a joyful life

This past weekend Huy sent me to Time Out! Can you believe that? He was actually very sweet to let me go with some friends to San Antonio to hear a group of LDS presenters and to give me a time out. Here is a little of what I learned.

joy in motherhood
2 Nephi 10:23 -- "free to act for yourselves". Remember that you live in a household of free agents. You don't get to control how they react to your parenting. But the more right things that get in, (the more teaching, love, positive influences, example) . . . the more control you have.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not insurance against pain. It is a resource in the event of pain.

I love these messages from Emily Watts, but this one to her children was the best: "I give you the gift of an imperfect mother so you don't enter into marriage with unrealistic expectations."


joy in music
My favorite part of the weekend.
Performances by Michael McLean and Hillary Weeks

Love to feel the spirit through music.

That IS Michael at the piano.

joy in letters

Write more letters! Don't you love getting a letter in the mail?

Jason Wright, The Wednesday Letters

P.S. I love your hair!

joy in listening
Other presenters, Michael Wilcox, Chris Stewart, and Carolyn Rasmus

joy in friendship

Sarah Reyes, Sheyenne Alvarez, Andrea Cole (with baby Isaac), and Tieryn Allen

Sheyenne and Tieryn

No, Huy has not photoshopped Andrea's tongue... yet!

Had a blast with these ladies!

We drove down in a ton of traffic, but nothing that an Atomic Fire Ball can't do to pass the time.

Obviously, Sheyenne and I eat everything the same, except I eat chocolate!

Free hotel rooms. Smelly, but free.

Thanks girls.

Events of the day

Many have asked, "How big is Nike now?" Well, he just keeps getting bigger. At the vet last week, he weighed 42 pounds and Kaylie was 43 pounds. As you can see, he still does the "flat tire" and he is about 4 tiles long which would equal 4 feet. He's graduated to a bigger collar and I'm not sure if I like it. He listens much better, okay, most of the time. He is shedding more and more so brushing him helps, but I need to keep at that. We all are loving on him and he is spoiled, just like the rest of the kids.

The kids like to get in his gated area and lay on him and he is so good to let them.

Kaylie has done it!

She can now write her whole name perfectly and she knows the letters. She has been working on it a lot and we are so proud of her. There are no papers lying around that don't have her name on it!


Our tree has LIMONS?

When we first moved into our home, we did some landscaping in our backyard. Huy planted what I remembered was a lemon tree in a pot and the first year it had fruit. I thought it had outgrown the pot so I moved it into the ground. It grew and grew, mostly big thorns, but never had any more fruit. So five years later, Kaylie and I went outside to do some yardwork one day, and to our surprise, we saw 5 limons on our tree. We were so excited. Kaylie has since checked on them often and she has wanted to pick them. And to be honest, I couldn't remember if it was a lime tree (they are green) or a lemon tree (they are larger than a lime, I think) so I've made her wait so we could watch and see what would become of the limon tree!

Tanner found one on the ground (Nike probably knocked it off) so I let him cut it open and see if it smelled good or was rotten or what the deal was. We were hoping to find out if it was a lemon or a lime, but we are still bewildered. As you can tell, Taylin was not impressed with our garden produce, but Tanner seems to like sucking on sour limons!

summing up our BIG weekend

games, playoffs, trunks, treats, play, dance, winners, losers, dogs, and more

We began on the road headed for Fort Worth to the BYU vs. TCU football game. What was planned to be a great game wasn't so great. We had great company and fun just getting to the game - geared up in the BYU gear, blue hair, helmets, shirts and some traffic - but then after a scoreless first half for BYU, the girls just wanted to get home to play and for bed so the boys stuck it out until the end and the rest of us went home. The end was a very sad loss for BYU, 32-7.


A bit grumpy, Bubbas didn't want to take pictures to fill the down time.

Oh, on second thought, a bribe for cotton candy did the trick.

This wig made people do funny things.

See what I mean?

The traditional (2 times running) BYU vs. TCU picture with my sister, Karmen. Okay, she's really not my sister, but I'll claim her as one. People always ask so we've just decided to go with it.

Best of friends such that they call each other cousins, which would make since since their mothers are sisters, right?

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

These two became buds over the weekend. They take such good care of each other. But Lilers (that is what I call her) informed us she didn't want to be called Lilers any more, her name is Lily. I don't know if I'll be able to make the switch.

Two of the biggest BYU fans around.

That's my boys!

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!

The best news from the weekend was that Huy and Jeff's football team won the NFL Flag Football Regional Champions! They pulled this team together after a scouting trip to Cedar Park, finding four boys able and willing to practice 10 times before the tournament. They went on to win their pool (of three games) and then they had the best scores from each game that they got a bye in the first round of the championship bracket, putting them in THE championship game. And of course, they won that and were crowned Regional Champions!

Game One
We played the Cowboys from our league back home, whom we played the previous week and won, 31-0, and whom have several of Tanner's good friends. Getting a few nerves shook off, the game was won after the mercy rule was called, a 28-0 win. This game got the boys pumped up and ready to play and win again.


Down-time after the first game - clearly they were all smiles and happy to be moving on.

Game Two
After another win, 28-0, mercy rule applies, the boys came together and took it to the Packers from Southwest Austin.


Needing some nourishment, a few munchies got Tanner ready for the next game.

Cole was there to cheer Tanner and the team on, as bored as he was.

Game Three
I didn't pull the camera out for this one. But yes, again, mercy rule, 29-0. They went for a two-point conversion at the end, "so they could practice it."

A little pep talk before the big championship game. They played the Titans from Southwest Austin.

The coin-toss.

The veteran players as captains.

I was so proud of our QB. Oh yeah, that's my son!

And he not only can throw the ball, he can run it. The two above pictures are in sequential order. Notice the boy in black on the right in each picture! Tanner was just short of a touchdown.

After the victorious win, 13-0 this time, the team signs the papers to arrange the flights paid for by the NFL to Orlando, Florida for the National Championship Tournament. They are also given cleats, shorts, jersey, and gloves from Nike. Pretty sweet deal!

And there you have it - the Regional Champions!

And just incase you hadn't noticed, the team was not scored upon throughout the entire tournament!! How do you like them apples?

Fall Festivities

This year we were able to join the Clarks at their friends Fall Festival at her home. The kids wore simple costumes and had a great time playing games, riding horses, eating desserts, watching a magician, and trunk-or-treating for candy.

Thanks guys for taking us along with you everywhere and coming with us everywhere. We had a blast!

Would you get a load of this?!

This is my sister-in-law and her super cute family.

We call them Noah-Loah and Lukey Luke.

Are they not the cutest things ever?

Oh yes, they are.

F A V O R I T E S

On the first day of school I usually ask the kids what a few of their "favorite" things are, just to see how they change from year-to-year. Well, the first day of school has come and gone and so yes, I am a little behind this year, but I thought it best to do it, rather than not, like last year.

Tanner

5th Grade (Teacher, Mrs. Rey)

Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Sport: Football
Favorite TV Show: Clone Wars ("just put that, I don't really care!")
Favorite Movie: Ironman
Favorite Toy: Xbox 360
Favorite thing to do: Play football
Best friends: Connor, Drew, Micah, Lucas, Tanner, Justin, Ashton, Ryan, Julian, Jared, Cole

Taylin

3rd Grade (Teacher, Mrs. Files)

Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Chicken Sandwich
Favorite Sport: Soccer
Favorite TV Show: Full House Reruns
Favorite Movie: High School Musical
Favorite Toy: Chocolate Lab Webkinz
Favorite thing to do: play with Nike (dog)
Best friends: Kassadi and Sarah

Kaylie

PreK (Teacher, Miss Claudia)

Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food: Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite Sport: Dance
Favorite TV Show: Miss Spider
Favorite Movie: Cinderella
Favorite Toy: Purses
Favorite thing to do: "do ballet"
Best friends: Kyla, Kira (friend from school), Morgan and Maddie, and all of my friends

Derby, derby, doo!

This was Tanner's third Pinewood Derby and although his goal was to come in at least 2nd, which would have been better than last years 3rd place, he didn't quite make it, but his car, or should we say skateboard, looked really cool. Of course, it was after the fact, when Tanner informed us that he would rather have a fast car than a good looking one. Sorry pal, maybe next time!

Pretty cool, right?

Tanner with his friends Justin Brewer and Max Nielsen.