Another year older & wiser too, Happy Birthday to YOU

How did another year slip by sooooo fast?
{J} is a sophomore this year & enjoying every minute of it!
Here are some of her b-day pics:

Back to SCHOOL......

Farewell Summer.....
we really did have a great summer! Lots of family, friends, swimming, camps(girls camp ,scout camp, volleyball camp, BSU youth summit camp), biking, boating, fireworks, a trip to Roaring Springs, Cherry Festival, family reunion, BBQ's, birthdays, a little fishing, Relay for Life, more swimming, and the list just goes on and on! I wish I had stayed on top of things and posted pictures from all of these activities....but, at least, I DO have lots of pictures to do something with ...someday! (Lena & Anna- I know I promised you pics from our fun - I will get them to you!)

Well, here are some pics from this morning. In years past I have a picture of all the kids together - but, this year Jessica is off to the High School, Eric is off to the Jr. High, and Nicole & Ryan are head out to the Elementary School - so, We got pictures in shifts.

We'll start out with Jason:
His face says it all! He is completely TICKED OFF that he has to wait one more year before he gets to go to school! - I bought him an outfit like Eric and Ryan have on - but, he said he wouldn't put it on until he got to go to school...... needless to say, he wouldn't join in in any of the pictures!
Ryan, on the other hand would be thrilled to stay home - Jason begged to take his place!


Here is Jessica with one of her great friends, Randi. They are extra dressed up for the first day of school because they have their first volleyball game today and are supposed to dress up on their game days. First day, first game - here we go.............

Randi's sister, Georgia & their bro. Jack(Jack is Eric's friend)-
Georgia was nice enough to give Jessica a ride(so she didn't have to ride the bus....)

Eric & his little twin/shadow: Ryan.

Eric: headed out on his bike. Thank goodness Eric enjoys riding his bike to and from school -
(it is just over 2 miles) because it is going to be his ride home today when he finishes with his cross country practice - since the rest of us will be off to Jessica's game.
Next, it was time for Nicole and Ryan to head down to the bus stop-
It is sooooo sweet to watch Nicole and Ryan walk down to the bus stop together! They always hold hands! It is so cute! - I wonder how much longer it will last?

all right.... I am off to tackle a few of the things on my "to do" list before it is time to head to the volleyball game!

Spring Formal.......

Our Stake had a Spring Formal for the youth 14 and up -
It was Jessica's first formal dance - and she looked so pretty.
She kept saying "mom, why are you looking at me that way?

or "mom, you're looking at me weird"
Well, I think I just kept looking at her and studying her and wondering

WHEN did she get all grown up??? Time really is going by too quickly!
(Jessica bought this dress for $2 at a store that was going out of business.

The zipper was broke...and it was a size 12.

I went to the fabric store and spent $13 on fabric, boning, and ribbon-

and then my AMAZING & TALENTED Aunt Mary performed her magic on it

revamping the whole thing and turning it into a size 0! -

Thanks Aunt Mary -

it turned out so GREAT and Jessica loved it!

It fit beautifully on a beautiful girl.

I really am so thankful that Jessica is as beautiful on the INSIDE as she is on the outside.

Thank you for your example Jessica.

love you!

GOOD TIMES........

Jessica played Club volleyball in February and March -
and Eric is just about to finish up his first year on the Junior level of Little League -

it has been such a busy year

and I can't believe it is almost June.....

Jessica's last day of school was today

and tomorrow is the last day for Eric, Nicole, and Ryan....

HELLOOOOOO SUMMER

(now if only the weather would agree!)

Birthday..........

these were taken a few weeks ago on my dad's birthday......

LOVE THEM

(the cute pics, the kids, and my dad & mom)!!!

Mother's Day...

I would SOOOO rather be on the other side of the camera -

but, wanted to get a picture with my mom on Mother's Day - as well as my sisters!

I am so blessed to have these 3 in my life!
I love, respect, and admire each of them soooo much!


my sister sent me these quotes on Mother's Day.... thought I'd share:
"if life gets too hard to stand, kneel."--Gordon B. Hinckley
"choose your friends with caution; plan your future with purpose; and frame your life with faith."-- Thomas s. Monson
"you have not failed until you quit trying."-- Gordon B. Hinckley
"you can't plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind."-- Gordon B. Hinckley
"true love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of ones companion."--Gordon B. Hinckley
" in all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to b enjoyed, not just endured."--

Gordon B. Hinckley
"the principles of living greatly include the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and trial with humility."--Thomas S. Monson
"on occasion we need to make a second effort- and a third effort, and a fourth effort, and as many degrees of effort as may be required to accomplish what we strive to achieve."--

Thomas S. Monson
"without hard work, nothing grows but weed."--Gordon B hinckley
"what did I learn at my mothers knee? These four words: She believed in me."-- Pat Baldwin
"it was easy to confuse my mother with my guardian angel."-- Dennis Soams
"when things get tough, I could always run to her. Years later, I still can."-- Cat Lane
"be everything you can be," she would say, " be anything but mediocre."-- June Martin
"She made me laugh when I thought I would cry."-- Ann Elizabeth
"My mother is a woman who speaks with her life, not merely her tongue."--Kesaya E. Noda
"She was my bridge. When I needed to get across, she steadied herself long enough for me to run across safely."-- Renita Weems
"She knew what all smart women knew: Laughter made you live better and longer."--

Gail Parent
"Mothers love is always open arms."-- Leo Buscaglia
"I would have to say, first of all she is my Mother, with a capital "M," she's something sacred to me, I love her dearly... She is also a good friend, someone I can talk openly with if I want to."-- Sophia Loren
"children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherish them."-- Gail grenier Sweet
"What my mother did and said, gave me the courage to look ahead."-- Ron Burton"... She is my anchor. She is my compass..."
"Mom, you have been my light, my friend, my teacher- then and now- and more than that, my inspiration."-- pat covina