A Jam session

 Derek and his best friend, Sam, practicing their saxophones and clarinets together.  They have been at it for about an hour.  It is so fun to hear them have fun together.  I sure do love being a mom!

Conference Center and Zoo

Just a few months ago Hannah received a wonderful opportunity.   A couple of  the youth in the ward were asked if they would like to participate in a choir that would sing at the Conference Center for General Conference.  Wow, the answer was a very excited YES!   I am so glad that Hannah would not only say "yest" but be excited about it.  That she has the spiritual wisdom and maturity to see this in such a great light.  Which is exactly what it is, quite literally a light. 

For most of us, these "light" opportunities help us to grow and mature in what our Heavenly Father wants us to be and return home with honor.  Unfortunately though there are still plenty of Lamens and Lemuels here in the world that are visited by angels and small and simple but powerful spiritual experiences and still have the Lamanitis.  I feel bad for them, they have the light in their life but do not use it and enjoy it and use it to make their life better.

Today was the dress rehearsal for the Saturday afternoon General Conference this next Saturday.  It was so amazing to see so many teenagers get up and be ready to practice Saturday morning at 7:00 in the morning.  I don't think there were any Lamans or Lemuels there, what a welcome relief.  I don't think there were any complaints that they would rather be somewhere else doing what they wanted to do.  These youths are quite amazing and I could feel their spirits.

I was so grateful to be able to see this.  I hope I do not take things for granted.  I was grateful that I was not only able but wanted to take the time to be there with her to share this.  I know that sharing these types of experiences with my family will help to strengthen our relationship with each other and with our Heavenly Father.

I emailed my Mom right away when Hannah got her seat assignment.  She is in the middle section, second row from the bottom, and the 4th from the left.  It will be so great to watch her on T.V.  Derek and I are going to support her and go to the General Conference session she will be performing in.  We can't wait to be able to go to the Conference and be so close to the Prophet and the General Authorities. 

The sound of the choir was amazing.   I had a hard time not shedding a couple tears.  This is such a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

It has been so long since we have been to the zoo, this was kind of a memory lane experience.  Derek needed to do a report for school on an educational trip.  Hannah of course wanted to support her brother and go with us.  I just love how the kids support each other.  It isn't an irritation for them, they genuinely love each other and want to support each other.  I love that so much about them, that is my idea of heaven.

Derek's 13th birthday

What a day!  Derek's 13th birthday.  We had kind of a low key birthday celebration for him this year.  We had a family celebration on his special day.  Derek and I went to order his cake and he was kind to me (as usual) and decided that he loved these cookies as much as he loves the cakes. 

Derek loves his family and is great at putting them as a priority.  He shared his birthday with his Grandpa Smith.  We went for the weekend to share the celebration of their two birthdays.  I am so blessed that Derek loves his family so much.  I love my family and want them to be together for their birthdays and share happy moments together.  Derek really blessed his Grandpa to share their special moments together.

I have so much love for Derek.  He is such a great person.  I love watching him grow up and mature.  Many times he teaches me instead of me teaching him.  He has such a natural kindness to him.  Kindness is so powerful, he is able to help those around him to see the brighter side and not only get through tough times but to know that they are loved and helps us to laugh a lot.  He cares so much about our spirits and wants us to be genuinely happy.

 Derek has a spiritual maturity to him that many adults that I know do not have.  He not only knows what is important in life,  he loves it.  Derek loves goodness and is on his way to being quite an expert in that area.  Every day he has a hug for me and kind words.    He wants to read the scriptures and is so appreciative of having the Priesthood.  He wants to protect us and wants us to know we are loved.

Derek loves to have fun and to help others to have fun.  He is a great student.  I am very lucky in that he is a very easy to direct and teach.  I can remember what I put my mother through and Derek must have seen that (OK, I wasn't that bad, it's just that Derek is that amazing) and worked on himself in the spirit world to be receptive to teaching and kindness and the spirit. 

He is going to be a great Dad some day.  He has so much empathy and compassion and a strong sense of right and wrong and a thirst for the spiritual.  He loves to play but is also a great hard worker even now as a young man.

I love spending time with him and I am very blessed to be his mother and his friend.  I love you Derek!  Happy 13th birthday!

 

More on our kitchen remodel

Our new door for our pantry.

remodel

One of my favorite pictures!

This is a picture of my incredible Mom.  I just love this picture.  She seems so free and child like.  She once told me that her favorite non LDS song is, "Wonderful World".  I can so see that in her.  She is such an amazing example in so many ways.  I thank my Heavenly Father for such a perfect mother for me.


Ok, this picture was sent to me by one of my favorite people in the whole world!  My Mom's sister, Aunt Liz.  I feel so blessed that all my favorite people are members of my family.  So often on TV and movies, family members are made out to be weird, mean, just plain not what you would want to hang around with.  I am blessed with quite the opposite, I wish I could spend MORE time with my truly amazing family.

Swimming

Yesterday I went with my friend, Christian, swimming to an outdoor swimming pool.  It had a really cool slide.  I went down the slide about a billion times.  It was SO fun.  I am so glad that I went.

The pool also had a tree looking thing that was in the water.  It helped to cool me off by spraying little droplets of water all over.  It was a bright red.  It was nice because it was not too crowded.  The kids thought it was way too cold  but I loved it. 

I brought some money and I got to buy a hot dog.  I love hot dogs.  When we went back to my friend's house we had a ton of chicken dinosaurs, they were so good. 

I was so glad Christian invited me to go with him.

Remodeling with Dad

http://www.homedepot.com/
Dad and I took down the old kitchen together.  I was glad that I could learn about remodeling with my Dad.  We had a good time.  It was a lot easier with my Dad helping me. 

It was really hard taking out the cabinets.  They were hard to get out because they were really heavy.  I was so glad that we got our new kitchen in.  The new cabinets hold a lot more stuff than our old ones. 

I got to use some tools like a drill and an electric screw driver.  Those tools were cool.  I loved using them.

If you want some help in remodeling I have included a link to Home Depot on this page that you can get some great information.