Spring Concert

A couple of weeks ago Jeff and Mandi had their spring concert at the Christian school. Mandi is in the junior high choir and Jeff plays the acoustic and electric guitar in the 5th grade band.

This last Friday, Mandi's choir went to Corban College for a competition. Many different christian schools were there, including the one my husband went to and graduated from in '86, New Hope Christian School. Mandi saw some girls she knew from our days in G.P. when she was in preschool and kindergarten. They had so much fun and even got a -1. Hey, I have no idea what that means but it is good. My friend Amanda who has done these type of choir competitions in her youth assured me that any kind of 1 is good. They ended up taking home a trophy!

Here is a clip of the CCS choir! Mandy is the one with the black dress on. Oh wait, they all have black dresses on. Don't they look sharp? I still can't believe how fast she is growing up. I just love watching her sing. She has a smile that is so contagious. She has been told by friends that she smiles too much.

Last night she told me she was going to try and not smile as much! "What?" I said.

"That's crazy, because that smile is from God and it shows the joy you have."

I feel so sad when I hear her worrying about such things, I hope she doesn't pay too much attention to what others say and keeps being that happy, smiley, Mandi!!

Here is Jeff playing in the 5th grade worship band. Over this last year he has really taken to the guitar. He has mostly learned through the experience in the 5th grade band and also from the help of his close friend who takes lessons. We would love Jeff to be able to take lessons but they aren't in the budget right now. So for the time being, he works hard to progress in his learning and playing by seeking the help of those who are willing to take the time with him and by practicing lots!!

We Came, We Saw, We Conquered!!!! Mother's Day- Part 3

By now you'd think that I don't want to let Mother's Day go. I am definitely extending it as long as I can.


After church on Sunday we wanted to get out in the beautiful outdoors. All agreed that a hike would be a lot of fun. Plus, it got me out of the house and all the cleaning I didn't want to do that day. So we headed a few minutes Northeast from us to a Central Oregon paradise, Smith Rock.

We left the house at 3:00 and got there in just 15 mins. I feel like someplace this beautiful, this close to me should get more of my attention. This was my third hike there in almost four years.

We parked far away in the overflow parking. It was packed out! I remember son #1 commenting on how everyone had the same Mother's Day plan as us. We hiked down a side trail, not the chute, and made our way over the bridge to the hike sign. I had in mind to take a simple, not too treacherous hike by the river since we got a late start, but the children had other thoughts.
The sign read, Money Face 3/4,most difficult. And that is what they unanimously decided. So march on "uphill" we did. We hiked the Misery Ridge trail. I do want to say that my legs faired much better than the last time I did this 2 years ago with Michael. It's nice to know the exercise I have been doing has helped a lot!

We made it up to the top, where the view was "to die for". It wasn't the clearest day, but the mountains were still visible and so very beautiful. We goofed off at the top for longer than I wanted, but that was the point of the day right? To relax, have fun with the kids, and be outside. When it was time to go down, I was adamant about not going down that steep hill that got me up, but down was the only way. Something about going down a hill that steep just doesn't seem right to me.

By now it is 5:00 and the only other way down was to go the long way. I seriously didn't remember it being that steep. It was very slippery with my shoes that didn't have much traction and all the loose rock. I found myself on my rear a couple of times. Josh and Michael had the best hiking shoes and they had little trouble.

Alas, we made it to the bottom and followed the trail by the river back to the start. The start being the uphill hike back up to the parking lot called the "chute". By the time you do that long, Misery Ridge hike, an elevator is really what your looking for. I had a couple kids who sprinted up that and stood watching us from the top with their hands on their hips. Those youngins! I hope they appreciate their pain free joints, healthy heart now for it won't be long before they are feeling the pain in the knee and the pulse of the heart and have to stop and break every few steps.

Mandy wants to do this hike every weekend! She loved every moment. Jeff, he takes his hiking pack filled with all the essentials where ever he goes. He remembered the first aid, which we needed, and the water, which we needed, and the whistle, which we tried to take away from him. Josh, he just the energizer bunny. He keeps on going and going! Emma is a great little hiker who loves to to be first!! Her and Mandy were always racing.

I think if I were to do this again with them I would make sure we all had proper hiking shoes or a nice little hiking stick like many of the other hikers.

I am so thankful for this beautiful creation that God made. It sure does deserve a little more of our attention. Here are the pics to prove that we made it to the top and down again!!!

Mother's Day -Part 2

Below is a picture of my table full of the most precious, beautiful, handmade cards that my children made me for Mother's Day. I look at my sofa table, with the cards made with love, flowers bought with care and other sweet gifts and feel blessed, oh so blessed to be a Momma. A Momma to four wonderful blessings.



Here I am pictured with each precious child! Do any of them look like me?

Mother's Day 2009- Part 1

My Mother's Day officially started Saturday night. After Michael and I came home from putting an offer on a house. (I am not jumping for joy yet, because it is on a short sale.)The kids were waiting on the front porch all dressed up to take me out to dinner and the each had a flower in hand.

My oldest son not only bathed himself but bathed his little brother and dressed him in nice dinner attire. The funny thing was that they all matched me!! Did they plan that? I guess the theme was denim!

We went to Johnny Carino's and pigged out on delicious Italian food, I didn't hold back, and enjoyed every bite!! I even had leftovers the next day. The kids were so well behaved and it was a joy eating out with them. We don't go out to eat much so this was a huge treat, and, it wasn't McDonald's or pizza!

More Mother's Day fun coming in part 2.

I would like to thank blogging for helping me make MEMORIES!!

I am so glad for blogging because now I will be able to document the memories that are made. Whether it is day to day memories, thoughts that go through my head, the little things my kids do or big events like Mother's Day; I now have them documented! Can you give a shout out to blogging?! It has changed my life!!

Michael said just the other day that I am taking more pictures than I have ever taken. I was notorious for missing the moment because I didn't have my camera with me. Back in those days, I relied on my moms to take all the pics. Now the camera is usually with me wherever I go. I love capturing the moment and have enjoyed looking back at this last year. I started blogging a year ago and have captured so many great memories and thoughts.

I am hoping to get this first year put into a book. I have found a few different sites that will take my blog and put it into a memoir book. I have seen inexpensive all the way up to very expensive books. I just want something inexpensive that I can duplicate, one for each of my kids. I think this would be a wonderful gift to give them each year! Here are a couple of the sites that I have found. Blog 2 Print, bookemon, Lulu, Your Blog to a Book

Breakfast in Bed Always Welcomed!!

I woke up this morning, walked downstairs and found Emma crying and carrying on. She was rather upset by the fact that she couldn't make me breakfast in bed because Jeff told her that I was on a diet and wouldn't eat the food she was going to make for me.

At moments like these I get all choked up by the thoughtfulness and love my children show or want to show to me.

I never want any diet to get in the way of my children's desire to do something special for me. Especially if it's breakfast in bed!! I will gladly accept any breakfast given to me in bed and won't turn it away. In fact, I will believe wholeheartedly that it is calorie free because little, sweet, loving hands prepared it for me.

I told Emma that I would love breakfast! And in fact eggs and sausage is exactly what is on my diet!! A smile crept across her face and she happily ran off to make me breakfast.


I found this cartoon this morning. I have been guilty of saying "no you can't make a mess in the kitchen because I just cleaned it the night before". How little ones interpret these sort of things. Just like my diet and breakfast in bed.

I really don't know a mom who would or should turn down breakfast in bed. It happens so rarely we should embrace it whenever it comes our way- even on a diet or if it means there is a huge mess in the kitchen to clean up afterward.

The M.O.M. Awards

by Nancy Kennedy
"Humor for a Women's Heart"



It's Mother's Day. You down cold coffee and soggy toast, ooh and aah over plaster hand prints, and stifle a smile at the homemade card that reads: "Roses are red, vilits are blue, moms are nice, and I am too. Happy Mudder's day moM."

Next you clean up the coffee spills and help your kids find clean socks. You empty the litter box and start a load of wash.

Now you're in church. You maneuver your kids into their seats, separating the kicker from the kickee and the bulletin grabbers from one another. It's time to recognize mothers of distinction. The pastor asks the oldest mother to stand. She gets a round of applause and a carnation. Next, the newest mother is asked to stand. She would if she could, but she's in the crying room...crying with her newborn. (Her carnation gets stuffed inside her diaper bag.) Finally, the mother with the most children is asked to rise. She gets a standing ovation.

Then there's everyone else, including you. You're not the oldest, newest or mostest. You've done nothing to earn recognition, and you wonder if anyone even knows you exist. For that reason the prestigious Mothers of Merit (M.O.M.) Award were created for all the ordinary moms like you and me.

At this year's M.O.M. Awards ceremony, in the "How Does She Do It?" category, the first Mommy goes to you moms who simultaneously nurse you babies, stir cake batter, talk on the phone, wipe up grape juice with you feet and monitor homework.

Nest is the "Only a Mother Would" category. This Mommy is for all of you who suck the salt off French fries before feeding them to your toddlers and consider a good day one in which you get to brush you hair and your teeth. You who regularly give the meatier pieces of the chicken to your husbands and kids- this Mommy's for you.

The Mommy for the dubious "I'm Turning Into My Mother" category is awarded to all of you who have ever said or done anything just like your mothers. This includes: 1.Saying, "I have a bone to pick with you"; 2. Tsk-tsking and finger wagging (preferable at the same time); or 3. Giving "the look."

The final Mommy in the "Is This All There Is to Life?" category goes to all of you who feel overwhelmed by the mundane tasks that make up your lives, who continually spill out your lives for your young ones, who willingly put your dreams on the shelf to serve your God by tying shoelaces and wiping backsides and runny noses. Along with this Mommy, you will receive strength for your tasks, purpose for you lives, grace to continue and the satisfaction of knowing your service in the Lord is never in vain.

Happy Mudder's Day.