My Deck

These are pictures from my deck. Have I told you about my deck I know that you have seen my deck in pictures. what I don't know is if you know that my deck is a gateway to a magical place that only my children can see.

Yes, I can bask in the glory that is the sun and mountain view and read my books and it is quite a splendid some grownups might say it is magical.

But when I sit out on my deck and bath my very white legs in the sun hoping that they will not look so pale when I go down to Utah in a few weeks. I can get a glimpse of the real magic place that is my deck.

I can hear the giggles and voices of my children as they explore this kingdom that I am no longer privy to in my grown up state.

the land of Hogwarts is most definitely out there in the trees of our front yard. and sometimes its a land of dragons and dragon riders.

How wonderful a place that is my deck.

He got me flowers

He got me flowers!!!
Do you know how he got me flowers?
That's right he went to the store
How did he get to the store?
He drove his truck !!!
That's right he drove by himself I was not in the car.
HE IS A FREE MAN!!!
and that makes me a free woman!!
This week is his last week in therapy and I do not have to drive him.
I can hardly believe it!
Our lives are never going to be the same as they were 1 year ago.
But this milestone is huge for us to be getting on with our life.
I love you Ray
thank you for being you.

Mothers Day

I talked to our children this week. this is what they had to say about their moms

Tressa

you are

Beautiful kind Caring Sweet happy Nice

Loving smart giving Helpful and generous

Amy

you are

Kind Gently Loving Nice Happy Planner A teacher

Tammy

you are

happy Nice Tall wonderful patient loving supportive sweet

Amanda

you are

a gymnastics coach , a fixer of cars and a helper

Nice loving

My children said

I was

Beautiful nice cool weird loving caring helpful

It just goes to show that we are loved and we must be doing something right

Are children do not look at our out side accomplishments to judge us worthy but mostly on our attitudes at home. I hope that we all can see ourselves the way our children see us. Overlook our flaws and see us for how we really are.

Wonderful mothers daughters and friends.

some photos!!

Just some fun pics from before church.

Ryan Smith had his baptism on Saturday. Congratulations!!

So as it usually happens after a family get together we ended up with an extra kid for the night So Katie came to church with us.

The little photo shoot was prompted by Kyle.

He came up to me with a great big smile to tell me he had tied his tie all himself!!

Very impressive. So I had to take a picture to commemorate the occasion.

He is getting so big in a year and half he will be passing the sacrament. Is that even possible.

OK so I am tired of being sick. And it is beautiful out side. It is a whole 65 the kids are begging to get wet with the hose. I think it should be at least 68 and not breezy out side. am I wrong or what, it is Alaska after all. The boys want to do a hot dog fire tonight. I just don't think my lungs are up to it. they do not like having a cold and they really do not like smoke so I think that is out to. Mean MOM..
I did however go shopping with our mom and my girls today we drove into Anchorage and went to Kohls! We are so the lower 48 with all our new stores. First Target and now Kohls can't weight for what comes next...I know how hick of me to drive 45 miles to go to Kohls:) But it was a beautiful drive and we got to go to Costco for lunch.. Love those Hot dogs. OK so I am so a Hick.

Sick

I am sick today. The family has been sick for the past couple of days. And now I am SICK. This would not be such a bad thing if I was just kind of sick but I really don't feel good. Maybe I have swine flue? Or not
Anyway I woke up this morning with the resolve to not let the kids play the wi , computer or watch TV today. We have become a family of slackers. I have even been letting the kids eat in front of the TV. I know...Don't tell anyone
So of course this is the day I am sick. So the kids are trying to fend for themselves with the I don't have anything to do's. It amazes me how they can easily find things to do when the TV is off there were only a couple of "I don't have anything to do" until they all happily started to play together. They have played outside and inside and a couple of Bord games. They even did some school things. It is amazing how much less fighting there is and how much more they play together when the TV, video and computers are off.
Oh yah Grandpa brought dad home and dad brought home Pizza Got to go

Success

Success Is
Peace of mind
Which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing
you made the effort to do the best
of which you are capable
-John Wooden