cousin retreat

Our family is so blessed to be able to participate in TGFF. What is that you ask? It stands for The Gibney Family Foundation.

It was started by Todd's Grandpa Gibney. We have the opportunity to make grants and donations to different non-profit organizations that serve the blind community. It is such a wonderful thing to be involved in.

One very exciting thing about this foundation is that it provides the opportunity for all of the Gibney's (Todd's mother's side) to get together once a year to be more educated, have board meetings, and get involved with local organizations. So, it is a super productive, service-packed, life lesson enducing, educational family reunion for what is now the 2nd and 3rd generation of TGFF. Every year Todd and I come home motivated and uplifted by the experiences we get to share with sibblings, cousins, parents, etc. It is humbling to be able to take a small part in something so big and meaningful.

One of the local (Idaho) events we participated in this year was the Barn Sour Run. The Meridian Barn Sour Run is a fundraiser for the Care Enough to Share program which awards scholarships to low-income Meridian residents. Todd ran his first 10k (was the longest distance available) and this is the longest distance he has ever ran... so far. He is training for a half marathon that he will be running in Vermont this September with his cousins.

I ran the 1 mile fun run with Gwen, Lilli, and Heidi. Lilli and Heidi ran the whole way- We were super proud of them! And I ran 1/4 mile with Gwen on my shoulders- which should double the

distance that I can claim to have run, I think!

It is so fun to have all my little princesses and it is getting even more fun seeing them start to be little ballerinas!!!!
Lilli loves dance and would take a million classes if I would let her (more like, "if I had the money")!!!!

I'm just excited to have my girls being interested and excited about music and dancing. We're having so much fun!

Here she is with Dad and Papa.

And here is Gram!

All the big girls!

Me and my girl!

recital

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

trying something....

late night blogging

Wow, it has been a while.

I'm just up late. Having feelings. Lots of feelings. and this is way late night blogging is not a good idea. It just turns into a mush of stuff with no real point or meaning....

I've been blog hopping. Checking up on some of my favorite people. Most of these people I'm not in regular contact with....

I have a lot of anxiety tonight- girls' camp is coming up really soon, todd's family retreat/vacation, some confrontational things i have to deal with tomorrow at Lilli's dance studio, feeling a little grouchy with my sweet, mostly undeserving hubby...

So, I decide to just wander around online until I fell asleep. I started at lds.org. I was thinking that I would read some uplifting things that might bring me some peace and help my heart settle down a little bit, but my mind was racing, and heart beating so much- I was having a hard time paying attention. I keep trying to think of any loose ends or things that I need to take care that could be causing me this stress, but I think I have done all that I can do tonight....

Well, I decided to check facebook and look at blogs. I happen to have looked at some blogs of friends who have some serious---- ummm.... hardships? not quite the right word. One family- they are such good people and they have a son who has had SERIOUS health issues and he seems to be doing so well and is just starting to walk... They seem like they are doing such a good job with everything. Of course they love him, he's their son, but they just seem like they are amazing and such good parents.... Another friend just found out she is pregnant (FINALLY) after a lot of struggle and sacrifice and medical "stuff".... she has also lost several friends in the last few years...

I don't know what I'm saying exactly.

I feel humbled. I feel blessed. I feel happy for my friends.

I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple. I know that it is the Lord's house. I feel a peace and clarity there that cannot be duplicated anywhere on this earth.

I love my children. They bring me so much joy. I know that our Heavenly Father has sent us here in these wonderful family units. It makes so much sense to me. What is a family, if not divine?

lazy blog alert

Here is some fun stuff that we were up to and a really cute photo shoot of Tori...

check it out


Thank you Steph for having your camera and posting the photos!!!

SCORE

HEIDI SCORED HER FIRST GOAL!!!!!!!

bits

and pieces... all the ely's watching papa play hockey at jobing.com arena

heidi started soccer. we're still working on her "pose" she needs to straighten that knee and toughen up....

gwen fell asleep half on/ half off our bed.... ???

trunk or treat with barbie and the three musketeers.

tori climbing everywhere... i didn't know she was old enough or able to climb up and sit on our dishwasher... much less eat tupperware (i mean, she only has 2 1/2 teeth)!

my new snuggle bunny. he follows me around and likes to lay at my feet in the kitchen.

pot stirrer

Every time I see a post, comment, etc. about Glee I feel compelled to say something and I've held it in and held it in. Now here I am at 8:48 with the kids in bed and Todd at school. There is no one to stop me and nothing to distract me from posting this highly [mildly] controversial opinion.
ready?

Glee is evil guys! I have attempted to watch it exactly 3 times and each time I turned it off within probably 3 min. It is so incredibly sexual/ immoral/ etc. I'm sorry that it is your favorite show and I'm sure the music and choreography are amazing (hello, I'm totally a nut-so freak about all things musical)... but it is NAUGHTY!!!

Now maybe it is complete coincidence, and maybe the three clips that i attempted to watch on Hulu were the most evil sampling available and it isn't all like that, I promise, blah blah blah, BUT even if I did get the worst of the samplings, I'm glad that is all I got. I think it probably a blessing. Maybe if I'd seen the best the first 3 times than I would be HOOKED and would've been unable to turn it off later when I saw the sleaziness.

Some mushrooms are poisonous guys!!!!

No, I'm not perfect. Don't be annoyed. Feel free to call me on my junk.

Finally, A BOY!

Meet Charming. He is our new lil' man around the house. He is almost 1 year old.

We picked him up from the pound on Tuesday (last week) after having picked him out on Saturday.

He really doesn't like to go outside. We have to walk out to the grass before he'll even consider stepping out and if he sees us headed for the door he trots right past us to try and make sure we don't go in without him....

Tori is SOO SWEET with him and he is really loving and sweet with her too. They love to be next to eachother.

Look at my baby (well, both of them)! Tori is getting so grown up!

The girls have already adapted to life with a dog and things are getting quite comfortable.

Gwen loves to look between his toes for "bugs". (He had ticks when he first came home and so we spent a lot of time getting the "owies" and "bugs" off him.

I'm excited for the girls to grow up with a doggy. This is the first time I've ever lived with/had/owned/cared about a dog. I'm already in love with him.