Relay for Life 2010

June 25th was our 2010 Relay for Life with a Teton View. This year I was one of the major organizers. My official role was Team Development Chairman. I was in charge of of recruiting old and new teams, putting together and throwing our Relay Kick-Off (we had a very successful and fun carnival) and organizing and leading all the Team Captain Meetings. Last year our event had 38 teams and this year we had 48!

It was such a special experience to be so involved with a cause that it so near and dear to my heart. When I first realized the scope of all that my position involved I was really nervous and afraid that by the time the season was over, I'd be so overwhelmed and Relayed out. I was worried that my love of Relay would wain. Actually, the very opposite happened. Every hour that I spent and volunteered for Relay (which was a LOT) I truly enjoyed and I grew to love Relay and it's purposes even more. It was a real blessing for me this winter. I had a great cause to be fighting for, I made many new friends, and I was able to focus a lot of my "cancer anxiety" into a good cause. I'm excited for next year. I know that our event will grow even more and we will come that much closer to finding a cure for cancer and will bless many lives in the mean time.

This is most of our committee. What an fantastic group of people. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with them. They are all so kind and dedicated and I want to be like them when I grow up. I personally had a Team Development Committee that was also A-MAZING! They are my best friends and I'm so so thankful for every second, minute and hour they spent dedicated to this cause and all because they love Sirri. What a blessing good friends are!

This year was also especially great because we had a family team called Sisters for Sirri. Family (and friends who might as well be family) came from all over to be part of this special experience. Our team was the #1 fundraiser because of the commitment and dedication of my family. I love them all and I am so thankful for all the help that they each were. What a great experience to fight back together and to honor Sirri in such a special way.

Our Team: SISTERS FOR SIRRI!
(Minus a few. Including....SIRRI! She was too busy running around with Brooke!)

Our #1 teammate, and the top fundraiser of the whole event, my older sister, Kim and her darling, Sarah! She raised over $1,200! I really could not be any more proud or thankful for her!
Kim and her kids came all the way from Los Angeles, California.

See the cape Kim is wearing? She also made each member of our team one of those so we could be SUPER Sisters for Sirri. (Our event theme for the year was Super Heroes Fighting Cancer) And my mom made us all purple tied dyed leg warmers. We were CUTE!

Beautiful Aunt Cindy and Sirri

Sirri and Brooke
Brooke is Sirri's #1 supporter!

Sirri about to take her Survivor Lap. I actually made it all the way around the track without crying this year. WHOA! Sirri, still didn't enjoy the attention and was sure glad to have Brooke there holding her hand. We had over 70 Survivors on the lap and it was such a great sight of HOPE!

Grandpa and Meg
Connor and Koy and Brooke and Sirri had such a fabulous time. They ran around the whole evening bumming dollars off anyone who would pity them (mostly Grandma!) and bought themselves all kinds of treasures; cotton candy, face painting, stinky perfume, and a chance to smash the "Beat Cancer Car." It's so fun that they are getting older and more independent and have such great friends to run around with.

This is one of the Survivor Quilts that was auctioned off at the event. It has Survivor's hand prints and signatures on it (including Sirri's). And because of the generosity of an acquaintance of mine, Dawn, it is now on Sirri's bed and Sirri loves it! I have the opportunity to serve on our regional training committee with Dawn this fall and I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better. Someone with that kind of heart is someone I want to be friends with.
The Luminaria Ceremony

During the Luminaria Ceremony the sky filled with bright, bold strikes of lightning. It was beatiful and the perfect touch to the ceremony. As soon as the lap of silence was completed the skies opened and it began to pour and blow. In perfect Rexburg fashion, it rained for about 5-10 minutes and then blew over. Most of the participants braved the storm and stayed to finish out the night. It was the perfect reminder that there is always hope and the sun always shines again, even when it feels like it won't.
My family stayed until after dark and until the kiddos were begging for their beds. They were all so tuckered out. I'm so thankful for the support that Kendon has been to me. For every hour that I spent doing Relay "stuff" he was home taking care of the family and being Mr. Mom. I absolutely could not have done all that I did without him as my partner and backup.

All in all, Relay was a fantastic expereince. I can't wait for next year. (I suppose it's a good thing I'm so gung-ho, since we're already planning for Summit Training. In fact I have a conference call tomorrow. Doesn't THAT sound professional?!?!?)

Remember...Once you choose HOPE, anything is possible!

CELEBRATE...REMEMBER...FIGHT BACK!

Christmas in July!

Today in Singing Time, I was letting some of the kids choose their favorite songs to sing. One kiddo chose, Angels We Have Heard on High. I was sure that the poor boy who chose was going to get a mouth full from the other kids because he wanted to sing a Christmas song in July, but to my great surprise, all the kids were on board and sang their hearts out. It was a special little moment in our Primary and I could really feel the Spirit of the Savior and Christmas as we sang.

After we sang I told the kids that Christmas REALLY did come for me in July this year. Just this week my parents sent my sisters and our husbands all a little hand held video camera. They want us to be able to have a handy way to document our day to day lives so we'll be able to document, remember and cherish these fun days with little ones. (and I think they also want us to post the videos on our blogs, too!)

The very first video we took, each of the kids told Grandma and Grandpa thank you for the video camera but it was while we were eating at the picnic table and I'm not sure I want everyone to see me eat a carrot. So....you get video number two which happens to be of Meg singing, All the Single Ladies, while dancing on the table! I know. We teach em' young!



None the less, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Mom and Dad. We are thrilled with our gift and have already taken more video in the last 24 hours than we have all year! Your mission has been accomplished! LOVE YOU! xoxoxo

p.s. take your Dramamine before watching this, dad. I'm a bit shaky. Sorry. It'll take some getting used to, to hold that tiny little thing still.

Careful....You might get pulled over by the word police.

Conversation #1: (Overheard)

Connor: "You can't say that." (to a friend after he said, "stupid.")

Friend: "Oh, yes I can."

Connor: "Well, not at my house, you can't."

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Conversation #2: (the morning after watching The Princess and the Frog)

Connor: "Mom, you better take that movie back and never rent it again."
Me: "Why?"

Connor: "Cause we can't ever watch it again."
Me: "Oh, really? Why?"

Connor: "Cause it says, butt."
Me: "It's probably okay. Is that the only bad word in it, Connor?"

Sirri joins the conversation: "Oh, so if a movie only says ONE bad word then we can still watch it?"

Oh, boy. Talk about opening a can of worms!

The conversation did not end there, by the way. We of course discussed that even one bad word in a movie is not okay. We might be limited to Barney and Friends as long as Connor and his word police ears are around! Really, I am proud that he is conscious of these things and I'm sure I'll be reminding him of this conversation one day when he tells me, "it only has ONE bad part!" So, I'll enjoy it while it lasts!

All I Need to Know I Learned Babysitting

• My house really is way too small.
• I'm glad I have an education and degree I can use some day.
• A box of fishy crackers doesn't go very far.
• I can get most any kid to crack a smile.
  
• Paper plates are a must.
• Writing names on paper cups is a good idea, too.
• I like hugs.
• I don't like muddy shoes.
• Put the markers up. High.
• Put your book group book up high, too.
• Mr. Clean Erasers really are magic!

• And the most important thing I've learned from babysitting....if I can take the time and energy to be patient and loving with someone else's children, I can most certainly make the effort to do the same with my own.
  

Recently, I accepted a babysitting job. It's only a couple days a week for a few hours at a time. It did come at a time where it's nice to have a few extra dollars to "play" around with and stretch the budget. But, it didn't exactly come at the greatest time for me "emotionally." I'm feeling a bit stressed and over my limit as of late, but still really felt like I could manage the job and I have. But some days, my plates do feel a bit too full and they sometimes spill over. On those days it is my kids who unfortunately "get it." "It," being the wrath of their tired, cranky mother. All the while someone else's children are treated with respect, kindness, patience and love.

And then, it dawned on me the other day, that these kids of "mine" really do belong to someone else. These kids have been sent to me from a loving Father in Heaven. Really, they are on loan to me. He has entrusted me with their care while they are here on this earth. He has given them to me to teach and to nurture, with love and patience. And not just on the good days, but also on the bad and the tired and the frustrated. It is my responsibility and should be my honor, everyday, to treat them as I would and do someone else's children. For really, they are HIS.

I hope your life is always fairy tales and happy endings....

The other day I was talking to a little girl about her daddy's wedding and his new wife. Sirri overheard and we then had the following conversation:

Sirri: "You have a step-mother, Ashlyn?"

Me: "Who do you know who has a step-mother, Sirri?" (Surprised she even knows what one is.)

Sirri: "No one."

Me: "Then where did you learn what a step-mother is?"

Sirri: "From CINDERELLA." (as in, like, duh!)

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with Connor, I wondered what it would be like to have two kids so close together. (Less than a year!) I wondered what kind of relationship they would have and what I could do to foster a positive one. I dreamed that one day they would be the best of friends and had nightmares that maybe they would be worst of enemies.

A few years ago when they were both wearing size three pants, I posted this picture and caption:

"I hope Sirri and Connor will always be as close as their pants size."

Other people are apparently curious what it is like to have two kiddos so similar in age as well because I get asked about their relationship on a regular basis.

Tonight as Sirri and Connor were watching a movie, I was able to snap a picture that I think illustrates their relationship and warms this mama's heart.

Yes, they can fight like the best of them. I think that comes with the territory of being siblings. But at the end of the day, these two are:
CLOSE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Errrrr. I mean, HAPPY EASTER!