Salt Lake City Temple with Cousins

Alyssa loves to do special work at our church temple.  During the school year, she stayed at my parents' house about once a month, got up between 5 and 6am, got dressed in a skirt or dress and went to the Mt Timpanogos temple near my parents' house before school.  Often her cousin, Ronnie who is the same age as her would go with her. 

The Salt Lake Temple is one of the best well known LDS temples and is about 30 minutes from our house.  Prior to coming to Utah, the Mormons had been persecuted.  Mobs had burned their buildings and homes, tarred and feathered members, killed our prophet and leader and literally evicted them from their homes.  Salt Lake City is where the Mormon pioneers settled when they moved to Utah and is still the headquarters for our church. 

Alyssa had asked to go to the Salt Lake temple this summer.  When she realized her cousin, Sarah who is also the same age as Aly, was coming to visit from North Carolina she asked my parents if they would talk all three of them to SLC.  Sarah and Ronnie both liked the idea, so my parents took all three of them.  

 

I love that Alyssa loves to serve others and serve our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ.  She is strong and big hearted and truly loves to do things for others.

Patio Furniture

We have not had patio furniture for years.  Our old set was rusting and falling apart so we got rid of it when we finished our basement (and had a dumpster here).  I've been looking for just the right set in our budget ever since.  I wanted a set that was not a glass top, was solid top and didn't have tiles that came out.  But it also needed to be heavy enough not to blow away in our wind storms and have comfortable chairs.  We were in Costco to grab a few quick things a Friday night a few weeks ago.  We walked in and there it was!  We knew it was the one we wanted but were standing there trying to figure out how to get it home (because we know that if you see it at Costco you better buy it now because it may not be there the next day).  A neighbor happened to walk by and offered to drive it home for us.  So, here it is! 

We've had several opportunities to use it already and it makes me happy.  I thought about using it this evening for dinner, but 100 is just a little too hot to enjoy - even in the shade so we stayed inside.  I look forward to many more opportunities to sit outside, eat good food and enjoy good company.

Fundraiser - Donation

Alyssa loves a fundraiser.  She loves to sell things.  Alyssa loves a good cause and helping people.  And this fundraiser kind of combines both.  The band program at Lehi High and Lehi Junior High are collecting clothes, bedding, towels and shoes.  A company pays them for each pound and then that company donates them to a 3rd world country.  Alyssa thinks it is the best fundraiser and I have to agree.  Nobody has to buy something they may or may not want.  They just simply donate items they no longer need/want and make a difference.  Add in the fact that the student at the Junior High who donates the most items gets an Ipod Touch, and she is determined to get the most bags donated!  Here are my three girls (who happened to all wear red that day - total coincidence) hauling bags in to the band room.   She has all summer to collect items, so if you live close by, she'll probably be hitting you up for bags of clothing, shoes, towels or bedding (fabric items plus shoes).  Clean out clothes at the end of the summer and give us a call!  :) 

Summer Time

Oh to be young!  Just watching my kids takes me back to a time when life was simple and carefree!  Give these two a hose and a hot summer day and fun ensues.  I love how happy it makes them. 

Some random pics from my phone

I have a lot of pics that I just keep on my phone from the past year.  They make me smile! 

BYU Football - season tickets.  Love this guy!

 With Jessica at a BYU game

 Field Trip with Tay

Steve with Tay and Jess - Daddy Daughter Country Dance 

Tammy Crayk & I - Tammy is one of my clients and one of my 1st two clients.  She has encouraged me and my dream to own my own company and has told others about my biz.  Definitely one of my biggest cheerleaders for my biz - so grateful to her!  To me, she symbolizes going for your dreams and succeeding. 

Alyssa and Kylie at a dance competition.  I love that Aly loves to dance and I love that her friends matter so much to her.  Kylie is the daughter of our college friends so we were excited to get to be at the same competition this year. 

 

A couple of pics of the ladies who make me smile so often!  First one is at Bon Jovi concert.

And this one is celebrating the August birthdays - mine, Carol, Angie and Melanie.  I just love all these friends who always have each others' back (and the photo bombs from the waiter and two in a booth nearby make me laugh - and I need to laugh more often). 

Dance Festival

So, this was awhile ago, but I loved that both of my elementary age girls were dressed in patriotic colors this year ... red, white and blue.  They both had so much fun so I wanted to share a few pictures.  They always have fun.  And Jessica was very glad to have her sling off (from her broken arm) just in time to dance.

 

 

Speech Therapy

  We have come so far with Tay and speech therapy.  I will be forever grateful to this AWESOME speech therapist, Debbie Taggart.  She has been over-the-top for Taylor.  Taylor has been in speech therapy since she was 2.  She had her first two therapists for a year each, but Mrs. Taggart has been a constant in Tay's life since the beginning of her preschool year when she was 4 years old ... yes 6 years.  Teachers have changed, classrooms have changed, classmates have changed, but Mrs. Taggart and her support for this little girl have not changed, only her love for Tay has changed as she has grown to love this kid.  THANK YOU MRS. TAGGART for being one of the very best.  She has retired this year so Taylor will have a new speech therapist next year and we will greatly miss Mrs. Taggart. 

I don't have a picture of Taylor with Mrs. Taggart her first year or two, so this is Halloween of 2009. 

 

On the last day of school, we took a thank you gift to Mrs. Taggart.  She told me that there are some kids in her career that have become "mine" and Taylor is definitely one of them.  Taylor is one of those kids that gets in your heart and you love a little more.  THANKS again Mrs. Taggart for being her speech therapist and advocate in this part of Tay's journey.

An end to another year

What a year it has been.  Alysa started at the Junior High School this year.  Sassy and smart.  A beautiful little girl transforming into a young lady ... I'm too young to be her mom!!  I'm proud of how much she has grown and learned this year.  She struggled some in school but ended the year with 2 B+'s and the rest A's.  So proud of her.  Her hair has grown quite a bit since last year at this time when she chopped off almost a foot for Locks of Love.  She danced, she learned to play the flute, she sewed, she excelled in science (district science fair again!), math challenged her and she conquered, she typed and wrote and read and hated history (like her mom), she twirled flags and learned to overcome and found out her "crush" has a crush on her too.  My little girl is almost a teenager (less than 2 weeks away).  I'm proud of her, who she is becoming and all that I know she can do!

 

My little Tay ... Taylor was in 4th grade this year.  She started the year a bundle of nerves and timidness but ended so much stronger, more confident and excited about life.  She has learned to almost enjoy reading now (its a slow process from hating to liking).  She learned a lot about Utah History and caught up on her math skills.  She had lots of fun with a great teacher who supported and loved her.  She loves her hair short, and actually went shorter for a bit.  Her favorite color of purple and love of Justin Beiber are definitely connected, but I think purple will win out.  She loves music and gymnastics and is still an amazing help to me.  She loves to give me hugs and still wants me to snuggle and tuck her in at nights.  She is sensitive and sweet but definitely likes things her way.  She loves her best friend to pieces and being with friends.  She is very talented at organizing, including helping her teacher clean the classroom and has really come a long way on the piano this year too.  I love being with her and how willing she is to do her best. 

Jessica, our little sunshine has finished 2nd grade.  This kid has spunk and energy and big dreams.  She makes me happy even when she insists on parting her hair in the middle.  (speaking of hair - her's has come a long way since she donated almost a foot last summer as well).  She is now taller than Taylor.  She endured a broken arm in a sling for several weeks and learned to write with her left hand.  She is very helpful in class and she seems to be the kid that everyone likes.  She smiles a lot with those teeth missing and has decided its time to return to dance instead of gymnastics.  She loves to read and fairies are definitely the top of her list. But our little girl is not so little anymore ... she's becoming more and more independent and let's us know her opinion quite often.  She is happy to be doing cartwheels again and able to play and do almost everything she could do before her arm broke.  She conquered the ripstick (which was the offender in the arm break).  And she's excited for everything ahead of her.  I love her enthusiasm for life and desire to make good choices. 

Another year in the memory books for the Lindsey girls.  Wish I had documented more of the memories this year... but for now they will have to just be memories in our minds and hearts. 

I have always gone to school on the last day of school and taken pictures of the girls with their friends and teachers.  It was just 2 girls this year though, since I figured a mom following her 7th grader around wouldn't be too "cool".  Here are a few more fun shots of Tay and Jess with their friends/class.

 

 

 

 

 

I love this next picture of the class group hug.  One or two of the kids were hugging the teachers and all the kids jumped in.  So grateful for awesome teachers out there who love their kids so much and give so much to them.  And Eaglecrest has definitely showed my kids how amazing teachers can be!