Memorable MondaySuns Game

Jim and I took Josh and Danni to see a Suns game.  We boarded the light rail and headed into Phoenix.  Jim and I are fans and it was so fun to share this experience with our kids.  I loved watching Steve Nash and Shaq play on the court.  I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of previous Suns players on the walls of the arena.  In the 90's, I watched the Suns play during the playoffs.   This was a fun event and I would love to do it again. 

One day, I convinced my parents to have a party and pay to view the Suns game,  We had a huge turnout and the game was great.  Jim was the first one to leave the party and the last one to leave.  That's when things started to get a little serious between the two of us. 

Jim and I attended a Suns game before we had children.  I just had my wisdom teeth removed and Jim's parents offered us the tickets,  We sat in the Suites between the lower and upper levels.  It was so amazing to watch the game and see the players that I've watched on TV over the years.  

Suns game

Checking out the players

Historic Women's Broadcast

This year, the church held a General Women's find replacing the YW and RS broadcasts held the Saturday before General Conference.  The girls ages 8 and up were invited to attend this meeting as well.  This first meeting will be historic.   It was a great meeting and the leaders to time to include the primary kids who have never been to a meeting like this before.  I knew that Ashley was in a meeting just like ours, which confirmed to me how awesome it was to have all the women in the church 8 and up hear the same talks and the same time.  Super cool!!!  Here is a list of the speakers:

"Keeping Covenants: Protects U, Prepares Us, and Empowers Us" - Rosemary M. Wixom

Video Presentation: "I Am a Child of God"

"Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other" - Bonnie L. Oscarson

Video Presentation: "Walk in His Light"

"Wanted: Hand and Hearts to Hasten the Work" - Linda Burton

"Daughters in the Covenant" - President Henry B. Eyring

My Girls and I attending the Historic General Women's Meeting
with combing RS, YW, and Primary

Danni and Britt

Our ward Relief Society invited those who attended the broadcast to a special dinner served by the priesthood members of the ward.  It was great to sit with the sisters in our ward and discuss the historic women's meeting that we just attended.

Girls eating dinner with their friends

Memorable MondayGrandpa Pace's Birthday Party

For Grandpa's Birthday, We had a great birthday party for him.  Grandma Pace bought black balloons and borrowed a wheelchair for him.  It was great!!  For dinner, we were served spaghetti dinner on a table without dishes and utensils.  It was fun to watch the kids eat spaghetti and see which kids didn't mind getting messy.  We had a lot of fun at Grandpa's party.

Grandpa Pace with his grand-kids

Angela with messy face

Danni didn't want to get her face dirty

Josh really made a mess

Spring Break

We had a great time during spring break.  We stayed home and found some really fun things to do in the valley.  We just wanted to spend time with the family.  Danni was off to Texas for some of Spring Break and we missed her a lot.  It's not the same without her.  Here is some of the things we did during Spring Break

• We went to the theater a couple of times to watch some of the more current movies.  We usually go to the dollar theaters, but we wanted to spoil the kids a little during Spring Break, so we saw "The Lego Movie" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".  I really enjoyed the "The Lego Movie"!!

We watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

We watched the Lego Movie

• We went swimming at Hamilton High School.  They had a whirlpool and a lazy river, which was a lot of fun.  The water was a little cool at first, but we got used to it over time.  We had a really good time!!

• We went to the MAC for some spring time fun, with a bug theme.  They always have something fun for the kids to do during Spring Break.  They had bikes for the kids to ride that looked like bugs.  Angela was the only one willing to ride the bikes.  She had a total blast!!!

Butterfly and Snake bike

• They had other activities around the plaza as well.  The girls really enjoyed the music while Jim and Josh discussed the physics of some of the displays.  

• There were animals all over the plaza.  They were owl and rat bikes.  Butterflies hanging near the museum and some look like they took a lot of work.  There were people dressed like bugs everywhere and they were so fun to watch.  They acted like the bugs they were portraying.

The girls found some bugs

Danni's Trip to Texas

Danni went to Texas with Britt to attend Kayla's wedding.  They arrived early Friday morning to help decorate for the wedding reception. The wedding was the next day.   It was a short trip, but Danni left on Monday with the Clawsons.  She arrived home to spend the rest of Spring Break with us.  I'm glad that she had a great time - we missed her terribly.

The 3 Amigos

Danni and Jeremy

The Wedding Party

Memorable MondaySadie Hawkins

I asked Jim to Sadie Hawkins by using the song "The Dance"by Garth Brooks.  He answered back with a cheesy pizza with a sign saying "Is this a cheesy way to say yes?".  That so sounds like Jim.  We went with Lisa and Travis, Chryisse and Justin,  and Debbie and Bracken.  Our chapter of Lambda Delta was in charge of the dance this year.  I don't remember much of the dance, except dancing with Jim.  We were great country dancing partners.  We stood in line with our group for pictures for a few minutes and then decided to dance while the others waited in line for us.  We jumped back in line for our picture when it was our turn.  Dancing was way more important than pictures at that time.  This dance was one of my favorites, because I went country dancing with Jim.  Country dancing was a huge part of our love story.

19th Wedding Anniversary

Jim and I have been married for 19 years.  Where did the time go?  It's been a fun ride thus far - I hope for 19 more.

Track and Field

Emily participated in the Track and Field this year.  She participated in several events.  I came to watch and support her.   Emily tried her hardest and proudly wore her green participant ribbon.

  

March Music Concerts

 It's during the March concerts where the kids perform the songs that they competed with at Festivals.  It's neat to hear those songs, even though they can be kind of boring.  Angela did not go to a festival this year, so they practice just for this concert.  I really enjoy going to my kid's concert and seeing them shine.  It'm my little reward for being their mom.  

March 4th - Mesa High Choir Concert 

Danni partied after the choir concert

March 6th - Band Concert

March 13th - Taylor Choir Concert

Angela on stage

Memorable MondayDanni's Birth

Since Danni was my second child, I recognized the signs of labor and called the doctor when the contractions were close together and I was feeling pain.  My labor started in the morning, so I went to the doctor's office after I called him.  He checked me to see how the labor was going and sent me to the hospital.  After I got settled and have enough fluids through the IV, I had an epidural.  I was so excited to know that I was going to have my baby girl.  I did a lot of labor at the hospital.  I couldn't feel the contractions, but I would look at the monitor and it showed me when the contractions were coming.   Finally, it was time to deliver her.  I smiled the whole time that I was delivering her because I was so excited to see her.  I had a great epidural and didn't feel the pain.  She made her debut early in the evening and Jim cut the cord.  I finally had my little girl.  She was the easiest baby to deliver.  

Danielle Lee Pace

March 10, 1998

6:06 pm

7 lbs. 12 oz.

19 3/4 in

Danni turns 16

16 years ago, we welcome Danielle into our family.  We fell in love with her the minute we saw her.  I've loved these past 16 years with her and can't wait to see what the next 16 years are in store for her.  She is an amazing girl with so much talent, and confidence.  I know that she will go far. 

Our family after Danni's blessing - 1998
Danni is a wonderful addition to our family

The Priest and Laurel Dance was a few days before she turned 16,
 so a trip to Nielsen's was required.

We celebrated Danni's birthdaywit with the family at Culvers.

Happy Birthday Danni!!!

Stake Primary Activity Day

The stake had a primary activity day which was centered on a sewing  theme. Lisa is in the stake primary presidency, so I heard a lot of the planing and behind the scenes.  They posted pictures online so the parents could get a glimpse of what went on.  It looks like Emily had fun.  Thanks for everything!!!  

Priest and Laurel Dance

Josh asked Sadie Chandler to the Priest and Laurel Dance.  He went with a group of 6 couples, some of which he didn't really know.  The theme was "Puttin' On the Ritz" and it was so fun to help him prepare for the dance.

The Whole Gang

The girls

The boys

Sadie and Josh

Dressed Up

Memorable MondayAngela's Birth

Angela Rae Pace
Feb. 29, 2000
8 lbs. 2 oz
20 inches

Angela was born 2 days late.  When I heard that Debbie had Austin, I was really sad.  I wanted to have my baby.  The night before Angela was born, I has visiting teachers over.  They were asking me how I was doing and call them when I had my baby.  I didn't know if I was going to have a boy or a girl.  I was getting anxious to find out what sex my baby was.   Later that night, I felt my water broke.  I knew that we needed to head to the hospital.  When we arrived, I was escorted to a room and we got started on an IV.  Soon, I was able to get my epidural.  It worked well at first, but after awhile I felt some pressure and asked fror some more medicine.  It was shortly after that when Angela came into the world.  She was born on Leap Day. Jim and my doctor joked about having my baby on Lesp Day and it happened.  What are the odds??   I called my visiting teachers less than 24 hours after their visit.  I was so excited that I had another girl.  It was worth waiting to find out that she was a girl. I gave her the middle name Rae after my dad and Jim's grandpa - Ray.  I was a little nervous about that middle name, but it grew on me at the hospital.  Angela was my biggest baby, probably because she was the only one that came after her due date.

Gilbert Temple Dedication

Our whole family was able to attend the Gilbert Temple Dedication.  For that day, our stake center was an extension of the temple. It was a sweet experience, especially since my health has been poor lately.  I loved looking at the pictures of the Gilbert Temple and other temples prior to the dedication.  It brought such a sweet spirit to the dedication.  There were three dedicatory sessions and our family chose to attend the second one.  It was a great experience for my family!

Youth Conference

The theme for the Youth Stake Conference was "More Fit for the Kingdom".  They started off the morning by doing service around the stake.  Josh and Danni had school events that morning, so they were late and unable to participate in the service activities.  Angela went and helped to clean our building.   After the service, they attended different classes.  Angela was really bored and came home for awhile.  The kids came home to get ready for the evening.  They watched the Gilbert Temple Celebration Broadcast and then had a dance. 

Our Stake

Cleaning the Stake Center

Angela and her service group
Angela loves the church vacuums.

The largest burrito

My kids before they left for the evening events

The Gilbert Celebration - in the rain

Sweet pictures of Josh and Angela dancing