February fun...part1

This month has been filled with lots of activities and fun. Our ward had a Chilli cookoff fundraiser for the YW and Scouts. Britt donated a service of making cards and Jay took mint brownie bites to auction. While our family was enjoying FOOD FOLKS and FUN on the inside there were a few scheming SCOUTS outside having fun TP'ing the inside and outside of my car....that's where the fun really begins!!! A few days after my car was innocently attacked (ya right this is me we're talking about) the youth in our stake had a dance...I had arranged to attack the rooms of the two GUILTY young men. Britt was a very willing helper. I had arranged to do it as soon as the boys left for the dance so that I wouldn't be too late to the dance and arouse suspicion...

I enlisted the help of my talented sister in writing a poem about the adventure and taped it to each YM door...

This is Britt probably enjoying herself a little too much attacking Jordan's room
This is a picture of Nathan's completed sabotaged room...when we got to the dance the boys were teasing me that they had gotten me a few times and I hadn't done anything to them. I failed to mention above that on Tuesday after a RS meeting I came out only to find that my car had been SERAN WRAPPED...no problem I recycle :-) While at the dance and being teased constantly that I "suck" and that my "coolness" level had dropped I pulled out my camera and said "you guys want to see what I did tonight..." the boys went ash in the face and were totally shocked. It was a priceless moment and my "coolness" level was elevated once again(at least I like to think so) This has been too fun and it's only just begun wait 'til part 2...

We had a 3 ward New Beginnings this year and it was sooo much fun. We had the theme "GO FOR THE GOLD"...being that the new VALUE added of virute is gold we thought we'd have and OLYMPIC theme. We asked each girl to dress in one of the value colors and then had appointed individuals to carry a "value flag" each girl wearing the said color marched behind that flag (much like the olympics and the countries carrying their flags) while the girls were marching in we had the olympic theme music playing...I was really surprised at how much this touched me...it was pretty amazing.

Britt wore one of her favorite colors GREEN which represents KNOWLEDGE. All of the girls sang the song Let Virture Garnish Thy Thoughts Unceasingly. It was a great night. We then had a Laurel from each ward introduce the Beehives that had come in this year while a slide show(that I put together...pat myself on the back) played with random slides of each Beehive.

This is a picture of our Chilli cook off...the YW sang a few camp songs and then passed out the auctioned off desserts to the highest bidder! This is a fun tradition in our ward!

After the cook off a couple in our ward had asked for a few youth to come and wash dishes from a dinner party of 52 people...not many of the youth were very excited so I volunteered Britt and Jay (and the rest of our family) to go and wash dishes. It took us a couple of hours and each of the kids earned money to go towards Girls Camp and Scout Camp. We got invited to go and have dinner with this family the next day and REALLY enjoyed spending time with them and getting to know them better. It was a fun filled evening...I love hanging out with people!

Stay tuned...our February adventures are just beginning!!!

Life is good...

There is a song that has the line..." I said all that to say all this..." My last post some might have thought I was complaining...in reality I wasn't. I love that my life is soooo busy! I recently read in my kids school newsletter the quote" Communities have the schools they deserve" I couldn't agree more. I think that philosophy applies to everything in our lives. Wayne and I are very blessed to live in such a wonderful community for our schools and for our church activities. The caliber of people in this community make going above and beyond truly a pleasure! Our programs show how amazing this community really is...I am privileged to be among them!!! This is a picture of the MP room decorated and crowded with people at Noodles & Notes

Here are a few with those in my life who make it all worth while and truthfully make it possible!!! Wayne was on sauce and meatball duty! He was such a help to me through out this whole ordeal. In the middle of the evening I needed more dollar bills for the auction tables and he ran QUICKLY to the store for me!! Thank you! Thank you, to my wonderful husband and family!!!

Here is a lovely picture of my SUPER TROUPER girls. I have video from this night, I need to take the time and post it on my blog...IT'S HILARIOUS!!!

My sweet sister flew into town for ONE day just to see Britt in her play. It was the day that the cast did it 3 times in a row (once for each grade level) Anne bought Britt lunch and an adorable ELEPHANT holding a "clover"! It was so fun to have her be able to come. I don't want my parents to feel bad...they came on opening week and saw Britt perform. I will do a post all about that weekend later...I have lots to blog about!

My life is great, I love being so involved and I would do all of it again and again and again!!! The kids are totally worth it!!!

A week in the life of me...

Why is it that all the things you agree to do always end up in the same week? This seems to be a pattern for me. Last week was such a crazy week, I vowed to never say yes to anything again...that only lasted until Saturday when the Stake called me to do Dance Festival...AAAHHH! Okay, so I'm just going to spell out my week for all of you. Maybe you all could share your craziness too.

SUNDAY- Church 1-4, first YCL meeting 4:30-5:30, Dinner...prepare and eat 5:45-6:30ish, freshen up to be to the Bishops for Youth Discussion meeting by 7:00, Home by 8:45 read emails to only be reminded that I have the "around the world" presentation in Ally's class on Monday.

MONDAY- Up by 6am to guard from 7:30-8:30, Email/call Ben & Tyler for ideas for class presentation on Ecuador & Peru. (thanks for all your help boys) round up all souvenirs from Ecuador & Peru, put together slide show of pictures, call Wayne to pick up 20 Ecuador bananas, Take Britt shopping as promised because she didn't have school 12:00, eat lunch pick up all presentation stuff & Wayne from home drive to Ally's school by 1:50. The presentation went great! Guard from 2:30-3:30, drive home get kids on task of SNACK, CHORES, HOMEWORK, Piano student 4-4:30...Breath, check emails and send out emails to all Noodles & Notes chair people. Dinner, FHE, bedtime for Ally, watch 24, check emails again, go to bed!!!

TUESDAY- Up by 6 am to guard again, Go to Britt's school to pick up all pre-order Noodles & Notes tickets payments. Firm up all plans for Noodles & Notes, contact Dianna & Brenda to practice for RS Broadway Night, Laundry and housework, facebook, help Dad with Blog (not a bother at all) Guard from 2:30-3:30, Snack, chores, homework again, Piano students from 3:45-4:45, Be to Consumer Research for Clorox by 5:00, be a product tester from 5-7, drive to bank to deposit just earned funds, home...breath and then check emails for Noodles & Notes info, send email or call all MiaMaids to bring their cameras to YW on Wednesday! Relax go to bed!

WEDNESDAY- Late day...YAY! Up by 7am to guard from 8:30-9:30, meet Super Trouper girls at 10am to practice our number for RS Broadway night, YW presidency meeting at 11:30...sorry I was late because the Amador appreciation catering team showed up at the Stake Center so I got there at 11:45, Go directly from presidency meeting to guard from 2:30-3:30, Snack Chores, homework again, Piano students from 4-5, tidy up the house do laundry, help with unfinished homework and fix dinner, find my camera manual, try to get cute and head off to YW 7:30 (have to drive to Dublin so we met at 7:10 to carpool) Enjoy the photography class with my MiaMaids, drive home all YW 9:00, deliver music to Sister Bishop (stake RS pres) for musical number on Thursday! Check in on Raffle wrapping committee, to see if all raffle packages are ready to go for Friday Night Noodles & Notes, Help Britt finish HW, get all kids in bed! Emails, sort through all Noodles & Notes shtuff!!! Bed! After I typed all this I remembered that Britt actually had to be to the church at 6:45 to practice the Beehive number for the RS Broadway night!

THURSDAY- Up by 6am to guard from 7:30-8:30, go to HPMS to collect more pre-order tickets, alphabetize all pre-order ticket stuff so it's ready to go on Friday night, make final to do list for Noodles & Notes, gather up costume stuff for RS Broadway night, 1:00 meet Super Trouper girls to have final practice, guard from 2:30-3:30, snack chores homework (every day) piano students from 4-5, Dinner prep, confirm with Wayne that he'll be home with Jay & Ally so Britt and I can go peacefully to the RS Broadway Night, Iron shirt and pants for Super Trouper number, glam up the make-up and hair, help Britt with her costume & make-up, head over to the stake center by 6:30, RS Broadway night 7-9, Drive beehives and friends home, help Britt with HW! Answer phone calls and emails about Noodles & Notes, facebook :) change laundry head off to bed. I tried to be in bed every night by midnight!

FRIDAY- Up by 6 to guard from 7:30-8:30- come home take a shower, Britt is home with the teenage sickness of just being too tired so I tried to give her a little TLC, Head to pick up last minute things for Noodles & Notes...I had to pick up some envelopes, trash bags, tickets for the raffle, and get change for tickets and bake sale tables! Check in on Britt load up all Noodles & Notes stuff , go to the High school to pick up coffee pots then head off to guard from 2:30-3:30, drive straight from guarding to the Middle school to set up for Noodles & Notes, Leave Jay in the kitchen with Robb Gibbs who is the chef for Noodles & Notes, (luckily Ally went to a friends house so I didn't have to entertain her as I was running around) Tell all committee chairs what needs to happen and where they need to be, get tables and ticket boxes ready and labeled with signs that I had made earlier, Noodles & Notes is scheduled from 6-8, while setting up the power at the middle school goes out from 5-5:45...surprisingly I didn't freak out, it was out of my control...I had done my part and was ready to go, POWER FINALLY, head up ticket lines and tell volunteers where they should be...run around crazy from station to station, I actually did get to eat and enjoy the raffle! Clean-up head home PARTY because Noodles & Notes is OVER!!!!

SATURDAY- sleep until I wake up...about 8:30! Clean and organize my severely neglected house! Prepare my YW lesson for Sunday!

For those of you who don't know Noodles & Notes is the middle schools biggest fundraiser. Last year I was the c0-chair and this year it was all me! I will NEVER do it again. I will always help, but I'll do like the bake sale or decorations. It's just to much for little ol' me! It was successful, we raised a lot of money for the music departments, but I'm glad it's over. We've had meetings since September so I am looking forward to all those free nights!

Just for Ben...

I am the Sorensen Bowl champion!!! I am awesome at Fantasy Footbal!!! For those of you that aren't in my family...For the past 3 years my siblings have had a Fantasy Football tourney. I'm pretty much clueless at the whole football thing, but every year I have been in the finals and finished in the top 3. I was pretty thrilled with that! This year I WON!!! I was the champ! I was thrilled! My oldest brother had a trophy made that has been to each year's winners house and this year it gets to sit on my bookshelf. I hope it stays there for lots of years to come! I am the first girl to win the title, so I am very pleased! My son helped me a lot and we studied up on each of my players. I am even excited that the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!

Lots of Holiday Cheer...

Our Christmas season was anything but dull and boring. We had party after party and concert after concert. I loved every minute of it!!!Britt is in 8th grade this year. She again is in choir. She also tried out and made Select ensemble. This is the first year with a new teacher and she made the kids try out, where in years past it was just an option for those who really liked to sing. She made it and is one of 6 girls in this group. For their winter concert 2 of the 6 were unable to sing so Britt sang in this quartet. She was really nervous and she kept telling us..."we suck, this is going to be so embarrassing...yadda yadda"...I was BLOWN away at how awesome they were. My daughter...man she plays me!!! They were truly amazing. I couldn't believe the sound that these 4 girls made. They're only 13! WOW! (i'm not just being a proud mom either!!!)
Below is a picture of the regular choir of 7th and 8th graders. Britt is in the middle with her cute pig-tails!

Every year our Stake puts on a live Nativity for the community. Bro. Hoxie has farm animals and everything. We also have a bell choir that performs every year. This year Wayne and Jay were invited to be the Inn Keeper and the Inn Keepers son. Jay had a blast. I personal think my husbands beard makes him look Arabic. (he's since shaved) It was fun to see them dressed up and deliver their lines PERFECTLY!!! (yes Tristan, I have a few pictures if you want them)This is the gym at Jay's school all decked out for the 5th grade luncheon. This is where Jay was Santa with Sienna.

Jay and Jaclyn smiling big just for me. They were so cute, they could see me way in the back taking pictures so the spontaneously stood up and gave me a CHEESE right before their concert started. I must take a lot of pictures or something...I LOL and snapped away!

Last year Jay tried the Viola, and it didn't really take. I think because he didn't love his teacher which makes or breaks it in my opinion. This year he went out for band, and is LOVING playing the trombone.

Britt was invited to a party the same night that Wayne and I had a party. Being that both parties were hosted by members of our Ward, I suggested to the ladies at my party that we go and carol to the kids' party. (most of us had kids attending) The kids were SHOCKED to see who was singing when they opened the door. It was very fun!!! I'm glad my daughter wasn't horrified with embarrassment when she saw me. (some of the other kids weren't thrilled) Britt thought it was great! I'm glad she still likes to have me around :)

This is our matchy molly Santa picture. There was a photographer taking pictures so the actual picture is better than this candid shot. LOVE IT!!! I still have lots of pictures to post so, please keep checking back! MORE TO COME...

Back online...

I'm back online!!! All of our data is okay too! I was worried, but it's all good! We had a great Christmas season. I would have been really sad if I had lost all of the pictures that were on there.
Little miss attitude...Ally modeling her scarf that she helped me make. She also made one for her teacher as a gift. We had a great time making gingerbread houses during her class party.
Jay is always up for an adventure. Sienna is a girl in his class and she had asked Jay the day before the big 5th grade luncheon to dress up as Santa. Jay didn't mention this to me he just asked if I would help him put together a Santa outfit. When I got to school and saw Sienna, I told her how cute she looked and she said "pleeease tell me Jay is dressed up too?" I said "he is!" She was so relieved! So fun!!!
Britt showing off her final choice on a dress for the 8th grade Christmas Dance. I had so much fun with Britt trying on dresses and looking for shoes.
This is Wayne's Sunday School class. He teaches the 13 and 14 year olds. I got to substitute for him a couple Sunday's in a row and I had so much fun with these guys. They all know their gospel and they are just discovering that they don't have cooties after all!
Breakfast with Santa is a tradition in our neighborhood. This year I did the "molly" thing and made my kids wear matching scarves. I thought they looked adorable.

Stephen came to town for one night and invited us out to dinner. We had a lot of fun visiting and eating. I was grateful he called us. It was a fun surprise!!! Next time I told him he had to bring his wife and maybe Paxton!!!

NO COMPUTER

A few days ago our computer crashed. We're waiting for the verdict to see if our data can be retrieved...keep your fingers crossed!
I'm glad that Wayne is handy and dug out our old computer for me to have something.
I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season!