Changes

I’m thinking about my sister Gabby today. She and her family are in the middle of a move. They are moving from NYC, a place they have loved, to Denver a place they will learn to love and I am so jealous.

Family picture of the Blairs. This one is my favorite. See more over at Designmom.com.

We have been here for just about 2 years now and I am getting the moving itch again. People warned me it would happen but I didn’t appreciate the force it would have. I have been cleaning out closets and storerooms and drawers. I took 7 bags of clothes and shoes and “stuff” to the Goodwill today.

Some people hate moving and I will freely admit, there is a lot to hate about moving but mostly, I love it.

It is always sad to leave neighbors after we’ve learned each others’ family rhythms as well as all the comings and goings that generate conversations like: “Go and see if the Herndon’s have two tomatoes for the salad.” “It’s Thursday mom, they’re at gymnastics.” “No, Dalton came home from school with a fever so they didn’t go tonight.”

It is hard to leave homes where we’ve reached memorable family benchmarks and accomplishments; bringing babies home from the hospital, promotions both at school and at work, Robin’s shoes size going from a lady’s 6, to a 9 1/2 in less than 12 months.

It is also hard to say goodbye to a place that has been the venue for our happiest, most memorable days; like all the single adults in our living room watching the X-Files every Sunday Night, riding bikes (with babies in tow) through the animal park, adventures with Melanie and Shannon or making signs for the unit homecoming. All the different people who have been a part of our lives as well as the ages and stages of our children make those times impossible to reconstruct and so they are that much more dear in my mind.

Having said all that though, it is so great to move on, to clean out my closets, to throw away those nasty throw rugs that I refuse to get rid of otherwise, and to add more people to our Christmas card list. Not only do I love having a new house to decorate, there is a new town to discover a new ward to serve in and new people who will become friends, sounding boards and confidants.

I really like where we are right now and I am probably the most content I have ever been in my life. I just planned a zillion summer activities for the kids and my garden is planted and growing. I like having a solid base for Robin to think of as home when she leaves us this fall. I love making plans for the house and yard with Paul. Then, because Paul can do anything, I love getting to watch those plans materialize even better than I imagined.

Hmm . . . Oh Well . . .

I guess for now, I will finish cleaning out all my nooks and crannies, weed my garden, get some new throw rugs and live vicariously through Gabrielle as she and her family finish saying goodbye to New York and head out west. Good luck Blairs.

Robin showed this to Paul last night and in about 3 minutes they knew the answer.

How is it possible to feel proud and dumb at the same time?

5 minutes on Kirtsy

I always find something cool or pretty or exciting or funny whenever I go to kirtsy. The fire is my favorite part. Gloria and Sara liked the pom poms.


I-Movix SprintCam v3 NAB 2009 showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

My editor was on vacation . . .

Please ignore the last post as well as the sarcastic comments.

New York Doll

We watched New York Doll again this weekend. It is the one of most bitter-sweet story I can think and it makes me very think.

Mindi, have you seen this yet? If you haven't, you need to watch it . . . tonight.

Snatching the Pebble

It doesn't happen to me very often but you know when you are sitting in sacrament meeting, minding your own business and you stop glaring at your irreverent kids and start listening to the speaker? And then the speaker says something great that really touches you and then they say something else even more profound and then they say something else and they word it just the way you have been thinking about it and then it seems like they are talking just to you? But then you realize it is more like they are talking to something even deeper and you leave with the words echoing in you mind for days?

You know those talks? Robin gave one of those talks on Sunday. It was on the priesthood and it was extraordinary.

If you ever get the chance, have her read it to you.

Big Red Birthday Girl!

The other day Sara got into the car after school and said, "I hate boys!" "Why do you hate boys?" I asked. "Because they beat us at dodge ball because of a bunch of chit-chatty girls!" she said with a little disgust in her voice. "It sounds like you should be mad at the chit-chatty girls, not the boys." "Well, then I hate boys and chit-chatty girls."

Here are some more pictures of our beautiful girl. We love you Sara!

Surrender

The other day Paul was playing college football on the X Box. As he was setting up his team and getting ready to start the game I could hear him whistling the the BYU fight song.

Me: "You're whistling the wrong song hun."

Him: "I was thinking about our daughter."

Core Score Ups and Downs

Recently we discovered that Pauly's core score was way up when we figured out that he had only missed 4 days of school this year; 2 to go surfing with his dad and 2 to see his girlfriend. The last time he went to see his girlfriend he was mistaken for a homeless kid. That also up-d his score.

Sadly, he lost it all when he read the Twilight series.

Gratitude

Easter Eggs

Just a reminder that brown eggs are waaaay prettier than white eggs when you dye them.

Pretty in Pink and Blue and Green

After their heartbreaking defeat yesterday, Pauly got home with just enough time to shower and put on his tux before it was time to go.

I was already at the lake house (a friend let us use for the evening) making dinner and rearranging furniture and decorating with Katie and Elmira's moms. We finished just in time for the first kids to get there.
They arrived just as the sun was going down. It could not have been a more gorgeous night. It was perfectly warm with a soft breeze to keep away bugs. Robin bought pink sneakers to wear with her dress.

Becca and Paul looked great together.

Between courses.

26-1

The LHS soccer team fought hard but lost their game yesterday so they are out of competition. Bummer! It is so exciting and so frustrating to be 2 games away from a state championship. They are only losing a few seniors though so I know they are already looking at next year.

25-0

The Lindale Soccer Team of which Pauly is a part, is going to the regional tournament today. They have a perfect record so far and there is a lot of tension in the air. If they win today, they play for the regional championship tomorrow. If they win that, the state tournament is next week.

. . . very very exciting!!

Below is an article from the Tyler paper.

Lindale Soccer Teams Competing In Semifinals Friday
CARROLLTON -- The Lindale girls and boys soccer teams will compete in the Class 4A Region II semifinals Friday at Carrollton's Standridge Stadium.

The Lady Eagles are scheduled to meet Longview at 2:30 p.m. Their game will be followed by the Eagles taking on Pine Tree at 7:30 p.m.

The Lindale girls (16-8-1) will be making their third consecutive trip to the regional semifinals. They notched the berth with a 4-2 victory against Corsicana on Tuesday at Forney High School.

Longview (21-3-3) beat Waxahachie, 3-2, in double overtime in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday.

This will be the Lindale boys' first appearance in the regional semis. The Eagles (25-0) kept their undefeated season alive with a 2-0 win against Dallas Woodrow Wilson on Tuesday.

Pine Tree (26-2-1), meanwhile, advanced with a 2-1 win against North Dallas.
-- Shane Stark

Robin the Cougar

Robin has decided that she will attend BYU this fall! Yeah Robin!!

She wanted to announce it herself and she did, on her facebook but people who don't have facebook keep asking so I told her I was putting it on my blog.

Whew!! Now that she has finally made her decision, we are now thinking of other things. How do we get her out there? What about freshman orientation? Are her shorts long enough? What should she do about her facial hair? Should she go early and look for a job? Will she need pots and pans? Most importantly how do we keep from missing our girl?

Twinkies

Did you know Paul is an extraordinary public speaker? Well, he is. At church, at work, at different events in the communities we've lived in. I am amazed at how at home he is in front of a crowd. How quickly he draws people in and how he teaches without preaching.

I remember once he spoke at a post Boy Scout meeting in Germany. He took an ordinary event like turning on a computer and was able to tell this group of boys about duty and honor and being a man of integrity. It was really great.

Man! I'm so lucky!

A few Sundays ago he was teaching a Sunday school lesson. He talked about how we are always becoming something. In this case, we are either becoming more like our Heavenly Father or we are becoming less like Him.

He used the example of a man who was in great shape. If that same man stopped working out and sat around all day watching T.V. and eating Twinkies he would become something else.

It won't matter if the man doesn't want this or says he is in shape or claims he has figured out a better way. He may even be able to trick people for a while; but after some time has past it will be impossible to hide what he has become.

Gloria wasn't feeling well and was sitting in Sunday school with me. When Paul was almost finished she whispered, "Mom, what's a Twinkie?" I bought some this morning for an after school snack.

* Twinkie update.
The kids tried their (first and last) Twinkies afterschool today. Gloria took a nibble and threw hers away. The others wanted another one. Good for you Gloria!

75 point turn

Pauly and I spent about 20 minutes parking the truck sideways in the garage for an April Fool's Day joke on Paul.

I also put plastic spiders in all the kid's PB&J. (Hee Hee!)