Girls Camp and Brooke

Brooke's first year of girls camp was so much fun. SHE LOVED IT and I felt like she grew leaps and bounds, in just one week. She was gitty, funny and became more independent this week.

These were two of the girls in Brooke's cabin. Rachel and Sydney

Brooke, Kelsey and Sarah

Sara, Holly, Breezy and Brooke

The girl in the center on the floor is KENDRA. This was Brooke's best friend at girls camp. No matter what we did Brooke wanted to do it with Kendra.

"Brooke do you want to go on the paddle boat with me?" No Kendra.

"Brooke it is time to go to certification." No Kendra.

"Brooke lets go visit the 4th year cabins". No Kendra.

"Where's Kendra?"

Brooke is so much fun and very persistent. She knows what she wants and it is very difficult to get her to deter from it, as you can see. This can be a blessing and a little bit of a curse.

I had a wonderful time being with Brooke, the Young Women, and the leaders. It was so much fun watching everyone and their interactions with Brooke, both those that knew Brooke and those that didn't know Brooke. Some were sceptical, at first, not knowing how to talk to her or how to treat her and then by the end of the week there was an outpouring of kindness and friendship the girls exhibited toward Brooke.

I am continually amazed and grateful for the spirit that our Heavenly Father pours out on the Youth of the Church to strengthen and build them and their testimonies, they are WONDERFUL and I feel so blessed to be able to be with them.

Brooke's Pajama Party

Brooke turned 14 this year and she LOVES being bigger and feels quite grown up. This year she wanted to have a pajama party, play games, have a BBQ and watch a movie. I know, I know, Brooke never asks to watch a show, it was a complete shocker that this is what she wanted.

The BBQ with her friends!

Brooke's Pajama Cake

Brooke with her friends.

Back row, left to right: Lauren, Esther, Katie, Heyjune, Dawna, Sarah, Brinli, Teisha

Front Row: Abby, Novalyn, Brooke

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR BROOKE, WE ARE SO GLAD YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR FAMILY FOR 14 YEARS, YOU HAVE FILLED OUR HOME KINDNESS AND HOPE.

WE LOVE YOU!

Our 1st Half Marathon

WE DID IT!!!! That's right, we finished the Bay Shore Half Marathon. My running buddies and I decided, during the COLD Michigan winter, to run a 1/2 marathon. I think our brains may have been frozen when we all agreed to go for it. I have to admit it was great motivation to keep us running during the cold winter months (at least it was good motivation for me). We started the real training the first of March and kicked up the mileage on Saturdays.

The first 11 miler Jenny and I were not feeling well, so this made me a little nervous. I wasn't sure if we were ready for the race. We had 4 more weeks to prepare. The next 11 miler we did okay and then the 12 felt quite easy (as easy as running 12 miles gets).

As we talked about the race and going up to Traverse City the kids were so excited, not because of the race but because they were able to go to "The Great Wolf Lodge" (this is a big indoor water park) and stay over night there. The race was Saturday May 23rd so we took the kids out of school on Friday and headed North for the big race, or the water park, which ever is the most interesting to you. I think it depends on your age.

Needless to say I was a little nervous but slept quite well considering a room full of excited kids and tomorrow was the big race. We left at 5:20 am to get to our destination and then waited until 7:00 am to run.

AAWWW, the dreaded anticipation of waiting!!

Look at this amazing group. We were the 1/2 marathoners. (can you tell this is before the race?)

Jenny, Julie, Suzanne, David, Todd, Kimball

This is after the race! Can you see the excitement in my grin to have FINISHED!?

After the race we received our metals that said "FINISHER". We didn't break any records, by any means, but it felt so good to be done. Our motto for this first race was

"TO FINISH IS TO WIN"

and we did it. We also wanted to finish in under 2 hours and we all did it!! That was exciting.

Our times were:

Suzanne Leonhardt Midland MI USA 1:57:11.75

Jenny Larsen Midland MI USA 1:57:28.11

Julie Hales Midland MI USA 1:58:09.25

Jenny Jordan Frogley

Have any of you, or all of you heard of Jenny Jordan Frogley? We'll on Saturday May 9th, we were so lucky to have her come to our home town and perform for us. We have loved her voice for years and found out she is related to Wendy Plewa in our ward. They look so much alike that we were both surprised that we didn't put it together sooner.
We were able to spend some time with her during the day got to know her a lot better. We love her even more after spending some one on one time with her.

Brooke listens to her CD everyday and knows all the words to the songs!

Daymon thought it was AWESOME to sing with her the new EFY theme song for 2009. He said it was an amazing experience. She is just SO good!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you AMAZING Mothers that I so admire and look up to.

Today in church I was reminded of a wonderful talk given in October 2000 General Conference "The Joy of Womanhood" by Sister Margaret Nadauld. I remember it sparking something in me 9 years ago and when I heard it again today I also felt the kind, gentle prodding to remember these important characteristics and try harder to develop them in my own personal attributes.

"Women of God can never be like women of the world.
The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender.
There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.
There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.
We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith.
We have enough greed; we need more goodness.
We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.
We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

There are so many of you who do these thing so well and have been such a strength and example to me. THANK YOU for your goodness and being who you are!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

PROM 2009

Get ready this is a LOOOONNNGGG Post!Having an older son dating has been so much fun but it has also been a constant reminder of how different boys and girls are. Most girls get so excited about activities, dates, and planning fun things to do, that it makes it easy for mom's, they don't need to encourage and prod, or be involved at all. BOYS, on the other hand, DO need all the encouraging, prodding, helping they can get (at least at our house). It was less then a week before the Prom and no one seemed to know what was happening and plans were not coming together SO, the mom's took things in their own hands. WOO HOO!! (the mother's of these children are PHENOMENAL)
PROM DAY!

Nate was a good sport and let me plan the activity for the group before they all got dressed up. They met at the church and were given 7 individual envelopes tied together with a bow and some instructions. They were to go on a Video Extravaganza!

They were to do everything that each envelop asked them to do and record it, if they got done with all of the activities there was a prize waiting for them at the end.

ENVELOP #1

Find the statue of a family at the tridge and record all of you doing “Ring around the Rosie’s”, yep, you got it “Ring around the Rosie’s”!! (Find someone to record you ALL doing it)

ENVELOP #2
Take a video of you doing a line dance on the tridge. The music is provided for you in the CD player in the back of the Van.
(Find someone outside of your group to video record you)

ENVELOP #3
Go to any park and take a video of the boys pushing the girls on a swing.

ENVELOP #4
Go to the MALL, each couple must go to a different store or area in the store and somehow make a pose like a manikin together and video your position and hold your pose for at least 30 seconds, if you can do it longer, WAY TO GO!!

ENVELOP #5
Go to the middle of the mall and find the bed in the play place and see how many you can fit on the bed to take a little nap. We of course need it recorded.

ENVELOP #6
Go to Meijer and each couple must find something from a different isle, something a little obscure. I know you can do that!!
You need to, as a couple, come up with an ad to sell the product. RECORD it.

ENVELOP #7
Hurry to the Larsen’s (405 W. Chapel Ln.) house and we have their permission to use their trampoline in the back yard. You need to video each of you doing your favorite trick!! Okay we are looking for crazy, funny, creative.

They did everything except making the ad in Meijer. They were running out of time so they just skipped to the last envelop. They did great!

It was Stake Conference this night and two of the older boys wanted to attend conference so the girls went to get ready while some of the boys attended Stake Conference. After conference the boys picked up their dates and went to the Dunford's home for a beautiful dinner.

Before they ate we, of course, had to take some pictures.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE! Nate with his cute date, Laura Workman!

from left to right, Alex Ostergaard & Annie Kruegar, Craig Jones & Carly Ostergaard, Trenton Dunford & Alyc Sponseller, Nate Leonhardt & Laura Workman.

AWESOME FUTURE MISSIONARIES!!

AMAZINGLY COOL GIRLS!

CUTE, CUTE!

The dinner consisted of a delicious Salad, Tomato Basil soup, Shishkabobs, Baked Potato, with a yummy Trifle Desert. That is making me so hungry, the food was delectable.

I have to add one interesting fact about this group. Most of them didn't want to spend very much money and they didn't really want to go to the dance. OKAY, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS -- HOW CAN YOU GO TO PROM AND NOT DANCE??? At least this was what most of the mom's and I thought. Of course we took the matter into our own hands and one of the moms was able to set up some decorations at an aerobics center which means, mirrors, sound system, good size room, etc.) and I came up with 2 more envelopes for the kids to open and follow.

ENVELOP #8 You may have gotten out of going to the Prom but hey, hey, hey, you need to go to
4422 No. Saginaw , when you get there You’ll know what to do!!
We put the key in the envelop.

The group got there and seemed to really enjoy themselves.

ENVELOP #9 LAST BUT NOT LEAST, you each have $1.00. You can go anywhere you want to pick up a treat for the movie you made, you can combine your money to get something bigger or you can get your favorite treat, chocolate, popcorn, gummy worms, whatever $1.00 can get.

They were running out of time so they just skipped envelop #9 and just ended up coming to our house and going in the four seasons room to watch the funny video that they put together that afternoon. We could hear them laughing and having a great time together.

To me, this is what dating should be like at this age, get with a fun group and go out and have a blast together. I think they all had a great time and they created some great memories!

Band & Choir Concert

Brinli had her 5th Grade Band and Choir Concert at Adams Elementary. They sounded very good for being in 5th grade. The big instrument to the side of her is a TROMBONE, it is almost as big as she is, she thought this instrument was COOL because of the slide.

She has a gift for music and can play quite well.

Brinli and Alexa

Brinli also sang in the choir, she was part of a special group that sang a pretty

descant to one of the songs. She is growing up way to fast.