Girls on the Run

Nicole and Ceci have been participating in the Girls on the Run program at the YMCA. They have been learning lessons about peer pressure, making good choices, making friends as well as training for a 5k that they ran in June. The girls had a blast during the whole season and were very thankful in the end that they stuck in there and finished. What was amazing to me was that at the very beginning they totally didn't think they could even run 1 mile and to see them at the end running 3.1 miles is simply amazing as a mother to see. When we say "keep trying, keep in there, keep it up......." and for them to see that yeah my mom is there for me and she believes in me is an eye opener for them. I am so very thankful for my two wonderful girls and how much I love them. great Job girls!

Nicole with her running buddy Uncle Billy!

Ceci with her running Buddy Mr. Gary!

Coming to the FINISH line. I have to find a picture of Ceci to put in.

The PROUD mamma!

Long Island

We had the opportunity to go up North to visit Billy in Long Island. We had a blast sight seeing around his town. We went to a few beaches, a few little towns, parks, and the University he works at as well as the Air Show at Jones Beach. A super fun long weekend.

Strength

So Nicole came home one day after school and mentioned that 3 of her friends were asking her a lot of questions about her religion. One friend is Catholic,one Muslim, and the other Jewish. For 11 yr olds they knew the right questions to ask, but the one that Nicole felt most proud of her answer was to the question " Why do you have a Prophet now and what does he do and why do you listen to him"? Her answer was plain and simple: why would God not have someone here on earth to lead us, we had a time on earth when there were no Prophets on the Earth and there was chaos, why would we want chaos again, we need direction from Heavenly Father on what to do in these days, listening to the Prophet will only help us make good choices and to return to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Why wouldn't I want to have that. I am thankful for our Prophet who guides us?

Her friends were in awe, and their answer: Well that makes sense!

Nicole and her friend Arwen are the only members in their grade and in the entire school of 900 kids there are only 4 members in the entire school. Our numbers are few, but I hope the strength Nicole has will be an example to those around her.



I was talking to Arwens mom the other day, and she told me of another instance where Nicole and Arwen were in a conversation circle with a bunch of their girl friends on the playground. The topic: What their favorite type of coffee drink. Nicole and Arwen this time kept their mouths shut, but instead gave each other a look and a smile and then removed themselves from the conversation. To know that you have someone there who believes in the same things you do and can be strong together is so very comforting, and I am thankful that Nicole has Arwen as a friend.

The years ahead of them are not going to be easy, but I hope the lessons they have learned along the way will help them with what comes ahead, but that they also make friends who respect their beliefs and that they can consider a good friend.

Nicole's Field Trip to Ashland Nature Center

The 5th graders went on a Field Trip to Ashland Nature Center to learn more about The eco system. It was a very nice trip with nice weather. Nicole was lucky and got to buddy up with her good friend Arwen.

Technology

E-mail, Blogging, Dumping Photos into the Lap Top, synching up my I Pod, dumping music onto my phone, and the list goes on and on. All this technology and somehow I just don't get how to do it all. My wonderful husband does it all for me. He uploads my photos, he makes my play lists, he has the task to upload songs onto my phone, he walks me through excel spread sheets, and glitches on my computer, and the list of things he does for me goes on and on. Technology is quite amazing, but I need a tech class 101. What truly amazes me is to think where technology will be at when my girls are my age. It's hard to believe 10 years ago we had pagers, computers with dial up, cars that needed a key to open the door and ginormous TVs and not in screen size!
So as my husband has dumped a ton of photos on my lap top, it will take some time to catch up with my posts. The exciting part is seeing all the pictures, kinda like opening a wonderful gift.

Being a Mother

I am a very proud Mommy of two wonderful girls.

There is no greater gift I could ever ask for than to teach and nurture Nicole and Ceci.

I think of their future and hope that I have done the best I could.

I thank both the girls and Tommy for such a wonderful Mothers Day. It was very simple but very enjoyable. I woke to two very eager girls who wanted to give gifts. A picture frame made at achievement day, chocolates, a new key fob, flowers, breakfast (eggs, bacon, and bagel thins) and a so yummy dinner ( smoked baby back ribs, salad, grilled zucchini and asparagus), can I just say the 3 miles tomorrow and muscle pump are so earned. Tom also let me go shopping for a new outfit yesterday, but I have come to realize that I am not a fancy dresser, nor am I creative in thinking out of the box, as many of my friends are with layering tanks and dresses so that they are wearable to church. So needless to say I got work out clothes, which will also make me feel good. Thanks hun for giving me 2 hours of peace and quiet while shopping, not being rushed and better yet, not having to run to the bathroom with one of the girls to yet run back to the bathroom before we head out of the store with the other girl.

Which is the best gift? Having all 3 in my life.

It's Been Soo Long

So once again I am going to play catch up, which will take me more than I know. I wish I had more time to keep up with this since I do enjoy taking time for myself, thinking of all the fun we as a family have had or the things the girls have been part of. I look forward to looking at the pictures on my now full memory card (which is a bit scary to think about).