A couple of big days

So...Landon had his very first piano recital last night. My mom teaches
him piano lessons and so it has been fun for Landon to spend this extra time with his Nana. He played two songs. "Silly Bug Stomp" and then we played a duet together, "Love Is
Spoken Here". He was so nervous too. He begged and begged me to be able to use his music and I told him he didn't need it and he'd do fine. He's had the song memorized for over a month now. But, nerves got the best of him, and on his way up to the piano, he paused at my mom's chair and whispered, "Puh-leeeeeaaase." So, she let him play the song with his music. Silly boy. He did great and it
has been fun for me to be able to play along with him.

And then today was Landon's last day of 1st grade. So it was a pretty big day. He has really enjoyed school this year, mostly thanks to a great teacher, Mrs. Reed. Who put up with his "problems" we were having at the beginning of the school year. She is sadly, leaving Morningside after only one year as she lives in Burley and was offered a position at the elementary in Heyburn. So, closer to home for her. Sniff Sniff...we will miss her though.

So, this means summer vacation has officially started. Argh! I'm hoping it will be a good one. Lots of stuff going on to keep Landon busy. Between tennis, golf, art classes, gymnastics, and swimming lessons....he should be good to go. SHOULD...that's the key word there. Sigh.

Angel Moroni

A friend of mine sent this picture to me. Thanks so much Amy! The Angel Moroni was put on the steeple of the temple yesterday. What a beautiful addition. What is most exciting for me, is that now that they are almost finished with the exterior of the temple, they can begin work on the inside. Which is where the important stuff happens. How lucky we are to be able to have a temple in our own town. Every Sunday Jaysen and I go to Jerome to his parents' home for dinner and on the way back, even from Golf Course Road you can see the large white structure. It's almost like it's glowing white.

Doesn't it give you goosebumps?

Remember Me

Again, I got this great video in an email. A 15 year old girl made this video. A very heartwarming, thought provoking piece. I will admit I shed a tear or two at the end. When I see videos like this, I always seem to think of how it would feel if I was sending Jaysen off to war, or if it was me losing him. You know...the whole wearing someone else's shoes thing. I would be crushed.
What was truly unfortunate, is that the comments made on YouTube concerning this video were horrible. Anti war statements, anti Bush statements, even to the point of bringing up the whole 9-11 controversy. One person was even so harsh as to call this girl a "soldier hater". I'm not sure how any of these people got those ideas from watching this video.
If they would have watched it, they would have seen that to post their comments they were doing exactly what the video tells them not to. Soldiers just want to hear that we are supporting them and that we are proud of them. Not that we think they are wasting their time, putting their lives on the line every day for nothing. That's what these types of comments portray to them. That you don't support them. I just truly found it interesting. They, who argued against the video, only proved the creator's point.

Anyway...my thanks and prayers go out to ALL soldiers and their families. I truly appreciate your sacrifice.

Sunshine

So, you know how my kids are WAY cuter than yours? Well...here's another reason why. I have sung "You are my sunshine" to my Mackenzee since she was an infant. With her reflux, she cried A LOT. And for some reason, if I sang "sunshine" (that's what we call the song in my house) to her, it would calm her down for a bit. I babysat my neice, Savanna, last year and she knew the trick too. When Mackenzee would cry, Savanna would instantly start to sing it. It was cute. Her little four year old voice. ;0) (Not as cute as my kids though) Anyway....I still sing it to Mackenzee at bedtime. It's our little routine. I hold her and we sway as I sing and then I ask her if she is my sunshine and she says yes and then she goes to sleep. It's just what we do. You moms understand. ;0) Anyway....a couple of nights ago I started to sing....and she started to sing along. The actual words.

"uh-shie, o-ee uh-shie.
(You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.)
A-heeee, gay.
(You make me happy, when skies are gray.)
oh- eeeee, wuv ooo.
(You'll never know dear, how much I love you.)
uh-shie way."
(Please don't take my sunshine away.)

See....I told you she was cuter.

Pirates!

So, Jaysen and I actually went to the movies last night. On a date.......

I know. It's crazy. It has literally been months. Life has been hectic. But, we both wanted to see the final chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, so we went for it. The movie was crazy long! Almost three hours! But it was pretty good. Not as good as the first. About the same as the second. I do LOVE Captain Jack Sparrow though. Johnny Depp is awesome as this character. Very likeable. Even though he's a pirate. The silliness of some of the other things about the movie got annoying for me though. Some scenes were going so well, and then they try to throw something silly in it. Not funny.....silly. Innappropriate for the mood of what was going on. So, it didn't quite fit. I don't know. Better plot in this one than in the second one though. It does leave it open for a fourth one if they really wanted to, but it seems as though they're keeping it to three from what I've read. Probably best.

Anyway...Jaysen and I have decided to make our movie date night a monthly thing. We went with another couple last night, which made it fun. Definitely needs to be a do over. So, for June....I'm not sure which one we're going to go for, but July is definitely Harry Potter time!

So You Think You Can Dance?

OK people....my new favorite show came on last night! I started watching it last year, and was hooked. My favorite dancer, Benji, won too. Right now, they are going through the auditions, which for me is the lame part. I want to get to the good dancers. Kind of like with American Idol...I don't care if I watch the auditions, I just want to get to the good stuff. Anyway, I watched it with Mackenzee last night and she actually SAT STILL. It was amazing. She loved it! We may have the beginning of a little dancer on our hands. She does love to shake her booty! ;0)

Children See, Children Do

Received this commercial in an email today from my sister and was left awed by the honesty it portrayed. Kids are SO influenced by their surroundings and especially by the people who are most important to them. What we do and say help mold and shape our childrens' lives. What are we turning them into? I would hope that my words and actions are such that my children will be more like those at the END of the commercial. Kind of puts things into perspective doesn't it?