There is a quote: "LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORMS TO PASS.... IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN."
With 12 children and 5 adopted from Russia, we have had challenges and trials along with our joys. We have decided that we must
learn how to "dance in the rain." We must notice and acknowledge the joys and miracles in our lives.
They exist daily -- we just need to make sure we do not miss them!! This blog is to remind us of these miracles and joys!

Monday, April 29, 2013

APRIL 20, 2013: ALISON'S BABY SHOWER

ALISON'S BABY SHOWER
April 20, 2013

Melissa gave a wonderful baby shower for her sister Alison!  I was so glad I was able to fly early to Utah and to be there!!!  

Melissa served delicious muffins and fruit parfaits

She had such cute ideas:  she had everyone help to illustrate an "ABC Book" that she will laminate 





 Melissa led some super fun games:  
Matching the animal baby names that were really hard! 
And a picture drawing game predicting Baby Clawson's future!!
 PRESENTS!


 The blessing dress that Grandma Connie Richardson crocheted!


 Grandma Toni Clawson made this beautiful bunny blanket!!!
 A Crocheted baby afghan from Great Grandma Clea Beach





APRIL 18, 2013: A FRONT YARD SURPRISE and ROSES!

A FRONT YARD SURPRISE and ROSES!
April 18, 2013

When I drove up to the house one morning after some errands, I was surprised to find this!
Next to this very large truck in our muddy yard, was a young man who was very apologetic and felt so badly!  I felt really bad for him because he had to call his boss for help and explain how he had driven his big delivery truck into our yard!!!  He said his hand slipped and he missed the turn of the cul-de-sac.
A mess.  We were grateful he came back that evening and added topsoil to fill in the big ruts he had made. :)


Today was our last cake decorating class for Level 1.
Today we learned to make roses and a couple of other flowers and then had to frost and decorate a 2-layer cake!!!
Since we had 5 cakes of that size, we decided on several families to drop them off to.  Here is the cake we brought home for us -- we forgot to take pictures of the others!


Tuesday, April 16, 2013

April 11-13, 2013 New York and Broadway!

New York and Broadway!
April 11-13, 2013

Vernon and I had the chance to have a "get away" which we haven't done for a long time!
It was quite fun!
Vernon went to a conference about middle eastern economy and
I went to a Broadway show one evening and then spent all of one day sleeping in
and then crocheting all day!!
We then enjoyed seeing "Newsies" on Broadway together and then a Saturday morning at
the Manhattan Temple.  A lovely ending  to our trip!
Times Square
Connie's first show
 I was told this show was definitely "family fare" by a person at the TKTS booth.
Well, evidently my definition of "family fare" is different than theirs.
It could have been much worse, but I wouldn't take my children to it.
It was definitely a "cupcake with a cricket on top."
I got this ticket for a discount at TKTS

Bette Midler was starring in a play across the street.
NEWSIES
I was so extremely excited to go see Newsies!  I had looked it up online and it said it was sold out.
Vernon and I went walking and found the theater and they did have tickets for Friday night.
We were way up top on the 3rd level, but we were there!!!



The set for Newsies was amazing!
It consisted of 3 three-story towers that moved in and out and around and they 
connected and .....  really cool.

Empire State Building at the back left all lit up.


We stayed at this neat, old hotel that was nice and had character!
They had free apples and free greek yogurt!

It was funny, because this picture that hangs behind the main desk looks
so much like "Mallory" from Studio C, which is a comedy troupe that the 
kids love from BYU TV!!!

We found some $.99 pizza!!!
It wasn't bad -- thin crust, weak sauce, but ample delicious cheese!
Quite a deal for a meal in NYC!

MANHATTAN TEMPLE
Vernon and I had talked about going to the temple while in NYC, but then we both totally
forgot to pack Sunday clothes!  Vernon needed a tie and I needed a skirt and shoes!
We looked at something on Friday night before our show, but had to hurry off and planned to go the next morning.  Well, when we called the temple, the only session that would work with our timeline was at 10:30am!  We headed to Dress Barn to pick up a dress for me and it didn't open until 10am!
There was no way we could wait and make it to the temple, so we decided to start walking!!
We walked for almost an hour and looked for dress shops along the way.  Vernon found a black tie at a souvenier shop so he was set.  
Vernon asked me "What are you going to do?"  I simply answered, "I don't know."
We kept walking.  It was now 9:50am and we were up at the temple and thought that we had found a department store right across the street from the temple.   With 10 minutes to wait for it to open, we walked up and found a man with a fruit stand and there in NYC, we bought bananas for 5 for $1, big oranges for 2 for $1, delicious and large nectarines for 2 for $1, some plums for 4 for $1 and grapes for $1.50 per pound.
We thought we were getting a very good deal -- cheaper than fruit is currently in Arkansas!
We didn't buy any fruit, but knew what we would do after the temple session -- assuming we made it!
At 10am, the store opened.  We headed straight upstairs and I found a grey pencil skirt for a decent price in NYC and a pair of sandals and went to check out.  It was now 10:12am.  The cashier's computer froze and I thought, the adversary is at work -- come on computer!  Then her computer clicked right back on we were checked out. hustled out and across the street.  Vernon threw on his tie and went in.  I ran  into the bathroom of the church building -- which is in the same building but on a different side -- and changed from jeans and tennis shoes to skirt and sandals so I could go into the temple.  Went quickly to the dressing room and changed and made it into the chapel with a few minutes to spare.  What was odd, is that Vernon wasn't there yet.  We left the chapel to go to the endowment room and I waited a bit and then Vernon finally came.  I asked what took him so long and he informed me that he had a problem with his socks!!!  
Evidently, the pair of socks that came with his rented temple clothing was extremely small and the heel of the sock only came to the arch of his foot!!!  He stretched those little things to death to get them on!!!
But we made it!!!!!
It was a beautiful day and such a blessing to get to go to the temple!!!
We are grateful!!!

The shorter, cream colored building to the back left is the temple!





April 9, 2013 Cake Decorating #2

Cake Decorating #2 
April 9, 2013

In our second cake decorating class, we learned to do an edging and some piping and then we used piping gel to make a pattern on the cake and decorate it!  We all made a "cupcake" on our cake!

Bethany's cake

Rachel's cake

Connie's cake





APRL 5, 2013: CAKE DECORATING CLASS #1


CAKE DECORATING CLASS #1
APRL 5, 201I3

Rebecca, Benjamin, Rachel, Bethany and I decided to take a cake decorating class!!
It is great!  Here we are at our first lesson!  We basically watched most of this lesson but
we were anxious to try out our new tricks!!! So ........


We are taking the class with a couple of friends from church!!

Practicing the drop stars with the star tip!

Well, we had to try out our new tricks, so we invited our friends over and the girls made decorated
cakes all afternoon on that next Friday!!!
It was tons of fun!!!
Mason had to have a cake, too!  Rachel helped him out!
Bethany made "Cookie Monster"
A. and her beautiful flowers
M. and her "One Direction" cake











April 13, 2013 -- HYRUM'S FOLK DANCE PERFORMANCE

Hyrum's Folk Dance Performance
April 13, 2013

Thanks to Alison, we were able to see pictures of Hyrum 
at his folk dance performance.
He has had fun and he has sent videos along the way of their dances!!
Go Hyrum!!!  I knew I was doing the right thing when I made him take dance with his sisters when he was just 5 years old!!!

Isn't Alison beautiful!!! She is less than a month away 
from having her sweet baby!!