Tickets for Joseph

If anyone is interested in discount tickets for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dream coat...(you know, the one my family is in this summer) you can visit sjtheatre.org I think you have to purchase your tickets before June 1, (Saturday..tomorrow) to get the discount. ( you also have to buy them in budles of ten. It's is going to be a great show. Come and see it!!

Ellie is sixteen...I mean Six

This picture is endearing to me because Ellie did her own hair. She used lots of hairspray in her bangs

After about six months of a daily count down, Ellie finally had her sixth birthday! Here are six things I love about Ellie:

1. So happy all the time

2. Loves to be with her friends. I loved seeing her so giddy at her birthday party.

3. Is very self sufficient. Mike thinks she is almost ready for her own apartment.

4. Will work for Candy

5. She is such a cute little dancer.

6. She is so loving and sweet. I love her "air hugs" she gives me right before she gets on the bus for school.

I love you Ellie! You make life so fun. I know you will always be a ray of sunlight in our home.

Jack MAY be getting a little spoiled

Jack MAY be getting a little sick of this camera in his face.

Jack MAY be the most curious baby I know!!!!!

I love to eat the Temple

My Mother -in-law (aka Grandma extraordinaire) had a birthday! We love her so much and appreciate everything she does for us!! She is one of the most kind and loving people I know. Happy Birthday Mom/Grandma!!!


My Mother-in-law is amazing at celebrating birthdays. When attending her home for your special "Grandma party", the birthday girl/boy can expect to find: His/her favorite meal, special theme decorations (different for each party), helium balloons, games (with prizes) and a VERY special cake (kept secret until after dinner) that in someway reflects the birthday girl/boys personality. This Temple cake is our attempt at making a special cake for her. She is much better at making special cakes, but we thought it would be tacky if we asked her to make her own. :-) (PS in case you can't tell...which is highly likely....this is the Draper temple:-)

Humility

Ellie: (singing while Mom is doing her hair) "I'm SO cute...I'm SO SO cute"

Mom: (knowing she probably created this monster tries to take advantage of a teaching moment)..."Sweetie, It's ok to think you are cute, but that shouldn't be all that you think and talk about. It's more important to be sweet and treat others kindly."

Ellie: (after a moment of contemplation)..."Don't worry Mom, at school, I talk about friendship...not just my beautifulness".

Mother's Day Morning! a stage play by Mom. Based on a true story. :-)

( Mother wakes to the sound of her family coming up the stairs and singing.) "Happy Mother's Day to you......Happy Mother's Day to you....Happy Mother's Day dear Ma-om...Happy Mother's Day to you......."

Sleeping Mother smiles and pulls herself to a sitting position as the door opens.

Enter, three beaming faces with a tray of breakfast (eggs, muffins and OJ) and presents wrapped in tissue paper and black electric tape. (Mom's heart warms immediately) The three beaming children chant, "Open presents! Open presents!"

Enter Dad...messy hair, tired eyes, but with traces of blue berry muffin dough on his shirt...(Mom's heart warms a little more) " No girls," Dad says kindly, "let's let Mom eat her breakfast first." " Time is of the essence."

Mom begins eating while three kids, (who had visited the neighbors garage sale the previous day) bounce with anticipation.

(Dad leaves the room momentarily and returns with the baby.)

Enter Baby Jack (age: 7 1/2 months. An adorable bouncing baby boy who brings insurmountable joy to his family). Fresh from a recent diaper change from Dad..(another small Mother's Day gift from Dad) Jack is all smiles and baby babble. He's also excited to see the plate of food in Mom's lap. Dad starts giving Jack pieces of blue berry muffin (slightly larger than Mom feels comfortable with...but guesses it's ok) and Mom continues eating. (dear readers....I am sorry that the large muffin pieces will not lead to a choking climax in our play...I only mentioned it because I remember thinking it. I am trying to be authentic in my character development. :-)

On with our Day......

Finally, Mother takes pity on the sweet anxiously awaiting children and opens a present. The first gift is from Casie. (age:11 a thoughtful child who has a desire to choose the right and be kind to others) From Casie, Mom receives a pot of beautiful fake flowers...(but with real dirt) and a delicate porcelain pitcher. (Mom's heart warms even more knowing that her daughter picked this treasure out while thinking of her. She also knows that she spent her own money on the gift)

Next, Annie (age:8 a deeply curious and tender soul who delights in service to others) gives her gift to Mom. After removing the tissue paper and black tape, an elegant blue glass jar shaped like a goose is revealed to Mom. Annie proclaims that "it's for your jewelry." (Mom's heart warms even more when she sees the proud beaming brown eyes of her sweet eight year old. Mom knows that later, after everyone but Annie has left the room, Annie will quietly ask her which present she liked the best. Mom knows that her answer will be "hmmmm, let me think...OH! of course it HAS to be the blue glass goose." Annie will smile and think to herself, "I thought so."

Now Ellie, (age: almost 6. An energetic happy girl who loves to socialize and is very loving... And who had also insisted on being last) hands Mom a gift. Mom doesn't open it right away, but starts feeling it and trying to guess what it is. "Hmmm..it has a handle...and a hollow middle,... and it feels just like a......" (opens the present)...."Watering can!" Ellie grins sheepishly. Mom laughs as she tells Dad and the other sisters the conversation she and Ellie had the day before...(right after Ellie had come home from the garage sale and hid something in her room.) Their conversation went like this:

Ellie: wow...I'm thirsty
Mom: well, how about you get a drink of water...
Ellie: (urgently) "Don't say that!"
Mom: (surprised) "Say what?"
Ellie: "Water! It will make you guess what your Mother's day present is! It's a WA.....WA.....WA....(pause)...it's a watering can."

The sisters and Dad laugh, and Ellie gets a shy yet mischievous smile on her face and looks down adorably.

The last gift is from Dad. It's wrapped in art paper and decorated by Annie and Ellie. (it also has black electric tape keeping it together. Mom tries to not feel guilty for not having tape in the house when her family needed it. But then she remembered that they used to have scotch tape, but the kids used it to make "toilet paper people" ....."A creative and good use of tape" she thinks, and decides that the black electric tape is VERY endearing) Dad gives Mom a wonderful camera and they spend the rest of the morning taking pictures of the kids.

But wait...let us not pass over the sweetest part of this Mother's Day Morn. After the breakfast is eaten, the presents are opened and the hugs of gratitude are given, the three sweet girls stand on the foot of the bed and sing Mom this Mother's day song:

Like sunshine in the morning that wakens day from night,
Like flowers in the springtime so colorful and bright,
Like happy songs of bluebirds that fill the air with cheer,
A person bright and lovely is my mother dear.


The three girls sing so sweetly and so beautifully that tears start to form in Mom's eyes. She is so grateful for the the four sweet children who made it possible for her to be named Mother.

I love you so much Casie, Annie, Ellie and Jack! Thanks for the wonderful day. You really are the best children in the world. I am so lucky to have you. Also thanks to my sweet husband for everything you do to make my life as "Mother " so wonderful and happy.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Guess what I got for Mother's Day???? While you are thinking about it, you can browse through these beautiful pictures...NOT taken with my cell phone. :-)

I will post about our great Mother's Day and Alissa's blessing soon.....

Oh Ellie, you're so mature!!!

Today, with all the confidence in the world, Ellie learned how to curl her own hair! I've never met a five year old who acted more like a teenager. She is such a fun kid. I laughed when I called up to her that the bus was coming and she yelled from the bathroom..."I'm curling my hair!" She is also cute in the way she talks. Yesterday she said, "That would be so excitable if you bought me some candy!" And speaking of candy, the girl adores it! Today she told me that she smelled the "beautiful smell of candy, and it made her want some." This little princess of a girl keeps us smiling.

PS A warning to all Ellie's friends. ....She can't wait for you to come over so she can curl your hair too!

The Red Tent

Ok, why have I heard SO many good things about this book? And why on earth did no one tell me about all the bad? Call me uncultured and sheltered, but I don't think it's necessary for my salvation OR social status to read about some authors fictitious renditions of sexuality (in ALL its forms) in Bible times. After one chapter and $18 to itunes, I have deleted it from my library. Anyone have a book recommendation that doesn't involve paraphilia in any form?

Fun with Jack

Jack's first sucker.

Jack's first experience with grass

Jack's first reason for needing therapy when he's older

Oh how we love this scrumptious little boy!

Because my camera resides somewhere in the UK, I have resorted to taking pictures with my cell phone. I wish the images weren't so blurry. :-(

Oh ya, Mike's ok too....

Sorry that I failed to mention my love for my husband in my last post....maybe it's because he doesn't feel like a "New Love" to me. My love for him spans through the eternities. It feels like I've known him forever, yet each day brings something new and exciting. His voice is like a million little Adam's and Danny's to my ears. His smile sends my spirits soaring and the touch of his hand makes my heart race. His meatloaf making skills are impeccable..and... his eyes are like... a ring of fire...it burns burns burns....like he was born to be wild...but it don't matter if it's black or white because... this is a Mad World....(oh wait, I am wandering a bit....)



Mike, you know that I really do LOVE you deeply deeply deeply. You are the best husband in the world...especially because you let me and your daughters be silly school girls over superficial American Idols. :-)



Was that "gooshie" enough for you Marianne? :-)

Change of plans and new love.....

First Change of plans:

I am going to be in Joseph after all! One of the wives dropped out and they asked me if I would reconsider...(well, to be honest, I begged to be in the chorus and then they said that they were just going to email me and ask if I would reconsider...)


And now New Love:

I am deeply in love with Adam Lambert...so is Casie, Annie and Ellie...Mike is not. (how in tarnation sake did he end up in the BOTTOM TWO??) (Ellie had little tears in her eyes and I almost threw the remote at the TV....Mike said that we needed to get a life)

I am starting to fall in love with Danny...ditto ditto and ditto....Mike might already be in love with him. lol

I am loving my relationship with my kids. It's sorta fun when they get older.

I am DEEPLY DEEPLY in love with Jack.

Oh and one random thought.....I am a horrible tooth fairy.