Monday-Missionary Moments

This week I received a late Happy Mother's Day in the mail from our missionary Quinn. It was a CD of pictures. There were hundreds of them. BEST present EVER. I can't wait until he's home and we can sit down together and he can explain and tell the story behind each one. WE love you Quinn. Yesterday was email day as well. He sounded slightly overwhelmed in the work and a bit tired but I am so proud of him as he 'Puts the Lord First' and know he will be blessed.

In his new area in Port Villa, Vanuatu they have a baptismal font. They first one he's had on his mission.




And here is the church, very different from the buildings on Tanna.


Here is Quinn's office as Assistant to the President. This week he was in charge of 4 missionaries going home because their time was over and 9 new missionaries coming....



There were lots of trips to the airport....



All the missionaries serving in Vanuatu



Quinn....

Parenting Tip 101

Do bribes work? Oh yes, I've asked myself that many times? Is it okay to bribe your children to get them to do something you would like them to do? I remember the first time I tried bribing. Jordan was 2 and a half and we were at the mall for a family photo. He decided he was not getting his picture taken. Not only would he not smile, he was not going to sit up and look at the camera and better yet, he was NOT stepping his foot in the picture store. Conveniently across the hall from Kiddie Kandids was KB Toy Store. I took Jordan in and promised him ANYTHING in the store if he would just sit up and let us take his picture. My hope was that a bribe would produce immediate results. It did not. Jordan wanted NOTHING in the toy store. We did not get his picture taken that day. But we did continue to try to bribe our children. It worked OCCASIONALLY.

The only time I ever got all my kids (Jordan, Danielle, and Quinn) to bear their testimonies in Sacrament Meeting was the promise of skipping school the next day and a shopping trip to tri-cities. And Jordan earned several toy tractors after giving a decent talk in church one week, that only problem was he told everyone one that at the end of his talk. I'm pretty sure Danielle received $50 the first time she ever did the splits and our kids were all REWARDED with money if they didn't kiss until they were 16. Believe it or not it worked, you have something to live up to EASTON. Let's see Jordan, what will it take to find that 'one and only'?

The kids have learned over the years that making a deal with dad is a much better deal. He gives in easier and gives better prizes. Well congratulations Easton....you've have just successfully received the best bribe of all our years of parenting. Easton has been working on his Eagle. Jordan (and I) received his Eagle at the age of 17 and a half after making hundreds of fleece hats for orphans. Quinn (and Reid) received his Eagle at the age of 17 and 7/8's after building a wedding trellis for the church.
And Easton (and Uncle Garth and Uncle Hugh) just received his Eagle at the age of 14 after building a shed to place over some electrical equipment at one of the church properties. Enjoy your Dune Buggy Easton!!!!

The view from my seat.....

I've always wanted a pair of rose colored glasses. You know the kind. Most parents own a pair when viewing their own children. The kind that convinces the parent they have the best player on the field, the most talented dancer on the stage, the most melodic singer in the choir, the prettiest girl in the pageant. Unfortunately I find myself unable to view the things I am closely involved in with those eyes. I am critical and somewhat of a perfectionist and even when it's good, it could have been better. After watching a dance a few dozen times I tend to watch it from mistake to mistake and find myself no longer objective.

Recently we took 84 dancers to a competition in Utah. I was excited and nervous. My family lives there so we would get to spend time with my kids. We even had the opportunity to compete against some family. (Brooke you were AMAZING-Keep it up!) It's a lot of pressure. It's a long ways from home. It's expensive. And let's face it, when it comes to dance UTAH is at the top. Those people know how to do something to the fullest....(or slightly over the top). It's a frightening thing as a director, so many variables. Will there be any competition? Will there be too much competition? How will the girl's perform? Will the judges like the numbers? Will the parents like the numbers? Who will make what mistake? Who will forget what costume piece?

Well for a day I owned a pair of rose colored glasses. The dancers exceeded all my expectations. I was so proud. I couldn't keep myself out of the Director's chair. I wanted everyone to know....I knew those girls when. I had a tiny part in their success. It was a great day!!!! Thanks TG dancers for giving me those glasses....(if only for a day).

The PeeWee's--2 First Place Trophies-Overall Winner for 'School Daze'


The Boy's Club--2 First Place Trophies-Two Overall Winners


Mini Jazz Club--2 First Place Trophies-Two Overall Winners


Junior Jazz Club--First Place Jazz, 2nd place Hip Hop and Clogging(losing only to our Senior Jazz Club)
(Only picture I had.....)



Senior Jazz Club--4 First Place Trophies-Overall Winner for 'Lunch Break'


Elite Jazz Club--4 First Place Trophies-2 Ties for First with Shaw Dance--Overall Winner for 'Prayer of the Children'
Overall Production--'Let's Get Soaking Wet' and Director's Award in Advance Category




Mattie and Caitlynn made the All American Team with their high scores on their solos.


Caitlynn named Jazz MVP. (Highest Jazz Solo Score)


But the VERY best part about competition in Utah was having my family there to support me.
Sorry Jordan but this is the only picture we took of you.






Did I mention how much Emree love's watching us dance? Her face says it all.

Monday--Missionary Moments

President Baker with the missionaries teaching them to be 'Outstanding in their field...'

One of my favorite things we do all month is feed the missionaries. Once a month we feed them all breakfast. We have 14 missionaries serving here in Moses Lake. They are called to the Spokane, Washington Mission and for now are serving in Moses Lake. The Church of Jesus Christ has approximately 53,000 missionaries serving in 348 missions around the world. Our son Quinn is serving in the Fiji, Suva Mission with a visa for a small island called Vanuatu. Quinn has friends in Mexico, Texas, Nevada, California, Spain, and Arizona. Each time these young men come I'm impressed with their dedication and service to the people of Moses Lake, the The Church of Jesus Christ and to their Heavenly Father. I am grateful for their labor and for their sacrifice and for the sacrifice of their families. I know that as I serve them that someone in Vanuatu will serve my son and so on and so on.

It's nice to be important, but its more important to be nice....

I had a nice surprise this week. Drill Team try-outs were two weeks ago. It's stressful. Every year you break someones heart who really WANTED to be a part of the team. Every year I get phone calls from parents who are IRATE. I get mean emails, I get called into the Athletic Director's office. I have to explain myself and the decisions I made. This year I got none. I did get a very nice letter in my box to myself and the drill team from a very sweet girl who did not make the team. It read:

"Dear Drill Team and Coach,

I would like to thank Lori Baker and the Captains for helping me out even though I did not make the drill team. I am not going to give up, it just means I need to work harder and thats what I'll do. I would also like to thank the Lieutenants. I was really scared during try outs but they really did a good job helping me and I'd especially like to thank Mackenzie and Mattie who were always there to help me with any question I had. My partner was awesome to and I was very lucky to try out with her. Thanks to Mckayla Earl, Kendall, Earl, Dayna Bergeson, Megan Roylance, Aja Clardy, Amber Sainsbury and Kylie Earl. Everyone was so nice. Good Luck Drill Team. I love you ALL.
(Lori I think you are the best thing the drill team has, you made me feel welcome and you are very good.)
Sincerely,

?"

You made our day!!! Thanks for the kind words!

Some day....

I have a dream that some day my yard will look just like this...
Too much to ask? Yeah, I think so. I hate yardwork!!!! More than anything! And so does my husband. But it doesn't hurt to dream!

Temple Night

Kenzie's Young Woman Leaders planned a great evening the other night--'Temple Night'. The girls modeled their mother's wedding dresses. It was a little bit of Deja Vue seeing Kenzie in my dress. (She realized I was actually very thin ONCE.) They had a great talk about preparing for the temple and were presented a wonderful gift that was sealed in a can and was to be saved until the night before they go to the temple and of course some wedding cake, mints and nuts. What a wonderful evening. I really appreciate all the time and thought her leaders put into the evening to help my daughter and all the other young woman remember how important it is to prepare themselves for the temple.