Soccer Girl

Madison recently started a competition soccer league and yesterday was her first game. Basketball is still her favorite sport, but she is doing really great with soccer. I couldn't believe it yesterday when she volunteered to be the goalie--her first time ever. I have to admit I was really nervous for her, but she did awesome! Here are some action shots from yesterday. Go Madison!! Go #13!!

I Married a Hottie

So the other day I was reminiscing about my Dad and some of the little "gems" of wisdom he had imparted to his children over the years and I had to smile at the two that came to mind:

*You don't want to wake up in the morning next to a "sweet spirit". Meaning a person can be as spiritually "special" as they come, but if they have a face like a horse, that will soon wear on you.

*Attraction may not be #1 on your list of things you want in a spouse, but hopefully, it is #2.

Now to some, these words of advice may seem superficial, but they have served me well through life and this is how:

I don't know if it's just a peculiarity of mine, but when I dated in high school there were times that certain physical traits of a person would drive me so crazy that I would secretly hate them for a few days and have to avoid them as to not make myself gag or say something mean. There was one young man who had an abnormally large adam's apple and there were times when it was ALL I could see when I talked to him. "WHY oh WHY did it have to be so enormous?!" I would think to myself. There was another person I dated that would regularly get chapped lips and so his lips looked two times their regular size and I would have to make up excuses to not see him until his chapped lips subsided back to their normal size. I was plagued by feelings of anger and disgust. Now I realize that this may seems arrogant to some because it's not like I don't come with my own flaws, but it's something I couldn't seem to help and so when I continued looking for a husband, my Dad's wise words of advice frequently made their way into the forefront of my mind.

Then Robert enters my life. He was so good looking that my Mom for the first few years assumed that because he was so handsome, he couldn't possible have any other redeeming qualities and would often ask, "He's good looking, but what ELSE does he have?" To which I would rattle off all of his other amazing traits and she would give me that look like, "Suuuure."

This advice has been so helpful to me over the 15 years we have been married! I can honestly say that no physical feature on his face or body has ever caused me to gag, avoid him, or hate him for any period of time. In fact, there are times that I let him off a little easy because of his charm and absolute gorgeousness. I know that his looks weren't #1 on my list, but THANK HEAVENS it was a close second. Thanks Dad! Oh, and I can't remember what the #1 thing on my list was . . .

Catching Up

I really can't believe I made it through summer with my sanity in tact, or at least mostly in tact. Here are some of the things we've been up to lately:


I did my first bike race with Kristen and my Dad. It started at Point of the Mountain and went around Utah Lake. I wouldn't have believed it was 50 degrees when we started if I hadn't of felt it; it was August and FREEZING! I have found a new passion with bike riding and especially enjoy it because Robert, Kristen, and my Dad also do it. I was able to do 54 miles and was quite proud of myself, especially since the last 10 miles was brutal--strong headwinds, freezing, and sore shoulders.

We were able to go to Kauai for 6 glorious days with Krissy and Zack. We snagged the chance to go due to cheap airfare and a free place to stay. It was supposed to be for our 15th wedding anniversary which actually isn't until December. We haven't been away without kids for longer than a weekend EVER so it felt very foreign. I really got into the island way of doing everything slow. My life feels like I am always racing, panicked, and one step behind. We had so many adventures; hikes, a tour of the Napali Coast, snorkeling, shopping, eating out, laying out, photo taking, talking, and playing in the waves. It was extremely therapeutic, and we had the time of our lives. I was so happy to get back to my little kiddies though, I missed them very much although they seemed to do just great without me!

School started. Christian is in 8th grade, Madison is in 5th grade, Hunter 3rd grade, Elisabeth preschool. They were all so thrilled to start and I am glad to have some personal space back! It's also nice to have time with just little AshBear for a couple hours every day.

I am planning a jungle themed birthday party for Elisabeth who LOVES lions and tigers and will be turning 5 at the beginning of September. I am so excited for Fall, my very favorite time of year! That's all for now.

Paradise

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Bountiful and Ogden Temples

This week we visited the Bountiful and Ogden Temples. We had a nice picnic at the Bountiful Temple and took a beautiful Sunday drive to the Ogden Temple. There is always such a wonderful spirit at each temple--and I love all the flowers! We are half way to our goal of seeing all the Utah temples!

I May Be Insane . . .

The other day while at a restaurant, I passed a woman who had a sweet newborn baby. I felt that familiar twinge of sadness that I always feel when I see someone else pregnant or with a new baby and wondered, "When will I not feel sad that I will never have another baby?" Everyone always told me, "You'll know when you're done" and I guess I know that my body has had it with pregnancies--I'm just barely recovering from my thyroid condition caused by my last pregnancy, but my heart doesn't want to believe that I will never feel another baby kick inside me or greet another baby of mine into life! I know it is strange to some, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE being pregnant. It makes me feel powerful, beautiful (until the last couple months), and happy. Even though my 5 children overwhelm me on a constant basis, somehow there's still a part of me that wishes I could have more children! I know--I'm crazy. But here is what I have loved and cherished about my children:

*They have given me another childhood to experience through them. I love seeing life through new eyes.

*Unconditional love.

*Although it can be intimidating, I love having the power to teach them and mold them.

*They have taught me to find joy in simplicity and innocence.

*They help me keep my priorities straight.

*I love seeing Robert in each of them.

*They keep me humble.

*Being a mother makes me feel important.

*I love creating new traditions with them.

*I love family vacations with them (at least when they are over!)

*I know that God lives because when I look in their eyes, there is no denying His existence.

*They keep me on the right track because they watch my every move.

*I can see my weaknesses much more clearly through their eyes, and so it helps me improve.

*They make me proud.

*They have given me more happiness and satisfaction than I could have ever dreamed.

And so as I watch my baby Ashton grow more each day, learn more, and become more independent, I am a little sad. I will never be one of those who is glad to be done with babies and happy to have my life back because life before them, was not nearly the life it is now. I think perhaps I will always envy those who are still having babies the rest of my life, but as my Mom has so wisely said, "Be thankful you've had such a wonderful experience raising kids that you CAN feel like this."

Things I Would Like To Do Or Be--Both Real and Imagined

Become a sharp shooter

Get a Master's Degree in Social Work or Psychology

Be an undercover secret agent for the CIA

Be a Latina

Be a Good Will Ambassador for the UN, traveling the world to make a difference

Be a famous actress in a movie

Have a personal trainer and a personal chef

Have a body like an Olympic athlete

Be a confident public speaker

Be an extrovert

Live in the forest

Write a children's book with Robert

Travel to India

Travel to Africa

Be able to hold all my children as newborn babies again

Go back in time when it was just me and Robert together at BYU

Be a photojournalist for National Geographic

Have a dimple (not in my buns, but on my face)

Not be so easily overwhelmed

Take my family to live in a 3rd world country serving a humanitarian mission

Have an English accent

Be a famous, eccentric, slightly mad artist

Dress in gorgeous dresses everyday like they did in the 19th Century

Time travel

Work with ocean animals

Have 2 hours of silence by myself every day

Go back to high school for a week with some actual CONFIDENCE

Be a morning person (yeah right)

Be a child again for a day with Robert

Always be in a financial situation to help those in need

You know what? The more I think about it, I love my life just the way it is; my handsome Prince Robert, my 5 precious children, the gospel, and good health. All my wildest dreams have come true!