Karate master

Noah competed in his first karate tournament a coupple of weekends ago. We were so proud of him for finally coming up with the nerve to do it. He did great! He won first place in his group and was so proud of himself. Of course, Dave, Grammy, Pop and I were in knots watching it because Noah gets so upset with himself if he doesn't do things perfectly. I almost wish he hadn't gotten first to see how he would handle it - it's a problem we have really been trying to work on. It's this same attitude that kept him from wanting to compete until now - ifhe can't do something exactly right, he doesn't want to do it at all. Anyway, this was a huge step in his karate career to help him toward his eventual goal of getting a black belt. What a great confidence builder!

It's Official!

We are officially moved in now!

After a year and a half, a lawyer and suit, a new company, and three card tables and folding chairs, we finally have a real kitchen table! What a long story it has been - which I will not bore you with. Let's just say that it is so true that when you have to work at and wait for something, it makes that thing oh so much greater when you do get it. It's beautiful and we love eating at it. We had a party with several friends to celebrate the day we got it and even though it was a wonderful night to eat outside, we made everyone sit and eat at the new table.

We are back to eating outsde, but are looking forward to many meals to come at our perfect kitchen table.

Speeding By

Did I say things were going to slow down in March? I'm beginning to sound like Dave - "Oh, next month...this summer...after this and that...things will be slower and I can take a break" - which never comes. I need to take back all the things I've said about him and his inability to slow down and say no to people.

I realy don't mean to sound like a whiner. Everything that we have been doing has been fun and we are so blessed. I just keep feeling older and older and like my wonderful life is flashing before my eyes!

At the beginning of the month we got to spend some time with more missed friends from Utah. The Moeller family was in town and we had two fun meals with them. Also, the Sawyers were able to stay with us for a couple of days and we had a terriffic time with them. Of course, it didn't seem like long enough, but it was so nice to pick up right where we had left off, just like there was no time away. We can't wait to see everyone again in June when we go to Utah to visit! Here is the Sawyer family in front of our house as they were leaving.

We have had a gorgeous spring! Yes, Arizona does have a spring season - although it is very short. The front of our house is covered in yellow blooms.

In the middle of the month, I got to go with my friend Josie, my mother and my grandmother for a weekend in Phoenix at a scrapbook convention. We took tons of classes and of course did tons of shopping for more scrapbook stuff that I won't have time to actually use - but someday... It was exhausting, but so fun! I'm always so impressed at how my 80+ year old grandmother can keep up with all of it and us. It definitley reminds me that I have no room to be tired and lazy - if she can do all these things than I surley should be able to.

For the latter part of the month, we have all (Grammy, Pop, Dave and I) been helping Noah get his invention project done for school. He came up with a traveling chalkboard/whiteboard/sketchpad/game board for his GEM class at school. He has been working very hard sawing, filing, painting, sanding, and typing. We've all been able to add our own little pieces of expertise to it (which I'm sure Noah wishes he could do without sometimes). He is finishing up the presentation panel for it and will be presenting it to his class this Friday.

Noah was finally accepted to a school in town called the Sonoran Science Academy - he will start in third grade. We had applied there when we first moved to Arizona and he has been on a waiting list until now. Now that his time at the local public school is coming to an end (May 22 - yahoo!) I have mixed feelings about moving to the academy. It will be good for Noah - they do alot of hands on math and science along with learning spanish and all the other regular subjects. They have a Lego club and a robotics club which Noah is so excited about. I am more sad for myself about the move. I have made all my friends helping out at school and have become very familiar with the people and workings there. I will also really miss walking to school everyday. I keep saying that I will stay in touch there, but we all know how that usually goes - we all get busy and leave behind past parts of our life. I'm sure both Noah and I will make new friends, but hopefully we can work extra hard at maintaining the great friendships we have already made.

Spring Busy

Our spring break was the week before Easter and it was anything but a break. Although, it was all wonderful!

The first few days we went to Phoenix and stayed with my parents. While there we went to a big Renaissance Festival held there every year. We ate, threw knives, road rides (all powered by hand), and saw some joisting.

On Monday we headed for Disneyland in California - about an 8 hour drive. We went with friends and had a great time. The weather was perfect. We spent one day at Knott's Berry Farm where they have many major roller coasters. And after each one, Noah would yell, "That... was ... awesome!" Dave and I just felt like we had been beat to a pulp, but we all enjoyed it. Noah was such a trooper at the Magic Kingdom because the family we went with has a tradition of getting pictures with as many characters as they can find - both of which Noah cannot stand (characters and pictures). He hung in there however. Here is is at a character dinner, where there are lots of characters in one place that come mess with you while you are eating.

We were back home for Good Friday services and Easter. Here is the only picture I took on Easter (and I call myself a scrapbooker!?) It was a quiet day - Dave's parents came over and you know the spread was good because I was cooking - hahaha! We had build-your-own-sandwiches and potato chips out on our back patio. We were all happy to be lounging outside. I was happy to not cook. Dave was happy we had his favorite food. Noah fell asleep at about 4pm - exhausted from the previous week - and we could not wake him. So Dave and I got to catch up on all the Young and Restless we had recorded while we were on vacation. All-in-all, it was a very good day.

Where did it go?

March came and went in the blink of an eye. Noah chose a mad science theme for his birthday this year and we had a wonderful time performing experiments, building jitterbugs and marshmallow towers, exploding soda, making ice cream and being crazy. Thanks goodness, once again, we had lots of people who really helped us pull it together - my mom, Dave's parents and some friends. Here we all are in our lab coats creating wonderful messes!

This is kind of a sad year for Monica. I think Noah has outgrown the over-the-top theme parties that we have been putting together. Because a few days before the party this year, he asked me, "Mom, will there be any time to just play?" To which I replied, "Of course not. We have 12 experiments to do and ice cream to make and badges and bags to decorate and games to play and..." I guess it's not all about me and what I want. Dave is very grateful that I have finally learned that lesson and he will no longer have to stay up at night cutting out green blobs or drawing heiroglyphics on rolls of paper or making paper mache dinosaur eggs. I will miss it very much, however.

Anybody have a birthday coming up?

Noah has really gotten interested in basketball lately, so we got him a basketball hoop so he can play at home.

We also went to dinner with Grammy and Pop at Flemings (per Noah's request). Flemings is a fancy steak and seafood restaurant where Noah loves their crab legs - he can taste the difference between Flemings and Red Lobster. He's a kid after Pop's heart - he has extravagent tastes!

She makes us laugh

I had to share these funny pictures of Diamond. She loves to watch tv with us. She does stuff every day to make us laugh (and make us crazy).

I miss the derby!

So We recently took Noah and his friend Jesus to the Monster Truck Jam at the Tucson Convention Center. They both thought it was awesome, but I really miss the demolition derby/truck shows in Logan. They are so much more exciting. Ten minutes (much less two hours!) of trucks with giant wheels squashing other trucks and cars goes a long way! And the noise and exhaust!! I never appreciated the open air setting of the Logan shows like I should have. I sure hope that our visit there this summer coincides with a demo derby - I think I'll be checking the dates now and plan our trip around it.

I also had the pleasure of taking two handsome dates to the Mother/son dance at school. Here are Noah and Jesus dressed in their finest.