Happy Mother's Day!

To my wonderful mom

and mother in law






I am so grateful to have you both in our lives.

Top 5 reasons why I love my mom.
-She is so loving. I hope I can be as selfless and giving as she is one day.
-I can talk to her about anything. I remember so many afternoons in the car or evenings in the kitchen sitting and talking with my mom. She was always always on my side and willing to give her advice ("that stupid boy..." or "Why do you care what they think anyways?"...)
-She has taught me to be kind. I remember going into a new high school sophmore year and being afraid I wouldn't find friends. She told me "Alissa, if you are ALWAYS kind to other people, you will always have a friend where ever you go" I tell my first graders this almost everyday. It has been a guide in my life and I've found it to be true.
-She always supports me. There have been so many decisions I've had to make in my life. My mom is always there right behind me helping me along. She helped me get through school, and boys ("I never knew why you liked that one so much... we were always rooting for Clint").
-I can always call her. I love calling my mom. I call her for recipes, about my school kids, about my calling, and just to chat. Whatever the occasion, I can always count on her making me laugh and feel good about life again.

I love you so much mom!

Top 5 reasons I love my mother in law 
-She has always been so welcoming to me. I remember back when I stayed at their house for Clint's farewell 3 years ago (and she didn't even know we were semi dating/I hoped we were and Clint was scared of me...) and she welcomed me and my best friend Marissa into her home for the weekend.
-She teaches me new things. She helped me sew some lace on my new dress and how to make the amazing chocolates she dips every Christmas. She is always willing to help.
-She also helps Clint sometimes too ;) "Clint, you are not a coach in this marriage, you are always the cheerleader." She has said that to him a lot of times and he does a good job at it.
-She is very patient. It seems that she is always busy with a lot of things to do for her children, but I never see her look frazzled. I don't know how she does it, but I admire that about her.
-She raised my Prince Charming. I know Clint wouldn't be the man he is and the man I love without the teachings and love from his mother. Thank you Marilyn.


They are such amazing examples to me and Clint and I hope they both know how very much we love them.

Happy Mother's Day!!

earthquakes

The other day we had an earthquake drill at school. My kids had  A LOT of questions about earthquakes afterward... here was one conversation that particularly made my day :) 

boy: So... what if there was an earthquake and the ground cracked?

me: That doesn't happen very often.

Like how often?

umm... probably like once in 100 years

 (I know, totally random guesstimate, but hey, he's in first grade. 100 years is long. kind of like an hour.)

so there aren't really earthquakes?

no, there are earthquakes, but they are sometimes just little ones that don't make cracks in the ground. They just make people wobble around a little and then they're over.

OOOOOOOO... Like last week, I fell and I thought I just tripped. 
BUT IT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE

Big Deal

Remember back in high school when it was kind of a big deal if your significant other liked the same kind of music as you? Like you'd be making out "the list" and maybe not the top 5, but definitely right underneath that...."needs to like the same music as me." ok. Maybe that wasn't on everyone's list, but I thought that was pretty important. 


Then I got married. And we agree on most important things, like going to church is important... and a lot of not so important things, like Braza Express is better than Tucanos... I know, perfect for each other right?


Everyday, after my little kiddos are gone from school, I turn on a little happy music on my Pandora station and clean and plan and get ready for the next day... The other day, midst my wonderful country stations, Micheal Buble and Sara Bareilles, I see something I FOR SURE did not put there. Yet there it was. 

Beethoven 

and

 Greatest Classical Music Symphonies 

Wait what?

Yes, my wonderful husband was listening at home and needed some music he liked. Not sure why country, micheal and sara didn't cut it... but apparently that part of "my list" was less important to me than I previously thought... Luckily for me, I have a husband who may not have my preferences in music, but still has all my favorite stations on his car's pre-set stations so when I drive with him in his car he still lets me listen to them instead of talk radio. 

Love my man. He is always making me smile and making me the happiest girl in the world. How I managed to get everything I always wanted and more

besides the music thing ;) 

 is beyond me, but I'll be forever grateful. 

love love love my life.
<3

perfection

Right now

I am listening to Micheal Buble

I have all the windows open (I'm not even cold!) and there is the nicest breeze coming through my apartment

I just realized how to PIN things on Pinterest. 

Not like repin them, like be original. 

I know. It's taken me like a year

I have a cleanish house

                      which is a good spot for me. I don't need spotless

I have a countdown. 3 days til california. 

flying. not driving (love love love that)

=Life is REALLY good right now

For real?

So we've been talking about national symbols in first grade for a few weeks.... We've learned about the white house, the president (my kids call him Obama. I try to get "President" in there... not happening...), the flag, ya know, all of it.

So today I remembered I had visited a bunch of these places (DC, Statue of liberty...) so I brought my pictures to show them. I knew they would love it. I got to the picture of me in front of the White House...

Cute little boy: ...Wait. Mrs. Prestwich, you mean Obama is real?

My thoughts: umm...yes. yes he is. I thought we clearly went over that....

Rings and eavesdropping

Can you believe it?!

It's been exactly one year since we got engaged! and now I've had a little ring on my finger for a whole year! 

 then there was this great day...

and this one...

and now we're just loving every day of life!

P.S. Remember how today my kiddos learned about the White House and we pulled up whitehouse.gov and went on a virtual tour? Then I gave them a little art project... the conversation about drawing the president went like this...

 (all kids bantering back and forth. I like to just listen occasionally :) )

"Don't forget, draw the president black, cause he is"

"People  aren't black!"

"Some are"

"No, they can be brownish, but not really black"

"O ya? Then why do people say he is a black president?"

"They say that, but not like crayon black..."

I really love my job. They just make me laugh.

water + aerobics = ya, I'm that cool.

I got a wristband from BYU. It will change my life. I am hereby admitted to like 17 aerobics classes whenever I would like to go to them this entire semester.

I used it today. For a water aerobics class.

yes. I used those weights. And I may have had that smile on my face too. It was THAT much fun. And let me tell you, I'm a little sore and it's surprisingly difficult to do jumping jacks and squats and the grapevine in chest high water... you heard right, the grapevine!

Want to know my favorite part? I have come home, showered, gotten into my pjs, put on my lotion, and I STILL smell like chlorine! Reminds me of those good ol days in high school.

Love my life!