100% Reward and Indian Cave Hike

As Hayden's reward for getting 100% attendance during 4th grade, she was able to get nails and Glitter Toes.

She was so excited and counted down the days until she finally got them. I decided to take her to the beauty school, because its close by our house and its pretty cheap.

So at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday I took her to the beauty school. I stayed there for about an hour while she got started. Then the nail tech told me that she would be fine if I left and they would call me when they were getting close to being finished.

I was relieved because I was really tired since we had, had a yard sale that morning and I hadn't gotten a lot of sleep. I zoomed home and got in bed and set my alarm. About 2 hours later Hayden text me and told me to come back. I hurried back to the school to find Hayden getting the Glitter toes applied, she wasn't even close to being done. I waited for another hour.

The whole process was 4.....hours......long.....

Are you serious??

In the end, Hayden really didn't mind, she had her lovely fingernails and her cute toes, and I guess I got a nap too.



Sunday, we decided to take a hike up to an Indian Cave by Cutler Dam. I hadn't been up there since my forth grade took a field trip there and I had found an arrowhead.
We saw quite a few owls on the way up.

The sad thing was, is that the cave wasn't all that cool and the hike was straight up the mountain.

Don't you just love it when your memories are actually better than the real thing?

The view from the cave was really pretty.

After we hiked down, we hiked over to Cutler Dam.

It was a lot bigger than I had remembered it.

100% of 4th Grade

We can't believe that this school year is over. 4th grade has been the best year.

Here is a recap of the last couple of weeks, a lot of exciting things happened.

This week we had to say goodbye to AUNDREA ( just temporally). Aundrea saved my life by coming at 6 a.m. and getting Hayden and Hallie (our friend) ready for school. The girls had a lot of fun with her and I am very grateful for all her time and dedication throughout the school year.
Hayden is the best student and she accomplished so much this year. Her grades have pretty much been off the charts this whole year, okay probably her whole life :-).
She earned this Citizenship Award for being one of two "Awesome" 4th graders.
I asked her why she earned the award and she said, "Because I am Awesome"
She earned a free dinner at Golden Corral.
Mrs. Dattage, WOW, I don't think there is a better teacher out there. Hayden was so lucky to get her for her teacher. Mrs. Dattage retired this year after over 25 years of teaching.
Providence Elementary is too crowded and so they have changed the boundaries and next year Hayden will be going to River Heights Elementary.

WeLOVEtheProvidencePandas


The Wellsville Mile

Each year all 4th and 5th graders in the school district participate in the Wellsville Mile.
This year it was the 30th anniversary.
Hayden wasn't too thrilled about having to run a mile every day in preparation for the event.
It was raining the day of the race, so they rescheduled it, and then it rained that day too.
This picture was on the front page of the Herald Journal. This is the beginning of the race as everyone was taking off. If you look really closely you can see Hayden on the right hand side, with a white shirt, on the front row.


All of Hayden's 4th grade friends.

The last month of school the entire 4th grade got ready for their county parade and program. Hayden was lucky to get Box Elder County. Her float was the driving of the Golden Spike. If you look closely you can see the Thomas Trains and the two men and the gold and silver spike.

She had to make a trifold poster and be prepared to answers questions for the parents about her county. She was dressed as an Indian girl and had the opening line on the program.

100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

She did it, She actually did it!

Hayden received 100% attendance for the 4th Grade school year!

Hayden was not absent or tardy one day of year.

I am so proud of her.

As her reward instead of getting $20, which I told her she could have, she wants to get nails and glitter toes. So next week after her volleyball camp we will have a salon day for her. She can't wait.

100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Abbey, Todd & Cache are Sealed

Congrats to Abbey and Todd for getting sealed in the Logan Temple this last Saturday.

It is so special to see children sealed to their parents. Cache was so cute.

(look at Cache's strong muscles)
The three of them looked so great and happy.

While we were waiting for pictures to be taken, I took a couple of pictures of Hayden in the many tulips on the temple grounds

After the temple we had a luncheon at Firehouse

Harmony was enjoying herself

Man, the food was good!

a "glori"ous name

happy mother's day!

(my mom loves lower case)

it's mother's day and I just couldn't resist thanking my mother for the wonderful person that she is. what would we do without our mothers, we wouldn't be who we are if it weren't for our mothers.

my mother is extraordinary. she is the hardest worker I know. she has set such a great example to me and shown me never to do a job half way. my mom made so many sacrifices for me and my siblings, while we were growing up and still does to this day.

my mom worked extra hard so we could all go to preschool and take piano lessons, dancing, flute lessons, get braces and have new clothes.

I specifically remember in third grade, I had a field trip to the Hanson Planetarium. she stayed up all night making me some cute new shorts with a pocket and a pink button. she tucked away $5 in the pocket so I could buy a souvenir. I felt so thankful and guilty that she had spent all that time on me, that I didn't feel like I deserved to spend the $5. I brought the money back home to her.
she always had each of us feel so special on our birthday's. she would make these huge cakes each year with whatever character or item we decided or sometimes she would surprise us.

my mom went back to college when I was in high school. she had 5 kids, worked and her life wasn't the easiest at that time. but, she did it and graduated with her bachelors and very high grades. she was always my motivation and driving force while I was in college, especially when I was struggling.
I could write a novel about how my mother has influenced my life and made me who I am today. I strive to be like her everyday. I want the patience she has, I want to be more right brained like her, and I want to be as thoughtful and detail oriented like her.
Thank you for the wonderful life you have given me.

I love you mom.

Team Fusion

Hayden just completed her 2nd season of volleyball. She has made many improvements since the 1st season. I had to get special permission for Hayden to be able to play on this league. She was the youngest on the league but she was one of the taller ones.

Team Fusion was a 5th and 6th grade team that played at the Logan Rec Center. She was lucky because her Step-Mom, Jolene, volunteered to be the coach and she was awesome. She really taught the girls some skills.
Hayden was also excited that she got to have two friends and neighbors on the team

The amazing thing was, is by the last couple games, I think every girl started to serve overhand, a skill I never could do that well.

Ready and waiting for the serve.

These girls were crazy, they coordinated their clothes and hair each game.

Girls Day

Who doesn't need a girl day out? My Mom planned this day for me, my 2 sisters and my 3 cousins. This wasn't your typical girl's day, with pedicures and shopping, she organized this day with things you would like to do, but never get to.

We picked everyone up and met Friday morning at Gourmandise Pastry shop in downtown SLC.

Mom was feeling real sick after being stung by some bees the night before while golfing. The only cure was her drinking her beloved Mountain Dew. She started to get back to normal after about 2 hours.

After we ate enough pastries, we went to the new Deseret Book Flagship Store across from Temple Square and then over to the new Church History Library. Since we were on a time schedule, we didn't have enough time to research things, but it was good to find out what you could do at the library.

Next, we went to the Jeweler's Guild across from Trolley Square. Lincoln, the Jeweler, makes all the Jewelry in his store so every item is unique. A few people found some expensive rings that they are hoping their husbands will get them for Christmas. :-)

For Lunch we drove up Emigration Canyon and ate at Ruth's Diner.

Ruth, was a rough lady that started this diner and in every picture of her, she was smoking a cigarette, so this picture is Us being Ruth.

Then came the part we had all been waiting for............
Have you ever heard of or eaten V's chocolates?

We got a personalized tour of the chocolate factory.

We were all so excited

Here is the toffee being poured out on the cooling table.

Forget a chocolate fountain, what about a chocolate waterfall?

Racks and racks of chocolates

After the tour and history of V's Chocolates the owner gave us bags that we got to fill up for free. He told us how many we could get, but I don't think any of us were listening.
I had never had V's Chocolates before and now I am sold, especially after seeing how they make them.

After the tour it was back to the gift shop where we got to buy anything else we wanted. Look at all this stuff we got.
By that time it was later in the day and we were all needing to get back to our obligations.

Thanks Mom for planning a much needed break.

It's only 2 days later and I only have a few pieces of chocolate left.

Fun Ideas for Girls Hair

Recently, a couple of my friends at work have found these cute blogs with really creative hairstyles for girls.

I usually get in a rut and these blogs have some hairstyles I have never seen. Make sure to check out the waterfall braid and the tween braid on the "Adopt a Hairdo" site.

Check out the sidebars of each of these blogs for an array of different styles to choose from and you can also watch videos on how to do the hard ones.