The 'F' word...

Today I made a decision to eliminate the 'F' word from my vocabulary....Yep no more Facebook for me. I have had many issues with it over the past few months, mostly with other people on Facebook, not the site itself. I actually really love that I have been able to re-connect with some old friends. For that, Facebook is a great tool. But lately I have felt like it is a poison that I don't want in my life anymore. More often than not I found myself reading other peoples posts/comments that were hurtful, annoying and just plain upsetting. I was sick of biting my tongue when someone posted something that I STRONGLY disagreed with and got under my skin....oh how badly I wanted to comment about how lame, selfish, stupid and ridiculous they were being.
I have seen firsthand how this 'tool' can be used in dangerous ways....for example...
Spending hours on FB each day
Bullying
Online affairs,
and yes even counting their conversations on FB as their monthly Visiting Teaching/Home Teaching. (WHAT?!)
I even know people that can't post certain events/pictures on their wall because of the wrath that others will give them for not including them. (Really are we still in JR. High?)

My mom told me that in her ward her bishop announced, from the pulpit, how dangerous social networks are and that they should think twice about creating accounts with them.
Besides the above reasons I also worry about privacy issues that I have been reading about. The last thing that I want is to have some stranger know personal information about me.
Since 99% of the population have a facebook account, I'm sure that many of you are upset or disagree with everything that I have just typed, and that is your right to disagree with me... It won't change how I feel about it. I guess my sweet friend Jenn had it right all along.
Isn't it amazing how Satan can use tools like this against us? Sad really.

Soap box over, you may now return to your regularly scheduled program (or go post something on your FB wall, LOL).

The pre-school graduate

Tonight Mr. Faisal graduated from his 3-year-old preschool class! Oh how proud we are of this little guy! In his cap and gown...I mean suit.

He is the second from the Left. We really had to bribe him to get him to stay in front of everyone and then he really wouldn't sing the songs....just too bashful!

Momma and the graduate!

Miss Liza (Swiza, as Faze calls her) and Faze

Afterwards we took the graduate out for ice cream at Cold Stone

What a ham

My little man turns FOUR!

Earlier this week my baby turned four! Where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday that he was born. Oh how I just adore this little guy... he is such a fun, spunky child. He just brings so much joy into our home. We love you Crazy Fazy! So this pic was taken the day after his birthday but he was wearing his new birthday clothes so I had to take a pic of it...he has gotten so bashful lately whenever I try to take a picture of him.

For his birthday breakfast his daddy made him strawberries, apples and cream...his most favorite thing ever!

I made him some cupcakes that he took to his pre-school class. He was so excited to take these to his friends.

For dinner we went to MiMi's Cafe and had some yummy food.

I was trying to take a pic of the two of them and instead he decided to try and lick his dad.

My two favorite men!

After dinner we decided to try something different so we went to Momentum Climbing Gym and the kids got to try and climb up these HUGE walls. It was surprisingly so fun! Tae and Ana did amazing, Faze and Sienna were a little more nervous, which shocked us because normally Faze is such a daredevil. It was a great idea and I can't wait to take them back there again. (Angie, you would have been so proud of them!)

Kinda blurry but so cute!

Present time!!!! He got a T-ball set, Soccer game set, Toy Story DVD, clothes, shoes, hats, and a few kiddie games for us to play as a family. I have to say that I had a great time shopping for his gifts, this has been the first year that I could really buy older boy toys and it was a blast!!! Having a little boy is such a fun thing. Happy birthday little man...your momma loves you!

I love pageants!!!

Can I just say how much I love the Miss Utah/America organization?! It is such an amazing program and changes the lives of all the girls who get involved with it.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be one of the judges for the Miss Orem pageant. I just LOVE judging....almost as much as I loved competing in them. Yesterday I got to meet 17 highly talented, beautiful, service oriented and smart young ladies. It is such a joy to interview these girls and watch them perform their talents.

I also got to meet the current Miss Orem- Chelsey....what an amazing young lady she is. I learned that she has worked closely with Chris during her platform which is working with the Tifie organization that Chris works with. Talk about a small world! Another awesome connection that her sister is Ashley Di Lello from last seasons So You Think You Can Dance (who made it to the finals!) So Ashley and her husband Ryan (who was also a finalist.....and an amazing dancer!) performed a ballroom number at the pageant. I was star struck!!! It was such a great evening!Isn't she beautiful?! Clearly this girl made an impression on me if I went to the effort to track down a pic of her.

The beautiful bride

Yesterday was such a crazy busy day for me. I had a baby shower of one of my former students, a wedding (for a different former student) and I was a judge for the Miss Orem pageant. Unfortunately not everything was able to be fit into my day (so sorry Taco...I really wanted to be there!) I did make it to the wedding though and it was a BEAUTIFUL day for a wedding....perfect really. I just love when I get wedding announcements (and now baby announcements) for my former students. It makes me feel good to know that students that I once taught, invite me to their special events. I grow so attached to my students, especially girls that I taught throughout their high school careers. It also makes me realize how old I'm getting when I get a baby shower announcement for a student that I still visualize as a 14 or 15 year old!
Yesterday Dusty finally tied the knot! She was married in a spot that for many years I would take my teams to do team pictures....it brought back a lot of memories being back in this spot.
Dusty looked beautiful...of course she always has been a beautiful girl.

I had to get a shot of their little family

Mother's Day lunch

For Mother's day my Grandpa decided to take all of his daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters (that had graduated from high school) out for lunch. We really don't have much to do with this side of the family so it was such a fun treat for me to spend time with all of my relatives. Grandpa even had roses for all of us. I thought that it was such a sweet gesture for him to organize this. It has made me want to plan more events with this side of my family so that we can rekindle relationships. Thanks Grandpa....I sure do love you!

Taelynn's field trip

I was able to join Tae on her class field trip this past week, they went to This is the Place park. If you have never been there, you really should take your kids...it is such a neat place. You feel like you have stepped back in time to when the pioneers first came into the Salt Lake Valley. It was a chilly day, but we had a fun time....even Faze behaved himself!

When we first got there Faze spotted the Train ride and immediately wanted to ride it....of course we had to wait until it was our turn to go to the train, we had other spots to visit first so he patiently waited and waited and waited. Finally we walked to the train....he was thrilled. I tried to take a pic of the two of them, but he kept saying 'choo choo' during the photos. It was cute.

At one point all of the children got to pull/push a handcart around the block. Such a neat experience!

Mom, Me and Maui

Last week our ward did a girls camp fundraiser called Mom, me and Maui. It was a mommy daughter luau for girls of any age. Me and the girls went and had a fun time eating the yummy dinner, watching the Hawaiian dancers entertain us and my kids LOVED the silent auction. People in the ward donated baked goods, homemade items and service projects. My kids had fun going around and placing bids on items they wanted. I donated a cake that I made and it sold for $50!

My cake class

I have been searching for a cake decorating class for a long time. I finally broke down and signed up for one at a local craft store. Pretty much cake decorating 101, very basic. But I learned a lot about piping and rose making...which I was hoping for. This cake was made for my final class. My roses actually turned out pretty good, they are a lot harder to make than they seem.

Now you can see why I like to cover cakes in fondant....not to great at frosting them. As a disclaimer I had just a few minutes to get this covered in frosting, I was running late for my class. I know I can do WAY better than this. Oh well.

Again, remember I was pressed for time. How embarrassing, maybe I shouldn't post this or it might end up on Cake Wreks dot com! Have you seen that website???? It is CRAZY! When you have a minute, check it out www.cakewrecks.com

The most amazing dancer EVER!!!

WOW!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT I CAN STILL DO THIS????!!!!!!!








You don't buy it either???? Alas, it is not me...but what I would GIVE to A: be that flexible and B: to be that thin....sigh.... Sorry all, I had to take advantage of the fact that her face was covered and try to pass this off as myself. :0)
Yes, it is my sweet Sienna! Are these not the coolest shots?! She wanted me to try and take some pics of her dancing, so we braved the cold weather (don't let the photo fool you...it was FREEZING!) and headed out into the backyard. I just loved the cool shots we were able to get! I am definitely a very PROUD mama!

WOWZERS!!!

A little better one....this one shows her face a little better. We plan to blow them up and frame them for her wall...pretty cool!

I hope that when I die and go to heaven I will have the flexibility that I was not given on this earth life....sigh.....if only for a day. Until this happens I shall live vicariously through my beautiful daughter.

Faisal's field trip

Last week Faze's pre-school took a field trip to Thanksgiving Point animal farm. We had such a good time seeing all the animals. Faze loved feeding them....especially the goats! They would nibble it right out of your hand. I wish that I had a video of him feeding them...it was so stinking cute! After that we went into the Deli and had lunch together. I just love my little man and even though we are usually together all day, alone, it was so fun to spend some quality time with him like that. He is so darling and keeps me laughing all the time, I feel so lucky that we got to do this together.

This was his FIRST time on a pony! I just loved it!!!