Festival de Balloons

Today we made our Annual trip to the Clovis Balloon Festival. With money in hand, Mom stood in the cinnamon roll line that was super long when we arrived at 6:30am. I looked at the line, then looked at my family, and said, "Fine, I will stay in line." I mean, what is the balloon fest without a yummy cinnamon roll?? I think that is the main reason we all woke at 5:30am anyways! And let me tell you...it was sooo worth the wait, and I didn't miss too much of the festivities or photo opprotunities. And since we go every year I try to not take the same pics every time. So this year, I decided to take a picture of the coveted cinnamon rolls (and that way they last longer). This year there seemed to be A LOT more people. And while we were busy eating our cinnamon rolls, the line got a whole lot longer. I enjoyed this tradition as a little girl with my dad, and I am enjoying it even more now with my boys.

Ode to an 11 year old

Today Damien got his new glasses, pretty sharp, huh?! I swear I've seen a picture of my Dad in some glasses like these.



As a sixth grader Damien can now be a student crossing guard after school. After 5 years of watching others, Damien was so excited to finally be able to sign up. He volunteers twice a week. Well, you all know what that means, I just HAD to get a picture of him in action, hopefully without embarassing him. I stood off a ways and took a few pics.

My Boys

Now that Max and Jesse are in Preschool they like to learn now, even at home. Sometimes it is in short bursts, but I will take whatever I can get. As of lately they like me to draw their names with little dashes, then they trace them. On this particular occasion, they wanted me to take a picture.










I'd like to title this picture above "A child after his mother's own heart" and I do heart Fresno State Football! Last night Fresno State played their first game and it wasn't televised, but that didn't stop us from tuning in on the radio for the whole three hours!! And we were all actively listening, especially Damien who begged to wear my red Fresno State shirt. He even sat down and drew a Go Bulldogs sign that he happily placed on top of the radio :) I smiled as I watched him eagerly listen to the game and even texted his dad to tell him. Hopefully, we'll be able to go see one live this season. So back to the picture, we remembered that Damien had a Bulldog shirt from when he was little, so he went and dug it out of the drawer for Max, who happily wore, just like his big bro did 7 years ago. To explain the bandaid over his lip, before this picture was taken him and Jesse were in the bath and well, Mom and Dad were not supervising these little ones as we should have and well, Max looked into the trash and noticed one of Mom's old razors. Since he wants to be like dad, he sat and showed Jesse how to shave. He started bleeding and crying. Jesse consoled him telling him it would be alright as blood oozed down his face. I enter, after Damien altered me to what was going on. After investigating, I found the culprit, (the razor)lying in the bath water behind Max. He insisted on having a bandaid, so we found one small enough. He liked to call it his "mustache". I asked him if he was going to do that again and he said "no". I told him that he can shave when he is a daddy. Probably sooner, but I didn't want to say when you get older and he trys this when he was 5. So I am busted, I do not supervise my children 100% of the time.




Max and Jesse, particularly Jesse loves to wear suit coats. He affectionately calls it his "Mish-mary" jacket (Missionary Jacket). When he says things like, "I want to be a missionary when I grow up" I want to get out the recorder and have it handy for future use. They love our Ward missionaries and like to "gang up" on them with all their energy. They love to go up and say hi to them, and play with them when they come over for dinner. It is my hope that one day they do decide to go on a mission, and they giggle and laugh with other four year olds wanting to be like them. I love Sundays, where my boys can get all dressed up. They look so handsome and grown up. Speaking of Sundays, today, on the way home from church Max and Jesse receited the new scripture from Primary which is, as they said it, "If you love me, keep the commandments." It was so cute, and unexpected. Mike and I just looked at eachother and smiled. Some of the things they say just surprise us, sometimes in a good way, and it's moments like that where there is true "joy in our posterity". And I am so thankful for those moments, they keep me going. They are learning so much these days it is amazing. Like their letters, now that they are in Preschool, they are noticing letters everywhere. And thanks to their teacher, they associate certain letters with kids in their class, like A is for Abrahan and O is for Oscar etc. It is fun to watch them point out letters and make these connections.

It's Never Too Late

I must preface this post with a bit of history about me. 13 years ago I was a Laurel in the Young Women's program at church. I had every opprotunity to earn this award just like every Young Woman, but when I looked through the book I found daunting projects and value experiences that I really could not connect with and felt were of no real significance to do. Plus, I was friends with others who felt the same way as I did, and I received no motivation from them either. Not that I blame them. I felt empowered by making my own decisions by myself and what I felt to be right and good for me in the moment, even while trying to hold on to some of the Gospel principles. Which, over time, I learned you cannot do. You cannot serve two masters. So, I turned my back on the Personal Progress Program, leaders, parents, maybe, even at times, my sisters, all for what I felt to be right. Fast forward through 12 years of ups and major downs, I am called to be a leader in the YW program in my ward. I was very excited to serve with the Young Women, and be able to share my experiences with them. Meeting after meeting, the Spirit would confirm to me the different reasons why I was in this calling, many I know, some I am still learning. I know that I am here to be an example to these girls, share my experiences and encourage them to choose the right. Then one day I found out that leaders could earn their mediallions, the Spirit rushed through me again. I was soo excited. I grabbed my book, and set to work. I set goals, learned how to garden, sewed a blanket for my sister, and read the entire Book of Mormon. Reading the Book of Mormon was the final requirement that I needed to complete, which stretched me the most. After 2 years of working on my Personal Progress, I found myself standing by the pulpit at church while the Bishop read my certificate, tears welling up in my eyes, as I awaited to receive my Young Womanhood Recognition. I have a strong testimony of the Personal Progress Program and the Value Experiences the YW, Leaders, even their Mothers and Grandmothers are asked to complete. I learned more about myself and my Savior. I often have flashbacks, wanting to feel, what these YW feel for the program, mutual, Girls Camp, Temple Trips etc., but when I look back, the excitment they have wasn't there. But, now it is. I am thankful for this time being in YW and being able to replace all those memories with happier ones, and to top it off, the void of not receiving my mediallion has now been filled. I was able to share this day with the YW I serve (3 of which also earned their mediallions too), and most of all I got to share this moment with my husband and my boys. I know my Heavenly Father was smiling down on me, I know I couldn't have done it without him. Even though I've earned my award the principles I learned, I am still actively striving to be better at.