{Wonderfully "WICKED" Weekend}

A few months ago, Lisa told me her friend Brandy was going with a group to San Francisco to see the musical Wicked and wondered if I wanted to go with them. For more than one reason, I decided not to. Well, fast forward to one of the first weekends in January, it was a "Mo's haivin' a pitty party day" and I called my mama to whine, and one of the things I whined about was not going. I got a call a bit later from my Dad, who said "Are you calling Brandy or am I? Because you really do need to go." What a sweet dad I have! I ended up going and I'M SO GLAD I DID! They ended filling 2 tour buses, with 112 women! We left Lehi Saturday night and drove ALL.NIGHT.LONG! 762 miles!Our first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. I can't even tell you how happy I was to be walking and not sitting! From there we checked into our motel, showered and went to get something to eat. Our immediate little group started out with six of us that knew each other, but our friend LeighAnn wasn't able to come, darn it. So, we had an extra spot. The gal who set up the trip sent her husband to get The Wizard of Oz late in the afternoon the day we left. He ran into a girl they knew and he mentioned the trip, she said she wanted to go, but he thought she was kidding. She went home and told her husband she was going, called and set it up and ended up coming......with 3 hours notice! She ended up fitting right in, and we had a great time! Sheramy, Lisa, Joanna, Jen, Brandy & Me

Then finally it was off to WICKED! Yippie, Skippie!
Can I just tell you how much I LOVED IT?!?!?! I can't even think of all the adjectives I want to use to describe it. Skyler, my cute cousin, pretty much summed it up by saying, "I am SO incredibly jealous! It really is so so good, huh? And you just want to see it again so bad and you think everyone in the world should see it too!" I'll just say if you have the chance you should go, it was great!
(Yea, I know my eyes are closed.....but it's a great picture of the other girls!)

The next morning we hit an Alcatraz tour. Did you know Alcatraz started out as a Military base? It was in fact, from 1850-1933. It then became a Federal Penitentiary from 1934-1963. Then a group of 75 Indians took over the island in 1969. After fires that destroyed several historic buildings, US marshals forcibly removed the remaining 15 Indians, ending their occupation in 1971. It was really quite an interesting tour. Check out the Calumet baking powder can that was in the kitchen there. I have the EXACT same one in my kitchen......true story, how cool is that?

We spent the rest of the day hanging out at Pier 39. Shopping, eating, people watching (my personal favorite) and then eating and shopping a bit more. Then it was back on the bus for the 762 mile trip back home. My tailbone is complaining and I'm a bit tired, ok a little more than a bit......but it truly was a Wonderfully Fantastic WICKED Weekend!

Today I am thankful for..... Derrick, he's a great husband and wonderful daddy. Lis and her sweet friends, I felt just like one of the girls. My Dad, he's a pretty great & thoughtful guy. And for girls weekends..... we all need just one once in a while! Oh, and last but definitely not least, a comfy BED to sleep in tonight, instead of a hard bus seat!

{Blue & Gold}

Last week our Scouts had their annual Blue & Gold Banquet. Honestly, even after having a boy in Scouts for 2 years, it all still confuses me. That's bad, since Scouts is one of the things I oversee in my Primary calling. I'm sure I'll get it all figured out, right about the time my boys are finished! I'm just thankful for our Scout leaders....they all do a great job.

Brock just had his Birthday and turned ten, so he'll be moving on to Webelos.

Kaleb will be turning eight this month, so they welcomed him to Scouting and presented him with his Wolf book. He was so excited, and can't wait to be able to go to his first den meeting. I couldn't believe how little he looked up there next to the older boys!

And now my friends, I'm off for a "Wicked" girls weekend! Can't wait to tell you all about our fun and excitement!

{Birthday Fun}

It's been a weekend of Birthday Celebrations at our house!

I'm a mean mom, who only lets my kids have a friend party every other year or so. This was Brock's year and he chose to go bowling. Since we don't have a bowling alley around here, we had to make the 45 min. drive to Delta. Brock picked enough friends to fill up the Tahoe and off we went. The kids all had a great time, and I have to admit, even Derrick and I enjoyed bowling with them. I also have to brag, that I had the high score both games.....honestly it really wasn't high enough to brag about and we even had bumpers!?!? The boys had a great time, and I was thoroughly entertained during our drive. Carson and Slade serenaded us with a mean Taylor Swift, Love Story, quite loudly! Kamryn brought bubble gum to share with everyone and they had a bubble blowing contest on the way over. Kaleb held his own with the bigger boys and Memphis just sat back and took it all in! It was a crazy day, and I think everyone had a good time.

Brock was excited to open his gifts this year (ok, there's never been a year he hasn't been). He got a DS and a few games, his own set of sparring gear and quite a bit of money. He's such a good kid.....when I asked him what he's going to do with the money, he said he wants to spend a little and put the rest in savings, for a mission and college!
I saw a cute cake in my Family Fun magazine and decided to give it a shot. It was far from perfect, but I thought it turned out pretty good, and the Birthday Boy was happy with it and that's all that really counts, right?

{Double Digits.....Really?}

Today is BROCK'S tenth birthday!
Double Digits....really, how did that happen so fast?!?!

10 Things we love about Brock!

• Brock Loves Karate, and he works hard at it!

• Brock is very kindhearted.

• Brock gives the best hugs. I love that he has no problem giving hugs still, even though he's getting pretty grown up!
• Brock works hard......even when things don't always come easy to him, he keeps trying!
• Brock is an EXCELLENT big brother. He and Kaleb are best buddies (and yes, they fight like best buds too) and he is super cute with Carlie. I love to listen to him read stories to her or teach her new things.
• Brock is helpful and he's willing to do almost anything you ask him to!

• Brock is a good friend!

• Brock loves church and has a strong Testimony, which he shares regularly. He's going to make a great missionary someday!

• Brock always thinks of others.

• Brock is SUPER appreciative and thankful for anything that anyone does for him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

We ♥Love♥ you bunches!

{What's Making Mo Happy Lately?}

•A Lil' Valentines Love!

Really, normally I'm not much of a Valentines girl.....give me a sugar cookie and I'm happy! This year I had the yummiest sugar cookies EVER! I got a fun surprise package in the mail and a darling handmade card from sweet friends. Derrick gave me a big, soft furry pillow. And, I got flowers from a darling four year old boy (one of my preschoolers). Yep, I'd have to say I liked Valentines this year!

• Brock's Birthday Ladder

I got Brock's pictures in the birthday ladder for his Birthday this week! I love to look at the pictures of how much he's changed and grown over the years and he was excited to come home and see it done.

•A few MoMents spent stamping and creating!

It seems like it's been a long time since I've had the chance to just sit down and stamp or craft. I need to make it a point to do it more often....cause I love it! I had to get Brock's birthday invites done last night so we could get them to his friends today, and it was so relaxing to sit down for a few minutes and create! Plus today I took a second to make the topper for the birthday ladder.

•Primary

I know I've said it before, but I love serving in the Primary! The kids are adorable, and I learn so much being there. The theme for 2010 is "I Know My Savior Loves Me". I pray that each of our children really knows that the Savior does love them, individually and unconditionally! My sharing time this past Sunday focused on our Saviors Atonement, I'm not sure how much the kids got out of it, but it was something that I needed. I truly look forward to Primary each week!

• A Girls Trip to Look Forward To

Only 9 more days! I'll tell you all about it soon, I promise!

{It All Began With a Lie}

Yep, I'm a copy cat! I loved my friend Ann's post about how they became a couple, and decided I wanted to share our story and some pictures of us over the years.

It all started on graduation day in May of 1994. Wait, first let's back up to the first of our Senior year. Derrick had been living in North Salt Lake with his mom, but came to spend the summer with his dad. As the summer came to an end, he decided he wanted to stay and finish high school here. Our high school was SMALL...really, our entire graduating class consisted of 94 people, so when someone new moves in, you know it. I remember seeing Derrick in the hall that first day and thinking, hmmm a new guy and he's not bad lookin'. But I was dating someone, and honestly every time I saw Derrick, he was being a goof, and I wasn't all that impressed!

Our Engagement Picture~ July 1995

Ok, back to graduation. Some of our class had planned a graduation trip to California. My parents really wanted me to go. Some of my friends were going, but my best friends were not, so I decided not to go. About two hours before I needed to be to graduation, we got a call from one the chaperones, who said someone had canceled and did I want to take the open space? They were leaving right after the ceremony and I needed to not only be ready for graduation, but packed and ready to go if I was going. The next two hours were CHAOS! Between packing and trying to round up enough cash for me to take (my sweet Grandpa Ainge opened his wallet and emptied it), it was stressful and crazy!

Russia ~ 1998

Off to California I headed. Derrick's cousin and best friend had hooked up with one of my friends. After a few days, he was tired of being the only guy in a group of girls, so he came up with a plan (actually, here is where the LIE comes in). He went to Derrick and told him that I REALLY liked him and wanted to hook up.....he also came to me and told me Derrick thought I was cute. On the bus ride home, he switched seats with me and Derrick and I ended up sitting together all the way home. Hawaii ~ 1999

The night we got home, Derrick called and asked me out....to go rabbit hunting?!? I hung up the phone and whined to my mom..... I wasn't sure I wanted to go. It hadn't been that long since I had broken up with the guy I'd been dating and I was leaving for school in 3 months, I really didn't want to start anything, remember I'd been told Derrick really liked me. My mom told me to go and have fun, what was one date? Temple Square

One date became two, and before I knew it we had spent every night that week together. No big deal, we were just friends having fun hanging out? Right? Three weeks later, Derrick and James went to Yellowstone for a week..... it was the longest week of my life! When he came back he told me he thought he was falling in love?!?! WHAT? No....this was just hanging out over the summer.
Canada ~ 2000

The time came for me to go to UVSC to school and I was miserable, I didn't want to leave. Derrick was planning to go into a drafting program in Arizona for 10 months and was leaving in October. Neither of us could imagine being that far apart, so Derrick enrolled at SLCC.

Mexico ~ 2009

We got engaged on my birthday, a year and a month after that fateful trip to California, the one I wasn't supposed to go on! We were married on Sept. 9th, 1995. We were the last two people anyone ever thought would end up together. In fact, friends were taking bets at our reception on how long we'd actually last!
Still Happy.....2010!

Well, I guess we've shown them, 5738 days from that date we were tricked into, we are still happy and in love! I guess that's one lie I'll always be thankful for!

{Goals....Re-thought and Revised Plan}

Remember the I Confess post from a few weeks ago? If you recall I decided to set one goal this year....to simply be better. How's that working for me, you ask? Honestly, it could be better. You see, to simply be better everyday is a pretty vague goal. Must I be better in every category? Or if I just, lets say, eat better on Tuesday than I did on Monday, does that count even if, spiritually, I made no improvement? It's just too broad and vague.

Well, yesterday I was blog stalking..... I have a few blogs that I've run across at some point that have good ideas, or are interesting to me, that I collect in a little folder and check occasionally, anyhow, I found the BEST idea! Hannah at Sherbet Blossom, came up with this great plan. She's setting 5 monthly goals...... 5 measurable monthly goals, and then at the first of each month she'll set new ones. Isn't that great? More what I need, me thinks! And if that little gem of an idea wasn't enough......she made up the cutest little calendar to track your goals and she's going to post a new one at the first of each month for you to print if you'd like. See her post here. Can you tell I love this idea. I'll let you know next month how it's going, and in the end if it all works out well, I've still fulfilled my original goal, to be a better person at the end of 2010, right!