MOTHER/SON DANCE

The boys elementary school has a great tradition - a Father/Daughter, Mother/Son Dance for 5th and 6th graders. I was only able to go to Colton's 5th grade dance, he had a conflict in 6th grade. Asher also had a conflict for his 5th grade year and this year was our only year to make it. Not sure of what the night would hold I made sure we took our photo in the van before walking in.

I'm glad I took that photo and was happier still when my son came around to my side of the van and opened the door for me! What a gentleman! We signed in at the door and then went to the food line. Here's our meal:

Asher had the cheese pizza and Mountain Dew.

I had the pepperoni pizza, water bottle and white chocolate chip macadamia cookie...delish.

We danced a little and then Asher was done. He ran off with friends - first out in the halls, then outside. The group came in and hit the dance floor sans moms! He isn't shy and had a great time...especially when he was dancing on stage with his friends!!!

I can't believe they'll be in Jr. High next year!!!

Here's a good view of the "dance floor". Asher did dance with me for the last dance. He even had the official dance photo taken with me earlier that night. Afterwards we went out with a few friends for frozen yogurt. It was a great evening. Kyler, watch out....you're next!

PRESIDENTS DAY

Monday I made a wonderful turkey dinner - complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato gratin and cranberry jelly! Delish!!! Didn't it turn out so beautiful! THANK YOU to Jacquelen for giving this turkey to us at Christmas time!!!

In other news: Asher attended a choral festival yesterday. It was a really great field trip (and he was able to miss a whole day of school!) and I was happy to go with him. The day started with a high school choir performing for the kids, followed by a Q & A session. Then off to two classes and a quick performance before the choirs all performed their final songs. Way to go, Asher!!! I can't believe he's almost done with elementary school, he's growing up too quick!

(Update: we're still going strong with our family mornings!)

REFLECTIONS

Our sunset was so beautiful Friday night I had to capture it. It was just before a nice rainy weekend. I love rainy weekends. I pretend I don't live in a desert but up in the Pacific Northwest. Then it stops raining, everything dries out and I'm thankful to live in the desert again where I don't deal with the constant damp. This last weekend I also attended a funeral. Kirk and Karen Jones used to live in our ward. About 2 1/2 years ago, Kirk was diagnosed with ALS and they needed a single level home to make getting around easier. After they moved we heard occasional updates on his health and a week ago Sunday we heard that he would be passing away within the week. I spent all day Valentine's day thinking about Kirk and Karen and their family. They're such a great family and have been great examples to me and my family. He passed away on February 15th and they funeral was on Saturday. On the back of the funeral program they had their family's mission statement printed. Again, they are such an example to us! Tony and I have given ourselves the challenge of making a family mission statement. Today I'll leave you with the Jones Family Mission Statement:

Our family is responsible for maintaining a home where we are happy, have fun are safe and care for each other. We live our lives based on Christ centered principles and values. Our family accepts who we are and recognizes who we can be. We are a humble family that seeks higher learning. Our family is doing whatever it takes to be a celestial family, to live together with our Heavenly Father and we will have joy in the journey.

FAMILY BREAKFAST - DAY 5

(Kyler and Tony photographed by Kyler!)

Well day 5 is here and we have successfully navigated through the entire week with an early morning family prayer, breakfast and scripture study!!!!!!!! The best part today was that Tony made the breakfast. (Colton doesn't have orchestra on Friday's so Tony doesn't have to take him to school. We all have a little more time in the morning on Fridays.) He browned up some turkey sausage (boys said they did not like it.....even though they ate it) and made some biscuits with butter and jam. Yummy and simple.....especially since I didn't have to do anything! It was really weird sleeping in this morning......I didn't wake up until 6:21!!!!! After breakfast I read 2 Nephi 11 and got all three boys to school. Tomorrow morning we'll be missing Tony and Asher but I plan to pray, eat and read with Colton and Kyler. We'll be sure to say an extra prayer for Tony and Asher that they don't freeze (literally!) on their snow campout!

This week has been a blessing. My mind is so much clearer. So many things that I would normally stress about have been put into better perspective. Tony and I know that we're starting our day and our family's day off the right way. I'm more focused and find even more joy in motherhood....and I really loved motherhood before! Now the challenge ahead is to keep waking at 6am, keep gathering our family for prayer, keep making breakfast and keep opening our scriptures. As Richard G. Scott said: To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done. I also like what President Hinckley had to say: Please don't nag yourself with thoughts of failure. Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. Simply do what you can do, in the best way you know, and the Lord will accept of your effort. Our goal is set, it is in our capacity to achieve it and we'll continue to do our best and I know we'll continue to be blessed for it.

FAMILY BREAKFAST - DAY 4

Day 4 and going strong! This morning we added kneeling for our family prayer. 6:30 am we are on our knees in the family room (only carpeted room in the house!) and ready for the prayer. Such a good feeling! This morning I made scrambled eggs (which I can't eat in the morning) for the boys and Tony. Since we had our prayer at 6:30....instead of 6:38 let's say.....we had more time for scripture reading. We finished 2 Nephi 9 and all of 2 Nephi 10! Great Morning! I'm already finding it easier to wake in the mornings....bonus! (Asher and Kyler are playing air guitar to a Journey CD.....Kyler's doing a guitar solo right now.....Did I already say it's a good morning!!!!)

Last night was good too! We had hamburgers for dinner with some baked zucchini fries.....YUM! It would have been great to get a photo of them all piled up on the plate...but the whole family inhaled them! Here's the only shot I got of the yummy goodness. Now I'm off to plan our Friday breakfast, take kids to school, clean the bathrooms, do some laundry, unload the dishwasher, READ and attend a cooking class. I LOVE THURSDAYS!!!!!

FAMILY BREAKFAST - DAY 3

Don't be fooled by this photo! Kyler did his usual complaining this morning...too bad I didn't invest in those ear plugs! I made buttermilk pancakes (MY FAVORITE!!!!) we also had blueberries and strawberries and some leftover bananablueberry muffins from yesterday afternoon. Kyler told me yesterday that he really did not like yesterday's snack. Then this morning I heard how much he didn't like buttermilk pancakes. But he still ate one, but that may have been under threat....whatever! He's now getting ready for school and I'm counting down the minutes to peace and quiet! (is that wrong?!?) We did meet our goal though: family prayer, family breakfast and family scripture study...what more can I ask!

Now on to last Saturday's news:

KYLER LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE!

We had never made the attempt and he was not interested, but I felt it was time! I thought he would appreciate going to the park to learn. (grass=softer fall) But he didn't agree. Colton did his best with him.

So did Asher!

Then Tony got him riding a little bit around the playground. Once I realized he wouldn't be back on the grass I suggested we just go home and practice in the cul-de-sac.

Here's Kyler standard pose lately....well, minus the hand signs. I wish I was able to get a picture of him riding, but trust me....HE CAN RIDE NOW! We're so excited for this boy and all the freedom that comes with this new talent! He comes home everyday asking to ride his bike. I love it! Anything to help wear him out is a HUGE BLESSING!

FAMILY BREAKFAST - DAY 2

First, I have to tell you about the photo. After Kyler's nightly shower, I brush his hair and discovered the other day that we could get a Wolverine look. His hair was drying too quick and I didn't have great lighting, but I had to have a photo of this. He LOVES the new do and runs around the house thinking he is Wolverine. I in turn just think of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine....WIN-WIN!!!! Now back to our regularly scheduled post: I did it again...I awoke at 6am and went to the kitchen to make my family breakfast. As we were all gathered this morning, we had our family prayer and I read from the Book of Mormon while they ate.....well......not everyone ate. I made omelettes (per Colton's request) and was trying to channel Julia Child. The last one actually looked like Julia's! I was so proud of myself. I sprinkled some cheese on it and had it ready for Kyler who DID NOT appreciate the offering. He was upset I had put cheese on it - but Kyler your scrambled eggs ALWAYS have cheese in them! Then he asked in a strange voice if they were scrambled eggs which I emphatically said YES! in an attempt to get him to eat them. If I would have said it was an omelette I don't think he would have touched eggs again for the next two years. He may be adventurous in many areas....food is NOT one of them! After Colton and Tony were out the door and Asher was headed to the shower, I had to bring my 6 year old and his plate to me and feed him like a baby! Of course I removed the superfluous cheese (and fed it to Roscoe who is VERY APPRECIATIVE of my cooking!) and fed that entire omelette to my boy. Despite the snags this morning, I will arise early tomorrow and again feed my family....maybe with earplugs, but I'll do it!

I just couldn't post without showing you my lovely side dish with lunch yesterday - Swiss Chard! I bought it from One Windmill Farms at a Farmer's Market. It looked so delicious and was stirring so many memories from my childhood, I had to buy a bunch. I sauteed it with a little vegetable broth and garlic and IT WAS DELICIOUS! Tony was home for lunch and even loved it and he has an aversion to healthy, green food!

VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's Day coincides with the new goals Tony and I talked about last night. Well, it wasn't the first thoughts I had had on these goals....but we finally decided to step out and DO IT! (Do is my word for the year...more info coming) Goal: Family Prayer in the morning. Goal: Scripture reading in the morning. Goal: Breakfast at the table with ALL 5 of us! The wonderful thing is that they all work together. The horrid thing...they all work together. We need to stay on top of this to make it happen....which I have faith in us to do! I think the hardest part of this goal for me is to wake up no later than 6am. But I did it this morning! My menu this morning was just blender pancakes...easy peasy. As I gathered the griddle, soft white wheat and powdered milk, I noticed the oranges on the counter. I quickly grabbed my juicer and squeezed all the oranges plus a couple of ruby red grapefruits into a delicious drink. I even grabbed my funnel and poured the juice into two glass bottles. As the blender pancakes were blending, I set a simple table and grabbed some blueberries and strawberries. This breakfast was coming together nicely.

This is the nicest picture I was going to get of my boys this morning. I'm impressed that Kyler is even using utensils! I'm not impressed how Kyler is blocking Asher in the picture.

We had our family prayer before breakfast, everyone sat down to a delicious meal and I was able to read from the Book of Mormon while they were eating. SUCCESS! Tony and Colton then ran off to school and work, Asher and Kyler got ready for the day and I dropped them off at 7:45 this morning (the earliest you can drop them off). WHAT A GREAT MORNING!

Happy Valentine's Day!

JADE

Here she is! Miss Jade Audra Scrimshaw!!!!

Catherine was so happy to welcome her first child last week! This girl weighed in at 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. She was also blessed with a gorgeous head of hair! After her first bath at home, Catherine had to comb all that hair.

I love this photo of mama and baby looking at each other!

Kisses!!!!

Jade relaxed a bit too much during her first shampoo!

I MISS THIS GIRL!!!!!

Relaxing with mama!

As much fun as we had with Catherine and Jade....there was so much more to celebrate - Audra's upcoming wedding!!! We had so much fun veil and jewelry shopping! Can't wait for the Purple Peacock Wedding in April!

Here's the lucky man that has Audra's heart!

Congratulations Steve and Audra!

It was such a great weekend! We had 4 of the 5 siblings together. Jean-Jacques and Linda drove up from Utah to meet Jade and Steve. We missed Austin but are so happy he's serving his mission. (15 months to go!)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Dad and Connie for a FANTASTIC weekend! We had so much fun with everyone and so much fun ORGANIZING!!!!! Can't wait to see everyone again in April for the wedding!

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!

(Catherine and Sean's wedding-2009)

This happy couple just entered a new phase in their marriage - PARENTHOOD! Jade Audra was born on the afternoon of January 31st. She weighed in at 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. I hear she has lots of dark hair......I haven't seen a picture. I hear she is gorgeous......I haven't seen a picture. I hear she has all 10 fingers and 10 toes......I haven't seen a picture. So I'll just have to celebrate her arrival from afar and picture her in my mind's eye until someone sends a photo....or I fly out on Friday and see for myself! (which ever comes first!) And I'll end with a little conversation with Kyler.

Mom: Your cousin, Jade Audra was born today!

Ky: Jade. Audra. That's so weird that Catherine's baby has Audra's name in it. Hey mom, who was born first with Austin, Catherine and Audra?

Mom: Audra was first, then Austin and then Catherine.

Ky: That's AWESOME!!!!!

Audra's the first because she's the WORST!

Austin is second cause he's the BEST!!!!!!!

and Catherine's third cause she's the NERD!

Ahhhhh, to be the mother of all boys!

(by Kyler's logic....he's a NERD!!!)

CONGRATULATIONS CAT & SEAN!!!!!