a really good day

Today was a good day for our little family. It is one of those days that just makes you happy. You know those days that you just want to bottle and open when you are having a not-so-good day just to remember that life really is good. The funny thing is that nothing life changing necessarily happened, just lots of really good little things.

Mike got a call that he has been waiting for a while now. This is very good.

E, who we have been a bit worried about lately, got great news. E is a bit shy. Social situations at times make her uncomfortable. She find out recently that her best friends in her class are moving. For a girl like E that has been so hard.So she really needed some happy news. Just today she found that she got one of the leads in her class play. PLUS!! she was chosen as one of the students from our county to have her art displayed in an art show. PLUS!! she got an incredible report card.

R, moved up in her reading books today. She has been working hard and was so happy. Plus, she also got an incredible report card. She did very well especially in math (her strongest subject). We are so proud of her.

K, we learned today at parent teacher conference, likes her letters and knows them. Until recently K has showed NO interest in her letters. I have been worried that she would never want to learn her letters. She can be stubborn. Plus she is a good listener and a nice friend. Very important things for a pre-schooler. We also learned today that she can sell girl scout cookies like a champ (thanks Korthes for letting her learn that she had a hidden talent).

Yep, it was a-normal-every-day-good-kind-of day.

Valentine's Day and other misc.

While the girls were at school on Valentine's Day I decorated the entire kitchen with hearts that had their names and Mike on them. If you got caught standing under your name the person who caught you got to give you a kiss.
K is VERY in to dressing herself. This concoction is actually pretty tame compared to some. To think, I try so hard to dress them like sweet little girls.

R is obsessed with math and building and always has been. When she grows up she wants to be an architect.

E's b-day

E recently had her ninth birthday. It honestly seems like yesterday we were making preparations for her to join our family. We were so excited and anxious to meet her and finally be parents. I have always said that she was worth the long wait.

There are so many things about this amazing girl that I love. The things about her at nine that I want to always remember are:

- that she is so obedient. E has this innate desire to do what is right at any cost. It truly is the trait in her I admire the very most.

- she is the hardest worker I know. It doesn't matter what it is E will give everything she has to something. She will not stop until she is her personal best at it.

- she is a perfectionist. At times this is the trait I worry most about it is also one of the things I admire most about her.

- she is an excellent and patient big sister. She loves her little sisters and is always creating ways to entertain everyone in our t.v. limited home.

- she is extremely grateful. Whether it is for a gift or lessons in something she is so grateful. She seems to appreciate everything she has. I find that so admirable for a girl her age in particular.

-she is very smart. She studies so much. But more importantly she truly loves to learn. She has such an inquisitive mind. She does so well in school because she works so hard to do well.

- she loves to read - really really loves to read.

- she is a great friend. She is shy so being social can be hard but she is a dear friend when she gets to know a person. This has been a great year for her. She has made such dear friends. It is such a sweet and protective group of girls. As parents we could not pick a better group of girls for whom to associate.

- she is as beautiful on the inside as she on the out.

- her smile is sweet and kind. As pretty as she is, when she smiles her full personality comes out.
- she has complete, unwavering faith. We were reading about the Savior in the Book of Mormon at Christmas time. I looked up and saw she was crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she wished she could have lived and known Him when He was on the earth.

- she is a fierce athlete. She loves the sports she plays and tries very hard. She has found success this year in sports through her efforts. It has been nice to watch that increase her confidence.

- she loves her parents. She really, really loves us. Sometimes I can't help but to wonder how someone as good as she could admire me so much. I truly feel like I learn more from her than she could ever from me.

- the happiest she is when she is with her very best friend in the whole world. I loved watching them together on vacation this summer.

- I want to remember what it is like waking up to her practicing the piano on Saturday mornings. I love the sound of her and R practicing the piano more than any other sound.

- she is the greatest champion of the underdog.

She is so kind and sweet. I love her more and more everyday and feel so grateful that she is our first born.

out of the mouth of babes

R did a project on the White house and was telling us great details about the house.
E said, "I want to live there now".
I told her that Mommy or Daddy would have to run for president then.
R said, "Being president is EXHAUSTING! You should let Dad do the exhausting stuff."

K's b-day

K recently had her fourth birthday. There are so many things about her right now that I love and want to always remember. With her being the youngest I think we tend to baby her more than we did the older two. In K's case I think she happily obliges the baby role.

The things about her I want to remember the most are:

- her little voice. It is still so sweet. My friend Judie was over this weekend and said "I keep waiting for her to grow out of this cute stage but she only gets cuter".

- the way she loves to cuddle. Her favorite place in the whole world is being wrapped in my arms.

_ the way she worships her older sisters. She still runs to them after school and hugs them. She loves to play with them and they just adore her.

- I want to remember the way every older child, esp. her "big brothers" (our neighbors Matt and Ryan) treat her like their mascot.

- her prayers. They are just sincere and funny.

- she has to sleep with the light on

- her laugh. It is a combination now between baby and soon to be big girl.

- she loves Tinkerbell and Strawberry Shortcake

- she insists on wearing makeup (lip gloss and chap stick) and will not go anywhere without it

- she is so girlie. Even in a house full of girls she continues to amaze us with her obsession with skirts (not dresses, not pants - skirts), makeup, nail polish, headbands, fancy shoes

- when you ask her who she loves most she will point to mommy, daddy, E and R (but we all know it is me)

- every time I pick her up from pre-school she always says "I missed you, Mom."

- her little posse. She has a very very tight group of best friends. These little ones are together all the time and love love love each other.

- her "famous" smile. It takes over her whole face and seems to fill your soul with pure gladness

- every morning she climbs into bed with us.

- she insists that I am going to be her roommate in college

- she knows who she wants to marry (she can be persuasive - watch out Xander)

We sure do love this little person. She is a blessing to so many. I cannot imagine even a day without her. We really are absolutely crazy about her.

Ordinary Day

As I sat watching this I asked R not to grow up. She said she would try not to.

it would be impossible to update everything so ...

here are all a few of the things I have forgotten to mention ...

I'll catch up soon

Life seems to be moving at a pace faster than I can keep up with these days.

We were gone for almost a month this summer. We went to Salt Lake for Uncle Stephen's wedding, which was lovely. Came home and left again almost immediately for Utah again. After visits with cousins and grandparents and some our dearest friends in the whole wide world we left for Carmel, California. What an amazingly beautiful place. Oh ... and to be back on the beach again was perfect. It was so fun to introduce the girls to San Fransisco at the end of the trip. After an incredible trip there with our best friends, the Guymons, we met some incredible neighbors in St. George.

Sadly school starts here in the beginning of August. I will never get use to school starting before Labor Day here. But the beginning of August is even harder.

Now we are in the midst of running club, soccer practices, ballet, soon to be piano, homework, etc.. Life is so busy now. I miss my girls. Something great happened this summer ... they started to become best friends. I think being together so much really solidified that. I loved watching the three of them together.

The start of school can be such a crazy time. But we are so pleased with the girls' teachers. R has Mrs. Kempf and E has Mr. Elmore. Kate starts preschool soon and I need to get used to saying that without crying. I am going to miss my three little buddies so much.

summer vacation update coming soon

Red Sox came to town

It is no secret that we love Red Sox. I mean really really love the Red Sox. Yes, I know ball players make way too much money and are wrongly worshipped. But just sit in any baseball stadium on a beautiful summer night, surrounded by thousands of people singing "Take me out to the ball game" and you can understand why this sport is America's past time.

And there is no team that best represents America's past time better than the Red Sox. I have so many memories of listening to the Red Sox play the Yankees on my Grandfather's radio, while sitting outside on Didda's perfectly manicured lawn on many New England summer nights. Didda, who was originally from NYC, loved his Yankees. Sadly, many of his Massachusetts grandchildren felt quite differently.

The Red Sox came to town for three nights during an inter-league play. We went two of those nights. There was something nostalgic watching our little Red Sox fans, who have not seen our team play since we moved from Boston, cheer on our team. There was so much anticipation in our home the weeks and days leading up to the Sox coming. We learned that Red Sox nation in Colorado is strong!! And we were happy to be citizens of it (win or lose).

And for as much as I love baseball in general it was so nice to cheer on MY team and feel invested, hopeful (and disappointed), and nervous watching a game again.

We sat in a strong Red Sox nation section. Kate still randomly cheers "Let's go Red Sox!!". What a perfect night, loss in all.

They did win that second night we went (13-11), in spite of the fact that our friends, the Albrechtsens, were rooting against them . Dustin Pedroia hit three home runs in a game that went extra innings and lasted nearly five hours. And that is why we love baseball.

Jen Elmer

This amazing girl came to visit for a week. We first met Jen over 10 years when her father and Mike were stationed at the same Army base in Maryland. Her family instantly became some of our closest friends. I have loved watching Jen became the incredible woman she now is. And, oh boy, is she incredible. She just graduated with her Masters this summer, while still teaching full time.

We loved having her come. But there sure were three sad little girls when she left. Hopefully, she can come back soon. I miss our talks.

tri

Waking up at 5 a.m. so many mornings would be hard if I did not have some really great women pulling me along. I finished another tri. I beat my time from last year, which I was happy about.

happy father's day

Little did I know that the college boy that I fell in love with, would become the most amazing father I know.

deductive reasoning - three year old style

K said to me tonight "Mom you don't look like people. You look like a mom. So you are a mom."

I remember a time when I looked like people. I had great clothes - that were not wash and wear. I had MULTIPLE outfits (not just the same mom ones that I tend to wear everyday- sorry clothes in the closet - someday buddies). I had hair that was blown dry straight EVERY day (seriously, who has time for that? Someday I will free the pony tail). Back then I was real people. Although, truth be told, I would rather be a mom - sensible shoes and all.

K also said this week to Jen Elmer, who is visiting (more on that later) - "Fight the power! Mom is the power!" Someone told me the other day that three is a window into the teen years. We are in BIG trouble.

moab

Over Labor Day we went camping in Moab, UT. with our friends the Pettingils and Korthes. It was an incredible weekend trip. The landscape was beautiful high dessert with fascinating red rock formations and deep canyons along the Colorado River. The landscape in Moab is so unlike anything I am use to, and yet I am so fascinated by it.


My favorite part of the trip was being with such incredible families. The Korthes and Pettingils are the type of people that you leave feeling uplifted and happy. They are genuinely good and I so appreciate the influence they have on my daughters and Mike and me.