Thoughts on Easter Eve

A few years ago, my older and wiser sister purchased each of us a book entitled A Christ-Centered Easter: Day-By-Day Activities to Celebrate Easter Week by Janet and Joe Hales. This year, in an attempt to make this holiday a more sacred and fulfilling one, I dusted the book off and began to peruse the reading selections and activities. The kids and I were able to do some of those suggested readings and activities together this past week. I really look forward to using this manual (of sorts) each year and as the children get older, being able to delve deeper into the meaning of Easter. Although we've had a really fun week doing an Easter egg hunt and dying eggs and coloring pictures for the Easter bunny, I've felt such a deeper appreciation for the Atonement and the Resurrection. I can see Lilly has been influenced as well by our discussions of Christ this week. And Abe, too, has listened...a bit.

I hope I remember this. That's why I'm writing it down. I hope that next year and every year after I take the time with my kids to read the scriptures together and learn and relearn what occurred in the final week of Jesus' life on earth and that that's what Easter turns into for us: a week of study and gratitude for the Savior, a renewed personal understanding of the Atonement, and an increase in desire to return to Him.

Something I want to remember on days when I want to give him away

While driving in the car, Abe told me that when he dies and goes to live with Heavenly Father that, "I'll tell Him to send me back to my mom."

I guess we'll keep him around another day...

A Tale of Two Lakes

Once upon a time (back in early March) 5 friends who liked to wear poofy headbows to a trip to an exotic location (the boring St. George) to run the Lake to Lake relay race.

After searching high and low and walking in and out of several strange frozen yogurt shops, one of which literally smelled like poop, they found a "normal" self-serve fro yo store and happily ate. Trips were made to Walmart and Target just to get a taste of home (except these stores came with free sightings of polygamists. Thanks Utah!) Late into the evening, the Mormon housewives proved that you don't need alcohol to have fun. Just staying up past 9 o'clock and freedom from children can make you equally as tipsy. They decorated the ultra hip race mobile, took pictures, and watched the ever exciting food network before heading to bed.

As they woke and dressed in the children's glittery skirts, they prepared for the relay.

A poor camera weary runner tried to pose for pictures in between her two runs, where she totally hauled booty. She may have been told that she looks drunk when in pictures and soon noticed that no one wanted to be in a picture with her...

...case in point...

...so she had to take extreme measures which didn't always turn out so great.

All in all it was a really swell time even though the booty queens nearly placed dead last. Ah well, there's always next year.

To be continued...

Style tips from Abe

If you really want to make a statement with your do...

Then do it yourself even if you're just 4.You'll certainly stand out in a crowd...

(not like he didn't before)

back in the game

I've decided to give this whole blogging thing another chance. Let's be honest here, I was way funnier before I had a third child. My children seem to really suck the life out of me and with each new tiny creature I feel my mind slipping a little bit further away into oblivion. But, alas, I have missed this old blog and once again feel the need to write about me, myself, and I. I suppose it's a form of therapy. I already have running that's a therapy for me...and my crossfit class...and vegging out and watching tv is another form of therapy, too. Um...there seems to be a pattern. Ah well, this is cheaper and so I shall attempt to write more often and if there's anyone still out there then you can read it, too.

And for the grandparents who want to hear about the kids, I'll share a story from today. While listening to Elder Scott talk in General Conference today, I was very happy to hear him talking to the fathers/husbands and giving them a good talking to about areas where they could be improving (i.e. instigating family night and prayers and daily scripture reading) and not leaving it up to the mothers. In my totally non self-righteous way I glared at Kelly and pointed at him and laughed cause he just got schooled. Then, my little darling daughter who is the goodest goodie goodie in the whole wide world looked at the two of us, pointed at both of us, and even glared her eyes at us and said, "And I have to keep reminding both of you of what you should be doing." So rude! And yet so true...

What I heard on this lame holiday

From Abe to me...


Mom, I love your gorgeous face.


He is now my favorite child.

What do you do?

What do you do when your daughter doesn't want to give you smooches anymore when you drop her off at school?

She tells me she just doesn't do that anymore.

I don't like it.

Not one little bit.