A Night of Firsts...

Garrett went on his first date to his first school dance--Jr. Prom at the U. Here's the group...

The girls...

The guys...

Garrett & Taylor Beard

The guys surprised the girls with a limo...

John teared up several times during pictures and I was lovin' every minute of it...

I think it's going to kill John to see Garrett drive away on his honeymoon...

Cheaper By The Dozen...

My friend Carin tagged anyone reading her "Favorite Things" post to post 10 things that they love or love to do that are FREE. Well... I came up with 12--an even dozen--and I didn't even include the temple and chocolate!!!

1. My family means everything to me... (their love is FREE but individually they are very expensive)

2. My parents FREELY love me unconditionally and have given me every opportunity life could bestow...

3. This is my FREE panoramic view in the fall every time I run along Bountiful Blvd...

4. I can FREELY watch my children participate in their activities...

5. I lay out on the beach for FREE at least twice a year in Capistrano, California.

6. The No. Canyon YW FREELY share their love and talents with me each week...

7. I have enjoyed a FREE library card since I was 5 years old...

8. I have passed along numerous FREE copies of the Book of Mormon in the attempt to share my belief and love for the book with others...

9. I watch FREE "I Love Lucy" reruns whenever I can find them on TV. I am obsessed!!!

10. The memories of family members that are still here with me and those that have passed on run FREELY through my mind and give me much joy and happiness...

11. I FREELY give of myself as I write daily in my gratitude journals. I started the day Grayson was born over 11 years ago and have consistenly written each day...

12. The spirit of beautiful music flows FREELY through my soul and has been a major part of my life since I was 3 years old and my mom gave me my first piano lesson...

I guess the old adage is true... the BEST things in life are FREE!!!

Your turn...

The "Ta Da" List

This is new for me. I've never posted anything without a picture before. But I wanted to share a tidbit from an article I recently read that suggested, "FIRST step back and acknowledge your important contributions and growth over the past year before you even begin to come up with resolutions for the new year." This should help us feel positive about who we are and what we've already accomplished!

Ask yourself these questions:

• What have I done in the past year to provide physical or emotional support to someone else? (You bloggers have all been a help to ME through your individual posts...)
• How have I grown over the past year from life experiences and unexpected events?
• What have I done in the past year to better care for my physical and emotional health?
• What have I done that no one notices unless it doesn't get done?

I felt different about my 2009 after I answered these questions...

Hailey's Turn

I set 10 goals this year--fairly accomplishable--2 each in the areas of Physical, Mental, Social, Emotional and Spiritual. My hope is to post my success stories throughout 2010.

However... one additional thing I'm trying to do this year is CONNECT with my kids on a deeper level. Besides the monthly individual "mom dates" that I have planned (yes, even driving down to Provo for Hillary), I want my children to know I truly am aware of their inner core and know what is important to them.

SO... Hailey loves dogs. Hailey loves Cooper. I love Hailey. I guess I love Cooper. I made a 2010 calendar for Hailey to hang in her school locker.

She's so happy they share May birthdays (Hailey on the 12th; Cooper on the 26th)

She really liked it.

New Years 2010

I admit it. I had to get out. I was so desperate for sun, sans snow, that I made John take me and the 2 youngest to St. George for less than 48 hours.

We left at 5 a.m. on New Year's Eve day and pulled into St. George at 9:30 a.m. The kids slept the whole way so they thought it was the fastest trip ever. I had "I Love Lucy" DVDs playing on the computer while I drove.

We visited a new park after we ate at In N' Out (refuse to sit in the line for the one in Draper).

Even John enjoyed himself.

We hit The Pizza Factory that night and the kids swam in the pool for several hours, celebrated with poppers and streamers and then woke up late New Years Day.

John and I wanted to go hiking on the trails at Snow Canyon but Hailey was not excited.

We let her run the video camera and she immediately changed her tune.

We found a bystander on one of the trails to take a shot of the 4 of us (Garrett went with a friend and family to their cabin for the week and Hillary wanted to spend New Years Eve with her friends).

We split up the boys vs. girls and took 2 separate trails that were "supposed" to meet. Good thing for cell phones. After a mile and a half, we contacted the boys when we were in a ravine and they were on the top of a petrified sand dune.

We hiked up to them and were very excited to look down and see our car in the not so distant parking lot.

Pulled into Bountiful at 7:30 p.m., exactly 38-1/2 hours after we departed. Great New Year. Great choice.