Say it isn't so.....Happy B-day!!!

15 years!!!

Birthday Boy with his new mountain bike!!

Nate with his usual baseball cake!


This past week Nate celebrated his 15th birthday! How can this be???? In my mind and heart he is still my "Nathan-boy"......around like age 6;) Yet as I reach up to give him a hug, I'm reminded that he can't possibly still be my "little" buddy! Each year around his b-day I slip into a depression of sorts, realizing how much closer he is to graduation and mission. His age seems to just magnify that all my chicks are growing too quickly and will one day, all too soon, be ready to leave the nest :( The funny thing is that I was ABSOLUTELY convinced that the Savior would come by the time Nate was say 12 yrs :) So I never truly believed that I would have to raise teenagers in this troubled world! Alas, Jesus Christ is not yet upon the earth :) Therefore I'm trying hard as I can to raise a worthy young man, ready to face the modern day trials. I must say how proud I am of him, the friends he has chosen and the example he is!
He has blessed my life greatly since the moment of his birth and I consider the role of being his mother an honor!!

Hope you had a wonderful Birthday,
"Big" Buddy!!!!

Spring Break = Family Fun!!!

For SpRiNg BrEaK we spent a few days camping in our tent trailer in Pine Mountain, GA. This is one of our favorite places to visit every couple years because there's lots of fun things to do and sights to see!

A favorite scenic look-out between Pine Mtn. and Warm Springs.
Little White House in Warm Springs. Ali was SOOOO excited to go here since she just finished studying about FDR in school. She made Nate take pictures of everything!!

Ran and I at fountain at the Little White House.

Our kiddos at the fountain!



We also spent a day at Callaway Gardens, absolutely beautiful!!

On a ferry ride across the lake. This is always fun because you get to put your bikes on the ferry!

Rae was getting tired as we walked to the birds of prey show, so sweet Ali offered to carry her :)
If you look beyond them in the picture you can see Ran and Randee (pink shirt) holding hands! Soooo sweet!!

Outside the butterfly exhibit I spotted a few butterflies that I just had to bring home with me!

We biked all over the gardens; stopping along the way to picnic. The weather was just perfect!




We also went to a Wild Animal Safari.

Do any of these animals look familiar???

We rode on an old school bus that strangely resembled a zebra!

Yes, Ran is holding a piece of the food that we fed to the animals in his mouth.....so him ;)

I love this shot of Rae feeding a HUGE bull! She wanted to feed it yet had to close her eyes when it actually got to her!

Ali feeding an elk, not so scary.

Randee feeding a giraffe, cool!

Nate petting a giraffe, even cooler!!

It was such a fun trip!

(except Randee falling in the creek moments before leaving our camp site....she still can't laugh about it.....shhh!)

More great MeMoRiEs ~ that's what it's ALL about!!!

I LOVE Conference!!!

As a child General Conference was not always my favorite, that's bad to admit :( Although I do remember feeling the spirit from time to time, I definitely did not look forward to sitting for 2 hours and listening to the talks. As I grew into my teenage years, I felt the spirit more yet I still did not have the "love" of conference that I witnessed in others. Although, I was always excited to see the prophet and hear his words. Now I can officially say I LOVE conference!! The word "Conference" has became an event for our family, full with traditions and full of the Spirit! I feel so blessed to be able to watch conference in our home! There is something very special about hearing the words of the Prophet and the Lord's chosen echo through the walls of my own home.
On conference Sunday we enjoy sleeping in a little late and Ran making a big breakfast. We then collect Friend magazines, church books, puzzles, etc. to keep the little ones busy. We bring out ALL the treats!! (everyone chooses any treat they would like from the store the evening before) Finally Ran brings up a mattress from the tent trailer to put on the floor. Funny story about that..... I have always slightly disliked the entire mattress deal: hard to walk~easier to fall asleep...until yesterday. I was watching conference and Rae walked in and saw me, saw the TV and said, "Where's the mattress?" The mattress is a tradition to her, well all the kids....I can handle it for a few hours ;) Then we enjoy watching conference, snacking, taking notes and feasting on the words of our leaders. Between sessions we go on a family walk to our neighborhood play ground and today enjoyed a game of tag! (Ran and I are s-l-o-w) We then try to eat some real food before returning to our snacks for the 2nd session. I have grown to LOVE General Conference and this special Sunday with my family!

ABC's and 123's ;)

This week of school has been packed with activities for all the kiddos.

Rae had an indoor Easter egg hunt, due to all the rain we've received this week. It's amazing how fun it still was to the kids....outside or inside eggs filled with candy always brings a smile!!

Rae with one of her bestest friends!

They are showing the cute bunny cans they made to collect their eggs in!

She found one!!

Ali had a group project to present on Greece. She and the others in her group worked very hard finding pictures, making the poster and researching to find their assigned bits of info.

Ali and her bestest friend K. showing their poster.



Ali sharing her part of the presentation. She is speaking into a small microphone.
My little "reporter"!!

Randee also had a project with a friend this week. They made a snake out of clay, painted it and then put it into our "unoccupied" aquarium with a complete rain forest habitat. It looked so real that when I dropped Randee off for school the principal stopped her to see what she was actually bringing in the school ;) Sorry no pics. The snaked cracked on the trip home and all was dumped before I remembered the camera.

It was a busy week, we're soooo ready for

SpRiNg BrEaK!!