Happy Birthday to my SWEETHEART!

We enjoyed a NICE dinner at PF Chang's with our good friends!

My Sweetheart turned 48 last week!

A birthday letter to follow:

Dear Sweetheart,

Yesterday while spending much needed ALONE time with you at the lake, as you were hugging me...my thoughts turned to HOW great my life has become. I came up with the following reasons.
1. The love you give me is NATURAL and not forced.
2. The love you give me is UNCONDITIONAL and not for show.
3. You help me see that I am "better than I think I am".
4. You make me want to be "better than I think I can".
5. You don't just EAT my cooking cause you have too...you actually LIKE my cooking!
6. You thank me EVERYTIME I do the laundry!
7. You watch "chick flicks" with me and don't complain!
8. You love my children...the way I LOVE them.
9. You provide for me and my children...lovingly and without complaint.
10. You have brought me BACK to my roots...reminding me that I'm a country girl at heart!

I sometimes want to PINCH myself and wonder why I am getting to LIVE this wonderful life with you. I adore you and everything about you.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Lovingly,

Your wife,
Jana

Polynesian Dance Camp...

I must explain how something so little brought so much JOY.

About two weeks ago I received an email from a lady in my ward who explained that she was doing a Polynesian dance camp at her house for the week of July 20th-July 24th and the week would end with a Luau where the girls would perform the dances they had learned for the week.

I wanted my GIRLS to have this wonderful opportunity...but we've had to make a lot of "sacrifices" lately.

So with money an obstacle...and the girls with their dad the night of the Luau I had decided not to do it!

But I had this NAGGING feeling to just...DO IT!

So we DID!

The girls came home so excited and couldn't wait to share all that they were learning!

And by Wednesday we discovered they would be at the Luau after all.

And that changed EVERYTHING!

We had SO much fun getting them ready to perform Friday night,

and being able to see the PURE joy on my girls faces...

well that was PRICELESS

and of course it made me CRY!

You know the feeling you get as a parent when you know you've done something really right for your kids?

Well I had that feeling...and I knew we had made the right choice.

And the performances?

Well they were AMAZING...check it out!

I LOVE being a Mom to these girls!

My girls are always FIRST in line for the food.

Rachel's dance number - back row on the left!

Katie's Dance (sorry she was behind the girl in front and I couldn't get a good view of her most of the time!)

They did this song for the FINALE and sang it beautifully so I had to post it!

Finding Winter in 100 degree HEAT...

Our GOOD friends the Economou's found us a way

to get out of our 100+ degree HEAT

when they signed us up for a day of ICE SKATING!

Ron and I hadn't been for YEARS...and well my kids had never been.

Hence, JACOB grasping onto the wall!

Seriously, I am depriving these children of FUN! :)

Rachel is ALWAYS willing to get her "groove" on.

Katie on the other hand prefers to keeping it COOL!

Meanwhile, Jacob takes lessons from me!

This little "man" really TRUSTS me...

and goes out on his own to show me his skills!

Meanwhile, Matthew

shows us all how it's done,

even giving Ron a lesson or two!

And when it was all said and done...

THEY CAME LOOKING FOR ME....OUTSIDE!

(I had seriously cold hands and feet!)

Disclaimer: Christopher was not "LEFT OUT" of the fun...he was away at Scout Camp.

OUR summer fun...

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks...

and probably won't again

since I'm taking a

SUMMER HIATUS

from blogging.

I'm having FUN playing with the kids but here is a

SNEAK PEAK

of some of our activities for SUMMER.

Katie is becoming quite the PLAY-DO artist!

And of course, GIRLS have to go shopping!

I just LOVE play-do...it can entertain for hours!

And my BIG project for Summer...learn how to decorate CUPCAKES!

Finishing product...our family in pajama's!

Christopher and Jacob even got in on the action...decorating their own CAKE!

We even went to the STAKE garden to get fresh produce...

but we went on IRRIGATION day and got caked in MUD.

But we thought it was fun to get in the CANAL to cool off!

And to make our SUMMER even better????

Jacob's BEST friend Nathan moved the first week of SUMMER only

1.5 miles away! YIPEE!

And now our LIVES feel more complete with the

CHRISTENSEN'S living close by!

OH YES, it is going to be a GREAT summer.

Ready, Set, Don't GO...

10 days ago

my children left my home...

but they had to go do what they needed to do,

and I had to do what I needed to do.

But as they were getting out of the car to leave I found myself saying...

Don't GO!

But as of today they are ALL home,

safe and sound in their beds!

And I feel complete AGAIN!

Big sigh!

Huge sigh!

'When you THINK happiness...'

I hope KATIE you think of

'OUR SONG'

sung at the Taylor Swift concert

and that you will

'STAY BEAUTIFUL'

and

'FEARLESS'

Knowing that the

'Best first date you ever had'

was with your Mom, Tina and Scarlett Economou

and not when you were

'FIFTEEN'.

No, no, no...I want you to stay my little girl FOREVER,

And to Tina and Scarlett...

"Thanks for giving us a NIGHT to REMEMBER!"

Survivor...Man vs. Woman

For those of you who know me...

know that my favorite ALL-TIME

television show is...

SURVIVOR!

Seriously...I know this is pathetic but I have watched all 18 seasons and plan to watch the 19th season when it comes back on this FALL.

I know ALL the winners, all the losers, all the locations and to top it all off...

I've even had the opportunity to meet (and HUG) the host

JEFF PROBST!

My dream was to someday be on Survivor and prove that my diligence in watching all seasons and episodes...would pay off when I would be the one to

outwit, outlast, outplay and be the Million Dollar winner!

Until,

Ron and I took a trip to Lake Powell and did our own version of Survivor!

Me...when we got there!

Ron...looking distinguished!

Our amazing, private little campsite!

Do you notice...no sun!?! Yes it was cool!

Our only form of cooking...a dutch oven!

Ron's got some skills!

Ron doing what he came to do!

Me doing what I came to do!

Rainbow Bridge is a must see!

OUR one and only picture together!

Ron's amazing photography skills...shocked me with this picture of this beautiful flower...I had no idea I was even in the picture! Love it!

Can you believe this storm!?! We did not expect such cool temperatures!

But Ron loved every minute of it! The cool weather, the fishing and

spending time with his best friend...ME!

Seriously, this man had some amazing FIRE making skills!

So at the end of the trip

and after realizing I don't like cold,

I don't like bugs, I don't like (and am too old) to sleep on the cold hard ground...

that I would SEND

RON

to live out my DREAM!

Survivor...here he comes!