More precious than diamonds and pearls

Boxer Muhammad Ali’s Advice To His Daughter


An incident transpired when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were quite revealing. Here is the story as told by one of his daughters: “When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.

My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get to them.” He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”

Taking the first step...

Ethan is starting to take his first steps!!  He started taking a few steps last week and has been taking a few each day.  I have a feeling that he will just take off some day soon.  He loves the attention he gets from everyone when he takes steps.  The kids love to be on the other side and have him walk and lunge to them.  He thinks its so funny to get close enough to whoever is catching him and LUNGE into them!  He laughs and smiles and wants to do it again.  He can stand up in the middle of the room by himself.  I just love this stage.  He is so much fun.

He is getting bigger all the time.  As of today he says:

Mama
Dada
Cracker (he LOVES graham crackers)

baba (bottle)

Once in a while he will repeat a word we've said, but when we try to get him to say it again he just smiles or laughs.  He jabbers a lot of other things that we don't understand.  He holds up his arms if he is done eating or pushes the spoon away if we are feeding him.  He LOVES to throw his food on the floor.  He's got quiet an arm on him too.  He's pretty proud of himself when he can hit one of the kids at the dinner table.  They don't really like that game so much. 

His favorite game is peek-a-boo!  I love when he covers up his eyes.  All we have to say is "where's Ethan" and he plays! 

He has two teeth on the bottom and the top two are trying to break through.

He is a smiley baby most of the time.  He loves to be the center of attention.  He follows me around the house till Daddy gets home, then it's all about Daddy.  He is definately a Daddy's boy.  He can't get to Blake fast enough when he hears him come home from work. 

He eats pretty much anything, but his body doesn't always love it.  He is very sensitive to foods, especially dairy products.  He drinks rice milk now and we have to be careful what he eats.

He smiles with his whole face!  He sometimes scrunches up his nose when he smiles REALLY big!  He makes everyone around him smile.  

He can have some pretty crazy hair and I just love it.  I may not say that when he's bigger, but for now I do.   

Be like a little child...

In Cailee's class they earn "money" from getting homework in on time, staying on task and a number of different things. They can spend their money in the class store. Cailee has been saving up her money and I assumed there must be something she was waiting to get for herself. Today she came home from school and asked if I would help her wrap a gift for Abby. When I went to help her she showed me a book that she saw Abby reading a different one in the series and knew that she loved them. She spent her school money that she earned to get Abby the book! Lately those two have been at odds with eachother more than usual, so it was extra sweet to see! Abby was all smiles when she opened it! I love being a mom and seeing first hand the good in children. They can be the best examples of how we need to be!

My dear Cailee, I am so proud of you and the choices you are making.  I know it's not always easy to be giving and kind to your siblings, but that day you made such a wonderful choice.  The smile on your sister's face said it all!  She was so happy and excited that you thought of her and that she got to have a new book.  I know how hard you've worked to save up your class money.  Dad and I are proud of the young lady you are becoming and I know your Heavenly Father is too!  We love you Tootsie!

From the mouthes of the babes...

It makes me smile and laugh when I hear my kids using phrases that Blake or I say that sounds "adultish".  Yesterday Madie wanted to push the parmasean cheese on her noodles at lunch all by herself.  She dumped quiet a bit on it and said, "I didn't see that coming."  Haha.  She makes me laugh! 

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear"

A few years ago my sister and I were talking about having children in such a wicked world and the worry that it brought.  During that time I prayed to know if it was right to bring children into this world when there is so much wrong in society.  That year during general conference I heard a number of talks about not fearing.  I felt like we were meant to have our beautiful children.  As their mom I was to be their guardian while we are here on the earth.  It is a very overwhelming feeling today.  I feel more and more everyday the necessity to get my home in order.  It is not too late to get ourselves prepared. 

My goal is to get organized and get our food storage in order.  We have a start to it, now I want to expand on it.  I want to get recipes organized and make sure we have a three month supply of the things we are used to eating and over the next year get a full years supply of the staples that will get us through the extremely tough times that are before us.  I want to get organized so that I am teaching my children more about faith so that when the day comes when they feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, they have the spiritual strength to face it.  I know that there is a lot of anger and fear right now...to be honest I felt sick to my stomach last night as the poll results came in, but the reality is that now we must press forward with faith.  God is the same today, yesterday and forever.  He will not abandon us in this time of need.  I am going to hold on to that.

I can't say today that I'm not afraid, but I will continue to press forward with faith until I can say that I am not afraid.  The song "Be Still My Soul" comes to mind.  It's very fitting today.  I will prepare so that I will not fear.

1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;


With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.



2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.



3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.



Text: Katharina von Schlegel, b. 1697;

trans. by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

Take me out to the ball game...

We had a blast watching Uncle Justin play baseball during our visit! He's such a great player and his team was fun to watch. My only regret is that we didn't get to see more of his games!!  His first game was a bit chilly so we stayed in the cars.  His second game however was beautiful outside so the kids got to play outside and have a great time with their cousins!

 During the first game we went to it was a bit breezy outside so Ethan chilled with his pal Grandma Ruth in her car!!

 We also got the chance to go see one of Megan's softball games!  It was fun to watch the little ones play.  It was the same evening as Justin's first game when the weather was so breezy so we were glad that Aunt Jamie was prepared with blankets!!

"Rainbrella" kids

When Cailee was little she called umbrellas "rainbrellas"!!  From time to time we refer to them as that with smiles remembering that sweet little toddler!  During our two week vacation to Grandma and Grandpa's house we went to Uncle Justin's baseball game.  The sun was nice a bright so Grandma and Grandpa set up their umbrellas for shade.  When the sun started setting, I noticed the kids shadows when they were playing behind the umbrellas so we thought we'd have some fun!  I told the kids to make lots of different poses behind the umbrellas and this is what we got!  I'm no photographer, but it was fun!  The kids had a blast and it was great entertainment for them!!

My little gymnists!!

Cailee, Abby and Madie have a new found passion for qymnastics!!  Madie started in January and the two older girls followed in March.  My sweet Madie girl is so much fun to watch!  She is quiet the little monkey on the bars!  She's their little monkey bat!  Their gymnastics instructor is Miss Peggy...often called Miss Piggy by the little kids (my older kids laughed so hard when Madie told them her teacher's name is Miss Piggy...I quickly told them her real name)! 

It has been such a fun thing watching all three of my girls grow.  Cailee is such a cautious child and I really worried that she wouldn't take risks.  She continues to surprise me every time.  One day at practice she decided on her own to do a flip into the foam pit!  I couldn't believe it!  I truthfully didn't think she would do it. 

In May they had their showcase.  It was packed in the gym.  The little kiddos went first.  Madie was so cute.  They had the gym set up with lots of different things to showcase what they've been working on and they would rotate through each.  Madie of course loved the bars!  She is so fun to watch!

Between sessions there was about an hour break before we needed to be back for the girls so we just stayed and got better seats for Cailee and Abby's turn!  I thought it was packed for the little girls...it was nothing compared to how packed it was for the older girls.  There was no more standing room in the entire building.  By the time it was all over Brandon, Ethan and Madie were done being smashed in a small place.  Truthfully so was I.  Ethan was so good up until the end.  He was sooo tired.  I left just a little before with the three little ones to get them out.  

My three cuties!! 

Madie waiting patiently to start!!

 My monkey bat hanging from the bar!!

Madie "Skins the cat"

Madie has improved so much on the balance beam.  She's getting more and more brave each time she gets on!!

Here is the fabulous facility!!

Madie posing with Miss Peggy!  She absolutely adores her instructor!

Due to no moving room, the pictures are all from fairly far away. Cailee is in purple and Abby in pink...doing their floor routine!

   Cailee and Abby on the beam!  They both did so good!  I'm so proud! They had so many kids to get through that they had multiple kids on each beam!

More beam routine!  Don't they look so cute!

Abby on her bar routine!  She did such a great job!  She's improving so much and trying new things all the time!

Cailee's turn on the bars!  She surprises me everytime with what she's willing to try!

It's been such a great adventure for the girls!  I love the facility and staff and feel so blessed that my girls have this opportunity!  They are growing and getting better each day.  It's been so great to watch them!  I'm so proud of you girls!



Birthday Dinner

We went to Olive Garden for Abby's Birthday dinner. She was so cute when they came and sang to her and brought her a banana split! She was so sweet and shared it with her siblings. Abby's a sweet girl that way...wanting to make sure everyone has some!

You've Got a Minute To Win It...Good Luck!

March 2011

As a family we LOVE to watch Minute To Win It. My favorite part of watching it as a family is watching Abby get so excited and worried about the contestants. It's hilarious to watch. When they lose a game she'll get so worried that they "lost a life". For her birthday party this year we decided it would be so much fun to have a minute to win it party! It was a blast. Everyone was such a good sport and we had such a great time.

Abby with the cake, games and party favors!!

I was so excited cheering on Abby and Marissa that I forgot to take pictures of the actual game. They transfered gummy worms from crushed up cookies to another bowl only using their mouths! They both did a good job. This is Abby after the game with a messy face!

Cailee was really good at this game! It was funny to watch her...she was VERY enthusiastic about the game!

Nicole was a good sport and helped me be a block balancer!

It was so funny watching the kids try to move the cookies down their faces! I think a few of them actually did it.

Gift Time!

What do...

Abby and Dr. Suess have in common?? A birthday celebration in the same week! Last year (yes I'm that far behind) Abby's birthday at school was celebrated during the Dr. Suess celebrations. Her teacher asked parents to be part of a secret special readers thing, so I volunteered to be a secret reader the day of Abby's birthday celebration. In honor of their birthdays I made a Dr. Suess book cake...I Wish That I Had Duckfeet. I love that story so I read it and then we brought the cake out. One of my favorite parts was when a cute little boy asked if we could "open the book"...haha! I loved that he thought the cake was a real book. The best part though was the smile on Abby's face!

I like to look for rainbows

I like to look for rainbows

Whenever there is rain
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain

I want to be the best I can

And live with God again.

Our beautiful daughter,

Cailee Ann Crossley

turned 8 July 14, 2011.

Photographs by Darcee Case Photography