Pinewood Derby 2011

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I'm the Cub master in my ward (I also teach in Relief Society and am co-chairing the Stake Creche and Ryan's the Young Mens President right now.)

I have only been the cub master for 3 months. I was a bit overly-ambitious and had the Scout Derby night be a ward activity. We had "pit stop" themed food. Hot Dogs, chips and fruit. Popcorn and Lemonade and the "finale" was cupcakes. (yes I made them all, but had lots of help from good families in the ward with set-up and popping all the corn!)

Each scout had to wear a pass to access the track.

Cars weighed in-

With an award certificate each boy got a "golden" trophy:

Finish line dessert table:

Tanner worked on his car 90% by himself- or at scout night. Ryan helped with the wheels and weight in the end. Tanner took first. I know people thought this thing was rigged ;). It wasn't.

(by the time boy #3 is in scouts I should have all this down!)

Easter 2011

Last year- I was big and pregnant and we were waiting for a base house.

This year, almost a year later, we are settled. And still struggle to take a picture with everyone happy.

Suckers helped some.

2 little girls plus my "6th" child.

Easter potluck with our neighbors.

And the bunny left big trucks for the little boys. Charlotte yells at them to push her around.

I'm just a jogger

I say a "jogger", because I'm a wannabe runner. It started when Charlotte was 6 weeks old, and I got on the scale. I said I needed to change. I started going to the gym at 9:30 at night. It seemed it was the only time I could get away from a nursing baby. I started out on a stationary bike, then moved to the treadmill. I ran a pathetic mile in 20 minutes. I am not an athlete. I worked on my diet, I asked my friend Lisa, a trainer, to help me get focused. Between a sprained ankle, throwing my back out, and several migraines I just pushed through.

I started losing weight. 35 pounds.

I started feeling stronger.

But mostly, I began to like to run.

I think the term "runner" is for someone that is better at it than me. I just call myself a jogger. Less pressure. I ran my first 6 am 5k and met my goal of 30 minutes by, 3 minutes less. I know it's just a 5 k. And I have no ambitions for anything more than a 10k. Oh, and to be able to do sit ups. I can't, and think my anatomy is broken (at least that's what I try to tell Lisa to agree too). I definitely have found to be true- that when I carve out time for me to excerise, my attitude and perspective is always better.

My favorite on the wall gym quote:

"The dedicate runner (or jogger) knows,

that the soul comes into

its own when it is confronted

with a challenge, when there are

difficulties, hardships, obstacles,

frustrations, heartaches, and pain

that cannot be shared with the outside world."

me, Lisa, Natalie (4 months pregnant), and Jessica

Tanner's 10th Birthday

The thing about Tanner turning ten marks not only that I'm in the tween years (almost) with him, but also marks my anniversary of staying home and tending our babies for 10 years. What can I say about these tender years?- that yes, they have been hard with crying babies, and tireless with sleep deprivation (for Ryan in residency and me with the babies), that potty training is not my favorite, that truthfully church with toddlers is not fun... but also that weaning Charlotte this month has made me cry. That I feel sad that I won't buy size 1 diapers. And that when I used the last of the baby Dreft Laundry soap I felt a bit of a longing for more. It's perplexing, us mothers can be, sometimes rushing to reach the next stage, and yet longing for the last.

I miss my Tanner baby. I found some video of him at 3 years singing to Ryan and I, and we both cried.

Tanner is my lego loving, creature acting, sometimes antagonizing, almost always the reason why the little kids laugh. He knows I feel bad if no one eats my dinners, and always tells me he likes my meals. I was having bouts of migraines that caused him to pray for me- and I heard his faithful prayers and my heart knew that he is far better than his Dad and I can teach him to be.

He's a stellar big brother- that knows he has to set the best example. In between his goofiness, that vein of goodness runs through him. He'll pull in neighbor trash cans, help the random kid at the park, and notices the bullies and it always bothers him. I think the few 8 or 9 years we have left with him at home will only continue to prove to Ryan and I that it does go fast and that we need to love them up, through the hard stages and all.

Tanner wanted an electric Razor Go-Cart. We told him it was too expensive and too dangerous.

The day of his birthday, another neighbor boy zipped through the streets on his. Tanner stopped and admired it and I told him again, not to get his hopes up. He said, "I know Mom. It's really expensive."

He opened some lazer tag guns, and then got a note with a string attached to it. He followed the string all over the house to the garage.

Where he found HIS Go-Cart.

He zipped everywhere until he crashed it into the curb and bent the frame. Such a bummer. Ryan banged it back, but he did shed quiet tears.

Grandma and Uncle Isacc came out for his BBQ lunch and birthday cake. His birthday fell on Easter this year, but we celebrated the day before.

Emma's 6th Birthday

Emma turned 6 April 14th- I know everyone says it- but it seemed like just yesterday she was my yellow baby that I went back to the hospital with. She has her Daddy's whole heart and attention and is turning into a good reader, enthusiastic babysitter (supervised of course). She's our performer during Family Home Evening and still loves cold cereal, just as she did when she was little. She does not like chocolate- and I have been known to make chocolate chip cookies for her without the chips.

She notices the little things I do, always wants to help and still is scared to swim... but we're working on it!

Treats to share with her kindergarten class:

This year was a family birthday party

She got an American Girl doll

Which Charlotte kissed on..

Landon's inside the packaging

A strawberry cake with fresh berries as requested (and I still postered the wall)

Love my Emma girl... she brings all of us such joy.

(I'm not so sure about having a "6th" child to dress and curl hair for. Emma tends to be impatient about the clothes and I have had to dress her doll in her ballet outfit so she can take her to dance too. And her school clothes. And her play clothes.)