Project Find Joy {Days 75-80}

 I love Sunday dinners at my Grandpa Waters. He always makes the best food and we all laugh and sometimes cry and it's just the best.

 I count my self pretty lucky to have kids this cute :)

 My newest niece was born March 18th. She's tiny and perfect and beautiful and now part of an amazing family.

 Soren has the coolest first grade teacher. We headed out to a pond in Boulder City and released the baby trout that they had hatched and raised in class. It was pretty fun.

 My kids are talented.  I'm not just saying that because I'm their mom, other people notice and then they sing solos and duets for the school choir. They were rockstars that night and I love that their school started a choir group and helped my kids develop their talents even more.

It was a Frozen Friday last week and we watched with captions on so we all could sing along.

Project- Find Joy {Days 59-72}

The kids and I headed to Salt Lake City to see Ben (and a cousin's baptism) and it was so so great to be a family again and eat a meal together.

While I was up there, Ben surprised me with a night away at The Anniversary Inn. Neither of us wanted to go home especially since it was separate homes 450 miles away from each other. Ben will be coming home to pack us up for our first move to Utah, a week from today. It will mark 6 weeks away with only two days together.

Once we got back home, it was back to the grind for us and Nevada Reading Week dress up days.

Crazy sock day, of course.

 This was a quiet moment where they were all getting along. One of those moments I had to capture to prove that it does actually happen sometimes.

 They got "Tied up" in reading that day.

 I've still been pounding pavement and do about 10 miles a week. And I took this picture after I ran a whole mile without stopping. Yep, it had to be documented.

 CaptainHawkeyeThorMan!

 Oh March basketball, how I do love you!

I told them to clean their room and this is what I found instead. And yes I said "Stay there while I grab my phone".

We went to Uncle Trevor's last basketball game as a Brown Bear. It was a good time and I think we only embarrassed him a little bit ;).

This kid learned how to ride a bike. And a neighbor boy taught him. And yes he's almost 8. And the next day Shelby learned too. Yep she's 9 and a half. I'm an awesome parent.

Found this note Shelby wrote for Ben. This has been some of the hardest times but I'm hopeful it will all be for our good.

Project- Find Joy {Day 49-58}

 Oh these boys, they drive me crazy and then melt my heart an hour later. 

 Ben has been working in Salt Lake and this was a picture he sent me one night. I missed him so much and continue to miss him now. Hopefully these next few weeks will fly by.

 Our picture from Moms and Muffins at the school. I'm pretty blessed to be their mom.

 I started swimming and it's pure joy every time!

 A late Saturday lunch at McDonald's with play place playing and ice cream cone eating. A much needed treat.

 Our Sunday best and a really dirty mirror. This is my real life folks!

 Oh Vegas weather. Shorts and flip flops one day and jeans and sweaters a few days later.

 17 years ago I played Jr. High basketball for Brown and was on the team that won those banners that hang in the gym. I had a good time watching my brother's team and reliving old memories.

 Soren leveled up at school and earned a prize. Instead of picking something for himself, he grabbed the tiger to give to his brother. These acts of kindness give me such hope.

 I've been channeling my inner Wonder Woman while Ben's been gone. It was a really long two weeks and the next three are not looking to be any easier. But I can do it, I'm Wonder Woman ;)

Project- Find Joy {Days 38-48}

 Group selfie before riding Star Tours.

 Our last group selfie before our last ride. It was such an amazing trip and I'm so glad we went.

 And even though we had a horrible drive home, I was still wanting to be in Disneyland a couple days later.

 We finished the first book and now we are just over half way through the 2nd. And they get so mad when I stop and tell them it's bed time.

 This kid. So many missing socks.

They had no school on actual Valentine's day so they celebrated early. They're cute!

 

 Ben and I have never really been big on celebrating Valentine's Day and I'm totally cool with it. I know I'm loved and that's all that matters.

 Taking pictures is something I love and I really loved being able to take pictures for a friend's wedding out at the Las Vegas Temple.

 Shelby asked why we were wearing the same shirt and I loved Ben's response..."Because mom and I are a good team."

And of course I watched hours and hours and hours of Olympic coverage. There were so many great stories and moments but my favorite was Noelle Pikus-Pace. She does skeleton and just barely missed the podium in 2010 in Vancouver and then retired after those games. But after an 18 week miscarriage her husband suggested she get back to doing skeleton. And she won silver and was more excited about second place then some athletes I saw who won gold. Plus she wore her Young Women's medallion and torch throughout the games. Her story just really touched my heart and inspired me.

Project- Find Joy 365 {Days 27-36}

 From one of my first walks where I did 4 miles...I did 6 this last week :)

 Mouse hunting, food begging, cuddling cat. He's my favorite, sometimes.

 He's kind of obsessed with Spiderman. Shirt, jacket, toys, and yes even underwear.

 We had a family game night and it was so fun. We played boys vs. girls and surprisingly the boys won ;).

 His Friday night Halo. I kind of love it too.

 Cleanliness is my love language. This was taken after a couple hours were spent cleaning the kids' rooms and it felt so good, we need to do that again.

 Being with cousins made watching the Super Bowl a lot more fun.

 I've spent a lot of time on this trail and still love it every time. I've come to really appreciate the fact that all of my kids are in school all day and that I can take time for just me.

 Well Bumblebee was parked at the school so of course we had to be creepers and take a picture with it haha.

This kid has such a fun sense of style and I'm proud of him for wearing something like this and not worrying about what his friends say.

Disneyland 2014

We made a crazy last minute decision and surprised our kids with a trip to Disneyland. It was a magical time and so full of great moments. We spent the first day in California Adventure Park, the second day in Disneyland and the last day we hit both. There really are no words for how much Disneyland means to me and how much I love sharing these memories with my family.

 We got lucky enough to take pictures with Minnie on the day we wore out Minnie shirts.

Soren was so excited because he was tall enough this year to do the Indiana Jones Ride. I think he went on it 4 times.

 These two were the most adventurous and loved the Matterhorn and Screamin'.

 We met Merida and she even spoke in the Scottish accent. She was super cute and so nice.

 My Mr. Incredible met The Mr. Incredible.

Soren was the only kid to brave the Tower of Terror and it was probably the best set of drops I've done in a while.

My family is awesome and this was from our last ride of the last night. That's my cousin Bailey in the back row with Shelby. The kids loved Space Mountain this trip and I think we went on it like 5 times. Really great memories!

This trip I brought my big camera and carried that heavy sucker around in a backpack for three days but rarely used it. I loved having my cell phone in my pocket and being able to whip it out super quick and snap a selfie with the kids on the rides.

Top row left to right: In line for Radiator Racer, Luigi's Tire ride, Mater's Tractor pull

Center row left to right: Screamin' (which he rode 3 times), Star Tours, in line for Pirate's of the Caribean

Bottom row left to right: Teacups, Space Mountain, first time on Indiana Jones.

Life has become very crazy lately and I'm not sure when we'll be able to make another trip but it makes me extremely grateful that we splurged and made this trip happen. The kids are still talking about it and I know I'll never forget it either.