A Day of Firsts

• Emily's first time on a boat (not a cruise ship). She was pretty fearful to get on even with the PDF!
• Alexa's first time water skiing. Didn't get up but she tried so hard!
• Stephen & Alexa's first time driving a boat. Stephen even pulled a skier (kinda)
• Mom (Kathy)'s first time trying to coordinate using a noodle to float on in the Lake = LOL
• Dan, Alexa & Emily's first time cliff jumping. Emmy held tight to Dad's hand and only "tried" once. Alexa is a pro...with a bloody knee to prove it! Dan climbed up high with the big boys.
  
• Uncle Lance's first time cramming 7 people on his boat!
• As for me, no firsts...but a SPECTACULAR day!

Artsy Fartsy

This was the week of the arts: Alexa's Band Concert & Our musical of Jack & The Beanstalk. Our girls are blessed with such talent. I am so proud of them!

Wednesday Night
Our almost 8th grader after her Intermediate Band Performance. Loved their piece from Phantom of the Opera (I will post the video from my phone when I figure out how...)
She is doing so well on the flute, next year she will add the piccolo as well to her repertoire!

Alexa W & Alexa R :)

Thursday Night
Emily stars in Jack & The Beanstalk as the Goose who lays golden eggs
(directed by Mom; no nepotism here :)

Emily can shake it..shake it! She's a triple threat!

Lay! Singing and dancing eggs too! What fun!
My costuming talents are well displayed this time!

I was so proud of my cow too!

And of course my 6 1/2 foot tall GIANT!
(made from a 5'x 6' wooden cross that looked strangely out of place in my classroom for a week...and paper mache)

My gifts...My friends

I recently stopped teaching Sunday School and have been searching for how God is trying to use me. In a silly moment I asked my friends what they thought (after I took the online quiz) to see if they "really" know me.

Yes, I like to test people.

OUR FACEBOOK MOMENTS:

Jenny Goodall Rash

Today at 6:36pm

Wow. they were spot on! I wanna play too so I took the quiz. Can you guess mine?

Hester Gonzales

Today at 6:56pm

Reply

Uh, is loving sarcasm a gift? hehe Based on the list on that site, I'd say teaching and serving....I could go into a long lovely paragraph about how awesome you are like Beth did, but she's just so much better at it, so I'll leave the writing to the writer :-) XOXO (gossip girl just went through my head!)

Beth Deese

Today at 6:58pm

Reply

I'm with Hes...teaching, serving, but definitely administration, big time. I could see you with lots of the spiritual gifts though! Which were they? Should I write a paragraph on what BETH thinks your spiritual gifts are? I'd be happy to.... :)

Hester Gonzales

Today at 7:01pm

Reply

Yes yes, write a paragraph about Jenny's gifts! hehe I know one of Beth's....encouraging through writing :-)

Jenny Goodall Rash

Today at 7:02pm

So yah!!! I want paragraphs too. Then I'll tell you what the survey says!

Beth Deese

Today at 7:27pm

Reply

OK, Jenny's gifts. I'm not doing spiritual gifts, you already took that quiz. I'll just do yours like I did, Hes.

1) Very good taste in music, except sex music :) You are the only person I know who I would actually trade ipods with (and I'm very picky in this area)

2) Hostessing...Yes, I think you are a good hostess, because I think you like to help other people have fun and enjoy themselves. Yeah, you want everything to look good and be just right, but mostly it's because you want everyone to feel loved and cared about. You barely scrapbook when we are all there b/c you are always helping us figure out what to do. And of course, figuring in to all of that is the fact that you are a natual teacher and leader, so you make a great hostess.

3) Natural leader...you just end up being the person everyone looks to b/c you don't mind making decisions. You can pretty quickly decide what will be the most fun for everyone so we just let you! :) Hey, someone's gotta' do it!

4) On the spiritual front...I like that you think. You don't just accept what other people say. You actually think about it, pray about, search out your own answers. You aren't afraid to disagree and ferret out the truth. I think you are the type of person that when you do finally weigh it all out, you are really strong then in those beliefs. It seems like God is really building a strong foundation in you that is going to be rock solid. He only gives people foundations like that, the kind that take a really long time to build, b/c He has big plans to build a mighty building there that needs a secure base. With being a natural leader, teacher, host and of course, super fun, people just readily gravitate to you for advice and they covet your friendship.

5) Encouragement and Honesty!... You're a pusher (not drugs) I don't know how you do it, but you are always pushing yourself and everyone around you to do better. You're not lazy or content to just sit around hoping things get better. You're always trying to figure out how to do things the absolute best you can...and you've got the folders, files, and planned out schedules to prove it! ever since I've known you, you've been on a jenny-self-improvement plan, and I think you put me on the jenny-self-improvement plan (and everyone else too...i'm thinking Hes' closet and Anna's eyebrows!) I love that about you! You do it with humor and grace...and maybe a little sarcasm, but we can always tell that you just want the people around you to be their best and if you have info that can help them do that, then you will offer it. It's a good thing to have an honest friend, who will really help you and tell it to you straight when you ask them too. A lot of people are too worried about what people will think of them to go out on a limb and be truthful. I get so tired of trying to guess what people are thinking or feeling, and it's a relief to be around you, b/c you keep it real.

Jenny Goodall Rash

Today at 7:57pm

I ♥ you!!! You really get me! I am even crying (or tearing up at least) which I don't do often unless the person that touches my heart is under the age of 12...so feel privileged to be able to bring tears to my eyes!

You were totally right on the spiritual front too!

#1 Administration

#2 Exhortation (didn't even know what that was)

followed behind by
#3 Pastor/ Shepard
#4 Teaching ...I'm surprised it was so far down now? I think God is in the process of changing me. Teaching was much higher (1 or 2 ) last time I took this. Must be why I felt it was time for me to leave teaching on Sundays???

PS. You are indeed a WAY awesome writer, like totally! You even made my faults sound like gifts. Girl. You are a special friend!

One Rainy Morning at 5am

Peace is . . . sitting on the front porch, drinking coffee, seeing the details I often overlook, and knowing Who to praise for them!

P.S. This is really a flower from my front porch and I took this picture!

Emerald Pools Trail

This trip to Zion had to be a record for me...the record for least photos taken! Here are a few from our hike up to the Emerald Pools. That's all I've got from three days, seriously.

Middle Pools (view from just after the lower pool)
It rained the night before. I mean RAINED. As in no one slept ALL NIGHT!

These creatures are not cute. There vicious little beasts out to eat your lunch at all costs!

The "Happy Family Photo" from the top of the pools



Playing Pranks...any Boy Scouts that get it?

I must have a thing for meandering paths surrounded by trees...

The bridge back to camp. "Thanks" say my weary, hiked 5 miles today, calves!

Friends...The Family You Choose :)

Not that I don't love my family....I do, very much! So ya'll don't get your panties in a bunch.

Easter was just SO much fun. We spent the day picnicking at the park. It all ended unfortunately with my camera and phone drowning in my purse. I soaked the camera in rice and it is functional. All pictures (or most anyways) were saved! Plus I ripped a bunch off of my friend's Facebook page! So better late than never. . . Happy Easter!

Dressed for church in "real" heels

Emily's "high heels" too. She strutted around in these for days!

Family photo op with Auntie Kimberly

Lined up for action

Hunting desert style

The ONLY wat to do Easter Eggs!

From now on this is the only way are decorating Easter Eggs in our house. I am a genius! What took so long to figure this out???

Strolling Along

We have been trying to find a day to check out the Spring's Preserve since it opened almost 2 years ago. We even bought our annual pass a month ago and still hadn't found a free, non-windy day since then! BUT is a great place for us to slow life down a bit and just take a stroll through the gardens and have a picnic with our little family.

We have also been inspired to start composting and gardening...a new hobby? Really.

"Being ants"

Hmmmm...

Red Red Rocks, Blue Blue Sky

Photo Op!

We met up with a bunch of friends to take a day hike in Red Rock on a gorgeous spring day. We loaded the trails with 5 adults & 9 kiddies!

We knew we were in for a treat when the girls in our car started making up song on the way there. (read: needed motrin) The kids all had a blast!

Hiking in...

My girls: Hester, Kindra, Jenny & Anna

Surprisingly only one kid fell in the water!

Lexi & Mom