He's Here! James Dalton

I'm a Great Aunt!

 January 26, 2012

James Dalton arrived

Weighing 6 pounds 7 Ounces

Proud parents: Jerry and Taylor

Taylor and baby James.

James is beautiful!

Both Mom and James are healthy and happy.

 My Brother Lyle is Grandpa.

Lots of dark hair.

I'm so happy for their little family.

Taylor gets to take 3 months off of work to bond with her baby, which is such a nice benefit.

I'm hoping that when Taylor starts back to work that Aunt Sondra will get to babysit now and then. I can't wait!

Way Back Wednesday: When Snow was Fun

I remember when we couldn't wait for it to snow.

My boys would go out and build a snowman.

 Brady age 3 in Salt Lake City. It must be October because their are ghosts in the tree and ducks in the yard.

Brady is such a cutie!

 Brady age 7.

Now .... when it snows we aren't that excited anymore.

We're old.

And we have to drive in it.

No more snowmen to be built.

*sniffle. ... they grow up too fast.

Sometimes it's not fun when your children aren't playing in the snow anymore

AND there aren't any snowmen in your yard.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.

Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream, 1963.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream, 1963.

Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail

Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Price Acceptance Speech

Priest Quorum

Last weekend Brady was sustained as the 1st Assistance in the Priest Quorum.

The Priest Quorum President is the Bishop, and Brady is to help the Bishop along with the rest of the Priest Quorum presidency in serving the Quorum. He'll have to attend monthly meetings with the Bishop, Quorum presidency meetings, and call/communicate with the quorum members each week for the Wednesday activity.

 When Brady was asked to serve in this position, I asked Brady if he told the Bishop how busy he is right now. He didn't tell him and doesn't feel like it's a problem. I know with the Lord's help he will be able to serve diligently in this calling.

They set Brady apart during church last Sunday. I was kind of mad that they didn't grab me out of Primary to attend the blessing to set him apart. When he has been in past Y/M Presidencies they have always grabbed me to attend the blessing.

I gave Brady and the Young Men's president (who is also our home teacher and friend) a hard time for not getting me.

I told them I only have "months" left with Brady before he is on his own - "not years" - and I wanted to be there.

I was half joking with them but half serious too. I'm sad I couldn't hear the blessing he received. I love Priesthood blessings - they are the best!

One last note... Brady hasn't completed his Eagle project yet either. He has until August to get it done. (One of the things I hate about being a single mother - getting this scouting stuff done).

Brady's College Acceptance

Brady is going to college!

He has been accepted to attend Boise State University.

However, somehow he didn't check the appropriate box to indicate we are an Idaho residence so he was accepted as a Non-Resident for the tuition. Yikes! I called them and now have to prove I'm a resident by filling out forms and taking it to their office with my state taxes. I guess using his transcripts that says he's attended Meridian High for the past 4 years isn't good enough. Oh well, if he selects to attend BSU we'll make sure we are an Idaho resident.

We have been instructed by Church leaders to send our children away to college prior to their mission. Attending BSU is our last option. I prefer that Brady leave home for a year before his mission so that he gets over his homesickness and learn to be on his own. That way when he is on his mission he is adjusted and can just get to work.

Brady has also been accepted by University of Utah.

We are in a unique situation where Brady is "in-state" tuition in Utah and Idaho.

His father pays taxes and is resident in Utah and I pay taxes and am a resident in Idaho.

I'm disappointed that his dad hasn't even let us know that he has been accepted. The acceptance letters are mailed to his address. Thank goodness for an email from the college or we wouldn't know he's been accepted. I've tried to call his dad with no response either. (shaking head). But, I KNOW he has the letter. I wonder why this isn't an important fact to let his son know he has been accepted by calling him or texting him.. (I'll get off my soap box now).

I'm also leaning towards having him attend UofU because he can hop on a plane and fly home instead of driving.

Brady has applied for Utah State University too. Unfortunately we are in the same boat and the acceptance letter is mailed to his dad's house. I'm sure he's probably been accepted - but so far we don't know. Waiting....waiting on some kind of acknowledgement that Brady is important in the life of his dad. OK.... I'm back on my soap box.

I lived in Logan, Utah for 4 years. I loved it. I loved walking around the Logan Temple nightly with roommates. I loved being in family home evening groups. It was a fun college town and I loved every minute of living there. I know Brady will love it too if he selects to attend there.

Brigham Young University

I would love Brady to attend BYU Provo - that would be my first choice. However he received a 24 on his ACT test and to be accepted you have to have a 26 -- even though he has straight A's all 4 years.

Also, Brady has been procrastinating the application - I'm sure due to his ACT score and because he has to submit an essay on "a challenge he has had and what he has done to overcome it". Brady can't think of anything to write about. I told him to write about how his life would have been better if he had a father in his home raising him. It's a good feeling that he feels he has a perfect life - the problem is he feels it has been a blessing to be raised only by me and not his dad. I told him not to think of a full time father as Maurice but a good dad/husband and what that would have meant to his life.

As a positive person who has an optimistic view on life, I always have a problem answering questions like this in job interviews. I don't look at life about problems I have had to overcome, I look at life as wonderful and happy -- always.

Brady does the same thing.

I don't like questions like this. Brady has promised to complete this application this weekend. I hope he comes up with a good essay response.

To be accepted at BYU, Brady had to have an interview with the Bishop of our ward and a member of the Stake President. When Brady met with a member of the Stake Presidency (who is our friend and former bishop) he wanted to help Brady get accepted to BYU because Brady is such a great kid. He said he would meet with BYU's office/councilor and let them know that Brady was such a great kid and see if he could help get Brady accepted.

He was in Provo last week and met with a BYU councilor. Unfortunately Brady hasn't completed the application. When Stake Presidency met with the BYU councilor, He couldn't do anything to help out Brady because the application wasn't completed yet. I'm embarrassed that our Stake Presidency took time out of his busy schedule to help Brady when the application is incomplete.  Brady promised him he would get it done this weekend.  

Brady is extremely busy right now. He is up late  EVERY night completing homework (11 - 12 PM), due to his Hello Dolly play practises and his heavy school schedule. He is constantly going and going. 

As an example: this weekend is busy. Friday play practise until 5:00pm then he attended a birthday party and was home by midnight. This morning he is off to play practise 8:30 am until noon, then he has a Men's choir workshop 1:00 - 9:00 pm. Somewhere this weekend he needs to complete his homework, complete BYU application, work on scholarship applications, attend church and rest.

Every day I pray that he can sustain this busy schedule. But, I know he is loving every minute of it. What a way to end his high school years - with a bang! 

Way Back Wednesday: Baptism

I pulled out my sons baptism photos to share with my Primary class. I shared with them my baptism, but didn't have any pictures to share. I wanted to share some pictures so I brought Jason and Brady's baptism pictures for them to look at and told them about their baptism too.

 I thought this would be an excellent way back Wednesday post, since I already had the pictures out of the albums. Brady and his dad Maurice. Maurice traveled from Salt Lake City to perform the baptism. Brady had to be baptised 2 times. The first time he didn't go all the way under the water.  

 Brady and his mom, Sondra.

 I was a single mom with Jason. Since Jason didn't have a dad with the Priesthood to perform the ordinances, he asked Uncle Kurt to baptize him.

And Jason asked Uncle Kelly to confirm him a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were able to reserve the church to have a private baptism for Jason. They don't allow that today, but back then they let us.

Both baptism days were wonderful. I love looking at those cute 8 year old boys. Awe!

I love Christmas Time!

The holidays are really busy for me and my work schedule. In trying to fit in all the fun I can along with helping my customers prepare for their celebrations with their friends and families, I get completely exhausted. After the Christmas season and putting away all the many decorations and getting my house back to order, I complete shut down. However, I can't complete shut down because I also needed to finish preparations for the first day of my new Primary Class on January 1st. I'm starting to come out of my total exhaustion and need to catch up on my blog/journal.

I started this blog at Christmas time, but never finished it:

It seems as I get older the less rushed I feel. I have more gratitude in my Savior Jesus Christ for his love and sacrifice for me. I'm thankful to know He came to the earth to show us the way back home to our Heavenly Father. His atoning sacrifice gives me hope that even though I am not perfect, he has paid the price for me to repent and try harder each day to be like him.

December 23: Last night as the fire was burning and all the Christmas lights were glowing .... I felt happiness! I love this time of year. I love being home and the comfort it brings to me. I love preparing for Christmas and sharing the joy with my children.

December 24: Jason and Sharon will come tonight and we will have a nice dinner of Heavenly Ham, crock pot cheesy potatoes, asparagus and home made rolls. They will stay the night and in the morning we will open presents and have biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

Brady has a flight that leaves to visit his dad at 3PM Christmas Day. We will miss church at 1PM to leave for the airport. When Brady arrives to his dad's he will have another Christmas there. It should be a wonderful time for him! He will be spending the next week with his Dad.

 Christmas morning we woke up to stockings filled.....

 and many presents to open.

 The past several years Brady is always wrapped in a blanket, laying down and opening presents. He doesn't move from the laying down position. He is such a teenager.

 Sharon helped pass out presents to open.

 We are blessed! The abundance of gifts were overflowing. This year I decided that spending tons of money on computer/video games for Jason and Sharon was a waste of money - so I didn't purchase any.

I opted to purchase long term gifts like:

A tool box and drill for Jason.

A camera for Sharon.

Great gifts to start their life together with.

Even though these items were NOT on their Christmas list, they were a huge hit.

 Brady was spoiled this year. He did receive 2 computer games (he's still a teenager).

But his big gift was a .......

Laptop!!! He would need one in the fall anyway for college. I thought it would make a great Christmas gift. Now we have more then 1 computer in the house to fight over. Maybe I'll have more blogging time in my future *grin!

Brady also wanted new advanced levels of Piano books. He scored! 

He went right to the piano and started playing... I know that you thought he would immediately start playing with his laptop, but he LOVES to play the piano more.

In every stocking was a sack of coal. We were naughty this year *giggle.

This was Brady's post in facebook:

So, I was gone last the week after Christmas and didn't have access to my wonderful Christmas stocking. Through all the candy inside, I stumbled upon a strange object last night... Apparently my mom Santa has had this for 3 years and kept forgetting to give it to me every year :P But now it's official, I've been somewhat naughty this year *sexily raises eyebrows*

He makes me laugh!

I received many wonderful gifts too. The one Jason was most excited to give me was "Love you Forever" book. He told me that when he read it he started to cry. He remembers me reading it to him when he was a boy and me crying and barely getting through the book.

I love when your children get older and they see you through grown up "real eyes". They begin to love you more, as they remember the good times they had growing up (of course with a fantastic mom like me (sooo humble huh?) - LOL).

I sure love my boys!

I received a tri-pod for my camera. I hope that it will help me improve in my picture taking skills this year. I'm soooo jittery.

After all the presents were open, Jason made us breakfast.... Biscuits and Gravy. It was a wonderful Christmas morning. At 1:00 pm I took Brady to the airport to visit his dad for a week.

Jason and Sharon stayed until 5:00 pm and then my house was empty. I busily started to clean up the house and prepare for a busy week of after Christmas cleaning for my customers. I also was busy putting together items for my Primary class.

It's been a wonderful Christmas season. My home is back to normal and I'm starting to recover.

2012 is here and I look forward to a fantastic New Year!