher expected some parent help-but how much help is TOO much help? So, of course I let Averee pick whichever book she wanted-she picked 'Monday with a Mad Genius' which is about Leonardo di Vinci. Awesome-he is fasciniating! We read the book together a few times. Then I let her pick which pictures she wanted on her board & she cut them out. She picked 'Mona Lisa' since that was in the book & she had learned about it & painted her own in her Art class. Then she also picked 'The Last Supper' because she thought it was a neat painting of Jesus. Then we searched through pictures of all his drawings & inventions & picked the best ones we could find. Since she loves to draw just like Leonardo-she drew a picture of a scene from the book-so cute! Then I gathered the basic facts about him & his life to put on the board also. I let her pick what scrapbook paper & stickers she wanted & then we went to work. I did most of the cutting-more for safety reason than anything else, but she did all the gluing & decided where everything should go. Then expertly embellished the whole thing with stickers. All our scrapbook time was paying off-I was so proud! :0) I typed up (word for word) her review of the book & we put that on the board too. Anyway, it turned out great-she was really excited about it:

But then I started to get really nervous-did all the parents help as much as I did? Well, the assignment due date came & Averee was stoked to show her teacher her project. That afternoon they had a project fair & all the projects were on display in the gym. Averee really wanted to go & see all the other 1st graders projects-I was curious to see how ours compared to the rest. Well, I was happy to see that we were about the middle of the road when it came to parents involvment. Some projects were so cute & obviously done with VERY little parent help-good for them! But other projects should have just had the parents name on them-it was a little ridiculous! I am glad I didn't go that far! But it was funny cuz one project even said "by Anne Tanner and her mother", which I thought was cute. It was kinda cool cuz Averee was the only child to pick that book so there weren't 10 projects just like hers. She is one of kind! ;0)
Anyway- it was a good learning experience for us both. I think next time I will try to help her even less, but encourage her to think out side the box & be even more creative. You get an A+ from me Ave! Love ya~
P.S. it was funny cuz all us moms kept teasing each other & asking if we got OUR book report done yet...we felt like we were back in school ourselves!

One more project off the to-do list!

We have been in this house for 3 years now & it has taken me that long to decide what color to paint the girls room-Ridiculous! Anyway-I finally settled on pink for all the walls & a darker pink stripe on the accent wall. It turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself!
BEFORE:

AFTER:

It took me 5 days & by the end my arm was killing me! But it was worth it-the girls LOVE it! I love that it is finished & the room finally feels done :0)

P.S. the funny thing is that I used to HATE pink...I mean seriously loathe the color! Don't believe me? Ask my mom! But I guess after 3 girls you kinda have to succomb to the glorious hue right?

Gymnastic Prowess

Sorry about my last post...pretty somber. But I promise to lighten things up today. In that last post I mentioned 'showing kids how to do a cartwheel'-well, here is the story that goes along with that:

One day last week, the kiddos and I were in the kitchen making granola bars (a family fav). Averee starts talking about how Alana-a girl at school-is really good at cartwheels. She says that she isn't very good at them though, so she is going to have Daddy show her how to do one when he gets home...EXCUSE ME?! I try to hide my amusement at the thought of Danny doing a cartwheel and I say 'Well, I can do a cartwheel, I will show you.' Averee looks at me like I am made of cheese & Adee says 'Huh? YOU can do a cartwheel?' At this point I am a little put out that they think so little of my athletic abilities. 'That's it! Everyone outside-I will show you a cartwheel & a dang good round-off too!'

We head outside, the kids seem pretty excited. My pride is on the line & as I stand on the thresh hold of dazzling my children with my gymnastic prowess....I start to doubt-get nervous. What if I can't do a cartwheel anymore? It has been YEARS & 4 kids since I have done one. What if I hurt myself? I glance at the kids-all lined up on the edge of the porch, ready to witness a miracle. No backing down now so I go for it...SUCCESS! The kids are shocked & excited. I do a couple more just to show off, then I pull out the big guns & do a round off. Averee was especially impressed with that one. :0) I spend the next half hour trying to help the kids do a cartwheel, then Danny gets home. The kids animatedly tell of our adventurous afternoon then Danny looks at me in disbelief and says 'YOU did a cartwheel?' Alright-it's go time! Seriously?! Does no one remember that I was a fairly decent athlete in high school? Anyway-I proceed to show off my gymnastic skills & Danny is more than impressed. Now the best part-Danny did a couple cartwheels too! Not too shabby for a couple of old married farts!

Well, hopefully the kiddos will have a little more faith in their soft, squishy mommy next time!

P.S. don't tell anyone but I did kinda hurt myself...that first cartwheel pulled something in my side. Nothing serious-it was gone by bedtime :0)

Mess after mess after mess after mess...

yup, it was one of THOSE days...you know the kind: you feel like all you do is clean up mess after mess after mess! UGH!
Owen has RE-discovered his love of water; playing in it, spilling & splashing it, experimenting with it. He has also started leaving little bowls of water all over the house for his kitty, doggie, or whatever the imaginary pet-of-the-day might be. Of course these little bowls spill, get kicked, etc. But it is just water right? To add to the excitement of the day he decided it was cool to watch the glass bowl full of mac-n-cheese spin around on the counter. Fascinating! But of course all good things must come to an end & it ended up spinning right off onto the floor & shattering EVERYWHERE! There was glass & noodles from one end of the kitchen to the other! And it was my favorite glass Pampered Chef batter bowl-the one with the handle. Used it all the time. Bummer! I surprised myself & just calmly put him in his room till I had the mess all cleaned up. Never mind that Adee was supposed to be at preschool 2 minutes ago & Reese is screaming for me to come get her out of bed. Oh the joys of motherhood, right? When I got all the glass cleaned up & it was safe for Owen to come out we had a good talk about not touching things on the counter. I was pretty calm & collected (sadly-not always the norm) I kept in mind what my BF Rachel once said "What is more important-the bowl or the child?" I love you Rachel & your constant example...
Well, the messes continued. There are always the messes to clean up after each meal and such. But the girls have really been into painting lately-which is great. I am all for letting their creativity flourish. However, paint comes with it's share of messes as well. Speaking of paint-I have been trying to get the girls room painted since Friday! What a mess! (Pictures of that project coming soon) So, to top it off-I am walking out of the girls room after applying the last (I hope) coat of paint when I notice the door to the garage is open. I investigate & what do my wondering eyes behold? A 3 year old boy showering the garage floor with his arching stream of pee! SERIOUSLY!? I yell "What are you DOING?"...he turns in surprise. Of course he can't stop mid-stream (what is that all about anyway?). I yell again "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP!" He still seems surprised & bewildered. I start to realize that this was a case of mistaken room identity, & to his defense the bathroom & the door to the garage are close together & he didn't turn on the light. Danny thinks it is hilarious-but then again HE is the one who showed Owen how COOL it is to pee outside. UGH. Anyway-I get that mess cleaned up & we move on to the rest of our night without anymore major catastrophes. Dinner, showers, homework, piano, FHE, & Good Night-Thank goodness!
Despite the messes of the day, recent events have caused me to look at my day & life a little differently. I am actually struck by a sense of gratitude. I am thankful that I even have the blessing of children to clean up after. I get to be their mom & they have & will continue to teach me so much (especially patience). I am thankful that I am still here on this earth to be their mother. To not only clean up after them but to teach them, discover the world with them, nourish & nurture them, hold & love them, read to them, play with them, sing to them, tuck them in at night, comfort their fears, & show them how to do a cartwheel (that is a whole other story). I am also SO thankful Danny is still here on this earth to do it all with me. To help me be better & want to do better. To laugh with me & cry with me. To be my everything...what would we do without our families?
Recent event have also caused me to ponder my life & ask myself some questions. Do you ever feel so blessed & so lucky that it makes you feel a little guilty? I mean seriously...my life is so blessed & easy it is a little ridiculous sometimes. It may sound cliche but I truly mean it. Why do I have it so good while so many others are struggling so badly? Is it because I am weak & the Lord knows I can't handle much else? Are my trials coming later? Will I be able to handle them or will they be so hard that they break me? Will I handle them as well as the people suffering around me have? Am I doing everything that the Lord would have me do? What can I do better? How can I be better? Who can I help and serve? Am I sufficiently preparing myself & my family for what lies ahead? What does the future hold for me, my friends, my family?
It is interesting to me how the death of someone else (even someone we don't know that well) can make us take stock of our lives. To see things with more of an eternal perspective. The recent deaths around me have made me a better person & made me want to be a better person, mother, friend, sister, daughter, a better child of our Heavenly Father. So, to Ryan MacPherson, Sara Baker, & Kathy Graf-thank you for your examples & the opportunity to remember what matters most & to never take it for granted. You will be missed...

Tubby Time

Reesie Roo loves the tub! Usually we just put all the kids in our shower together-it is so much faster & easier! But sometimes we make time for Reese to get a bath all by herself. She loves to play with the tub toys & of course make a huge mess splashing!

Look who's 5!

Can't believe this cute little fart is 5! Adelyn is such a fun & sassy girl. She always makes us laugh & keeps up thoroughly entertained :0) Make a Wish!

For her birthday this year Adee wanted to take her 2 BF's (Ali & Ellie) with us to Jumpin' Jacks. They all had a great time-running, jumping, sliding, diving, & bouncing. After that we headed home for cupcakes & ice cream. The kids wanted to put their own sprinkles on & I think most of them ate more sprinkles than cupcake! But whatever makes 'em smile right? We are so blessed to have this sweet little girl in our family. She is such a joy & brings so much laughter & fun to our family. She loves to dance & shake her booty, she can't wait for Kindergarten, & she loves to play with Averee & Owen. She is a great sister & loves to take care of Reese. :0) We love you tons Adee Patty!

Latest crafty crafts...

Here are a few of the more recent crafts I have finished...

These chore boards turned out so cute & functional! The kids are actually excited to finish a chore so they can mark it with a magnet. Love it!

This is the magnet board in Owen's room...of course he has already broken the C off the word CREATE. Boys will be boys! UGH!

Here is the magnet board that is hanging in Averee & Adelyn's room. I love the colors on this one. Their room is modern, funky & whimsical-so fun!

This is the magnet board in Reese's room. Her room has more of a vintage feel-with some fun antiques. Gorgeous!

This is the HUGE magnet board in my laundry room. I LOVE how this turned out-the colors & papers are perfect for my red walls. This is a great way to keep our family organized, and you know I love that!

Thanks for looking! Hopefully this inspires you to get some projects of your own done :0)

HoPpY eAsTeR!

We had a great Easter weekend. The Easter Bunny brings baskets to our house on Saturday morning, that way we can concentrate on the Savior (& the true meaning of Easter) on Sunday. The kids were excited to get games, swimming goggles, squirting sticks, & of course-CANDY! Then they headed outside to find their eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden. I am just glad a certain dog named Katch didn't eat them all before the kids found them!

That afternoon we went to a park with my parents & sister Alesha for a picnic & to roll eggs. This is a tradition from my childhood, we would always take our colored eggs & roll them down a hill. We made little tracks for them to race in & it was so fun! Well, my kids love it just as much as I did-especially Owen. :0) Happy Easter!