A Piano Trio

Here are my three oldest at their piano recital on Saturday, June 4th. I love that they can all play.

Royal Wedding

A very English spread:
We enjoyed homemade crumpets with butter and choice of strawberry or peach preserves, yummy maple pecan scones, and apple-cinnamon herbal tea. All served on china with linens---too fun!

I took the opportunity on April 29, 2011 to again watch a royal wedding with my mother, Bonnie. As recorded below in my journal from 1981 on July 29th I wrote:

"Mom woke me up at 3:15 (yes that was am---no DVR back then!) to watch the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana (I spelled it Dinana). We didn't turn the t.v. off tell (I meant until) 11:00 in the morning."

This time I invited my mom up to sleep in the guest room and at 5am we began watching our DVR recorded coverage of the wedding.

It was a girls only party at first shared with my daughters Madelyn and Alyssa and a neighbor friend, Alyssa G. (Nothing like commenting on hats and dresses, while sipping apple tea in the early morning hours with your mom and daughters to make a fun memory!) As my other kids woke up they joined the fun. By the time William and Kate kissed on the balcony my whole crew was enjoying the pomp and circumstance of it all. By 9am the school kids were all off and we began our day.

Joshua Is Getting Baptized

Here is my stunningly handsome son in his new suit. Proud Mom moment, yes. He is preparing to be baptized this Saturday. We took these pictures of him at the Mount Timpanogos Temple.


I am so thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that when we are baptized we are following the example of our Savior. When we are baptized we are making a covenant with our Heavenly Father to keep his commandments and remember Christ. In turn Heavenly Father promises that the Holy Ghost can be with us. Though young, an eight year old child knows right and wrong and can choose to follow Christ. When I read this scripture (verses 7-11) http://scriptures.lds.org/mosiah/18 to Josh about the commitments that come along with baptism, he was so excited and so willing. His firm "yes" to the questions I posed to him touched my heart.

Recent Happenings

Madelyn is loving percussion in the junior high band. She is the highest rank in beginning percussion and even farther along than some of the students in advanced percussion. Here is a picture of her at the marimba on the elementary school tour. The band instructor had anyone in the audience who knew a band member to go stand by them---Maddie was surrounded by elementary student friends and siblings.I am a wolf den leader and Josh is one of our newest cubs! I got to place his neckerchief on him at his first pack meeting. I am so thankful I have this opportunity to serve and be with my boy.

I am a new aunt again. This is me holding little Curtis Ryan. I love, love these little ones who arrive to experience mortality. There is nothing so sweet. Congrats Colby and Jamie.

Mike earned his black belt in Jujitsu! This event really needs a complete post to itself for all the hard work over the past eight years that Mike has put in. I am so pleased he accomplished this goal. He will continue to train and learn more in this martial art form.

Josh on his 8th birthday. He asked me to make a red velvet cake. Yum. Can't believe he has reached this milestone.

In the Irish Spirit

For lack of enough St. Patrick's Day decorations to spread throughout the house, I made this page and framed it for the mantel downstairs. Cost: free with all my supplies and frame. I did purchase a few cute wooden shamrocks for a shelf upstairs this year. A little here and a little there each year helps to build the holiday collection.

Last night the kids were busy building a leprechaun trap---surely it would work this year! They were so excited. A leprechaun did come and he sprinkled green glitter all around and even left a box of Lucky Charms cereal (which Joshua ate as an after school snack)---but that sneaky leprechaun was not caught! He tricked us again.

A green breakfast this morning to start the day: Green scrambled eggs and ham, green cake batter pancakes, kiwi lime smoothies.

Two of my lucky, little green leprechauns that I hung out with today.

Baking Pillsbury Shamrock cookies with Josie. The kids love these easy cookies as a snack for special days of the year. Hope you had the luck of the Irish smilin' on you today!

Playtime at Our House

Sweet Chelsea at 7 months old. Love her, love her, love her!

Together in Bern---Swiss Day 6

We were together today---yea! We had breakfast together and then left Lausanne by train for Bern. The day we went to the temple, we were not able to explore the old city. So, we chose to do that today.

It was really nice walking the streets and going at a slower pace. We saw lots of churches, towers and fountains in the old part of the city. Because it was Saturday they also had the outdoor market in one of the squares. I love those markets. The only thing that kills me is that I do not have a kitchen here to bring the food home to and enjoy cooking it. So here are a few pics from our day.

Mike on Marktgasse (Market Street.)

This is the Zytglogge. It is the central clock tower in Bern, it is hundreds of years old.

Interior and exterior of the Munster church (tallest spire in Switzerland.)

I enjoyed these street waffles in Geneva, and Mike got to try them with me today---so yummy!

We also found chocolate sold by the slab (as big or small as you like) like we did in Luzern last trip. So many different types to choose from! I tried some with pink peppercorns and it was good. What isn't good surrounded in swiss chocolate? We have several pounds of chocolates that we are bringing chocolate home.

We made it safely to the Zurich airport and hotel connected to it. There is also a mall shopping area in the airport. I had potatoes and sausage for dinner there from SwissWurst.

Home tomorrow!!!!!