Five and Alive: 2014

April 2012 Good times...

The Masters

Hello Atlanta! A dream trip for Matt with his Dad and brothers Dan and Dave to The Masters.

For all the golf fans out there...Tom Watson

and Tiger Woods...

but the winner for 2012 was...Bubba Watson!

Is it just me or does Matt look 10 years older in this picture?? Searching for the perfect hat... this one was the close second. Winner hat is in the photo below.

Matt wants me to note that HE found the hat, and his older brother copied him. Also worthy of noting- the hats were on clearance because they were from last year's tournament hat selection. Classic and frugal. That's my man.


I love this picture of my father-in-law...Tom Watson (one of his favorites) in background.

Father and son

My First and Last Time Skiing

These pictures are rather embarrassing in reality. A bad memory that I'm trying to turn into a comical one. This day was much like my first and last day snowboarding as a single adult- a disaster. Here I am before we head to the slopes of The Canyons...or somewhere in Park City, with all the hope in the world. It only took Matt 7 years to get me to TRY to go skiing with him. It was a birthday present for Matt (30th) gone wrong. In our fantasy world, I would have turned into the perfect model skier. A natural. Here's what really happened...

When in the world did Matt get this picture that day? I look happy and carefree. (I'm not pregnant even though the extra gloves in my pockets make it look so). The truth is...we rode up the lift and I pretty much had an anxiety attack as we rode higher and higher. The anticipation of having to get off the ski lift with out killing myself was enough. But then I had to go somewhere after that. For some reason I really do think we were on the hardest "beginner slope" possible. A narrow path downhill with cliff on one side and trees on the other. Hello???!!! I've never skied before. I was pathetic. I freaked out. We had to walk down. Old and young glided by us gracefully as we trudged down down down the snowy hillside, awkwardly carrying our skis and poles. Matt was a gentleman and stayed by my side even though I insisted he go on ahead. SO humiliating. Get me out of here. Goodbye. I consider myself a relatively athletic person, but going high-speed, down a hill, feeling out of control, with possible wipe-outs all around me...no thank you. I'd rather hike the hills snowshoeing or even cross country skiing (that's pushing it a little though) and enjoy the scenery in SLOW MOTION.

Fortunately the date was not a complete disaster, and Matt although bitterly disappointed because he IS a comfortable and capable skier...still loved me. (Had this date been prior to marriage...it might have been the last date.) We took a walk around Gardner's Village to finish off the day to try and cheer me up.

This definitely helped.

Stop it.

Maybe there's hope for future Walsman skiers...but it won't come from this desert bred mama.

Easter 2014...Some of Our Family Traditions

I love this image...Matt helping the kids up the stairs to the House of the Lord with missionaries gathered above them.

A favorite Easter tradition for our family is to take a walk around a temple with our kids. Here we are in front of the Provo temple with swarms of missionaries.

I love seeing my kids hug.

The fountains are a favorite for the little ones.

Man, I love these kids.

I'm usually the photographer in the family, but I really wanted some mom shots with my cuties.

Nice 'stache, Babe. (It was an experiment). Matt just looked at this 2+ years later and said, "Never let me do that again!"

The Sandberg Family Easter Egg Hunt in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard. They're all lining up for the "Go!"

Bewildered Amelia.

Matt with our niece Candice Bellows.

Another Daddy car ride. He pulls the ears to tell Matt to go/stop/and turn.

I love my family. Just hanging out together.

'Liza-lou

Grandma's famous lemon meringue pie and pineapple upside down cake!

This is where the fun is at.

My beautiful niece...almost dating age, boys. Take a number and get in line please.

My handsome and very cool nephew. Fully dating age...but currently on a mission.
He's worth the wait, Ladies.

Posing with our Easter pictures and baskets in our Provo townhouse.

What we were up to in March of 2012...

By March we were still in the thick of the MBA program. Matt was waiting to hear back from schools that he applied to for doctorate programs. I was having fun with MBASA and Relief Society work, raising kids, and teaching piano lessons and toddler music classes. We felt peaceful about the decision to do more school and we felt pretty open to go where the Lord wanted us to go. I think we could kind of feel the East Coast calling us though.

Matt's 30th Birthday!!

Family night at BYU Bowling alley to celebrate Matt's 30th. Classic. (I was actually trying to throw him off of my real birthday surprise which didn't actually happen...a surprise birthday party with friends...more of that story to come later.)

The family party cake (once again to throw him off)

Sam's first exposure to bowling

That looks like a sad face...do not be deceived. He loved it.

I loved those overalls...


He looks so serious...I somehow did not capture the real thrill and excitement he felt. Haha.

Remember When...

We saw a huge hawk fly across a church gym and land on my nephew's hand. Kimball was the first of the Walsman grandkids to earn his Eagle Scout award.

I like John's face here. The happy Dad.

The happy mom, Jenny (Matt's only sister). John and Jenny are two of my heroes. A great couple.

Nothing like a preschool fieldtrip to Kristy Kreme to brighten your day.

Amelia with her preschool friends. We had a co-op preschool that I did with a couple MBASA moms and we rotated having the kids over and doing preschool. Amelia was the only girl in our group, but she loved it. (Good job with the hats Kristy Kreme...such a simple way to get the kids excited.)

Matt's surprise 30th birthday party was cancelled due to a death in our extended family. We were so sad to hear about the passing of Mike and April's brother-in-law Bradford. They had lost April's sister about a year or two before that. We were glad we could be in Utah at the time to show our love and support to them and their family. The funeral services were amazing. The spirit of love and comfort was so powerful. I will never forget when Bradford's sister sang "Be Still My Soul" and when his daughter (who at the time was maybe 10 years old?) sang "Tomorrow" from Annie. What a courageous soul. This picture is the ride home. Matt and I drove our nephews, Joseph and Justin, home after the funeral. They were good sports and decided to ride in the car seats so we didn't need to remove them all to the trunk and put them back in later.

Remember Daddy car rides? Sam demonstrates. He pulls Matt's ears to go faster or turn right or left or stop. A big hit.

Natalie is learning to ride bike with no training wheels here. We had the perfect gentle slope in front of our townhouse.

Grandmother Sandberg's 70th Surprise Birthday Bash!

If you met my mother, you wouldn't believe she is in her 70s. She is young at heart, active, and spunky! She is always on the go- doing housework or serving family or friends. (One of the hardest workers I know.) She loves to read. She loves a good movie. She loves being with my Dad or her kids and grandkids. She petitions the Lord for help every day. She is an avid scripture studier. A Weight Watchers fan. A daily walker. A Florida native that has traveled the world. Always supporting my Dad in his work and church callings. An amazing woman. Love you mom.

My mom loves to hear us sing.

Mom with her younger sis Aunt Diana. She was in on the surprise...took mom out for a sister walk, made up an excuse to go by the church...and voila! Surprise party!

Davy and Pete showing some brotherly love.

The gifts and cake and birthday girl. Every family made a list of reasons why they love mom/grandma.

And we had the grandkids sing...but I don't think they were as thrilled about it.

Aunt D, cousin Stephan and Kirsten and kiddos too

It all starts here...

I need to send this to ESPN. The cool thing is...he just kept throwing the ball towards the basket, chasing it down, and trying again. I hope he hangs on to that determination.

Most of my family...(two siblings and their families are missing and grandpa is taking the picture.)

Spring General Conference in Salt Lake City

When we are in Utah, it's a tradition for us to take our kids up to temple square to listen to one day of General Conference outside on the lawn, picnic, and see some of the sites with them.