This is the end...

My heart has been pounding all day. My little Trace is leaving me for a world of big yellow school buses and white paste. I can't believe how time flies. We all use that expression, but that's because its true. So to you mom's out there with one baby on your hip, a dirty shirt on and another baby clinging to your leg, stop. Just stop and sit down on the floor with them and love them, cause as we know, time really does fly, and before you know it they will be waving to you from the window of the big yellow school bus. I love you Butter, and I miss you already!

Maybe wickedness really is happiness...

In the Book of Mormon, Alma ch. 41:10 it reads... "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness."

Last Saturday we went to Greg's family reunion at Lagoon. It was my first opportunity to experience the ride "Wicked". Love love loved it. If you haven't you really should try it. And if you have, you know that it is deliciously wicked. And of course, if you have been anywhere on the planet you have heard of "Wicked". You know the little musical that tells the wicked witch of the west's side of the story from the Wizard of Oz. If you haven't seen it and don't have plans to, well then I probably can't be your friend anymore. It is fabulous and a must see, with a great twist. So really if I have to choose I might be swayed?!!?!

Farewell to "Tina"

The Salt Lake County Fair and Gage's first year in 4-H has come to an end. Gage spent hours and hours working with his sheep at the farm, breaking it to lead, practicing how to show it in front of the judge, feeding and jumping his lamb. Not to mention 4-H meetings and trainings, service projects, and a portfolio. It has been an awesome experience for him, and for me as well. It has been great for Gage and I to have some time together, and because we were both rookies we learned a lot together too. I think if you have the oppertunity every kid should try this at least once. There are great lessons to be learned when you are responsible for another living thing. Things are a little obscure in the beginning, not knowing what needs to be done and when. Then when you get to the fair, you just commit your whole week to hanging out there to do whatever might need to be done.

Then the big day arrives. Nerves are high, sponsors are locked in and your little boy is at the mercy of the judge and a lamb that may or may not behave no matter the amount of training he put in. Its a sweet little victory when as the rookie, he places 2nd in his group in market (how good your lamb is) and is invited back to the star class, and 3rd in his group in showmanship (how well you handle yourself and the lamb).

Then comes the auction. From the beginning you know this animal is being raised not as a pet, but as an animal that will go to the packer to be slaughtered. I warned Gage against naming him. Which he unaffectionately did anyway, "Tina" (because it was as stubborn as Napolean Dynamite's Llama.) But somewhere along the way I didn't take my own advice. I fell in love with the farm and the stupid sheep, and after we cleaned out pens tonight and marked them and sent them away it was hard to hold back the tears I knew were bound to come all week, I just expected them to come from Gage. When we got home tonight I sent Gage in to get ready for bed and I had a cry in my car. I told Greg earlier today that I felt bad knowing the lamb's fate and he told me that I wasn't a very good farmer. And well, he's right. Gage on the other hand did his job and when I asked if he said goodbye to it he said "Yes, and I told it not to be so stubborn in heaven." If that isn't his dad's matter-of -fact out look on life I couldn't give you a better example.

Who could have known all the lessons we would learn in 4 1/2 months.

Lights, camera and we're back in action!

Hi everyone! I decided to catch up for the whole year, well most of it all on one blog. Hopefully I still have someone out there who cares...

If you had any question, this is why Greg and I don't take our kids out to dinner. The blue and gold scout banquet is about as fancy as we get.

Gage getting his Wolf at the blue and gold banquet.

Happy Bday Dr. Seuss! Aspen's class did everything Dr. Seuss. The lunch ladies even got involved and the kids ate green eggs and ham at lunch. Yum!

Say cheese! Somebody got braces! What was I thinking? Noone told me it was going to be a year of canker sores and an hour of flossing each night, O.K. Greg did try to warn me, I just didn't believe him.

Happy St. Patty's Day to all. We had a great time at Mumsie and Papa's house. There was everything green to be had, and even some gold, and it wouldn't have been complete without the leprechaun village.

Papa, Mumsie, Trace, Gage and Aspen making "loot bags" for all the gold left behind by some little leprechauns.

Trace all decked out in his St. Patty's Day wear.

Leapin' Leaners and lowtops was really fun this year. Its Larry Miller's charity dinner with all the Jazz players, yummy food and a silent auction. Me with Coach Sloan.

Greg in his proud moment of winning the Dew Tour tickets in the silent auction. Skate or die, dude.
April Fools! Trace and I made tiny "hamburgers" out of vanilla wafers, mint patties, red and yellow frosting and green coconut. They were fun and a hit to leave around the neighborhood, with a note saying we made "dinner" for them.

Unlike some people who have uplifting packets for their kids this is what we do at our house during general conference. For the record we did the packets too, (thanks for always posting those Annie)

We all know the story of "The Little Red Hen", well Aspen will be the only one allowed to eat anything out of our garden this year. She was such a good little planter, now if only I remember to water consistantly we should have some yummy veggies!

Aspen and I decided to try purple carrots this year...stay tuned to see how they turn out!

Soo, its humbling to walk through a sea of people at the gateway and to know that they are all there to support people like me. Some of my family and I participated in the MS walk. It was huge, there was tons of support and I was soo proud of my kids who walked 3 miles for me.

Gage came up with "The Clementines" for our MS walk team name. He sported this t shirt and he and Trace had orange hair for the event.

Top left: New cousin-in-law Landon, Mom, cousin Lexie, aunt Terrie, Dad, cousin Ben, mother-in-law Lou-Lou, Me, Aspen, Grandpa Jim, Trace, sister Ashlee, and Gage

Aspen the hula girl

Gage is the hula champ of the South Jordan Elementary's 3rd grade class. Care to challenge him. I wouldn't. His teacher finally told him to stop after like 5 minutes. Go Gage!

Trace plays for the Reds this year in baseball. He is playing machine pitch and loving every minute of it. It was bad when we had a bunch of rainouts at the begining, I quit telling him when the games were until I was positive we we're playing because he would get soo disappointed.

Trace getting some good advice from dad who helped out as 3rd base coach.

Notice the dirty pants? Trace doesn't understand that there is another option besides sliding into home plate.

Trace my multi-sport kid just tested for his yellow belt. The good thing about Tae Kwon Do is that it is an indoor sport (so I won't freeze while watching him in the winter) and Master Kwon has done an excellent job of teaching him respect for his parents! (love that!)

Trace thought the rose was a little silly that he got along with his new yellow belt, so he used it as a prop for his antics as Aspen watched from her seat hoping he would give it to her.

Switching from white, to yellow.

Serious business.

Our first zoo trip of the season. I usually by a pass and then wonder why I'm supporting caged animals. Although I will say that the new enclosures are much nicer than what they used to have. Plus I love that area of Salt Lake and its close to Aunt Ashes and the twin babies who will be taking lots of zoo trips with us this summer! (Gage brought his friend Shad)

So Gage is the proud owner of a sheep! He is participating in 4H this summer. My uncle and aunt have done 4H for 25 years, and Gage couldn't be more happy to be involved. They have a small farm by their house, and Gage would live in a tent in the pasture if I would let me. He's super excited, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of aunt Cyd- who won Grand Champion in her hay day!

Gage getting his sheep tagged for the county fair.

Hooray for Trace! He got his blending badge at Challenger today, and brought home his first book. He was soo excited to read to me, and then to read it to his dad over the phone.

That's all folks!

just checking in

Hi everyone! Sooo got your new years resolutions set? I asked Greg the other day about his resolutions and he told me that he doesn't make them, because you should live your life the best that you can everyday. I punched him and told him he didn't know what he was talking about (one of my resolutions is to not hit). Just kidding, actually I think its a great outlook. On Sunday our gospel doctorine teacher talked about Sacred Sundays, and Magic Mondays. On Sacred Sundays you use the day as a time to go to church, study, nap, spend time with family, prepare lessons... On Magic Monday you use that as a day to "reset" your goals or new years resolutions. So each week you can take and inventory and have a fresh start if you need one. I really liked the idea that if I botch a couple of days or a week, Magic Monday will be just around the cornor to reset and regroup. Thank goodness Monday comes around every week!