Sweet 16th Birthday

Skyler and Eve beginning her first date.

I told her to stand up straight, she said she was!   

                                

We celebrated Eve's Sweet 16th Birthday with a surprise Dance Party in conjunction to her very first Date!! Woohoo!! She went on this date with the most gentlemanly young man around. He is a mere 6' 9" in height. Eve is a whopping 4'11". They double dated with another couple, and they went bowling then he brought her over to the ward cultural hall where we were waiting to surprise her. 

 The Surprise didn't turn out like we wished... as they showed up without telling me that he was on his way with her, there was a problem with his phone.. so they just walked in.. and we were all dancing and having a great time... but it was a surprise in that she didn't know a thing about it and there were alot of her friends there. We danced and had such fun. We had plenty of treats and games... and great music... thanks to some of the kids who helped me gain access to their groveshark accounts on my DROID.  What a cool thing to have found. It worked out great in accessing all those cool line dance songs that they just love to dance to and the pop hits that the kids really enjoyed!

The kids had a great time dancing before Eve showed up. There were lots of friends who came to offer their support and love for Eve. We had a great evening. Can't wait for the next dance !!
Here are a few precious memories of the occasion.

Dancing away! or were they doing the german 2 step..

 Jake is giving Eve the hug she wanted for her birthday. He said that he asked her what she wanted and she told him she didn't want anything, other than a HUG... so he gave her a card with those two little wierd guys that talk high pitched and they says something about hugging her, and he gave her a bag of hershey's hugs. Inside the card, he also asked her to Purple and White.. the senior prom. He is a great young man as well. He went with us at Christmas to the Mo. Tab Christmas concert with the Archuletta kid. Names escape me tonight. We had a great time singing while waiting in line to get inside the Conference center that night...  He's a good young man as well. I really like Jake! I really like Skyler too!! Both are wonderful young men!!
Jake and the Neeley boy are both giving the hug in this photo. Angelica is there too.. :)

Sloan and Fuzuki are lifting Natalie.. why she opened her legs up... no idea!! Kids.. how fun it is!!
Natalie has been one of Eve's best friends since 1st grade. Fuzuki is our Japanese exchange student for the school year. We have really grown to love her and she had made friends and fits right in with the group.

 This is the Neeley Boy, Brad, Dillon and Jake. All these kids are so much fun!! They are also boys which at one point or another have been on the list of Crushes or still are..and some are not on her list, but she still remains on theirs. It's a fun group of young men. Brad came early to help us set things up. I really like her friends for the most part. Good young men and women.

There were lots of friends, standing, dancing, sitting, or playing twister or singing. I really do like this young man.  This is Skyler. He was watching Eve open up Birthday Gifts. He is such a gentle giant of a young man. Treats Eve like the Princess that she is. Behind Skyler is Nina talking to Jake.

Just nothing like a good game of Twister to add to the fun. Teenagers love it cause they can still touch and hug and fall all over each other and its acceptable if you are playing Twister. Right?

Half sheet cake and we only had one piece left over when it was over. (I didn't even have one piece) 

Bethany is a friend of Eve's and she had a birthday a few days before Eve's so she invited her to help her blow out the candles. Bethany was a great friend and she helped her accomplish the task at hand. Hope their wishes come true. Bethany will be moving in another week.. We will miss her. She is a lot of fun and a good friend. She is a few years younger than Eve.

This is Jake, Eve and Angelica singing Karaoke. They were having such a great time. This group of friends are so much fun. Most of them are in either vocal music or instrumental and all of them love to perform. Doesn't matter if its head standing or dancing or singing or piano playing.

This is Clarissa and her boyfriend, whose name I think is John. If I am wrong, I'll correct when the critics come forth. She is a good friend to Eve. She is a senior and will be graduating in a few weeks.

They asked if they could make a human pyramid. I told them only if they didn't get hurt.

Actually, I told them to Ask Dad... and he said Ask Mom... haha..

These were the brave ones.. the others were more smarter than risking injury.

Easter Break

For Spring break we took Fuzuki and Eve and the family to Arches National Park. Fuzuki chose the site since she will be leaving and returning to Japan in approx 5 more weeks.  We had a most enjoyable time.  We picked a hotel in Green River which made the cost of lodging 1/2 of the price of staying in Moab. We had a great time and the 40 minute drive between Green River and the park wasn't that far at all. Well worth the savings.

Now if you go to Green River, Utah do not miss eating at Cathys Pizza and Pasta. I believe that was the name of the little place. They delivered the most wonderful pizza, well worth the money, which wasn't bad either. I think it was just shy of $20. Plus they deliverd to our hotel room after a day of hiking the park. They even included disposable plates and napkins.

There just isn't anything in the world like Arches National Park. There is a wonderful spirit there. I love history and there is plenty of that there as well. The hiking can be quite tiresome, but if you just go slow, anyone can do it. If I can do it... anyone can do it!!

We had a little incident with a young man who was visiting our foreign exchange student in our home right before we left on this little trip. That was the only distraction for us. Other than that we had the most wonderful trip. The weather was very cool, much better than our last trip there which was last August. It was much better for hiking. We didn't need as much water and we could hike much faster than in the heat of mid to later summer temperatures.

This trip we hiked into Devils Garden, to Landscape arch, it was absolutely beautiful!  It was just shy of a 2 mile hike round trip.  Not bad, it had up and down hills, some sand, which is always a little tougher to walk in but we did just fine. I always get worried hiking, wondering if I get out there in the boonies, will I be able to walk out.. or will my poor husband have to call the helicopter to airlift me out, if I get too winded with my asthma. But we did just great!.

I'm hoping for a trip to Yellowstone if at all possible before she leaves for Japan. Not sure it will happen, but if we can I hope that it is something that we can do this year.

St. George Weekend Trip

This past Saturday, Roger and I took a trip to St. George. We stayed with our friends, Jerry and Marie Ohman. We arrived at their home at 6pm. Marie being such a gracious hostess and good friend, she had dinner waiting for us. We ate a delicious meal and then we played a game that I have never played before, called hand and foot. It was fun. Its not that its a new game, only to me as I am not much of a card player. We had a delightful evening and then we went to bed.  The Ohmans are from our home ward and have just purchased this beautiful home in St. George to escape the winters of Northern Utah.  We were so glad for their kind offer to come and stay with them.

 We were down there to attend Roger's youngest son's newest arrival, Serenity McClellan's, baby blessing in Cedar City on Sunday Morning.  The Ohman's genearosity made that a much more enjoyable trip than it would have been. It's difficult to drive that 6 hrs down there just to turn around and drive it home again after a church meeting.  We had such an enjoyable time with the Ohman's.

The trip from St. George to Cedar City was very short in comparrison to the trip from Brigham city to St. George. When we left St. George the temperature was 23 degrees and before we arrived in Cedar City, the thermostat showed that the temperature was 3 degrees. Brrrrrr.. it was so very cold!

We had an enjoyable fast and testimony meeting. Echo and her Mother both bore their testimonies. It was good to hear their testimony. The ward in Cedar city has alot of members strong in faith. It was good to attend their meetings and share in their joy and faith. Weston was so glad to see his Grandpa that he just jumped up in Rogers lap and hugged his neck. It's always good to see the grandkids. Jolly Roger, wasn't so Jolly. He spent his time with Katie and Dana who sat behind us. Clark and Ashley sat on the row in front of us.   We took a few photos then we took off to head back to Brigham city.  We had a good trip. Riding in the car that long is a real killer to my back. Other than that, it was a great trip.  Can't wait to return to St. George and visit with Jerry and Marie again and play alittle more hand and foot.

Clark McClellan, Devon Day, Matt McClellan, Serenity McClellan, Roger McClellan and Devon Day's son,.

Matt, Serenity and Echo McClellan

Happy 2011!!!! Horray for the New Year!!!

Our Santa Tree in our Family Room.

Wow, how the years fly by so quickly anymore. I guess that is a sure sign of getting older.  It is amazing how when you're small, it seems as if it takes forever for your birthday to arrive again.. and now before you know it,  A new year has arrived and soon, that Birthday will be here again.  I am not going to spend time looking back at 2010. I will just say that it was a good year. We all surviived it!  I am hoping that 2011 is going to be an awesome year!  Of course, it will be only as good as I make it.  I am determined though, that this is going to be a great year! Since, I am an awesome person, I will be having an awesome year!

I have great faith, in so many things. I claim to be a believer. I am a great Believer!! I believe in Christ, I believe the Bible and The Book of Mormon to be the Word of God. I believe in a living Prophet. I believe in doing and being good. I believe my parents did their very best in raising their family. I believe they are the best parents I could have been blessed with in my life. I believe in Myself, I believe in my children. I believe in my Husband. I believe in  Santa's Cause. (I loved that song sung by the Statler Brothers... It just fits me!! ) I am a believer! I believe that most people are inheritly good. I believe in having faith and trusting in others to do the same.I believe in being charitable. I believe some friends are family that we pick for ourselves. I believe the only person hurt when you hold a grudge is yourself. I believe to truly grow in love is to forgive others and yourself.  I believe what you share with others you have not lost, but gained.  I believe I will see my ancestors someday and I will know them because I believe in them and I love them.   I believe that its better to be a Believer than a non-believer!  If I am wrong.. what have I lost? Absolutely Nothing!! If I chose to be as some are as non believers and if they are wrong, what have they lost??... Everything! I am a BELIEVER!!  I hope that you are a Believer too!!

I hope that everyone will have a great and Blessed year.   Happy New Year!!

Christmas was Wonderful!!

Our Family has had a wonderful Christmas season. This year, I made a new tree skirt for my livingroom Christmas Tree. On this tree the only ornaments on it are of the Savior, Family, Community, and Winter. I also have some pearls and some burgundy bows. This tree is what the real meaning of Christmas is to me. First and foremost the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Savior. 2nd, its about time with those I love, family and about my ancestors, whose who made me possible. 3rd, about our community, our neigbors and town and friends. 4th Winter, the world is white and appears clean and crisp. I have glass icicles on my tree. I had a burgundy plaid tree skirt under my tree in the past few years, but it wasn't right. So this year I made a new treeskirt. This skirt represents the life of Christ through photos of painting from LDS Artists. Most are by Greg Olsen, one by Liz Swindle and a couple from artist I am not sure who they are. I will find out and give them credit. I believe one came from my gospel art packet. I have chosen a picture that respresnts different times in the life of Christ. The only thing that is not represented is the 2nd coming, because it hasn't happened yet. The tree skirt is trimmed with a ruffle and pearls above the ruffle. Around each picture I have framed them with ribbons. I absolutely love my new tree skirt. It fits the tree perfectly.  I love it, love it, love it!!!

Merry Christmas!!

The big day is nearly here. Tomorrow morning, well, I guess later today, we are having a family breakfast with all the Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. My parents of course and sibilings will hopefully be attending. It is the greatest time of year. A time of great relflection. I just love the Christmas Season. Everyone seems to be a bit kinder, a bit more patience than normal. Truly most people seem to have that Christ like spirit about them. It would be nice if we all had this all year round. 

I have completed my Christ Treeskirt.  I will take photos and post them later today. I also will be doing my baking and cooking for the big day.

All the presents have been purchases, made and wrapped. I only have the baking to complete. We have enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season this year. We have attended the Messiah sing along, Several High school choir concerts, and orchestra concerts, Lincoln Youth Sympohony concert as well as Hills of Homes Concert and then the Big one.. We were privileged enough to be able to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert with guest stars David Archeletta and Michael York. What a treat that program was to attend. It was absolutely beautiful.  Music makes the season just that much better. Tomorrow evening all my children will be home again. What a joy. Then the music will begin in the home again. One on the piano, one on the violin, one on the flute.. and the others singing. I just love it! Nothing better in the whole world.

Well, I want to wish all a Merry Christmas and hope that we will have peace and prosperityin our families  in the coming year.

Songberries

My great friend, whose blog is Songberries, has a giveaway underway. Go check out her blog. She has some of the greatest give away items around. She has invested alot of time on her blog and she has wonderful recipes as well. Currently she has a giveaway for a beautiful fragrance I am hoping to win. Check out the fragrance ForeverLilly Perfume    I won't like the competition in this giveaway, but join me trying to win this beautiful bottle of fragrance.

I know I don't write alot and I don't have alot of followers off this site, but please follow me and follow Songberries as well.Seems blogfrog followers follow me more than here.. wierd. Anyways.. Check out Songberries! You'll be glad that you did!