A Busy Week for JD

This past week has been a pretty great one for JD.

#1 On Tuesday the 18th, JD was recognized and awarded the Alpine School District's High SchoolTeacher of the Year!

I am so Proud of JD! He is an amazing teacher and it feels great that he was recognized for all his efforts. I don't really know how to put into words how he is able to be such a great teacher. But I think most of all is that he loves what he is doing. He really wants the kids to learn so he puts his best efforts into teaching them. JD is a thinker - whether it be trying to figure out a good way to present a certain concept or trying to decide how to handle a tough situation with students and parents, he puts a lot of time and thought into everything he does. I think that really makes him the man he is. I respect that about him because I'm quite driven by my emotions and sometimes don't think as much as I should. Although he has been a good influence on me and is helping me to see that thinking before acting is a better way to go!

Here are the people that came. That is JD's uncle Gary and his Grandpa and his Aunt Denise and Grandma. Gary and Grandpa were and are educators in Alpine School District. It was a great night. My dad also came to support us. Happy times!

#2 It was Cavestock at AFHS on Friday! Time for JD to be the rock star that he is for a night. It was great fun this year. JD plays the bass guitar and sings backup and also got to sing one song. It was Marissa's favorite song - Pork and Beans by Weezer. He did SOOO good. In the middle of the song Marissa and Dawson went right in front of band and started dancing and jumping. I have a video of it and it is sweet. I will try to figure out how to get it downloaded on here. We had a great time and love watching Daddy rock!

#3 And finally Sunday was JD's birthday! I made him a yummy breakfast burrito before his church meetings in the morning. And then as soon as he got home at 11:45 we gave him his presents. I think the kids and I were more excited to give him his presents then he was to get them - but that changed!

A new GUITAR! I think he really likes it!

Then we headed off to church. Came home had a nicely cooked (by JD) tri tip and artichokes (cooked by me). Then cake and ice cream. Then LOST - (a little disappointing - not the ending I was hoping or expecting) but fun to watch the last episode.

So yep - a busy week but a great one too! I love you Babe!

Family Fun

It took a bit of doing and a few piles of this but

eventually we got this
and this
and this
and finally this! What fun!
Oh and just incase you were wondering. Dawson who became a Bear (Cub Scout) this month, if you ask Marissa, Dawson is not a Bear, he is a yellow boy! (I had a pretty good laugh at that one)!

Random

Dawson turned 9 today! I can hardly believe that he is that old. My little blue eyed boy is growing up so fast. Here we are last week with him getting his Wolf badge.

Brielle was blessed on Sunday. She did so well - not a peep. We had almost all of our families there. It was really nice and I am so grateful that I have JD as a priesthood holder in our home to bless our children! He is good man!
Brielle and Rissy. Today I left the room while Marissa was drinking one of those Kool Aid drink things. All the sudden Josh is yelling for me. Marissa had Brielle drinking the red kool ail. Brielle had a red tongue and a red shirt. Thanks Rissy Roo.
Brielle and Quezon. My little sister's baby. They were almost 3 pounds different in birth weight but now are about the same weight. Quezon is packing it in. He is half Samoan and he is a boy so I don't mind at all the he's passing Brielle in weight! It's fun to have these two so close in age! And now that the Leuluai's are here in Utah instead of Hawaii - it's even better.