Revival Recital 2018 - 7th annual

7th Annual Revival Recital

This recital was so amazing because we had several new performers- ladies who were participating for the very first time!

I shared these quotes from Brene Brown at the beginning.

 I really do think that we are brave, 

reviving 

renewing

learning for the first time 

and then putting it out there 

being vulnerable

for others to see 

I always like to do an opening number that is fun and a little bit of a surprise. I performed "This Is The Greatest Show" and not only did I play it, I played it in costume.

And I totally messed up and made some funny faces. But I don't have a problem with that. 

Mother's Day

Parker made this lovely acrostic poem for me. It is displayed in my kitchen where I can look at it all the time. I need the reminder. I think it is really insightful. Parker is gifted at seeing and feeling things deeply and this poem is an example of that.

We had a great dinner at my house with some of my siblings. Unfortunately, my mom was not feeling well and didn't make it so I have to admit, it was a weird evening but we still had fun and enjoyed being together.

And all these cute little grandkids sent a video message to grandma. What a bunch of hooligans. It was impossible to get a picture with them all looking at the camera, not to mention smiling at the same time. 

I should probably say something clever or meaningful about being a mom here but sometimes its just life as usual, right? Dinner, family, kids, church, tidying the house. And all of it is laced with laughter, nagging, worry, concern, fun and games, and the daily grind of life.

Surrounding it all is

the love of 

Mother for her child

and the child for her mother.

RootsTech

As I prepare this blog post, I am realizing that I left out any and all pictures with my mom. 

My mom and I went to RootsTech! The biggest geneology/family history conference in the nation (probably in the world). 

We met up with my friend from my ward, Sherry Bookman, and her daughter, Amy. It was a lot of fun! They told us to take crazy selfies and post them all over the internet. So I took a picture but did not post it. 

I was particularly thrilled to see Relative Race at the tradeshow. My family loves watching that show!

I accomplished one of the challenges at won a t-shirt that I LOVE!

I also went to a Relative Race Q&A class and listened to the Red team and the Green team share behind the scenes experiences. It was so much fun.

Someone asked what they learned about their partner on the race. The red team guy started to cry and said it made him realize he definitely married the right person. 

(the green team are sisters and they are hilarious!)

BFF Diahan was there too and she presented several times. She is a master at teaching about DNA and getting people fired up to use it in their geneology. 

 (the day before this, Tina and I went shopping with Diahan and out to dinner. She bought this sweater on the shopping trip. Doesn't she look great?)

So the whole conference was great but it was exhausting. Probably why I don't have pictures of my mom. We went to different classes and by the time we got to the hotel we were sleep walking. 

On family day, President Oaks and his wife gave a wonderful presentation on how they incorporate family history with their family. 

Discover, Gather, Connect.

Even though I am exhausted and am not sure if I will go again, I am definitely fired up about doing more family history and sharing it with my family!

And I loved spending time with my mom!

Fall colors with mom

This sweet mom of mine had not been feeling well and was kind of home-bound for a while.

Until I decided she needed a little color in her life. I took her up to the mountains, to Meuller Park Canyon where I spent much of my childhood. 

It was every bit as beautiful as I remembered it. 

And my mom is every bit as beautiful as she's always been.

General conference with my girls

Sterling got tickets for me and the girls to attend the women's session of General Conference. It was awesome! I love being with my girls and am so glad they are all old enough to come with me. 

I especially love Rachel's notes. This talk by Elder Holland was amazing. Equally amazing are the emojis that Rachel inserted into her notes. 

After conference, we had lunch at City Center. 

Look at that pizza. Whoa baby. We were hungry and ate every last bit plus a big smoothie from Jamba Juice.

If this doesn't have mother plastered all over it, I don't know what does. 

"Mom, can you grab our stuff?" and they hustle out the door ahead of me. In their defense, they did at least throw away their pizza plates.

Revival Recital 2017

This amazing group of ladies (and one gentleman) did it again.

We put on a fantastic Revival Recital! 

Some of the faces change, most of the faces stay the same. 

Every woman contributes so much talent and joy and goodness to my life. I love the Revival Recital!!!

A collage of every one's performance

My harp performance. My first performance on the harp. Nerve wracking! Fulfilling!

I'm Ready ...

Seems like this was the constant state of my kitchen all summer long.

I'm ready for school to start so I can reclaim my kitchen!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day to my mom, to me and to all the other wonderful women out there who care about other people. I really ought to write something about how I feel about mother's day.

Let me just say this - Adam called Eve a mother before she gave birth to anyone. Eve is the mother of all living and was given that title from day 1 (or Day 6 :)). All women are/can be mothers. So ponder for a minute about what characteristics make up a mothering heart. 

OK- enough of that. We had dinner at mom's house and it was so fun. The bachelor brothers were there and Sarah and her boys. Wish I would have taken pictures before the cousins left. These pictures are the ones we cherish for years to come.

I love being mom to these clowns!

And plus, isn't this the cutest picture of father and son. I'm so grateful for the loving relationships we have in our family. It takes effort, patience and forgiveness. And its worth it!

Day

Getting our (Strawberry) Jam on!

The last time I made strawberry jam, it lasted for two years. We finally ran out about a week ago and its been torture. By some twist of fate, we ran out during strawberry season.

Also, it was the last week of school, which means 'no school' for the high-schooler (because she had no remediation needs). Which meant she got roped into helping!  

So three generations went to work making jam~ my mom, me and my daughter. I love times like this. I couldn't have scripted the day any more perfectly.  

And boy was she a task master. It was hard for mom and I to keep up with her. 
I think we may also have started a new tradition. I needed to run to the store and get more pectin to finished up the strawberries and jars we had left. While there, I got sushi. Mmmmm. 
New Tradition: Jam and Sushi
or: Strawberries and Sushi
or: Pectin and Sushi
(does it even need a name or title? probs not)

One of the best things about my mom is how special she makes people feel. She is genuinely, sincerely interested in every little thing you have to say. My kids know and feel that. (So do Ster and I) and it is one of the greatest gifts she could ever give us. 

I know there are lots of ways that we women compare ourselves to each other. And it never ends. Even as a mom of marrieds and as a grandma, I'm sure there are comparisons. Some grandma's take trips with their grandkids and families. Or big shopping trips or tons of babysitting or I don't know what else. 

But seriously ~ I'll say it again ~ I can't think of a greater gift than knowing that someone loves you and wants to hear everything you have to say. And Cares about Everything you say. And if that's the only thing my mom gives my kids (its Not the only thing, but even if it were) it would be more than enough.

After mom took some home for herself and for Sarah, we still had a lot of jars on the counter. 

Hopefully that will last us a year!!!

Battle Creek-spring break

We worked hard the first part of spring break and then we played hard. Friday is my mountain hike day and with the kids all home, hiking with my regular buddies was out. 

What was funny was - part way through the day, T sent a picture her with her kids on a hike. Soon to be followed by J hiking her way through the sky scraper mountains of New York City with some of her family. And I sent a picture of the kids and I at Battle Creek Falls. We just couldn't get away from the weekly habit of hiking.

It was really cool to see a family rappelling down the rock face at the falls. We watched that for a while!

Rachel was getting hot and decided to cool off with the cold mountain water.

We continued up the trail and found a lot more beautiful falls and adventures.

It didn't take long for some of us to get tuckered out. 

These tired children inspired some of my favorite quotes from the hike:

child A: "Why are you so boring?"

child B: "I'm not boring. I have jello legs and I'm tired!"

"I can do it. I'm Mowgli."

 (eyeing the branches hanging over a small waterfall.)

"Hello! I need some company back here!"

"I do not want to do ANY of this!"

"I guess we're going to keep going up the mountain now cuz mom doesn't respect any of us."

"Mom, you were so grumpy in the house. Now you're so happy!"

So we finally headed home.