Joe & Doug

Sometimes it amazes me how much my children look like their daddy. This picture of Joseph especially reminds me that he is his fathers son.

Below is Doug (in red) sitting on Grandpa Morris' lap at about the same age as Joseph.

Bread is the only visual you'll need for this post

This is the first loaf of bread I've purchased in 2008. I love my hand made with love bread, and I love the fresh bread smell that permeates for at least 2 days afterward. I don't love the oven heating up the house and the air conditioner breaking on the same day and having to sleep in an 85 degree house in my skivvies. So I think I'll buy bread for the summer thank you.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Our nights have been jam-packed with end-of-school-year activities, here's a, (believe me) brief, overview.

Joseph's "Senior Center" spring performance. Joseph was the peddler in "Caps for sale".


Joseph's Kindergarten "Spring Sing" He's the one on the left in orange.


Joseph's Kindergarten Performance. Once again he was the peddlar in "Caps for Sale"



Dalton's Kingsbury Hall "Oscar Night" Here are the kids after the show with some neighbors who also performed and shuttled with us.



Dalton's Gallery Stroll "Art Showcase"

I love when Soph sings

I just heard Soph, who is supposed to be napping, sing, "ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah, ah, ah ah ah ah." A Regina Spektor special. Sophia is the first of my children who, when she sings, I can tell what she is singing. Dalt and Joe sing all the time, Dalt especially loves singing behind any closed door or pulled shower curtain, but to no avail. Their "Silent Night" sounds just like "Twinkle Twinkle" to me. Pitch, tone, and words are almost always off. They've got good rhythm though.

My stroller

My childhood in 1980's rural Utah was safe. I don't remember having any rules other than, "come home for dinner." Chad and I played in ditches, rode our bikes, and ran through fields to our hearts content.

America in 2008 doesn't seem safe at all. I regularly receive e-mails with terrible stories of how children are being exploited, abused, and well much, much worse.

In our little neighborhood, there is some type of safety net. I can see our courtyard, and playground right out my window. I can pretty much hear every noise the kids make out there too. I also have great neighbors who look after each other, none of us would let another child fall off of the climbing playground toys or go unswung if we could help it.

Just this past Saturday I noticed that my stroller was missing, and strangely, my first reaction was, "Someone stole my stroller!"

I have a squirrels memory, if I lose something it really is because the kids took it, and it's gone forever. I do run out of gas about once a year, but that's a different matter altogether. So I started retracing my steps.

I remember using the double stroller at the park just a few days ago, we used it at Joe's school performance, yep I had it then. I went on a walk the other day, it was lovely I remember. Where could it have gone?

I used it at Dalton's year end review at his school, parked it behind the van so I could easily put it in the trunk, unloaded the girls to their car seats, yep I remember that. But wait, the van was full of groceries, and I don't remember moving them, or crushing them... did I really leave my nice double stroller behind the van in the middle of the parking area across from Dalton's school? Was I really so wrapped up in the fact that I had a pull through parking spot that I drove straight ahead and left my super-nice-double stroller behind me?

Yep. That's the last place I saw it, and Dalton's performance was 2 days ago, my lovely-super-nice-double stroller is long gone.

We had a busy Saturday with birthday parties, scouts, cleaning the house for Mothers Day, shopping, chauffeuring car-less friends, and our neighborhood spring BASH, so I didn't have time to even check the schools parking area till 8pm. As we drove up, I wasn't at all hopeful. Dalton saw it first, and I just couldn't believe my eyes! My oh-so-lovely-super-nice-double stroller had been discretely moved to a grassy area just a few steps away from where I'm sure I left it. It had only been touched by some nice elementary kid or parent, and apparently a careless bird.

This world can be a scary place sometimes, very scary actually, I'm just grateful that there is evidence of good all around me. I'll be cautious with my children, and then do my best to extend my trust to the many people who deserve it in this world. I love where I live, we're going to miss it when we move.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mothers Matter

"Every little girl knows that Mothers matter." ~Jane Clayson Johnson

My Great Grandma, Annie mothered 3 daughters. She taught them to be strong and independent, all the while embodying the nurturing mother role to perfection. You couldn't walk into her home without being offered her love food, and feeling loved. Grandma Lucero's oldest daughter is my Grandma Martha she knew that her mother mattered.

Grandma Martha was a single mom for the first 10 years of my moms life in an era of very little support, and even less understanding. She worked hard, and did her best to provide for my mother. She carried on her mothers legacy of strength and independence. Grandma Martha's oldest daughter is my mother Shirley she knew that her mother mattered.

My mother Shirley had 4 children by the time she was 22 years old, and two more before she was finished! She raised us in an era where expectations were high, in the home, at school, and in the work place. Understanding was at an all time low. She knew that in this changing world, her children didn't have a chance without some type of support. She sought out and quickly embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has passed down the same legacy of strength and independence of her mother and grandmother, but has added the ever more valuable life of Christ to our legacy. I am my mothers fifth child and second daughter, I know that my mother matters.

I am now mothering my four children. I am doing my best like my mother and grandmothers before me. I am working hard to pass on the same legacy of strength, independence and, I love that my own mother, added Christ. I hope and pray that my children will appreciate the legacy that has been passed from the mothers in our heritage. In my experience it is obvious that from birth we all know that mothers matter. I matter. I am a mother.

Jennie is 7 months old

This picture is right side up. She does this scoot-all-the-way-across-a-room thing while on her back, it's starting to give her another bald spot, but she loves the mobility.

Jennie eats a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains. The red spots around her mouth are from pears we think.

I find Sophia in Jennie's crib more often than I find her in her own room. They're great playmates already.

Joseph loves the attention Jennie gives her, she's quick to giggle and stick out her tongue.

Dalt is the perfect older brother, willing to help her, gentle while teaching her, babbling, cooing and cuddling her right when she needs it.

Not pictured is her first tooth! It's about the size and fierceness of a grain of sand, but it's finally here. You may have noticed that most of her pictures of late involve a cute little pointy tongue. That's why I can't capture her tooth on film, and also why Lisa noticed her little speck of a tooth before I did. Lisa has sharp eyes anyway.

Where, where, where?

Last Friday was graduation day. I loved watching all of the people in their cap and gowns walking through campus and around our neighborhood. The sense of optimism, accomplishment, and excitement for the next phase was palpable. The first question out of my mouth to almost any graduate is "So, what's next?".

My friend Elise had this fun website linked to her blog to help us, and you, determine where your ideal place might be. My #1 place to live ended up being Albuquerque, New Mexico, Doug's #1 was Bellingham, Washington. Who knows where we'll end up? If you check out this site, leave a comment on my blog and let me know where your #1 spot is.

These are addictive

bacon, cream cheese, and jalapenos... must click this link!