Asian Celebration

My kids performed with their school at this year's Asian Celebration. We were so lucky to have all of my local family, plus Jason's aunts come and support them. Especially since daddy was at Disney Land for work (pfft...)

Grandpa John bought them Asian outfits. Don't they look great?
After the Asian celebration we got to celebrate Corbin's birthday with Nancy and Dale. As always, Corbin got totally spoiled :)
Here are a couple videos from the performances. (Most of the videos were too big to upload *sosad*) I got lucky that both kids were on the ends so I got pretty good videos of them both.

(Jenalyn is the one in the middle on the end - they all look the same in those outfits!)

She's growin' up!

Tienna is starting to say simple words. She's taking after Corbin. He was an early talker too. Not Jenalyn - I don't think she was saying real words until she was about 2-1/2. But she baby-babbled like no one else!



It's so hard for me to get pictures of her these days because she's always moving. Especially when she sees the camera! She'd rather see what's on the other side of it than sit and say "cheese" (OH! That's another word she says - but only in reference to the kind you eat...NOT for the camera!) But I did manage to get this picture of her in the cute barrette Aunt Rachel made for her for Valentines Day (while she was strapped into her seat, so she had no choice but to sit still).
I love this little girl so much.

My Rock Star Family

One of the {many} reasons why I love my family is because you never know when a random rock concert might occur.

I shut myself in my bedroom after dinner tonight because I had a really bad headache. When I came back out I had a rock concert waiting for me. (Luckily the Advil kicked in and the headache was mostly gone, so I could enjoy the show).

Corbin on guitar:

Jenalyn on drums:


And Jason on vocals (he declined photos from the paparazzi tonight).

Tienna was acting as a back-up dancer from her highchair.

They were rocking out to a song on Jason's iTunes and about mid-song, Corbin shuffled over to me and whispered in my ear, "It's coming from dad's phone! We're not really playing music."

*LOL* I'm glad he cleared that up for me. I was about to start booking venues for the tour! That would have been embarrassing. We would have had another Milli Vanilli scandal on our hands!

This time it was for ME!

I found this picture on FaceBook on Saturday night. It's so beautiful to me. Both the picture and the promise in the scripture. I immediately thought of certain family members who could benefit from such a promise because of the hardships they are currently dealing with.

I tend to do that. When I'm in a church meeting and I hear something awesome, I immediately think of certain people in my life who *should be here, hearing this right now*

I always think of other people who could use the message. I rarely internalize it. Not because I'm so full of myself and I don't think I need the help. But because I'm a fixer. I like to fix other people's problems.

Well, guess what. I NEED HELP! I have been all tied up in knots over parenting a certain child of mine. I got not one, but TWO calls from the principal's office this week. I lay awake worrying about this child. And worrying about ME as the mother of this child. Can I really do this? Am I adequate? Am I going to screw this up even more? What more can I do or say to help him?

My stomach hurts and I am losing sleep.

So yesterday while sitting in church, the Lord spoke to me. And I heard Him loud and clear: I cannot do this alone. I need His help.

We had a girls A Cappella choir from BYU come and do a special little performance for our Youth. They sang one song in particular that touched me. Abide With Me Tis Eventide.

Abide with me.

That's what I need. I need Him to Abide with me...like, at all times. Always. I need the Spirit with me all day long. I truly believe that if I have that, I will be more inspired as a mother. I will lose my temper less. And I will find more opportunities to teach, instead of just rant and rave.

Then I remembered the above picture. When I saw it the previous night I didn't relate it to myself (how foolish). But, after hearing that song, it's the first thing I thought of.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11: 28-30

I am heavy laden. I need rest.

And all I have to do is let Him help me. I need to ask for his help daily. DUH! Seems so simple. But I was somehow missing it. Maybe I just needed a reminder.

I felt very humbled. And yet, I felt loved. I know there are others who's problems are greater than mine. But He spoke to ME! He will abide with ME if I ask him to. My troubles are important too. They are important to Him. The Almighty loves ME. And my offspring...he doesn't want me to screw this up either.

"Little Eyes Are Watching You"

I wasn't going to post this, because it's shameful and embarrassing. But, apparently, it's a lesson I need to remember. The other day I was in a really bad mood. It was a hard week last week, with the baby throwing up all day and night, and then I got sick too...It was really hard and it wore me down.

I was in a REALLY bad mood. Stomping through the house like an angry bear. Not pretty.

Jenalyn asked me {very sweetly and sincerely} "Do you hate being a mom?"

...

...

...

Stopped me dead in my tracks. My first thought was, if I keep this up, she's never going to want to have children!

I guess my actions speak louder than my words. When I tell them that I quit my job at the office because I always wanted to be a mommy, and I'd rather stay home and take care of them than do anything else in the world, I need to SHOW them I mean that.

I saw this blog today and it had me in tears. She quoted a poem...which then had me sobbing. I need to be a better mom! I need to show my kids that I love what I do.

Little Eyes Upon You

There are little eyes upon you
and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
And a little girl who's dreaming
of the day she'll be like you.

You're the little angel's idol,
you're the wisest of the wise.
In her little mind about you
no suspicions ever rise.
She believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and do;
She will say and do, in your way
when she's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little girl
who believes you're always right;
and her eyes are always opened,
and she watches day and night.
You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
For the little girl who's waiting
to grow up to be like you.

I want my girls to have joy in motherhood. I want them to WANT it as badly as I did when I was young. It's an amazing responsibility.

The motherly instincts are there. I can't screw this up for them.



(this is an old video, but I thought it was relevant to this post.)