Past few days...

On Friday we went to the last gymnastics meet of the season--BYU vs. Utah. So much fun! Tami and Kevin and their family came with us (their birthday presents). As you can see , Tami and Kevin were sporting BYU attire, but they sent their kids in red. Mike and I cheered for the red girls (but loved them all)!

On Saturday, Abby stayed with G & G Wessman as well as Bekah and Lance while Mike and I went skiing. It was a great day (but my legs are still sore).




On Sunday, we attended the baby blessing of Tim and Katie's baby, Kalyn. It was a very nice afternoon!

Abby is busy as ever! I'll keep my sore skiing legs moving by chasing her around all day:)

Victory!

Mike gave a great talk in church yesterday. He talked about victories. We all have victories in our lives--small and large--but the greatest victory in the history of the world was celebrated yesterday. Jesus Christ rose from the grave and through this most miraculous of events, ALL of us will be resurrected and live again after this life. Also, through His suffering, Christ gained victory over the spiritual death that faces all of us--His brothers and sisters--through sin. Only through Jesus Christ are we able to gain eternal life. What joy to know that we can live eternally with our dear families and our Father in Heaven and Elder Brother, Jesus Christ!

Mike and I join with Christians throughout the world in proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ and that it is only through His marvelous Atonement that we can be saved. Oh, how we love, worship and express our profound thanks to Him!
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. John 14:27

Dress and pony tails

Books

As I mentioned a couple posts ago, I set a goal to read all the Newbery award winning books. It'll take a couple years, but should be fun. I wanted a good way to track my progress and not trusting myself to keep track of a list that I can cross off, I started another blog just for fun. Mainly it is for me to remember which books I've read, but if you're interested, you're welcome to look at it.

Lots of eggs

Today Abby participated in her first (two) Easter egg hunt(s). The Easter bunny visited last night so she had to search for eggs in the living room. (The only problem was that she felt that the chocolate already in the basket was enough. Why would I need plastic eggs, she thought? Once we convinced her that the eggs would only add to the stash of sugar, she was on board.)

At 9 am we attended the neighborhood egg hunt/potluck breakfast. Lots of fun. I kind of felt for the kids (although they probably didn't care) picking up the eggs covered with frost on them.

Abigail Stuff

So I know that many of you are much more interested in what Abby is up to than my mindless babblings...sorry I haven't posted pictures of her for a bit. Here are some cute ones:

Abby thinks that playing with dad's hat is pretty fun...she looks really cute!

The other day my friend, Jill, and I took Abby and her daughter Madeleine to Wheeler Farm. The kids had a good time and Abby really thought that driving the tractor was great! Unfortunately, my shutter didn't capture the real moment, but you can take my word for it!

The other day Mike helped with the nursery during the Relief Society birthday party. Abby discovered the little slide. She is pretty fearless! She could climb up it and send herself down it all on her own. Pretty fun!

Going through some things in the basement the other day, I came across the baby swing. For fun I set it up and let Abby go for a ride. (Sorry about the basement lighting.) She said "wheee" the whole time. (Cute!) We left it set up for a while and she is very proficient and climbing in and out. I am itching to buy some fun outside toys for the good weather--like a little slide or swing!

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh

My neighbors, Cheree, told me that she and her husband (avid readers) have set a goal to read all of the Newbery books. (I think that there are ~85 of them now.) She said that they were past the halfway mark. I liked the idea so, while still trying to keep up with two book clubs, I'm reading Newberys. I've only read about 16 so far (but I'm not counting it if I really don't remember it even though I think I've read it). Today I finished Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I have had this book on my shelf for years, but, sadly, I hadn't read it. (Well, I suppose I still haven't because I listened to it on CD.) Loved it!!!

Here are a couple ideas. I don't think I revealed any major spoilers...

Mrs. Frisby is a mother who gains courage to do the impossible in order to save her sick child. She is willing to take dangerous journeys out of desperation to the owl, across the farmyard (passing the cat) and eventually to an unlikely friendship with a colony of rats. I continue to be amazed--now that I am a mother--at what I am willing to do for the benefit of my baby. Oftentimes it is mundane, but we just do it because they need us and rely on us. I couldn't help but love Mrs. Frisby for the mother that she was.

The Rats of NIMH were former lab rats that had learned to read, reason and live in a rather civilized manner. At one stage of their escape from NIMH, the leader, Nicodemus, comments that they'd never be able to return to their former life as rats living in the dump. They were new creatures because of the knowledge they had gained. I couldn't help but think of people as we are growing and maturing throughout our lives (especially within the gospel) that we really do become new people. As the Bible says, we are born again. And we could never return to the lives that we had left behind--all because we know that there is such a "better world" (Ether 12:4).

My last thought (and I wish I had good quotes for all of these, but listening to the CDs and then trying to go back and find certain quotes in the book--doesn't work too well): At one point in their "training", Nicodemus realizes that rats are typically hated because they steal from others. Rats scavenge (steal) food and the Rats of NIMH have set up a colony and even in their "enlightened state" they are stealing electricity, food, seeds and running water from the nearby farm house. Nicodemus and the others establish a plan to live self-sufficiently. I love the idea of people (or rats, I suppose) doing all in their power to support themselves and their families. It takes a lot of effort and perhaps there are easy ways to let someone else take care of you, but the self-respect and the skills that come from self sufficiency are irreplaceable.

I am sure that the idea of this book seems a bit silly, but I was amazed at what I took away from it!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our anniversary. It's been 4 years but seems like a lot longer (and I mean that in a very good way). It's hard to imagine life without our little family! I thought I'd share our "story" in honor of this day:

We met at a stake singles ward Family Home Evening (July 28, 2003). We were both attending University of Utah singles wards. It was a square dance. Mike saw me and asked me to dance. Later he came over and talked to me and got my phone number. I thought he seemed like a nice young guy, but really didn't think a lot about it. He called me the next day, but I was gone for three days (he probably didn't expect me to call back) before I called back. We went out for the first time on August 8th (dinner and donut falls with his former roommate and his girlfriend who it turned out I knew). I had a lot of fun (more than I expected) but it wasn't until our second date (two days later to a fireside) that I decided this was something to pursue. He invited me to a "group" assassination game up at the U that week and I actually invited him to go to St. George with some friends and I that weekend. Amazingly, he agreed to come, but I scared him a bit when I was a bit nervous driving down and had some problems with "speed control". (Later in the trip we ran out of gas on the freeway--whoops!) Anyway, he still liked me.
We decided to get married late September/early October (speedy) and got officially engaged on December 26th. We were at my parents cabin and went on a snowmobile ride. It was snowing. Mike stopped and suggested we take a picture. He set the timer on the camera and proposed. Fun!
We got married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on March 12, 2004. We had a reception the following day at my parents' church in Sandy and then left on our honeymoon to Tahiti/Moorea. Amazing place!! We had an open house in Idaho Falls the weekend we returned.
Here we are 4 years later. Life is great and it gets better every year. Mike is the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I love being married to him!

Tagged

It's been a while, but I am back. Amber tagged me so here it goes...

A-Attached or Single: Attached - eternally:) to Mike; during the day, often physically to Abby
B-Best Friend: Mike
C-Cake or Pie: definitely pie - preferably, cream
D-Day of Choice: Friday evening through Sunday
E-Essential Item: a book
F-Favorite TV Show: The Office and American Idol
G-Gummie Bears or Worms: Bears (my dad used to bring the yummy Haribo ones home from Germany to us)
H-Hometown: born in Del Rio, TX; raised in Sandy; residing in Murray
I-Indulgence: so many to choose from...love hot fudge sundaes or anything peanut buttery
J-January or July: July, even though my b-day is in January--love summertime, playing outside and seeing the neighborhood outside a lot
K-Kids: Hope and Abby
L-Life is incomplete without: Mike and Abby, church
M-Marriage Date: March 12, 2004
N-Number of Siblings: 3 younger sisters and 1 younger brother
O-Oranges or Apples: oranges
P-Phobias or Fears: car accidents
Q-Quote: "If I don't know it's time to grow"
R-Reason to Smile: Abby learning to talk and walk and everything else!
T-Tag: anyone who feels so inclined - it's kind of fun
U-Unknown fact about me: when I was a teenager, my family took a few trips overseas on big military planes and we rested in the "boom pod" under the plane with a window that looks straight down to refuel the smaller jets - pretty fun!
V-Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: love the meat
W-Worst Habit: well, I am sure I won't tell you all the worst, but I am really good at starting the laundry on Monday and not getting it folded until sometime on Saturday:) I have worse ones, but too prideful to share
X-X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds - they oftentimes come with cute little people
Y-Your Favorite Food: roast and potatoes
Z-Your Zodiac: Capricorn