What's Up?!

It seems like everyone's been in a blogging slump lately...including me. I can't seem to put my finger on the problem, but it's kind of been the last thing on my mind...

But for a quick update of the past couple of weeks:

Maddie and Wills finished up at Challenger. I must say, I cried knowing it was the end of Challenger for Maddie and never really started for Will! The Orem Challenger is moving up to Traverse Mountain (a good 20 minute drive each way). I would be spending a good 2 1/2 hours of my day in the car...no thank you! However, I am sad to see Maddie leave Challenger. She has made some wonderful friends and has received an EXCELLENT education. I have her enrolled in the Accelerated Learning Class at Foothill Elementary in Orem. And I met with the teacher a month ago and the 5th grade curriculm is what she did in 4th grade at Challenger. I'm not quite sure how 5th grade is going to go for her. It's really weighing heavily on my mind-I'm sure it will all work out. As for Will-he's just excitied to be going to Kindergarten!

The school year ended with lots of festivities, The Family Picnic, A class party for Maddie in Highland, Field Day and Maddie spending her last day of school at home in bed with Strep Throat-bummer! She tried going to Field Day, but after a couple of hours, she begged me to take her home.

The Family Picnic at Scera Park

A couple of moms in Maddie's class hosted a party in Highland at their swim and tennis club one day after school. They had so much fun. Mrs. Johnson came and the class presented her with a wonderful gift. They ate, swam, played karaoke and had a great time playing! What great memories they made.



And you know Summer has started if you have a little boy and he's playing T-Ball!

Friday Night Fun

Having trouble deciding what to do on a Friday night?...We were. Bob was "itching" to take a drive in the new car. (We got rid of the van and got a Yukon Denali a few weeks ago). So we decided to take a drive up to Squaw Peak...and I forgot my camera so here is a shot from my phone.


We took a little hike up this path and a little way up, I realized my shoes were not fit for the rocky trail. I headed back down and Bob and the children kept going. I spent some time alone looking out over the valley-so beautiful! After a while, I hear these mountain bikers coming down the same trail we all went up...they were going incredibly fast...then I hear Bob scream "Will" and then I hear William screaming as he's coming down the trail. Apparantly, Will had run ahead of Bob and Maddie and was out of their view. Then the bikers came and Bob was hoping Will had got out of the way-he had and he got a little turned around and thought he was lost! He found the trail and ran down it screaming "Mommy!" Needless to say, we headed home right after that!

We went for treats at Sub Zero Ice Cream. Yummy Treats. I like it because it's hard ice cream with mixins, not as soft as Cold Stone. You choose a base that's liquid and they freeze it with Liquid Nitrogen-Maddie and Will thought it was pretty cool!

Not too exciting of a Friday night...but it was good, cheap fun!

Food, Friends and The Little River Band!

Last night we had a great time with friends. We went to PF Changs for dinner and then to a concert at the Scera Shell to see The Little River Band...takin' us back to the 70's and early 80's! Bob was completely in his element, harmonizing to every song...unbelievably he knew all the words to all the songs! It had been raining all day so I was a little bit worried about sitting outside for a concert, but luckily it didn't rain on us...we just about froze half to death...it was a fun time anyway.

Traci, Me, Gigi

These are friends from our ward. Brian and Traci Church moved here from California as well as Jim and Gigi Hollister. William's best buddy, Trevor, is Brian and Traci's son.

A Yummy Favorite!

One of my favorite things to eat for actually lunch or dinner or a snack is a bagel with swiss cheese, tomatoes and Spike...remember these from the bagel shop in Poway? What was the name of the bagel place next to Ralphs across the street from the church? This is where we discovered this and they had the most delicious bagels!



Anyway...I make this in my little convection/toaster oven.

1. lightly toast bagel (onion, plain, garlic-not chocolate chip!)

2. place a slice of swiss cheese on each half (I like the Boar's Head lacey swiss)

3. broil for a bit until it's melted

4. add a couple slices of tomatoes-in the summer with garden tomatoes...oh my!

5. add another slice of swiss cheese

6. broil until top layer of cheese is super melted and bubbly

7. add Spike seasonsing (I've seen it in the healthy living section of Harmon's)

Be careful because it's really hot when you take it out of the oven...oh so delicious!

18 Years!

Bob and I have been married for 18 years today! It has been a wonderful 18 years with lots of memories. We met when we were both 18 years old, freshmen at BYU living in the dorms. We were in the same ward, but I never remember seeing Bob at church. He teases me it was because I never went-haha. (I'm pretty sure it was the other way around-he's not perfect you know.) We became really good friends at the end of the year and then Bob left on his mission to England. I remember going home at the end of the school year and telling my mom I had found the guy I was going to marry-Bobby Cluff! She told me I was ridiculous...I'd never even been on a date with him!

Well, I was right-of course! Although, proposing took Bob forever. If he hadn't of done it when he did...his time was up!

Bob came and visited me in San Diego during the Christmas break and on December 30, 1992, he asked me to marry him. We'd gone out to dinner at the University Club in downtown San Diego. We each had our own waiter-it was really nice! At the end of the dinner, my waiter came out with another plate for me. He lifted off the silver cover, and sitting there on the plate was a ring box! Bob got down on one knee and proposed in front of everyone in the restaurant. It was so romantic and he was so nervous! He had written me a poem but had completely forgotten it. My parents and grandmother were there and we all cried and I said "yes".

We were married May 5, 1993 in the Salt Lake Temple and had a reception in California and in New Mexico---too crazy.

We've made some wonderful memories these past 22 years:

..suprising Bob in NM before he left on his mission..
..BYU football and basketball games..
..spending the summer together in California before he proposed..
..our first apartment next to our friends Ron and Dawn (good times)..
..camping with Ron and Dawn-skunk eating our food :)..
..our first calling together serving as Nursery Leaders to 40 little children-NOT!..
..our first San Francisco trip in 1991..
..our trip with Kinko's to Hawaii..
..our trip to Orlando with our good friends Darryl and Nannette..
..our second and third trip to San Francisco with my parents..
..buying our first home in 1993..
..rides in the Miata with the top down..
..serving as ward YM and YW president together..
..numerous trips to San Diego..
..our trip to France with George and Candace in 1997..
..the birth of Maddie in 1998..
..leaving Kinko's and starting our own business in 2000-scary but rewarding..
..our first trip to New York together-staying on Times Square and discovering the best city in the world..
..the birth of William in 2003..
..another trip to NYC with Kevin and Kellie in 2006..
..suprising Maddie and Wills with a trip to Disneyland and the beach in 2006..
..our weekend getaway to Jackson Hole last summer-AWESOME and AMAZING-we even saw a bear! (this was probably one of our favorite getaways ever)..

Bob is a wonderful husband and father. He is so patient and humble. He has a sincere testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is an example to everyone he meets. I am constantly inspired by his obedience to all he is told to do. Happy Anniversary Honey! Here's to another 18 years of bliss! :)

These pictures are really poor quality because I didn't have time to scan them...maybe later!

a Pi Delta Gamma Winter Formal at Sundance 1988

camping with our friends Ron and Dawn

at Lagoon with our friends Danny and Jennifer Humphrey-married one week

our first home-630 North Monterey Drive

our engagement photo 1990

A Father's Love

About a month ago, Bob gave a Bishop's Youth Fireside for all the youth in the ward. I thought I would go to support him and also to listen to him speak because he is a wonderful speaker...inspiring. The youth really seem to relate to him. He showed this video about the father and son team, the Hoyt's. The son has cerebral palsy. At a young age, the family discovered his love for the water and for running-he was unable to do anything for himself. He conveyed to his dad that he felt "alive" and "normal" when he was running and in the water. The father decided to run a marathon pushing him in a wheelchair. He began participating in triathlons, and has competed in several Iron Man ones. His love for his son was endless and had no boundaries. I don't believe this kind of love has adequate words.

Bob talked about the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us...how can we put that into words?




I can only imagine what it will be like for these men...

Intruder!

This morning at about 5 am, while still sound asleep in bed...I heard someone walking around in my house! Someone walked upstairs, downstairs, all through the main floor, opening doors and turning on lights!

Okay, so at first, I thought I was hearing things because the other night I could have sworn I heard someone pounding on the front door...Bob got up to check and of course it was no one (I was dreaming). He then had a hard time going back to sleep. So I chose to ignore this person walking around my house.

About what seemed like a half-hour later, actually a couple of minutes, Bob finally sat up and I said, "Can you hear that?" He said he had heard it a little earlier but thought it was our brother- in-law Ben who was sleeping here and that he was just getting up early to get ready to leave for his early morning class (at 5:00 AM!).

Right then, the light at the top of the stairs turns on and the front door shuts LOUDLY! Bob ran downstairs and it wasn't Ben!

I got out of bed and looked out of our bedroom window. A girl was then running up our front steps. Apparently, she had been trying to "kidnap" the high school girl next door because she made the choir! She said to Bob, "I'm trying to kidnap Simone ______ do you know where she lives?" Uh...hello?? You might want to find that information out BEFORE you enter someones house in the middle of the night!

This girl had walked through our entire house, including the kid's rooms. If Maddie or Will had woken up...they would have been terrified! And if Ben hadn't been staying with us, Bob would have been up much sooner and who knows what he would have done to this girl. I mean it was dark and he would have done anything to protect his family. And what if it would have been someone with a gun? Not a good situation!

I called the school in the morning to let them know what had happened. I wasn't angry, I just wanted them to know that maybe the students shouldn't be allowed to just walk into a person's home. They should let the parents know ahead of time and then in the morning knock and wait for someone to answer.

p.s. don't ask why my front door wasn't locked!

Bedtime

"Be there for your children. Sit on the bed and enjoy the late-night talks -- try to stay awake! Pray for the Lord to inspire you. Forgive often. Choose your battles. Testify frequently of Jesus Christ and of His goodness and of the Restoration. And most of all, let them know of your trust in the Lord." ~Bonnie D. Parkin

Bob has gone to the Jazz game tonight and I am home alone with Maddie and Wills. We got in our jammies at about 7:00 and have been just spending time on our bed playing games, watching t.v., talking about friends., eating strawberries and raspberries, and telling stories. This has been an enjoyable night at home with them-I am grateful for these special moments.

I have had friends talk to me about their late-night talks with their teenagers and to be honest, I'm looking forward to those special times with Maddie...talking about boys, friends, clothes and taking every opportunity to testify of Jesus Christ and His love for her. I believe that if a daughter knows and believes in her divine nature, she will be able to better understand and deal with the ups and downs of her days as a young woman.

Friday Night Fun!

Last night we got to have the missionaries, Elder Parker and Elder Kelly, over for dinner-something you don't get too often here in Utah. It was great to have them over and to feel of their spirit. It is amazing the spirit the elders carry with them-you could really feel it. Maddie and William displayed such excellent dinner-time behavior...I wish they could eat dinner with us every night! :D Knowing the elders typically eat lots of food,I made a huge platter of Pasta with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Cheese...delish. This Rachel Ray recipe is one of our favorites-I make it often.

Pasta with Bacon, Tomatoes amd Cheese

1 pound penne or any short cut pasta

1 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil

4 bacon slices-chopped

1 large onion-chopped

4 large garlic cloves-minced

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c white wine (or white grape juice or just extra chicken stock)

1 pint grape tomatoes (I sometimes just use Roma tomatoes cut up)

1 ball fresh mozzarella

fresh basil leaves-I like to chiffonade mine (stack leaves, roll, and slice in long thin strips)

1/2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano

Boil pasta making sure to add salt to boiling water. Cook according to package directions. Heads up-you'll need to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid before you drain the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, start the sauce. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the EVOO. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring every now and then, until crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and reserved pasta cooking liquid, then bring up to a bubble and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the grape tomatoes and cook them for about 30 seconds, just to start getting them hot and ready to burst. Add the cooked drained pasta, toss to coat in the sauce, and let some of the sauce soak in, about 1 minute. Turn the heat off and add the diced mozzarella, basil, grated cheese and black pepper to taste.

After dinner we went to see Nims Island (of course without the elders)! We really enjoyed the movie...especially Maddie. It would be Maddie's dream to live on her own island with no one else and be friends with the animals. I had the most fun watching her. The story is so fun...adventure, comedy, scary...it has it all. I must admit, I got a little teary-eyed at the end. I don't want to spoil the movie, but the relationship between the father and the girl was so sweet. I have loved watching Maddie grow and become the young woman that she is and I have loved watching her relationship with her dad grow and develop...she loves to study with him, go on rides with him, play Nintendo with him, watch SpongeBob with him, ride scary rides with him...she loves being with her dad.

Nim's Island is just one of those happy movies-I love those kind! We would highly recommend seeing this movie-the whole family will enjoy it.

Yummy Cookies...

Last night we made a bunch of different treats for some friends and neighbors for Family Home Evening and I tried this super delicious cookie recipe from Picky Palate. Sometimes I just want to try something new in the cookie category! Well, these did not disappoint-they are very tasty and very sweet! And to top it all off...they're PINK! What could be better. And I need to say...they are super easy!

Strawberry Colada Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box strawberry Cake Mix, I used Pillsbury Brand
1/3 Cup coconut oil, melted in microwave until liquified
2 eggs, beaten

Frosting
4 oz softenend cream cheese
1 Tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoons milk
1 Cup shredded sweetened coconut toasted in oven until golden brown (350 degrees)
(I left the coconut off because Maddie made me...I WILL add it next time)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, oil and eggs until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Do not press down. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until cooked through. Let cook 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

2. Place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy. slowly add in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread frosting on top of cookies then sprinkle toasted coconut over top of frosting.
Makes about 24 cookies

**I found the coconut oil at Harmon's in the Healthy Living section. It is great to bake with. I use it in chocolate chip cookies too.

We also made these Toffee-Crunch Cookies and Poppyseed Cake...it almost felt like the holidays!

Baseball with Dad

On Saturday, Bob and Will went to a BYU Baseball game and came home played a little baseball. Bob played with a few of the boys in the neighborhood. Notice how Will runs around the bases with the bat still in his hand (and he didn't quite touch 3rd base...oops)! We've got to get a little practice in because he starts t-ball in a few weeks!

Sushi?...Ya!

So last night, we had some friends call to go out to dinner and a comedy club...they wanted sushi at this fairly new place called Sushi Ya! in Orem-an all-you-can-eat sushi bar...not my idea of something yummy! I went hoping there would be something like tempura veggies and teriyaki chicken (boring, I know, but I was hungry and I DO NOT eat sushi!) Everyone else got the all-you-can-eat sushi...there were over 40 rolls to choose from! When they brought out this huge plate of rolls, I decided to try one-it was called the Godzilla (spicy, white tuna)! Heaven in a bite! It was delicious to say the least. By this time I had my chicken, but the waiter offered to not charge me for that and I could do the sushi instead--heck yeah! So, I proceeded to try all of them and they were soooo good! Godzilla, Crystal Shrimp, and the Happy Roll were my favorites and you have to put lots of wasabi in your little dish and then pour soy sauce over it and stir and then dip your roll...oh my goodness!. I even tried one with raw scallops on it...go figure...I like sushi! (And Ben, I can't wait to take you there when you guys come later this month!)

This is the Godilla Roll...see the yummy tempura on it and the scallions DELISH!

Then we went to this comedy club in Provo called Comedy Sportz. So funny! I can't wait to take Maddie there...serious fun for the whole family. They don't even allow off-color jokes...perfect for a bishop! :D

The Memory Keepers Daughter

I just finished watching the Lifetime Movie, The Memory Keepers Daughter, based on the book by Kim Edwards. I had read the book a while ago and I really liked it...for me, unimaginable events. I cannot imagine giving away a child because of a physical disability. In fact, it's difficult for me to imagine giving away a child for any reason. I find this so ironic for me because both of my children are adopted and someone gave them away to me-four remarkable people being completely unselfish. I was at the hospital for Maddie's birth and witnessed first-hand the physical and emotional pain of her birth mother. Watching her birth mother experience deep sadness was very trying-I was torn...I wanted Maddie sooooo badly, yet, I struggled with the pain her birth mother was going through. And I struggled with being so incredibly happy-I wanted to sing and tell everyone our news and I could not stop smiling...and her birth mother was so incredibly sad. Yet, in the end, she took me aside to tell me...Don't be afraid to be happy. Maddie was never mine...she was always your daughter.

At the end of the book and movie, Phoebe's birth mother (Norah) and mother (Caroline) meet-I found myself really emotional-Caroline wanted so badly to explain everything to Norah...but what hit me so hard was the look on Norah's face that said. "thank you for loving my daughter". I like to think that maybe Norah realized Caroline gave Phoebe the better life.

Family Home Evening

I'm going to share, what I think, was a wonderful FHE lesson. We did this last night and it was a great success. I retold the story of the Anti-Nephi Lehies, found in

The Book of Mormon, Alma 24.

15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.

16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be saved.

17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

I explained to Maddie and Will that these righteous people would rather die than sin so they buried their weapons in the earth. I really emphasized their desire to be free from sin and to be clean. I likened their weapons to weapons we have today: anger, name-calling, using bad words, telling secrets, teasing, ignoring, impatience, gossip & rumors, etc. I laminated pictures of weapons and wrote these things on the back. Maddie and Will took turns choosing a weapon and we talked about how we could "bury" these weapons as a family. This lesson is perfect for all ages and for all families (unless you have one of those perfect ones). It would be great in Primay too as a Sharing Time. I love the lessons that use stories from The Book of Mormon.

I have been impressed with how both of the children responded to this lesson. It really "clicked" with them. And today, when Will starts to do something undesireable, he says "I'm sorry Mom, I'm burying it." Sooooo cute. We finished the night with Neopolitan Shakes-YUMM-0!

Friends and Neighbors

This weekend we had our friends, Darryl and Nannette, from California come and stayed with us for a couple of days. It was so great to see them-we stayed up late (2:30 am...that's late for old people like us) talking and laughing-and eating at The Cheesecake Factory :). Bob has been friends with Darryl since he was a very young boy-they grew up together. And when we were first married, they lived here in Utah, but moved to California about 12 years ago and we have missed having them here. We spent lots of time together with them and their children before they moved. But...they are moving closer...Rexburg. Darryl just got a job teaching accounting at BYU Idaho and will be starting in the fall. We are so excited for them and this new endeavor their family will be experiencing. They will be so much closer and I hope we'll see them more often. However, I will miss the yummy "California treats" they bring when they come and stay with us! :D

One of our neighbors, Doug, had a terrible accident yesterday. Bob and the kids had left for the BYU scrimmage and football clinic, when a neighbor knocked on my door asking for the Bishop. I could tell something was wrong and she told me that Doug had fallen off a ladder from the second story onto the cement. The paramedics, police, and fire department came and took him to the hospital. (Our sidewalks are all being replaced, so everyone's cars are parked in the streets...I'm sure getting those big vehicles in the cul-de-sac was no easy feat!) He broke his pelvis in three places, broke a couple of ribs, injured his lower back, slightly punctured one of his lungs and his bladder is messed up. They ended up life-flighting him to SLC where he will have surgery on Monday. So after our dinner last night at The Cheesecake Factory, Bob and I stopped at the hospital to see them. They seemed to be in good spirits. And Patsy, Doug's wife says Doug is no longer allowed on a ladder!

We love our friends and neighbors!

"I Don't Feel 5-I feel weird"

Last night Will went to bed sooooo excited. He must have left his bed 5 times before finally settling down and going to sleep-very unusual for him-he often asks to go to bed at night! He was as excited as if it were Christmas Eve! When he woke up (very early I might add), he came in our room and said "Am I 5 now? I don't feel 5-I feel weird." Bob checked his muscles and measured him from head to foot and told him he was a little stronger and a little taller so he must be 5. That did it for Will and he said, "well, I guess I am 5 then." And when I took Will to school he told me "I am so 5...I hate the number 4 now."

I spotlighted Will at school and he LOVED that-everything about HIM! His birthday party was right after school at Backyard Adventures (playground equipment inside-thank goodness because it was freezing outside) and he invited his school class and primary class. For William, it was the best day ever. For me, it was chaos-there were twenty 4-5 year olds! I am glad I'm not the type of mom who throws a b-day party every year. This was Will's first b-day party with friends and his next one will be when he's 8-I think I'll let him invite 8 friends! And can I just say how funny these kids were: one little boy thought each child there should open up the present they brought Will (I'm thinking to myself, which one would Will open?, this same little boy INSISTED on having a certain peice of cake and when he didn't get it (because it was in the dead center of this giant cake), you'd have thought the world was at an end. And almost all the children wanted to take the toys out of the package and play with them right there. Oh, and the drama from some of the little girls...reminds me of another little girl I know that lives right here with me! I must say though, Maddie was a huge help with all those children, she organized games and showed them to the bathroom and was basically a little party planner...I've taught her well. :D

The theme for Will's party was BYU Cougars! (of course). I made cute invitations, my friend made an amazing cake and cookies for the treat bags.

yummy sugar cookies!

this cake was amazing!


friends...

I realized at the end of the song I was singing...YIKES! Just ignore that!

It was a memorable day...I'm glad we were able to give Will such a special birthday-one he will always remember. And I'm glad Grandma and Daddy were there to help.

Almost 5!

We celebrated Will's 5th Birthday with the family today after General Conference. He will turn 5 on April 9th. For the past couple of weeks, Will has been waking up in the morning and his first words are "is today my birthday?" Yesterday I told him we would be having his little family birthday party tomorrow and he has been so excited he could hardly wait. And we kept making him wait until after Conference was over. He just couldn't keep his hands off his gifts...

Grandma and Grandpa gave him a Leapster which he loves and we gave him a bike! Larry, DJ, and Shiely were here to celebrate with us too! On Wednesday, Will is having his first birthday party with friends at Backyard Adventures! He can't stop talking about it.

Will with his cake that I made...I'll be buying the next one!

Opening the Leapster from Grandma and Grandpa

He obviously didn't know how to use the brakes (or turn the thing) and shortly after this, he tried to take a sharp turn and had his first fall and said "I hate that bike and I'm never getting on it again!"


His new bike!

Maddie on her scooter! I wish I had one of these!

He did get back on the bike and we couldn't get him off of it...he asked if he could keep riding it even during bedtime! (he figured out the braking!) Bob says we're taking off the training wheels in a few days! YIKES!

Spring Piano Recital

Maddie performed in her Spring Recital last Friday, March 28th at the Tahitian Noni building. She played with a violinist and a celloist. It was so beautiful. Maddie has an amazing talent for the piano. When she first started taking lessons, her teacher told me she must have played the piano in Heaven!

I must admit, practicing at our house can sometimes be a struggle! When she is first learning a song, she "hates" piano and wants to quit. But once she gets into the song, she can play it for hours. And I am so impressed at how quickly she picks up on the songs. Maddie's piano teacher is phenomenal! She has taught Maddie some really good habits that have, I'm sure, helped her progress to where she is now. This recital is our favorite because it is so beautiful to have the string instruments playing along with the piano. And the violinist actually stole the show! He was Awesome! (She has her Monster Concert in May where she is one of five pianists all playing at the same time on five different pianos! It's a fun recital)

Maddie and Deena Winters, her piano teacher

Family Home Evening

We have come to really look forward to Monday nights and Family Home Evening! Maddie and William have their "Family Home Evening" seats (they sit in the same place each week). And they both really enjoy the lesson and activity. For me, the best is when one of the children give the lesson-especially Maddie. She is really good at it!

Last week, Maddie gave our lesson about Easter and resurrection. She taught the lesson with the plastic eggs each one containing something regarding the crucifixtion and resurrection of Christ-the last egg is empty representing the empty tomb. Each egg also contained a scripture which we all took turns reading, even William. William loved this lesson and it was perfect for him. He was very curious about the death and resurrection of Jesus. And we could feel the spirit so strong...we took the opportunity to bear our testimonies. William bore a sweet and simple testimony of Jesus and our prophet. And Maddie shared her sweet testimony too. Maddie is at the age where she can truly bear her testimony herself and I can feel that she knows what she is saying is real and that she believes. My heart swells as her mother to know that she has a testimony and that she loves Jesus. What more could I desire as a parent?

I normally don't take pictures during FHE, but these were too sweet to pass up!

The object lesson

A Kid Named "Ralph"

So the other day, Will had one of his friends over to play (a new neighbor named David and they have become INSTANT best buds)! These new neighbors have a son Maddie's exact age too which has been so great. The cul-de-sac is buzzing with kids now-I am lovin it!

Anyway, Will and David were upstairs playing in his room on his bed making a tent with his duvet and generally having a wonderful time! They had just gorged themselves on Twizzlers and Reese's PB eggs (the little foil wrapped mini ones) and they were very happy. I was downstairs in the kitchen and all of a sudden, Will comes down to tell me David threw up on his bed and "good-bye, we're going outside to play now"

"What? He threw up. Let me see (yeah right I'm thinking)." As I walk up the stairs, the smell hits me like, you know what they say....a ton of bricks! And I'm starting to think, oh my gosh, he really did throw up! By the time I get to the top of stairs and poke my head in Will's room, I am unable to take it. I look inside, plugging my nose, and sure enough, there on the bed...

THROW UP!

I run downstairs and catch the boys before they leave...they haven't left yet because they're stuffing their faces with more Reese's eggs! I ask...

"What happened?"

(David) "He wiped a booger on my arm and I threw-up"

(Will) "It was an accident. His arm got on the booger from my nose!"

I'm thinking to myself, how am I going to clean this up...I can't!
(Me) "You two run to your house and get your mom to call me--hurry up!"

Pretty soon, David's mom calls and I tell her the situation. I am so embarassed that I am unable to clean this up, but I can barely clean up my own children's vomit! Anyway, she comes over, cleans up the chunks (barfing in my mouth right now), and offers to wash everything. But, I'm not that much of a whimp..."Oh I can wash it myself, I'm sure." So she folds it up so the throw up is on the inside and I take it down to the laundry room. Let me just say, unfolding the quilt, blanket, and sheet (cuz it had soaked through), was very hard for me. I had to tie a blanket around my nose so I couldn't smell it. I guess I am a whimp!

Now, Chelsea (David's mom) and I are friends forever, bonded by puke! (BTW, David had chocolate milk for lunch!) Oh, and his nickname is "Ralph"...really. Apparantly, he does this often :)

Easter!

This Easter came and went so quickly! I can't believe there's a week left of March and Easter is already come and gone!

Did you know that the earliest Easter can ever be is March 22nd! The last time Easter was this early was 1913 and it won't be this early again until around 2116! Just some interesting facts we learned in Sunday School yesterday! And I never knew how the date of Easter is set: Easter is on the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (closest Sunday).

Anyway, I spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday and I am so glad it's over. But to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I was anticipating (and I actually spoke for 14 minutes!-the longest I've ever given a talk for.) I guess I'm maturing! :) Grandma and Grandpa came (because of Easter) and they sat with Maddie and Will. Well, they sat with Maddie anyway...during the Sacrament, Will drank from the water cup and as he was putting it away, he dripped some water from the cup (he hadn't drank every last drop), and it dripped into some other cups. Maddie made a big deal of it and made Will feel bad...he started crying (loud) and Grandma tried to take him out. But he hooked his foot on the pew and was crying out that he didn't want to be taken out. I motioned for him to come and sit with me (I was on the stand just about to give my talk). He came up and sat with me and then went and sat with a friend. All is well that ends well and to repeat...I am so glad it's over!

After church we had an Easter Egg hunt and ate a very yummy dinner of Honey Baked Ham, potato salad, baked beans, green salad, and rolls...followed by

V Chocolate's chocolate dipped strawberries! I am still full!

I love Easter!

Birds and Eggs = SPRINGTIME!

How cute is this. I watched Martha make it on her show today...I'm going to use my cherry tree branches and make this darling arrangment for my coffee table!

Spring cannot get here soon enough for me...the children are outside and I will not let them come in-it's way too nice out there to be spending time indoors!

Go Green!

Not because of global warming, but because it is ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

For St. Patrick's Day we had a green dinner-green clover-shaped pancakes, green buttermilk syrup, green fruit dip (with strawberries :O) and green drink (milk, lemonade, or water-your choice). Maddie and Wills loved this! (especially Will as he thinks there are real leprechauns roaming around that can turn your hair green). No photos of the pancakes because I had turned my camera onto manual focus and forgot...something our teacher warned us about-dangit!

Will was so excited for this holiday...at school they went on a treasure hunt for a pot of gold (rolos) and saw leprechaun footprints-and of course, he wore green! But his teachers told him no pinching at school, you can do that at home-thanks alot (I didn't wear green)!


BUTTERMILK SYRUP RECIPE
1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c buttermilk (or 1 c milk + 1 T vinegar-let sit for about 5 min...voila...buttermilk)

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and add:

1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda

Stir to combine and then lick the spoon :O!

If you haven't tried this...you're missing out! It is now the only syrup we will eat.

Kindred Sprits!

I just finished watching Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea...and a part of me wished I had been a friend of Anne's...I know we would have been kindred spirits! Bob teases me that I dream of being Anne and I transport myself right into the movie-yeah right! :)

A few times a year PBS does those telethons to raise money blah blah blah and I DVR'd Anne and have been watching a little every night for the past few nights...I find myself wishing it would never end. I love the way that movie makes feel...it is so idealistic-I laugh and I cry. The relationship between Anne and Gilbert is so romantic-even though Anne is such a ninny sometimes-it drives me crazy that she can't see her true love right in front of her!

I can't wait for Maddie to love these movies as much as I do...so we can daydream together!

And the soundtrack is one of the best CD's I've ever owned. I can listen to it over and over. It can be ordered online here.

Life at the Cluff House...

B.O.R.I.N.G. Yup...nothing going on here! Seriously, for the past three weeks we've all been sick (all except Maddie-the lucky duck missed all the fun)!

It all started with Bob coming down with Influenza and the stomach flu! Within a few days, I was DOWN for a week! It was absolutely the most miserable I have ever felt-death didn't seem too bad! While I was down my house fell apart...and then Will got sick! Now, both Will and I have the worst colds and I'm trying to get my house back in order. Will keeps doing these big, huge snot snuffers..."I have to get my boogers up" he says. I wish he would just get his boogers OUT! We all seem to be on the upside of this disease...however, I'm still so tired!

My parents went to Idaho this weekend for some dental work from my awesome brother and I sent Maddie who had a tooth that was bothering her...Kevin pulled it! He said she was very brave and did great! (maybe I'll take a photo when she gets home). We're missing her around here-but I must say the lack of sibling fighting has been very nice!

Oh, and I'm taking a photography class from this amazing photographer! Check her out! I am learning lots and I'm also majorly confused! I will post some of my photos when they're worthy!

Last night we took Will to see Horton Hears a Who! He really enjoyed it-we had a fun little weekend for him...he's really missing Maddie-too bad she's not missing him!

I'll be back!