I am in flower heaven!!!

Yesterday I went to Quality Flowers and purchased the most incredible annuals!!! Their geraniums are huge. My cousin Marilyn, who knows everything and everywhere to shop told me about this place. I was like a kid in a candy store. I can't wait to plant them. It will have to wait a few days...AS WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HAIL STORM!!! They are nestled safely under the outside stairwell. I think I could just take my sleeping bag and stay at that flower nursery. The pictures don't begin to show how HUGE it is. This is just one of several huge greenhouses. I have always planted a formal mix of red and white geraniums. Kimball likes pinks, purples and yellow. So I am compromising...I can't believe the variety that is available!!! Yep, Life is GOOD!!

MY FAVORITE SON!

David, Tamara & Dad - High on a Mountain Top!!!



Okay...my one and only son, David had a Birthday!
Things I love about Dave....
*I love that he is so much like his father.
*I love that he has such a big heart.
*I love that he tries so hard and never gives up.
*I love that he is such a good husband (I love that he gave us Sara)
*I love that he is such a wonderful father (I love that he gave us Haley, Dawson & Alissa)
*I love that he is Nicole's Big Brother & he never forgets her.
*I love that he can cook, sew and decorate better than me.
*I love he never forgets me...he makes me feel safe and loved.
*Dave...you are a place my heart goes to rest...I love YOU!
*Actually, I love everything about David...Happy Birthday to my "little boy"!
PS David landscaped and cared for my yard in Moses Lake. The last couple of weeks he has designed beautiul areas in our new yard for the trampoline, garden building, patio and even some new grow boxes for my garden. It has meant carrying over 300 heavy blocks into our backyard, hauling gravel and leveling in the rain & snow. Having him near for a few days has been wonderful. Heavenly Father loves me...he gave me David!

Professional Dancer with a Heart

Caine Keenan
This is one of the professional teachers Nicole has. I don't think gravity applies to Caine. He is fun to watch. He was the one that helped Nicole with her hand injury. It is amazing to watch some of the choreography and variety they have in dance styles. WOW!!!

Caine has been named as one of the "Top 25 to Watch in 2010" by Dance Magazine. He appeared in the January 2010 issue!

CAINE KEENAN is in his fifth season dancing for the incredible Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. He is proud to call Utah his present home, but he grew up and began his dance training in and around Wethersfield, CT, before attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He graduated with his BFA in 2003 and was awarded the J.S. Seidman Award after having the amazing opportunity to dance in works by Trisha Brown, Nacho Duato, and Nicolo Fonte, as well as working with his talented peers and outstanding faculty. Caine currently directs some of the most talented high school students in the state through RWDC's "Step UP" program, in addition to choreographing for numerous high school companies.

COMPETITION WEEKEND!!!

This is the prayer before dance. Misty Peterson is in the middle and Nicole is giving the prayer. I didn't know Misty was there till they broke the circle. Lots of love in this group!


Disturbia is the music for this clogging number. They dance in hospital gowns. It is pretty fun and very entertaining! Crazy wigs...reminds me of her TG old lady dance! Did Misty have anything to do with that one?

FIRST PLACE in every dance and BEST STUDIO TOP AWARD!!! Nicole had clogging competitions on Friday and Jazz, Lyrical, Production, Hip Hop on Saturday. The clogging was fantastic. We love Misty Peterson. She gives us a hug every time she sees us. I even get a hug. She always has a big smile and a word of positive encouragement. Julie Brown, is the owner of the studio. She has also became a dear friend. I know Nicole would still pick TG dance first but we are so blessed to find a good competitive team. Her blog tells a little bit about her hand injury during the middle of competition. I was so proud of her willingness to go on. Her finger was very swollen and you can see pain written across her face. Her last number was the one with the mask. It hid the running mascara from the tears generated by pain and pure exhaustion. The little girls just kept coming up and loving her. We have a couple professional dancers as teachers. We made a finger splint out of Q-tips and sports tape. Oh, the wild and crazy life of a dancer?!? Have I said lately how much I enjoy being Nicole's MOM...as well as all my children and Grandchildren!!!! ::)

EARTHQUAKE HITS NORTHERN UTAH!

Okay...I am going to REPENT and fill some water containers. I have been worker on storage items but water is one thing I have been procrastinating! I love SPRING!!! Better get some things done for Nicole's 2 competitions this weekend and then just hold on for the ride!!! :)
ksl.com - 4.9 magnitude earthquake hits northern Utah

Wild Life!!!

The girl to the left of Nicole is her duo partner, Sara Skaunchy (Nicole's orthodontist's daughter). They make a cute duo...wild routine...but good!

Nicole has a name for this costume..."Wedgy Maker"...too funny!



I thought things were busy with TG but it gets even busier here. They hold try outs for positions. The clogging is separate from jazz, hip hop, lyrical and ballet. There are competitions all over the place down here. This weekend she has a clogging competition in Taylorsville, Utah on Friday and then a different one on Saturday at Clearfield, Utah. I love Nicole's costumes. It is always fun to see the results of all those practices pay off. Let me know if TG is coming to Utah. I would love to house some of the group when you are able to come. EMotion is doing their first production number this year. Nicole has about 5 dances and only seconds for costume changes. I think someone didn't think that thru. Oh, well...live & learn. I think it is about learning the disipline of dance, making good friends, teamwork, making lots of memories. I think all of that is happening. Nicole has grown several inches. She is a little taller than me. I love this kid. She is so happy and so positive about life. She appreciates and loves everything you do for her. Nicole is her father's daughter. Okay...she is my kid...and I love being her MOM!!!

My Fondest Dream!!!

For as long as I remember...I have prayed that someday my stepmother would choose to be baptised. I love her. She has been a wonderful friend to me through some really hard times. We laugh together and we cry together but most of all we love "my Dad" together. My stepsister Barb and her sweet husband Alan along with son Bret were baptised a couple of months ago. I love Barb and Alan...they are incredible people!!! Brice waited for his Grandma (Babette) to be baptised with. I so appreciate all of the sweet support they received through the process. Bishop Brett Bergesen and President Reid Baker were so incredibly supportive. I never stop smiling. I have 2 siblings, Davey and Vickie who died as children. I know they will inherit the Celestial Kingdom. I want to be with them someday. I love my mother and father and I am thankful they each have found spouses whom they cherish. I am thankful for the fellowshipping they have received and pray that you wrap your arms around them and hold them tight to the fold. I never stop smiling...I have learned once again that Heavenly Father hears my prayers and miracles still happen. Life just gets better and better! :)

SAINT GEORGE DANCE COMPETITION

I need to get a camera that does a better job with MOVEMENT!!! Nicole is seldom still for long and dance really causes blurring. They have professional pictures twice a year. They did a group picnic on the first day, pizza party, swimming and icecream bar (I did the icecream bar) and GLITTER TOE PEDICURES. Nicole has some really fun new friends. She is doing a duo with Sara Skaunchy which has been choregraphed by Misty Peterson too. I am so thankful she has dance. She will always miss TG but Misty has become a second Mom to Nicole. I am so thankful for everyone who has helped me finish raising this last child. I soooooo could not do it alone!

EASTER FUN!!!

Did I ever say...I LOVE ALL THE HOLIDAYS!!! I love that we had several families here. I miss the families that were not able to come. I can't wait till this summer and the McConkie Reunion!!!! We had a wild Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday the
3rd and a General Conference Big Breakfast...2 sessions of conference sandwiched in between with a huge Easter Feast...played games and laughed a lot. I beat at SRABBLE again...had to add that Heidi!:)

Stacy and her daughters came the week before and we had way to much fun. I am glad it is so entertaining to watch ME!!! I continue to do dumb things in creative ways that seem to keep everyone having a great time! Yes, the Lucy in me still lives!!! We ate too many PEEPS...we had ham and turkey, potato salad, scalloped potatoes, jello salad, pistachio salad, spinach and strawberry salad, deviled easter eggs, Heidi's homemade rolls, and on and on. Yep, back on my diet today...and yes I will be loosing the same 3 pounds I lost last month...ARG!!!! I have to admit...it was all worth it!!! I love Easter...even with snow covering the ground!!!! :)

CRAZY BUSY TIMES!!!

I have been running 100 mph and not getting enough done. Today I had lunch with my cousins...so much fun! We are like found Sisters!!! We have lots of plans to do more together. We are going to go through my FH Training course together. Hope they are still my friends after we do that! The guy at Applebees was so nice. We met at 11:45 and didn't leave till 2:30! We probably should have paid rent. We all share the most wonderful Grandmother. Each of us will confess that we were Grandma's favorite. My Grandma Grace Darely was such a strong influence in all of our lives. Our lives have taken many roads and it seems more than a miracle that they all ended up in the same area in Utah. The photo didn't capture how really beautiful these women are. I still am so excited to have them in my life! Kim and I are going to the temple tonight. It is like a 3 minute drive from our home. Life is Good...Very Very Good!!!