March Madness

Dan was trying out a new offense for Loryn's basketball team. He wasn't sure if they could understand it or not, so he tried explaining it to Quincy. She seemed to catch on, so we'll see how the fifth graders to with it! March really is madness at our house with 3 kids playing on 4 different basketball teams, and soccer teams starting to practice. Yikes!

Every year since I married Dan, the Rosses have held a family draft for the NCAA basketball tournament. We draw numbers, and then take turns choosing teams. Then we watch our teams advance through the tournament and accumulate points. It's a heated battle with lots of bragging rights. The draft itself is the most fun and intense part of the process. Here we are huddled around the table selecting our teams.

Taylor Growing Up

It's a weird, wild, beautiful, and bittersweet thing to watch your oldest child grow up. One day you'll be scrolling through pictures and you'll see one and think to yourself, "when did she get so old?!"

Taylor made a lot of new friends in junior high this year. I am so grateful they are cute, fun girls who seem to suit her well. Here they are after hiking the Y.

 And then you'll be scrolling through the pictures on her iPod and come across something like this. A picture she's taken in class. And you know you didn't send her to school with her hair like that. And you know that she should probably doing something better in math class. But then you remember distinctly a moment very similar in your life when you were her age. And you giggle. And then you cry because it seemed like just yesterday you were in her shoes.

 And then your perspective shifts and you look at her and she's simply not little anymore. And you wonder when this all happened. Like the time when you saw a large group of girls playing soccer from a distance. And I see a girl that looks like Taylor but I'm convinced it's not her because that girl is a full-grown woman. And you even tell your husband, "No way, that's not Taylor." But it is. And those moments just keep coming. One after the other. And it's wonderful and horrible and exciting and terrifying and sad and sweet. And you want to break down into ugly sobs, but you don't, because she has grown up to be such a great kid.

Warm Spring Sunday

We had a very mild winter with very little snow this year. But even so, when it is actually warm enough to wear shorts in early March, we take full advantage. On this particular Sunday afternoon, we went to the kids' school to play on the playground and enjoy the sun. Of course, even though Quincy was wearing shorts and and a tee shirt, I was still wearing a parka :).

Fisher's Baptism

 Fisher was baptized on a frigid day in February. Grandma Ross and Taylor said the prayers. Grandma Donnette gave a wonderful talk about the Holy Ghost. And I talked about baptism. It is the first baptismal service we've been able to have with just our family, so it was extra special.

 These are the men who stood in the circle to confirm Fisher a member of the Church and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 While we missed a lot of our cousins, aunts and uncles who live far away or who had other commitments, we were so glad to have such a great show of support from all those who attended.

We had a nice lunch with friends and family at our house after Fisher's baptism. After a nice afternoon of eating and visiting, we went to watch Taylor's basketball team play for the championship. They won and we were thrilled to watch our dad coach them to victory!

Fisher's Baptism Date

When Taylor got baptized, we started the tradition of taking our kids to Temple Square the night before their baptism. It's a great way to spend some one-on-one time with them in a place where you can feel the spirit so strongly.

 Fisher and I standing in front of our great-great-great-great grandfather, Hyrum Smith, one of the first martyrs of the Restoration.

 Dan and Fisher watching the video about Christ's baptism by John the Baptist.

Fisher and I overlooking Temple Square from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where we had dinner together.

Fisher enjoying his ginormous hamburger!

Happy Valentine's Day

Is there a better Valentine's Day gift in all the world than seeing this cute little thing coming out of school?!

 For the Family Home Evening before Valentine's Day we each had a heart for each person in our family. We wrote what we loved most about each person and then hung them on the wall for the week.

 Just because.

Fisher's Baptism Photos

I've got to admit I have a real soft spot in my heart for this little guy. He is such a sweet, happy, sensitive kid. He was born with the sweetest, kindest spirit. And I was so happy for him to be baptized. It is an overwhelming thing as a parent to prepare your child for such an important commitment. But we worked hard with him to both understand the promises he would be making and the blessings he'd be receiving. It's been apparent from the day he was born that he has a special sensitivity to the spirit and a genuine desire to be good. Our prayer for him is that he will never lose that gift.