More finds in the Camera!!

I have just completed two of the busiest months of my life...
whew!! A few pictures of the festivities...

Our easter 'peep' show...

Tanner before he performed at the annual Hip Hop recital,
they were Wandering Clowns and won 1st in all of their competitions
this year...it was a really cool dance...

Dale & Keaton just before Father & Sons, I should say
SON because the others were overbooked and couldn't go...

Tanner won the talent show at his school this year,
he & this young lady did an awesome ballroom dance to
"King of Anything" (they even got a standing ovation, which says
alot coming from middle schoolers!)...

Shay's 18th birthday ice cream bash, with 40 of
his closest friends...

And of course, graduation....

The 2nd annual 'burn all of our homework' party...

And the group at Disneyland for Senior trip...

Wow, I might need a nap!

(Baylee and Keaton were along for the ride as well but somehow managed to stay out of most of the pictures)
The goal for summer: RELAX!!!

One for the journal...

Because I don't keep a regular journal, this will have to suffice... (I might brag for a minute so bear with me)

A few weeks ago, Tanner walked in front of his entire school, sat down at the piano and played and sang to screaming fans, a mash up of several popular songs. He was in the final round of his schools 'Thunder Idol' competition and his performance was awesome. I was a proud mom.

This year, Shay is on the 'just announced' Region Champ Desert Hills basketball team. The other night he drained the 3 point shot that won the game in overtime. I was a proud mom.

But it's times like these that REALLY make a mama proud...

I dropped off Tanner, alone to watch another schools production of the Miracle Worker.

I said, "Tanner, are you sure you want to go alone?"

He replied, "Yeah, I am sure that I will find a friend there."

Just as he was getting out of the car, he saw Maddie and Macy, two sisters that go to his school and just happen to have downs syndrome.

They saw him, came running and gave him a big hug.

Tanner walked off with them....one arm around Maddie and one arm around Macy.

About a year ago, a cute girl encouraged Shay to come help at Special Needs mutual with her. He has been going every week since then. He has formed a great friendship with two boys in particular. Last night was their annual road show. It was all about happiness. My otherwise reserved son danced and sang to Walking on Sunshine to a packed house at the High School.

My kids are getting it, through the example of some great friends, they are getting it.

I was an inspired mom.

Well, no wonder...

I have found the solution to the problem. I have been looking at things the wrong way. This morning, after a grueling PowerSculpt class at the gym, the instructor said,

"Good Job, have a great day and stay away from the sugar!"

Funny...I had been thinking that because I worked so hard I should go home and reward myself.

Hey! Look what I found in my camera...

one of the blessings of the calling...baseball, (and one cute kid)...

fun at the lake...

if Baylee's personality could be captured on film,
this is what it would look like...

kid's quilt retreat, those girls are getting good...

swim camp, Baylee trying to earn enough money for
an ipod touch...

trip to Park City with the Larsen's...

annual Cinco de mayo party...

broken wrist, biking at young men's...

hip-hop dance recital...

there's an update...whew, I barely remembered how to do that!

Changes...

Last week, I watched my 8th grader kiss a girl and tell her that he loved her...
he was acting, but still...

Yesterday, I went to the maturation assembly with Baylee...
(which, I must say, was rather cheesy, especially when they said
"Once you get things figured out, you'll hardly notice anything different"
to which I wanted to say,
"LIES!!! It's miserable and you notice it every month......BUT, it's worth it.")

Today I am going to the high school to sign my child up to take the ACT test...
yes, ladies and gentlemen, that means college...

Little Snippets of Joy...

After a week of children throwing up, fevers, EXTREMELY bloody noses, leaking roofs, installed carpet that wasn't quite right and a paint finish that was REALLY not right, I figured it was time for some snippets of joy...

*Desert Hills beat Pine View in probably the most exciting basketball game I have ever been to.
(hence, the extremely bloody nose)

*After church yesterday, my children, in support of their Dad, went straight to their rooms and changed into their Saints attire & sat & watched his beloved team win the game that will take them to the SuperBowl for the first time in 43 years. (I don't care if the offense was weak or if Brett Favre threw a crazy interception....a win is a win and the SAINTS are going to the SuperBowl!!) WHO DAT!!

*Watching Tanner & Baylee, who quite frankly spend most of their time fighting, sit down together & cheer each other on as they got to another stage in Super Mario Brothers.

*Keaton asking me if he could get a facebook account. ??? Are you kidding me? He's 6 and just learning how to read. I had a good laugh though.

*Getting a call from my 'bff', informing me of a new Jane Austen mini-series on PBS.

*After a long, taxing week, sitting down with a bowl of Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream and watching that very Jane Austen mini-series on PBS.

Signs that maybe I might be going crazy...

Apart from the fact that I have nearly given up blogging altogether and that I haven't cleaned my house in over a month...

this is the reason I believe that I have finally gotten too much on my plate...

The other day, having a rare moment at home, I thought I should cook dinner. I went to the fridge/freezer and thought "mmmm, I don't think I remember how to do that." Which led me to my second thought, "WOW...just how long has it been since I have done that?" Which led me to my third thought, "just exactly what has my family been eating since I did that?"

Fast forward to today, when I actually prepared dinner...a simple chicken & rice casserole. Easy enough, right?

When I went to pull it out of the top oven 2 hours later, I was horrified to find that I had turned on the bottom oven instead. Can you say "what do you want on your sandwich?"

Crazy indeed...pure loco.