Family Photos 2012

Spring break this week and a chance to do something as a family before we all went our separate ways. I thought we would throw together some family photos. We had them scheduled to take them the week that my Dad died hence they did not happen. So literally, I went shopping on Monday morning with some of the kids. (We decided on Sunday evening to do them Monday night). I loved what we picked out! I love the brighter colors when put up next to the bright green of the lawns this time of year!

Our impromptu photographer, Val, was funny and kept us in stitches! Thanks Val! There was a lot of goofy-ness going on and a lot of smiles and laughter. I was grateful. There are so many of these photos that I love! And I am looking forward to hanging them on my wall. I am getting a big one done in canvas! I can't wait!


I love this smile on Megan! It is totally her!


Josh showing off his buffness!







I love Tessa's eye in this one.

First to Fly!

Josh had his Eagle Court of Honor last Sunday evening. It was an awesome court of honor. On Saturday I had him get in full uniform so I could get an official photo for the display at the court of honor. This is one of my favorites.



All Eagle scouts are given a pin for each of their parents. This is the photo of Josh pinning the mom pin on my sash that holds all of the pins he has ever gotten. I think the look I am giving him tells how I feel about that moment.



After he is awarded his award, he then has a moment to give a mentor pin or pins to those who helped inspire him. He gave three such awards out. One of them was to his father. Alan was quite shocked and emotional to be receiving one.



This is right after he pinned the parents pins on.



And this is the family plus my cousin Quinn and his son Christian who came to support Josh. Quinn loves to tease my kids as is evident in the second photo! Thanks for coming to be with our family for the evening!

Winning the Lottery!

Lottery you say? Yes the Educational lottery! Josh got word today that he has been accepted to BYU in Provo, Utah. Now to top that news we just need to hear that the Track and Field Coach wants him to join the team up there! :) However, in light of receiving this news, my heart is tugged in another direction as I realize he will have to live in Provo to attend school there. Which means he has to LEAVE me behind! Not only that, Tessa is looking into moving in with one of her teammates. So there is quite the possibility that I will have two children moving out within 6 months. :( That is cutting our family down by a third and cutting the amount of children in half! AAAGGGHHH! I am going to have to stew over this for awhile. I am not sure I am liking this situation which is strange for me.

I have always celebrated the new experiences my children are going to have i.e.. kindergarten, first day of school every year, junior high, etc. But this graduating and leaving my home has got me mourning the whole situation. What am I going to do without their humor and their hugs? And the many other things they do that make up my life as a mother? I will always have in the back of my mind that there is someone missing! and Two someones! I guess letting them go is the whole reason you teach them to tie their own shoes and make their beds. To iron their shirts and do their own laundry. I just can't help but thinking, have I taught them enough to DO on their own what they will have to DO to DO IT! The time for teaching is nearly over and the days of keeping my mouth shut as they make their own decisions about their lives is about to begin. I pray I have done ENOUGH teaching for them to DO IT!

Marvel Morp

Josh was asked to go to MORP. The theme was Marvel MORP. Dressing up as a Marvel comic was the objective. Some of the kids next door just put on matching tee-shirts with Superman, Batman, or Captain Marvel logos on them. Josh wanted to do something even better than that. Josh can grow facial hair at quite a rapid rate. So he decided to grow out his wiskers and hair and become Wolverine! Here is what he looked like.




This one is my favorite! I put it on facebook and one of the comments from my nephew was "Hugh Jackman, is that you?" I love the way this photo turned out. After taking this photo we colored his "chops" with some black spray and you can see them in the next photo.



This is his date Courtney. She went as storm. My flash takes away the intensity of her eyes. I wish you could have seen them yourself.



I am amazed at what creative children I have. And pretty daring at that. I am sure he would have gotten the most look alike award had they given any out.

Today after church, Josh asked if I would give him a hair cut and buzz his "chops" off. He looks so much cleaner without all that red hair on his face. :)

Sushi

Okay, I know I am a little strange. Call me sheltered or underprivileged or something, but I had never had Sushi until I met Alan and not until we had been married 10 years! Now 20 years into this marriage, I can honestly say that I finally will go with him and have Sushi. It really is an acquired taste. it has taken me awhile to like it and now there are some days I crave it. So...why is it that there are some things in your life that take you so long to "get it" or "like it". What are some of the things that you have grown to like? Or something that you have been introduced to that now you love?

New Year Family Fun!

Yesterday (January 4 2012) Alan decided that we needed to get out of the house and do something together instead of sitting around all day or going to a movie. He suggested a family hike! Tessa wasn't feeling very well so she stayed home. But the rest of us got into the car and took off to Usery Pass to hike up the Wind Caves trail. Josh decided to run up them. It is about a mile up and it was breezy up at the top. It is a gorgeous view. I highly recommend it. I was glad we went.

Christmas Decorations

There is something about decorating my house for Christmas that brings the holiday cheer. I love the lights and the garlands and the ornaments (as you have seen in a previous post). I remember staring at the lights on our tree when i was a little girl. They were colored and I use to sit in the dark and watch them on the tree and their reflection in the glass windows we had in the room. You could say I was fascinated. I still am. There is something special about the lights. I also love the smells at Christmas time. The pine smell from a newly cut tree or wreath, and the cinnamons and the berries. And the music singing reminders of home and family. And it doesn't hurt to hear those yummy voices we all love to hear singing those favorite songs either.



I love the little reminders around the house that bring to me the spirit of Christmas. I have over 15 little standing Nativities that I put up in different locations through the house and I have a complete tree dedicated to anything important to the Christ Child's birth. Baby, Mother, Father, Wise men, Shepards, and the star. I even have special lights that I place on the Nativity tree. They are called "Rice Lights" Very small and they do all sorts of different lighting variations. They stay on, or twinkle, or fade in and out, and several other lighting tricks. I love to sit and watch them fade gently in an out. I can sit for a very long time just looking and thinking, especially if the house is quiet.



It is a little crazy to get it all out and put it up, but I love the way it looks when I am all done. Christmas is my favorite time of year!