Friends

I have a group of friends I grew up with. Some of my first memories are with these girls, playing with them, walking to our first day of school together. I know that I am where I am today because of these girls and I like to think I was an example to some of them as well. I am having them over tonight for a "girls night in" so I wanted to write down some of the memories I have of them:
Mrs. Mitchell's kindergarten class * birthday parties * playing between my house and Stephanie's house all of the time when we were kids (and telling our moms we did not have lunch yet so we'd get 2 lunches in one day) * slumber parties (remember watching Watcher in the Woods at Candi's house? That movie freaked me out!) * wishing I had red hair like Heidi because she looked like Strawberry Shortcake * going to the bathroom after lunch in 3rd grade while Charlene brushed her teeth because she had braces * Jackie's Ugly Shop in Mr. Graff's class * all of those Primary activities * Young Women activities * our HUGE Beehive class * all those years of girls camp (Erin and Candi were with me when they made the 1st years go to to different wards...remember all the rain and hail that year? And then the drama in our tent our 2nd year...the best had to be when we were Jr. Staff together!) * going toilet papering * our first day at middle school (Stephanie, Charlene and I went to a different school...and then when Michelle moved into the neighborhood) * the drama at sleepovers (I think Steph Webb always fell asleep first) * all of the fights we'd get into and then the rest of the girls trying to get the ones fighting to make up * Spring Mountain Ranch and watching the musicals at Erin's house before we went to the play * cheerleading with Jackie and Stephanie *going to the mall with Jackie and her trying to teach me how to flirt....I don't know if I ever got the hang of it * Erin's yellow Submarine and ditching at LVA with her and Heidi * driving Heidi to school once I got my licence (sorry Erin but you were always late!) * going to the movies with Erin at the last minute and missing the first part of most of the movies * swimming at Stephanie's and Charlene's houses * sitting in my room with Charlene and Michelle and doing our personal progress books (remember the story we wrote that Sis. Robb made us read at Mutual?) * singing, always singing (children's choir, Melody Movers, the Christmas concert and a million other time we sang together.....I won't bring up seminary graduation!) * the bike ride up to the temple * reading The Babysitter's Club with Stephanie * all of us graduating and going off to college (or staying home and being alone that first year - that was me!) * being roommates with Stephanie (it's true what they say about being roommates with your best friend - be we got over it and it's all good now) * and a million other little things.
Thanks for all of the good times girls!

The Remodel - Part 2

Today Dave and my dad got started working on the remodel for the upstairs. We have a loft upstairs that we have been using as Logan's sleeping area and we're going to turn it into Trevor and Colin's new room so Logan can have their old room. I want the new room for the 2 older boys so we can paint it the way they want and do a really good closet with organizers so they don't have to have too much furniture in their room. Trevor keeps telling me he wants "one of those up beds" in his new room (a bunk bed) and he wants to sleep on the top. It will be fun to watch the progress but my favorite part will be painting, getting the closet done, finding cute curtains and wall decorations....all of the fun stuff. We bought this house 4 years ago so it's been fun putting our personal touch into each room and changing things around to meet our needs. I love thinking of our boys growing up here and how we can do what we want to make it a home we love. Hopefully one of these days I'll get to blog about my new kitchen!

Little Readers

I was looking through Trevor's school folder today when I read a note from his teaching saying it was Reading Week. I told Trevor we'd have to read lots of books this week at home and he'd read lots at school. Trevor ran into the playroom and came back with some books. He said he wanted to look at them all by himself. Colin joined him on the couch and started looking at one of the books and then Logan came along. Trevor told me to go get Logan some baby books. I put Logan on the couch with his brothers and all three started looking through their books. It was too cute a scene to not run and get my camera. Maybe I can show them this picture one day when they are teenagers complaining about reading a book for English class. I can show them that they used to love books.

I was looking through some of Logan's baby pictures today when I found one of him with his Great-great grandma. I realized I had one of each boy with her. When I was growing up it was a normal thing to have lots of grandparents and great grandparents. I think today though, it's unusual that my children have 2 sets of grandparents, 3 great grandmas, 1 great grandpa, and 2 great-great grandmas (both just turned 99). A few weeks ago we went to my nephew's baptism. My parents were there, my dad's parents were there and my dad's grandma was there. All of my dad's

grandchildren were there as well. We got a picture of all of us because we wondered when we'd all be together again to get it done. I know I need to go and visit them more often and let my kids get to know them better. I love sitting with my grandma and hearing her stories. Whenever I talk to her she helps me to remember what is most important and she always tells me what a good mom I am. She always says exactly what I need to hear and she teaches me something about how to love my family because of the way she loves her family. I think my kids realize how special they are to have so many grandparents. One Thanksgiving Trevor looked around the room and said, "Mom, I have 5 grandmas here!" I'm so glad we have extended family that live so close. Dave's sister was in Vegas this past weekend and we got to see her and her kids for an hour or so. Sometimes Dave's parents or sister and her husband will come to town on business and we'll get to spend time with them. When I was newly pregnant with Logan Dave's family traveled here and then we all drove to Utah for a family reunion. We met people we were related to but didn't know. Dave's dad loves to do genealogy and it's so fun to see how far back our family goes, how we're related to so many different people. Just looking at these three pictures of my Great grandma holding my boys makes me see how important family is and how we need to take more time to sit and listen and learn from the ones who have lessons to teach us because of what they've already experienced.