The Highlight of My Day: July 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in July 2014:

Tue 7/1/14:  I'm in the process of recommitting myself to eating healthy and exercising more.  I did very well today.  I did some laps in my mom's pool this morning.  The little kids and I like our new routine of swimming at Grandma's.

Wed 7/2/14:  I enjoyed taking Scott to work late this morning.  His original ride backed out, which is fine by me, because I like hanging out with him and supporting him with his job.  He's fun to talk to.

Thu 7/3/14:  We spent another morning at Grandma's house.  This time a fun little family from Michigan joined us in the pool.  We enjoyed talking with them.  The two children were almost the exact same ages as Lizzy and David.

Fri 7/4/14:  We had a lovely Independence Day.  We woke up early this morning and headed to the park for our ward's annual Independence Day breakfast.  Valeen came with us, because her parents participated in the race early this morning.  Her dad, Brother Hyde, won the race.  Brad was in change of breakfast with the rest of the Elder's Quorum presidency.  I had a great time painting faces again.  In the afternoon we headed over to Aunt Marian's house for our annual 4th of July swimming party and BBQ.  The pool was extra cold because the water heater wasn't working, along with the hot tub.  Marian is going to replace the hot tub and the deck later this summer.  Her kitchen is completely remodeled now.  Gorgeous!  Uncle Bob and Aunt Nadine were visiting Marian from California.  It was nice seeing them.  My parents came, too, and so did a young man from Santiago, Chile, named Roberto.  He was visiting my father-in-law, David.

Sat 7/5/14:  I made dinner for the Bekin's family tonight.  Poor little Rachael was very sick in the hospital, but she's home now and is sitting up again on her own.  I made pizza casserole and brought a box of ice cream sandwiches for all the kids.

Sun 7/6/14:  It was nice hanging out with the Bruce-Clan tonight. I saw their new cat, Luna for the first time.  David had fun conversing with her at the top of the stairs.  David was lying on his belly, his face right up to Luna's.  She was not too thrilled with the conversation and ran off.

Mon 7/7/14:  We had FHE on a MONDAY night!  YAY!  It's nice having the big kids home every other Monday during the summer.  We did "Sweets and Sours" and went to the library together.  Everyone (minus me) had ice cream sandwiches for a treat.  I had a veggie/fruit popsicle.

Tue 7/8/14:  I love hanging out with Scott.  I find the drives to his work to be very enjoyable, because he always has something fun to talk about.

Wed 7/9/14:  My highlight of the day was Bradley holding me in his arms and telling me what a wonderful wife I am.  I love that he appreciates the things I do for him and his children.  Tonight I feel very loved and valued.  Thank you, Bradley.

Thu 7/10/14:  Lizzy volunteered to do laundry for me today.  I was very impressed with how she carried the laundry basket full of clothes down the 2 1/2 flights of stairs, and knew exactly what to do with them once she got there.  She put the clothes in the washer, measured out the exact amount of detergent needed, and pushed all the right buttons, too.  She hardly needed any help at all.  When the clothes were done, she put them all in the dryer herself.  Then she volunteered to carry up the clean clothes that were left on top of the dryer all the way up to my room.  It was a heavy basket, but she managed to carry it up all by herself.  In fact, I didn't even know she had done it until I went up to my bedroom later and saw the basket sitting on my bed.  Looks like I got a little maid living in my house.

Fri 7/11/14:  I helped Brad with some legal stuff today.  Can I just say that I absolutely love my husband?  He's such a wonderful husband, father, and man.  I wish he didn't have so many stressful things in his life, but I'm grateful that we have each other to lean on when times are tough.

Sat 7/12/14:  Today was PW Companies' Annual Lagoon Day.  We got to go to the park for free.  Scott brought along Brandon this time, since Emma was still at YW camp.  Me and the boys went on the old White Roller Coaster while Brad took the little ones on the merry-go-round.  Then we all went on Rattlesnake Rapids, which Lizzy and David weren't too fond of.  The boys went on a lot of rides by themselves while Brad and I took the little ones on the kiddie rides.  We had a good lunch and went on a few more rides together.  It was a fun day.

Sun 7/13/14:  I felt a little tired and sunburned today, but happy, too.  I love summer in Utah.

Mon 7/14/14: David was my little gentleman tonight.  After we came back from running errands, Brad opened up the van door and unstrapped David.  David ran all away around the van to my side, opened it, and held it open for me while I climbed out.  Then he closed it and said, "Good job, Mama." It was so cute.

Tue 7/15/14:  I harvested my first little crop of tomatoes from my veggie garden.  About 15 tomatoes in all.  I think I'm going to get a lot of tomatoes this year.

Wed 7/16/14:  I have been enjoying taken care of my garden every day.  I love watching everything grow.  It literally changes day after day.

Thu 7/17/14:  I feel so healthy and happy with my new lifestyle choices.  I love eating clean, and getting some exercise, too.

Fri 7/18/14:  The little ones and I spent a good two hours at Grandma's pool today.  It was lovely.  David gave us a little scare when he took off his arm floaties and tried to swim without supervision.  Luckily Lizzy saw him on time and we got him out.  One of Grandma's neighbors brought out some dinosaur toys, which David and Lizzy loved.  Overall, it was a fun morning.  I got a nice sunburn and tan.

Sat 7/19/14:  I was so happy when I saw the scale this morning!  I've lost 8 pounds since the beginning of July.  My body is responding well to my new eating habits.

Sun 7/20/14:  Brad, the kids, and I went over to visit the Stanely's tonight.  It was fun looking at old high school photos of Brad and his friends that Sister Stanely has kept in scrapbooks all these years.  I think Scott looks a lot like his teenage dad.

Mon 7/21/14:  I took Emma to see her pediatrician's office, for her annual exam.  I loved spending time with her, talking while we waiting for the nurse to check her.  On our way out of the parking lot, we noticed that one of the vans next to ours had the doors left wide open.  Inside, I noticed there were two car seats.  I instantly thought of the mother I saw with twin toddlers up in the waiting room.  I asked Emma if we should close the door for them, and she agreed we should, so we did.

Tue 7/22/14:  I am thrilled that my sister is coming tomorrow!  Today was preparation day.  I can't wait to see them!

Wed 7/23/14:  My sister Rachel and her kids arrived in SLC today! I drove Lizzy, David, Valeen, and me to the airport to greet her.  We went over to Grandma's house later in the evening, had dinner, and went to the park.  Brad and Emma came with us.  Rachel and I had fun taking photos of the family while we were at the park.  We arrived right before sunset-- perfect for taking photos.

Thu 7/24/14:  Weighed myself this morning... 10 pounds lost since July 1st!  YAY!  Today was Pioneer Day.  We celebrated by swimming at Grandma Whitcomb's house, and then by having a BBQ/pool party at the Harman's.  I invited Rachel and her kids to come, along with Mom and Dad.  Brad and I played a round of Nerts with Marian and Amanda.  Amanda nailed us.  I came in second.

Fri 7/25/14:  We headed to Fashion Place mall this morning, to spend time with Rachel and my parents.  Rachel and I enjoyed shopping at DownEast Basics.  We bought matching dresses.  Afterwards, we had lunch and Costco and went shopping.  I invited everyone to come over for dinner in the evening.  We had taco salad.  Always a favorite!

Sat 7/26/14:  We went on a family outing to Silver Lake, in Brighton.  It was my first time going there.  It was beautiful!  We had a blast walking around the lake and having a picnic in the shade.  It was fun spending time with Rachel, Eric, and Claire.  Eric and David really like spending time together.

Sun 7/27/14:  The Hydes invited all of us to come over for a BBQ at their house tonight.  Rachel's kids and my parents came, too.  We had hot dogs, chips, and watermelon.  The kids enjoyed playing in the water in Valeen's wading pool, and teasing the dog.  I enjoyed visiting everyone and seeing Gordon's vegetable garden.

Mon 7/28/14:  Today we went to the Hogle Zoo.  It was Lizzy's and David's first time at the zoo.  They liked seeing all the different animals there, but the favorites were definitely the giraffes, elephants, and gorillas.  For some reason the younger children were fascinated by the gorillas.  Perhaps because they resembled people so much.

Tue 7/29/14:  Rachel and I exchanged photo frames at Kohl's today, and hung up all of mom's beautiful family photos on her wall.  It looked fantastic when we were done.  I'm so glad Rachel was there to help me.  I could have never have done it all by myself.  Rachel shared some wonderful news today!  She's not going to be leaving for Bear Lake tomorrow as planned.  She is going to stay a couple of days longer and trade Eric for Craig--- meaning that Eric will go with the rest of the Montgomery family to Bear Lake while Craig stays behind.  We will miss Eric, but I'm so grateful for the extra time with my sister and her husband!

Wed 7/30/14:  It was great spending time with Craig and Rachel today.  We invited them to come over to our house for chili tonight.  My parents came, too, of course.  It was nice visiting with everyone.

Thu 7/31/14:  My little ones and I headed over to my mom's house for swimming this evening. David loved showing off his new swimming skills.  Little Claire has gotten used to me holding her now.  She let me hold her in the pool-- something Rachel says she never does with anyone, including Grandma.  I think me playing silly with her in the water warmed her up to letting me hold her.  I love her teethy grins.  She's so precious.

The Highlight of my Day: June 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in June 2014:

Sun 6/1/14:  We celebrated Brad's and Grandpa North's birthdays with a yummy enchilada casserole for dinner and homemade carrot cake for dessert.  YUM, it turned out well! Scott and Emma were the biggest cake fans.  They surprised me by taking multiple servings.

Mon 6/2/14:  I loved watching Studio C with Brad tonight.  Some of the sketches were fantastic, like "Trailer Spoil Alert," "Best Filibuster Ever," "Shallow Mal," and "D&D Revenge."

Tue 6/3/14:  I loved celebrating Brad's birthday with him.  We started off the morning very happy, and it just got better from there.  I invited my parents to come over for dinner.  I made cheese enchiladas with garlic and basil rice.  After dinner, Mom and Dad took the grand-kids to the West Jordan park while Brad and I had some alone time.  We drove to Jamba Juice in Jordan Landing, and watched "Austenland" together at home. Cute movie!  Very funny.

Wed 6/4/14:  Scott got his drivers licence today!  Yay, Scott!  He drove Emma to YM/YW tonight, and drove his cousins home.  So proud of him!

Thu 6/5/14:  I took the little ones to Grandma's house this morning.  We had breakfast at Winchester Park and walked south along the Jordan River Parkway.  The kids loved seeing the cabbage butterflies in the sagebrush, and the moving water in the river.  We came home just in time for Scott to get out of school.  He got home early on the last day of school.  He hung out with me, then called work to see if he could come in early.  I liked chatting with him as I drove him to work.

Fri 6/6/14:  I'm making tutus-- lots of tutus for Lizzy's birthday party next week.  I bought a bunch of tulle from Joann's, in different shades of pink and purple.  It's going to be a very girly party.

Sat 6/7/14: Brad and I watched "Ender's Game" today.  It was very well done!  I think it should have had more positive publicity than it did.  I would like them to make a sequel.

Sun 6/8/14: I wore my new mint chevron skirt to church, with a peachy colored shirt and my mint green necklace.  It made me feel nice and summer-y. I had some good bonding time with Emma this morning, before getting ready for church.  Emma stayed home from church today, because she wasn't feeling her usual self.  After church, Lizzy and I dropped off some birthday invitations to some of the neighborhood girls.  Lizzy is very excited about her birthday.

Mon 6/9/14:  Today Lizzy turned 5 years old!  I spent most of the day prepping for her small family celebration tonight.  We had pizza for dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Whitcomb.  After dinner, we opened presents.  Lizzy got a Tinkerbell shirt, a pair of white shorts, green fairy wings, a handmade Tinkerbell tutu, and some green flip flops with white pom-poms (Tinkerbell shoes).  Her big surprise came at the very end...  A new (used) green and red Dora bike with training wheels!  Lizzy was very excited, and would have ridden her bike all night if we didn't already have plans.  We went to International Peace Gardens, with Lizzy all dressed up in her Tinkerbell outfit.  Then we came home and had ice cream sundaes for dessert.  YUM!

Tue 6/10/14:  The kids and I got up early this morning and went to play outside.  Lizzy was very excited to ride her new bike.  David brought out the red tricycle, too, but he had a hard time pushing the pedals.  After multiple attempts, and lots of mini-tantrums, I finally got David to figure out that if he put his tricycle at the top of the driveway and rode his bike down to the street, the pedals would move with little effort because of the downgrade slant.  That helped him out a lot.

Wed 6/11/14:  Brad and I watched "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."  I liked it!  Definitely my favorite Ben Stiller movie.  Walter was a very likable character.

Thu 6/12/14:  I was very grateful to receive some help today from Sawyer Western, who came to my rescue when I had a flat tire coming home from dropping Scott off at work.  I had a moment of distraction when I spilled a soda on me while turning right by the field near our house.  I hit the curb and rode onto the sidewalk, and into the field.  It shredded my right passenger-side tire, but luckily I was able to make it home okay.  Sawyer and his friend heard me scraping the asphalt as I was driving home, and ran out and asked if they could help me.  They immediately got to work, taking off my tire and putting on the spare.  Luckily, I had a warranty on that tire and was able to get it replaced for free, minus the $19 warranty renewal.

Fri 6/13/14:  Today was Huntsman Day at This is the Place Heritage Park.  Brad and I took the three younger kids with us, since Scott couldn't miss another day of work.  We got in the park for free, and had free ice cream, too.  It was crowded there, but we were able to get in some pony rides, and ride the little train.  We liked visiting Mary Fielding Smith's house, having lunch in front of one of the original pioneer cabins, and visiting Brigham Young's farmhouse.  It was a fun day.

Sat 6/14/14:  Lizzy had her friends birthday party today.  More kids came than I invited-- probably because Lizzy invited every kid she saw in the neighborhood.  I had enough tutus for all the little girls, which turned out perfect.  Lizzy loved her Tinkerbell cake topper.  She especially loved all the gifts she got from everyone: Frozen playset and Cinderella light from Maddy; badminton set and princess coloring book from Valeen; Dr. Suess book and Frozen book from Anistyn; Tinkerbell tin box with $5 cash, #5 magnet, breakfast bar, protein shake, and notepad paper inside from Grandma and Grandpa Whitcomb; shirt and pink and purple pants from Mani; and a Rapunzel backpack and lunchbox from Mama (me).

Sun 6/15/14:  I loved celebrating Father's Day with Brad.  He's such a wonderful father.  My highlight of the day was watching him come into primary during sharing time and seeing Lizzy get excited.  The kids played a game of finding the matching tie for each father.  Lizzy found her dad's blue tie right away, and helped him put it around his neck.  Then all the kids sang "Daddy's Homecoming."  It was precious.

Mon 6/16/14:  Brad and I watched "Gravity" tonight, starring Sandra Bullock.  It was very well done.

Tue 6/17/14:  Brad and I had a fantastic 8th wedding anniversary.  I surprised Brad by sending the little kids off to their cousins for the night while he and I had a romantic candlelight dinner in the privacy of our own home.  I made steak garnished with red bell peppers and mushrooms, and I made corn-on-the-cob with green beans on the side.  We had cake and Martinellis, too.  We watched "Downton Abbey," and "Mission Impossible III" while cuddling on the couch.  It was lovely.

Wed 6/18/14:  We watched some more "Downton Abbey" tonight-- 4th season.  I've been waiting to see it all day, even though I already know what's going to happen.  It's such a good show.

Thu 6/19/14:  I drove the little kids over to Germania Park, which is connected to the Jordan River Parkway near my mom's house.  The kids loved playing on the playground equipment and watching Grandma slide down the swirly slide.

Fri 6/20/14:  I took the little ones swimming at Grandma's house this morning.  It was our first time going, and we had lots of fun!  David learned how to "swim" with his floaties on.  It looks like he's running in the water.  He's so cute.

Sat 6/21/14:  Brad and I went on a date to watch "X-Men: Days of Future Past."  It was a good movie! The ending totally made me and Brad cry.

Sun 6/22/14:  It was fun watching "The Lego Movie" with Scott and the cousins tonight.  Scott bought the movie on Blu-ray a few days ago.  He's been waiting for it to come out for months.

Mon 6/23/14:  We went to the library tonight as a family.  I loved Scott and Emma coming with us.  Seemed like old times.  They like being home with us every other Monday night, too.

Tue 6/24/14:  Brad figured out what's wrong with the car tonight, using the new code reader he purchased on Amazon Prime.  He should be able to get it working without us taking it in, which is a relief.

Wed 6/25/14:  Brad fixed the car!  It's nice going back to being a two-car family again.

Thu 6/26/14:  We had a huge rainstorm this afternoon, which was a nice treat.  I liked not having to water my lawns and plants today.  I went visiting teaching this evening when the rain was coming down the hardest.  It was kind of fun getting soaked in the summer rain.

Fri 6/27/14:  Emma's friend, Jessica, came over to visit this afternoon.  She was very talkative and friendly with Emma.  They seemed to have a lot of fun together.  I made beef and broccoli for dinner.  It was a huge hit, as usual.

Sat 6/28/14:  Brad and I bought some tables at a garage sale for a killer deal: two identical solid wood tables for only $15 each.  The couple who were selling the tables were very nice and offered us some Mexican food.  We took one of the tables over to Grandma's house in the evening and went swimming there, too.

Sun 6/29/14:  My parents watched "My Neighbor Totoro" with us tonight, after we had dinner.  My mom brought a casserole and some fruit for dinner.  I love Totoro!  The movie always makes me cry now, even though it's made for kids.  It's such a sweet story.

Mon 6/30/14:  The little ones and I went swimming at Grandma's house again today.  I had a good workout swimming laps in the pool.  It was nice!  I think I want to make this part of our summer routine.

Scott's New Drivers Licence

It took a year of practice, and one failed test, but Scott finally got his Drivers Licence today!  Congratulations, Scott!  He drove Emma to their Wednesday night activity at church, and drove his cousins home after the activity.  I can't believe how grown-up he's getting.

The Highlight of My Day: May 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in May 2014:

Thu 5/1/14:  Brad set up the tent in the backyard after he got back from his camping trip with the 7th grade students at Entheos.  Lizzy and David had a blast playing inside.

Fri 5/2/14:  Hello, spring weather!  It's a beautiful day!

Sat 5/3/14:  Today Brad, Grandpa North, and Scott took down the old swamp cooler on our roof and installed a brand new one.  The new one is awesome!  Looking forward to a much cooler summer this year.

Sun 5/4/14:  Today was Star Wars Day!  I had fun being geeky with Brad and Scott.

Mon 5/5/14:  I made some chicken tacos, homemade salsa, and quesadillas for dinner tonight, since it was Cinco De Mayo.  Brad absolutely loved it.

Tue 5/6/14:  I love spending time with my family.  They make me happy.  Looking forward to having Scott and Emma come home tomorrow morning!

Wed 5/7/14:  Brad, Scott, and I stayed up late watching X-Men: The Last Stand.  It's been fun introducing Scott to the X-Men movies.

Thu 5/8/14:  My highlight of the day was soaking in the tub for an hour.  It was a great way to unwind by myself... until Lizzy found me and climbed in, too.

Fri 5/9/14:  I got a new haircut today.  Mom offered to babysit and pay for me to get my hair done, which I took full advantage of.  I cut it nice and short, so I'll be cool in the summer time.

Sat 5/10/14:  Brad and I worked hard gardening our front yard today.  He bought me some lilacs and a snowball tree for Mother's Day, as well a couple of green lawn chairs.  We planted our new plants and I worked on my flower bed.  We also stopped by the YW Garage Sale, as well as a garage sale at the Goodwin's.  Lizzy got a bunch of cute dresses and toys from the Goodwins.

Sun 5/11/14:  I had a wonderful Mother's Day today.  Brad was a very good husband and did many nice things for me, including making me breakfast, doing all the dishes, organizing the living room and den, letting me take a nice long bath, and giving me extra hugs and kisses.  It was nice going to our church meetings with my parents today.  I liked being in Relief Society with my mom and all the other women in the ward.  After church, we all came back to our house and I made some yummy creamy chicken soup.

Mon 5/12/14:  Even though Mother's Day weekend has already past, I feel incredibly blessed to be a mother today.  I have such amazing kids.  I love Scott and Emma more than they realize.  And Lizzy and David bring such absolute joy into my life.  I love them all so!

Tue 5/13/14:  I am going to miss walking Lizzy and David to Lizzy's preschool every morning.  They have their own little routines when they walk along.  For instance, David always has to peer inside the large pine tree by the Jenkin's driveway, and read the letters off of the sewer plate in the middle of the street by the Westerns.  They both love walking on the tiny brick wall in front of the Jenkin's house, too.  It's hard to believe this chapter in life will end soon, and Lizzy will be attending Kindergarten in just a few short months.  Sad and excited all at once!

Wed 5/14/14:  David ate more than half of a small watermelon tonight for dinner, and about five pancakes.  That boy is such a good eater!  I anticipate a very full diaper tomorrow morning.

Thu 5/15/14:  I went with Lizzy's preschool class to Wheeler Farm this morning.  Lizzy loved having me there with her.  I let her use my camera and she took lots of photos of the animals.  Later on in the evening, I went with my mother to her stake Relief Society Dinner.  I LOVED hearing the speakers there.  The focus of the night was making lemonade out of lemons (meaning, overcoming our unique challenges in life by having a good attitude and faith).  A sister spoke about her unique marriage struggles, another sister spoke about her battle with depression, and another sister spoke about her rare medical condition.  They all had wonderful testimonies, and made me feel grateful to be a member of the church and all the many blessings that I receive.

Fri 5/16/14:  I love spending Fridays with Scott and Emma.  They are such good kids.  Today I noticed that Scott has the exact same laugh as his father now.  It's funny how they are becoming so much more alike as they grow older.

Sat 5/17/14:  Today was the Stake Day of Service.  Some very good men in our ward came over to our house and helped us remove our old fence in the back and put in some new wooden beams.  They'll come back on Friday to finish the job.  We are so grateful to them!  The little kids have been having a fun time running from our yard into the Bennetts' yard.

Sun 5/18/14:  I went to my parents' Sacrament Meeting today, to listen to them speak.  I have never heard my mother speak publicly in church before.  She did a wonderful job!  My favorite part of her talk was her talking about her conversion story, and how she met my father, and how the Holy Ghost helped her come to the United States.  My father spoke about how the Holy Ghost influenced him on his mission and in praying for his future eternal companion.  They did such an awesome job!  I'm so glad I went.

Mon 5/19/14:  We bumped into the Bruce-Clan when we went to the library tonight.  The library they usually go to is being remodeled until the end of the summer.  A bunch of my movies that I had on hold were ready to be picked up.  Brad and I started watching the sequel to "Thor" tonight.

Tue 5/20/14:  I made some yummy strawberry bread for the mother/daughter activity tonight.  It turned out really nice!  I'll have to make it again sometime.  Brad and I also finished watching "Thor: Into Darkness."  I liked it a lot better than the first movie.

Wed 5/21/14:  I cut Scott's hair tonight while he, Brad, and I watched "X-Men: Days of Future Past."  It's a decent movie, but not one of my favorites.  It too violent, and the story isn't very good.  It was nice watching it together, though.

Thu 5/22/14:  Today was Lizzy's last official day of preschool.  I'm amazed by how fast time has gone.  I'm going to miss walking with her to Miss Nicole's house on Tuesday and Thursdays, and taking David to the store while she was in class.  Today David and I bought a big birthday cake to celebrate this weekend with my sisters and their families.  I can't wait to see them!

Fri 5/23/14:  My parents, the Alcudias, and my little kids and I spent a few hours at Heritage Park today, before Rachel and her family arrived.  It was lovely!  Lizzy and David loved riding the ponies and trains, and they loved seeing the baby animals, too.  We got to hold chicks and play with the baby goats.  It was a lot of fun.  In the evening, we celebrated Grandpa North's, Eric's, Brad's, Lizzy's, Claire's, and Rachel's birthdays.  We had a party at Grandpa North's house with everyone.  It was cute watching the kids opening up their presents. I think I liked Emma's birthday present the best.  She got a one-of-a-kind Batman drawing on a Latin dictionary all the way from France, from her Aunt Rachel.  Really nice!

Sat 5/24/14:  We headed over to Temple Square in the rain so Chris could see Temple Square for the first time.  It was pretty!  We took lots of photos.  The little ones had fun spending time together.  Eric really likes hanging out with Lizzy and David.  In the afternoon, the entire extended family went to Murray Park to have our family photos done by Michelle (Day) Lopez and her husband.  We all got dressed up and looked really nice.

Sun 5/25/14:  I went to my parents' ward to sit with the Montgomerys and my parents during Sacrament Meeting.  My niece and nephew were very cute to watch.  After that meeting was over, I headed back home and picked up the rest of my family.  Brad spoke in our Sacrament Meeting, and I didn't want to miss that.  His topic was on sacrifice, and he did a wonderful job, as usual.  After church, we headed back to Grandma Whitcomb's house and had lunch.  The Montgomery's and us headed over the Jordan River Parkway to walk along the horse trail with the kids.  They loved throwing rocks in the river.  Then we headed to my house to have a yummy pot roast dinner.  YUM!

Mon 5/26/14:  The Montgomerys and my parents joined our family at our Stake Memorial Day breakfast.  We sat with the Bruce-Clan.  I played a game of chess with my dad.  He won of course, but I had fun challenging him.  He said he hadn't been challenged like that in a long time.  Later in the morning we headed over to Wheeler Farm.  I had fun playing bocce with Brad's dad and sister, Amanda.  Craig and Brad played, too.  I won a couple of throws.  That was fun!  We had sandwiches for lunch, and headed over to look at the farm animals.  Lizzy and David loved hanging out with the horses the best.  Lizzy kept saying she wanted to take a little black pony home so she could "practice."  She wants to learn how to ride a horse.

Tue 5/27/14:  We spent one last morning with the Montogmerys before the left.  We played at Millrace Park, and went to Iceberg for lunch. My dad was set on finding a snake while we were at the park, but that didn't work out, much to Mom's relief.  The kids had fun playing on the play ground and spending time at the pond.  We saw some giant fish in the pond, and some ducks and other water birds.  The kids loved it.

Wed 5/28/14:  Today was Lizzy's preschool graduation.  She's growing up so fast, I can't stand it!  But I'm so proud of her.  She is such a beautiful and smart little lady.  My parents came to the graduation at the Magna library, and we brought Valeen, too, since I babysit her on Wednesday.  It was cute seeing all the little kids singing up front and wearing their little blue graduation caps.  They were darling.  Lizzy, of course, was my favorite.

Thu 5/29/14:  Brad and I headed to Lowes to buy some more compost for our new garden bed.  We picked up some darling little tomato plants, too.  I'm excited to see how they look in our yard!

Fri 5/30/14:  I took the kids shopping at Sam's Club today.  I was worried about how that was going to turn out with Lizzy coming along, but it turned out okay.  She was mostly good at the store.  After we got home and put away the groceries, Lizzy enthusiastically helped me empty out the dishwasher.  She did such a good job putting the utensils away.

Sat 5/31/14:  Brad was feeling a little ill today, but I was still able to get a lot of things done without him.  I went to Lowes and purchased some more soil for our new garden bed.  I also bought some metal tomato towers so I can convert them into green bean tepees.

Lizzy's Preschool Graduation

Lizzy with her teacher, Miss Nicole.

Lizzy's class field trip to Wheeler Farm.

I can't believe a whole school year has gone by!  Today was Lizzy's preschool graduation.  I was full of emotions as I watched her stand up with her class and present the short program they had prepared. They performed songs and stories that they had learned in class.  Lizzy's favorites were Up on the House Top, Pete the Cat, and I'm a Mean Old Witch with a Hat.  She said her part timidly in the microphone: "We learned about life cycles and things that grow."  I am proud of her for doing well in preschool.  She learned many new things during the school year.  She learned how to write her name, identify colors, become more familiar with the alphabet and numbers, and memorize songs.  I think the most important lessons she learned this year was how to socialize with others her own age, and how to discipline herself by getting to class on time. It took her a while to get used to the routine of going to school, but she became better and better at it as the year progressed.  She even became more willing to wear clothes other than dress-up dresses, which was a huge accomplishment-- believe me!

Grandma and Grandpa Whitcomb and Valeen came to Lizzy's graduation.

The Highlight of My Day: April 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in April 2014:

Tue 4/1/14:  I took a home video of Scott dressed up as "Skuman" early this morning.  He and his dad had a great time planning his costume last night and coming up with some cool Batman lines to quote at work today.  "It's not what is inside that counts.  It's my sku that defines me.  I'm SKUMAN!!!"  Pretty funny stuff.  I love my geeky boys.

Wed 4/2/14:  I had a fun time planning out our trip tonight.  We are going down to St. George tomorrow.  I read up on the best hikes for kids at Zion National Park and Snow Canyon.  I made an itinerary for our trip and made some last minute changes to our overnight lodging.  It's going to be fun!

Thu 4/3/14:  Today we went on our family trip to Southern Utah!  We drove to Snow Canyon, near St. George, in the late afternoon.  The kids enjoyed eating dinner and playing in the red sand at the Sand Dunes.  We went on a short hike to see some pioneer names carved into the side of the mountain on the Pioneer Names Trail.  It was so incredibly beautiful there!  We definitely want to go again someday.

Fri 4/4/14:  We spent the day at Zion National Park today.  It was gorgeous!  We took the kids on a few short trails to the Lower Emerald Pool and Weeping Rock.  We also went on a longer hike along the river through the canyons on the River Walk trail.  The kids loved seeing all the squirrels there.

Sat 4/5/14:  We listened to the first session of General Conference on our long drive home today.  We got home just in time for Scott and Emma to go their YM/YW BBQ at Brother Goodwin's house, and to watch the second session of General Conference.  I liked being home again.  I had a blast uploading and editing photos from our trip.

Sun 4/6/14:  General Conference has been great this year!  I loved hearing President Monson talk, as well as President Uchtdorf.  I worked on a couple of crochet projects during conference.  I am making a red, white, and black blanket for Scott, and a orange kitty hat for my visiting teacher's son, Chase.  It's been very fun!

Mon 4/7/14:  I took the little ones to Grandma's house today.  We picked up Grandma and took her to the DI and Michaels.  I bought Lizzy and David an adorable little red tricycle at the DI for only $5.  Lizzy played on the tricycle for hours in the backyard this afternoon, riding it down the slope over and over again.

Tue 4/8/14:  Brad and I watched an incredible Italian film tonight called, "Life is Beautiful," starring Roberto Benigni.  It was marvelous!  It made us laugh and cry.

Wed 4/9/14:  We had homemade chili tonight!  It was a hit, as always.

Thu 4/10/14:  It was HOT today!  I love this spring weather.  It makes me want to garden.  All of my tulips are blossoming now.

Fri 4/11/14: Brad's conversation with the two little ones tonight as we were driving home from Entheos Art Night-- Brad: "Lizzy are you going to get married someday?"  Lizzy:  "Yes."  Brad:  "Lizzy, who are you going to marry?"  Lizzy:  "David."  David:  "I'm sorry."

Sat 4/12/14:  Today was the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt for all the neighborhood kids.  Lizzy and David loved gathering eggs at the park and eating candy all afternoon.

Sun 4/13/14:  It was nice attending Stake Conference today.  Little David fell asleep in my arms half-way through the meeting, which I loved.  He's such a beautiful little boy.  I liked kissing his head and snuggling with him as we listened to the different speakers.

Mon 4/14/14:  Brad and I loved tonight's episode of Studio C!  I wish Scott and Emma were here with us, but we'll probably end up watching it with them again anyway.

Tue 4/15/14:  I'm almost done crocheting Scott's large red, white, and black blanket.  Only a couple more rounds to go.  I crocheted while watching "The Voice" and "Dancing with the Stars" today.

Wed 4/16/14:  We watched Studio C with Scott and Emma tonight, since they missed it on Monday.  I knew they would like the "Pretend Boyfriend" sketch.  They were not expecting Jason Gray dressed as Batman to show up.  So funny!

Thu 4/17/14:  Today was a super busy day.  I enjoyed watching Lizzy and David hunt for eggs and candy at Lizzy's preschool this morning.  Lizzy made a darling plastic milk jug bunny basket to gather her treats.  It was so sweet.

Fri 4/18/14:  Emma and I spent a lot of time together today, talking and laughing as we did chores together.  She didn't have school today.  We talked about her Grandma North, and some of the cute things Emma did with her when she was little.  Grandma North was a wonderful "mother" to her and did an awesome job raising her when she was little.  Emma told me a story of how we talked about Grandma North during FHE one night, and how Grandma always did things for us to help us and she never got paid.  Emma was so touched, she went to her piggy bank and emptied it out.  Then she put her coins in a tissue and left it on Grandma's pillow. I thought that was such a cute story!

Sat 4/19/14:  Today was our family Easter celebration at Grandpa North's house.  It was fun watching all the kids, young ones and old ones, hunt for eggs in the backyard.  It was nice spending time with Amanda and her family, and having my mom and dad there, too.  My mom made a honey ham and I made a potato salad.  My mom was impressed by Marilyn's homemade rolls and Amanda's vegetable salad.

Sun 4/20/14:  Today was Easter Sunday.  My highlight of the day was having a birthday dinner with my family and my parents.  I made roast beef with potatoes and carrots.  My mom brought a fruit salad and some chips, too.  We celebrated my birthday with some homemade angel food cake (made by Loralee) with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

Mon 4/21/14:  One of my favoritest birthdays for sure!  Brad did such an excellent job keeping me happy.  He took off work and we went to the park and the library with the little ones in the morning.  My parents came later and babysat Lizzy and David while Brad and I played all afternoon.  We went to Red Butte Gardens at the U, then we went out to eat at Crown Burger and watched Captain America: The Winter Soilder at Century 16 theaters in SLC.  Later in the evening, we stayed up after the kids went to bed and spent time together, cuddling on the couch and watching movies.  Love him!

Tue 4/22/14:  Brad and I started watching a bit of "Lawrence of Arabia" tonight.  Brad's first time, my second time.  We've been watching a lot of classics lately.

Wed 4/23/14:  I helped Lizzy catch some red bugs for her preschool today.  I've never seen her get excited about bugs before.  She surprised me with her enthusiasm.

Thu 4/24/14:  My sisters are coming one month from now!  I can't wait!!!  I liked talking to Rachel on the phone and planning things out.  We want to do family photos while everyone is here.  Susie hasn't confirmed when she's coming yet, but I'm hopeful she'll be here the same time as everyone else.

Fri 4/25/14:  Brad fixed the lawnmower today.  YAY!  Now it's all ready for summer.

Sat 4/26/14:  Brad and his dad bought our new swamp cooler.  It will be so nice having a brand new swamp cooler in the summer time.  I'm a little nervous about them getting it on our roof.  It's huge!  But I guess I shouldn't get worried  too much.  They seem to know what they're doing.

Sun 4/27/14:  We had a mutual Family Home Evening tonight with the Hydes at our house.  Lizzy and David were very happy to play with Valeen.  Brother Hyde went out in the backyard to look at the fence behind our shed.  Brad wants the ward to help fix our fence for our Stake Day of Service next month in May.  We think we might be a good candidate, since we also share our fence with the Bennetts.

Mon 4/28/14:  Brad and I took the little kids to the library tonight, and watched some Studio C when we got home.  My favorite sketch was Fencing Slow-mo Replay.

Tue 4/29/14:  Brad took off work today to get ready for the camp-out tomorrow night.  We cleaned and shopped, and helped Mom and Dad move new bookshelf.  I'm going to miss him tomorrow night.

Wed 4/30/14:  My mother took me and the little ones out to dinner at Virg's tonight.  Brad and Emma were on the 7th Grade Adventure camp-out, and Scott was at Young Men's.  It was nice spending time with my mom.  We stopped by Seagull Bookstore, too, so Mom could buy some decor for her new house.

The Highlight of my Day: March 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in March 2014:

Sat 3/1/14:  I was able to get a lot of things done today, despite having a sore foot and limping around to get places.  I cleaned up the house (with Brad's help) and even ended up going to Walmart.  I bought my mom a cute little plant for her new house.  I'm so excited that my parents are coming tomorrow!

Sun 3/2/14:  My parents arrived!  They showed up at our church building during the second hour of church, right before we changed classes.  Lizzy was so excited to see them she couldn't sit still during sharing time and kept asking when it was time to go.

Mon 3/3/14:  We bought my mom and dad some new furniture today!  They bought a used modern-style white and black leather couch set.  Very pretty to look at!

Tue 3/4/14:  The house in Long Beach closed today.  It was a relief and a blessing to hear, although it did make me sad and I cried when I heard the news.  I love my childhood home in Long Beach.

Wed 3/5/14:  Lizzy went to do her first dentist appointment early this morning.  She sat very calmly and was very cooperative during the whole procedure, even though she was nervous.  I was very proud of her.  The hygienist noticed right away that Lizzy had an extra tooth right in the upper, right side of her mouth.  I had always wondered why her smile looked a little lopped-sided, and why her tooth came in crooked.  She had an extra one!  The best news, however, was that Lizzy did not have any "sugar bugs" in her mouth. YAY!

Thu 3/6/14:  Today was the big move day for my parents.  My dad rented a U-Haul truck to transport his belongings from a large trailer in SLC to their cute little house in Murray.  Brad, Michael, and Grandpa North all helped my dad.  To thank us, Mom and Dad treated us to dinner at Iceberg.  It was YUM!

Fri 3/7/14:  It was nice that today felt like an almost-normal kind of day.  Scott and Emma taught Lizzy how to play hide-and-seek at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  They had lots of fun.  As soon as we got back to the house, Lizzy kept requesting the new game over and over again.  Yep, she's a four-year-old.

Sat 3/8/14:  Mom went shopping with Lizzy and I at Sam's Club today.  My mom gets so excited when she's in a grocery store.  She ends up wanting to buy almost everything.  She's used to Dad doing all the shopping, or Dad telling her no constantly when she's with him.  It was as if she had a little burst of freedom and wanted to take full advantage of it.  She bought a big tub of freshly grated Parmesean cheese, tortilla chips, fancy sandwich meat, and sushi.

Sun 3/9/14:  We had a big dinner at my house tonight with my parents and the Bruce-Clan.  I made two big pizza casseroles, and my mom made a big green salad.  It was nice having everyone over.  I like the energy that comes in the house when the Bruce-Clan comes over.  There's always a lot of talking and good conversations.  Loralee made some yummy frosting-covered brownies with walnuts.

Mon 3/10/14:  Tonight was library night.  I love the way both Lizzy and David ask me every day: "what tomorrow is it?" After I tell them what day it is, they both ask, "Where are we going?"  They love it when I tell them it's Monday and we're going to the library.  Lizzy picked out some Dora the Explorer DVDs, which made David very happy.  I think my head will probably explode this week.

Tue 3/11/14:  I moved a heavy wooden dresser down a flight of stairs today.  SCARY!  But I did it, which I'm very pleased about.  We bought Mom a dresser and nightstand from a nice lady in an apartment in South Salt Lake.

Wed 3/12/14:  It was so great turning the kids loose in the warm, sunny weather.  The kids loved being outside.  My little spring bulbs are making their way out into the warm sunshine.  I'm so ready for winter to be gone so I can start planting my vegetable garden!

Thu 3/13/14:  I helped my mother design her kitchen today.  I took all of the country-themed pictures she had in her old house and hung them up over her sink.  It looks beautiful!  It definitely made me a little homesick, but her kitchen is so much prettier here than her old house in Long Beach that it made me very happy.

Fri 3/14/14:  I helped my parents put together a couple of bookshelves today, for their living room.  Mom took the little ones to the river and the park for a couple of hours, which was nice.  They loved that!

Sat 3/15/14:  Brad and Scott helped move an antique dresser from the same seller we bought the dresser and nightstand to my parents' house.  It's an awesome looking dresser.  Scott had fun exploring it after we set it up in the den.  We found an old envelope deep inside it, from someone who lived in New Jersey. We didn't find any hidden compartments, which made Scott a little disappointed.

Sun 3/16/14:  I invited Grandma and Grandpa Whitcomb to our St. Patrick's Day dinner tonight.  We had corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and green punch.  It was yummy!  I liked the way my corned beef turned out.  It was perfect. I let it slow-cook for four hours while we were at church, then I boiled the carrots and potatoes in the same pot as the corned beef water for a half hour, and then boiled the cabbage for 15 minutes.

Mon 3/17/14:  I liked having a lazy day today, even though my house is a complete mess tonight.  It was nice crocheting and watching TV shows.

Tue 3/18/14:  I found out today that Pixar is making a sequel to The Incredibles!  I'm so thrilled!  It's the only Pixar movie that I've ever really wanted a sequel to, although I'm extremely glad they made sequels for Toy Story.  Toy Story 3 is still my favorite Pixar movie.

Wed 3/19/14:  We had fun watching Frozen tonight!  Lizzy and David were so excited to get it in the mail.  Lizzy jumped up and down, and David shouted, "Let it go!!!"  I think it's funny that he doesn't know the movie by its real name yet.

Thu 3/20/14:  I enjoy listening to Lizzy sing songs she thinks she knows the lyrics to.  Sometimes it can be quite hilarious listening to the words that come out of her mouth.  For example, earlier today she was singing the Bella Dancerella song.  Instead of singing, "Bella, Bella, Bella Dancerella," she sang, "Bella, Bella, dance with a gorilla."  The other day she was singing the Shrek version of "I'm a Believer."  Instead of singing, "I believe" over and over again at the end of the song, she was chanting, "I wee-wee... I wee-wee... I wee-wee." Haha!

Fri 3/21/14:  The van's battery ran out of juice today, because David left one of the lights on.  Brad taught me how to use the battery charger, but even after we charged it, the van refused to start.  We were both a little nervous at first, but then I had a memory of a situation similar to this and how we fixed the problem.  I told Brad he should clean up the corrosion on the battery and the van should work.  I was right!  Brad cleaned it up with some water and baking soda and it started up just fine tonight.

Sat 3/22/14:  I had a fun afternoon with Emma!  Brad and I got to spend some separate one-on-one time with her today.  Brad helped her clean up her room and took her out to eat at Ab's, then I took her to get her hair cut and shop for some new clothes.  She looked adorable at dinner tonight with her new hair and her new red shirt and jean jacket.  I think she liked all the attention and positive feedback.  Her hair looks awesome!

Sun 3/23/14:  It's been nice having FHE on Sunday mornings.  Today we played Bug-Out Chess as a family, girls against boys.  Brad and Scott won.  No fair.  Emma and I will have to beat them next time.

Mon 3/24/14:  I let the Goodwins borrow David's carseat to take their new little son, Jacob, to the doctor this morning.  Jacob is so blessed to be in such a wonderful home with a wonderful family.  I can't wait for him and David to meet and get to know each other as they get older.

Tue 3/25/14:  It was so nice not to have a busy night tonight!  Brad and I got to take a little breather and just spend time alone together.  It was very nice!  We finished watching the movie "Dr. Zhivago."  The original one from 1965.  Depressing story, but it was still a pretty good film.  I don't think I could watch it again, though.

Wed 3/26/14:  I took the kids out driving in the rain today, looking for spring blossoms and horses.  They loved it!  I enjoyed it, too.  It's so pretty here in Utah.

Thu 3/27/14:  I had a wonderful time making banana bread with Lizzy and David tonight.  They LOVED mashing up the bananas and stirring everything together.  They also liked tasting the mixture in the bowl when I was done.  Tonight at bedtime, Lizzy prayed to Heavenly Father, thanking him for us "making bread that tastes like bananas."  I thought that was very cute!

Fri 3/28/14:  I've had quite a few highlights today...  I enjoyed visiting my mother with Emma and the little ones today.  I helped my mom hang up family photos in her living room, and then we all walked along the river and stopped at a park for the little ones to play.  Brad and I went on a date later in the evening, which was my favorite moment of the day.  We parked our van in a parking lot and looked at a lovely view of the mountains while we ate sushi, had root beer floats, and talked.  He told me he would make-out with me in public, which we ended up doing--- at Home Depot.  That made me laugh!

Sat 3/29/14:  I loved watching the Women's Conference today.  This was the first conference after the First Presidency announced that the General Young Women and General Relief Society meetings would be combined into one big meeting twice a year.  All women and girls ages 8 and up are invited to attend.  Emma and I went over to Grandma Whitcomb's house to watch the meeting with her.  My favorite moment of the broadcast was listening to the 8 year-old girls sing "Teach Me to Walk in the Light" at the Conference Center.  It was beautiful!

Sun 3/30/14:  I loved our snowstorm today!  It started falling when we were at church.  I was wearing my brand new spring outfit, and I didn't bring a jacket with me, so it was coooold coming out of church.  But it was pretty to look at.  I love spring snow.

Mon 3/31/14:  It was nice having a Monday night with Scott and Emma again.  Emma was so happy to get a chance to go to the library as a family.  It has been months since she has been able to do that.  We had FHE and did our usual Sweets & Sours.  Scott, Brad, and I watched Wolverine together later.  I enjoyed it quite a bit!

The Highlight of My Day: February 2014

Sat 2/1/14:  I enjoyed watching Lizzy and David play "fetch" in the den this afternoon.  They kept picking up toys with their teeth and dropping them off at my feet. I would throw the toys up to the dining room and they would run after them and bring them back to me.  I couldn't tell if they were dogs or cats, because the animal noises they made kept changing from cat meows to dog whimpers, and then to sounds I couldn't recognize.  It was pretty entertaining.

Sun 2/2/14:  We enjoyed having dinner with the Bruce-Clan tonight.  Lizzy was very grumpy when we told her it was time to leave.  I'm glad that my kids have such good friendships with their cousins.  I'm grateful that we live so close by and that they get to socialize with them as often as they do.

Mon 2/3/14:  I registered Brad, me, Scott, and Emma for Studio C today.  We want to go to the February 14th 6:30 pm taping.  We've decided that even if are names aren't selected, we'll still wait in line for the overflow room.  Looking forward to the 14th!

Tue 2/4/14:  I had fun looking at my friends' Facebook Lookback Movies that came up today for Facebook's 10 year Anniversary.  Facebook gave all of their members a premade movie using photos from their albums.  I tried looking at mine, expecting mine to be sweet and uplifting like many of my friends' movies. But instead of the memorable photos I was expecting to see, the very first photo that popped up was a bunch of bloody, naked, newborn rats that I photographed back in 2008.  I couldn't stop laughing about it.

Wed 2/5/14:  Scott went on his very first date tonight!  That boy is getting so big!  He took his friend Kaicee to a Young Men's activity tonight, which was all about dating and getting to know new people.  Scott had a lot of fun with her.  I think they really liked getting to know each other better.

Thu 2/6/14:  Brad and I took Emma to the Oakcrest kick-off meeting tonight.  I enjoyed seeing how excited Emma was about going to Oakcrest this summer.  Oakcrest is a special young women camp for LDS girls in 7th grade.  She's going to have so much fun.

Fri 2/7/14:  Brad and I stayed up late watching Sherlock tonight.  We're on "The Hounds of the Baskervilles."  It was spooky and entertaining.

Sat 2/8/14:  We watched the Winter Olympics tonight.  I loved watching the snowboarding competition the best.  Lizzy liked it, too.  She kept pretending she was "sledding" in the living room.  She also liked the ice dancing.  She had a lot of fun mimicking the female skaters.

Sun 2/9/14:  It was fun going to see the Hydes tonight and getting our pictures taken.  Brother Hyde asked us if we would like to get our photos taken in his studio.  Lizzy had a blast playing with Valeen.

Mon 2/10/14:  Another night at the library!  Lizzy and David are big Charlie and Lola fans.

Tue 2/11/14:  Our names didn't get selected for the Studio C taping on Friday, but that's okay!  We're going anyway.

Wed 2/12/14:  I got some extra time with Brad tonight when his home teaching family canceled their appointment.  I love spending time with him.

Thu 2/13/14:  I made some adorable Valentines for Lizzy to take to her preschool class today.  They were "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" Valentines.  It was a build-your-own-snowman kit, with marshmallows, pretzels, M&Ms, and candy corn.  They turned out so cute!

Fri 2/14/14:  Brad and I took the older kids to see Studio C in Provo tonight.  We had to wait in the standby line this time, but that was okay.  We liked watching the episodes for Season 4 being filmed in the overflow room.

Sat 2/15/14:  We bought a new (used) couch and chair set today!  We bought them off of KSL.com.  They are a nice brown leather, and very comfortable to sit in.  They have some minor tear issues, but I was able to correct some of them.  They are very nice.  Our living room looks so much better without our old falling-apart couch.

Sun 2/16/14:  It was nice not having to give the lesson in my CTR class today.  Sister Ruff did a wonderful job, and the kids did great!

Mon 2/17/14:  We had a fun President's Day!  We headed to a comic book store called Black Cat Comics in Sugarhouse, where Scott and Emma found some new books to purchase.  After the book store, we went to Centennial Park in West Valley City to play in the sun.  The kids enjoyed swinging on the swing-set and having some swordplay while I had a blast taking photos of them.

Tue 2/18/14:  Brad was my highlight.  Yes, that's all I'm going to say about the subject.

Wed 2/19/14:  Scott got his first job!  YAY!  He'll be working with his dad at PW Companies in fulfillment.

Thu 2/20/14:  I heard a lot of commotion in the kitchen earlier this morning, so I decided to investigate.  I found little David emptying out the dishwasher and putting the silverware back in the silverware tray.  What a good helper!  Too bad the dishes were dirty.

Fri 2/21/14:  I took some cute photos of Lizzy playing out in the backyard today.  I love that the weather is warming up and that the kids can go outside more often.  She made a face with some rocks and dried blossoms in a little mound of dirt.  I thought it kind of looked like a snail coming out of the ground.  It was very cute.

Sat 2/22/14:   Lizzy had so much fun today at the Fancy Girls Par-Tea at church.  She looked so pretty dressed up in her purple princess skirt, hat, and white gloves.

Sun 2/23/14:  Brad and I went to visit a townhouse in Murray for my parents today.  It's a beautiful home, right next to the Jordan River Parkway.  It's my favorite out of all the homes I've seen available so far, and I want my parents to get it so bad.  I'm crossing my fingers that the homeowner chooses them.  He says they have a 1 in 3 chance of getting it.

Mon 2/24/14: My parents are getting the house in Murray!  YAY!!!!  I'm thrilled beyond thrilled.

Tue 2/25/14:  Today while I was on Facebook, I came across a list of quotes by Fred Rogers from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.  I found this quote, which I liked very much: "The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile."  It reminded me of how important it is remind others of their worth, especially children.  I'm grateful to be a mother, and to remind my kids of how important they are.

Wed 2/26/14:  Scott is doing so well at his job!  It made me so happy to hear how his supervisors love having him work there, and that he's learning so quickly.  I'm so proud of Scott.  He's turning into such a wonderful young man.

Thu 2/27/14:  I love how Lizzy and I can have conversations together now.  Today we were driving in the car after we dropped off Scott at work, and she asked me her usual question, "Mommy... what tomorrow is it?"  We talked about the days of the week, and what fun plans we had for this weekend, such as Grandma and Grandpa Whitcomb moving to Utah.  I love how she looks forward to our little routines, like going to the library on Monday and Papa not having to go to work on weekends, as well as the big things, like Grandma and Grandpa coming.

Fri 2/28/14:  Tonight at dinner, little David was struggling to pick up a green bean with his fork.  Finally he gave up and and picked up the bean with his fingers, and said, with a very concerned look on his face, "Oh-no.  Es woken."  It was so cute.

First Date and First Job

February has been a month of firsts for Scott!  On the 5th, Scott went on his very first date with a pretty girl named Kaicee.  They go to the same school  together.  For their date, Scott and Kaicee went to Scott's YM activity at church, which was all about dating and getting to know new people.  From what I heard, they had a wonderful time together, playing games and hanging out.

On the 19th, Scott demonstrated once again that he's not so little anymore--- he got his first job!  Scott is now a fulfillment clerk at PW Companies (Brad's work).  Scott's job is to gather order items around the DC warehouse to be shipped out to new locations.  He has impressed his supervisors with his hard-working, yet humorous personality.  He's been really enjoying it so far.

The Highlight of My Day: January 2014

Something good happens every day.  Here's what happened in January 2014:

Wed 1/1/14:  We had a fantastic New Year's Day, as usual!  We went bowling with the Harmans, Christensens, and Polaks at All Stars Lanes.  This was David's first time bowling, and he loved it.  Marian and Gordon looked absolutely fantastic!  They have been getting so healthy. We had a lot of fun spending time with them at their house after we went bowling.  We played a new game called "Dixit," and we started a puzzle with Natalie and Amanda.  The Bruce Clan arrived while we were half-way done with the puzzle and joined in.  The kids loved spending time with their cousins. It was a great way to start off 2014!

Thu 1/2/14:  Tonight I helped Emma complete her Science Fair experiment.  It was all about taste and how our noses help us identify what we taste.  She had fun subjecting her cousins and Sawyer to strange tasting foods.  It was pretty funny seeing some of the reactions.

Fri 1/3/14:  I spent all day studying a couple of books I checked out at the library.  I've been reading the books, Choose to Lose, and Choose More, Lose More, by Chris Powell.  I want to live a healthier lifestyle.  Chris Powell's books are definitely encouraging and inspiring, and I want to put what I've learned into practice.

Sat 1/4/14:  Today I was very grateful for my husband's logical thinking.  I was very angry, frustrated, and sad by what I thought was going to be a very upsetting and unplanned change to our calendar.  He immediately calmed me down and pointed out what I was missing.  It turned out that the information I had seen was incorrect.  It's so nice relying on my husband's brains when my emotions overwhelm me.  He's so awesome!

Sun 1/5/14:  I loved teaching my new primary class today!  I had Parker, Nathan, and a little visitor named Aubrey, who I had taught once before.  They were so attentive to my lesson.  I enjoyed teaching them.

Mon 1/6/14:  I failed to mention that we also watched the Season 4 premier of Downton Abbey last night.  It was very well done!  Today I had a busy day trying to create some better living habits.  I started the day by doing a "Nine Minute Mission" workout, to boost my metabolism, and by drinking a fruit smoothie protein drink.  I was very good throughout the day, and ate everything I was supposed to.  I did some additional exercising before my mid-morning snack.  I think I can do this!  I know I can do this!

Tue 1/7/14:  I am feeling quite confident about my new eating program.  I like switching carbs and no carbs every other day.  It helps me feel like I'm eating in moderation, and that I can still eat what I want, as long as I do it at the right time.  It's been good.  I feel like I am becoming more disciplined.

Wed 1/8/14:  Brad and I are getting the hang of getting up early every morning to do a quick work-out.  It's been good for us!  I want to make this a part of our permanent lifestyle.  It's such a great way to get our metabolism going.

Thu 1/9/14:  I watched a food documentary today, called "Fat Head," which was basically a documentary about a man who was contradicting a lot of food facts we think we know and understand.  His video definitely slammed Morgan Spurlock's documentary "Super Size Me."  I think the best thing I took from the documentary was that having cholesterol in your diet is a good thing, because it actually keeps your arteries healthy instead of messing them up.  It's the bad carbohydrates, found in french fries and potato chips that are the real heart killer.

Fri 1/10/14:  I love beef and broccoli.  Eating healthy can be quite tasty at times.

Sat 1/11/14:  We had dinner at Aunt Marian's house tonight.  She made beef stew and orange chicken.  Scott and Emma enjoyed playing on the Wii station, and Lizzy and David had a blast playing in Marian's large dog crate.  Marian hurt her finger while we were there, but she still played Nerts with us, which of course was a lot of fun.  I won!  YAY!

Sun 1/12/14:  I did not plan a lesson today, but I ended up teaching anyway.  I love my new class!  Our lesson was on Choosing the Right by Following Jesus Christ.  We played "Do As I'm Doing," and read a story about a boy named Warren who had to choose the right when confronting naughty boys in a bird refuge.  The kids loved me bringing a bird's nest to class with little tiny plastic eggs inside.  They each got to take home an egg.  I'm glad I glanced at the lesson manual before church and decided to bring the bird's nest just in case the other teacher didn't show up.

Mon 1/13/14:  I completed and sold another red minion hat today.  That means I've sold over 30 minion hats since October.  That's a lot of hats!  I had no idea they would end up being as popular as they have been.  I received two more orders on Sunday.  Looks like I'll still be keeping my hands busy!

Tue 1/14/14:  I am grateful for my wonderful husband and our happy marriage.  I love creating new routines with him and strengthening our relationship together.  He is my best friend.

Wed 1/15/14:  Brad, Scott, Emma, and I watched "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" tonight.  I feel asleep halfway through the episode and ended up going to bed early, but it was still nice going back to that routine from before Christmas.  I love Scott and Emma.

Thu 1/16/14:  My parents are so close to selling their house now!  My dad made me happy today when he told me they want to find a home to rent near my area for a realistic price.  I'm excited!

Fri 1/17/14:  I made a long list of houses I found for my parents today.  I found some really nice possibilities.  There was one near the Jordan River, and a couple near Wheeler Farm, and a few of them in the Jordan Landing area.  I want them to find a home that will make them happy.

Sat 1/18/14:  Today was a stay-at-home day for Brad and I.  We didn't leave the house once, which was really nice.  We cleaned up the house, did some laundry, and watched a few movies and shows.  We saw the Studio Ghibli film "From Up on Poppy Hill."  It was a beautiful story.  We also watched some more Alias.  We are really liking the fifth season so far.  It's much better than the fourth.

Sun 1/19/14:  I made Brad happy tonight.  I made a yummy top sirloin steak dinner with yams and green beans.  The steak was extra tasty.  Brad said it was like eating dessert.

Mon 1/20/14:  Brad and I have been successful with our exercise routine every weekday morning.  We have been doing this for the past two weeks now-- never missing a day.  I have definitely been noticing my body getting stronger, and my endurance level rising higher.  I like that I feel more awake during the day, and that I have more energy to do things.

Tue 1/21/14:  I cut Brad's and David's hair tonight.  Next up is Scott's hair.  I'll have to do that sometime soon.  I like cutting hair for all my boys.  It's a developing skill that I am grateful to have, plus it's kind of fun being their barber.

Wed 1/22/14:  I love having Scott and Emma home for dinner on Wednesday nights.  I've been getting pretty creative with dinners that are both healthy for me, but still taste good for the rest of my family.  For example, I tend to either make beef and broccoli, taco salad, or turkey chili on Wednesday nights.  My family eats the carbs, and I only eat the veggies and meat.  I don't think Scott and Emma even know that I'm restricting my diet.

Thu 1/23/14:  I read an blog post today titled, "Let Your Husband Love You."  I loved it!  I am so grateful for my wonderful husband and our happy marriage.  I am grateful for the valuable learning tools I learned in my marriage prep classes before I married Brad, and all of the things I've learned since then.  He is a wonderful man.  I feel grateful as a woman knowing that my husband loves me and thinks I'm beautiful, even on days when I don't feel beautiful.  I'm grateful to be a wife that lets my husband love me.  I know he's grateful, too.

Fri 1/24/14:  Brad took off work today.  It was nice having him home and getting things done with him.  We took the little kids with us to get the tires rotated on our van.  We sang "Let It Go" and other Frozen songs in the van on the way. Lizzy liked watching the cars get worked on at the shop.  She kept saying that the cars were "flying" whenever they got raised up and their tires removed.

Sat 1/25/14:  I went on a great date with my hubby today.  We had lunch at Romano's Macaroni Grill in Murray.  One of Brad's vendors gave him a $100 gift card, and we ended up spending about $80 today.  My favorite appetizer was their goat cheese stuffed bell peppers.  So good!

Sun 1/26/14:  I helped Emma get some last minute things done on her Science Project tonight.  She'll be taking it with her to school on Tuesday.

Mon 1/27/14:  We finished Alias tonight!  It was an okay ending.  Now I'm looking forward to watching more fun shows with Brad!  It will be fun to watch the BBC show "Sherlock" with him.  We can watch it for "free" on Amazon Prime.

Tue 1/28/14:  My parents are in escrow!  Today I went driving around my area, looking at houses for rent.  I think I may have found a really good one.  We'll see how things go.

Wed 1/29/14:  I am so grateful for my stepdaughter, Emma.  It was nice having her lean her head on my shoulder tonight while we were sitting together.  I love her.

Thu 1/30/14:  Brad and I are really liking the BBC show, Sherlock.  It's better quality than the shows we have been watching lately, like Alias.  I love Sherlock Holmes' quirky, aspergery personality.  Benedict Cumberbatch does an excellent job portraying him.  I also love Martin Freeman as Watson.  So fun!

Fri 1/31/14:  I reviewed our new year budget with Brad tonight.  Brad likes it when I show an interest in finances.  I can tell he appreciates my input and feedback. I like being marriage partners with him.