Dance Award

Aliza and Taylor recieved their 5 year dance award. Aliza has been taking dance at Dance Studio 84 since just before she turned 3. They are currently taking jazz and tap with Ms. Carla. Her dance routines are always awesome!

Ms. Carla and Aliza

It was fun to have the grandparents their to see her receive her award!

The two Cuties with their awards! It they stay with it another 5 years they will do their dance solos when they are 13!

Roadshow 2009...A Nightmare Before Benediction

Jordon, Aralie and Hannah have worked for six weeks on our wards Roadshow. Jordon was on the committee to help plan and bring this night together.
We had 70 youth participate from our ward. April and Scott did a fabulous job getting all our youth involved in all aspects of the process. After many many hours of practice Saturday was the performance. It was a HUGE Success....many laughs and cheers were heard from the audience!

Jordon impersonating Michael Jackson...he had the moves!

Aralie bragging about her big beautiful hat!

Hannah in her dance scene!

Congratulations to the Castiac Ward for an

Awesome Performance!

State Cup

After two weeks of being rained out we finally were able to play soccer today.
We won 4-1. We move to final 16 now!
Go SCU Blue!

Hannah came close to making a header into the goal from a corner kick.

In the last half of the game...Hannah took four shots on goal...she didn't make any in but she was close. She must be saving them for the next game;-)

We won all three games this weekend! We are down to the final 8 for State Cup!

Go SCU Blue!!!!

ETA: Feb. 28, 2009....we won our first game even though we suffered terrible abuse by the other team. The Ref refused to control their dirty tatics and we ended up with a player with a broken arm. We then had the same ref for the second game. We ended the 0-0...then first 10min overtime was 0-0. With just a few minutes left in the second 10 min overtime...Hannah scored a beautiful goal on a cross pass. The ref blantantly gave the game away to the other team by calling bogus calls to give the two free shots. It was heartbreaking to lose a game that way. But we know our girls were No. 1!!! We came in third out ouf 124 teams!

Jordon Debut Hosting WRTV

Jordon is in the video production team at West Ranch TV. He usually does the behind the scenes stuff..intro's and camera work. Yesterday he finally took the plunge and sat in the anchor chair. Click on the link and watch...
http://westranchtv.com/2009/02/18/west-ranch-tv-february-18-2009/

Valentines Day Celebration

The Tujagues invited the "Cruise Group" down to El Coyote for an evening of Great Food and Fun with Friends. We indulged on some fabulous guacamole and yummy food. We all brought the story of how we met or were engaged. Then we tried to guess which couple fit the story. Rob won with the most right answers. The Muirs won the gift for the most years married! It was a Fantastic evening full of laughs!

Disneyland!

Sarah had not been to Disneyland in over 10 years, so we took her for a day of Magical Fun!. Sarah was so excited to go, her enthusiasm was adorable. It's fun to see that excitement in someone who is no a young child.

We spooked Sarah and Aliza in the caves going into Indiana Jones. We told them the picture is fuzzy because of the spirits that dwell there!

Sarah was so excited that she was driving the Jeep. We gave her a hard time about the crazy driving inside!

Space Mountain was the hit of the day!
We had a fantastic day!

Winter Formal

Jordon and his adorable girlfriend Sarah went to

West Ranch's Winter Formal.

After searching many stores for a dress, Sarah found one she loved!

She looked gorgeous!

This is Sarah's first formal, flowers and fancy dresses!

All smiles...they are so cute together.

Jordon is always a fan of the GQ shot!

They really do adore each other...young love!

The Happy Couple!

Daddy/Daughter Dance

Aliza's school had their first annual

Daddy/Daughter Dance.

Aliza has been more excited about this special night with her Daddy!

Even more than Christmas Eve! She has planned and talked about what she will wear, how they will dance and how she will wear her hair. Her was done in big ringlets and her new fancy dress.

They just melt my heart!

We even did a beautiful corsage!

She talked and talked about how much fun they had together!

I'm so happy they could share such a special evening together!

Party Dress!

Aralie was invited to a friends Bat Mitzvah. A very fancy affair to be sure. She looked so pretty in her new dress! What a smile!

BYU Idaho

Today Jordon received his official letter of Acceptance from

BYU Idaho.

He will attend the Fall/Winter Track. He will start school Sept. 10, 2009.

Congratulations Jordon!! We are very proud of your Accomplishment!

Go Vikings!

He had a Dream....

and it came true today!

Martin Luther King Jr. stated in his speech overlooking the Lincoln Memorial, "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Today, such a man took the oath of office as the President of the United States.
President Barack Obama will go down in history as the first black President. I am sure in the end he will just want to be known as the President who brought America out of these troubled times. Yet, regardless of what he accomplishes in his term, he can not set history aside. He is the first. There are many that never believed they would see it in their lifetime. My husband included.

Growing up in a small farming community in Mississippi showed him that those kinds of expectations were not meant for people of color. Jim Crow laws in the deep south were still a way of life just a few short years from when Leonard started public school. The Public School system there taught him early in life that black people were to be treated differently. It WAS the way of life. However, while being raised by two uneducated grand-parents, he still knew he could be successful. I am sure they were grateful for an education afforded to their grandchildren that was not a right they had in their younger years.

President Obama referenced the civil rights struggle in his speech today.
"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."
Today is a day of hope and change. If for that reason alone.

The significance of this day is not lost on Our Family. When Aralie was little she used to say she wanted to be President. Of course I would always tell her she could be anything she set her mind on. Yet, that little voice inside was such a doubter! Could she really? Would we really ever see a Women President or a Black President. Well, one barrier is down and I am sure the next will follow.

Today as I was watching the Inauguration I was moved by the tears flowing down the face of Rep. John Lewis from Georgia. He is one of the last speakers from the Civil Rights movement with Martin Luther King Jr. He was beaten within an inch of his life during the freedom rides of that turbulent time. He was there for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. What an incredible moment for him today. To see the fruits of his effort and all the pain he endured....his dream came true today too!

I will conclude with Rev. Joseph Lowery's prayer. He too was involved in the civil rights movement. After Rosa Parks made her stand, he lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He also led the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965. The end of his prayer today is an old civil rights chant. It was not written for this occasion today. It was written in halls of injustice more than 40 years ago. "....help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right."
He concluded,
Let all who do justice and love mercy say amen and say amen and Amen!

Inauguration Day for President Obama

At noon today Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States.
I love this picture of the swearing-in. Michelle Obama holding the Lincoln bible as his girls, Malia and Sasha eagerly look on. Chief Justice Roberts flubbed the words, Obama paused and waited for him to say it right and then just said it. It was just one of those human moments. lol
President Obama's speech was moving. He is a great Orator. I love that he references scripture, "We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."
I also believe in the idea of Hope, and hope that there will be a better tomorrow. As stated by President Obama in his last words of the day, "America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

2 million people braved the frigid weather to watch this historic moment. The high in Washington was 30 degrees. When they showed the view from the podium and the millions of people all waving flags it was incredible!

Today is a day of celebration no matter what your political views are. We celebrate the fact that we have a democracy and are free to exercise our right to vote. Even if you disagree with his policies at least we have the right to voice our opinions freely!

Long Beach Aquarium

Yesterday we went to the Long Beach Aquarium to see Kim feed the fish. It was fun to see her dive in the tanks with the sharks, eels, giant grupers and all those beautiful tropical fish!

I love the Leafy Sea Dragons. They are so cool!

Mady and Aralie played with the Sea Lions. They would chase the tennis ball, swimming back and forth. So Cute!

Kim took us behind the scenes to see the tanks from above. The sea turtle was a favorite up there. She is adorable.

We were able to feed the fish too! little bits of sea weed, the tropical fish went crazy for that!

Love this picture, it's home to me. The shoreline lined with palm trees and the Queen Mary in the background. It was a fabulous day full of friends, fun and laughter!
Thanks Kim!