Family

How we love our family. We had a Very special event with Lowell's family this month that still has me reflecting on the wonder that is family. I read a quote (I think Pres Uchtodorf?) about how we have been sent to families to learn about love and service. Once you have had your own children, you'll know that is absolutely true. Can't think of a truer love than I have for my amazing handsome husband and the 3 beautiful children we have made together. Anywho, more about them--mostly pics! Claire coloring
PJ day at school (they won it for reading during the Jazz read-a-thon, which their school won! They had a Jazz player come read to them and got lots of prizes throughout the event, so fun. Davis was the top reader in his class [Carter read the same amount but others read more in his class]).
They have been asking me to do "spearamints" with them and as someone with a degree in Microbiology (and minor in Chemistry) I thought I should be able to come up with something. Enter vinegar and baking soda. They loved it!
Their reading class sponsored a Green Eggs and Ham breakfast along with a rock, paper, scissors tournament. The breakfast was fun, the tournament less so. But the bounce house and face paint and balloons after were great too. And that A&A were there to play. Hooray!
They were just playing with their DW hats and I couldn't pass up the photo op.

I have been having too much fun with the claw machines (at Trafalga Orem, Lehi and Classic Fun Center). I got V Day covered (6 toys--2 each) and now Easter too.
Claire girls' first braids.

I found some little shirts on a clearance sale ($4) that included mini skateboards. Good times ensued.

Just cute cute!

Okay--on to our very special family event. Lowell's parents were sealed in the Timpanogos temple! They are nearing 50 years of marriage and are now sealed for time and all eternity. Lowell's mom went through the temple for the first time while he was on his mission but his Dad just went through for his first time. What an amazing thing to witness! And best of all, then the kids were sealed to their parents. I wasn't in the circle of course, but I felt like I was since I am sealed to Lowell. So I just got sealed to all of Lowell's family. So neat. It really has me thinking about links and how sealings work. Like that now I am sealed to my nephew, since he is sealed to his parents and his mom is sealed to her parents who are sealed to Lowell who is sealed to me. And how one gap in the link is such a break. Lowell's parents are sealed to their parents so I could imagine the relief they felt now that they "get" their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were severed by a gap in the chain but now that it is sealed--they are reconnected to all these loved ones who came after them. Not sure I thought about it all in that way before now. It was such a wonderful day and then Lowell's sisters threw a great party in their parents' honor. Here's some pics:

No, Claire was not being very happy

P.S. It was so nice to see and visit with Becky briefly! She came up from AZ for the special day.

Lack of snow this winter has been wonderful in many regards, sledding is not one of them. I am still mourning my New Year's Day sled trip (boo, hiss!). We did get our annual Soldier Hollow sled trip in, but the snow was slushy and so it was very slow going. It is usually so fast that it takes my breath away, but this time we had to get up and walk in between the bumps going down. They gave us the option of a refund but honestly we didn't expect conditions to improve much as Spring came along, my discounted tickets were only good for another couple weeks, we had a babysitter and had already driven to Midway, and we could make it fun anyway. And we did.
Look at my skinny honey!
Taken with my overly nice for the setting camera (only used because we weren't moving that fast) while going down the hill!

The kiddos had a dress like a character from a book day at school during their readathon--they went as the most perfect ones for them.
In honor of Dr. Seuss's bday we went to IHOP and had the Lorax breakfast and then went to see the new movie, The Lorax. We liked it pretty well. A bit overly liberal as far as all things "green" (coming from someone who just does not buy into that) but it was still quite fun.
That updates us through Feburary, so much more to come! :)