Crystals in the Air

Back to School

2011-08-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

The other day I was waiting for the girls in the parent pick-up lane at school. I saw a Mom walk by with a sleeping toddler on her shoulder. I remember those days. I remember going to school to get Tara and carrying a dead weight Lily sleeping on my shoulder. I would try to keep Lily comfortable and not wake her while waiting in 100+ temperatures for Tara. Now I sit in my air conditioned van in the parent pick-up lane waiting for a 2nd and 4th grader to come out of the building. Where has the time gone?

Something’s Gotta Give

2011-08-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

My sister-in-law and I were talking awhile ago about how busy our lives can get. As we take on additional responsibilities we find that ‘something’s gotta give.’ In the last year my ‘something’ was my blog. I just did not have the time to continue blogging or reading blogs, something I have truly missed.

I have had so many occasions in the last year where I have thought to myself “I should blog this.” Earlier in the year, Michael and I attended a funeral. While at the funeral we saw some friends we had not seen in years. We were visiting with a particular friend we had not seen in 15 years. He was asking Michael about our girls. I did not take my purse and said to Michael, “Don’t you have pictures in your wallet?” Michael eagerly said “yes, I do.” He opened his wallet and took two pictures out to show our friend. I looked at the pictures and gasped. Lily was a year old and Tara was three. I was like “seriously?” We all got a good laugh and Michael said it was my fault because I had not given him updated pictures. Another friend was standing with us when all this took place and he said he had seen the girls because he had read my blog. My blog, I had forgotten about my blog. I was thrilled that someone had actually read my blog. I missed my blog.

Ever since that day I have been thinking about my blog and how much I miss blogging and reading blogs. Even Tara and Lily have expressed blogging. In fact, their Aunt Janette helped each of them create a blog. There are 2 new blogs on my side bar.

Tara’s blog: Even If I Figured It Out
Lily’s blog: Bubblegum

I have decided I want to try blogging again. So for now…something else will have to give.

Note to self: Update the pictures in Husband’s wallet.

Constitution Day

2010-09-17T23:33:00.001-07:00

My patriotic sweeties.

First Day of School

2010-08-17T05:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the first day back to school. Tara is in the 3rd Grade and Lily is in the 1st Grade.

This will be an exciting year for Tara. Lots of changes in the 3rd Grade. She now has her own desk, she will be using textbooks and must keep a student planner. She will be receiving letter grades and has the opportunity for Principal's List (all A's) and Honor Roll (A's and B's). Her classroom is also located upstairs with the upper grades.

Big changes for Lily too. Lily's classroom is located in the main building (she was excited to see Tara at school 3 times yesterday.) She will now rotate each day to Specials (Music, Art and P.E.) She reports to the 'big' playground before school and has lunch with all the other 1st Graders.

What was the best part of your day?

Tara - ...long pause..."nothing really."
Lily - P.E.

Fremont Indian State Park

2010-07-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was looking at some of the pictures I took on our vacation last month and I came across the ones from our picnic at the Fremont Indian State Park.

I was standing in the kitchen at Granny and Grandpa’s house when I heard my niece ask “Grandpa, can we go on a picnic today?” We threw food and drinks in a cooler, grabbed towels and fishing nets and were out the door within 15 minutes. I love spontaneous ideas and this outing proved to be another reason why.

How cute is this little guy? He sure enjoyed eating our extra Cheetos.

Clear Creek. The girls were trying to catch some fish. The water was freezing cold.

Sardella's Pizza Camp

2010-07-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend sent me a message and asked if Tara and Lily would like to go to pizza camp? I thought to myself “what is pizza camp?”

Pizza camp is where you learn how to make pizza. You learn the oven can cook a pizza in 6 1/2 minutes and cook 200 pizzas in one hour. You learn that the refrigerator is 37 degrees and you can walk into it and see your breath.

You learn how to…

Toss the dough

Spread the dough

Put the sauce and cheese on

Put the pizza in the oven

Cut the pizza

And take the pizza home

You also get to enjoy an afternoon with your friends.

Sardella's Pizza Camp

Uncle Bill

2010-07-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

Most of the people who read my blog are family and know Uncle Bill. For those of you who don’t, let me introduce you.

Uncle Bill is my Father’s oldest brother; he is the oldest of 5 children. He is married to Aunt Leslie and they have been married for 44 years. They have 3 children and their oldest daughter is Cousin Mary, my very best friend. Because of my relationship with Mary I am also close to her Mom and Dad. Earlier in June Uncle Bill was not feeling too good and was just not acting like himself. He was transported to the hospital on June 3rd because of signs of a stroke. He spent his 66th birthday in the hospital. He was released after a few days with a diagnosis of ‘dehydration.’

After his release there was still odd behavior, difficulty driving and concerns of his ability to do certain tasks. His family knew they would not be able to get him back to the doctor or hospital, so they came up with a master plan and tricked him into going to the ER on Wednesday, June 30th. The MRI showed 4 brain tumors. He was transported to Barrows Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Friday morning they did surgery for 5 hours to remove not 4 tumors, but one elongated tumor the size of a bratwurst. The surgeons were able to remove the rest of the tumor in a second 8 hour surgery on Tuesday July 6th. The pathology report showed it is a high grade Glioblastoma brain tumor, which is very aggressive. Chemotherapy begin the 3rd week of July for about 6 weeks.

This is shocking and heart breaking news for our entire family. We have gone from not knowing, to disbelief and now to a recovery plan. We have been on the internet and have read of the grim prognosis. Doctors have shared with us the worst and they have also shared with us the possibilities.

Let me tell you, my Uncle Bill will recover. This is a strong man who has a will and desire to live. He is a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, great-uncle, son, brother, friend, retired Fire Chief and a former Congressman in Arizona’s House of Representatives. He has many reasons to keep on going and pushing forward with his recovery. He has hunting trips and fishing trips on the calendar and he does not plan on missing them (we just haven’t told him they will need to be rescheduled.) He makes us laugh with his jokes, he can build or fix anything (even an X-Box with the 3 ring of death - picture above), and he tells us funny stories by the campfire (and protects us from the camp skunks.)

We love our Uncle Bill and we are praying for the very best outcome.

Summer Vacation

2010-06-29T07:07:00.001-07:00

The girls and I returned last week from a 1300 mile road trip to visit family. This has become a summer tradition for Tara, Lily and I. We would love to take Daddy with us but we are usually gone for an extended amount of time which makes it hard for Michael to take that much time off of work.

Our destination is Utah and we visit our cousins and Granny and Grandpa. We have made this road trip several times over the last 8 years. I was thinking about how much this summer tradition has changed over the years. For starters, our trip keeps getting further away from home. My brother works for Utah State Parks and his job has taken him to 3 different locations; Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Monroe and now Lehi. While his family was living in Monroe, Granny and Grandpa decided to relocate and retire in the same small town. The other ‘change’ is how I use to pack for this road trip. I use to take strollers, pack-n- plays, booster seats, diapers and about 20 binkies (the girls would drop them while I was driving and I could not always stop.) Now I pack DVD’s, DS games, stuffed animals and favorite books. The trip may be longer, but the load is definitely lighter.

Although our load is lighter our memories of each trip will last a life time. We come home with so many great stories to tell Dad. We come home with new favorite foods; Tara loves Neapolitan ice cream now just like her Uncle Dave. We come home with more experiences; Lily can now do the monkey bars. The girls helped their Granny and Grandpa in the garden and planted flowers in the front yard. We come home smarter; Davy taught us Wii games and Nicole taught us new card games. We come home with more style; Rebekah knows fashion. We come home with new recipes from Aunt Janette. We have new silly jokes to tell that Darci and Littlebit taught us.

Even though we come home with such great memories, there is no place like home. We are happy to be home and happy to be with Daddy again. I have more to share from our vacation and pictures I will post, but for right now…all is well.

(Darci, Tara, Davy, Nicole, Lily and Littlebit)

6 Days Late

2010-06-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

Last month I posted about Lily being born 9 days past her due date. My beautiful Tara started the ‘late’ trend by coming 6 days after her due date. I remember holding Tara for the first time; she was a dream come true.

Tara is celebrating her 8th birthday this week!

What a celebration too. She got her ears pierced, she had 10 girls over for a swim party and her cousins are here from out of state helping her celebrate.

Tara is an easy going, fun-natured and loving child. One characteristic I love about Tara is her willingness to compromise; she is always willing to give up what she wants to make others happy or to help an unpleasant situation. I see this characteristic on a regular basis with her younger sister. Tara loves Lily so much; she is a wonderful older sister.

Tara makes me laugh, she says the funniest things. She is an excellent swimmer; I am always amazed each swim season at how well she can swim. She loves to learn and exceeds in every subject in school. She loves to watch TV; you can ask her anything about Hannah Montana or iCarly. She also loves to read and is trying to read all the fairy books by Daisy Meadows. Tara is a great kid and we are so blessed to have her in our family.

Happy Birthday Tara! We love you dearly!

Last Week of School 2010

2010-05-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

This has been quite a week. There have been many emotions ranging from sadness to excitement. There was water day, game day, safety day, class celebrations and Kindergarten promotion. And in the end, I am the proud Mom of a 3rd grader and a 1st grader.

Tara
How did you feel the first day of school? Nervous
How do you feel now? Pretty good
(Tara and her teacher)

Lily
How did you feel the first day of school? Sad
How do you feel now? Cool
(Lily and her teacher. Tara had Mrs. F as her Kindergarten teacher too.)

On Wednesday (Safety Day) Miss Arizona, Savanna Troupe came to talk to the Kindergartners about water safety. This is Lily’s 2nd time meeting her and getting her autograph.

Wet n Wild Fun

2010-05-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

This gang got season passes. I think it is going to be a fun summer!

Lily's Rose

2010-05-18T05:31:00.001-07:00

Lily is my companion in the yard. She likes to help me water flowers, trim the rose bushes, pull weeds and clean our Hummingbird feeder. Last time she took all the roses I cut off and arranged them in cups of water for our outdoor table. She also took this picture, I thought it was beautiful and wanted to share.

A Fun Way to Watch TV

2010-05-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

They keep me smiling.

9 Days Late

2010-05-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

Friday at school Lily’s Kindergarten class had a Mother’s Day Tea Party. Each child greeted their Mother at the Kindergarten door and escorted them to their seat. The kids performed songs and afterwards served us cookies, fruit and punch. It was such a delightful way to spend some time with Lily. She made me a hair bow and smothered me with hugs and kisses.

Lily has grown about a foot this year, she is reading and in a few months she will be entering the First Grade. Lily also celebrated her 6th Birthday last week. I have never seen someone so excited about their birthday. She was doing the usual count down of days; however this year I was teasing her that we should have been celebrating her birthday on April 26th. She was 9 days late and did not join our family until May 5th. She was worth the wait!!

Lilers completed our family. Lily is funny; yes, we even call her ‘silly Lily.’ Lily is affectionate. She told her teacher this year that she loved her so much she could just squeeze the life out of her, all this while squeezing Mrs. F’s leg. Lily always has a big smile and a hello for strangers and can make the grumpiest cashier smile. She loves books, puzzles and shopping. Lily loves her sister.I remember one time we were driving on the 101 and Lily started crying, it was an unusual cry and I thought she was hurt. I kept asking her what was wrong; she finally stopped crying enough to say “I miss Tara.” Tara was in Grandma’s car driving right behind us on the freeway.

Lily is now 6 years old and does not want to be treated like a baby; but it is sooooo hard not to treat her like one, when she will always be my baby. Happy Birthday Lily!!

Whiskey Row Marathon 2010

2010-05-05T00:07:00.000-07:00

Here we are again! One of our favorite family traditions - participating in the Whiskey Row Marathon.

This year Daddy, Aunt Leslie, Tara, Lily and Mommy did the 2 Mile Fun/Run Walk.

Participating in the 10K were cousins Mary, Will and Isabel. This was Isabel's first 10K and she finished in 1:11:04. Mary had a personal best with 1:04:24 and Will completed the race in 1:00:07.

Life is Good!

Father/Daughter Dance

2010-04-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the Girl Scout Father/Daughter Dance. Tara and Lily had a wonderful time with their Daddy. The theme was a 'Circus' complete with dancing, carnival games, hot dogs and popcorn. They actually won 7 bottles of soda playing games.

GS Camp

2010-04-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

The girls and I attended Girl Scout Encampment this weekend. We had a good time.

We camped for 2 nights at Shadow Rim Ranch outside of Payson. It was absolutely gorgeous. Temperatures were a little chilly at night - low 30's. We were fortunate enough to sleep in cabins; however, the cabins did not have heat.

This camp's theme was a Hawaiin Luau. The girls enjoyed movie night, arts/crafts, games/activities, a hula dancer, hula lessons, skit night and nature walks.

Lily's favorite - the crafts

Tara's favorite - games and skit night

Mom's favorite - spending time with Tara and Lily. Oh...and not cooking.
All the meals were catered :)

Moments like this...

2010-04-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

The other morning I went to wake the girls up for school. I saw Tara sleeping with her bunny and I just melted. I had to get my camera, I do not want to forget moments like this.

I tried to get a picture of Lilers too; but I woke her up and she started yelling at me...I try to forget those moments.

2nd Grade Musical

2010-04-09T06:23:00.001-07:00

The 2nd graders at LB performed a wonderful musical yesterday at school. The kids wore the colors of the rainbow, each color representing a Pillar of Character. All students at school are expected to display behaviors that reflect the 6 Pillars of Character.

Blue – Trustworthiness
Yellow – Respect
Green – Responsibility
Orange – Fairness
Red – Caring
Purple – Citizenship

Tara had a speaking part and a special verse she sang with two other students. She did awesome, I was so proud of her!! Tara is a kind and caring person. She loves to laugh and she has a silly sense of humor. These characteristics were obvious during the performance. She was not shy on the stage and you could tell she enjoyed singing all the songs. I teased her that she looked a bit like Hannah Montana (who she loves) the way she held the microphone during her singing part. Way to go sweetie!!

Disney On Ice

2010-04-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Disney on Ice celebrates 100 years of magic and we got to be a part of it! On Saturday Grandma Houston treated us girls to a performance of Disney on Ice.

Lily's favorite - Minnie Mouse
Tara's favorite - Ariel

Thank you Grandma Houston for taking us!

Forest Lakes

2010-03-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Before Michael and I had kids we were ASU Football season ticket holders. Michael and I are both graduates of Arizona State and this was a favorite past time for us. We had 4 seats which was allowed us the opportunity to invite friends to attend the games with us.

When we sold our home in Ahwatukee and moved to the Northeast Valley we decided to give up our tickets. Tara and Lily were young and it was hard to take them to the games; neither of them liked the sound of the fireworks after a touchdown.

We were disappointed to give up our tickets for various reasons, but one of the saddest reasons for me is I would not get to see my good friend Mr. H. My friend Mr. H was also a season ticket holder and has owned his seats for many years. Mr. H is 82 years old. I always looked forward to going to the games, but I also looked forward to seeing my friend Mr. H. It was like sitting next to my Grandpa, we visited about everything. He was so proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and shared many stories. Some of his great grandchildren were students at ASU and would always come over to our seats to say hello.

Mr. H is on our Christmas list and I look forward to sending him a card each year and giving him an update on our family. We look forward to his Christmas card as well. However; this year we had a pleasant surprise in our Christmas card; a gift certificate for a 2 night stay in Forest Lakes Lodge in Forest Lakes, Arizona. Forest Lakes is about 40 minutes East of Payson. Mr. H is the owner of the lodge and we have had the privilege of staying there before. We decided to use our certificate during Spring Break.

The week of Spring Break the temperatures in the valley were in the mid 80s, sun was shining and the kids even jumped in our pool. I checked the weather in Forest Lakes and the temperatures were in the low 70s, but the forecast still called for sunshine. Perfect! I used the internet to locate some easy trails we could hike, I packed an ice chest full of food and we loaded up the van. What I did not consider was the elevation of Forest Lakes (7700 feet) and technically it was still winter. Yes the temperatures would be in the 70s and the sun would be shining…but the 5 feet of snow on the ground had not yet melted. Wow! What a wonderful surprise, thank goodness I was prepared with some warm clothes. The girls were so excited to see snow and our plans for hiking, scooters, roasting marshmallows and nature walks were turned into snowball fights, building snowmen, drinking hot chocolate and playing lots of board games.

Fortunately we still had the opportunity to do some hiking. We visited Tonto Natural Bridge in Payson. The State Park is scheduled to close in June due to limited funding; however the town of Payson will assist financially to keep the park open until September of 2010. We really enjoyed our day visiting this park and enjoyed the trails, picnicking and spending time as a family. I would highly recommend this park as a place to visit.

Thank you Mr. H for the gift certificate to Forest Lakes and thank you for your friendship.

A Real Spa

2010-03-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

I always like to do something special for Valentine’s Day for Tara and Lily (kind of strange because Valentine's Day is my least favorite holiday of the year.) For the last six years we have celebrated Valentine’s by having a small party. They each invite a few friends over for pizza, a craft and decorating sugar cookies. However; this year they traded in their party for a couple of hours at Sweet N Sassy. Very fun!!

Bed Head

2010-03-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Tara and Lily have always dressed themselves and fixed their own hair. I have always appreciated the fact that they do this and actually look forward to seeing their creative ensembles.

Only one problem, Tara does not like to brush the back of her hair, nor does she want me to do it. She always cries and says it hurts when I brush her hair. Tara has long beautiful hair and since we take our baths at night she usually goes to bed with damp hair. This creates a lovely style of bed head every morning. She usually combs her bangs, puts in a bow or a head band and just leaves the back as is.

The other morning I offered to help her brush the back of her hair. She politely said no. This happens every morning, however; this time I insisted and said “we need to brush your hair.” Lily looks over at me and says “you’re really into this parenting stuff aren’t you?”

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

2010-03-03T05:27:00.000-08:00

Last night we went to school in our slippers and jammies to celebrate "Read Across America" and the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Lily: And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street
Tara: The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
Mommy: Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Daddy: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Comfort

2010-02-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

In the summer of 2008 my youngest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This diagnosis would require a 6 day hospitalization.

The first morning Lily was awakened at 6:00am by a team of nurses checking her vitals and withdrawing blood. Lily was scared, in tears and extremely tired. Afterwards, Lily was taken to a brightly decorated closet in the Nurse’s Station labeled Andrea’s Closet. The nurse opened the door and to our surprise the closet was full of games, toys, stuffed animals, books, etc. Lily was told she could choose anything for being a ‘brave little girl.’ Lily chose the game Candy Land. Andrea’s Closet is a toy closet established in honor of Andrea Nicole Brunk, who passed away from leukemia shortly before her tenth birthday. Pediatric patients can choose a toy from the closet as a reward for their bravery after they go through a treatment or procedure. Candy Land would be the first of many gifts Lily would receive for her bravery.

Although we were scared by the news of Lily’s diagnosis and overwhelmed with everything we had to learn to take care of her; we were also comforted. We were comforted by Bunny,
by crayons, by markers, stickers, make-up, dolls, games, books and DVD’s. All these comforts were made available through DONATIONS and by VOLUNTEERS.

Our family spent every day at the hospital with Lily. Together we played games, read books, colored and watched movies. Volunteers did arts and crafts with us. There were also volunteers from the Phoenix Zoo that did a presentation for the children with live animals. Tara and Lily still giggle about how some of the animals peed on the floor. We were worried about Lily, but I cannot emphasize the power of these donated items and the volunteers and the encouragement they provided Lily and our family.

In January, Tara and Lily started selling Girl Scout Cookies. They each set a goal to sell 175 boxes. Wow! How are we going to sell 350 boxes in our neighborhood when there are so many Girl Scouts also selling cookies? We came up with the idea to sell cookies to all of our friends and family and offered the option of buying cookies and donating them to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. PCH has a complimentary coffee and cookie cart for patients and their families. This service is made available by donations of cookies and volunteers serving the families.

I am proud to post that last week we delivered 108 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies donated by our friends and family. They are not just boxes of cookies; they are comfort, hope, relief and encouragement. We have been there, we know.

In addition to donating cookies we also donated Pop Tabs to the Ronald McDonald House located at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Many of our friends and family save Pop Tabs too. The Pop Tabs are taken to recycling centers and the money received is used for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald houses while their loved one is staying in the hospital. The House that Love Built

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. ~Author Unknown

Spa

2010-02-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

I thought today would be a perfect day to get my hair, make-up and nails done.

Tara and Lily are taking new clients. Let me know if you would like an appointment.

252

2010-02-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a Kindergarten Monitor at school shared the following with me.

Lily came bouncing into the cafeteria for lunch with her cute toothless smile.

Ms. M - "Hi Lily, how are you today?"

Lily - "I'm 252"

Certainly not a good number, but definitely a good laugh.

Mary's Birthday

2010-01-20T04:21:00.001-08:00

This weekend the girls and I went up North to help cousin Mary celebrate her birthday. As always, we had a great time.

Hiking at Watson Lake in Prescott with James, Mary, Will, Isabel, Forest, River, Tara and Lily.

Waiting

2010-01-07T12:04:00.001-08:00

There seems to be a lot of waiting in this home. I could not resist posting this picture of Michael waiting for a friend to pick him up.

Check out Lily on Christmas Eve.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

I love the New Year! I love new beginnings, I love new starts, I love new challenges, I love new experiences, and I even love new hair color.

But most of all…

I love my husband. He is a good man. I am grateful for how hard he works and how he provides for our family.

I love my daughters. They have enriched my life. They bring me so much happiness and I am so proud of them.

I am blessed to be wife and mother.

Thank you to my sister-in-law Janette for introducing me to the world of blogging. It has been so much fun keeping in touch with my family and friends. I have made new friends (Brooke and Wendy) and have been reacquainted with friends from the past (Sharon and David).

I look forward to another year of blogging. Thank you for letting me share my Crystals in the Air with you.

All the best in 2010.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T06:57:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve - waiting.

Christmas morning - started at 5:30am.

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family!!

Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!

2009-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to attend the play Junie B in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! yesterday afternoon at the Tempe Center for the Arts.

What a fantastic presentation by Childsplay Theatre! Absolutely fantastic!!!

The girls (Tara, Lily and cousin Isabel) had a good time and loved making Junie B. Jones glasses out of pipe cleaner. We also had backstage passes which included a personal tour given by Mr. Scary. We got to see some of the actors, the Green Room, go out onto the stage, learn about the sound, lights and props.

A perfect afternoon for the holiday season!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

The festivities continue…

Last week we attended Gingerbread & Generosity. Our friends hosted an open house to celebrate the season and to bless those who are in need. They collected toys for Phoenix Children’s Hospital; specifically for the oncology department in conjunction with Kate’s Crazy Cool Christmas.

Tara decorates a gingerbread man.

Another visit from Santa Claus at our Girl Scout Christmas Party.

Christmas Caroling

Kindergarten Christmas Program

Two years ago I attended the Kindergarten Christmas program juggling a three year old, a camera and a camcorder. This year I attended a Kindergarten Christmas program with a seven year old that operated the camcorder while I took pictures. A Crystal in the Air. For two years Lily and I have been attending Tara’s performances at school, but this year it was Lilers turn. She did fantastic too!

And today we celebrated with winter parties in each classroom at school. 2nd Grade celebrated with donuts and hot cocoa. Kindergarten celebrated making crafts and eating cookies.

We also attended another Christmas party this afternoon with lots of friends, food, crafts and a gift exchange.

All I Want for Christmas...

2009-12-10T04:46:00.000-08:00

Is My Two Front Teeth.

Tis the Season

2009-12-07T04:28:00.001-08:00

Let the festivities begin...

Our annual school celebration Cookies with Santa

Prescott Courthouse Lighting

My Favorite Holiday

2009-12-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Here are a few reasons why...

I love cooking with the girls, carving with the boys, eating with my family, indulging in every dessert and leftovers.

I enjoy making crafts with Tara and Lily. We like to decorate their rooms with the coloring and crafts.

Watching the kids swim. Did I say swim? Yes, swimming in November.

I am grateful I could celebrate Christmas early with my brother and his family.

I love having a house full of family for days and creating memories that will last a life time.

Moosen Around

2009-11-22T15:43:00.001-08:00

Don't Eat Pizza

2009-11-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

Before

After

Carnival of the Stars

2009-11-07T20:18:00.001-08:00

Today was our school carnival.

What was your favorite part?
Lily: rock wall
Tara: rock wall

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon started with school parties.

Trio of Hannah Montanas

Gabriella (High School Musical) gets a hug from Hannah Montana

Friday night a family pumpkin carving contest.

Winners of the carving contest...
Scariest Pumpkin: Forest & James
Best Jack-O-Lantern: Lily & Grandpa
Cutest Pumpkin: Isabella & River
Most Original: Will & Uncle Bill
Most Creative: Tara & Mary

Saturday morning the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.

Lily's Pad raised $1804.00 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. We had a total of 26 walkers. The 5k (3.2 long miles.) started at Tempe Town Lake and took us across Mill Avenue Bridge and along the lake.

Top Row: Kim, Uncle Bill, Aunt Leslie, Grandpa, Granny, Mom, Dad
Middle Row: Tara, Isabella, Will
Bottom Row: Lauren, Jodi, Megan, Lily, Mary, Olga, James, River, Forest
Not Pictured: Craig, Bernadette, Allyana, Grandma and Grandpa Houston, Kathryn, Sarah
Honorary Team Member: Uncle Bob (he brought the team yummy pastries before the walk)

We would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our Lily. We appreciate those who were willing to walk with Lily Saturday morning and to all of you who donated to Lily's pad. We invite everyone to walk with us again next year. Thank you again to all of you who support Lily each and every day and for the support you have given our family.

Saturday evening Trick or Treating.

Gabriella, Werewolf (Daddy), Hannah Montana

Happy Halloween!!

Boo Fest

2009-10-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

Pajamas

2009-10-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

I can always tell my kids are growing by their pajamas. Tara walked by me last night and I thought to myself, “those PJ’s used to be below your knees, now they almost look like a long shirt.” All Lily’s PJ’s used to have Dora and Boots on them, now she wears PJ’s that have the Disney Princesses on them.

We tried something a little different this school year; we took a break from some of our after school activities like gymnastics and swimming lessons. Both of the girls are now participating in Girl Scouts. It is fun to see them involved in their community; fund raisers, food drives, learning about safety from Officer Sarah and there is also a field trip planned to the Fire Department next month. Recently they participated in fund raising for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Walk to Cure Diabetes and fund raising for their school. Both girls are supporting Lily’s Kindergarten teacher (which is Tara’s former Kindergarten teacher too) in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk. On a smaller scale they enjoy collecting Box Tops and soup labels for their school and pop tabs for Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Ronald McDonald houses.

Every morning when I drop Lily off for Kindergarten I see a friend of mine and her now 10 month old daughter. Her daughter is getting so big; Julie use to carry her baby in an infant carrier, then a stroller, now she is carrying her on her hip. Every morning I see them, I get a little sad and I miss my babies so much. But I look at my babies who are now 5 and 7 and I love watching them grow. I love watching them participate in new activities and being involved in their community. They are gaining a variety of experiences that I know will last a lifetime.

Oh by the way; consider yourself warned. Girl Scout cookie sales begin in January.

Crazy Hair Day

2009-10-19T12:56:00.001-07:00

Today was crazy hair day at school.

Compassion

2009-10-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

The other day I was working at school and I was helping in Mrs. M’s classroom. She has 3 students with severe disabilities and all 3 are in wheelchairs. It was an emotional and rewarding experience to work with these children.

After school I was walking to the car with Tara and Lily. They were asking me about my day and I told them I worked in Mrs. M’s class. Lily asked who Mrs. M was and Tara went on to answer that question. But before Tara could answer, I held my breath for a moment thinking I was going to hear an inappropriate explanation or that I was going to have to use this as an opportunity to teach my children about kindness and empathy. Instead; Tara answered Lily’s question by naming each of the 3 students. I was completely stunned and asked Tara how she knew their names. She went on to explain how when she was in the First Grade if students had completed all their assignments they were allowed to go to Mrs. M.’s class and read to the children. She told us how she loved going over there and reading to them. She even told us something cute about each child.

I was rather disappointed in myself for thinking the worse about what Tara might say; but more importantly I was touched by her compassion. I believe compassion is something you learn, not something I can teach. I am so proud of Tara and her willingness to show kindness and to share something with the children. I was also surprised Tara never shared that information with me. No real surprise, all I get is a “good” whenever I ask how school was that day.

Happy Birthday Grandma

2009-09-26T08:33:00.001-07:00

We love you and we miss you dearly.
9/26/1915 - 2/25/2009

Homework

2009-09-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I was helping the girls with their homework; it was not going very well either. Both were tired, frustrated, complaining, whining and acting helpless. I had all but given up on them, when poof…two crystals were in the air.

Crystal #1
Lily’s assignment was to read Mary Had a Little Lamb with me. Next, circle all the words beginning with L. Circle all of the words Mary. Circle the last word in the 2nd line.

Mommy: “Lily, circle the last word in the 2nd line.”

Lily: “I did.”

Mommy: “No, circle the LAST word in the 2nd LINE.”

Lily: “I did.”

Mommy: “Honey, the LAST word.”

Lily: “Honey is for your husband.”

Crystal # 2
Homework was over - yeah!! We put everything away and the bath water was ready. When Lily announced…

Lily: “I forgot to do my words.”

Lily has to review a list of sight words every night.

Mommy: “Oh Lily, don’t worry about it we can do it tomorrow."

Lily: “Mommy, I have to.”

Tara: “Mommy, I can help her do it.”

Yes!! Tara knows how to read and she can help her sister.

9/11

2009-09-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

I did know things were going to be different at school today.

1. Our Flag
2. A Patriotic Ceremony was scheduled
3. Students were asked to wear Red, White and Blue

I did know the girls would have questions. I found 2 magazines for them to look at this morning.

What I did not know was how to answer their questions.

Mom, who did this?
Why did they do this?
Mom, is this person really hurt?
Mom, did the person who did this die?
How many people died?
Were there any kids?
Mom, is that an airplane?
Were there people in that airplane?
Wow! There are a million firemen.
What is on their faces?
Look at all that smoke.
Mom, were you alive when this happened?

During the Patriotic Ceremony at school I looked at Lily and all the Kindergarten students; none of them were alive eight years ago. I looked at Tara and all her 2nd grade friends; all of us Moms were pregnant and some were about to give birth. I know it is hard for them to understand.

I know I will never forget.

A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words...

2009-09-01T05:36:00.001-07:00

Or a Crystal in the Air

Culture Pass

2009-08-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

In April a new program was introduced here in the valley called the Culture Pass. We can now check out a Culture Pass from the library much like checking out a book. The pass allows 4 free admissions to different museums and cultural institutions here in the valley. There are a limited number of passes each week, which makes it difficult to check out a pass. However, we did not let that stop us; we have used this opportunity to add a little culture into our lives. This has also been a great way to spend time with our family and friends.

Heard Museum

Arizona Museum of Natural History

The Bead Museum

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Arizona Science Center

During our visit to the Arizona Science Center we had lunch at the Arizona Center. We all stopped to take a break and cool off our feet.

If you have the opportunity to check out a Culture Pass I highly recommend picking up a (free) copy of What’ll We Do…Museum or Zoo? It is a wonderful book to help you plan your visits. It contains hours, admission, maps, phone numbers and a brief description of the museum or cultural institution. There are activities for the kids to do and we have been using it as a journal to record our favorites about each place we visit. Bonus: there are coupons in the back of the book good for discounted admissions.

First Day of School

2009-08-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day back to school. Tara started the 2nd Grade and Lily started Kindergarten.

What was the best part of school today?

Tara - Recess
Lily - Playing with my friends

We also had some new pictures to put on our refrigerator.

Lily made her hand print with a sweet poem about starting Kindergarten.

Tara drew a picture "The Best Thing About My Summer." Which ironically was the worst thing about my summer - going down Mammoth Falls at Wet N Wild. A slide that drops over 50 feet and shoots up a wall. I have never been so scared. Tara loved it and Lily said it was extremely awesome!

Looking forward to another great school year!!

Closed Captioning

2009-08-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

My crystal today comes from my husband. He shared with me the most wonderful story last night. Michael works in retail and has been in management for several years. Michael’s management style includes hard work, loyalty, honesty, fairness and integrity. Often times Michael is perceived as a “tough” manager, but once you work for him and understand his expectations, he really is a “great” manager to work for.

In his business there are times when management and an employee are not a good fit. There are challenges and struggles that make the working relationship unproductive and not a positive environment to work. One solution, “transfer” the employee to another location and in return receive another employee. When this happens, a store will not give up their best employee, but rather one that is not a good fit for that management team. Do you see where I am going with this?

Well, this scenario recently happened with Michael. Due to a transfer, he now has a young man working for him who has a hearing impairment. Because of his hearing impairment, he has difficulty talking. Michael knows there were challenges with this young man at his previous store, however; Michael wipes the slate clean and lets the young man know, this is a fresh start and all is well with his new store. So far, this employee has been working out great for Michael. The young man is a hard worker and has proven himself to be loyal.

Yesterday, the young man needed to complete a required CBT (Computer Based Training) course. This course takes an average of 2.5 hours to complete. There is a substantial amount of reading followed by comprehension questions. After 45 minutes the young man brought his printed certificate of completion to Michael. Michael looked at his watch, looked at the young man and looked at the certificate. Michael was puzzled; this CBT course takes 2.5 hours. Thinking the young man had not completed all of the required modules, Michael signed on to his computer. All of the modules were completed and all the comprehension questions were not only answered but were 100% correct. Michael looked at the young man and said “how did you do it?” The young man looks at Michael and says “closed captioning.” Michael smiled and gave the young man a high five. The young man with a sincere voice says to Michael, “people think I am stupid, because I can’t hear and I talk funny. My Mom taught me how to read when I was a little boy, I have been watching closed captioning since I was 2 years old. I am smart.”

When Michael shared this story with me, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Emotions of how this young man has had to struggle his whole life with other people’s perception of him because of his hearing impairment. How people are treated differently because of their impairments. But more importantly, I was grateful. Grateful that my husband treats people fairly, he gives them a chance. There are many stories like this one; Michael is a good person and he leads by example. I am grateful Tara and Lily have his example and know they will continue to learn so much from their Daddy.

Here Comes The Bride

2009-08-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

Wearing cowboy boots? Yep! She is beautiful too. The boots were a gift from her groom and she wanted to wear them for the wedding.

Tara, Lily, Grandma and I had the pleasure of attending our cousin Brenda's wedding in Sedona. It was beautiful Tara and Lily had never attended a wedding and it was fun to see the wedding from their eyes. Weddings are full of traditions; however, I never stopped to think about those traditions until I had to answer so many questions. Here are a few...

When are they going to kiss?
Why does the flower girl throw flowers?
How come we have to wait to eat?
How come no one else is dancing? (Bride and Groom first dance)
What is champagne?
When are we having cake?
What is a garter toss?

And my favorite question (after the garter toss)...

Does he have to get married now?

We enjoyed our visit to Sedona; spending time with Grandma, visiting our family, dancing and celebrating the marriage of Tristan and Brenda. The tables were decorated with beautiful candles, bubbles and tiny pink crystals. The girls were happy to learn they could keep the bubbles and the tiny pink crystals (from all the tables). So, instead of crystals in the air, it is crystals in my carpet.

School Shopping

2009-07-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we were not ready to begin our school shopping, we wanted to enjoy the rest of summer. This week the girls decided they really wanted to buy their backpacks and lunch boxes. We made a quick list of items we needed and off to Target we went.

As we made our list there were a couple of items Tara needed and a couple of items Lily needed. Let me stop here. While raising two girls I have always felt this "need" to be fair, to treat them equally. If one girl gets something the other girl should get something. Not only is this approach expensive, we end up with too much stuff and many times two of the exact same item. But I always feel so bad buying something for one girl and not getting something for the other. I have asked my sister-in-law who is raising five children how she handles this situation. She bought me a book titled Siblings Without Rivalry, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. In the book the authors discuss "that children don't need to be treated equally, they need to be treated uniquely." Although I agree with this nugget, I find it hard to do. Let me give you an example. On our list was a white pair of sandals for Tara; yes, she needed them. However, guess who also walked out of the store with a pair of white sandals? Now Lily has two pair of white sandals, both size 11.

We have two hooks in our laundry room for each of Tara and Lily's backpacks. All summer long their old backpacks have been hanging since the last day of school; I am not sure we have even cleaned them out. Yesterday morning I walked into our laundry room to do my daily load of laundry and paused when I saw Lily's new backpack hanging on her hook. She had taken her old one down and had her new backpack hanging and ready to go. This was a 'crystal in the air' for me. Lily is so excited to start Kindergarten, she is so proud and she is ready to begin this next phase in her life. This of course made me think of Tara, "hmmmm wonder where her new backpack is?" I found it on the floor in her bedroom.
Tara is less enthusiastic about starting school, she would much rather stay home, hang out with Mom and watch TV. This 'crystal' reminded me how "unique" they are, how they have their own preferences, their own experiences, their own feelings, their own needs and how they do not have to have everything be the same.

Now, if only I can remember this the next time I am shopping.

Better to Give or Receive?

2009-07-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Although it is fun to receive, I do try to teach my girls the value of giving. Last week Michael took the girls to Target (favorite store) to buy me a couple of gifts for my birthday. While they were browsing the store the girls would find items they would like to buy me. Each time they found something, Michael would ask hesitantly "are you sure she will like it?" Their answer, "she will love them." Although these were not gifts Michael would have bought me or items I would have picked out for myself; the girls wanted to give them to me. They were eager to come home and wrap their gifts. We celebrated my birthday in the usual way; eating cake and opening gifts.

That evening after the celebration was over and after I had put the girls to bed, I had a 'crystal in the air.' I looked at my gifts one more time and I realized just how thoughtful they were. Tara bought me a white shirt and black skirt. My two favorite colors together are black and white. I also love to wear skirts. Lily bought me a necklace, earrings and bracelet. Whenever I get dressed I will say something like "this outfit needs a necklace." The girls were right about the gifts...I love them.

My friend Lysa and her 3 daughters delivered me the beautiful bouquet of flowers. Michael bought me the book I have listed on my bookshelf, The Glass Castle. I have only read a few pages, but so far so good.

So I would have to say...it was better to receive.

Summer Fun

2009-07-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I came across an ad in the paper for Toys R Us. They have backpacks and lunch boxes on sale. Is summer really coming to an end? I was relieved when I checked my calendar and saw we still had 6 weeks left of summer.

The girls and I made a list today of everything we still want to do before school starts. Afterwards, we talked about everything we have done thus far; like going to the movies, swim lessons, gymnastics, the mall, library, Arizona Science Center, birthday parties, swim parties and spending time with family.

The girls and I also took a 1400 mile, 10 day trip together to Utah. With only 1 flat tire, thank goodness we were at my brother's house and he got it fixed for me.

First stop...Nevada. We spent the night with a dear friend of mine from grade school. Thank you Janet, Trish and David for a fun evening of swimming and catching up.

Next stop...Utah. When we got to Granny and Grandpa's house; cousins Davy, Darci and Littlebit were already there. Grandpa set up a pool and the 3D shark for some water fun. We spent 3 nights with Granny and Grandpa before going to Lehi to stay with my brother David and his family in their new home.

Darci and Lily swimming. Davy tries out the new 3D Shark.

During our stay in Lehi we attended the Lehi Days Parade. The theme of the parade was "If I Could, I Would..." My favorite float was "If I Could, I Would Cure Cancer." The float was decorated as a lab and the children were wearing scrubs and working in the lab. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture.

We also celebrated Darci's birthday.

After 4 nights in Lehi we returned to Granny and Grandpa's for a couple of nights before heading home. However, the fun was not over...David followed me home. We were able to spend the 4th of July weekend with him and Nicole, Davy, Darci and Littlebit. We spent most of the weekend swimming.

When I was growing up my favorite memories are those spent with my cousins. I am still close to many of my cousins today and enjoy my time with them as adults as much as I did when we were kids. I am so grateful my girls have such wonderful cousins and I hope they are building friendships with them that will a last a lifetime.

Davy, Nicole, Tara, Elisabeth, Darci & Lily. We missed you Bekah :(

Sorry Toy R Us, we are not ready to buy school supplies. We are going to enjoy the second half of summer!

Sweet Pea & Cotton Blossom

2009-06-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Something I have always appreciated about Tara and Lily is they get dressed by themselves. Yes, I have to help them put on a shirt or zip a zipper, but they choose what they are going to wear. I have friends who tell me they still pick out the clothes their children are going to wear. I love to see my girls come out after getting dressed; they have such original creations, interesting color combinations and unique styles. They both love to accessorize with headbands, jewelry, purses and shoes. However; yesterday there was a new accessory. This one I smelled as I walked by the bathroom and was overpowered with the scent of Sweet Pea and Cotton Blossom. I could not help but smile while I was thinking to myself, "did they just turn 5 and 7 or 15 and 17?"

Tooth Fairy Visit

2009-05-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

We have been keeping the Tooth Fairy busy this year. She visited our home again last night for the 4th time this year; however, this time her visit was for Lily. Lily lost her 1st tooth! Congratulations Sweetie!

Sweet and Sassy

2009-05-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

Tara and Lily were invited to a birthday party today and what a fantastic time they had. The party was held at a girl salon/spa called Sweet and Sassy. It started with each of them picking out a glamorous dress, followed by hair, make-up and nails. They both picked out the "rock star" hair style. Once all the girls had their hair and make-up done they did a fashion show for the parents. Each girl modeling their dress and hairstyle on a runway. Tara enjoyed having her hair done and Lily beamed during the fashion show. They both looked beautiful; however, I must say I had a pit in my stomach wondering what it will be like when they are 16.

Last Day of School

2009-05-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

Is it possible? Tara finished 1st Grade and Lily finished Preschool. The other night I asked Tara and Lily 10 questions about school.

Tara
1. What was your favorite part of school? Prize Box
2. How did you feel the first day of school? Nervous
3. How do you feel now? Great
4. What did you learn this year? Art; how to draw.
5. What makes Mrs. Brooksher a great teacher? She is nice
6. What was your favorite story this year? The Roly-Poly Spider
7. What was your favorite time of the day? 2:45pm (school release)
8. What was your favorite event this year? Halloween Party
9. What was your favorite field trip? Tolmachoff Farms
10. What was your favorite Field Day activity? Dunk, Dunk, Dump

Lily
1. What was your favorite part of school? Being Helper & Art
2. How did you feel the first day of school? Scared
3. How do you feel now? Sad it is over
4. What did you learn this year? Lots of things; caterpillars, butterflies.
5. What makes Ms. Sara a great teacher? Takes turns with the kids being helpers
6. What did you like about Ms. Shareece? She always helps with the fighting
7. What did you like about Ms. Barb? She is funny. A lot of times she laughs.
8. What was your favorite story this year? The Very Hungry Caterpillar
9. What was your favorite time of the day? Playground
10. What was your favorite event this year? Halloween Party

First Day of School (August 2008)

Last Day of School (May 2009)

Whiskey Row Marathon Weekend

2009-05-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

The girls and I went to Prescott this weekend for the Whiskey Row Marathon. Our weekend started with a bang, literally. We had a tire blow out 5 miles north of Anthem. Michael came to our rescue. He put the spare tire on and we drove back to Anthem and got a new tire from Discount Tire. We ate some dinner and we were back on the road. All was well... just a 4 1/2 hour delay we were not planning.

Tara, Lily, Aunt Leslie, Isabel and I participated in the 2 Mile Fun Run/Walk. We were among the top 400 finishers earning a ribbon. The girls were excited about the ribbon.

Mary and Will participated in the 10k. Will (12 years old) finished the race in 1:03, which was a personal record for him. Way to go Will!! Mary finished in 1:10 and placed 143 out of 319 female racers. You are awesome Mary!!

Saturday evening was a surprise birthday celebration for Lily. She was most excited. Thank you everyone for making her day so special.

We had a great weekend!

Meet Swimmy

2009-04-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Last month Tara read 100 books at school and earned a Betta fish. She brought the permission slip home on a Wednesday for us to sign and Friday was the date he was scheduled to come home. See, we have NO pets in our home so this was a big deal. Lily and I went to PetSmart (I have never been in a PetSmart before, oh my gosh) to get everything we would need for Tara's fish. We loaded our cart with a one gallon bowl, decorative rocks, trees, a scuba diver, etc. Probably $50.00 worth of product. I asked a sales attendant a question about food and she looked at our cart and asked what kind of fish we were getting. I told her a Betta fish. She started laughing and said what we were buying was overkill. She took me to an endcap where they have an entire Betta fish collection. Apparently, these fish can live in small vases (even with flowers in the vases). So we ended up with a kit for $15.00 that included everything. Yeah!

I asked Tara what she was going to name her fish. She said she wanted to see her fish first.

Well, it was Friday. You would have thought we were bringing a new baby home from the hospital. I called a friend of mine who already has a Betta fish and got some last minute pointers about feeding the fish. I was so nervous we were going to kill this fish. Lily and I got the fish bowl already and cleaned Tara's room. We picked Tara up from school. Tara came out of her classroom with a tiny fish in a little baggie and said "Mom, I watched her all day and all she does is swim. So I named her Swimmy."

We love Swimmy. I enjoy watching my girls be responsible. Tara feeds her twice a day. They even take turns feeding her (most of the time). We all say hello to Swimmy when we go into Tara's room. Lily helps me clean the bowl every Saturday morning. She is good at scooping her out with the little net. Swimmy has been a fun addition to our family.

Crystals in the Air

2009-04-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

When I read other blogs it seems like they have a theme. When Janette was staying with us during Spring Break she taught me how to create a blog but I did not have time to think about a theme. I knew I would be be blogging about my Terrific Little family (T for Tara and L for Lily); however, I wanted a theme.

For Lily's baby shower I received a book from a friend titled A Joyful Mother of Children: The Magic and Mayhem of Motherhood by Linda J. Eyre. The author is a mother of 9 children. Wow! Who could not learn from her experiences? The book inspired me; she motivated me, I felt empowered when I finished the book. I was almost a thirty four years old when I delivered my beautiful Tara. I had many years to dream of motherhood; to dream of the perfect children I would have and the perfect mother I would be. What I did not dream about was the reality of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, frustrated, sleepless nights and how far from perfect I would be as a mother. So what did I do? Twenty three months later I was holding another baby in my arms; my sweet Lily. All the realities of motherhood were now doubled before me.

In the epilogue of Jane's book she writes about Harry Potter and his magical world. She describes Harry as "a poor, nerdy, mistreated little boy who has a magic secret inside - in reality he is a magnificent wizard, full of wisdom and strength and honor. Although he had had glimpses of his magic powers, he didn't realize who he was until he was tested. Most mothers are the same way. We sort of think we have the ability to be extraordinary mothers, but what trials we have to go through to find out!" This was exactly how I felt after reading her book and how I still feel today.

Jane goes on in her epilogue to describe the magic of Harry Potter and comparing the magic to motherhood. She describes magical moments of motherhood like "crystals in the air." I have been using her example ever since. Many times Michael will come home from work and I will ask him if he wants to hear about my "crystals in the air" from the day. Tara and Lily make me laugh, they amaze me, they make me proud, and they inspire me to be a good mother. They produce "crystals in the air" that keep me going and make me stop in my tracks and appreciate motherhood.

So with all that said the theme of my blog will be about "crystals in the air." It will give me the opportunity to share those "crystals" with my family and friends.

Spring Break

2009-03-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog!!

I am learning how to blog. Thank goodness I have my sister-in-law Janette staying with us because she is quite helpful.

Tara and Lily are on Spring Break this week and we are spending our time with our cousins; Bekah, Darci and Littlebit. We have had a fun filled week with a St. Patrick's celebration, swimming (65 degree pool water), going to the park, movie nights and lots of food.

We always enjoy spending time with our family and now we will be able to share our memories on our blog. Tara has been asking me today if our blog is done. I am excited to enter the blogging world.