Seven Sweet Years

It is hard to believe that Lexi is seven years old today. Sometimes it seems like she has been in my life for as long as I can remember, and other times it feels like it was just yesterday that we found out we were having a little girl. I feel so incredibly blessed, honored, and privileged to call her daughter and to have her call me mom. Here are seven of my favorite things about Lexi.

1. I love how unpredictable she is. She is a little like a rain storm - thunder, lightning and rain followed by a rainbow and sunshine.

2. I love that Lexi loves to learn and loves to teach - she is truly her mother's daughter in this respect. Like me, she loves school, loves to read, loves to write, loves to discover. And she in turn loves to teach all that she knows (and some things she doesn't know) to anyone who will listen (that usually consists of her dolls and stuffed animals, and occasionally Levi). She is curious and asks lots of questions. She isn't afraid to try new things or get her hands dirty.

3. I love that she loves to perform. Lexi has a delightfully sweet voice that she isn't afraid to share with others. She sings in the school choir and in the "Family Room Band" (which more often than not sounds quite a lot like Hannah Montana or The Cheetah Girls). She loves to dance and show off her latest cheerleading and gymnastics moves. She is talented!

4. I love what a faithful friend Lexi is. She loves her friends deeply, and is trustworthy and kind (usually...). One of the girls in her class told me that Lexi is the nicest girl in their class. That made me smile.

5. I love the depth of Lexi's faith in Jesus Christ and her knowledge of the principles of the Gospel. She understands the scriptures so much better than I did at her age, and often has wonderful insights that make me stop and think. When Lexi says her prayers at night, it is obvious to me that Heavenly Father is more than someone she has been told about, He is someone she knows personally.

6. I love Lexi's laugh and smile! Her bright blue eyes sparkle with joy when she laughs. Her laughter is contagious so you just can't help laughing and smiling along with her.

7. I love how sweet Lexi is to Levi. Since the day he was born, she has been his biggest fan and protector. She watches over him, teaches him, plays with him, dresses him, helps him get snacks, and so on. She is generally very patient with him. I am so glad that they get along and are such good friends.

I love you sweet princess. My life would not be the same without your spunk, spirit, and energy. Thank you for allowing me to serve and love you. I'm the luckiest mom in the world!

2nd Birthday - White Fence Farm

4th Birthday - Princess (& Prince) Party

5th Birthday - Lexi & Dora's Backyard Adventure

6th Birthday - at the clay lab

Just Two Things

My best friend from high school tagged me with this by email and I thought I would share the fun.

Two things you go by:
1. Mom
2. Megan

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. jean capris
2. white no show socks

Two things you want very badly at this moment:
1. a clean house (cleaned by someone other than me) - does that count as 2?
2. sleep

Two things you did last night:
1. read Three Cups of Tea
2. watched Biggest Loser

Two things you ate yesterday:
1. chef salad
2. Basque chicken

Last two people you talked to:
1. Lexi
2. Levi

Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. going to Nia
2. mowing the grass (hopefully for the last time this year!)

Two longest car rides:
1. Nauvoo, IL
2. Orlando, FL

Your two favorite holidays:
1. Christmas
2. Thanksgiving

Favorite vacations:
1. Mexico
2. New York

Favorite beverages:
1. ice cold water
2. Dr. Pepper

I tag Janelle, Mindy, and Allyson. What are just two things about you?

A Child of God

As I was cleaning my office today, I came across this quote that I used to have taped inside the cabinet next to my desk when I was teaching school. I know most, if not all, of you have heard it before, but I think we can always be reminded of things. Goodness knows I am in constant need of reminders about who I am and why I am here.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

--Nelson Mandela

I'm the man!

Tonight before dinner, which was lovingly prepared by my friend Rachelle, Lexi and Levi decided we were going to have a "romantic" dinner - complete with placemats, "tall glasses," place cards, a candle, and soft music. Paul and I had fun listening to the kids tell us all about their restaurant, The Lips Cafe. In the process, Levi said he got to clear the dishes, because "I'm the man," meaning that he was the man who works at the restaurant.

Yes, Levi, you are "the man"! And you can clear the dishes anytime you want!

Patriot Day 2008

I am a patriotic person. I LOVE America! And so I was deeply moved as I drove to my exercise class this morning to see the street was lined with American flags.

(It's a little hard to tell, but there are 4 flags in this picture,

that I took driving down Littleton Blvd. this morning.)

Like most of you, I vividly remember September 11, 2001. I woke up that morning to Paul yelling at me to come look at the TV. I sat there in astonishment at the second plane hit the second tower of the World Trade Center. As events unfolded during the day, I remember praying, "Please don't let my baby be born today!" Lexi was due on the 5th, then my due date was moved to the 12th, and I remember how badly I wanted her to stay right where she was - all safe and snuggly.

I am so grateful to live in a free land. A country where we can vote for our nation's leaders; where we can worship as we choose, and have as many children as we choose, and go to school and work and the grocery store... On this day and always, may we remember the patriots who continually make that possible and keep us safe. Patriots like my brother-in-law Russ (pictured below), who is a firefighter and paramedic. Thank you Russ (and thank you Mindy for sharing him with the rest of us)!

May we never forget how blessed we are to live in this great land. God bless America!

An American flag flies at half-staff on a cold, cloudy September 11, 2008.

Uncle Matt's in town!

We are so excited that Uncle Matt (the oldest of my three brothers) is back in town. After living in Hawaii and Chicago, he and his wife, Layna, are finally moving to Denver! Matt started his lawyerly lifestyle working downtown at Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber & Schreck on Monday! We met up with him (Layna is still in Chicago for a few weeks) at Mason's (the youngest of my three brothers) soccer game last night.

Lexi was extremely happy to see Uncle Matt.

Levi, on the other hand, who gave Matt lots of love at first, just decided he prefered to be grumpy instead. Needless to say, we didn't stay to the end of the game...

I Think I Got a "B"

This was the conversation yesterday as we pulled up to school:

Lexi - Mom. (in that tone that says something is wrong)
Mom - What?
Lexi - We had a test yesterday in school... A writing test... (she said this rather mysteriously)
Mom - How did you do?
Lexi - I think I got a B!
Mom - (thinking in my brain, as Lexi would say - Do they give B's in 1st grade, and in the 3rd week of school?) I am sure you did just fine. You are a terrific writer. Just remember to sound out the words you want to write, and make your best letters so that Mr. H. can read your writing.
Lexi - I know... (in that tone of voice that says, "Mom, you tell me that all the time.")

Later, as we are waiting in line with her class, her teacher comes up and joins the conversation.

Mr H - Lexi, you did excellent on your writing yesterday. (and then to me) She is doing so good!
Mom - See, Lexi, I told you that you had nothing to worry about. (and then to Mr. H) She was worried she got a B on her writing test.
Mr H - Lexi, I had to choose 1 writing sample to take to a meeting today and I chose yours! (Lexi stands there with a shy, satisified grin on her face)
Mom - Awesome!
Mr H - (to me) Most of the kids wrote 3-4 sentences. Lexi wrote 12!

My daughter, the writer...She makes me so proud!!!

Table Talk leads to new blog

I stole this idea from my sister...


Every night at dinner we do what we call "Table Talk." This entails one person spending hours during the day thinking of a probing question to ask the rest of the family during dinner, and then the family spending several suspenseful moments digging down deep to come up with a life-changing and mind-altering answer. Well, ok...so that's an exaggeration...questions this week have included, "What is your favorite kind of ice cream?" (from Lexi) and "If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?" (from Mom).


When I posed that question to Lexi, she said, "I would be an elephant, because if I were an elephant then I would be writing about me!" (accompanied by a deep. beautiful belly laugh). Uh, ok, what? you ask.


Let me explain. Lexi is an author. A couple of times a week she writes a new story, and illustrates it, too. We go through REAMS of paper! So, I got to thinking...and now I have created a blog just for Lexi's stories. If you want to see the story behind the elephant comment above, check out my new blog, "Loads of Laughs by Lexi," at storiesbylexi.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

A Taste of Colorado

We took the kids to A Taste of Colorado last weekend. We took the light rail downtown to Civic Center Park, which is across the street from the State Capitol. Levi loves riding the train, and watched out the window the whole ride...except of course, when he and Lexi were tickling each other.

For those of you who have never been to this end of summer festival, all the streets between the capitol building and the Denver City and County Building are closed to traffic and opened to pedestrians. This picture was taken standing in the intersection of Broadway and Colfax.

Boy, was it hot outside! 93 degrees, which is nearly 10 degrees above normal for this time of year. We cooled off by drinking lots of water and relaxing in the grass.

We enjoyed food, music, and people watching. At first Levi thought the music was too loud, but it didn't take long for his dancing feet to carry him away. Grandma Jill (my mom) joined us for a while and the kids danced with her until they were all out of breath.

We returned home just in time to get food prepared for our first BYU football gathering of the year... Go Cougars! Who is Northern Iowa anyway?