Creating my Bucket List

We had a great enrichment night in our ward last week. It was all about family history....kind of. We had different people come and talk about creative ways they are doing family history. One of my favorites is a sister in our ward who over the years has created her "Bucket List"...all of the things she wants to do before she kicks the bucket. Anyway, she has set goals and has them numbered in a special journal and as she completes them she writes about it in her journal and what she has learned from it. She also buys a little charm to add to her charm bracelet to represent each goal. Then when her kids see her wearing it they ask her what she had to do to earn that charm.

For example, she always wondered what it would be like to be a fanatic about something, like those crazy people that dress up like Star Wars people and go to the movie all decked out. Well, when Twilight came along she decided this was her chance to become a fanatic. She is very reserved and this is way out of her character, but she went to the late night premier of the book releases and movies. She knows everything about Twilight. What she did realize was that she had never read the Book of Mormon with that same zeal. She now reads the Book of Mormon in a different way.

So I am on my way to creating my "Bucket List". However, I am a woman with little imagination. Share with me what you would put on your "Bucket List".

Seriously 14!

I can't believe it, Kimball turns 14 today. I look back and can't believe how fast the time has gone. He has always been such a cute kid. He is growing into a fine young man. He is a great big brother, and babysits for me a lot. He is fun to be around and has become quite the joker. His response to everything is "Sure, I guess" or "I'd say so". Sometimes these little comments get me a little crazy, but they just fit his personality. Kimball loves basketball, watching the Jazz, buying new shoes, running, and spending time with friends. He is working towards his eagle scout award and only has the project left. We love Kimball and he is a great example to his brothers and sisters.



Always a mischievous smile on his face!




This picture of the boys together makes me happy! Kimball really isn't being serious, its all part of the act.

Happy Birthday Hopey!

Happy 3rd Birthday Hope! I can't believe that three years ago today our little princess was born. She has kept us hopping ever since. She has become a very busy girl. She has taken voice lessons from her sister, she can sing like no one else. In fact, she frequently puts on concerts when requested. She loves friends, dress-ups, babies, and polly pockets especially the princess ones. She loves string cheese, popsicles, and chewing on ice cubes. She loves being with family and friends. If you ask her about who is in her family she says, "Mom, Dad, Nick, Kate, Sophia, and Brother". Kimball is affectionately known as Brother, he really is her favorite. I can't imagine our lives without our little princess. Happy Birthday Hopey!

Cousin Camp 2010

Remember a few months ago when I posted "Visions of Cousin Camp Danced in My Head". Well, last week visions of cousin camp danced right in my living room with the help of my sister Heidi and Grandma Gerri. We really had so much fun. Who wouldn't with 15 kids between the ages of 7 and 11, wink wink. They were so well behaved. I am just hoping they had as much fun as I did. Here are a few pictures to show you some of the things we did. They are kind of in random order, but here are some of my favorites!


Feeding 15 hungry kids turned out to be no small chore! In this picture they are making fruit kabobs.


Tyler and the other boys had fun hanging out on the bikes and ripsticks.


One tired grandma and must I add, a very good sport!


We did sand art, they made bracelets, little castles and necklaces.


We also made candy lei's. I am not sure any of them got home, but it sure was yummy!


These kids have the best parents EVER, they are reading letters that their parents left for them.



The girls tied water balloons on their flip flops and had manicures and pedicures, yes, they loved it!


It is amazing that these four girls survived those eleven boys!


All dressed up after the relay races because it was so fun!


The water slide was the best attraction!


Josh on the climbing wall at the park. We visited a couple of parks and even ate breakfast at this park. We did a scavenger hunt here, played soccer, and frisbee.


All the kids at the Air Force Museum, we even got to go into one of the helicopters!


Roasting marshmallows for smores was a huge hit. It was a momentous occasion, that is the day Levi invented the "Rake Roaster". We cleaned off a rake and roasted 7 at one time. It was brilliant!


We went to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".


For the talent show, Nick rode his unicycle.



Kate did gymnastics for her talent. We had some other interesting talents such as creations, artwork, musical solos, paper airplane demos, and a personal favorite ... whip cracking!!! Yes, not everyone can do this you know!


We decorated pillowcases and they did a great job.


At the Castle Park there was a stream down below and of course the boys wanted to go check things out!

These are just a few of the memories we made last week. One of the other favorite moments that I don't have a picture for is our visit to Grandma Sandalls. The kids asked her how she survived as a little girl without game systems and tv's, somehow she managed! Thanks to all the great parents of these kids, I couldn't have cousin camp without them!

My Bountiful Baskets....

Someone in my ward told me about Bountiful Baskets. It is a produce co-op. You purchase online and choose a location to pick up at. There are locations all over Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, and Washington. This is what was in my basket today. There were 6 ears of corn, 2 large tomatoes, 1 bunch of bananas, 1 romaine lettuce, 10 little heads bok choy (I have no idea what to do with them), 1 small carton blackberries, 1 honeydew, 8 gala apples, 1 bag grapes, 6 potatoes, 4 red peppers and 8 small peaches. An amazing value for just $15.00 plus a $1.50 handling fee. It is so simple and delicious.

*When you get something you don't know what to do with get on Bountiful Baskets and people post recipes for unusual things.

Passions....

When I think of each of my kids sometimes I have a certain image in my mind. I was going through some pictures the other day and I thought I would share some of my favs!

Kimball is has found a passion in running. He ran cross country last year and did track long distance this year. He has already ran two 5K's this spring and has a couple more he is looking forward to. He is a great long distance runner!



Nick, the candy man! Everyone in our family knows about his love for candy, treats, cookies, well lets just say anything with sugar in it! (I secretly share his love and its hard to say no when he begs to bake something even if I know I will probably eat the whole batch all by myself.)



Kate, loves people and more specifically family. This picture just reminds me how intently she loves to talk and listen to what people have to say. She is a very genuine person.



Sophia recently learned how to ride her bike without training wheels, she rides it wrecklessly whenever there is a chance. I must say this is her passion right now!



Hope has become our little singer. She loves to sing Little Mermaid, Princess and the Frog, and other somewhat inappropriate songs for a two year old that she hears on the radio. In this pic she has adapted the meraca as her microphone!



What can I say, I love these kids!!!

Mother's Day...

Well, I must admit that this is not my favorite holiday. I do love that my kids like to make a big deal out of it though. Kate made 3 cards for me throughout the day. She told me she just can't stop thinking about what a good mom I am! What more can I ask for. I love that Kimball secretly sent me a note and reassured me that he does think that I do the things I do because I DO love him. This really made me smile. Of course Hopes telling me "Happy Mother's Day" is just cute as can be. Sophia gave lots of hugs and I had to chase down Nick to give him lots of mommy loves! Mark's yummy dinner, flowers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Granny B cookies, what more could I ask for. I have the best husband EVER!

Life is interesting, since my mom has passed away I find myself still trying to do things that I know would make her proud. I try to support my kids in all their activities and have the other kids support them as well. This was very important to my mom when we were kids. We went to everything of each others, dance recitals, piano recitals, soccer games, baseball games, everything. I have since realized what a priority it must have been to my mom because I find myself not wanted to drag everyone along when they really could stay home.

My mom was really big on visiting teaching and I have to recommit myself each month because it is not something that I love to do. I love to visit with the ladies, but the coordinating of schedules sometimes makes me a little crazy. But when I think of my mom I know she would be disappointed to know that I am not as faithful in this as I should be.

My mom was all about family! I know that she loved me and that she always will. I hope that I am being that daughter that she hoped I would become. I love you Mom!