carbon copies

my two oldest are nothing eichmann and all parry... so it is no suprise that the older kindin gets, the more she looks like her aunt jordyn!

spy party

leftover ywie supplies + a dad-planned missing present mystery + cookies from the bakery= a fun, easy, non-stress party!

a word about "wong womens"

serving as young women's president is like having a second family of sorts.  i take care of them just one small notch below the care i give to my own family.  just ask dolly, my tag along, who plays house by "going to wong women's and cooking for wong women's and giving gifts to the wong women's"  or ask my kids whose summer to-do list consists of recreating all the fun activities done in young womens.  with graduation, i've reflected on the other family i take care of as 3 of them leave young women's this summer.  i've had so many blessings from serving my second family- my 'wong women'.  personal progress has helped me identify and make goals on areas in my life that needed a dusting; teaching the girls to lead has helped me spot areas in which i can give more autonomy for my own kids; of necessity, i have learned to be spontaneous almost regularly and with much greater ease; and i have enjoyed genuine friendships with much younger spirits who i call on frequently for advice.

The family history themed Amazing Race

synchronized swimming routines

Mission Possible YWIE

boys and their tummies

i find myself willing to do anything to get into this boy's heart...

employing the old adage, i've even agreed to a strict meal plan that allows for Nacho Mondays and Bagel Tuesdays!  before you ask which boy i'm referring to, i will say that the older looking boy (not necessarily older acting- especially on fathers/ sons campouts as seen in this picture) does also enjoy love in the form of food.  but it is the little mister whose heart grows 3 sizes when you mention that the meal served caters to his culinary tastes!        

baptism

i'm amazed at how carefully kindin prepared herself for baptism.  we've had numerous conversations in which she's presented very thoughtful questions to me.  she has had a countdown for weeks.  unafraid to announce it to others, she successfully had 3 non-member classmates at her baptism.  and she has even begun planning family home evenings complete with objects lessons, coordinating hymns, and a scripture.  but i've been most impressed with her journal entries prior to baptism.  she writes: 'i want to follow jesus's way' and 'i can't wait to be clean'  (comparitively, there isn't a single mention of baptism in my personal journal- trading it for talk about getting my ears pierced.)  what a special bright light prepared for the latter days.  she has always been and continues to a righteous example to me and to others.