Ok, so I just updated my creative blog called One Creative Day. It's got some fun things that have kept me busy in addition to all my other activities!!!!

Go to Onecreativeday.blogpsot.com and check it out!

Garrett's last basketball game...the almost winning shot!

Garrett has come along way in the last two/three years that we have been working with him on his visual and auditory processing, his ADHD, his learning disabilities and his food sensitivities.. It has been a long road with dietary changes, therapy and all sorts of other things to keep him off medication and get him healthy.

When Jason was younger, he suffered from similar issues and he hated what the medication did to him. As an adult, he had heart problems from it and swore none of his children would go through what he did.

Lucky for us, Garrett has responded to our aggressive attempts to detox his little body and rework a lot of that neurological stuff. He is at grade level with his reading and math and with tutoring twice a week, play therapy and everything else, we are plugging along! Some days it is so hard. Some days, like his last basketball game, he makes me cry because he is so amazing and determined and just a great kid!

So, all year, he faithfully went to practice and games. He was a great defender and rebounder, but was always bummed he didn't get the ball as much as he would have liked. Fast forward to the last game of the season. His team was in the final playoffs. It was a crazy game. The other team had a coach that was screaming at the refs, our coach was pacing the sidelines, a technical foul for bad sportsmanship from one of the other team's players - where does and eight year old learn how to do something that would require a technical?!?!?!?

Anyway, so we are down by three points and the time is almost up. In a scramble, Garrett gets the rebound and shoots and SCORES! The best part of it was, I was screaming and cheering, but the other parents were whoopin' and hollerin' almost louder than myself! Everyone kept screaming "Great job, Garrett!" It was an adrenaline rush moment, for sure! Another foul shot and we tied the game. Lucky for everyone, especially their coach's blood pressure, they do not do overtime in third grade, so it was a tie and EVERYONE WON!

Since it was the last game, we had a party afterwards to celebrate. The coach praised Garrett over and over again for being such a great asset to the team. We, of course, went crazy with the hugs and high fives and everything else. It was so wonderful to see the fruits of his hard work and determination. We reminded him that he was a key member of the team and because he was there and doing what he was supposed to do, that shot was because of all of his hard work!
Here are some of his biggest fans at the game...yes, Jason was actually at that game. He didn't have to teach that morning, which made it perfect for Garrett and everyone else! We love you Garrett!!!

WE HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBORS!!!

When we decided to move to this area four years ago, I was sad. I didn't want to leave my house or our ward or our neighborhood. I loved our cul de sac and our great stream, the basketball court, etc. etc.

Little did I know what the Lord had in store for us. Our little pipestem is the best! Right now there are 13 kids under the age of 11. Six boys and seven girls and we have a blast! Two families are really close with us. We hang out with them the most, due to personality and ages of children.

We have been outside playing the beautiful sunshine and weather for several days. My children feel at home at their house and their kids feel at home at our house.

Tonight, we had an impromptu dinner. The kids were playing and jumping on the trampoline and shooting hoops and riding big wheels and sliding down the slide and just having a great time. So, I brought a wet rag out and washed faces and hands and we sat down and pigged out!

It's such a blessing to have great friends like these! The other day, my neighbor, had to pick up her son at preschool and her daughter said, "I not go with you! I stay and play with Miss Jenna!" To which her mom asked, "Did Miss Jenna invite you?" And she replied, "Oh, yes!"

Of course, Savannah, goes and sits on Miss L's lap and hangs out and sometimes even refuses to some to me!

And potty training has gone so much smoother since everyone can use our bathroom. For some reason, our bathroom is the favorite. That's ok, since the Smith's garage is the favorite hang out place. Then the swingset and sand box is the new favorite with the warm weather!

The older kids tonight were playing jungle on the trampoline. They were crawling around and growling and "eating" their prey. Savannah got on the trampoline (yeah, climbed in all by herself!) and started crawling around growling like the baby tiger. It was hysterical!

The kids are already talking about flashlight tag. It's their favorite summer game. It's truly amazing how much the Lord has blessed us with neighbors who would do anything for us, because we would do anything for them!

I know these pictures aren't the best, but I wanted to get something to remember!

So, here's to many more impromptu dinners and memories on the pipestem!

When I can't find the iPhone.....

I have to admit, I wasn't enamored with the iPhone....until I got one! And my techno savvy 21st century children L.O.V.E. to play with it and, as you will see....take pictures. I just learned how to download them to the computer tonight and thought I'd share some gems......








You'll notice Savannah is a very popular subject for photos....and it's not from lack of knowledge with playing with the darned thing! She's as good as the older kids when it comes to the games and such! Amazing!

My favorite part of the phone? Texting my husband! I know that sounds crazy, but my sister, Eliza, was the one who encouraged me to get texting. Jason and I text all day long and I don't have to interrupt a class! He just replies when he's done!

Life is good....

I went to a meeting at a dear friends house yesterday. Her house is beautiful and big and immaculate! She was complaining about her dirty windows and mentioned she needed her window washer to come and do her spring cleaning. I looked at the windows and couldn't see any dirt, not a speck.

After a three hour meeting, one friend went to work out and she was going to the barn for the afternoon to watch her daughter ride. They parted telling each other that they can't wait to spend time together at the country club in Florida they are all going to in a week.

I came home to really dirty windows, dishes in the sink, raisins on the floor and several loads of laundry. I let out a big sigh. So, this morning, I tried to at least get to the bathrooms.

Savannah followed behind me pulling the toilet paper off the rolls and bringing all the toys in from the bedroom. She spilled water on the floor and put fingerprints all over the window I had just washed.

I started to get really frustrated...really frustrated.

I know I shouldn't compare myself to others. My life and my friend's life are two completely different lives. It's hard, though. I am surrounded by wealthy friends with huge houses and nice cars, who are all going to exotic places for Spring break. They live lives I can only dream about.

But....

I got over it. Savannah learned to walk in circles and I had to laugh at her. Then she stroked my arm as I was rocking her. Xander came up and gave me a hug when he got home from school. Eleanor already knew the ending of the bedtime story and could barely contain herself and made me laugh.

So, I still have fingerprints on the windows, I filled two more laundry baskets of laundry, the bathrooms are still not clean, but we did get the raisins cleaned up.....I think Savannah ate them off the floor. Someday I will miss the fingerprints.....Life is good.

Random Days of your Life...

DOGPILE ON DAD!

CHILD LABOR

BATHING BEAUTIES

Just some of the things that have kept us busy this week.....