Story Of My Life

{Where in the World?}

So I hesitate to even put up the crafty things I do...one of my sisters makes fun!  But WHATEVER!  I have been crafting lately...sigh...such joy:

For Leadership:  

You know those "to do list pads" that are everywhere for a dollar?  My friend Blythe came up with the idea to make a cover out of cardstock and add some ribbon!  Super idea!  I made a few for leadership...everything else is from the activity I did back in February!

These next photos are of a "mini" ( I use the word lightly as there were over 70 pages total) album I created for the departing PTO president!  I will not lie...these were super, super hard to give up!

There is more...lots more!  I loved every minute of this project!  I did have a few tears in the beginning stages because the creativity thing for me can be frustrating.  It doesn't turn off and on when I want it to!  It just happens when it happens! And when it did...I was thrilled!!!  Jumping out of my skin happy and excited!  These albums are probably my favorite project of all time..and like I stated before, super tough to give up.  I wanted to keep them for me, but alas it wasn't meant to be:)

Here is what my new project table looks like when I'm finished being "creative" (and this mild):

I LOVE this table!  Vallen got it for me for my B.day:)  I love this table so much I would ask Vallen to go back in the house during a fire to retrieve it...okay, not really, but you get what I mean!  Ideally there would be a fabulous "room" to go around it; but for now it works great where it is ...in my dining room!  I keep meaning to take a photo of it when it's clean, which NEVER happens, and frankly that makes me smile because I LOVE to have a project continuously going on:)  So here is the photo from online, only mine's in black!

This is where I've happily been the last week!  I'm off to start the other 50 things on my list...

1. Make DVD for Summer's 5th grade class!
2. Finish 52 journals for Breck & Summer's classes 
3. Shop for Summer's Birthday
4. Set-up "everything' for Summer's Birthday (I can't be more detailed as she reads my blog!)
5. Finish end of the year gifts from the PTO for 36 teachers & staff (not sure this is going to happen)
6. Father's Day! 
7. Ward Conference for Orange 2nd 
8. 40th Birthday for a friend ....

The list goes on and on!   Let's just say I'm busy!  And ain't it great:)  Each and every day I feel so blessed and happy to be alive and living my life!  It's truly a dream come true!  And in the words of the wise John Bon Jovi, "I'll sleep when I'm dead!"

Hugs! 

PS.  Vallen is right...they look best without ribbon!  Oh well, right?!  It's done now!

{Stake Talent Show}

The kids volunteered to participate in the Stake Talent Show!  A very talented woman in our ward organized the entire skit.  The kids just had to attend a few practices and the performance.  They were excited to participate and to be on stage performing...UNTIL the actual night of the show.  They had some serious stage fright...super serious stage fright!  I am so proud of them because at the last second they gathered all their courage and performed fabulously!  It was awesome to watch!  

Their performance was to the song "Galaxy" by Clint Black.  Breck was "The Speed of Light" and Summer was "A Star"!!  Very fitting to each of their personalities:)  The guy standing next to Breck aka "The Milky Way" is our home teacher Patrick, he is heading to BYU in the fall and is a great, great example to our kids.

Here are the pics: (Someday I might post the video, it was super cute)

{Surf & Sand}

Did I tell you we went to Surf & Sand?!  Yep.  It was awesome!  Each year Vallen has a convention in Laguna Beach at the Surf & Sand Resort.  It's only about 25 minutes from the house so we load up the Sienna and join him!  We love it there!  The kids especially like all there is to do AND of course room service!  The weather was perfect (sorry Mom)!  We had a great time.  Here are the pics:

Summer lounging on the balcony in between doing her homework!  She is such an academic girl!

Breck lounging on the balcony asking if he could jump from the chair he is lounging on to the pool below!  What???!!  Can you just imagine what the future holds for me when he is a teenager!  Crazy kid!

The most handsome man in the world!!  He was busy with meetings, dinner appointments, and more meetings; however, he did take an hour to hang out with us!  

The view from our "penthouse suite." Yes, it said penthouse on the door!  Only the best baby! Whatever, right?  A room is a room?  Or is it?  LOL!

The view from the beach!

Playing in the "Surf & Sand"!!  

Swimming in the pool that felt like a bathtub!  I have always thought it was so funny that hotels have a pool right next to the beach! 

 Breck & I watched the sunset, which was awesome!  We also saw a pod of dolphin swimming, playing, and jumping near the shore!  We slept with the sliding glass doors open so we could hear the ocean waves hitting the shore.  It was relaxing and so peaceful.  We wish Vallen had more conventions there each year so we could join him.  It's such a nice mini vacay!