Dancing in the Sunshine.....

Oh, my how I love my kiddos! The girls both did so good at dance competition this last weekend.. and I am so proud of them for all their hard work! Savannah has been competing at this particular competition for a few years now, and the competition is GREAT! What some talented dancers! This competition places you in order of score.... 1st through 8th or how ever many there is in your category. She has always done well...placing in the top 2... but she really did it this time! She brought home a 1st place trophy... which is a great accomplishment for her. Charlee did great on her solo...she smiled and had fun... and didn't forget anything! She got a second place trophy and was just thrilled! Their team did great as well, all the girls are so talented and they were so fun to watch!





And when the dancing was done... we shopped... and then we enjoyed the 80 degree weather at Sandhollow! We were all in heaven! It was lovely and we didn't want to leave. All in all...it was a perfectly delightful weekend!

Way to Go!

So... I have decided that there are some really cool things about living in a small town....like watching the boys ride the fire truck through town when they win a state championship! Our wresting team took first at the state tournament. They did awesome! Most of our boys placed! It was a ridiculously long and crazy tournament, but they hung in there and performed when it counted.
Shawn pinned all his matches in less that 30 seconds. He had a mission and he accomplished it. He got to carry the trophy on the fire truck... and I think he thought that was one of the top ten experiences of his life! Although I enjoy watching Shawn wrestle and he has learned and grown a lot this year, I am excited to bring the year to a close and play ball!

La Vida Loca!

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Whew! What a busy few months we have had! This is always such a crazy time of year for us. It seems like January to May, we just don’t stop running! I haven’t had much time for blogging, but I do enjoy all the things you all post and the nice comments you leave for me. You write things that make me laugh and things that make me so happy for you, and things that inspire me, too!
Life is not just busy, it is trying as well. It seems like I am constantly pushed to my limit, being tried and tested, and having to make changes, let go, and learn lessons. I have learned to be grateful for this, because my faith is stronger and my priorities more clear than ever. I know that things happen for a reason. The experiences we have, the hurt and grief we experience, and the mistakes we make all change our hearts and teach us humility and compassion. Anyway… I am thankful, and determined to do my best.
We have had a lot of fun over the past few months. The kids are busy and happy, and we are so grateful to have them in our home. They keep us going, literally, but they are worth EVERY SINGLE SECOND of craziness! I loved Easter and Conference, and am totally loving these parenting classes on Sunday nights. I need all the help I can get!
Savannah was in the school play last month, and she had so much fun! It was fun to watch and they all did a great job. Savannah had the opportunity to student teach a dance class this year, and LOVED it. She learned a lot and was able to choreograph a whole dance. She loved all the little girls and already misses them! It was so great for her to learn from Ginger about that whole process. Savvy also learned a solo and a team hip hop dance this year. She has done so well with everything she has on her plate and I am so proud of her for the talented sweetheart she is. She is so good, so truly good in her heart and I am so proud of her for always trying to do the right thing even when it is hard.
Charlee is SO- SO -SO fun! She has learned to read, and can read almost anything now. She is full of spunk and sunshine! She enjoyed her dance class this year, and loved having her big sis help out as the student teacher. She also learned a team dance and a solo, which is adorable and she is excited to perform it! She is such a ray of sunshine, even on cloudy days where the rain pours down on her, and I am so proud of her. She has worked hard and never gives up!
We are almost ready to close up another wrestling season with Shawn. He has made so much progress this year both mentally and physically in wrestling. Shawn has made so many friends from all over the state and I am so grateful for the great bunch of kids he gets to wrestle with. I truly appreciate all his hard work and dedication- wrestling can be mentally and physically brutal. Shawn does great- he takes it all in, learns, gets back up and dusts off, and gets after it again and again! It is a sport where you learn mental and physical toughness and endurance. Shawn is a good example to me and I feel like I have grown in toughness and endurance as well! Even though we will be done with tournaments after State this weekend, he will continue his private lessons year-round. Coach Charlie has been so good to Shawn and we see the big difference he has made for Shawn.
Hooray- Baseball season is here- this brings me great joy! Shawn loves baseball, and I think we are all ready to breath the air and take in the sunshine after this seemingly never ending winter! Everyone knows baseball is my favorite sport, and this is my favorite time of year! Play Ball!
Maybe I will be a better blogger, but maybe not. What can I say…. It’ s a busy/crazy/awesome life!

Never underestimate the Champion that's inside.....

The other day I was flipping through the channels and happened to see the end of the movie "Akeelah and the Bee." It is such an inspiring movie- Every kid should see the movie or read the book. How would it be if we all had the same selfless outlook on life that Akeelah had? What kind of world could it be? Akeelah was willing to hand the title of "Champion" over to someone else because she could see the good in someone when not many others could. She knew how much it meant to someone else, and she was willing to let her dream and hard work go so that he could have that moment of joy. How would it be if we all could truly find JOY in the success of others? Akeelah taught everyone at that Spelling Bee about love... real, genuine, selfless love.

Turn off my music and watch this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITvJA0-_ZvE&feature=PlayList&p=39D36AA746C332E3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=25

I love this quote from the movie....
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I have been thinking a lot lately about what makes a true "champion". In some ways I guess I have been redefining my own personal definition of "champion". I used to beleive that a "champion" was the person who could win whatever the contest or competition of the day or week happened to be. I used to think that there could only be one "Champion". In reality, by seeking the very best performance in ourselves, we inspire the very best in others and we HELP eachother to become a "champion". A "champion" is someone who can see and inspire the best in others, and who can be truly and geniunly happy when they see greatness achieved, no matter who achieves it! Is the best kind of "Champion" a "Champion" of others? I think that is the kind of Champion that God intends us to be.
Do we want to be the best IN the world, or the best FOR the world?

Watch this. It will make you feel good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Gs02ZmUmE&feature=related
(and... pay attention to the audience's joy... true joy for someone else. They were ALL champions that day!)

Donating....

I have been thinking about organ donation a lot lately. I feel strongly that being an organ donor is the right thing for me to do, and have even considered being a live donor and donating a kidney. There is much research to be done on being a live donor, but I have seen the difference that organ donation means in the lives of those who are the recipient. It is very literally giving the gift of life. Sooooo.... I just wanted to encourage you to have a conversation with your loved ones about organ donation and what each family members wishes are. It is important to make those decisions beforehand- since there is a small window of opportunity for transplanting viable organs. I know that this is not always a comforable subject to think about or discuss... however, the only solace in losing a life may be helping to save another.

Moving On!

No matter how badly last year treated you,

just walk tall with your head high. This is a brand new year, baby!

Top Ten-

Top Ten things I learned from 2009....


1. Don’t let other people rent space in my head for free. People will hurt others for their own gain and some people will never look beyond their own desires to see the bigger picture. There are people who do and say things just to be hurtful. There are people who don’t care about me and won’t ever care about me. If that is the case; there is no reason for me to let them occupy my heart, thoughts, or time!
2. Life is traumatic. We are all on our own journey and we all have our own sorrow. No one will be exempt from trials.
3. Life is great! There is so much good in the world. Focus on it and give as little attention as possible to the rest!
4. If I don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. ‘Nuff said.
5. Remember that EVERY soul’s worth is great in the sight of God- mine, yours, even those who have hurt me- all His children are precious to Him. This is why it is important that I learn to forgive.
6. NEVER, EVER let anything take away from the most important thing in life… my family. Anything that distracts my energy from being the best mom I can be just isn’t worth it the cost.
7. Give my best to the world. Sometimes my best won’t be good enough, but at least gave all I had to give at the time.
8. Cherish the friends who make you a better person. Truly be grateful for those who help you through the hard times and build you up to be all you can be. Be that kind of friend!
9. Breathe fresh air and exercise hard enough to sweat every day!
10. There is always One who is there for me. He understands everything. He knows what is in my heart -and that is all that matters.