WAY TO GO GIRLS! and Kendy's Wedding :)

Ellie took some awesome shots of our beautiful flowers blooming around the yard... I swear... we just can't get enough of them!! The big pink peonies have been incredible!!! Love!

Ellie had her Dance festival last week! it was so cute! It's a terrible shot, but she is on the left with the orange bandana... she had a blast doing a square dance and dancing to Footloose with her whole grade! It was super fun!

Lindsey knocked down THREE awards at the 9th grade awards ceremony! Way to go Linds! We were super proud of her! She got an award for being on the HIGH HONOR ROLL, ACADEMIC ATHLETIC AWARD (for  having over a 3.7 and being on the track team), and the department award for VISUAL ARTS! :)SWEET!!! Her photography teacher picked her as the best 9th grade student in photography and she got an honorable mention for her photo of a red robin in the art show!! :) Lindsey worked so hard all year on her grades, orchestra, photography and running... even through some pretty major injuries! Great job!

Ellie did AMAZING at the ROCK THE BLOCK 5K at her school! She ran the whole way, never stopped once and got an amazing time of 38 minutes! Way to go Ellie!! Loved that she was there with her cousin Tom. So great!!! 

Katie rocked the 8th grade awards with the ACADEMIC ATHLETE AWARD (for having over a 3.7 GPA, being on the honor roll, and running track) and THE DEPARTMENT AWARD FOR PERFORMING ARTS!!! She was so surprised to get this award! Her orchestra teacher picked her for the best 8th grade orchestra student!! AWESOME!!! :) We were so proud of her!! She worked so hard on her grades this year, nailed orchestra, track, choir, and drama this year!! How cool is that?

KENDY AND AUSTINS WEDDING May 26, 2012

 Kendy's wedding!!! It was a beautiful day! So happy for Kendy and Austin!! We loved being able to be there and be a part of it. Kendy was a beautiful bride. So hard to believe this little girl who was Matt's best bud at the Villa is all grown up and married!! LOVE HER!! Congratulations!

End of school year piano recital and concerts

Ellie had her Spring piano recital and NAILED it! :) She did a great job!! Lindsey and Katie had their final orchestra concert the same night at the same time... and Dave was in Japan... So I kind of had to run from one place to another, and luckily made it to see both --they were so good! Kind of sad... Lindsey's very last orchestra concert, since she isn't going to be able to fit orchestra into her schedule next year at HS... Katie is excited to go on to Chamber orchestra next year! Yea! She tried out and made it!!! :) woot! woot! Last night was Katie's choir concert. Although singing isn't really our family's forte, she really enjoyed learning more about singing in the Oak Canyon Women's choir :) p.s. Special thanks to Grandma G for making it to ALL of these events!! :)

I ask myself....What kind of person am I?

I am sorry if my posts are getting a little too introspective... but oh well.
I went to a funeral today for a patient of mine. I only had this man as a patient for 4 months, but he really touched my life. It's amazing to me that you can so rapidly tell a person's character and the core of who they are in such a short time. This man, Andy, was profoundly grateful, incredibly positive and happy. His funeral today made me cry and touched me on so many levels it was amazing. I want to be a person that is remembered for loving others, serving unselfishly, being positive, being grateful, being a true friend, thinking the best of people. I have a long way to go, I know. But today I am asking myself, WHAT KIND OF PERSON AM I? What do I really stand for? How do I show what I believe? What will I be remembered for?
Fear, self doubt, human weakness and even laziness hold us back from living up to our true potential. I want to conquer those things and rise above to be the person I was born to be!!!
I love feeling inspired by good people. Andy didn't know how much he truly inspired me. What a great example.

GRATITUDE

Lately I have been thinking so much about gratitude...  Every single day there are so many things around us reminding us of Heavenly Father's love for us. Even during our most painful trials, if we are looking, we can see evidence of how he cares for us. I have to admit that during those rough patches sometimes it is hard to feel grateful. Dave has always been so good to be mindful of blessings when I have lost my perspective. I have learned so much from him about being grateful.  
My greatest blessings have never been monetary. My greatest blessings are not the THINGS in my life. They never will be. My greatest blessings are, and always have been my family, especially my sweet husband and my beautiful children, my testimony, and the peace I have knowing who I am and why I am here.


I love this scripture: "He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" D&C 78:19


I am grateful for both the trying times in my life and the times of peace and calm. I know that without the harder times I would not appreciate so fully the sweet quiet times. I am coming to understand that the times of trial really are blessings in disguise in our lives.

It's just that I really have come to a deeper understanding of this principle of opposition in all things. I am grateful for the Lord's wisdom, for His hand in my life, and for the many, many countless blessings I have enjoyed throughout my whole life. I love the Savior. Life is good. I love my life and am thankful for it. 

Ellie's last soccer game and Lindsey goes to Alpine Days :)

We've been busy this Spring with the girls in track and soccer and have been lovin every minute of it! :) They all worked hard and had a lot of fun! They will miss it now that their seasons are over!

 Ellie scored 2 goals this season! Her FIRST season!! She did great!!! Here she is in action at her last game!

Lindsey qualified to go to Alpine Days (a regional track meet) and even though she was so nervous about it she did much better than she thought she would! We are so proud of her! She and Katie have worked so hard in track this Spring and have become better runners for sure! :)

YARD WORK!!

Spring has Sprung!!!! We are in full blown yard work mode... something our kids don't enjoy quite as much as we do.. hahah!! They haven't grown up enjoying much of a yard in Vegas, so this is something new for them!! :) Dave and I think it's a little slice of heaven on earth! :) Seriously, we LOVE being out working in the yard... we are old foggies at heart, it's our recreation. LOL.

Dave hauling a load of stuff to our mulch pile

Lindsey mowing the lawn :)

Look at this awesome Hawthorne tree in full bloom!! :) It's a gorgeous tree all year round.

Katie after weeding this entire flower bed, now spreading bark over it :) She looks thrilled, eh?

Our garden!! PEAS!! :) Yea! We have beets and onions, one pepper and some red potatoes planted too... next week TOMATOES!! :)

Katie and Dave smiling after a job well done!! :)