I knew a young lady who captured a fly

Ever since seeing the news coverage of President Obama catching the fly, Neeley has been obsessed with doing the same thing. It is not uncommon to watch her stealth moves while trying to catch one, but she's never been successful before last week. She watched it fly around and followed it then smacked that thing in mid-air! Hattie and I can't quite figure out what the love affair is with killing flies, but Neeley sure loves it.

Preschool graduation

It's official! Neeley has graduated from preschool! We have loved her teachers and our Montessori experience, but she is ready for kindergarten.

Neeley was able to loudly proclaim: Hi, my name is Neeley and I'm going to ___ school and I want to be a teenager when I grow up so I can bake cookies. She was very sure to tell me at home that she actually wants to be a ballet teacher when she grows up.

Neeley's favorite friends-Sophie, Max, Sam, and Sebi

The graduates all get to release a balloon into the sky and watch it fly away. Hattie's graduation day was a super windy day so all the balloons quickly disappeared, but Neeley's graduation day was calm and no wind at all.

STAAR night

Every year, the Scottsdale Association of Realtors puts on a huge event to raise money for the Hutch fund. This year, Ryan was asked to be part of it. This year's music all revolved around American classics and I couldn't believe the talent! People we've known for quite some time now and didn't have the slightest clue that they could perform like that! Ryan sang in a few numbers, but his big debut was singing Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me."




This year, they raised $60,000 for charity! Way to go performers! It was such a fun night!

My new life video

I have followed Stephanie Nielson's blog, www.nieniedialogue.blogspot.com for a while now and I recently found this video. I follow her because she is inspiring to me. I love her optimism, her struggles, and her perspective. She has a beautiful perspective on motherhood, spirituality, and life.
Her video is touching and I just HAVE to share. Watch...with kleenex on hand.

Weekend Getaway

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves this weekend up in the higher elevations. We hiked, ate, watched movies, fed ducks, and hiked some more!

Neeley has been hanging around Max a bit too long, I think. This is where she spent the entire kickball game. Crying behind a tree because she was losing.

To those women in my life who really LIVE

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Where My Kids At?

Yeah, we know - it ain't proper to use "at" at the end of a sentence, but T-dawg says its fine this time 'round as we are layin' down street talk. Seriously, this is one hilarious song. It hits a bit close to home...

There are two types of people in this world

Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't. (name that movie!)

Okay, the annual Scottsdale black tie charity event is coming up next week and Ryan is going to be a part of it! A group of people are singing "Coming to America" and wanted Ryan to sing with them. Ryan keeps telling himself it is all for charity, but why can't we stop giggling? Don't get me wrong, we are the type who like Neil Diamond, but a group of amateurs singing Neil Diamond reminds me of old karaoke bars and glittery shirts.

It's all for charity, right? Right?

Dora the Explorer

H to N: I don't like Dora the Explorer. She is so lazy.
N to H: Yeah, she is always asking us to find things for her. Go find it yourself Dora!

Shoes

Westy is his father's son. He already has a shoe fettish. He threw a fit this morning when I took off these shoes (apparently his favorite) so he could hose down the patio with me. He certainly wasn't happy when I took off his shoes for him to have a nap. I mean really, who wants to take a nap with shoes on? Right after he got up from his nap, he went and grabbed his shoes and socks for me to put on. Funny little peanut.

His favorite shoes? His little converse. Size 5.

Gila Valley Temple Open House

I know that I am so behind in my posts. I think I had to put it on the back burner for a while. During my little blogging hiatus, I spent the entire time picking up the contents of every drawer and cabinet in my house that Westy has dumped all over the floor. Everything in my bathroom cabinets and drawers always (and I mean ALWAYS) gets thrown into my bathtub. It is a good thing it is empty, but a common phrase here is "Ryan, where's my .....?" To which he replies "Just look in the tub!" This is another post for another day.

I digress.

We went to the Gila Valley temple open house on Saturday. What a cool experience to walk through the temple together as a family! Very special indeed. It will be dedicated on May 23rd.
We couldn't take pictures inside the temple, but our favorite part was an amazing chandelier. It was made up of 9,000 spectacular teardrop crystals and each one of them pointed up. It was truly a sight to behold.