Helper Mary

Hello. It has been awhile. I guess I just haven't felt like there is anything too exciting to report lately. Plus I'm having some weird blog issues that I haven't really had time to sit down and fix. So it makes me want to avoid blogging altogether.

We keep plenty busy, but mostly with routine things. Mary seems so smart to me. I'm sure every parent thinks that though. : ) But I can't help it. She is my pride and joy.

So this is what has been going on with her lately. I think I have mentioned here that she knows her colors now and is quite the talker too. She has a new rocking horse.



Everytime we play on the rocking horse, Mary says "hurt" because the horse came with a dent on the back of the rocker. LAME! But I wasn't going to haul that thing all the way back to Pottery Barn Kids and try to exchange it. We just used one of those wood markers and it looks better. Daddy is fixing it in this pic.


And we have gone to the SouthWest Mall play area a few times in the last couple days (mostly because I've been trying to help my sister with wedding preparations and they have a store there that has dresses we will be wearing).


Fun bumpy slide.


This place is fun!


Mary says "Tutoe". I didn't even know she was aware of what a turtle was!




Mostly though, Mary has been very excited about helping me clean the house. Her latest signing time video teaches all the signs for cleaning (clean, vacuum, sweep, laundry, etc). So even though she did help me before, she likes to show me what a good helper she is now. Show off. I wonder where she gets that from?

Look at me Momma!

Furiously scrubbing. : )


Scrubbing the floor with her pajama bottoms. : )


Mary's favorite job is laundry. I hand her items to put in the washer as it fills with water and she throws them in. I'm starting her out early with chores. : )

Sorting (putting dirty clothing in the dryer) : )


Happy girl.


She also has been enjoying the cd player more, lots of reading, and dancing. Mary says "Dan!" Oh! And Mary has really started enjoying coloring. She sits at the phone desk and will color for quite awhile. These photos are at PBK though.

Not exactly coloring in this pic, but I thought her face was so studious and cute.



Mary and I will be heading to Illinois to visit my sister tomorrow. So that should be lots of fun. Pray that we'll be safe please!

Park Days

Last week, we went to a park everyday. Monday - Big Dry Creek Park with Daddy(the one we go to most often), Tuesday - Red Tail Park (the ladies and kids from church are meeting at different parks every Tuesday of the summer), Wednesday - Plum Valley Park (this was a potluck with the kids from her literacy class at the library. We didn't have class Monday because of Memorial Day, so we had a get-together Wednesday instead), Thursday - Big Dry Creek Park again (on our walk), and Friday - Redstone Park (with my SIL and her kids). Whew! And tomorrow we'll be at Civic Green Park again after Mary's last class :(.

It sure it a fun way to spend time with Mary and friends and to be outdoors. And of course, Mary couldn't be happier.

Here are a few pics . . .

These steps were pretty steep, but after Mary saw another girl climb them, she decided to do it too. I was impressed!

And then she was able to do this fun tunnel slide. She went down in a very controlled fashion. : )

This little girl really likes Mary. After the last class she waved and said "Bye Mary!" And after this little park event, she went up to Mary and gave her several hugs goodbye. Mary wasn't quite sure what was happening or what she was supposed to do. It was kinda cute.



Here are some with Mary and her cousin H that she is closest to in age. There is only a four month difference, but look how much bigger Mary is! We have a pic of these two that we got done last October (if you happened to see them) that looks very similar to this. They are both sitting - Mary on the right side again . . . Anyway, it is fun to have a cousin the same age.


One of Mary's most recent milestones is that she knows her colors. She kept pointing to her hat and saying "Reh" and then pointing to H's hat and saying "Pea".


These next two pics are cell pics, but I thought they were cute anyway.


I love how Mary is almost as long as her 6 year old cousin here. Seriously!


Here is a clearer one of all the cousins. Aren't they cute? And dontcha love how the sister's are matching?

Mary going down a slide with R. They were both having fun. R is such a little mommy. Mary asked to go down the slide with her again and again.


And I just had to throw one more in here. Mary is getting enough hair now to do pigtails. She looked so stinkin' cute today to me. It does make her seem older though doesn't it?


Sure glad I get to be a stay at home mom and enjoy every second of Mary growing up!

Fun Weekend

I think we had the perfect weekend - some barbeques, time with family, a little yardwork and organization, and entertainment.

It all started on Friday morning. My oldest niece Hannah was graduating from highschool. I had thought at first that I wouldn't go because then I'd have to bring Mary along. But then, I decided I really wanted to see Hannah graduate. And so I made the effort to go and I'm glad I did. I love to experience things like weddings and graduations. It makes you think about the road of life and where you are in it and where you have been and where you will go. I love hearing Pomp and Circumstance. It always gets me just a little bit.

The Proud Parents



Mary looks for Hannah



The Happy Graduate (she's the one smiling)



It was down at DU and was maybe the best graduation I've ever attended. Everything was well organized. They briefly mentioned how to behave at a graduation, which I appreciated. Instead of having the valedictorians give 20 minute speeches, they all gave very short speeches??? - I think they all shared a quote and related it to the seniors. They had four of the students graduating do special musical numbers. They were all good I thought - and one of the students already has a recording contract to give you an idea of how good he was. DU is a beautiful campus and I enjoyed the bells ringing outside afterward as Mary and I went to the car. After that, we enjoyed a family lunch at one of the Murray's favorites - Olive Garden.


Hannah and her sister Emma


Saturday was a bbq/graduation party for Hannah and her best friend. Mary had a ball being outside. This persons backyard was amazing - it backed up to a golf course and there was a pond complete with a momma duck and her two little ducklings. It was fun to show Mary. I loved seeing the babies - when they'd fall behind a bit - run (paddle very fast) to catch up.

Balls!


All kinds!


Of course Mary likes to try out all the chairs too.


Fun for everyone! Mary so wanted to join Joe and Ansome.



Saturday night for my Mom's Mother's Day gift, I took her to go see my friend Heather play Mrs. Anna in The King and I up at the Candlelight Dinner Theatre. She did a PERFECT job and we enjoyed the evening very much! My only regret is that I was stupid and left the camera in the car missing photo opps with my Mom and Heather. Poop. : (

Sunday was nice with church and afterward a fun family bbq at my parents house.

Communicating


Don't you wonder what they're thinking?


Duck lips.

And Monday was low key. I always want to do something big for holidays and Jeff always wants to relax at home. So we compromised and just took a walk to a park for a picnic and relaxed the rest of the day. It was great.







Momma and Mary swinging side by side. Can you see Mary waving?







Sweaty, sweet baby after a long afternoon nap.

Guess that's about it!

Won't Be Long

Yesterday I was looking at this picture (Mary loves playing in the real car) and it reminded me of that Subaru commercial. You know the one right? The one with the dad talking to his daughter who is sitting in the car? Well if you don't, and even if you do, Here is the link.

A couple of days ago, someone asked me how old Mary was and I replied "18 months. Um . . uh . . . actually she is 19 months". I am usually aware when the day rolls around each month - but it completely escaped me this time.

Jeff said the sweetest thing yesterday. He said, "It is too bad Mary is going to have to go live with someone else someday". I guess I had never thought of that. To me her leaving doesn't seem like a sad thing, but I'm sure I will feel differently as I come to it. And yesterday, I was thinking of what Jeff had said and the thought came to my mind, "Mary will want to leave us". That is what is natural and good.

I remember being a teenager. Do you? I honestly don't know one teen that - though they loved their parents - didn't want to exercise their own independence and build their own life and let's face it . . . not have to put up with their parents.

It is healthy - at least I think so - for kids to want to leave. It means you have done your job well.

And speaking of leaving . . . we have a few big milestones this year in our family. My niece Hannah is graduating this week and off to BYU Idaho next fall. She is a very good girl and we are all proud of her.


And also my sister Catherine will be getting married this summer (hopefully! The Denver Temple Closing has wreaked havoc on her wedding plans and at this point we don't know what will happen). Here is the dress she is hoping to get (she already got one over the internet and doesn't love it - I TRIED to warn her). I hope she will get to wear this one. It is so beautiful on her.


So anyway, I know it won't be long before it will be Mary doing these things.

I remember hearing parents always comment on that before I had Mary. But it does sort of suprise you doesn't it? I guess it's the fact that so much happens in such a short time . . . it makes you realize the passage of time more. You don't notice it as much as an adult because you feel essentially the same. But having a child - it reminds you how fast it all happens.

So Mary keeps growing and is doing more and more each day. Instead of "bu" for book she now says "boo-ck". It's two syllables don'tcha know?. : ) And she seems to get taller or more and more teeth or hair all the time. Oh! And yesterday was her first day without using her sassy (pacifier). She did just fine. I thought it might end up being more of a fight than it was. And I'm grateful it wasn't. Now the only thing that makes her seem like a baby is her being in diapers still. But I don't think that milestone will be that far away either.

For now though, this is what she is driving.
I've had a renewed determination lately to enjoy this journey and savor it and take advantage of it as long as I can. Because soon she will be potty trained, talking in sentences, reading, going to school, hanging out with friends, driving a real car, graduating, and getting married. It really won't be long.

Presentation Summary

Last night, I gave a presentation to the ladies in my Relief Society. I was asked to share how developing my talents has blessed my life and the lives of others. I was nervous about it, but I feel that it went pretty well. And I am glad to have it overwith. It was a fun assignment in lots of ways (I wasn't really complaining earlier - it was just stressful) and it was fun to reflect back and think about those things. I thought I might share some of it with all of you and some fun pics from performing days. . .

So I started my presentation by giving a little of my background - which I won't share here (just too lengthy - and many of you know a lot of it anyway). But then I talked about how developing my talents has blessed my own life. Here are the main points I shared:
Developing my talents has . . .
* Brought so much joy and fun and laughter into my life

(This is a publicity photo for BDT's Crazy For You)


* I have been exposed to truly amazing works of art and so many talented people

(Scrooge (Phillip Pleasants) and Me from A Christmas Carol with the Denver Center Theatre Company)


* Besides learning how to play the piano, sing, etc., I have learned . . .
- how to work
- how to memorize
- how to set a goal and achieve it
- to be disciplined
- how to deal with disappointment
- how many more people in the world are more talented than me
- how to take care of my body and be comfortable in it
- ultimately it has taught me what is most important in life - which is not singing and dancing - it is family and the gospel of Jesus Christ
* As a young person, developing my talents gave me a sense of identity, accomplishment, and gave me confidence
* It has given me a vast number of VARIED opportunities - from leading roles, to teaching kids, to choreographing the youth in our stake for a regional dance festival, to singing at funerals, to teaching a blind student dance, to playing for Catholic mass. All of these experiences have added to the tapestry of my life and helped me relate to people and just expanded my horizons.
* It has made me feel good about myself . . . Some of my proudest achievements are when I won my division in NATS in college (a vocal competition), when I won the regional Sylvan Learning Center award for Teacher of the Year, or that I got to work at the Denver Center.

(This next photo is from The Frug from Sweet Charity at BDT. I was the dance lead and received some nice comments in the Denver Post review)

* One of the greatest blessings have been the relationships (including my husband) that I have met through developing my talents

(A pic of me and my good friend Annabel. We met doing the Will Rogers Follies also at BDT)


* It has been a nice way to serve in the church
* I've received financial blessings - scholarships and employment
* It has blessed my physical and mental health

How Have I blessed others?

Well this is a bit harder to know . . . I know Mary likes when I sing to her : ) . . .
But hopefully I have:
* Passed on some of my skills and knowledge

(A pic from The Sound of Music at BDT. I've gotten to work with tons of kids throughout my life.)


* Brought joy to others

(Another Will Rogers pic. I played "Z's Favorite" - a really fun character to play as you might guess from the pic)


* Helped to invite the Spirit in church meetings
* Shown people that Mormons are good people and helped to dispel some of the negativity out there about my religion

(The Birds from A Year With Frog and Toad at the Arvada Center - one of the most satisfying shows I got to do probably. Had religious discussions with one of the girls in this cast).

* Hopefully I will also pass on the legacy that was given to me in some way to my own children

I guess that is it. I'm sure there is more ways that I have been blessed that I haven't mentioned here. But I really have had a pretty awesome life. And developing my talents has been a big part of that.

I only wish I had MORE talents and MORE time to do everything. So many of you are talented and I am constantly amazed by all of you. : )