Introducing . . .

Our granddaughter Brianne

Born May 18, 2010

6 lbs 14 oz
19 inches

She has a cute little cleft in her chin
just like her daddy and her grandpa

She's beautiful just like her mom!

Click on the pictures to get a closer view

Gratitude

Over the years, my children have been blessed to have many great leaders at church. Evan's current leaders are continuing this wonderful tradition!

Evan's scoutmaster faithfully plans a monthly camping trip (the boys need 20 nights of camping with their scout troop for the camping merit badge!) and he bought each of the boys a pocket sized Book of Mormon so that they can read together during their campouts.

Evan's deacon's quorum advisor is a faithful teacher who inspires the boys with his great stories. He challenged them to prepare for their missions by memorizing D & C 4. They recite it in class each week. Every boy who memorizes it receives a gift from Deseret Book. Here is the book Evan got on Sunday. He has been carrying it around and reading us quotes.

I am so grateful for my son's Young Men leaders!
What are you grateful for today?

You're Invited to . . .

An Eagle Scout
Court of Honor

for
Aaron


and a couple of his buddies
Josh and Mark

Sunday, May 30th
5:00 PM
Pomerado Building

As You Like It

For the past 6 weeks we have been eating, sleeping and breathing Shakespeare's As You Like It. Our performance is next weekend. Since I have Shakespeare's words running through my mind, I thought I'd share some of my favorite quotes from As You Like It.

Best insult:
For I must tell you friendly in your ear,
Sell when you can: you are not for all markets

Sweet, but pathetic:
So holy and so perfect is my love,
And I in such a poverty of grace,
That I shall think it a most plenteous crop
To glean the broken ears after the man
That the main harvest reaps: loose now and then
A scatter'd smile, and that I'll live upon.

BFF quote:
And do not seek to take your change upon you,
To bear your griefs yourself and leave me out;
For, by this heaven, now at our sorrows pale,
Say what thou canst, I'll go along with thee.

Funniest:
Alas the day! what shall I do with my doublet and
hose? What did he when thou sawest him? What said
he? How looked he? Wherein went he? What makes
him here? Did he ask for me? Where remains he?
How parted he with thee? and when shalt thou see
him again? (And here's the kicker . . .)
Answer me in one word.

Most poetic:
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life exempt from public haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.

Honesty is the best policy:
I pray you, do not fall in love with me,
For I am falser than vows made in wine:
Besides, I like you not.

Most famous:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

What is your favorite quotation from Shakespeare?

While Waiting

A couple of weeks ago
we had all the necessary elements for a great baby shower
in Molly's hometown . . .

A lovely setting at my Mom's house

Lots of cute, tiny clothes

Stuffed animals and a diaper cake

Pink, pink and more pink
Plus the mom-to-be!

Homemade personalized gifts

Family, friends and laughter

Not pictured: Delicious Food!
Mini cupcakes by Marianne
Chocolate covered strawberries
and much more yummy stuff!

We're planning a shower closer to home
once our baby girl has arrived

My Status

Here are my Mother's Day gifts. I love them all, but the one on the far right really boosted my status from "aunt" to "most favored"!

This colorful heart-shaped extravaganza was created by my 6 year old niece Cammi. The message she wrote said, "Thank you for being my teacher." I think this refers to my teaching as Primary president, but I'm not entirely sure.

I was impressed with my gift and I couldn't help laughing when Cammi handed grandma a very small, simple card. She explained, "Sorry it's so little Grandma, but I spent so long on Aunt Melanie's card that I ran out of time." Apparently Cammi told her mom the same thing when she gave her a rather small card.

I was surprised to have merited such a wonderful Mother's Day card from my niece, but I'm not asking why, I'm just feeling grateful! I hope my Mother's Days are always filled with little children and homemade cards.

Mother's Day

My kids know that Mother's Day is not my favorite holiday. Don't get me wrong. I love my mom! I love honoring the great women in my life. I love sending flowers to my Grandma. But I don't love Mother's Day.

Aaron recently asked me to explain why. He was preparing a Mother's Day talk for church and I think he felt a little pressure. I explained my feelings about Mother's Day. Then I told him to be sure and cry a whole bunch during his talk and gush on and on telling everyone that he has the best mother in the whole world, better than anyone else's mom. I may not have been very helpful, but at least I made him laugh!

I think these two pictures sum up my feelings about Mother's Day.

This is the kind of Mom I want to be:

Bright, cheerful and happy
Perfectly put together
Pleasing and full of surprises

This is the kind of Mom I really am:

A work in progress
Clean, but a little frayed around the edges
Lots left to do

I think Mother's Day just leaves me feeling really inadequate. I'm working on that. Right now I'm just working on getting the towels folded and put away. And no, my kids don't want to help.


PS. Click HERE for a great article about overcoming the Mother's Day Blues