I have been super bad about keeping up on my blog. I am going to try and at least do a post Sunday nights. I love this picture of my girls, almost 12, playing in the creek. Sophie wanted to try to catch tadpoles, they didn't find any. But they did find these huge freshwater clam things. Maybe because the creek runs into Lake Brandt the clams or mussels or whatever are huge? No idea. But it was fun to watch. I know times like this will be farther in between as they grow up more and more. I so want them to keep experiencing the wonder of the world around them.

Our sweet buddy Connor with one of the baby rabbits. He could't get enough of them, and he LOVED the chickens. When I made him come in the house he would just stand at the back door and say chicken, or black chicken over and over! It was sweet and fun for my kids to be around a toddler.

 
Me, Katie Bagley, Marilyn Arny, and Cristy Flores

Happy Birthday to me! My RS presidency had a surprise brunch for my birthday. It was so nice and I was really surprised! Yummy cake and breakfast. Katie was just released as our secretary so I wanted to get a picture of us all. I can't believe it has almost been 2 years. Sometimes it seems like so much longer! My presidency is so wonderful, they work so hard and do so much for me and our ward.

Mom and Dad sent a small foot stool like the one that was at Granny's house as I grew up. Mom needle pointed the cover and dad refinished it. They took off the legs and boxed it up to send me. It was such a surprise, I will treasure it! I had a fun birthday, got a pedicure, went to lunch with friends and out to dinner as a family. All of our kids like Thai food now, yay Hardys! We tried a new place close to us. It was a great day.

My morning walks with Molly are so beautiful, I sometimes forget how blessed I feel to live here. It is like paradise to have our own private woods and I have to remind myself to slow down and pay attention to the beauty. This picture does not capture the early morning light, it is my favorite in the spring when the leaves are new and light green. Everything smells alive and growing. I have been listening to my scriptures as I walk lately, makes me happy and I want to remember this.

Abby, Sophie's hand, and Grace

I took the girls to a school fitness celebration. Sophie was embarrassed to do this, I tried to make her so she just stuck her hand through! There was a 1 mile race that all 3 did. Abby won for the middle school girls! Grace and Sophie only participated because the race was to benefit the Leukemia Association and they wanted to support Johnny Van Kemp. He is such a sweet boy, I have seen him several times at school make a point of saying hi to both Sophie and Grace. He knows they are shy and is just a nice kid. We are praying he can beat cancer again. Sophie dyed her hair orange, several of the kids at school are. Orange is the color for Leukemia awareness. After Graces experience with her blue hair taking months to wash out she did not want to :) Plus she said that she can pray for Johnny and help him without orange hair, which is true.

This is the picture I found on my phone this morning when I got to ward council....took all I could do to not laugh out loud. Why is it so funny? Every time I look at it I still laugh! I guess Sophie does too.