Spring Break is here!

I am so, so, so glad for spring break this year. I have really been struggling with staying ontop of life and unfortunately I keep falling off. It is hard to juggle being a Wife, a Mom, A housekeeper and a full time job. I hate it! So this spring break I took off work to be a full time mom. It has been great. We have been doing some spring cleaning and will be having fun time too. Last night we went to the movies and saw ~ Race to Witch Mountian, a perfect family movie that even Dad wanted to see, YEAH! Later this week we are going to the beach. Exciting!! And then home for Conference, Excitinglerestedly!!!!!

"W.O.W."

Well Emily has done it again! She has received another WOW card from her teachers. She has been on Honor Roll with straight A's again for the 2nd Quarter. The Principal and his Vice Principals cooked breakfast for the Student and their parents in appreciation for the students hard work and good efforts towards being a superb student (there was about 10 students). Emily's LA, Math & Science teachers sat with us and had lots of good things to say about Emily. I am impressed with the respect that these teachers and staff have for their students. In the past I have seen too many times teachers talking down to students like they are nobody, and then they become nobodys. Not here, Everyone is worth the effort. A big shout out to E.M.S. for being the best school ever!!
Below is pictures of this years 6th grade Orchestra and Band Pictures.

Finding "Joy in the Journey"

I'll ask forgiveness now for the long post..:)

Last night was Relief Society Enrichment night. I have to tell you Sister Marsha and her gang go ALL out. Let me tell you they take it to extremes. Everyone was given passports, upon entering the gym you were given a candy Lei (we are the Candy Mountain Ward) and welcomed. We had to go through the line, put our purse through the scanner and get our itinerary. Was way cute. Marsha and her husband have an art of making cardboard decor. Hopefully I can get pictures. But they made a plane, Train, a bus and a Huge Cruise ship as an entrance to each using the exit doors from the gym.
Dinner was served and we were off to our destinations, of course the sisters that chose the bus had a slight delay in their journey. The bus broke down and were assigned to a different means of transportation. So, off we went to our travel destinations (our 3 rotating classes, in 3 groups; plain, train & cruise ship).
In the first class, Sister King taught us about how to survive a crisis. She has read several books about survivors and the one thing that she learned was they #1, all had something to live for and #2 had faith.
The second class taught by my VT Companion, Sis Rex, who is just plain crazy. She took us on a safari trip into some jungle. Was cute and she played a superb guide. She spoke about Legos and Longerie. Most of us has had kids know that being a mother can be hectic, especially in those younger years when they depend on you for everything. She had some good tips like ~ get out of the house, going for a walk a breath of fresh air does wonders ~ get the kids dressed up and take them over to grandmas ~ or just go for a drive. (I sat their remembering those good ole' days and missed them, as hectic as they were. I loved it when my kids were little.) Then we were given the motivation talk on how to love yourself no matter what size you are. That your husbands deserve to see you with your hair done nice, nails done and also likes it when you in your birthday suite. So don't be hard on yourself, he loves you no matter what size you are. This talk was motivating for me. The next day I went out and got a hair cut, Mani and Pedi done. And, let me tell you it does make a difference in how I feel.
The Final class, Sister Sampson spoke about how her and her husband went to BYU Hawaii and he finished up his pre-med and had been applying to several med schools. It didn't work out the way it had planned and they had a 1 yr delay. During this time was difficult and didn't understand why they had worked so hard and not accepted into school. They applied for a great school in Israel and were accepted right away. During this 1 year delay they had met several people that either were moving to Israel or Had family in Israel. Sis Sampson kept a good diary of the events and shared some of those with us. It really touched me. Sometimes we don't always understand the trials we have until we look back on them and see the blessing that came from them. I so have a testimony of that!
After the mini-classes were done we all arrived at our final destination.
There we spoke about finding the joy in our journeys and Sis Marsha read the following poem, relating to life:

It's like... planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Again, I love the ward that we are in and the friends that I am making. This is my goal this year to find joy in the journey. Let me tell you it takes a lot of work to remember what you are thankful for and sometimes it is the pile of dirty cloths to be thankful that you have a family. Sorry for the long post. Somethings just cant be summarized in little details.

Let's do a recap of the week...

First of all I hate loosing an hour of sleep. My body seems to just shut down. Didn't help that I had some kind of a bug this week.

MJ ~ Mj didn't have school Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday due to parent/teacher conferences. I have to say I really love Marks teacher and I think she is the best teacher ever; and I have had a few share of teachers with all my kiddo's. She really has a way for her kids to strive and do their best. Mark says she has never, ever gotten upset. Mark is doing great in school and loves math science & reading. He took a test that scored him reading as a 7.2 grader. I love the fact that all my kids love to read. And I don't mind that they stay up late reading books as long as they can wake up smiling in the morning. Great Job Markie!!

Emme ~ This week Emilys church basketball team played in the tournament on Thursday night. They won the 1st game and went on to play the 2nd and final game of the stake playoffs. That was two games in one night. She is doing great and has really gotten aggressive. She plays great defense and shuts her opponent down every time. I have to say that I was suprised to see her want to even play basketball and I am so proud of her getting out of her comfort zone. A big YeeHaa for Emme!!

Angela ~ Oh my goodness peoples... stay off the road, I repeat, stay off the road. Angela has started drivers ed and now has her permit. I have the privilege of teaching her how to drive, so she should be a pro in no time. She is excited to drive and is doing great. this week we practiced on the gas, break and turns. Today we went out on the hwy. Not bad for her first couple times. I am sure she will be a great driver and in a few months well have another driver in the house. Yeah Angie, Whoot, whoot!!!

Stephanie ~ Life is never dull with Stephanie in the house... She is keeping busy with work, dance, institute, going out with the sister missionaries, hangin' with the boys and helping her friends make a video. I have posted the videos, they are great and I am impressed with the fine young talented, soon to be, up and coming movies stars. A big shout out to the Russian Diva!!

Better in Time Video Project ~ Bloopers


Better in Time Video Project ~

Go Candy MT Basketball

Tonight was the Richland Young Women's Basketball tournament. Candy Mountain ward goes onto next week. I have been impressed with Emily's learning curve. At the beginning of the season she was so shy, arms by her side and not moving around much (heck, I would be too if I was the youngest, smallest player out there). I have to tell you a totally different girl was playing tonight. Emily had several rebounds and was aggressive on defense (offense still needs a little work). I am soo impressed with the girls in her ward. The last quarter of the game they made a point to get Emily the ball so she could shoot it. I about cried. As a mom you want you children to be and do their best, you want them to be successful, to be accepted and build confidence. They were giving Emily this chance and they did it as a team. It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and let me tell you she is soo excited for next weeks game. She said shes going to play better and harder, I love it. Not bad for her first season. Great job Emme!!

F a M i L y

"A family is strong when all its members are working together and, like the rope, cannot be broken easily. But when individual members no longer work in unity with each other, the family becomes weak, just as the rope did, and can more easily be broken. Everyone in the family benefits when individual members are working together."

This analogy says it all. When thought upon I think it comes down to the love and respect one feels for your family or for another. As the proclamation of the family it states "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Extended families should lend support when needed."
* As I look back on the past year there was no respect in my immediate family for my family. As I wanted so badly for my daughter to come home, others thought differently and that is where the rope was weakened. Choices were made feeling were hurt.
* A few weeks ago.. Its tax time. Had an issue with someone claiming our daughter on their taxes. Our daughter lived with them 5 1/2 months out of last year. Would you think that maybe she would claim herself or that her parents would claim her (she was 17 at the beginning of the year). Love and respect plays into this also. To show respect we would treat other with respect and do as you would do. Call and ask.
* This last weekend I received a disturbing email. We all have a choice in how we live. That is why we are here on this earth. Whether we choose a certain lifestyle or religion it is our choice. But what we don't do is bash on ones view because "it is not what I believe in or how we live". Again, This comes down to love and respect for an individual and for the family.
I am sure I can go on and people can go on about me too. The point is that if we do not treat our families with the utmost respect for each individual family we have nothing. Families will grow and soon my children will have their families and so forth. Each family is different. Each has there own ideas, traditions, foods they like, activities they do and values. It is when one family thinks less of a family because they don't think or do the same is a lack of respect and like the rope will loose its strength.
I am sorry for my rant. A quote to leave you with, "There are no perfect families only very good ones."