just say no

A few things that just shouldn't be allowed:

1) pants on guys that sit so low you can either see their underwear or their butt crack (not attractive!)

2) one more reality show with little children (parents quit exploiting your children!)

3) fake chocolate (use your daily calorie allotment for the real thing or don't bother!)

4) required summer reading for high school students where the selected book is just plain boring (there is a lot of really great literature out there, why ruin a student's summer vacation with a horrid book?)

5) PTA meetings that last 2 or more hours and nothing was really discussed or decided (if it can't be done in an hour, it shouldn't be done!)

What would you like to "just say no" to?

five for five

It was a good sports week for my children.

Shanley is playing softball for the first time this year and had her first two games this week. Her team won both games. Shanley has singled every time at bat so she's happy about that.

McKayla's soccer team had two games this week and won both fairly easily.

Chandler had his first soccer game of the season yesterday. His team won.

If you're keeping track, that is five games and five wins!

Too bad Alec didn't have a track meet this week or maybe we could've been six for six.

I know that losses build character but it sure is fun to watch the wins! Maybe we can just sneak in the character-lessons some other time.

one extreme to another

I spent last weekend in Texas. It was warm!

This weekend I'm heading to Idaho. I'm expecting it to be a little cooler.

Oh well, at least I get to see my newest niece.

What are your exciting weekend plans?

your kids may move away but...

The memory card from Brakston's camera proves at least one thing - your children may get older and move away from home but that does NOT mean they have grown up!Yes, that is a fort made from his mattresses and bedding.

Your sons still like creepy, crawly, slimy creatures.

They are suckers for fat, chocolately characters!

Definitely a face only a mother could love!

Still finding ways to get into trouble!



You other mothers better not be laughing too hard - your sons are silly too!

And yes, despite all the silliness and wackiness and slimy creatures, you are still adorable and we love you!

the best

Yesterday I concluded what was probably the best fast of my life. During a planning meeting in January, the young women in our ward proposed that we do a "Fast and Feast". The idea was that we all fasted together for some purpose and then met to break our fast and enjoy a "feast".

So, Tuesday night at 6:30 pm we all met at the YW President's home to begin our fast. We discussed fasting (why we do it, how we do it, etc). We told the girls we would fast for a specific girl in our ward who is facing some challenges (the name has been withheld to protect the innocent). We then knelt in prayer. The Spirit was incredibly strong.

We met Wednesday night at 7:00 to have a prayer and break our fast and then we enjoyed a "feast" of lasagna, breadsticks, tossed salad, jello, and cheesecake.

Over and over the girls kept saying they couldn't believe they had gone 24 hours and they didn't even feel that hungry. I think it was a good experience for them.

It was an amazing experience for me - probably the best fasting I have ever done in my life. What an incredible power fasting brings into lives and hearts. Thank you to whichever of the young women suggested it.

winnings

Anyone who is acquainted with me knows that I love free stuff so March was a banner month for me!

The local library sponsors a Reader's Choice promo twice a year. For every book you read, you can enter your name in a drawing for a $15 gift certificate. I read numerous books and never win. However, this season they also added a free book giveaway for every 5 books you read. I have earned two free books so far and am well on my way to earning a third one before the promotion is over.

I selected the following books:
I haven't had a chance to even open either one so I don't know how good they are but hey, they were FREE!

In addition, one of my favorite sites to visit every day is found here. I won a set of Martha Stewart cookbooks.


I had to try the Chocolate Truffle Brownies recipe from the Cookies one. They had a ganache topping and were sinfully delicious!


In addition, I also won a tie from Give Away Today as well. My husband is happy about that one (oh, who am I kidding? He was happy about the Cookies cookbook as well). I don't have the tie yet so I can't include a photo - maybe later.

Free stuff is good!

more fun in Texas

On Monday we headed back to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. Luckily, the water was on this time. The kids had a great time hiking "into the waterfall". Chandler ran laps around and around from stone to stone.


We also went to the Historic Stockyards. The kids did the cattle pen maze. It took McKayla 18 minutes and Shanley 23 minutes and Chandler took 20 minutes.



Alec spent some time in jail.


And, of course, who can go to Texas without a longhorn cattle drive?


Lots of fun and warm temperatures before we caught an evening flight back to SLC. It was 82 degrees when we left DFW and we arrived in SLC to 35 degree temperatures and a snowstorm. Welcome home!