Love Day Lunch

Coco's Valentine hair-do
Sallie and Daddy during Love Day Lunch
Coco posing . . . she had "Heart Hair" for Valentines Day
Aerie's Valentine Outfit
Aerie's Valentine Hair . . . her ponytail went straight 30 minutes after we took out the hot rollers. But, at least the heart stayed in!

(The camera battery ran out, but we took some photos of the other children with Brent's phone. I'll try to get updates . . .)

Valentine's Day is a big holiday at our house. Almost as big as Christmas. I actually enjoy the anticipation more, because there doesn't seem to be all the "extra" that comes with Christmas.

Our tradition is to have every person in the family sit in the Throne of Love, and have the other family members tell what they love about that person. Then, they get a present that reflects something that Brent and I love about them.

Kai: Cool History DVD set (we love that he loves history), a fencing mask (we love his excitement for fencing) and a book: The Merchant of Death (Pendragon Series #1) by D. J. MacHale

Fia: Pointe shoes and some cute ballet flats (work shoes and fun shoes . . . we love her commitment to working hard to be a better dancer), and a book: Be Not Nobody (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook) by Vanessa Carlton (This is a sheet music book, and within two days, she had learned a song that I would consider beyond her piano knowledge, but not beyond her determination!)

Aerie: Hermit crab accessories (extra shells, aquarium cleaner, hermit crab deodorant--we love how she has diligently cared for her new pets), rolled fondant (we love the way she shares her baking talent!) and a thermos (we love the way she says ther-MOE-s) and a terrier Webkinz (just because we love her and she loves the pet of the month!). Aerie's book was Wings, by an author she loves, E.D. Baker.

Coco: Porcelain Belle doll (we love her love of all things French), a chihuahua Webkinz (which she named Miss Coco Pugs in honor of Skippy John Jones) and a book: Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains by Laurel Snyder (recommended by someone we love--Auntie Sis.)

Sallie: Snow White Polly Pocket set (we love how she is reminds us to have family scripture study--her time to play with Pollies, and that she is careful to care about MODEST Pollies) and a mother and baby chicken webkins. She named the mother "Chickena" (which is true to her modus operandi for naming "lovies"--she has a Lizarda, a Cowa, a Penguina . . . you get the picture.) The baby chicken's name is "Bawka." Her book was Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald. (She loves the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories.)

Brent got me a Pirate gift card to . . . Barnes and Noble (big surprise there, eh?) and I got him a fun game we played at a game night with the Giffords . . . "Ticket to Ride." Fun day!

Ten Ways to Use Books and Reading to say "I Love You" on Valentine's Day

Okay, so many know my dedication to reading aloud with children, and my LOVE for Jim Trelease's book, The Read Aloud Handbook. But, you might not know about my second favorite read aloud inspiration, "How to Help Your Child Love Reading: For Reluctant and Ravenous Readers Alike" by Esme Codell. I absolutely adore this woman. I recently "re-discovered" her website and a "sister-blog."

Here are her ideas about reading aloud to celebrate Valentine's Day (or any other day!)

Sweet! Ten Ways to Use Books and Reading to say "I Love You" on Valentine's Day

1. Read aloud a book into a casette player, or a computer recording device. Give the book and finished cassette/CD to a young loved one. Great for working parents! Kids can also make recordings as gifts for distant relatives.

2. Pack a special Valentine's Day brown-bag lunch and include a love letter to your child to read while s/he eats!

3. Make a Valentine for a favorite author or illustrator. Help your child address an envelope to the publisher (usually listed on thecopyright page of a book), and send it off.

4. Make pink fortune cookies by adding a few drops of red food coloring. Write your own fortunes together and read them aloud as you open the cookies. Recipe at www.planetesme.com/fortunecookie.html .

5. Share something personal and special by reading aloud, like a childhood diary or PG-rated love letters you and your spouse exchanged.

6. Have a family read-aloud with CUPID AND PSYCHE, as told by M. Charlotte Craft and stunningly illustrated by K.Y. Craft. Need more titles for your literary love-in? For a big bouquet of lovely books that manages to avoid too much mush, check out Unlovable Love Stories.

7. Let your child tuck you in and read you a bedtime story.

8. Find your favorite childhood book and inscribe it to your child.

9. Pack a new book inside the bottom of a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

10. Take your child on a date to the library.

Remember, ten thousand pieces of research support the Department of Education's findings that read-aloud is the best thing you can do to support lifelong literacy, that it contributes to background knowledge for all subject areas, and that read-aloud should continue through the grade levels. Love learning? Read-aloud is romantic!


see http://planetesme.blogspot.com/ and http://planetesme.com/ for more AMAZING inspiration!

Malachi's Extra Credit

On Saturday, Malachi's Sunday School class planned to go to the temple at 1:30. He scrambled to get his temple recommend renewed, and then walked up to the temple. No one from his class, not even his teachers, showed up. So, Malachi did baptisms alone.

When Brent got home on Saturday afternoon, he noticed a note on the front door, saying that the trip had been switched to 5:30. So, he went to pick up Malachi. Brent found him walking home from the temple, and told Malachi about the switch. Malachi shrugged and said, "At least I got extra credit!"

He is such a good young man.

Note: the picture is from July 2009, showing off his new (very short!) haircut. He wasn't pleased with the hair cut, but he did it for bonus media. He is such a chia pet, I try to get his hair cut super short so that I don't have to get it cut every week!

Shauna's YMOY Speech

The YMOY nominees across the nation were given the same speech topic: Motherhood: What Legacy Will I Leave? I thought about it (incessantly) for days, researched the word "Legacy", and then surprisingly, the speech came together quickly in one day. Here it is.

Motherhood: What Legacy Will I Leave?

“Let’s play making dinner!” a little girl called to the other children in our church nursery play area.
“Okay!” My then three year old daughter, Sophia, responded.

As the little girl proceeded to get out the play kitchen bowls and mixing spoons and organize them on the counter, my (as it turns out—very observant) daughter said, “Ding! Ding! Ding! It’s ready!” and pulled out a plastic plate from the toy microwave oven.

I admit it. I am not the best cook in the world, I’m not even the best cook in my own home . . . I’m probably fifth out of seven. . . and that includes my children who aren’t old enough to turn on the stove.

I’m also not the best homemaker in the world. Once, to my delight, while visiting my mother-in-law, my four-year-old son said, “I’ll clean off the table for you, Grandma.” And then to my horror, I had to fish out three china dinner plates from the trash can . . . because that’s where a lot of the used dinner plates from our house belong.

There are lots of things I’m not the “best” at. There are lots of things I’m not even very good at . . .
But, I’m a really good “try-er.”

Charles Dickens said,
Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart do to it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely, in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

I may not be the BEST at anything, but I am “thoroughly in earnest” about being a mother. I have devoted myself completely, in great aims and in small . . .
And it isn’t easy. Motherhood is hard. But, I keep trying.

I’m trying to leave my children a legacy. A legacy is something precious that you give to someone you love. It is something that keeps you alive—at least to your loved ones—even after you are gone.

Dr. Howard Thurman, former dean of Theology at Boston University, said,
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because the world needs . . . people who have come alive.”

Being a mother makes me come alive. Motherhood is discovery, adventure, disappointment, forgiveness, sorrow, thankfulness, pain, joy, love.

This precious thing—this LEGACY—I can leave to my loved ones is my life and my earnest efforts to become the best mother I can be. And hopefully, my efforts to come ALIVE –to be what the world needs—will inspire them to come alive—to keep trying, in great aims and small . . . to do hard things . . . to be what the world needs.


Note: the pictures is from our Dunn Family Reunion in Nauvoo. Sophia's friend, Gabby, is the extra family member.

Aerie's Introduction for Shauna's YMOY Speech

My mom is Wonder Woman. I haven't found where she parks her Invisible Jet but no mere mortal could do all the things she does. She can create Book-Club Parties out of thin air, she can transform the gospel art kit into Scripture Snack, and her closet is actually Book Divaland. She manages to practice strings and piano with each of us, drive us to music lessons, dance, fencing, drama, activities, and orchestra, do all the other everyday mom things, but somehow still has time to wake each of us up and put us to bed with our own read aloud book. In case you hadn't noticed yet, she really likes books. I think because she is Wonder Woman, she also likes making up activities that start with the same letter. We set goals and talk about how things are going in Monday Mom Meetings, and we cut loose and have fun together during Family Fun Fridays. Coincidence? I think not! One Friday during a Nerf Gun Battle, I actually caught her blocking a bullet with her bracelet. Yep, my mom is definitely Wonder Woman.

Utah Young Mother of the Year 2010

I'm so excited! I was selected as Utah's Young Mother of the Year for 2010! (My children have been scoffing . . . "YOUNG Mother? Aren't you turning 40 this year?") It really means mother of young children. (To be eligible, all of my children must be under age 18.) So, now the adventure begins. The state convention/luncheon is March 6 (which happens to be my birthday!) and then the national convention is in New York City. (At the Waldorf-Astoria . . .whoo hoo!)

I was nominated by my local chapter of American Mothers (see the chapter blog at www.americanmothers.wordpress.org or the national website at www.americanmothers.org) and then had to write up a portfolio, including ten (hard! Well--hard to answer in just one page) questions and an essay. Then yesterday, I had to present a 3 minute speech and have an interview with a panel of three judges, and put up a small display. (I only remember one of the judge's names--Michalene Grassli--the former General Primary President and also former Utah Mother of the Year) They called me last night about 6:00 p.m. to let me know that I had been selected.

There were two other mothers that were nominated for Young Mother, and four for Mother of the Year. I liked getting to know them, hearing their speeches, seeing their displays, and looking at their portfolios. It makes me look forward to the other amazing mothers I'll be able to learn from in the coming year!

The picture is of my display. I included a picture book treasury, a family journal, lots of pictures (including general family pictures, reading together, service projects and book club parties), a copy of my Ensign article, a family picture, a balloon bouquet (I'm really enjoying that Christmas present!), a jump rope, the book "All We Need is You and Me" that I gave Brent for Valentines Day, and Sallie's violin. I had little cards explaining why I choose the item for the display.

Catastrophic Coco

In the book M is for Mischief, An A to Z of Naughty Children by Linda Ashman, the C poem is entitled, Catastrophic Coco. Coco was thrilled that her name was in a book, until she read the poem.

Catastrophic Coco by Linda Ashman:

Coco came to camp:
Cracked a compass, smacked a lamp,
Clogged a drain, cut a tarp,
Clobbered Curtis with a carp,
Crumbled cookies, crushed a cake,
Crashed a kayak in the lake.
Called the counselor a cow,
Coco's cab is coming now.

But I giggled the most when Coco scoffed, "This poem is so not true . . . I would never touch a carp!" Of all the terrible things that Catastrophic Coco does . . . my Coco wouldn't touch the fish.