Tragedy Struck....Grayce and Emma found the scissors!!! - April 2011

I know it happens to everyone, but that didn't make it any easier when it happened to me. I came home from a meeting and found Nick sitting at his computer working and Emma and Grayce missing huge chunks of hair. After claiming complete ignorance to their mischeif, I calmly ;) assessed the damage. As I began sifting through their hair with my fingers, I kept pulling out chunks of hair. My breathing got shallower, and my heart starting beating faster. Soon, I got to the front of Grayce's hair. My discovery depleted every ounce of hope that we could just "cover this up." Right smack in the front of her forehead, cut down to the scalp, was a large, uneven area with missing hair. I was sick. Upon investigation, I discovered that the two of them had given each other a hair cut. Grayce too the scissors and cut pieces of Emma's hair and then Emma reciprocated and did the same to Grayce. Apparently, Emma thought the front of Grayce's hair was most appropriately cut. My choices were limited...either shave them both bald (which I seriously considered), or just leave it alone and let it grow out again. I decided on a mixture of the two. We went for our first visit to the salon!! Here are our results... (we also brought Abby along for a haircut too)

Grayce:

Emma:

Abby:

Cousins and t-shirts - April 2011

Nick and I were fortunate enough (and I mean that sincerely) to be able to watch Nick's sister's kids overnight. The kids (the cousins) all get along so well. It was so much fun to have them with us overnight.
We decided that we wanted to do something fun with them and have that be something that they could take with them afterward to remind them of our fun day!
So, I went and bought some different colored t-shirts and used our fabric markers to let the kids go crazy. They each got a shirt that they could decorate/design however they wanted. Then, each cousin or sibling was allowed to sign a message (however short or long - and with pictures or words) to each other's shirts.
They had a lot of fun and then they had a fun shirt to wear to bed that night!!

The Race for the Cure - May 2011

I was involved with The Race for the Cure in Salt Lake City. We raced in May. It was my first race of the summer. It was a 5K. It was so cool. There were thousands of people there. So many people had names of people that they were running for on their bibs (some still alive, some not). Some people had banners and signs telling the stories of their loved ones that they were racing for. It was so neat to be a part of something so big and for such a good cause. I ran together with some of my friends from Curves. This is a picture of us before the race. Only 3 of us ran, the others walked. But, we all had a great time!

Girls' Night Out - April 2011

Diana, Kara, and I went to a couponing class together. Then, we had to follow it up with dinner at Applebee's with NO KIDS! It was the first time I had gone out without the kids for anything fun in a long time. We had a great time and had to stop to pose for a picture before we all went home!

Kindergarten Field Trip (every mother's dream) - May 2011

I had the great opportunity to go on a field trip with Tyler and his class to Thanksgiving Point. It was really fun. I was glad that the bus ride was only about 10 minutes though. I somehow was the only one to keep the kids occupied before and during the bus ride on the bus. We sang about every song I could think of that was kindergarten appropriate - and some others that the kids sang to me that I didn't know. They were a lot of fun and definitely full of excitement and enthusiasm. I was ready for a nap when we got back. I honestly don't know how the teachers do it!!

Tyler and his friend Ty (and some occasional tag-alongs)!

Abby as Christa McAuliffe - April 2011

Abby had to do a presentation on Christa McAuliffe. She had to write her own poem about her, dress up like her, and present her poem over and over during the evening. She did a great job!

Also, her class and other 5th grade classes in the area were involved in the "Hope of America" program. They sang many songs and were the main focus of the program. They performed at the Marriott Center on the BYU campus. It was a really neat program and a lot of fun to watch. They did one number with flashlights. It was really amazing!
This picture is of the kids. They were all given different colored shirts, depending on where they were sitting, to make it look like a large flag. They moved for some of the songs to make it look like the flag was blowing in the wind. It was cool.

Easter 2011

Our annual pose before church Easter pictures. The kids looked adorable and we had a fun day!

Abby

Bryant

Tyler

Grayce

Emma

Maggie with the whole gang

Ethan's Birthday - April 2011

We had fun at Thanksgiving Point's Farm for Ethan's birthday. It was a familiy event. That made it more fun just to be together and play with cousins than the farm, and the farm is fun!!

Grayce enjoyed riding the ponies.

Emma too had a lot of fun on her pony ride.

I guess there is a prefered view as you look at the ducks!

Never resisit the opportunity to sit on a cow and get your picture taken!

As close as we got to an entire group shot!

BYU Baseball

We were fortunate enough this year to have the BYU baseball/softball teams offer BYU Faculty free season tickets for their entire family. We had so much fun. As you can see, some of the games were warmer than others. We also had to enjoy a fun treat (thank you Krispie Kreme) on the way home. We went to several of the baseball games and to 3 or 4 softball games. Despite having a deathly fear of Cosmo the Cougar (at least Grayce and Emma did), everyone had a lot of fun. Our new tricks: #1 - When Cosmo comes close, have Dad say, "No thank-you Cosmo. Go talk to someone else." #2 - When Cosmo is anywhere in eye-shot, put a blanket over your head. Because, if you can't see Cosmo, he can't see you. (both versions were so fun to watch).
Our family is definately a baseball family. We mourned the end of BYU's seasons, but we are thick into baseball and softball seasons of our own now. Abby, Bryant, and Tyler are all playing city league, and Bryant is playing on a competitive Super-League team. Many of our days are now partially filled with watching games. We LOVE it. I don't think there is anything better than watching the kids play. It is so much fun!! Abby is playing mostly 3rd base. Bryant pitches and plays 1st base. Tyler plays all over. However, he suprises all of the other kindergarteners when he bats. He starts into coach pitch this year.

Running?

I am going to do it.
I am training for my 10K.
I just finished another 5K (The Susan Komen Race for the Cure in SLC). It was a fun race to be a part of with so many other people. Now, I am going to take the plunge - although for most people it wouldn't be considered a plunge - in the world of 10Kers. I know I will be able to finish it. I have been regularly running 3-4 miles. However, it seems like any time you decide to do something you have never done before, the doubts come.
I am one that has to do things completely. I don't like doing things 1/2 way. So, if I am going to run the 10K, there is no walking, I will run from start to finish. I guess that is part of the reason why I am not going to run a marathon - EVER!! My ultimate goal is to one day run a 1/2 marathon. My sweet husband (I'm sure to be encouraging) told me he was sure I could enter and finish the AF Canyon 1/2 marathon - NEXT MONTH!! Needless to say, that one is off the docket! However, I will run this 10K next month, another 5K in a couple of weeks, a 10K in September, and then we will look at getting ready for the 1/2 marathon next year.
If anyone has done it before and has any good advice, I would love it!! I guess at least after all is said and done I will know if running really is for me or not. I know I am not fast, but I am a finisher. So, here goes.....