Jaynie had her Kindergarten school play on May 6th. They performed BUGZ. Each kindergarten class was a different kind of bug. Jaynie's class were Army Ants. I thought they were the cutest, but of course I am biased. Jaynie had a speaking part and did a great job with it. We got it on video so now everyone can enjoy.
This is Jaynie's class-See I told you they were cute.
Jaynie and her friend Jane. Jane was a Dragon Fly.
I mentioned before that at the end of April my Mom and Dad were here. We had such a great time with them. They were here for Jaynie's birthday and then the next day was Mom's birthday. It was so fun to be with Mom on her birthday. Her and I went and got pedicures while Grandpa watched the girls. It was so great. I wish I could have more days like that with my Mom. Then on Friday we were able to spend a day in the mountains after Grandma and Grandpa were able to see Jaynie's dress rehearsal for her school play. We went to one of mine and Whit's favorite little mountain towns Valle Crucis, North Carolina. It is such a beautiful place and they have a fun Mast General Store that is the original store from 1883. They sell everything from jams and jellies to home decor. They also sell just about every kind of candy you could want so the girls love it. We knew this would be a place Dad would love. All we needed to make it perfect was someone playing a banjo on the front porch (which we have had in past visits). From Valle Crucis we we got on the Blue Ridge parkway and went hiking into Linville Falls. It was a perfect little hike for the girls. It was a little over a mile so Jaynie and Lillie did great and Eliza did most of it, and insisted that mom carry her when she was done walking. Luckily it wasn't very far :). All day Jaynie just kept saying, "This is the best day of my life." I guess when you get a response like that from your children you know it was a good day. On Saturday Jaynie had a soccer game, so Grandma and Grandpa were able to cram in lots of fun Grandma and Grandpa activities into one short trip. It worked out pretty good. Mom and Dad left early Sunday morning. We were sure sad to see them go. But luckily we get to go to Idaho at the end of June so we will see them soon. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great visit. We love you.
Here are some pictures of our fun day in the mountains. These first few are of the beautiful scernery in Valle Crucis.
A lot went on at the end of April that I totally missed blogging due to technical difficulties so I am backtracking and posting about late April. The most important event was Jaynie's 6th birthday. It was an extra special birthday because Grandma and Grandpa Erickson were able to be here for it. They got in late on the 29th so when Jaynie woke up on her birthday (the 30th) she woke up to Grandma and Grandpa. What a great way to start off your birthday. Then everyone went to the school for lunch where she gave her class butterfly cupcakes. Whit brought her a special lunch-it was supposed to be a Happy meal, but who knew that McDonald's doesn't serve Happy Meals at 10:30 in the morning so he bought her breakfast and had to buy a toy separate. She didn't know the difference. Then after school Jaynie had some of the neighbor girls over for a little butterfly party. This was her year to not have a party, but mom caved and she got a "little" party. I quickly discovered that a little party doesn't mean little work for mom. Next time I don't think I will cave :) The girls had a great time. Jaynie wanted a butterfly party (courtesy of Fancy Nancy) so everyone came dressed as their favorite butterfly. Then that night we celebrated Jaynie and Grandma's birthday with a nice dinner and desert from fresh market.
It is really strange having my baby grow up. I am not quite sure how to handle it. But each year brings new and exciting adventures. I look forward to life with a six year old, but I would be perfectly fine with her staying right where she is. Does anyone know how to make her stop growing up?
Happy Birthday Jaynie I love you!!
last week i posted the metric century map. the lewisville (city we live in) civic club sponsored a 100 km bike ride. for those of you who are slow on the kilometer to mile conversion (i think that's everyone) that's about 64 miles and change. so there's this ride in our little town and duane, rob (good friend that works for/with me although if you ask him i'm more like a mentor than a boss), and i decide to drop some bills and ride. i was a bit nervous, probably more nervous than i was the day before my marathon, which was interesting, but 64 miles in the saddle was a new adventure and i didn't exactly know how it would turn out. i ate plenty of carbs and fruit all day friday and then at 7:15 saturday morning we rolled out and headed downtown. as nervous as i was before we started was nothing compared to the nerves as we rolled into the civic center parking lot and saw the mass of cyclists. we registered, joked nervously, and then spun a bit to get the legs going. there were some regulars that we have gotten to know on the group rides, we chatted with them and scoped the group. we were scouting out the field and it became evident that there were a lot of fast riders out. now this wasn't a race, it was labeled a 'ride', but i'm not sure what the difference is. i have found out that in cycling is just like other sports, if there is more than one rider, there is usually a winner and a loser. At 8 am we rolled out of the parking lot. i'm guessing there was 100 or more riders in one large pack rolling down main street, out past my neighborhood, and off into the country side. the sound of 100 riders peddling, coasting, shifting, talking, starting to breath heavy...exciting. only a few miles in the group quickly broke down, with 1 large pelaton forming in front and smaller groups in the back. i dropped from the large pelaton knowing that i probably wouldn't be able to hang with the pros. i felt great and i grooved my peddle stroke and got comfortable in the saddle getting ready for the long haul. other than the pelaton in the distance i was out in front with a few people dragging behind me and the rest dropping off. a few of us formed a small group and before we could get a chance to rotate we got passed by 3 guys in a small pack. as they passed i pushed it and held them, dropping the dudes that were hanging onto me. the man in front of this group was....uh...older. i thought, 'oh, that's great he's out at his age, let's rip his legs off' so i laid it on passing to the front. the old man stuck right on me with the other two behind him. i pulled for a few miles and then the old man passed me again with the 2 leaches hanging on for dear life. I pulled in behind their air stream and thought 'okay, maybe i should just hang with this guy for a bit'. our small group made our way up and down and around the old tobacco fields, perfect weather, beautiful scenery. out of the blue 'old man' lays it on and the two leaches start to drop off, i passed them and pushed myself to catch up. i thought,'maybe i should just try and not let this guy drop me'. he pulled over and let me take a turn pulling. he turned to look and said, 'where did everyone go'. i said, 'it's just you and me, what's your name?'. he said his name was larry and that he lived in lewisville. he had been cycling for some 25 years and his legs showed it. with every stroke the different, large, well defined, muscle group exploded like a piston (a really old piston, but a piston none the less). so there was larry and i and our bikes riding, spinning, testing each other to see if the other was the real deal or not. we rode the rest of the ride together, probably 58 miles. along the ride we would find dudes that dropped off the leader's group and we would pull them along, but they would eventually drop off. we usually had 3 or 4 others rotating through our little group and then dropping off. all was going fine until mile 50 when i had finished my turn pulling at the front and then as i dropped to the back i took a drink and DROPPED MY WATER BOTTLE. now for the record water bottles are pretty inexpensive and next time you find yourself in a bike race (i mean ride), if you drop a bottle, you are suppose to just leave it. i didn't know that, i stopped (stopping in not recommended) and went back for the bottle. i was crushed as i turned to start and saw the group 100's of yard in front, larry pulling them up a small hill. i was alone, faced with a large gap to bridge and nothing but wind in my face. i lowered my hand position (got into the drops is the proper vernacular) and pushed forward. it took me 6 miles, but eventually i caught back up. larry was in the back and when i pulled up he asked 'what happened' i tried to explain that i lost my water bottle and all i got back was a quick glance that said, 'you went back for a water bottle'. about 3 miles from the finish larry had just finished a long hard pull and moved to the left and said, 'i'm about done', he pulled in behind and followed me in. we finished, shook hands, quickly recapped what had happened over the last 64 miles, and agreed that i had been a great ride. perfect strangers, bound by the common thread of cycling, out on a great day.
I want to wish all the mother's in my life a Happy Mother's Day. It is days like today that make me miss home and family. I want to be able to be there to give all of you hugs and a more personal thank you, but I guess a blog post will have to do.
I first want to thank my mother who has had the single most influence on the person I am today. Without her loving guidance and support I am sure I would have turned out to be a much different person. Because of my mom, I feel like I am a pretty good mom (at least most of the time). I know with out a doubt that my role as a mother will be the most influential role I have in this life. I am sad mom that I don't get to spend more time with you because you are my dearest and most treasured friend. Each phone call I have with you brightens my day and strengthens me. Thank you for your example to me. You have always taught me what was right and wrong and you have shown me what it means to be a good person. I love you.
Now for Carolyn who I am eternally grateful for. You raised the man that I will be with for eternity and I could not have asked for a better eternal companion. He is who he is because of you. I knew he was going to be a wonderful husband by the way he was with you. He loves you so much and will always do all he can to ensure that the world knows you are his mom. I think that is a rare find. I really couldn't have asked for a better mother-in-law. I really feel it is a privilege to belong to the Gifford family and you have always treated me as part of the family even before Whit knew I would be. Thank you for that.
To my grandmothers. It is funny how the spectrum of mother is never ending. I am grateful for my mom, but she is who she is because of her mom and her mom before that. So I guess I am grateful for all the mothers that have ever been part of my family. But Grandma Erickson and Grandma Cheney have both played a direct role in my upbringing.
Every Sunday I think about being at Grandma Erickson's and wishing I could still be there raiding the candy jar, eating nachos and playing with cousins. Thank you for the example of service you have always been to me. Ever since I can remember you were doing some big service project for the community. I will always remember that. Thank you.
Grandma Cheney I have so many fond memories of our time spent together. I remember the fun summer weeks that I got to spend at your house and the love of vanilla cream cookies that I got from you. I only got to have those at your house and I still consider them my favorite treat. I will always treasure those days. You are so talented and I am grateful for the creativity that you have passed down to mom and I think to me. I may not be able to paint like you and mom, but my creativity comes out in different ways. Thank you for your great influence in my life.
To my dear sister, Kim. I have waited a long time for you to be a mom too so that we could share stories and problems and console each other when times were tough. Now that you are a mom, I marvel at how great of a job you do. You amaze me every day with your accomplishments and I just have to take one look at Carter to realize how great of a mom you really are. I have been doing this for a little longer than you, but you have taught me a great deal about mothering and I look forward to the many things that I have yet to learn from you. Thank you.
Now for all the sister-in-laws that have taught me so much about being a mother. I learned so much from Whit's sisters and sister-in-laws about being a mom. I would sit and listen to all their advice and wonder if I could ever be as great as they are. I know I am not quite there, but with their love and guidance maybe someday. Starla you are a great mom. You are kind and loving and it really comes through in Emma. Thanks for your example.
I also have so many friends that have taught me a great deal about being a mom. I love to sit at the park with other moms and get help and support with silly mom problems.
What a wonderful thing to be a mom. Not a day goes by that I don't thank Heavenly Father for the opportunity I have to be a mother. I can not think of a single thing that could be more important. My children are my world each of them brings so much joy and happiness into my life. Thank you girls for being you.
Now for a fun mother's Day story that I am sure all mom's will appreciate. Every mother's day the church gives all the mothers a flower to take home and plant. At the end of church I was gathering up my two bags and car seat and I didn't have enough hands to carry my flower so I asked Jaynie to carry it out to the car for me. Then as I was loading up my stuff someone needed me to get into the primary closet (this was my third time going back to the closet) so I told the kids to stay with Addie and I would be right back. Well about two minuets later I came out of the primary room to find Eliza holding my half empty flower pot saying I spilled mommy. My first reaction was anger. I was angry at Jaynie for letting Eliza have the cup and at Eliza for spilling. But when I arrived to where the girls were I couldn't see anything on the floor and I felt a great sense of relief. Then I looked at Addie who was sitting in her car seat covered in dirt and eating a leaf. Who could be mad after a scene like that. It took me a minute to calm down, but once I did I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Whit quickly came to the rescue with the vacuum and the mess was cleaned up within s few minutes. As for Addie I am sure kids have eaten a lot worse things than dirt and leaves. Right?
I really love being a mom.
I know I am slow in reporting my results for week five, but a lot has been going on and I am very behind in the blog world. Last week our competition ended. There were some bad words said between a couple of women participating and it was decided to end the competition. I, however, was not ready to be done so I kind of started up my own sub group. Now there are seven of us and we aren't competing for a pot, just for the satisfaction of feeling great in eight. I hope to have a big celebration at the end in honor of the winner and all the participants who stuck it out for the whole eight weeks. I think that alone is worth celebrating.
This program has been so good for me. I feel better than I have felt in a long time and I am loosing weight and gaining strength in areas I didn't even know I could. I really hope to continue this lifestyle for the rest of my life. The food part is actually easy for me-it's the exercise that I struggle with. I love to exercise it is just hard to find the time. Life is just so busy. Hopefully when I get to my goal weight I will be able to cut down my exercise a bit.
I lost 3.8 pounds this week making my total weight loss 9.8 pounds. I think that is pretty good for four weeks.
