Happy 20th, Kevin

You know when you are young and you picture the one you are going to marry.....well, for a girl we dream up this man who is going to sweep us off of our feet...
Well, for me I was going to marry a tall man with dark curly hair and a hairy chest........
However, I was lucky enough to meet Kevin.....who had straight, stand up blond hair and no hair on his chest.....
He is the love of my life! This month we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary.....It is hard to believe Kevin has been able to put up with me this long...
In our marriage we have had some ups and downs and I am happy to say I remember the ups more!!! We have been able to do some many great things together and I have loved it....
Kevin is a great father, always looking out for our kids. He is a fabulous provider, always holding a good job to pay the bills and allow me to be a stay at home mom. He pursued his career by going to many years of college and earning 3 degrees. I am thankful for him and his dedication to our family!
Kevin takes care of me, always looking out for the best for me and in me. He encourages me and supports me in all I do. We have such a great relationship, complimenting each other in our different weaknesses and strengths. We love spending time together...we are each others best friends.
Kevin is committed to his faith, never wavering and always wanting to improve. I am grateful to him for being such a good example and for being a worthy priesthood holder.
I love you, Kevin and I love our life together. Thank you for these past 20 years. We have grown together and we have learned together and we have loved together. Eternity is sounding pretty good to me!

Summer time thoughts

We had a great time watching Tarzan at Tuacahn in St George on Wednesday. It was so good, the cast, the music and the weather! It is the Tarzan's national debut outside of broadway and we were not disappointed!! It was a quick trip, but so worth it. My parents joined us on their way back to Arizona.....can't wait to go again!! I love summer time!!
I am not sure I have done my children a favor though. It seems they are unaware that not everyone has the summer off from work. They do not remember when Kevin worked a job and only had 2 weeks of vacation a year. We would have to decide on how to use it and make it last for all of the fun things we wanted to do. That was when our vacations existed of only going to visit family, that is how we got to see them.
Now, with Kevin having the summer term off for 9 years we have been able to do more things. Kassidy has a job and isn't able to join us for our adventures....hard lesson to learn, having a job and starting at the bottom of the totem pole. I have pondered this thought....am I building memories with my children for their sake or mine....am I teaching them that summer time is for play and adventure or should it be for working and sitting around......there must be a happy medium to this. But for now, I love to plan and I love to go and I love to take my kids and do things with them to make fabulous memories. They have the rest of their lives to work and be grown ups.....they do odds and ends jobs and earn money for the things they want to do, so why not enjoy them while I still have them at home.....yippeee for our summer!!!
Already this summer Audrey and Zachary have attended EFY in Provo and will be going to girls and scout camp mid month.....What a fun start to summer!

A dream trip

We headed to Salt Lake at 5am on April 30th.....very early to get up and on the road, although I was just so excited for our trip ahead.....
Believe me, I had my doubts on going to China, apprehensive. Would I like the food, would the kids be good for grandma and grandpa.....China???? My parents had gone 25 years ago, and I did write down on my bucket list to see the Great Wall (never thinking it would really happen). Kevin's work made it possible to check that one off of my list....




We made several stops along our journey. Salt Lake to San Francisco was first, then on to Tokyo, Japan. This picture is of the California coast and the ocean....



Oh, what a sight!!! We flew over Alaska and the Bering Sea. It was so beautiful. When we saw ocean again, it had ice floating in it....Just like the "deadliest catch".



Airport in Tokyo.....Our first adventure on trying to figure out the different languages and where to go....Thank goodness they had English captions!!

We arrived last on Saturday May 1st....we lost a day in our travels. We had been up 24 hours, getting a couple of hours of sleep on the plane. China is 14 hours ahead and so we knew we were going to have to adjust!!!



At breakfast at our hotel in Beijing this couple was watching me try to use chop sticks....okay so no forks around, just a Chinese soup spoon and chopsticks. The couple would smile at me and then try to show me how to use the chopsticks. They were so sweet and at times they would just laugh at me!!




It was Sunday, May 2nd, so we decided we would go and find the church, the foreigners branch...So on the subway we went....
There were 15 of us all together.....8 students and 6 from BYU and me!!




After church we went to the Temple of Heaven....
The architecture was incredible!!! The detail of everything.....These buildings were built hundreds of years ago.....



Everytime I had to go to the bathroom I would look on the door to see if it was a sit down toilet or a squat.......not all bathrooms had sit down toilets, and you had to have your own tissue!!!!! I know it looks like a urinal, but it is on the ground and you gotta squat!!




This is also at the Temple of Heaven....



On Monday we headed to the Sacred passage to the Ming tombs.....the walk was lined with these statues, probably about 30-40 of them.







We got back in the Taxi van to take us to one of the 13 Ming tombs....



It was underground....people threw there money on the throngs and on the tombs.....which were just big red metal boxes.


Next we headed to an authentic Beijing lunch right next to the Ming tomb we had seen......



I was warned about this!!!!! Yep, a chicken head in the bowl of chicken!!!!
We ate some of the food, but not much......rice was good, did not like the bitter melon root, the cabbage was good, the pork was deep fried fat pieces with maybe a little meat, the greens were good, you get the idea....there were 16 different dishes and not many of them got finished....and that was with 15 people!!!



The Great wall was our next destination. It is about 2 hours from where we were staying in Beijing. We rode the gondolas up. There are many places you can stop and see, but this place is one of the most popular because you can see more of the wall.



It was a steep uneven climb up and down.....but oh so worth it!!!!



I was not disappointed at all.......

It was a Chinese holiday the day we went....thus all of the excess people!!!



The wall goes on for miles and miles and it is up and down and goes off into different directions......Just incredible...




Breakfast was my favorite meal.....this hotel had it more like a brunch of sorts.....always watermelon, always pot stickers, always sausage and always steamed buns.....oh yummy it was!!



The people in Beijing love to ride bikes, and they love their horns.....car horns and bike horns!!!



All kinds of bikes!!!



People riding to work!!!



Forbidden City!! Oh, I wonder how great it was in the day it was used for it's purpose!!!




Beautiful artwork everywhere.... I had to buy a book on this place as well as Temple of Heaven and Great wall......too much information for me to soak in and not remember.....




This is at the Summer Palace, where the Emperor would bring his concubines.
It was beautiful with a lake in the middle...huge...



The students took up a Chinese game of something like the hacky sack.....but it was like with something different. Some Chinese guys got involved as well!!!


We flew to Shanghai on Tuesday night.....our flight got delayed because of a thunder storm so our plane got in late.....lost a student thus our 2:30 am arrival in Suzhou where two of the students were interning. This sweet hotel staff stayed up for us to arrive (man is the manager and lady his helper). They were also waiting for us at breakfast at 9 am. To make long story short, I made an instant friend with the lady. She was so sweet and talked with me over breakfast in her broken English and my non existent Mandarin!!!!! I was teary eyed when we said good bye. I would have loved to stay in this city 2 more days!!




Shanghai.....where they are lots of people lots of action!!!

This is Kevin getting directions to one of his appointments.......


Beautiful architecture....



Sky scrapers everywhere.
We loved Shanghai.....we went to the fake market to barter....and to the pearl market as well. We only had 2 full days here, and both days had meetings so we were limited on what we got to do, but still loved it!!!



On Saturday morning, the 8th, we flew to Hong Kong.....talk about a lot of people!!!







This is one of the markets you can barter in.




We found a Cantonese branch on Sunday.....thank goodness for Kevin and his computer!!!
We had interpreters for us and it was the coolest thing to have happen. They were surprised we didn't go to the English speaking branch.....nope would not have traded this experience at all!!!



We also found the Hong Kong Temple!!!!




We took the ferry to Hong Kong, although the subway would take us to anyplace we needed to be!!!



More Sky scrapers!!



We went over to Aberdeen where the fisherman's village is. I loved the ambiance of it all, although the sky scraper are all around as well now...



We found a Chinese garden. I was quite happy about that since I was unable to go to the ones in Suzhou!




Hong Kong at night!!



We took the Victoria's Peak tram up the mountain to over look Hong Kong. It was a foggy day and the clouds rolled down the mountain.....followed by the rain!!!



Having no umbrella and walking in the rain.....actually it was great. The weather was always in the 80's, humid (which I love).

We arrived home on Wednesday, May 12th....exhausted and excited over what we had done!!

We loved our trip. I took so many pictures...these are just a few of the highlights!!!

Thanks mom and dad for taking the time to watch our kids.....I know it must not have been easy at times, but we so appreciate it. The kids said they had a good time with you and memories were built.....after all.....isn't that what life is all about???

China Here We Come...

We are in the airport waiting to board the plane....watch for updates on our trip. I hope to post pictures while we are there......

Oh, something is always going on here!!!

Emily turned 10.....can I believe it????? She also had a really big week....glasses.....She does look adorable in them, but the biggest part of it is she is so excited about having them......That was not always the case, but after counting 7 kids in her school class with glasses it made the plunge bearable. The sweetest and most rewarding part is she so appreciates the fact that she can see things so much better. Like the time on the microwave from the kitchen table, and the beauty of the mountains. She is forever cleaning them and making sure we realize what time it is during dinner!!!

Kassidy finished her first year at BYU> I can't say freshman because she tells me she is technically a sophomore since the end of fall semester.....hard work from all those AP classes, concurrent enrollment and summer semester. She is going to Washington for 9 days then returning to live in Raintree. Her next big steps is to get a job!!!!


Audrey has state competition in her solo violining, she is being accompanied our one of my dearest friends and her violin teacher. She is just so excited to be going and only being a sophomore.......

Zach is planning an Avatar movie party for tomorrow night....oh he is excited. He isn't into big crowds of friends so only the normal 3 or 4 he says.
He also finished his 30 hour project for school.....writing a book....well 9 chapters and close to 100 pages.

Kevin and I are planning our trip to China. We leave on April 30th. So many things to do, and so much anticipation!!! My parents are the best...volunteering to come and stay with my kids. They want to be a part of their lives and they want my kids to know them.....which they so do!! Thanks mom and dad for all you do for my little family.....

Hopefully I will have pictures on the computer soon!

SPRING BREAK....

What a fun night!! Us girls headed over to the Taste of Home Cooking School!!!
I love going and so this time my BFF and I took our girls!!
For the past two shows I have won something.....this night was no different. I got a really cool tote for yelling so loud then my name was drawn for a lia sophia necklace!!!! I shared the wealth with the girls and they were happy to get the prizes!!


Lucky us we were on the front row!!!!






Way to go, Zach....he was finally awarded his last two merit badges he needed to be finished with his eagle scout requirements.....He has everything turned in and we are still awaiting word from the board so he can have his review!!




Audrey only needs three things done to be finished with her YW medallion. She has worked hard and as soon as seminary is over she will be finished!



Now for our spring break activities
Most everyone knows I like to go.....places.....I love going on trips, vacations, get aways, whatever you want to call them!!
Well Kevin had to teach during our spring break this year and I was beside myself!!!!! So instead of sulking and wishing I was elsewhere I decided to make a fun week for the kids and friends.....
Enjoy our week as you read all about it!~

On Saturday we colored the eggs....always so fun and so many to eat after!!!


Here is our lunch creation!!



Hot dogs cut in fourths with dried spaghetti noodles poked through them.....Cook and add your cheese sauce!! The kids had a fun time making creations......animals, people, you get the point!!



Our annual Easter Egg hunt!!!! We had 45 kids this year (lots of people gone because of our spring break)......Both yards are filled with eggs.....Each kid walked away with 40 eggs and a bag of candy!!! (I love candy!!)



Audrey jumped to get the eggs with chocolate in them!!


Of coarse we had to have Kassidy come home for the festivites.....she brought along her roommate and BFF.




You know there is no age limit.....okay so once you are married you can't participate....other then that....kids love candy!!




Emily and her BFF hid eggs in the birds nest. They wanted to make sure they got the stretchy animals that were in the eggs.



Puzzle time. I think all week we had puzzles up so when there was down time the kids (and adults) could work on them....We completed 3 puzzles!!



While the men went to Priesthood session the girls had a spa night!!! Foot scrub, massage and lotion.....We also did face scrubs!!




We played a game with nail polish. Everyone took a turn answering a question. If you agreed with what they said (favorite color, favorite nursery rhyme etc) then they painted your toenail their polish color...if you disagree then you get it painted the color that is set aside for disagreeing. It was a lot of fun!!


We had a yummy turkey dinner after conference on Sunday.....then we played games until Kevin and I headed to a fireside on the church in China...




Monday brought rainy weather and so we scheduled that day as a movie marathon day. Cotton Candy machine was brought out and movies were watched!!



There is nothing like dancing in the rain!!!!


We made stepping stones. Kevin got us post mix and I bought glass rocks and pie tins and away we created!!!



All of the kids made one for themselves and one for the family and one for their moms.



Collages were next.....Okay so the kids were skeptical about them, that is until they got started. Magazines and paper galore were all over my ocean room. It was fun to see what they put on them. Audrey did not have a white piece left on her board....She put words and pictures that described her and what she likes.
Zach did the same as well as Emily. It is fun to see what they cut out to glue on. Emily put "cutie" oranges on hers, Zach had camping stuff and food, Audrey had the ocean on hers.



The kids made cream cheese mints.....oh yummyyyyy!!!




Here is the gang we spent the week with....the Miller's and Ballamis'. We ate dinner together every night!!


On Wednesday we went to the Bean Museum to check out the new displays......Elephant was huge!!!







We stopped by Kevin's work for a picnic before we headed over to the $ show......



Thursday we did the photo alphabet. We went around town looking for the abc's in different shapes.....guess what this one is!!




Of coarse we had to do the human alphabet next.....sometimes the kids' bodies did not want to bend the right way.....what letter is this?



Okay....so later this year we are planning a trip to So. Cali.... So the kids made autograph books.




On friday we did YUDU shirts. My mom bought this machine and had it shipped to my house so we could see how it works.......I found a cute design on-line....actually a coloring page.....


Here is the result......We are going to have disney shirts all of the days we are on vacation so we had to try it out.....and it worked!!!!!




I know crazy activity but when we were planning the week I had all of the kids tell me what they wanted to do......Soap carving was on the list.....Here is Zach's creation of a turtle!




A game the kids made up.....Pudding Fling. Everyone has a bowl of pudding.....One person draws a piece of paper out of the bowl and announces the category (body part, food, sport, color etc). If you guess the wrong thing you get pudding coming at you!!!!




Oh it was fun to watch!!



They had a lot of fun....in the face, in the hair on their clothes!!




Then they got in a pudding fight!!!!!



After they were finished they ran around the block!!!


That night (Friday) the kids had a campout in the tent at the Ballamis'. They had food, games and a fire pit!!! So much fun.....until 3 in the morning!!!



Saturday afternoon we took the kids to the indoor pool. What a fun activity!!!

Saturday night we had my favorite pizza....Pizza Hut Pan pizza.......what a great way to finish off our busy week!!!!!!