First really hot day of Spring!

Today the kids wanted to swim so we filled up our little boat pool and had some fun in the sun. It was nice and relaxing to be out in the sun watching the kids play together. I love these three!

Daddy Dressed Me!!

So Jon comes down the stairs and says, "Don't look! Drum roll please and here comes Taylee Baby ready for her workout!" Yes, he dressed her in her Infanatdel apparal including the sweatband. Cracks me up!First time on the swing and Brody is pushing. Is that such a great idea Jon? Luckily she loved every minute from her teeth-gritting aggressive brother.

Rylee's Testimony

As you know we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The first sunday of every month is fast and testimony meeting during sacrament meeting. On this day we fast as they did in times of old to help us draw closer to the Spirit and to seek special blessings from Him through prayer. During this meeting anyone can get up to the pulpit and declare the truths they believe in to everyone by the power of the Holy Ghost.

About two months ago it was fast and testimony meeting and people were going up as usual when Brody leans into me and asks me, "Are you going to go up there and get your text message?". I thought I was going to die laughing right there in church before I even got a chance to explain to him. So I said, "Yes, I will go up there and bear my testimony". It was nice to get up there and reflect on my testimony, how I gained my testimony, and how it is still growing. When I was younger I thought that a testimony was a finite point you reach. Now that I am older and understand things better a testimony is always growing if nourished. It truly does starts with a seed. A tree never stops growing unless it's not taken care of and nourished with the proper things it needs to grow...just like our testimonies. It's been wonderful to see the seeds that have been planted in our family and watch them grow.

About two weeks ago Rylee said, "I want to write a talk so I can say it in sacrament meeting like you Mom". So we sat down and I went through the basics - I'd like to bear my testimony, I know this church is true...but before I could go any further, Jon suddenly jumped in and said, "Don't tell her to say that! It sounds like you are brainwashing her." I figured he was right. That was a fabricated testimony written by someone else. So I then explained what a testimony was "A testimony is usually defined as knowledge or assurance of a truth that a person declares by the convincing power of the Holy Ghost." So I asked Rylee how she felt about the church, what she thought of Jesus and Heavenly Father, and what she thought of our Prophet President Monson. This is what she came up with:

"I would like to bear my testimony. Rylee is my favorite child. I believe in Jesus and Heavenly Father. I believe I should choose the right. I believe that President Monson makes good choices. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Jon was much more pleased, as was I, with what she came up with. She could hardly wait to say what she wrote. I told her two more weeks and she will get her chance. So she waited patiently and the day came. During sacrament meeting she asked me to go up there with her and I told her that I'd love to, but that I was holding Taylee and she was having a rough time in church. I continued to tell her that if she asked Daddy I know he would go up there with her. So she did, and he accepted. She was thrilled. She finally got up enough courage to go sit in the stands with Jon, but I could see in her face that she was getting more and more nervous. I was thinking in my head, "What is she going to do? What is Jon going to do if she runs?". Lo and behold, she ran. She ran back to our pew and hid underneath it in embarrassment. I don't blame her, it's nerve racking to go up there and share a special part of yourself with others. So Jon got up there and said, "She tricked me". This was the first time he has gotten up in fast and testimony meeting. He explained what happened at home leading up to this point about the testimony and then read her testimony with tears streaming down his face. We were all touched. He then ended with his own testimony.

The thing that touched me the most about the testimony was the part about "Rylee is my favorite child". I asked her numerous times if she really wanted to put that in there, but she insisted. The take home lesson I learned from my daughter that day was that she is a daughter of God and that she knew she was special and that she loves herself. So many women out there have a hard time loving themselves because they are constantly comparing themselves to others, which makes them feel like they are never good enough. Not my Rylee. She loves herself and is proud of herself and her accomplishments, just as I am proud of her. We both are daughters of God with INFINITE worth. I love my family with all my heart and I am so grateful for the direction we are heading together.

Rylee's Official Birth Date

Doughnut face! This is what she wanted for her birthday breakfast of champions. After eating a whole box of doughnuts we all felt sick to our stomach...though they did taste good before going down. Today was a lazy day for all of us. We all got to enjoy Rylee's new toys. Thanks to everyone who made her birthday special!By the way, Rylee got a letter from her Great-Baba, which she read with ease and giggles:She immediately wanted to write her back and this is what she said,

"Oh you are so sweet. You are so kind to send me a letter and you are much sweeter than before.
xoxoxoxxooxoxox From Rylee"

I refused to send it because it was in my handwriting. I asked her to rewrite it. She refused and said that it was so much faster because I already wrote it down. True, she is smart.
This was a cute pillowcase Aunt Christie had made for Rylee's birthday. It was nice because all her family signed it and she now sleeps on it.After being lazy we decided to work off those doughnuts and go to Sky High Sports for some jumping!

Rylee's 5th Birthday Party

You've had a birthday shout Hooray!
We'd like to sing to you today!
One year older and wiser too!
Happy Birthday, to you!

This year I wanted easy. So we decided to let Technique Gymnastics be our guide. They set up, entertained and cleaned up. The cake was WONDERFUL. Everything was edible and handmade by Becky Cherry. She is amazing!!! Thank you so much!! All the kids had such a great time! Rylee specifically wanted a round cake with Pocahontas and John Smith on top with green grass and the white powdery doughnettes. She even drew a picture of the cake she wanted. Then we went to the Disney Store to see if we could get the small Pocahontas figurines, but they didn't exist because she is so outdated. Her second choice was Rapunzel and this is what Becky created.

Singing in the Rain

Here we are on a rainy day after dinner and the kids thought it would be funny to run around outside in shorts and short-sleeve shirts with rain boots...in the rain. They crack me up sometimes. So here is Rylee showing off her muscles like Jon......and Brody giggling with excitement...
...and cutie baby Taylee riding on Jon's back...After singing in the rain, literally we attempted to make these really tart Lemon Tarts, which turned out wonderfully...tart!This is Brody's pouting face, which I think is hilarious with the huge lip pucker.

San Francisco

Rylee has been asking if it is windy enough to fly kites and finally it was. We took another family day to picnic at a park and fly kites. Jon found us a beautiful long patch of green grass right in front of the Bay. The weather was perfect and the both of them were able to do it all by themselves, which made them very proud. For Brody's birthday Rylee picked out the pirate ship kite and for Rylee's birthday, Rylee picked out the Tinkerbell kite.Muscle man!!!I love this picture of the boys. I want to always remember this look of pure enjoyment on their faces.Lovin' the crazy kids!The kids were mesmerized with a man at the park that was flying a very large kite. It was about 8 kites hooked together. He was amazing! He had such control and was teasing the kids by almost touching them, but then flying right over their heads.Tackle!They both were wasted from all the running around. Here they are falling sleep in the car. That has to be so uncomfortable, but I guess if you're tired enough then you can sleep anywhere.

Discovery Museum

Today Jon got home from a long 4 days (96 hours straight) at work and we are blessed to have him by our sides once again. It's hard for me to ever feel complete when my other half is away. Life is so much better when he is home...though at times I swear the kids act like a band of wild animals when he is home. I guess it is there primal way of expressing their excitement when the ring leader arrives. Seriously, they just don't do that when you are at work. Usually Tuesdays is Rylee's "dance day". I asked her if she wouldn't mind skipping it today so we could go do something fun together as a family. She said, "Of course". She is so sweet and loving. We decided to go to the Discovery Museum in Sacramento. We had a great time. Outside they had a human sundial that was...well, correct. You stand on the month and where your shadow points is the time. I guess time just stands still when it's overcast, since there would be no shadows to be found. Upon entering we learned about whale bones, bugs, animals, outer space and physics.See Rylee standing on March and her shadow is pointing to 1:00p.My cutie sweet little baby Taylee. Lately she's been mostly on my back pulling my hair while sitting in the backpack no matter where we are; at home or out at play. I wonder if she forgets what I look like since she is always staring at the back of my head?This was so funny for Jon and I. This picture reminded us of Dark Helmet in the movie Space Balls. The helmet is oversized for his little head and he talks with his hilarious Darth Vader voice. Brody looked just like him in this plastic space helmet for kids with this rocket booster jet pack on his back. He did not want to take it off.Here Rylee is looking through different prisms learning about light refraction. She loved seeing the different patterns of rainbows that different prisms made.This is how the astronauts sleep in space. Since there is no gravity they have to be strapped to the walls in an upright position. They are pretending to be sleeping.Thermal energy with their handprints.Rylee and Brody loved all the different things they could touch and learn about. Lately when I explain things to Rylee she asks, "How do you know that?". Some day she will find out that I don't know everything and that we are all still learning. It was fun for me to just watch the kids take their time and explore. Not feeling rushed is a great feeling since most of our life is rushing. I need slow it down and enjoy the little things. Life is going so fast and it partly makes me feel sad that I am missing things that are right in front of my face. I love our little family with all my heart. Somedays I'd like to quit everything and just be with the ones that I love.