HIGHLIGHTS FROM MAY

Life has been a little crazy, as we are getting ready to move. Nothing unnerves me more than being surrounded by boxes. It was a huge relief when we where able to get them out. So then I thought with getting 90% of our stuff out of the house, I would have less to pick up (more free time, right?) however with 4 kids it is amazing how the other 10% can still be scattered absolutely everywhere.

We are having lots of fun playing soccer and doing gymnastics inside the house a treat I am reminding the kids will be coming to an end soon.


One highlight of the last few weeks was the going away party we did for my parents. It still does not feel real that they will actually be leaving and words can not express how much we are going to miss them. It was a great day!!!

No party is complete without cousins and a fun pool, especially when

it is 100 degrees out even in Dana Point.




This was one of my missionary companions Petey (my nickname for her :).

I have packed all my photo’s or would have posted one of us in Denmark but

in my opinion we still look the same just each married now and each with 4 kids.

I love her and it has been fun having her in our stake.

Last Saturday we went to her son's birthday party.


It was at this really cool park in Yorba Linda. You have got to love crazy California weather the week prior we were at the beach in 100 degree heat.

This day it was in the 60’s and raining.



Either Josh is just that big or is Bryce just that small?



Little did I know that trying to snap a quick pic on the tree would prove to be so difficult, I took like 20 of these and they all stunk. Taryn thought the tree was too itchy, Josh thought it was too high, Bryce did not want to sit still and Anika just wanted me to hurry up. I think each of their expressions are just too funny.

No party is complete without a pinata, Josh took some nice swings.

But it was Taryn that broke it open, go girl!!!

Some other highlights these last couple of weeks involve Anika. Every month in her class they do a big project. This month it was going to be a talent show,

which I thought was great. I figured she would sing because she is in voice lessons

or maybe display some art, do a few tricks with the soccer ball. No, no, she did not want to do any of that, she was going to DANCE! Now, she has been in gymnastics and ballet before but not in the last couple of years so I was really nervous for her.

Well, despite my nerves , she went out there and did great!!

At 8 I would never have had the confidence to pull that off.

Speaking of having Confidence and I guess the ability to develop it,

today she went on stage to perform songs for a good size audience with her

class at the fender center. It really does amaze me how she has improved her voice. We started the lessons back in January and for some reason on the way there for

the first time she was freaking out because she was so scared she would not know anyone or that she would have to sing in front of people. She has come a long way.

For their class performance she sang a solo of Popular from Wicked and rocked it!!!

THE JOY OF YOUTH 1985-87

I was challenged by a friend to post some pictures of the awkward years. Well, I had so much fun looking at old photo albums on Monday trying to figure out which pictures I could share and all I can say is there were so many to choose yet so little time. This first one I was about 10 on my way to summer camp for a week.

As you can tell I definitely had a passion for fashion.

Even at 11, I loved baking. With this one I want to give a shout out to my fabulous orthodontist that has helped make my life something to smile about.

I was 12 here on my first day of 6th grade. Oblivious to the world around me, but luckily I had company with my best friends by my side:) I think our Mom's were trying to keep us little girls for as long as they could. I will also note that I was always the tallest girl in my class, something I was not fond of then but have loved ever since I was around 16.

This was hard for me to post these pictures. I wanted to chicken out but Joe is standing over my shoulder pushing me out of my comfort zone

and I love him for that.

PICTURE TAG

Things about me.............

Age at my next Birthday

Place I want to visit

My favorite thing

My favorite place

My favorite food

My favorite color

The town I live in

Name of a past pet

BRANDY

Nickname I have had

College major

First job

Goal I have for next year

I tag whoever is up to the challenge!

CALLED TO SERVE....

On the Dunkley side of our family there are 16 grandchildren Bryce is the youngest at 1 and Jacob is the oldest. He was 19 on May 8th and just spent this last year up at BYU. He has always been awesome (His Mom and Dad are wonderful examples to us on how to be great parents) and he is such a good example to all of his cousins.

We were blessed to be able to gather together this weekend and watch him open up

his mission call.

The room was filled with anticipation and excitement!!!

Elder Taylor you have been called to serve in the...

Guatamala Quetzaltenango Mission!!!!



The experience brought back a flood of memories for me. It seems like yesterday when I was in Denmark but I have been home for 10 years now.

I know that Jacob is going to be a great missionary and the people of Guatamala will be blessed by the message he is going to be sharing with them.

Earlier in the day we went to Dos Logos and had fun walking around with

Kevin, Michelle, Kaleb and some friends.

JOB DESCRIPTION - DOMESTIC GODDESS

Study pegs mom's market value at nearly $117,000
By Mark Jewell, AP Business Writer

BOSTON (AP) -- If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she'd rake in a nifty sum of nearly $117,000 a year.
That's according to a pre-Mother's Day study released Thursday by Salary.com, a Waltham, Mass.-based firm that studies workplace compensation.
The eighth annual survey calculated a mom's market value by studying pay levels for 10 job titles with duties that a typical mom performs, ranging from housekeeper and day care center teacher to van driver, psychologist and chief executive officer.
This year, the annual salary for a stay-at-home mom would be $116,805, while a working mom who also juggles an outside job would get $68,405 for her motherly duties.
One stay-at-home mom said the six-figure salary sounds a little low.
"I think a lot of people think we sit and home and have a lot of fun and don't do a lot of work," said Samantha Russell, a Fremont, N.H., mother who left her job as pastry chef to raise two boys, ages 2 and 4. "But they should try cleaning their house with little kids running around and messing it up right after them."
The biggest driver of a mom's theoretical salary is the amount of overtime pay she'd receive for working more than 40 hours a week. The 18,000 moms surveyed about their typical week reported working 94.4 hours -- meaning they'd be spending more than half their working hours on overtime.
Working moms reported an average 54.6 hour "mom work week" besides the hours they spent at paying jobs.
Russell agreed her job as a stay-at-home mom is more than full-time. But she said her "job" brings intangible benefits she wouldn't enjoy in the workplace.
"The rewards aren't monetary, but it's a reward knowing that they're safe and happy," Russell said of her sons. "It's worth it all."

I say Amen to that!!!

Have a great day all you wonderful Moms !!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

#1...

I can not believe that it has already been a year!!! Wasn't he born yesterday? We spent a wonderful afternoon at the park with friends, family, and flies

(they were all over today) to celebrate my big guy turning the BIG #1.

His favorite thing was playing with the balloons and eating the sidewalk chalk.

Bryce has always been a very serious child. He makes you really work to get him to smile. At this moment his Grandpa Dunkley is singing Happy Birthday to him in his famous Donald Duck voice. We are all cracking up but Bryce was not amused.


Whats a birthday without a good cry



The very first time that Anika had ever had cake was on her 1st birthday. Bryce being number 4 has had more sugar than I care to admit.

We knew he would have no problems









Taking down decorations is always more fun than the presents.



Thank you to everyone who made it such a special day!!!