Did you know this?

I have another blog.....GASP.....i know? Ive had it for a while. Its nothing spectacular, I started it a year ago to try to help me get motivated and love to organize my house and life. At times it has helped (kinda like a cheap shrink). Ive added projects Ive done, furniture Ive refinished, crafts to do and other ramblings that Ive had. Like today for instance, you might be a little afraid if you read my post.....I promise I wouldn't really light my house on fire but if you happen to have suggestions or a free maid service I could use....gimme a shout out!
I guess now would be the time to give you the address for this little Internet gem huh? Or I could just let you figure it out.....haha.....jk.
www.projectorder.blogspot.com

Looky Here ....

I opened up my camera to find a little photo shoot that Baili and Kami had unknown to me, owner of the expensive camera. Must be nice.....gotta get these kids busy doing chores!
Just joking.....its very cute! Note the crossed feet in the bottom center and how she posed Kami in front of the little mermaid backdrop. Baili is very artistic.

Jacobs Pinewood Derby

Jacob came home from scouts one night with tears in his eyes and told Sam and I that he had told his scout leaders he would not be participating in the pinewood derby this year because, quote "we are too busy, my dad has busy season and my mom teaches zumba now" awwww tear! I told him of course he would have a car for the race and there was nothing that would keep us from giving him the time he needed to be part of the derby.

Now, last year was our first experience of making a car together. Jacob drew on his block and then we hacked at it and let him sand it all off. I did make the mistake of putting the weights on the bottom of the carriage so when it hit the end of the race ramp, it sort of bottomed out - oops!

This year Jacob found a design he liked online and got some help from our good friend Val Hancock, who also made Ryan a car while he was at it. He was super proud of how it looked and he did really well in the race.

Easter

Our house was pretty festive this year with easter decor up a month early and the kids talking about an easter party. We had a young women activity where we made easter crackle frames with subway art in them and two or three easter egg hunts the week leading to easter. Kamis kindergarten class hatched their very own chicks from the egg to the real deal. I dont know why but this seemed like the CUTEST idea everrrrrr!!! Love her teacher Mrs. Gehring. Kami talked about "chirpy" like he was her new best friend and how the class were "chick-sitting" them until it was time for them to go home to their mommies.
I was asked to give a talk on Easter sunday at church (whyyy???) and sang a song with two ladies from my young women presidency. I love how Easter Sunday, like Christmas Sunday, brings the true meaning of the holiday back to the center of the weekend.
On easter morning, the kids ran around the house collecting eggs in their baskets and eating candy. I only caught a few pictures and theyre mostly the sides of the kids heads....hahah.
We went to Mandy and Lucas's house for dinner....it was fun and we all overdosed on sugar!

2nd Annual Priest/Laurel Canoe Trip

Once upon a Saturday, a group of brave priests and laurels along with four highly trained and extremely fit leaders drove to the land of mesquite and put their floating vessels in the raging river. This particular year the river had doubled in width and had white capped waves here and there, not exactly the calm river they had floated down the year prior.
But this fearless bunch would not be put off by that….in they got and within a minute and a half the first group (who I knew personally)…..tipped and faced sure death in the face, a slight exaggeration but nonetheless super scary! At that point that particular young women leader thought it would have been an excellent idea to bring her wetsuit because the water was a fridged 50 some degrees.
It didn’t take long for the six canoes to hit trouble. About 20 minutes in, the same canoe (that I have very personal connections to) got caught on a beaver dam, mostly because the female leader was trying to convince the overexcited priest to wait for the others……and they tipped……and the canoe started to fill…..and the two were swept away in the darn raging waters.
After minutes of trying to unplug the canoe and get it out of the water, other leaders came to the rescue! In the words of Bob the builder, WE CAN DO IT…… Push and pull and push some more, but the canoe was not moving. Then a wise bishop said “Lets have a prayer” As the five of them stood on the dam, shivering from the cold, the priest offered a prayer for help. No sooner had the prayer ended than the all wise bishop suggested they use one of the other canoes to help pull the submerged one out. Heave, ho, heave, ho…..Who knew that the new beehive young women leader was super strong until she flung herself into the water on one of the tugs and out came the canoe – VICORY! Onward brave souls…….. this one particular new female leader would soon face death in the face herself……
They decided it was best to pull off to the side when certain sketchy areas arose and to try to stay together…….umm but that was a problem because a highly motivated team with the somewhat unfair advantage of three people in their canoe (just joking) had gone ahead without any problems at all. The young women president was worried about them and hoped they were ok.
So as the group stood on the side of the riverbank, the last team came into view. It was the new beehive leader and the highly athletic soon to be priest. “It’s ok, don’t panic” shouted the wise bishop…..”stay the course…..keep your balance” They were drifting left when they needed to be right. In they slammed to what was later described as “the biggest tree in the river”. The female leader was stuck, legs twisteed in the branches and for a couple of seconds, which seemed so much longer, the soon to be priest disappeared. This was the scariest moment of everyones day. All leaders ran into the water…..”Go” yelled the bishop. Then a lifevest bobbed up….he’s ok. PHEW…. They were sure glad they had had that prayer before entering the river!
It seemed like an eternity to figure out how to get everyone back together. With a little work and the lead of the all knowing bishop, the team was on their way again with no alternative because they were at least five miles from the truck with the food……and it had been about four hours since they began their journey!
An answer to prayer came in the form of a random man on some sort of dune buggy who took the battered priest along with the beehive leader to the safety of the highway to find the truck while the rest of the group went on. They soon caught up with the missing three who had been waiting for over an hour on a bank wondering if they had taken a wrong turn somewhere. They too had had some unfortunate events and one of the priests was stuck to his knees in sinking mud. With the help of the trusty bishop and other young men they helped the poor kid out. Will this day ever end…..one tired young women leader thought to herself. But her spirits were soon lifted with the awkward singing of her highly skilled partner, a priest who was now manning the canoe alone because she had lost her ore!
The song ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS…..came to mind and thoughts of the pioneers floated around her head. At least today there would be an end in sight. She was sure by now the two who had gotten the ride to the truck had prepped the food and where ready to greet them with arms full of yummy hoagie sandwiches but alas this was not the case because they had been dropped off at the wrong location and were walking along the scorching hot freeway ……
The stranded two had a prayer and unbelievably the stranger who had taken them from the river, turned around when he got to his home, prompted that maybe he had dropped them off at the wrong location…….a true answer to prayer.
So as the little band of brave canoers pulled their canoes out of the water and sat in the sun for a moment, socks chucked, clothes destroyed with mud, pink in the face and shoulders from the sun, the question posed at the beginning of their journey……”how will this adventure parallel life”…….the young women leader pondered and hesitated to share her initial thought.
A more uplifting one quickly came to mind...........that life, though difficult and impossible at times, is doable with prayer, friends & family, a good bishop and some sunscreen.

Scout Camp - 2011

Little Funny

I call getting out of our house, "escaping Alcatraz" because it is near impossible and then once we do finally all get through the door, SOMEONE - usually me - forgets something and has to go back in. I've decided, like my Mam, my casket will have to be wheeled in late to my funeral because I now officially live on "Mormon", "Irish", "Filipino", "Latin" whatever you wanna call it, time! We are always late and I pretty much don't even care anymore, it's part of who I am so just plan on it *sad* Anyhoooo the other morning, tearing off to school, speeding in the school zone (sssh dont tell Lucas) we get to the drop off point and the kids exit the "FUN MOBILE" and Ryan states that he has mismatched shoes on. Not a big deal - I think to myself - knowing he has two very similar vans looking shoes. It's ok, one is black the other has a red dragon on it, dont worry...you're still a good mom, people probably wont even notice! RIGHT??? ummmmm??? As I drove away the white of Ryan's right heel told me that it might be a little more obvious than I thought because he had one shoe and one flip flop on - yay for ghetto!!!!!

Conference Art

Twice a year we have a weekend of listening to the leaders of the Church speak to the us in a worldwide conference broadcast. I always look forward to spending the time with Sam and the kids. I love hearing the Mormon Tabernacle choir, they are amazing and I always imagine that they will be the welcoming choir in heaven because they sing so perfectly and transmit such a reverent, beautiful feeling as they sing. I also look forward to hearing what the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and other leaders have to share and teach us. Its cool that they never coordinate talks and no speaking assignments are given ahead of time , as far as the topic goes, and yet there is always one or two common threads throughout the five sessions. This year FAMILY, PREPAREDNESS & CHARITY as well as the welfare system in the church were the most talked about. Many of the talks hit a chord with our family and we are grateful for the role of the priesthood in our home as well as the ability for me to stay home for the children. Sam has been teaching a "Family Finance" Course in Sunday school for our ward and many of the principles that he's already taught were retaught in conference. It's amazing to me how the gospel caters to all aspects of our lives and not just the spiritual. It's also very timely given the state of our national economy as well as our own problems here in Nevada. I'm constantly reminded of the Prophets counsel to "store food, clothing and other necessities" for a time when they may be needed - I need to do better with this......

As the kids are getting older they are doing much better during conference time. It's a long time to expect them to sit quietly and listen. They like to color and draw pictures and I know while they're doing that they hear the general authorities or at least FEEL the spirit. On Sunday, we pitched our conference tent again like last year. The kids love that tradition! Here are some pictures they drew, we have some serious talent in the family...lol. Jacob actually drew pictures of each of the speakers from the first session but I can't find them so I'll post them later. He is a great artist! These first two pictures Baili drew and Ryan did the one of Jesus.