St. Patrick's Day

I had to work very hard for St. Patrick's Day this year. No, I didn't work hard at cooking, decorating, or throwing a party. I worked hard at loosing weight. The teachers I work with bought matching shirts for us to wear and guess what size they got! They got Girls Size 14! I don't even wear small in women's and they got me a girl's size! Every day preceding St. Patrick's Day, I told them I was trying to stay on a strict diet so I could fit into the shirt. Well, here I am wearing it. I had to wear a sports bra and a shirt underneath to hold me in, but I wore it. I love these kindergarten teachers I teach with. They are both fantastic teachers and such kind and loving women. I am truly blessed to work with them.

I teach at the same school Katelyn goes to. Here we are in our green shirts.

We actually had St. Patrick's Day dinner one day late this year. We invited the missionaries to come too - keeping with our tradition of having them over for holidays. We had corned beef, green mashed potatoes, broccoli, lime jello, limeade, sourdough bread, and grasshopper pies. It was all very yummy!

Cameron's Firehouse Field Trip

On February 23, Cameron went on a field trip to the fire station with his preschool class. I have to admit, this was one of the most interesting and fun field trips I've gone on. The firemen were so wonderful with the kids. They were friendly, patient, and explained everything so well. They all looked pretty cute in their uniforms too!

Cameron is really starting to love firetrucks. This was the first year I convinced him that he didn't have to have a train birthday party so he had a firetruck party instead.

The firemen have a lot of clothes and equipment. They taught us the difference between a fire truck and a fire engine. An engine carries water, while a truck has a long ladder and more equipment for getting into buildings. Cameron even got to climb on one of the engines. They showed us the dinner bell. They all take turns cooking the meals. I was most excited about seeing them slide down the pole. This was an older fire station so they actually have a pole, but they said most newer stations don't have poles. Cameron and his bud, Collin, each got a fire hat to take home.

I am so glad I got to go on this field trip with Cameron. I loved seeing his excitement and the cute expressions on his face. Also, did I mention that the firemen looked cute in their uniforms? Not a bad way to spend my morning!

Bakersfield Half Marathon and 5K

The weekend of February 20-22 we went on a couple's getaway. No, we didn't go to Monterey, Lake Tahoe, or even San Francisco. Where did we go? We went to Bakersfield, which some people refer to as "the armpit of California." Honestly, we didn't really care where we were going, we were just so excited to have a weekend away. Actually, the reason for the trip was so that I could run a half marathon. Most half marathons are on Sundays so when I found this one on a Saturday I knew I had to go. I convinced Lloyd to go with me and run a 5K. We left Friday evening and stopped in Fresno at an all-time-favorite restaurant of mine - The Spaghetti Factory. We carbed up on their garlic cheese bread and spaghetti. In Bakersfield we stayed at The Red Lion Inn (Hotwire has amazing deals!). That evening we checked out the park where the run was at and browsed around in Barnes and Noble. The race was Saturday morning at 8:00 am. It was pretty chilly in February so we dressed warmly. Here we are before the race. It really was my kind of race - not too crowded (just over 200 runners), with a flat course. Of course, Lloyd finished his 3.1 mile race before I completed my 13.1 miles. Lloyd came in at 31:14; he came in 40 seconds faster than he did when he ran The Turkey Trot. My goal was to complete the half marathon in 1:55. I actually came in at 1:55:40; an 8:50 mile average. It was much easier than a full marathon, but enough of a challenge. My GPS watch was a great help for me to pace myself throughout the race. My MP3 player is what gets me through the run. Thank goodness! I would be very bored running for two hours without any music. Here we are after the race. I got a finisher's medal for the half marathon. I can actually go back in November and run another half to earn an adjoining medal to the one I have. It's called "two halves make a full marathon." I'd love to go back if we can. After the race they served tri tip sandwiches. Lloyd had one, but I took mine to go. I didn't really feel like eating that after running 13 miles. I really do love going to these races because everyone is so friendly and upbeat. Believe it or not, they're really fun! We both took naps after the race on Saturday. Then we went out to eat at a cute restaurant called Woody's. After dinner, we saw Taken at the movies. We almost felt like newlyweds with all this freedom. Thanks to the Cases our children were happy and well taken care of. We listened to church talks on tape as we drove home on Sunday. It was a fun and relaxing weekend. The weekend gave us just a hint of what life may be like when our kids are grown.

Brothers in Trouble

Cameron and Conner were being especially quiet one afternoon in February when I asked the girls to see what they were up to. Well, this is what they were up to! They had a lot of fun with the girls' nail polish in the bathroom. They painted the toilet, the bathtub, the floor, the door, the bath mat, their clothes, and themselves. These boys really are "partners in crime." They love getting into trouble. Cameron is the mastermind behind it all and Conner loves to follow his lead. In March, I went to change a load of laundry while they were in the bathtub and they completely flooded the bathroom. It took about ten beach towels and a wet/dry vac to clean it up. I'm always on guard to see what they'll do next.
I have to admit, I really do think the order of my children is perfect. I have three older girls who can help me, and these two little boys are best friends. They love to play together and watch out for each other. Cameron gets so upset when I give him a snack or a drink and I don't give one to Conner. He misses Conner when he is taking his nap and begs me to wake him up. Recently, Conner has learned to climb out of his crib. I can hear Cameron in the morning saying, "Conner get out of your crib so we can play!" Yes, we still call Conner "our baby" and Cameron loves to say, "Mommy, I love my baby." I look forward to watching how the relationship between these two brothers develops. They are a handful, but I love my little guys!

My Sweetheart for 15 Years

Valentine's Day 1994 Valentine's Day 2009

• Lloyd has been my sweetheart for 15 years now. Life is different than it was 15 years ago. We're a bit older. We have five kids. Life is busier. However, the reasons I fell in love with Lloyd 15 years ago are the same reasons I love him today. In honor of our 15 years of being valentines to each other, here are 15 reasons I love Lloyd.

• 1- He is righteous. I always knew I would marry someone who would take me to the temple. After almost 15 years of marriage, Lloyd is still strives daily to keep the Lord's commandments. He honors his priesthood and uses it to bless others. He diligently serves in his calling. He is an example to me in his personal scripture study and family history. I am so blessed to be married to such a righteous husband.

• 2- Lloyd is a hard worker. When Ii first met him he was in the Navy and lived on a ship. He was often out to sea for up to six months at a time. Military life was hard, but Lloyd rarely complained and was dutiful in completing his assignments. I always knew Loyd would work hard to provide for our family. After he got out of the military, he began working on his BA degree. He stayed at home with Courtney and went to school in the evenings. After four years of hard work, he earned his degree. We were so blessed when he got his job at SFO. Lloyd never complains about staying up all night long at work. He works 8 hours five days a week, and commutes around 20 hours a week. He truly is amazing and sacrifices so much for our family.

• 3- Lloyd is romantic and thoughtful. He will often leave me love notes or little treats. One time he hid five little love cards randomly throughout the house. When I found all the cards, he told me I would get a special treat. He then took me out for a romantic dinner. I loved the love letters he wrote to me while he was in the military and I still love reading his love letters today. A day never goes by without Lloyd telling me he loves me.

• 4- Lloyd is affectionate. He loves to hold my hand, hug me, and kiss me. The first time Lloyd kissed me I actually leaned away. We like to laugh about that. Even now I sometimes give him a hard time when I'm in the middle of something and he wants to hug me. Yes, I probably do act like he's annoying me, but I secretly love and adore how affectionate he is. Showing affection is definitely a way Lloyd demonstrates his love.

1. 5- Lloyd is humble. He never brags about anything he does. He is secure with himself and doesn't try to impress other people. He is teachable and avoids confrontation.

• 6- Lloyd is forgiving. He doesn't remember or remind me about all the mistakes I've made. He is always quick to apologize.

• 7-Lloyd is handsome. I have always been attracted to tall guys so it wasn't a surprise to me that I married one. Lloyd's beautiful blue eyes were the first thing I noticed about him. I also love his smile and when he winks at me. I love that Lloyd is as he says "a big guy." Thankfully, I never have to worry about weighing more than him, even when I was pregnant.

• 8- Lloyd is a fantastic father. Honestly, I didn't really see Lloyd with kids too much before we got married so I didn't really know how he would be. He is truly an amazing father. He was wonderful when he stayed home for five years while I worked. Courtney is still a Daddy's girl because Lloyd was her primary caretaker from the time she was six weeks old. Lloyd loves to play with the kids, encourage them, support them in their activities, and teach them about the gospel. I couldn't have wished for a better father to my children.

• 9- Lloyd helps a lot around the house. I kinda sensed that he would be this way before we got married. He willingly helped my family with odd jobs (a newspaper route, cleaning a dentist office) before we were married. Now he helps me so much when he can. He hates when our white tile floor gets really dirty. Instead of complaining to me about it, he will just clean it. He daily helps with dishes and meal preparation. He does enjoy cooking. One time he arranged for someone to come clean our bathrooms while we were out on a date. It was the most amazing surprise; I cried when I found out.

• 10- Lloyd is sensitive. I'll admit to having fragile feelings and being moody. Of course, this is always more true when I was pregnant. Lloyd is always sensitive and understanding to my moods. He does everything he can to make me happy. He will let me take a nap, get a break from the kids, or cheer me up with a kind word. I am so grateful for Lloyd's caring and sensitive nature.

• 11- Lloyd is supportive. He supports me in all me endeavors. He supported me when I was getting my Masters degrees, when I trained for marathons, when I was the Relief Society President, when I have a Girl Scout activity, when I want to go on a Girls Night Out, or when I want to go scrapbooking. I love that Lloyd knows these things were important to me and he cheered me on when I needed it.

• 12- Lloyd is fun. We love to watch comedies together and laugh together. We loved when we went on a cruise 10 years ago- we were in a dance contest and on a newlywed game show. We love to laugh at the funny things our kids do. I love going on dates with Lloyd and having fun with him.

• 13- Lloyd is talented. He knows how to figure things out on the computer that I don't have a clue about. He likes to play basketball (but he won't admit to be any good at it). Lloyd is great at taking and making family videos. He is a good driver and always drives because I don't like to. He is diligent about reading the newspaper and knows what's going on. He is great at taking care of our pool. If he had more time, he would like to do more gardening and home improvement. He would also like to do more backpacking.

• 14- Lloyd loves me unconditionally. Believe or not, I am not always the most lovable person. Lloyd knows all my shortcomings, but still loves me. I still remember the first day Lloyd said he loved me. It was October 2, 1992. I was so overjoyed and on cloud nine. I love Lloyd because he loves me for the person I am.

• 15- Lloyd is mine. As a girl growing up, I always wondered who my husband would be. I never dreamed I would marry someone as wonderful as Lloyd. He told me before we got married that he would treat me like a queen and he does! He really is a perfect match for me. I love and have always love married life. I really can't imagine spending my life and eternity with anyone else.

Finding the Time

Well, I finally had the time to update our family blog. I love three day weekends and the chance it gives me to catch up on things. Life constantly seems like a roller coaster. It's especially been challenging this year with me back to working almost every day (mostly half days, but it's still a challenge). I honestly feel so blessed to have the job opportunity I have to work part time in a kindergarten class. With the slow economy, I feel so grateful to have this opportunity to add to our family income. I still wonder how life got so busy. I am always hoping for an empty square on the calendar. Lloyd always reminds me that we have five kids and that means a busy life. Here are just a few things that keep me busy: laundry, serving in Young Womens, carpooling, Family Home Evenings, school activities and class parties, grocery shopping, Girl Scouts, visiting teaching, picking up toys, paying bills and trying to stay in a budget, meal preparation, organizing schedules, and did I mention laundry? Along with these things I have some things that keep me busy that I choose and want to do: going to the gym, playing on Facebook, reading books for book club, watching The Bachelor and American Idol, taking naps on the weekend, training for a half marathon, taking baths, scrapbooking on an occasional Friday night, taking friends out for their birthdays, and going on dates with Lloyd. Then, of course, there's the list of things I need to do better on: scripture study, temple attendance, being more patient and kind, and deep cleaning the bathrooms. I honestly believe our greatest challenge in these last days is deciding how we will spend our time. I am reminded of the talk by Dallin H. Oaks titled "Good, Better, Best." He talks about the good, the better, and the best ways to spend our time. I know I don't always spend my time on the best things. I think it's a good idea to take the time to reflect on life and recommit to what really are the most important things. This is and will always be a challenge for all of us - how to spend the precious commodity of time. Well, today I'm glad I had the time to update our blog with six new posts. I love it when our blog is up to date. I still enjoy going on Facebook more than I do blogging, but I treasure this blog for the memories it has captured. Hope you all have the time to create your best life!

My Valentines

I like sending out a Valentine to our family members each year. Just a simple card with a picture of the kids. I used this photo from the snow for this year's Valentine. I think it's a sweet picture of all five of the kids. Lloyd was making them laugh so they have such cute expressions on their faces. I just wanted to mention a couple things I love about each of these five precious valentines of mine.
*Courtney - She is my biggest help and greatest example. She is the peacemaker in the family. She's always willing to sacrifice her needs for her siblings' needs. She rarely complains and is so easy going. She is friendly and sensitive to others. I never doubt that she'll be successful throughout her life. She is confident, yet modest in all that she does.
*Katelyn- Katelyn is also a great helper. She loves to play with and read stories to the boys. She is innocent, yet inquisitive. She loves to stay up late like I do and keeps me company when she doesn't have to go to school the next day. Katelyn is very responsible and has lots of friends. She is a bit of a social butterfly. She's grown so much from that little girl who was scared to death of all animals, Santa, and Chuck E. Cheese.
*Kylie- Kylie has the strongest personality of all of my kids. She's very smart, almost too smart for her own good. She is determined and hard working when she wants to be. She is happy when she pleases others. She is always writing cute notes for us and her teachers. She still likes to give hugs and says, "I love you." She's is very competitive and sets high goals for herself. She can be a good playmate with Cameron and still loves to imagine when she plays.
*Cameron - Cameron is my active boy that is ready to go from the moment he wakes up. Recently I have noticed how much he loves little babies. He has always loved Conner, but also adores other babies. He takes care of Conner and makes sure his needs are met. If I give Cameron a cup of juice, he cries unless Conner gets one too. Cameron loves saying, "I love you, Mommy." Or he says "I love you and like you, Mommy" I can already see that Cameron is a very loving and sensitive boy. He also keeps life interesting; we never know what his next adventure will be.
*Conner- Conner is my sweet little baby. I snuggle him and play with him whenever I get the chance. I love kissing his different body parts and tickling him. I love listening to him repeat different things we say. Every time I come home and the garage door opens, Conner comes running out to greet me. I have to be careful that I don't run him over with the car. I have to admit, I love it when he wants me and no one else. I also adore his sweet blue eyes.

These five precious children are my greatest joy in life. I couldn't be more blessed!