Vegas.....sun, fun and volleyball

I must say that it is so nice to get out of town once in a while. We traveled to Las Vegas to see our boys play in a big volleyball tournament. It was fantastic. It was 80 degrees, we had a great hotel (thanks to the help of my friend Jamie), family, volleyball and beautiful Las Vegas. Marissa took a friend, Emily, and she had never walked the strip. It was fun, exciting and she saw alot that she had probably not ever seen before and probably some that she wished that she had never seen. She loved the Bellogio with all of its beauty. We ate good food, walked alot, giggled alot, swam, ate more good food, and did I mention that we watched alot of volleyball??? It was great to see our boys cheer for each others victories and encourage each other in mistakes. The Utah State team moved up in the ranks and that will be good for them in Nationals in about 3 weeks in Texas....wish I could be at that one.....wow!!! All in all it was an amazing family weekend. It is always fun to get out of town but my favorite is walking back into our home and feeling peace and comfort immediately.

Volleyball rules!!

One of my favorite things to do is to watch my children, well adults, play sports. I love it!!! I never get tired of it. The past two weekends we have been able to watch our sons, Ryan and Jesse, play volleyball tournaments. It was so amazing. Jesse has grown so much in the game. He was really slamming it last night.....over and over. Ryan jumps so high and just takes your breath away. The thing I enjoy the most is to watch and hear the teamwork between the two of our boys. It is a very good mommy moment when you see one son congratulate the other for a great hit or to cheer him on when he makes an error. For our family that is the greatest thing that sports has done for us.....brought us together and kept us together. We all love them and we love them together. The last two weekends my parents have come out to support the team and I think they have fallen for it. They make these amazing breakfast muffins that are very healthy and they brought them for the team...needless to say they were the heros of the night. Thanks mom and dad.....you scored by being there. I am thankful for healthy bodies and minds for our young adult children and that they continue down that road. I am grateful beyond words.

Being a Mother is the best calling and job ever!!

We had a very great parent moment this past weekend as we had the opportunity to see Marissa compete in State Swimming. She got to swim in two relays. She was so nervous and so were we. I had goose bumps as she jumped in the water to do her back stroke as part of the relay. When all said and done she knocked two seconds of off her personal best. On Saturday she swam in another relay doing 100 yards of freestyle. This would be her final contest in swimming because she is a senior. I just wished for the best for her. That all would go well. I started to cry because I was so proud and nervous. She was amazing!!! She walked away having knocked 4 seconds off of her personal best. She was very happy and could not quit smiling. It was a good way to go out. We are so very proud of her and her four year committment to this sport. That means four hours every day of the season. We think she is very incredible!!! We love you Marissa.

A Tribute to a Prophet

My heart is sad and happy for the passing of our dear President Hinkley. I have to think of how wonderful the reunion must be for him. He loves his dear wife so much and they are together. It is hard to be sad when you look at the life that he has had and the hard work that he accomplished. I was thinking of his great plan to build small temples and that when we went to pick up Jesse from his mission in Nashville we got to go to one of them. It was so sweet and intimate. I remember thinking that I wish all the temples were like it. What a great blessing they are to so many people. Also I thought about how long President Hinkley has been the prophet. Our youngest, Marissa, has really only known him. She is 17. Late last night Bob and I watched a special about his life and it was so worth staying up for. It wore me out because I was so touched by it but it was so wonderful to hear about his course and the choices he made. He was clearly in training for this calling. I love how it showed his love for all people, his humor, his passion for the work, and his love for other faiths. What a wonderful man that we have been blessed by. WE THANK THEE OF GOD FOR OUR PROPHET!!! We love you President Hinkley.

April tagged me and I think that means that I am not it!!! I am not sure what to do so I am just going to copy her points from when she was tagged.
5 things that I was doing 10 years ago:
1- living, breathing, eating baseball. All of the kids were into it especially the boys.
2- working part time
3- just got called to be young womans president
4- camping, hiking and cooking out doors....love it!!
5- being a room mother or serving in the pta. I traded every other year.

5 things on my to do list:
1- service my car
2- pack to go out of town with my mom and sister
3- make dentist and doc checkup appointments
4- go to young womans basketball game tonight
5- my mind is full of things that I need to do at work.

5 snacks I enjoy:
1- good white chocolate!!!
2- Bobs popcorn
3- hot malt ovaltine with toast
4- coke
5- Bob

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1- pay for my childrens education
2- pay off all of my debt and my families debt
3- help my children get into their first homes
4- travel with groups like docs and such that go out and help the world in service
5- take my husband and sons back to their missions. Bob and I have wanted to go back to Sweden since we have been married.

3 habits:
1- I bite my nails....yuck!
2- counting and touching my teeth with my tougue...weirdo
3- Bob

5 places I have lived:
1- Salt Lake City
2- Brigham City
3- Reno Nevada
4- Rexburg Idaho
5- West Jordan

5 jobs that I have had:
1- Office Manager- Chandlers walk shoppe
2- Office Manager over 5 states and 25 agents for an insurance co.
3- Accounting- Haroldsen
4- Cheese salesman- took orders and delivered to homes
5- Family resturants since I was 14. Was managing by 16.

Well, It is fun to think about your life. I have to say that my life has been a ball. I love every day and I am thankful for each one of them. My favorite activity has been being a wife and mom....its the best.

Well, I had a parenting flash back yesterday in church. My friend Amy has her hands full with the most adorable children. One of her youngest was standing on her lap pulling her hair and then pounding her head with a box of raisens as they emptied on her head. The whole time she just smiled while I know in her head she was screaming. I remember feeling like a jungle gym when our boys were young. Every sunday I would say to Bob...Why do we do this to ourselves? I remember one sunday our boys were being especially noisy and active and I turned around and apoligized to the older couple behind us. She said...just think you had that much energy until they took it from you!!! Wow was she ever experienced. She also added a kind remark that she did not mind the noise because they went through the same thing. That remark has always been a comfort to me when my children had been out of hand around people who I might think find them a problem. Motherhood is the greatest and hardest job in the world. God could not be everywhere so he created mothers. Thanks to all moms for all of their hard work!!!

These are our little ones..... well ok....not so little. From left to right: Jesse (22), Marissa (17) and Ryan (23). They are so much fun to be with. I feel like the luckiest person who has had the pleasure of having these beautiful people in my life. Being their mother has been my greatests moment. I am truly blessed.

I thought I was computer literate!!!

Well this is a new thing for me to learn. I am on the computer all day at work and I thought I knew alot but this blog thing is new!!! Really new. I know my friends will teach and tuter me along the way. This is my first entry just to see if it works. Have a great day and remember today is the first day of the rest of your life.