Spring Fun Day

An end of the year tradition is Spring Fun Day. Sidney had a great time and the weather was perfect. Here is a sampling of the activities they had this year as they explored things "Around Town".

Dressing the Doctor:

Tire Race:

Giant Cup Stacking:

(If you click on this picture to blow it up, you will notice Sidney's tongue hanging out...she gets that from her Dad, so cute!)

A Teenage Boy Celebration of Epic Proportions

To celebrate Riley's 13th birthday, we picked up 4 of his great friends from his Deacon's quorum. Riley is very lucky to have a tremendous group of friends in our ward. They have literally grown up together. They are active in scouting and wonderful examples to each other.

We started the festivities with dinner at Culver's and a little gift opening. Donny, LeAnne and Zach were also able to join us!
After dinner we headed off to our favorite Executive Golf Course and played a fun 9 holes of golf. We reserved the last tee times of the day, so we were able to enjoy the course to ourselves and the boys seemed to have a great time. Riley loved the chance to try out his new clubs!


After golf we headed to McDs for an ice cream treat. The highlight of the day for me was driving all 5 boys home and listening to them sing Taylor Swift's Love Story at the top of their lungs. They knew every word! I love those boys, especially the one that 'belongs to me'.

Riley is a joy! I love that every morning I am awakened by the shower curtain when he climbs into the shower...he has always been a morning kid. I love the fact that he cannot help but touch every button in his reach. I love that he shares his secrets with me and still tells me he loves me as he leaves for school each morning. I love that he still sleeps with his stuffed 'Beanie' koala bear and likes to have the bathroom light on at night. I love that he has learned the power of prayer. I love that he plays the piano like a madman! I love that he wants good friends. I love that Riley makes good choices and tries hard to improve when he doesn't. I love that he forgives me for all my shortcomings as his mother. I love that he is turning 13 this week, although I can still remember how he felt in my arms the first time I held him.

I LOVE YOU, RILEY!

Tennis is for Gentlemen

I have heard Riley's tennis coach say "Tennis is a Gentleman's Sport" several times. It is refreshing for a mom to hear a coach trying to instill such good manners in young boys!


Riley has enjoyed his first season of playing tennis. In his final match today, it came down to a 2-2 set and a tie breaker game. Riley and his partner were about 1 inch away from the win, but failed to keep the volley inside the line. It was a great match!

Big Swimming Finish

Jamie and her friend Ana discussing the upcoming race,
notice Jamie is biting her fingernails...
that seems to be her nervous habit!

Ready for the 50m backstroke.

Ready for the 50m breaststroke.

Jamie finished off the swimming season with a couple 2nd place wins and another 1st place in the 50m freestyle. She has made great improvements this season!

Piano Recital

Piano Recital, May 2010

The kids with Mrs. Friend, our piano teacher extraordinaire!

Sidney played a duet with her Dad titled Just Like Dad by W.T. Skye Garcia. She had a great time learning and playing with Brent. Here is a little tidbit of her piece:

Jamie played Kaitlyn's Kook Kat by Carolyn Miller. Here is a little tidbit of her piece:

Riley played Bumble Boogie by Jack Fira. Here is the beginning of his 9 page piece:

Here is the ending of Bumble Boogie:

Riley the Percussionist

At Riley's band concert he got to play over 6 different instruments...the exciting role of a percussionist! It is so fun to hear how much his band has improved over the years, we were very impressed. It is also very exciting that he has grown a little taller and we can now see him over the rest of the musicians.

Catching Air

The annual 5th Grade Track and Field Day.

Jamie participated in the shuttle run, the standing long jump, the running long jump and the 800m medley relay. She had a great time despite the windy, cold day and especially loved the chance to hang out with her friends.

Here she is catching some air!

Reflections on Mother's Day

The day after Mother's Day, I was driving to the girls' school to volunteer in Sidney's class. As I approached the turn for the school's driveway, a mother duck and her 10 ducklings were crossing the road. I slowed and watched them for a few seconds. The ducklings waddled right behind the mother the whole way until they reached the curb. The mother stepped right up and continued on her way. The ducklings had a little harder time with the curb, but eventually each one made it over the curb and feel in line behind the mother.

What touched me the most about this experience was the mother duck's glance back at the curb to make sure that all the ducklings made it and had indeed fallen in step behind her once again. She did not stop, she did not go back to help them, she simply looked back and checked on them.

This is the stage of life I am in. I am past the point of holding my children's hands and walking them through every difficult climb. Rather, I am at the point of watching and checking to make sure they are choosing the right and staying on the path.

I love this stage and yet at the same time it scares me. I wonder if I have taught my children enough and pray that I will continue to have more experiences to teach them still. But really, they are on a course and I am a spectator for the most part. I am thrilled at each of their achievements and sad at each of their disappointments. I love Riley, Jamie and Sidney more with each day and promise most of all to always be their biggest cheerleader, best confidant and truest friend.

I am so grateful for the wonderful examples that were set before me. That of my mother, my mother-in-law and my amazing grandmothers. As I watch them in their different stages of life, it give me strength and courage to continue forward.

Spoiled on Mother's Day

The family spoiled me silly on Mother's Day this year.

It started with a trip to Gertens to pick out my favorite hanging plants and potted plants for my porch. I hope the family continues this tradition for years to come! I love it!

(Yes the plants were inside in these pictures, to cold this week to leave them out at night.)
Next I was treated to breakfast in bed and some wonderful home-made gifts from my children.

Sidney presented me with a hand made ceramic hanger, some coupons, hand made cards and an envelope full of hug coupons (these are even recyclable, they go right back in the envelope when I use them!).
Jamie presented me with some cards as well and this beautiful, heartfelt poem, which still makes my cry!

I learned to talk, you missed my quiet days.
I started to walk, you got me out of things.
I started wearing underwear, you potty trained me.
I went to preschool, you got me to go.
I started to ski, you watched me.
I went to a new school, you found me some friends.
I use electronics, you pay the bills.
I go to swim meets, you take me.
I make my clothes dirty, you wash them for me.
I eat dinner, you do the dishes.
I don't like school lunch, you pack me a cold lunch.
I need new clothes, you buy me clothes.
I need help, you are always there.

Riley even joined in the creativity and made me this great pop-up card.

It says:

Thank you for being there my 12 years of life. If theres anything you need just ask, and if I'm doing something, don't ask. Yes you have been there. You are the best Mom ever. Love your good side and bad side.

(Not quite as poetic as Jamie's, but heartfelt still the same. Written like a 13 year old boy and I love him for it! I especially love that he loves my bad side!)

The best treat of the day was driving to and from Church with my Husband and Best Friend. He canceled all meetings before church and it was fun to be with him for part of our Sabbath worship.

We fininshed of the day with this terrific dinner, prepared by my dear sweet family!
Yes, truly spoiled!

Catching Up!

Yes, it really has been almost 3 months since I have posted on this blog. I am now going to attempt to catch up. To prove just how behind I am ... my first catch up post is pictures of Jamie's winter band concert and we attended her Spring Band Concert last week. Sad, I know.

Anyway, here comes my attempt and it will probably just be lots of pics. You will have to click on the 'older posts' tab at the bottom to see all.

To all you faithful followers of my blog who have not given up on me yet...THANKS!

Bloomin'

Jamie's Spring Band Concert

Jamie's first year of band concluded this past week with the Spring Band Concert. The Acitivity Day girls came and enjoyed the concert with us. What a special treat and memory for Jamie and her friend Lauren.

Sidney's Narrating Debut

Sidney enjoyed her after school class called 'Showtime'. They prepared and rehearsed the play Three Billy Goats Gruff for several weeks before their performance. Sidney was thrilled with her role as one of the narrators and her teachers said she had never had such an animated and enthusiastic narrator!