On Your 12th Birthday: 12 Things I Love About You

1. Those amazing eyelashes and gorgeous baby blues
2. Your voice that goes higher the happier you are
3. The way your gut laugh is contagious
4. The way your hair grew in so curly this year. CRAZY!
5. The fact that your teacher never misses a chance to tell me how much she loves having you in her class. She loves that you always gets her sense of humor and can come back with something on the spot
6. Your willingness to forgive our shortcomings as your parents
7. You love with everything you are
8. Your love of spicy foods
9. The fact that you're 12 but you still let your mom pinch your cute tushy every now and again
10. You set aside time to play with the little boys in the neighborhood who regularly ring our doorbell and want to "play with Mason"
11. The way you don't argue about doing work but dig in and get it done
And last but not least
12. The way you stole my heart 12 years ago today, set up camp, and have occupied a huge spot there ever since.
Happy Birthday Mason. I hope it's been great!
Love You!

Dad's and Donuts

Today was Dad's and Donuts What a fun excuse for Dad's to go early before school with their kids, read with them and of course, there's donuts involved. Sugar's always a great way to start the day but add your Dad reading a book or two with you and what could be better?!
I volunteer at the beginning of the day on Wednesdays and arrived just as the majority of Dads were leaving, heading back to the corporate world armed with the musings of Curious George, The Cat in the Hat or maybe Harry Potter. Whatever their fancy, it made me smile to see all these men who lovingly took time away from busy work loads to spend some quality time with their kids.
Dad's don't get enough credit in my book. The good ones anyway. They play such an important role in the family and it's great to see most of them take that very seriously. We've got a good one around these parts and I'm grateful for him more everyday.
Mattie, Thanks for spending the morning with the kids. They loved it!

...and that's how it all began.

June 1995. I was in Logan to play with Dana and visit some old roommates for the weekend. One of our gals had her boyfriend with her. A group of guys approached our table to chat since one of them knew her boyfriend. After chatting for a bit, they joined us and the small talk began. He asked me my name and I, rather shortly, told him it was April.
And your last name, he asked?
I don't have one.
You see I wasn't interested in this scene. Just wanted to be with my friends. Not interested that is, until he began talking to one of the other girls. Well you know, excuse me....attention back to me please!
As the conversation allowed I mentioned that my last name was Elggren. He looked at me rather strange, which you get use to when your last name is Elggren. For some reason it's hard for people to say at first and even harder for people to spell. UGH.
There was an Elggren on my mission he told me.
Where did you go on your mission?
Argentina.
My brother went to Argentina.
What?! That's crazy. Sure enough, this dashing young fellow knew my brother and had spent 2 years in a South American country the same time he had over a year and a half before this.
The conversation flowed and we talked into the morning hours that first night, forgetting about our friends. I really liked this guy. That was something I hadn't thought possible for a long time.
Tomorrow's Father's Day I told him, why don't you come down home with me for dinner. My brother will be there with his new wife. It would be fun to see his reaction.
He came to dinner the next day. Met my family and surprised my brother, who was so taken off guard that it took him a minute to place where he knew this stranger from. We dug up pictures from their mission. At the airport both leaving and coming home from Argentina. There's my family and standing next to us is his family. I'd been there both times when they left and when they came home. He'd been there both times, we'd never noticed each other. This is crazy and funny.
Must be fate, right?
So I married the guy.
16 Years ago today.
What else ya gonna do.

Happy Anniversary Mattie. I love you more today then I could have ever imagined.

How Did You Celebrate Your 100th?

Today was the 100th day of school for the kiddlings. Boy, the school goes nuts over this, all kinds of celebrations. I don't remember it being any sort of a deal while I was in school but BRING IT ON! Any reason to celebrate, right? Mia's class did some fun activities one of which was to draw what they might look like when they're 100. This picture makes me smile.

Hope your 100th was as steller!

Out Of The Mouths.........

Yesterday Madden and I were in the kitchen ready to make him lunch before sending him off on the school bus. He told me I needed to guess what he wanted to eat. So began the list of usual lunchtime kiddie food; grilled cheese, hot dog, chicken noodle soup, chicken nuggets, etc. After a few guesses I asked for a small hint.
"It starts with a W," he said.
.........crickets......more crickets.........
"Madden, I can't think of one thing that starts with a W. Help me out, K?"
"Mom, think about it! Wha,wha, wha.......it starts with the sound of "W". Wha...wha...wha....(these sounds are accompanied by a dramatic eye roll, because seriously, how dumb is his Mom right now?!)
"FINE!" he said, "I'll just tell you! Wha, wha, wha.......Whaman Noodles!"

Gotcha buddy. Sorry to be so slow.
I did follow this conversation up with another about how it really starts with an R. We practiced a few times but it's going to be a while before the W's get replaced with the R's. Maybe once his missing teeth grow back in.

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Last week I took the kids out to buy odds and ends to finish up their Halloween costumes. After a stop at Toys R Us, Hobby Lobby and Walmart I told Mason that we were going to go to Savers and DI. He asked what Savers was and I told him it's kind of like DI where they sell things that people have donated because they don't need them any longer. His reply?
"So it's EXACTLY like DI. They take crap people don't want anymore, slap a price on it, sell it and call it charity."

A little harsh but yep, that about sums it up.

It's Great To Be 8!

Today you're 8 and I'm reminded again how fast time goes by. I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. We were so excited to have a little girl join the ranks. You had a perfect round face & a perfect round head (compliments of a c-section) and the most beautiful pair of lips I've ever seen.
You were the smallest of our babies but quickly grew beyond that. You were a very happy baby as long as we kept you fed, changed and generally gave you everything you wanted.
Now you're becoming such a beautiful girl. You're eager to please your teachers. You love babies. You always describe a past event by explaining exactly what you or others were wearing or how your hair was done. You really pay attention to those details. You're excited to be 8 and happy to be in 2nd grade. We love you Mia Anne! Happy Birthday!

*Photo's compliments of Ruth Done Photography :)

Will Be Missed

Matt's brother Darin passed away Wednesday morning. I can't imagine losing any of my brothers so to think this is the second brother he's lost in just a few years seems a little overwhelming. Darin's life was hard. He struggled often. We'll miss him a lot!

Darin Roger Thompson, 40, beloved father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend, passed away on Wednesday September 14, 2011, choosing to leave this life to a better place, free from pain and struggle.
Darin was born January 17th, 1971 in Ogden Utah to Merlene Woodland and Roger Douglas Thompson. Darin was reared and spent most of his life in Garland Utah. He was a natural athlete in his youth where things seemed to come too easy for him. He made friends easily and had a big heart. From adolescence to adulthood Darin unfortunately was led to a life of addiction and incarceration that became too overwhelming to overcome, a life that even the best efforts of family and friends couldn’t persuade. It will be the times of goodness that we as a family will remember most, times when he was fighting to be on the Lord’s side, loving and giving to all around him.
Darin is a member of the LDS Church and gained a testimony of the Gospel late in life, specifically of the Prophet Joseph and the Restoration. Darin was a talented Poet, having written many great works that we will cherish.
Darin is survived by his son Dale, parents Merlene Woodland and Roger (Cindy) Thompson, siblings Matt (April) Thompson, Holly M. Stone, Scott (Tiffany) Stone, Tamaria Bradley, Nick Thompson , Dyllan Thompson as well as his nieces and nephews and countless loving family and friends. He was preceded in death by a brother, Justin Stone.Funeral Services will be held Monday September 19, 2011 at 11:00 am at the Garland Third Ward LDS Church, 175 South Main, Garland with Bishop Jim Hall officiating. Family and friends may call from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Sunday, September 18, 2011 at Rudd’s Funeral Home, 1234 South Main Garland and from 9:30-10:30 Monday at the church. Interment will be at the Garland cemetery following the funeral.

Matt wrote the obituary & I think it's PERFECT!

We love you Darin.