SSOOOO...... We had a Visiting Teaching Conference...

...and this was the theme...

This was tied to a little bag of mixed nuts...very cute and funny.

My Relief Society President, and fellow Counselor in the Presidency decorated their tables with inspirational pictures and books, along with the mixed nuts of our theme.

THIS is what I felt inspired to do with the nuts I was given for decorating...

The note says: "Sister Nutilda Hazel Almondine says: 'I'm a little nutty about Visiting Teaching'." The doll is made of shelled nuts.

I thought the whole presentation was effective...sort of...maybe...

Maybe I've just proven that I'm the nuttiest nut in the whole bunch...

Thank goodness Heavenly Father has a sense of humor...
I hope

4-Day Weekend...

No, it's not really a HUGE Holiday weekend, just unique timing. Monday was Martin Luther King Day...He had a dream bigger than spending four whole days off of school. (Thank goodness for those bigger dreams and the blessings we reap from them.) Tuesday is Teacher Preparation day, so no school today. Actually I think of it as "we-survived-the-second-semester-and-have-to-get- ready-for-number-three-Day".

Second-Semester REPORT CARDS came out and the girls are doing great! All B's for Jackie!!! Way to go! A's, B's and 2 C's for Manda...every grade was improved on this semester!!! Great JOB!!!

Actually it's been a fun weekend...I really do love spending time like this with my kids.

The Nie-Nie dialogs are back up and running...so YEAH!!! Welcome back, Nie! You're all still in our prayers!

Saturday was a little insane. BIG weekend breakfast that took 'til noon to make and eat. Bacon, eggs, and Netty's famous cinnamon french toast...YUM! Helping Amanda finish her science fair project...Grocery shopping with Mom...Thanks for all the help, Mom! Jackie had her FIRST babysitting job this evening. That's another milestone for me as the Mom...letting my baby go babysitting! YIKES!!!

Then FINALLY helping Kevin work on getting Christmas stored away 'til next year. The rate we're going...? It will be time to get it all back out before it's put away. haha


We left the family room heaped with storage containers and a single path through the room as we dashed to get cleaned up for Ward Temple Night. *Whew* A moment's quiet on the way there, and the peace of being in the Temple with my Sweetie made the chaos of the day all worth it.

The post-Temple dinner with friends was a big plus to our "date-night" for the week. Nice to refresh the relationship with some spousal-time.

Sunday was Sunday! Kevin went his way to take care of the Young Adults while the girls and I took care of our stuff in the home-Ward. It was nice to see each other at the end of the day. Other than not seeing Kevin, Sunday really IS my favorite day of the week.

Monday was chore-day for me and the girls. They were great helping out around the house. We hit Costco with Grandma in the afternoon, and McDonald's for dinner before Family Home Evening. It was time for our annual goal-FHE! Even Grandma made some goals for the year. We had fun listening to what everyone wanted to accomplish this year. I am constantly amazed at how often these girls of ours "get-it". They are wonderful and make me grateful for the gift they are in my life.

This morning Amanda and I trekked through the fog to the orthodontist. Not as bad as she thought but it will get worse before it gets better. They gave her a picture of the "Herbst-Appliance" they will be installing next time. (I was going to show the picture but was afraid of the "gross-out factor") OUCH! It corrects her overbite, but OUCH!!!

Errand running all afternoon, hanging out with Jackie to see what improvements she's made to her "Disney Fairies" online game...what a creative kid...

she LOVES the whole shopping part of that game. Yep, she is definitely a "Webster-woman"!

Babysitting for Amanda tonight while Kevin works on getting ready to take the GMAT in preparation for starting BYU for his MBA in the Fall. I'm off to Relief Society presidency meetings and visits...then it's school and life-as-normal tomorrow....

Somewhere in all the hustle-bustle of the day, we (as a nation) managed a peaceful transition of Government. Amanda has been glued to the Inauguration Ceremonies all afternoon. My politically-aware kid.

Yes, a 4-day weekend...why does it feel like we crammed 5 or 6 days in there?

More Nie support!

First....

First "getting ready" for cheer competition...

First hair and make-up for cheer competition...

First warm-up for cheer competition...

First Cheer Competition performance...

First time waiting for an awards ceremony...

First place in their category...

First trip to Nationals...coming up in March!!!!!

Congratulations Lakeview Academy Cheerleaders!!!!!! You ARE #1!!!!!!!!!!

Once Upon a Time...

Didn't we just do a story that started this way? Well, this is a good one, too!

Once upon a time, there was a girl who moved to Arizona to be closer to family. Never did she imagine how that move would change her life.

Not too long after getting settled into a new life and a new job in a new community, this girl (woman) met her Prince Charming...and they got married!



We could end this story now, and say "...And they lived Happily Ever After..." but we won't. Because miracles happen everyday! Due to circumstances beyond her control, this young woman worried about not being able to have a family with her Prince Charming. Imagine their delight when a miracle did indeed happen.



Yesterday, baby-Clayton joined this family to make their "Happily Ever-After" a reality. 8lbs 8oz!!! Mama and baby are doing well and the WHOLE family is thrilled!

What a way to start a New Year and what a way for us to end our story.

...and they are living happily ever-after...

A story to start a New Year...

Once upon a time...(isn't that how all good stories are supposed to begin?) ...there was a young man who had a silly sister.... One evening around Christmas time, this young man's silly sister was peeling a banana.

The young man foolishly teased his silly sister saying that she looked like a monkey - the way that she was peeling that banana...
Upon being teased about looking like a monkey AND noticing the mistletoe hanging in the hallway...this silly sister said, "If I'm a monkey, then I'm going to give you a monkey-kiss!"

Terrified by this ominous threat, the young man fled for his life. He ran screaming through the house with his sister (who was now ACTING like a monkey) hot on his heels. Hilarity, laughter, and general chaos ensued...but the damage was done. The young man had developed an innate fear of bananas.

Years passed with the young man keeping this fear hidden from the world. Then one day the Young man's silly sister had a silly daughter who accosted him using...

...you guessed it...a banana

...and they all lived happily ever-after...

the end