Our Dad is Superman!!!

So I know that there are a lot of really great Dads out there and we would even like to wish all of them a Happy Father's Day. Forgive us if we burst anyone's bubble with this next part...but our Dad is pretty much the best Dad on the planet. In fact, we would even go so far as to suggest that our Dad may be a superhero. Since he is out of town on this Father's Day, we've been snooping around just a little to see if we can confirm our suspicions. Evidence to date includes: an unusually large number of superman neckties (how many does the Dad at your house own?) and other superman paraphanelia such as fridge magnets, note pads, etc. It also seems that he throws suspicion off of himself by constantly calling other people superman. Interviews with numerous business, church and neighborhood colleagues verifies that they have been called superman on more than one occasion by our Daddy.

At the very least, our Dad possesses superhuman qualities such as the ability to rise at 5 AM and go for a 6-8 mile run then come back & swim laps in the pool. He then works a 10 hour work day and while driving home remembers to call the appropriate child and ask them about their school exam, talent show, swim meet, school play, sport or dance practice, etc. He joins the family for dinner and regales them with trivia that is so random but has been garnished from that day's learnings, radio listening, scripture study, self-help book, etc. He always has some advice for how each kid (& even Mom) can get more out of their next days swim practice, cross country run, gym workout, lifeguard class, backyard basketball drills, etc. He always believes that each of us has the ability to do a little better, try a little harder, stretch ourselves a little more. (I think he forgets that we aren't superheroes.) He doesn't go to bed until the last child is in bed and then reads from some kind of a motivational or leadership book before going to sleep. He then wakes up 6 hours later and does it all again. And his schedule on a weekend...last weekend he trekked close to 20 miles with a youth group. And the weekend before that he did a Sprint Triathlon then came home, did Saturday chores, then helped with a Young Women Fundraiser. You can see that he rarely runs out of steam.

So on this Father's Day we want to send a super duper amount of love out to our Daddy. Superman or not...you save the day for us on a regular basis.

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Lincoln, Tyler, Morgan & Daniece

A Mother's Payday

So as every Mother out there knows...sometimes our paydays are not very regular. I've even been known on a particularly hectic day (okay...so I've done it more than once) to actually call my husband at work and tell him that I need to renegotiate my contract. For it seems that when I took on the role of MOM, I should have thought to negotiate for sick days, vacation days, workman's comp, a normal length work day, etc. But, alas, I didn't and so I relish the mother paydays that make it all worthwhile. By the end of 8th Grade Promotion (yes...I somehow ended up being the Chairperson) I was a little tired & cranky until I found this sweet note from my 14 year old taped to my mirror:

Dear Mom,

Thank you for all you did for

the Promotion Dance. It really turned

out beautiful. I know you put in a

lot of time, work and money.

Thank you for making this a

memorable night. I love you.

Love,

Lincoln

Of course, all that work was suddenly worthwhile. I was immediately glad that I had been so involved no matter how much time it took. And, I will probably agree to chair the next event that my child is involved in. Cause face it...if I had a warning label on me it would probably read, "Mother, so easy to operate even a child can do it." A smile, hug, kiss or thank you from one of my kids and I'm pretty much putty in their hand. Caution: No one tell this to my kids as they are already too good at manipulating me as it is. I don't want them having anymore insider information.

Picnic in Paris

The 8th Grade Class of Paseo Verde Elementary celebrated their promotion from elementary school into high school with a PICNIC IN PARIS. Traditionally, this party is held at the school but hosted and paid for by the parents of the 8th Graders. And so the task commenced of transforming the multi-purpose room at the school into a Paris park with a skyline of the city and the Eiffel Tower in the background. Of course, efforts began in November to raise funds to pay for the event and many, many, many hours of labor filled the next 6 months (and I thought the only labor involved in raising children was going to occur at childbirth...right!!!) But the outcome was a night that our 8th Graders will not soon forget.

Romeo & Juliet Spotted in Crump's Backyard

Last night we were entertained with what arguably could be the best show of the year. But first I will try to recreate the program (handwritten by Morgan) that we received as we were escorted to our seats (patio chairs) at center stage (on the patio facing the backyard). The show was a rendition of Taylor Swift's Video "Romeo & Juliet". Highlights included Morgan (Juliet) chasing Nick (Romeo) through the flower garden, Nick located on the ground serenading Morgan who is at the top of the playhouse, and finally a proposal at the top of the waterfall. Truly spectacular! So here is the program with 7 year old spelling and all.

Brodeway Show

Song & Video this night

No phonse or cameras until after the show

There will be a show with flash fotorgeffe (photography)

Romio & Joliet Video

You can make your own fan letter and talk about it on the letter.

It will say, "Dear _______" and you may right about your

faverit persen in the show. It could be Ben or Nick or Morgan

or Tyler or Lincoln and everything about the show

or you can right about every persen.

Dr. Allen Day & Nurse Donnalee Day The nurses delivered this baby of a mother who
had hiked into the village while in labor because
she had heard there was medical staff in town.

All in a Days' Work--in Haiti

When I say All in a Days' Work in Haiti...I mean literally. This is my brother Allen Day and my sister Donnalee Day. And so these two Days spent 7 days on a medical mission in Haiti. You can tell by these beautiful photos that they fell in love with the children & even some of the adults that they were able to help. I have loved the tales of their experiences...so many in such a short amount of time. They have decided that they will go again next year. I want to go but am going to have to develop some medical skills in the next 11 months. Apparently my occupation as a party planner/wedding coordinator is not at the top of their list of needs. But I LOVE looking at these photos...amazing & inspiring!

Once they received medical attention, each child got some LOVE,

Then they got a lollipop,

And finally a smiley face sticker...

which most chose to wear on their foreheads!

Children in Haiti

You Gotta Love the Ladies of this Storm

The Lady Storm finished their basketball season last night... one game sooner than they would have preferred. Losing by a mere one point to Cotton Boll (a team they had beat just two weeks before during regular season), the Ladies shed a few tears at the missed chance to play for the District Champion-ship on Thursday. Taking third in District is nothing to take lightly. This team had only three players who had played for Paseo Verde last year. Truly remarkable was the way these girls worked together. They developed some terrific friend-ships, outstanding ball skills, the importance of team work, and commendable sportsmanship. Assistant Coach Eberhardt said that in his eight years of coaching, this was the best team he had ever coached. Coach Wyers was equally complimentary of the way these girls conducted themselves individually and collectively. This team won the Centennial Coyote Basketball Tournament early in the season when they had only been playing together as a team for 3 weeks. They continued to play beautifully together winning every game throughout the season except one against Frontier when they lost at the buzzer by one point when the other team made a three point shot.

I'm proud of all these girls. I have to give an extra shout out to Lincoln. She played in EVERY game. In fact, she ended up being played the second player off the bench all season. I also want to give a great big thank you to all who came and supported her. During this past week of District Tournament, her fans included: David, Kristen, Ben & Nick Dorsey; Bishop Brewer & Family (okay...his daughter plays as well), Carl & Debra Lee (Carl works with Lincoln in Young Womens); Don, Darlene, Brittany, Brandon & Bradley Condello; Dave, Shelly, Jade, Paige, Rian & Canyon Mckenzie and Nilda Hitchcock (her YW Leader). I know you are all busy...but it meant so much to Lincoln & to me. THANK YOU!!!

Go Lady Storm!!!

Lincoln stretching out before a game!

Lincoln anticipates the opportunity for a rebound! The Lady Storm started every game with an enthusiastic team chant!

A Light Bulb Moment

I just finished reading "The Shack" by WM. Paul Young. This book about a man and his conversation with God has literally given me some greater understanding into my own relationship with my Father in Heaven. This man named Mack is explaining to God that he knows he is a big disappointment to him. When God questions why he feels this way, Mack explains how he knows he is supposed to put God first in everything...that God should be at the top of the pyramid and everything else takes a place below. Yet he finds that there are so many times he chooses work, family, friends, interests instead of God. I love the response from a very loving God & his son Jesus Christ to Mack's concern.
He says, "I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything that happens to you. Rather than the top of a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life--your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities---is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being."
This really was an aHa moment for me. I loved it so much that I used it in Family Home Evening last night. Because in real daily life even if we are getting up early to read our scriptures, saying our daily prayers, serving our family & others, fulfilling church responsibilities (which I can't say I do EVERY day) there is still a big portion of the day spent tending to other things on my pyramid and so I guess I always felt as though I fall a little short in putting God first. But it is SO much more DOABLE to rethink life as a mobile where our Father in Heaven & Jesus Christ are part of EVERYTHING we do each day. So beautiful...its simplicity changed my thinking!