2ND PLACE!!!

        Hey everyone, guess what? YESTERDAY I HAD MY FIRST GYMNASTICS COMPETITION!!!!!!! It was soooooo much fun. I got 2nd place overall! I got a higher score than everyone on floor. I definitely did not do my best on beam. Bars and vault I did good on. I got 2 first place ribbons for floor and bar. I also got 2 second place ribbons for vault and beam. I got a trophy also because I won 2nd place. My best friend in gymnastics, Maddy, got 1st place. She has been doing gymnastics way longer than me so I'm not surprised she got 1st. But, still, since I just started its pretty good that I got 2nd. Here are some pics...

This is me before going in to the competition.

This is me after meeting with my team and waiting to get started!!!

 

This is me, Maddy and our coach, Courtney, after the competition.

My ribbons, trophy and the flower that Cordon bought me.

Happy Valentine's Day - Late!

Dear Family,
Happy Valentine's Day - a little late!  A big "thank-you" to those who sent Valentine's Day wishes...we enjoyed reading them and seeing your pictures.  We love all of you so much and love to hear from you and pictures are a big bonus!  We had a quiet Valentine's Day.  We worked the afternoon shift at the temple (2:00 - 10:00 PM) and so we weren't able to go out to dinner - we went to brunch instead!  There is a really cute breakfast/lunch place down the street from us that has yummy omelets, pancakes, french toast, etc.  Our sessions at the temple were pretty full, so it was a good day.  We had a fast trip to Utah the weekend before...It was fun to see everyone there...We were glad we were able to catch one of Jacob's basketball games and play with Eliza, Bella and Addi.  Dad and some of the guys drove to Provo to see BYU play SF State (too bad they lost right at the end!).  Tomorrow we are driving to Mariposa to visit the ward there.  We have a lot going on the next few weeks....We have been invited to attend some meetings, lunch and dinner along with a special stake conference with Elder Bassett (our area seventy), Elder Rasband and Elder Christopherson who are coming for the meetings.   Our mission president, President Gelwix, and his wife were asked to accompany Elder Rasband to Merced for their stake conference and we are to go with Elder Christopherson to Visalia for the stake conference there.  I'm sure the meetings will be wonderful.  Meantime, I am working on a talk I have to give in a RS meeting in Visalia in a couple of weeks and a presentation I have to give at a Woman's Conference later this spring.  Dad and I have also been asked to speak at an institute meeting this week and at another RS meeting in June.....Thankfully, we can share a lot of the same material wherever we go...
I'm SO grateful for ALL of the help you ALL continually give us...Zach and Amy helped me format a DVD presentation I am presenting; Stacie made a card with a picture of our temple on it with a quote we like to use;   Jenny is always bailing me out of my computer problems; Scott, Greg and Kristin take such good care of our home in Utah, ice and all; Cinda and Kevin are so nice to let us come and stay with them when we can get away for a quick trip; and Kevin made my life much easier by giving me a shot of cortisone in the shoulder and hand!  I can now sleep undisturbed through the night, which is such a blessing!  You are all wonderful!  Just a reminder....February is almost over and we asked for a commitment of at least one entry on the blog from each of you each month....We hope to hear from you this week!!  Love, Mom

Wonderful Weekend

Dear Family,
Last week was a busy week at the temple.  We worked mornings with Dad also working on Monday.  Saturday night we were invited to attend the Saturday night meeting of Stake Conference in Visalia.  We had a visiting member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Kopischke (pronounced "Kopishka") from Germany, as well as our area authority, Elder Bassett who is from Cinda and Dave's ward.  It was a wonderful meeting - they were reorganizing the Stake Presidency the next day and so all three members of the present Stake Presidency spoke.  They then opened the meeting for questions from the audience.  They  called on different individuals seated on the stand for answers.  One question concerned how we can encourage our members to attend the temple.  That, of course, was directed to Dad.  He gave a great answer and then Elder Kopischke gave some counsel.  He had us open our scriptures to "one of the first General Conferences" - King Benjamin's speech in Mosiah.  He talked about the importance of "turning our tents" (our hearts and minds) toward the temple.  With the world becoming more and more secular in nature and with all the challenges about us, we need the constant reminders the temple offers about why we are really here and how we are to make it "home" to our heavenly home.  The meeting the next morning was a satellite broadcast for all the stakes in northern California.  We met a half hour early for the stake reorganization.  The Conference talks were wonderful.  Elder Paul Johnson spoke about following our leaders even though we might not always understand the reasons behind their counsel.  He said to "seek and follow guidance from the holy ghost"  is key to finding true happiness and success.  Mary Cook, first coun. in the General YW Presidency spoke next and she gave wonderful counsel about "turning off the static" so that we can hear and feel the spirit.  She said that with all the technical gadgets we have, it is sometimes hard to hear and understand what the spirit is telling us. ( I have often been concerned about this...It seems like so many today do not know how to just sit quietly and think and ponder - it makes them uncomfortable to experience "quiet."  They always have to have something to watch, listen to, or something in their hands to
fiddle with).  Elder Anthony Perkins was great also.  He talked about what we need to do "to build up Zion".
He said we cannot build up Zion until we as a people are ready.  He suggested we need to:

1. Become  unified - be "of one heart and one mind".  We need to repent, love and minister to one another.
2. We need to be a holy people - receive and KEEP covenants.  A Zion people will gather to the temple.
3. Care for the poor and the needy 

Elder Tom Perry was the concluding speaker and spoke about the main points in Chapter 3 of "Preach My Gospel" - The Restoration, The Plan of Salvation and The Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Commandmensts and Laws and Ordinances.  After the Conference we drove to Roseville where we were treated to a "49'er Buffet at Kevin and Julie's.  We then spent the night at Cinda and Dave's so that I could visit our favorite Dr.'s office the next day!   It seems the pain I have been experiencing in my right shoulder is "rotator cuff strain" (who would have thought!) and so Kevin gave me a cortisone shot to try to alleviate the pain.  I also had a shot in my left hand for some arthritis.  I highly recommend Kevin...he is great!  It was very fun to see everyone, even tho it was a short, quick trip.  We were back in the temple today, we have a meeting tomorrow, work Thursday morning and then have a weekend off with a quick trip to Utah to check on our home and for a quick visit with everyone there.
Thank you, thank you, to all of you for your contributions to the blog.  We love reading all the posts and love the pictures.  We love all of you so much....Love, Mom

Valentines

Ok, I am a little sad for Katleynne.  She spent probably over an hour trying to compose a cute entry from our family for the website.  I asked her to bring it to me before she posted it and when she brought it in she pushed some random button that deleted her entry.  She was devestated and wouldn't retype it.  I will give her a couple of days and then have her try again.  She was so excited to see the pictures people had posted and to read about what others are doing.  My kids are more tech savvy than I am so they will also enjoy being able to get on and see what the family is up to.  Since Katelynne lost her entry, I told her I would hop on and post a picture of the fun valetnines that I am helping her make for her class.  Dave and I will be out of town on Valentines Day so we are trying to get this project done this week.  I think they are turning out super cute. :)  I hope you are all having a terrific week.  We love you!

Cinda and Family

New Beginnings for who?

Just wanted to share: Ashlan attended "New Beginnings" at Young Women's this past week, as they invited all the incoming beehives and did a spotlight on them. I can't believe she will be in YW, and I feel like it is a "New Beginning" for me too as we enter this next chapter with our children. The emotions and drama are already high in our home, can they get any higher?....Really? :) Sincerely, I am thrilled for Ashlan and am very proud of the wonderful young woman she is becoming and the good choices she makes. She has a strong testimony and a sensitive heart and I am grateful for her desire to follow the gospel standards and share that with others around her. This picture is with her best buddy at church, Abby:

On at lighter note (as long as we are talking about drama), you might enjoy a recurring quote from Kate's recent prayers: "Thank thee that we can go to bed, and not lay on the ground and cry, and not yell at our Mom and Dad....". You can guess what goes on in our house with that wonderful little independent soul! She really can make me smile, laugh, cry and scream (or want to) all in one moment! :) We love you all!