Let's have a party!!!

We decided to have a big get-together on Saturday in celebration of Tom's graduation. We ordered some BBQ from Goodwood and went to a beautiful park up Provo Canyon. I thought I'd post a few of the pictures. I feel bad because there are several people that I either didn't get pictures of, or I did and they didn't turn out too well. Everyone there included, Sowards: Mom, Dad, Megan, Tim, Shaun David, Tara, Jared, Eva, Kelli, Emma, Keith, Rachelle, Taylor, Daniel, Mommer, and Popper. Balderrees: Mom, Dad, Becky, Mike, Malia, Adam, Grace, Hyrum, Gabe, Andrea, Tony, Ethan, Seth, Ava, Lilly, Kristin, Abby, and Daniel. Thank you, everyone, for coming! It meant a lot to us that so many people would take so much time out of their day to come celebrate with us. It was good to see everyone!

Cyndy, Tom, Keith, Mommer.

Abby, Joni, Ava, and Emma.

Andrea, Mom, Tony, Lily, Kristin, Daniel.

Mommer, Popper, and Tom.

I would actually like to post some more pictures later on when I get them from my dad. So hopefully there is more to come.

Wow! April 24, 2008 has finally arrived. Tom and I have been here in Provo together for over 5 years, and the day of his graduation has finally come! When I think back to all we have experienced here in Happy Valley together, it overwhelms me. We've gone from being two little newlyweds to two college graduates with two adorable children, and a huge, open, expansive, future in front of us. We still don't know for sure which grad school we will be going to for sure, but we're excited to find out. We know the Lord is preparing a very deliberate, important plan for our little family.

It makes me so happy that I get to be married to someone who does what he loves. I love that my children will grow up seeing their daddy immerse himself in his passions and thirst after knowledge. If it was anyone else I would think they were crazy for wanting to study Akkadian or Hittite (or any of his other languages) in his spare time for fun, but for Tom, that's just Tom... it's who he is. He was born to do great and grand things. He has been blessed with a brilliant mind. I love Tom. I am so proud of him. I don't know that I've ever known anyone to work so hard at anything as I have seen him work at this.
Congratulations Tom! You deserve it!

Two New Haircuts

I decided to cut a few inches off my hair the other day and get some highlights. When I got home Joni looked... I don't know... shocked, I guess. She asked, "Mamma, what did you do to your hair?" It made me nervous because she didn't sound very pleased. So I asked, "I got a haircut. Is it pretty or not pretty?" She said, "It's pretty! Can I get a haircut, too?" So the next day I took the plunge and cut it myself. Her hair stays nice a LOT longer when it's shorter.

This is within minutes of cutting it, and she was dying to pose for the camera. She was dancing and jumping all over the couch yelling, "Pose! Pose! Pose!"- all while doing various random poses (she learned that from her cousin Ava and it's pretty cute).

The Count-down Begins

Joni heard me talking to Omi on the phone today (Tom's mom) about how we will be seeing each other next week - (Tom's BYU graduation - woohooo !!!). Well, since Joni doesn't exactly know what next week means, when I got off the phone Joni insisted Omi come "RIGHT NOW!" The more I tried to explain "8 days" to her, the more upset she got. So to calm her down I busted out my trusty pad of card stock and we made a paper chain count-down. Will these snazzy contraptions be used with children until the end of time? I think so. I saw the same dazzle in her eyes today as I had in mine when I made my first as a wee-one. Joni wanted it hung right above her bed and she couldn't be more thrilled. Now she has something to do every day to help her count down to everyone visiting next week, and I actually have something logical to say to a three year old when she begs for her visitors... because trust me, now that the cat's out of the bag, she WILL beg.

This is just a random picture of Jackson I took today. It's funny because he doesn't crawl yet - just rolls from one side of the room to the other. So how did he get under the chair? Hmmm... he does look kind of proud of himself, though, huh?

Sunny Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday we went up to the duck pond again to feed the ducks - it was such a beautiful day! When we got there we realized that everyone else in Provo had the same idea, and the ducks were stuffed to the brim and wouldn't eat a thing. It was very sad for Jojo. So we decided to go for a walk instead, and found some wandering ducks that were more than happy to eat day-old bread from a cute three year old!

My two boys. Aren't they cute?

We found a shopping cart in the "woods" that belonged to the 9th Street Creamery, and Tom was convinced that the right thing to do was walk all the way across campus and put it where it belonged. So Joni rode in it the whole way and we got many funny looks from people. I kept saying to Tom, "Don't you feel dumb?" And he'd say, "Nope, not at all. We're doing the right thing." Eh, I guess so.

Joni and Tom giving their "hurrays!" for making it to the creamery. Now for the long walk back *shrug*

I Give In!

OK, OK, I give in. This whole blogger thing is wonderful, annoying, mesmerizing, and of course, entertaining. I have followed a few blogs over the years and have always thought, "I should do that someday... but not today." But now several people in Tom's family are doing it, and I just can't stand to be left out.

Actually, my #1 reason for wanting to do this is I am a horrible journal keeper. I have felt a nagging in my stomach for years about it. I don't think I've ever taken the time to record milestones in my children's lives. I fail to record adorable, laughable, comments from my three year old. Now they are gone forever in the cobwebs of my cluttered mind, and that makes me sad. Elder Ballard said in his conference talk last weekend that the joys of motherhood come in moments, so this will be my attempt to watch for and record those moments. So unless you're a grandparent, aunt, or uncle to my children, I'm not sure how much you will enjoy this humble blog. But here it goes.