Just Dance...

May 27, 2011 North Point Elementary had its first (hopefully annual) Dance Festival.  It was so great!!  The kids had been practicing for days and you could really see the work that they had put in.

They were mostly excited - dancing makes Brax a bit nervous!

Grandma Kae and Anna were able to come out and watch with Clark and I, and 2,000 other parents!  There were so many people there - the kids were all so excited to see their fans cheering them on.

Jantzen's Kindergarten class did their dance to "Splish, Splash, I was taking a Bath"  It was so fun to see their cute smiley faces!

He is one of the tallest kids in Kindergarten so he was easy to spot!

Braxton's Fourth Grade Class did their dance to "Catch a Wave" by the Beach Boys.  Braxton is much more reserved than Jantzen so to dance in front of a large group of people is much more intimidating to him.  He did so good though, you would have never known!

The Faculty even had a dance that they did for everyone -- it was fun to see them all having fun and the kids thought it was great to see their teachers being a little crazy.

Mr. Roper - he is the Principal at North Point, he loves to do fun things like this for the kids and parents.

This is Braxton's teacher Miss Prestwich (in the middle)

This is Jantzen's teacher Mrs Rico -- she was front and center!

Jantzen's First Cavity...

Late one Sunday night in May, Jantzen started crying that his tooth felt like it was going to EXPLODE!  I took a look and sure enough he had quite the cavity in one of his teeth.  Luckily the next morning we got in to the Dentist.  Jantzen was having a great time in the chair being silly -

Find Your HAPPY place...

 FOUND IT!!

When I said to him that he sure was acting a lot better than he had been acting the night before when he was screaming and crying his answer was, "Three reasons for that Mom; our prayer, the blessing, and Tylenol."  And you know it was probably just that simple!
He had to have his mouth numbed twice because the first time wasn't enough, he had this funny little smile until dinner that night -

 "Mom, I really can't feel it!"

My greatest blessings call me Mom...

My sweet sons, made my favorite breakfast and served me all day! (Thanks Clark for teaching them how to love me)

mother (muth'er) n. 1. a female parent 2. the origin of something (Webster's New World Dictionary)

Never has there been a greater understatement than this definition!  As a child I never had any greater role model I could look to than my Mother, as an adult there isn't anything I hold more sacred than my calling as a Mother.  I have been smiled on by the Heavens, and have a been given a Mother that made me want to be  Mom so badly I could taste it.  I also have 2 Grandmothers, one still here with me and one passed on that have influenced me in every corner of my life.  I have a Mother in Law that treats me as if I were her own, and raised a son that allows me to grow in my own role as a Mother, I have a sister that shows me how being a Mom means sometimes letting go and trusting they will be OK.
One of the greatest gifts that I have received from being a Mom for almost a decade is not only my capacity for love has increased, but I gained through the years a quiet confidence that I can do and be anything that my children may need.  My heart is full of so much gratitude and admiration for all the Mother's in my life, I am constantly watching and learning from them ways to do better and be better.

Grandma Flygare (or Grandma "Corn Flakes", as Jantzen calls her) has been gone for a little more than a year now, and I still miss her everyday.  She taught me so much by word and by action.  As the last year has past I have come to realize just how much I depended on her to coach me through those tough "Mommy Moments".  With her kind sweet voice, and the unconditional love that is unique to a Grandma she helped me through so many days when I felt like I just wasn't getting it right.  I was blessed to be able to tell her how much she meant to me when she was still here, but I didn't even understand how much that was until she was gone.  She raised 5 boys, and so I knew that if she said it could be done with five, two should be a piece of cake.  She taught me to be more patient, to not get worked up over things I couldn't change, and most of all she would say to me when I was getting overwhelmed with all a Mommy's duties, "Sweetheart -- it will keep."  She was truly an Angel here on earth, and now I know she is with her own dear Mother, that she loves so much.  I can still feel her supporting and cheering us on, even now!

"If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been." 
~  Robert Brault

Off to the Races...

The Pinewood Derby came around and we are happy to report that we had a very successful run!  This hasn't always been the case for us, so Braxton especially was EXTRA excited this year to come in first for so many races.
Braxton was a part of the flag ceremony at the beginning of the night and he did a great job of leading the boys to get the flags.

This is one HAPPY boy!

That is Braxton's Car in FIRST place!!

We are so lucky to be able to have so many friends in our neighborhood, for us and our kids.  These are a couple of Braxton's good friends; Michael and Cole.  They were ALL winners that night!

He got the prize for "Most Detailed" Car.  Jantzen was almost as proud as his brother was that night - he is a really good support to Braxton.

Easter...

This year Easter came pretty late in the season it was April 24th - one would think that it would be warm but quite the contrary, it was still pretty chilly and rainy.  Even still the Easter Bunny comes no matter the weather, and this year was no exception.  The good old Bunny had quite a sense of humor this year!  He brought the boys not just whoopie cushions, but also nose picking pencil sharpeners, and "Flarp" (a disgusting toy that sounds like a juicy fart - gross but oh so funny!!!)

We were still able to do the Annual Grandma Kae Easter Egg Hunt, the skies held back the rain for a little while and ALL the grandkids were able to search for their eggs - high and low!  Uncle Brian hid the eggs this year so some were a little harder to find than others.  I am happy to report that this year we had NO emergencies and NO stitches!!

Grandma Kae is so great, love going to her house on holidays and any other day for that matter.  The cousins have grown up playing with each other and it is so wonderful that they are as close as they are - Thanks Grandma you are FANTASTIC!!

Having both sides of our family so close we get to have a double dose for most holidays!  We went to Grandma Cheryl and Papa Dean's house and Grandma had made her famous Bunny Cake.  She is so cute about having holiday traditions it makes it so fun; lots of work for her, but such great memories for all of us.  Thanks Grandma, we LOVE you!

Addy had a hard time not eating the cheeks before the boys came in to see the cake and Grandma Mercer had a hard time not eating the mini eggs - must run in the family!

The boys all got robes from Grandma and Grandpa - this is our version of "Boyz in the Hood"

We always try and do our "Bunny" Easter traditions on Saturday so we can celebrate the REAL reason we celebrate Easter on Sunday.  When Braxton was 1 year old we even wrote a letter to the Easter Bunny and asked if he could bring our baskets on Saturday.  He kindly agreed and so we get to focus on our Savior and the wonderful gift of the Atonement and Resurrection on Sunday.  The boys looked picture perfect to go to Church...

We are all so grateful for the knowledge that our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for us and that on that third day the Tomb was empty.  Our testimony of Him that conquered death, gives us such hope and peace that we will someday be with all those we love again.  I am grateful for not only my testimony of this - but that I have a wonderful husband and two amazing sons that have this same testimony as well.  We are BLESSED!!

Homemade with Love, by Braxton...

First of all, I have such a hard time looking at this smart, handsome, good young man and understanding that this is my baby boy!  Braxton has grown up it seems like at the speed of light and has turned right before our eyes into such a responsible, independent young man.
He asked me one night if I could teach him how to make dinner, he wanted to make Hot Dogs for him and his brother so we, or should I say he, got to work.

Bon Appetite!

Jantzen was happy to taste test Braxton's first Culinary effort!

I am certainly one LUCKY Mommy to call these two my sons!!

Funny Little Jantzen...

On a daily basis Jantzen says so many funny things, he cracks me up all day long.  He has a great sense of humor even at 6, this is such a great example of his cute personality.  We went to the store with Kristi and Jenna, and he thought this was a perfect opportunity for some pictures...

He truly has a love affair with BACON, it is his favorite food!!

Jantzen and Jenna on their M&M dates.

He is trying so hard to not laugh!!  I love him, he keeps everyday fun and full of laughter at our house.