You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, "How well have my children done?"

-President Gordon B. Hinkley

A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.

-Peter DeVries

All that I am or ever hope to be,

I owe to my angel Mother.

-Abraham Lincoln

The sweetest sounds to mortals given

Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.

-William Goldsmith Brown

"All true trophies of the ages are from mother love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world."

-William Ross Wallace

Spring Break

We started off Spring Break with Christian's flag football game. It poured rain on the poor kids.

We took a field trip with our friends to This Is The Place Park to see the baby animals.

It was beautiful and then it turned--the story of our weather here the last few weeks.

The gang.

Christian tested for his red belt in tae kwon do.

Easter Sunday and the traditional shot of the kids with squinted eyes from the bright sun.

Easter egg hunt at Grandma's.

Easter fell on Bev's birthday this year. She wanted a soccer cake. I also made strawberry shortcake, so we didn't even cut the soccer cake.

Her dreams came true and she got an iTouch. The first thing she wanted to do was facetime her cousin Lauren.

Grandma and Grandpa shared treasures they brought from their trip to Israel and Egypt. We got to see their pictures and hear about their adventures.

Beverly with her great-grandma Beverly. Grandma gave Bev a special figurine that she has had for 30 years--something she will always treasure.

She got her birthday breakfast in bed.

Monday we picked up Mike from work and went to the zoo. We could watch those monkeys all day.

She recorded the animals and took pictures--she's already addicted to this device.

I saw this shirt and just had to get it for her birthday. It is a cat girl with glasses riding a bike--so Bev.

1. Having a long weekend to spend with people I love.

2. Remembering the Resurrection and the Atonement.

3. Having such a sweet, smart, beautiful girl.

photo assignment

I am finishing up the assignments for my photography class. I needed to photograph a subject indoors with natural light. The kids were at school, so there were no humans available. Tiger is not a very willing participant, so I got the twins out again. They were such good models before, and they did not disappoint this time either.

So, I am snapping away when Tiger shows up.

I don't know if it was because she was nervous or hungry, but she kept licking her lips. Whatever it was, I didn't like it. Christian says that she might think they are mice.