Letter to Spring

Yesterday it snowed two inches and we were trapped inside all day.

Today... Spring was here, a little cool. All you needed was a light jacket... (name the movie)

The boys finally picked up their bikes for the first time this year...

And they rode like old pros, like they've done it all their lives!

(huge milestone, since the second we took off their training wheels last year, they stopped riding)

Preston flying by

Garrett cruising down the road

And I even went for a ride around the block!

Dear Spring,

I know it was a long winter, and I hope you had a great vacation. I was thinking, I know sometimes we procrastinate, don't worry, we all do it. But if you could come and show us your beautiful creations, warm sun, bright cheery personality, I know, I for one would be truly grateful.

Best wishes and hoping to see you soon,

Cindi

In Loving Memory

Kasen Avery Kint

October 19, 2006 to March 31, 2011

To my sweet nephew Kasen:

You are an amazing child of God

Your eyes sparkled

Your smile shone bright

Your spirit was radiant

You left this world too early,

But your real future is before you.

How lucky are we to have known you here on Earth?

You must be doing marvelous things on the other side.

Oh, how I look forward to seeing you again,

And snuggling, giggling, dancing and playing.

Give Grandma Susan, Aunt Kerry, and cousin Callen a big hug from us.

All my love I send to you,

Aunt Cindi

You make me smile

Today I am feeling so thankful and happy,

For so many blessings and joys in my life.

Even though I got to listen to the welcome in both Sunday School and Relief Society, since I was assigned baby girl Kirtlyn and she decided the hall is funner than sitting in class...

I am truly thankful for my little miracles.

Look how precious...

What good big brothers!

The joy that spreads across my heart and the sight of these little ones, amazes me.

Today's Relief Society lesson was on walking in an attitude of gratitude.

For the few minutes I was in class, I felt like that lesson was for me.

I am grateful for a loving husband

I am grateful for four amazing children

I am grateful for my wonderful family

I am grateful for awesome neighbors and friends

I am grateful to be a mother and be home with my children

I am grateful for my health

I am truly grateful

The "Didn't-Do" List

Today is Saturday which usually means getting to sleep in a little and house chores...etc. etc.

I guess today was not really that day.

My "To-Do" List turned from:

- Clean out garage

- Sweep and mop floors

- Clean out boys room

- Organize baby clothes

- Clean all bathrooms

- Vacuum all rooms

Into my "Didn't-Do" List and instead I did:

- Lunch with my big brother, husband, and kids

- Drive with family to Salt Lake for decor shopping

- Eat a lousy Gandolfo's sandwich (depressingly because usually they are the best!)

- Bathe four children and put to bed

- Sit on couch and surf the web while hubby hangs pictures

- Stay up way too late on FaceBook

- Realize how much I love spending time with my sweetie and amazing kids!

All in all... I'd say a pretty productive day!

My Collection is Growing

Apparently, I am building a new collection for myself.

About a week after Christmas we had to put two new tires on the front of the van because they were as bald as... well anything really really bald, and I was having a hard time driving through the snow and yup, in my garage, flat tire number one on the front driver's side tire.

Hmm... what is it?

Oh, that's right, it's the pin to some one's trailer hitch.

(Question, why isn't this in your trailer hitch???)

And yes, my sweet husband brought it back from the tire shop as a souvenir.

Well, as luck would have it, another flat tire has found it's way into my garage.

And we're not even sure what it is! Something tore into my tire and put a lovely unrepairable splice in my tire, forcing us to buy what now? Two new tires for the back!

Now I'm paranoid to drive and shouldn't be allowed on the road. Next time you're at my house, come look at my beautiful shadowbox full of

"Things Not to Drive Over"

California - Land of Sun...

...And snow???

Thursday morning

and Thursday afternoon...

Kirsten and I drove out to California to help our sister Missy who is amazingly pregnant with her eighth child and getting her house ready to sell.

We spent the time cleaning, giggling, making food, giggling, cleaning up, and playing Grandma's game. Our favorite card game we played with our family growing up.

Then Saturday, we hopped in the car and drove out to Oakland to visit Grandma Nelda.

(She is almost 93, can you believe it! She looks amazing!!)

I quietly snuck around her apartment taking pictures. She has lived here for almost 23 years and it hasn't changed a bit, except the current pieces of art work she displays. I love her decorating, it's such a feeling of home to be here on the 17th floor, overlooking the beautiful hills of Oakland with the Oakland Temple only a few miles away.

I think I recognize those two little babies on the wall.

She has Lladro pieces everywhere, and you can guarantee, any dish like this one with a lid (or no lid) will have candy in it. Today was Dove chocolate pieces, hard candy, and toffee pieces.

For me, California is like going home. You just know where your roots are. What a great trip.

The Truth Comes Out

All my life, I think I've had a little different perspective and completely different upbringing than my older siblings. As I've gotten older and heard stories from my siblings and shared my experiences, we've laughed over the silly things. My siblings always called me the spoiled one, the baby of the family and that I could do no wrong. Well, I may have been the cutest baby sister, yes, but I also was an only child for a long time, at least through elementary school, junior high, high school and all of college. I walked to elementary school by myself, got myself up and going during my K-12 grades of school while mom worked, and rode my bike to tennis lessons during the summer.

One summer my mom and I were sorting through all our family pictures, divvying them into piles who they belong to in an effort to give everyone pictures of their childhoods. My older brother and sisters piles were quite large, getting smaller with Kirsten and Missy, and mine started after kindergarten and school pictures. My mom put a "baby" picture on my pile, I paused, and looking at it closely, it was quite similar, if not identical to pictures in Missy's pile.

"Mom, this isn't me." I stated.

"Oh, yes it is" she replied.

"Mom, no it's not."

"Oh, it's fine, it's a baby picture, it's fine."

So, I do have a baby picture in my possession... it's not me...

but I have a baby picture, none-the-less.

Here it is, years later, and I find myself in a fit of laughter as another unique moment has presented itself.

My drivers license expired on my birthday two months ago, and I went to get it renewed but now you need a birth certificate or a certified copy to get the plastic permanent one. Well, I didn't have that in my immediate possession and here it is, almost two months later and I realize I never took my certified copy back to the DMV.

I went upstairs and remembering my dad had given me my birth certificate a few years ago, found it quietly filed away under "Cindi."

It's quite an old document, dated Aug 20, 1980. It's black with white writing and as I'm enjoying reading through the contents, I notice the weight is in grams.

Hmm, interesting.

I get on the computer to convert grams to pounds and ounces... My mother always told me I was born at 6 pounds and 3 ounces. I always thought I was a little baby, being born 2 weeks early. I was told I was due to come in January, but came early on Christmas Eve... anyway, back to the birth weight story...

I type into the cool weight converter 3430 grams,

which is...

7 pounds 8.99 ounces

Hmm, sorry to all the people I've told throughout my life that I weighed a lot less...

Oh, mom! I am thoroughly enjoying this literal laugh out loud moment tonight.

Love you mommy!