Easter Sunday

What a beautiful Easter Sunday it has been. Today when I came out of my dungeon (what I affectionately call my office downstairs), the sun was shining and the birds were singing!
I know I am biased but I think my kids looked so adorable in their little Easter outfits. And the best part about it is that they were thrift store specials~Jasmine's dress was $4! So was her sweater, and Shayden's shirt. That makes it 10 times better for me, because I am weird like that. I also made Jasmine's bows, and she is always asking me if I made things with my own hands and I am always disappointing her by saying "no, I bought them at the store," so this time I was able to say yes!

We went to family dinner at my sister's house and the kids did their traditional Easter egg hunt for the kids. So what they lacked yesterday, they made up for today, let me tell you. I think the kids said they hid like 120 or so eggs! It was crazy. But the cousins are so sweet to take the time and do this each year.



I have to blog about my Guatemala skirt that I wore today. It is so special to me because it was my one big purchase while I was there and I haven't worn it in the whole 5 months that we have been back. I saw it one day at the market and fell in love with it but wasn't quite sure. Then the last day that we were there, I hadn't found another one that I loved more, so I begged my dad to take me back to the market and it was still there! They don't mass produce things like this, so I was lucky that it was there since it was the only one. I love it.

This is the greatest picture ever that Jonas took. Aren't they adorable?

My first missionary experience

About 3 months ago the missionaries approached us and asked to do a little lesson in our home. They said that they were meeting with all the leaders of the auxiliaries to teach a lesson on the Restoration and to find out if we knew of anyone in the area who could be taught. At this time Jonas had started teaching the young men in our ward and he told them of a boy that had been to a few activities and had wonderful questions about the gospel. We gave them that name and one other, and they were on their way. A month of so later, we got a visit from new missionaries now, who were wondering about this family. They asked if we would still be willing to help teach this boy, Jesus, if he was interested. We said yes of course, and that we could have the discussions at our home if they wanted. Well, that got the ball rolling into the first missionary experience that I have ever had. I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into. I have prayed for an experience like this and I am so grateful that I was finally able to go through this wonderful process.


Turns out that Jesus' mom Cristina also wanted the discussions! The only problem is that she only speaks Spanish and Jesus does not want to go to a Spanish speaking branch, so the only option was for me to translate everything. This has been such a trial for me as my Spanish is fine, but not excellent, and then translation is another story. It is very difficult to do. But I really have felt the spirit of the Lord helping me as I do this. There was one particular Sunday that was really special. It was fast Sunday and people were bearing their testimonies and I just felt like everything said was just what she needed to hear and it was so easy to translate, like the words just flowed out of my mouth with ease. It was hard to contain the tears and after a while I stopped trying.



Jonas was right about Jesus. From the beginning he amazed us with his desire to learn. He is at a difficult age (11) and I hope he can get through the trials of peer pressure and bad influences, etc. At the very first meeting, he told us that he loved his mom so much and all his life he just wanted to make her happy. How sweet is that? Well as time went on it became apparent that he was doing that very thing, because if it wasn't for him, we may not have found his mother. And now she has the tools to be happy forever.



So it has been a pretty amazing couple of months as we have all seen the light that has started to burn more brightly within them, what a wonderful thing to be a part of. Yesterday was the Baptism, and it was such a spiritual experience. Jesus' cousin Andrea was also able to be baptized with them as she turned 8 last year. I was able to give the talk on Baptism and translate for the rest of the time. It was wonderful.

Easter Saturday

I'm not sure what to call this day, I think last year I called it Spring Day, but the Saturday before Easter is when we do all the Easter Bunny/secular holiday stuff. This is so that we can leave the religious, sacred (more important) part of the holiday for Easter Sunday.

So yesterday morning the kids woke up and surprisingly enough, they didn't ask anything about the bunny, treats, nothing. I guess I downplayed the importance of this enough. So they were totally taken off guard to find thier baskets filled and on the doorstep! Inside were things that were no big deal like those sours candies that Shayden loves, and a little dress up skirt that I bought Jasmine in Boston like a year ago. But they loved it, of course.

Then we went to this park that was having an Easter egg hunt but we didn't make it in time because it was further than we thought, but the kids still got to get their faces painted. Shayden was spiderman and Jasmine was Mariposa butterfly. They were so excited about this that they forgot all about the candy. Luckily we still had one more egg hunt on the agenda, the Barnes and Noble has a cute little storytime and hunt for the kids. So they did get to do it after all.
Then we went to eat at Carl's Jr and the kids played in the playland and it was nice to have Jonas with us for a change. It is usually me running around with the kids.

Then we went home to get ready for the baptism which I will write about later, and later, later, we tried to make the Easter Story cookies. Last year I did this really big Easter week thing where we had a little devotional every night about what was happening in Christ's life the last week of it. I really wanted to make this a yearly tradition but this year with St. Patricks Day and Easter so close together, it all just snuck up on me and I didn't get around to it.

So last night, this was my attempt at still incorporating the true meaning of Easter. The only problem is that they didn't work! Last year they worked perfectly and this year they flopped! Well I still put them in the oven and went through the motions so the kids could hear the story. We will have to try again another time. Or maybe not. There is always next year right?

Here is a picture of last years cookies:

Spring Break 2008

The first day of spring break was Thursday but since I work all day on Thursday we didn't really get to do anything special or fun. I was going to move my work day to Tuesday this week, but then Leah and her family came to see us and we all would rather play with them of course!

So Friday morning Jasmine still went to preschool while Shay and I ran errands and then we met our friends at the local Artic Circle playland to have lunch and play. It was nice to talk to my friend Nicole as I hardly ever see her, even though we live in the same neighborhood practically. Then later we went to see the Easter bunny at the mall since I have been a slacker mom this year and hadn't taken them yet. Not that I even like the whole Easter bunny tradition that much. I can't stand that for a lot of kids it is like Christmas all over again with all the toys, and I don't like that all these whimsical characters get all the credit for everything.

Okay off of my soap box.

The whole way in the car Jasmine was like "I love the Easter bunny, I can't wait to see him, I'm gonna hug'm!" And this before we even talked about the bunny bringing her anything at all. But just as I suspected, as we approached the bunny, her anxiety began to rise. She started to really tense up as soon as she saw him. I knew she wouldn't sit on his lap. So I forced her to anyway. Just kidding, I wouldn't do that :). It did make me sad though that I only got a picture of Shayden, but I didn't make a big deal out of it. For some reason any character in costume scares Jasmine. The ironic thing about this is that she has always preferred stuffed animals over dolls, so I would think she would love this live size fluffy versions of animals! But she doesn't. Oh well. At least she sat on Santa's lap for Christmas.

They did get these cute little bunny ears to wear though, and Shayden insisted I wear them too! Can you picture the three of us hopping down the mall with these on? Nope, that didn't happen either, but the kids did do it. We all had a good time.

Then we went home, I did Jasmine's hair for the big weekend and I took them to Babysitting Club. I was able to get some more last minute shopping done for their outfits on Sunday, (which I can't wait to see them in!).

The Wizard of Oz

Last night the kids and I drove down to Kaysville with my parents to see my cute little niece in her school's play. She was the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz and she did an awesome job!

Fuzell Shoes

Shayden's invention for first grade. This was our first really big project this year. It was kind of a headache thinking of what to invent but we both came up with this idea together.

One of the mom's that was there said that he got up to show the class when it was his turn and he said "Presenting, Fuzell shoes, by Shayden...!" so loudly and with conviction. That didn't surprise me at all as Shayden does everything with a lot of passion. He is a very clever little boy and he does surprise me with his wit and smarts all the time. I am so proud to be his mom.

One Fun Day

My wonderful friend Leah (that lives in Idaho) came for a quick one day visit on Tuesday!In the morning I met her at the Red Lion Hotel where they stayed the night before and Leah and I just did our hair and talked and primped while the kids watched the Disney channel. It was so fun. We were supposed to go swimming but turns out the pool was an outdoor pool. Too cold for that. Bummer. Then we went to the Main Library downtown and played there for a good while. We read books and the kids played on the computers while we talked. After that we went home to get ready for Josh's (Leah's husband) birthday celebration, we basically just sang to him over donuts and danish. But they went out to eat at an Indian restaurant and I stayed and watched all the kids who just played happily. You should have seen the boys, the minute Shayden came home from school he was off and the boys played for 4 hours strait. The girls weren't as enthusiastic about playing together but they are definately improving. I say they will be good friends down the road.
When they got back they had to go and the day ended all too quickly!

But it was fun while it lasted.

Jen's Wedding!

One of my favorite people got married yesterday. She was so graceful and beautiful she looked like she could be a bride for a living. The day went so perfectly, in the morning we all feared rain or even snow but it held off for all the picture taking at the temple and everything! It was overcast, so a bit chilly, but I bet her pictures are going to turn out beautifully, not only because of that, but because she happens to be the most photogenic person I know!
The temple ceremony was so touching, when I saw her face for the first time she was so lit up! I couldn't believe the sealer talked about ancestors, and how there were there in that very room with us, at that point there were a lot of tears because Jen had just lost her grandmother one month prior, and they were so close. The don't think the sealer knew that.
The luncheon was gorgeous and we got to catch up with a lot of good friends I hadn't seen for so long, it was awesome.
Our friend Susan make the wedding cake! She is not a professional cake maker but after this she better make her business cards.

It was all so beautiful and I am so happy for my cute little Jenny. Her and Brandon will be so happy together, and they will live so close to us, we will be able to see each other often I hope.

Successful Mothering Convention

I forgot to post about the wonderful mother's conference I went to on March 1st. This is my 3rd year going and it was a bit different this year as the managment of it changed hands, but I still got so much valuable information. There is something about being at a conference where everyone has some commonality, that lifts your spirits and gives you motivation to be better. Plus this year, I got to go with my lovely sister Li, and we bonded all day! It was such a fun sister's day and I am reminded of how lucky I am that we live so close to each other. We are nine years apart and we are opposites on so many things it is funny, but we are still such good friends.
We got 2 different kinds of massages, got to try all sorts of new products, entered lot's of cool contests and of course went to some pretty amazing classes. I think my favorite one was the one about marriage, the speaker was very captivating.
When we got there in the morning it was a bit windy but when we left to go home it was a blizzard! I feared for my life the whole way home.
I took my camara so that I could get a pictures of us together outside the building but this is all I got~the two of us silly and freezing in her car! And it is the best one I could get, I tried a bunch of times. It was so funny.

phew!

I had to post that about a week ago I finished the rest of the Twilight series, I can't wait for the movie and the 4th book to come out!

Because We Sing!

My friend Jen has been raving about this men's choir led by Marrilee Webb, so last Christmas I gave Jonas the news that I had joined him since I knew he would never do it out of his own accord. He says he can't really sing, but I know otherwise.

And even though he wasn't able to go to a lot of the practices, it ended up being a really powerful experience and at the performance in the assembly hall a couple of weeks ago, they sounded pretty amazing!

Here he is lookin' pretty sharp with Jen's fiance Brandon:

They did an oompa loompa dance that was a hit (especially with Shayden)!

~and check out the CD cover that Jen designed herself~she is awesome!