TaVaci Concert

Eric and Emma are in a cute little singing and dance group called Tavaci. They have practices every Thursday for an hour and they both love it!!! Eric just loves to perform in front of others and I know you all know how much Emma loves to be in the spotlight. They performed several songs with each of their groups and a few together. Eric was asked to be in a special group that did an Oscar the Grouch song. And Emma was chosen to sing the solo part at the beginning of a song. They both did awesome!!! Here they are with their directors: Miss Maddie and Miss Janelle. Hopefully I can put a little video up also. I have to have David help me with that part.

Happy Birthday Eric!! 7 Years old!!

Eric has been counting down his birthday for months. He has been so excited. He wanted cinnamon chip crescent rolls for breakfast and pizza for lunch and hot dogs for dinner. He said his favorite present was the Scooby Doo game grandma and grandpa Lawson gave him. He has played that game every minute and shown everyone!! When anybody called him for his birthday he talked their ear off! He is just so adorable! After school we went to Build A Bear and he picked out a very cute puppy. He got a little song put into his paw that sings "Happy Birthday." Then we came home and had a yummy dinner and he got to have a special celebration with our neighbors next door, the Biberstons. David had to play the organ for a Stake Priesthood Meeting and Meagan, Heidi and mom all had a YW mother/daughter meeting. He loved every minute of getting to be the STAR of the day. Here are 7 things we all love about Eric:

1. He is so loving to everyone.

2. He gives the best hugs.

3. He is very smart.

4. He is so honest.

5. He will work hard until he accomplishes the task he wants to get done.

6. He is very obedient and gets his chores and schoolwork done quickly.

7. He is very friendly to everyone.

We love you Eric, so much!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!!!!

School Fun Run

On Friday May 7th the kids school had a fun run to raise money to purchase playground equipment. It was very well organized and the kids did a great job running around laps. Eric was first and got 8 marks. He got a mark every half lap he did. He just kept running and asking me how many he had to get to be a champion. I told him he was already a champion and to do as much as he could. I went a whole lap around with him. Then Heidi got to go and she ran 5 or 6 laps all the way around. She did a great job but I forgot to take her picture. Lastly Emma got to run. She went around the whole way 4 times. I didn't get to see her run because I was busy tallying all the 6th graders laps and getting their pledge folders ready. Overall it was a fun day and I think all the kids had a great time. I love raising money for the school for things like this instead of buying useless stuff that I don't want and the school gets only a portion of the money. I hope we raise enough to get the kids some playground equipment!!!!

19 years with a very young looking man!!!

Not to be outdone by my favorite guy in the whole world. I also have 19 things I love about David.

1. He is super smart and practically knows everything. (sometimes that annoys me but most of the time it doesn't) :)

2. He can play any song I want to hear on the piano any time I ask him. My favorite thing is to lay down on the couch on Sunday and hear him play.

3. He also sings fabulously and I love it when he sings any time I need a musical number for church.

4. He is good at all athletics he does. I always want to be on his team.

5. He is great at all trivia games and when we are together we rarely get beat!!!!

6. He loves taking the kids to places I really don't like to go to. For instance water parks. I hate them and he loves them and will always take the kids.

7. He is so knowledgeable about the scriptures. I love being able to ask him any gospel questions and he can help me and asnwer them.

8. He is the best vacation/trip planner in the world. He can plan the BEST vacations and do it all very reasonable priced.

9. He still likes cuddling in bed with me even when I don't want to.

10. He can make up the best recipes on the spur of the moment when I don't know what to cook and they are always so delicious!!

11. He doesn't get frustrated with me when I watch some sports event with him and ask him a million questions to try to understand what is going on.

12. He never loses his temper and yells at me even when I have yelled at him.

13. He works so hard at his job, even when it is very demanding, to provide practically everything I need and want. He also rarely brings his work home with him. He walks in the door and work stays at the door.

14. He helps the kids make the best science fair projects, valentine boxes, leprechaun traps, etc.

15. He helped create 4 of the most wonderful kids in the world!!

16. He always supports me with all my crazy ideas on how we should raise the kids, do my callings, holiday traditions etc., etc., etc.

17. He loves going out on a date or to lunch together as much as I do.

18. He promised to make me laugh everyday when we got married and he has practically done that even when I didn't feel like laughing.

19. He still looks really, really good in a pair of jeans!!!!!!

He has been one of the best things that have ever happened to me and I am grateful he didn't give up on me 19 years ago and decide I wasn't worth marrying. He makes me a better person and teaches me tons. I am excited that I get to spend eternity with him and continue to grow and learn so much from him and have fun doing it!!!! I LOVE YOU, DAVID!!!!!! Happy Anniversary!!

19 Things I Love About You

Hi there, Guest Blogger is back.  Today is May 7, and exactly 19 years ago today a young couple with a bright future got married-- you'll never guess who!

So in honor of that great day, I'm proud to present:

19 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT TRACEY

1.  The pickle song.  How can you not love someone who picks up a jar of pickles and just starts singing, "Pickle, pickle, PICKLE, pickle, PICKLE..."

2. She refuses to miss church.  Had a baby on Wednesday?  No problem, gotta show off the new sweetie.  Life threatening surgery on Friday?  No problem, can't miss Easter Sunday!   Had a baby Saturday night at 11:45 p.m.?  OK, she lost that argument, but she tried!

3.  She can convince almost anyone that rainbow cupcakes magically taste like a rainbow, even though it's just white cake mix with food coloring in it.  

4.  She takes the extra time to stay up to date on the kids' grades, trying to teach them accountability and responsibility.

5.  Three words:  homemade chocolate mousse.

6.  Motivating children to do chores by playfully becoming the "wicked stepmother" who screeches at her little slave kids.  Works like a charm every time.

7.  She followed me to China, embraced it, loved it, and asks where we're going next.

8.  In her world, every holiday is worth decorating for.

9.  All of her siblings eventually come to her for advice.

10.  After initial apprehension, she appreciates my efforts to fill our family room with high definition video and foundation-shaking audio.

11.  Equally happy to go to a chick flick for a Valentine's Day date and "Iron Man 2" for an Anniversary date (yes, that's where we're going).

12.  Irons my church shirts even though she hates ironing.

13.  Thrives on the chaos of having every neighborhood kid within 1 square mile playing in and around our house.  (I don't thrive on this, but I'm glad she does)

14.  She refuses to do something "just good enough" when "excellent" is within her reach.

15.  Full time mom and lovin' it.  Our kids are very lucky.

16.  Thinks I'm the best husband in the world even though I'm probably not.

17.  In addition to the chocolate mousse, everything else she cooks is fabulous, too.

18.  X's, O's, parallelograms, and triangles. :)

19.  And best of all, she's mine forever!

Happy Anniversary my darling!  Looking forward to all the years ahead!

Heidi's Birthday Breakfast! (only a month late)

Our new tradition is to take the birthday kid out to dinner or breakfast alone. Our schedule has been so busy that this last Friday was the first free day we had to take her out for her birthday. How sad is that!!!! There was no school on Friday so we thought it would be the perfect time to take her out. We also lucked out because grandma was here and got to go with us too. Heidi chose to go out to breakfast at this little restaurant called, "The Egg Factory". They have some of the best pancakes, french toast and egg dishes. Heidi had strawberry cheesecake french toast. Grandma had hawaiian pancakes and I had gingerbread pancakes. David just got eggs and bacon and hashbrowns and then had some of my pancakes. This place is really yummy and we will definitely go back many more times!!!