Things I have learned about marriage from my parents

Today my parents are celebrating their 48th Anniversary!!!  They must be doing something right - so I have decided to share 10 things that I learned from them about marriage and hopefully  I am doing some of them right.

1.  Always go on dates.  This is one of the first things that my parents told me when I got engaged to Bryant but I always remember them goin on Friday night dates.  For a while it was to Pizza Hut and they went there so much that the waitresses knew their names.  Later it was to Wendy's.  It does not matter where you go, how much or little you spend - but go and spend time with the person who you love the most.

2.  Arrive to church early.   We always got to church between 20 to 30 minutes early and We sat up front in the chapel.  Now in my own family, we get to churc early but we don't sit up front.

3.  Make memories as families - i have a million memories from my childhood - we went on amazing vacations, drove across the united states to be with our cousins, and have gone to places like Herkimer Diamond mine (bust) and any warm beach (major hit) and can have fun at any of them because we were together as a family.  Bryant and I have tried to do the same with our kids.

4.  It's okay to kiss in front of your kids - I was embarrassed when I would see my parents kissing each other when I was growing up.  Then I went to college to where I had a roommate who had never seen her parents even hold hands.  It is good for kids to see you kiss so that they know that you love each other.  I never doubted it with my parents and my kids will never doubt it with me and Bryant.

5.  If one of you it being grouchy, it is okay to send them to their room.  I still remember the time that Dad did this to mom.  And Bryant has done it to me.  There are times when we need to do it and later they will appreicate it - I know that I did.

6.  Support each other - My parents always supported each other in things that they did, whether church stuff, work stuff of family stuff.  That makes you a better person when you can do the things that you love/like/have to do and know that there is at least one person supporting you and cheering you on.

7.  Serve each other - I recently heard that a person thought that my dad was sick because of the way that my mom takes care of him.  That is what they do, they serve each other.  Which kind of goes along with support each other.  There are day when one seems to do more than the other but that is what is some great about marriage - there is only one score card and it is for the two of you.

8.  Serve others - I can't even begin to count the number of people who have been served by my parents - whether by cinnamon rolls on birthdays, a place to sleep on the floor the night before Pageant started, being a cheerleader for someone who needs it.  They have dedicated their lives to service of others ad hopefully as their child, I have learned a little bit by their example.

9.  Don't talk bad about your spouse - I can't ever remember my parents saying bad things about each other.  I think the worse was "Zot on you Bill"  I hope that my kids can say the same things for me and Bryant.

10.  Love each other - My parents love each other so much and they are an amazing example to me of love.  I hope that when 36 more years go by and Bryant and I have reached our 48th wedding anniversary that we will be able to look at my parents and see even more things that they have taught me!

LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!!!

10 Shots on Sunday - kids surprise!

Bryant and I have been planning on taking the kids to Hawaii ever since we came back in 2009. Everything fit into place this year and we surprised them with a trip there instead of going to school on the last day. So, be prepared to see a lot of pictures from our trip. We had tons of fun and loved the beach! I think it was my mom's Uncle Dick that said save like crazy and blow it on vacations. Well we did and the memories that we have will last a life time.

Madi's collection of crabs, sea worms and other stuff from oceam

Family at the Pineapple Maze - it has gotten much better since 2001

Bryant harnessing his inner pineapple

Bryant and Madi in the early morning searching for crabs!

First morning there - waiting to feed the fish

My two Hawaiin men in the twiner shirts

We spent every morning on the beach!  The beach is the best place for kids to play and play!

Max loved to make as many sand towers as he could until the water hit them!

Madi looking for more crabs and fish!

We arrived on Thursday aroung noon.  We went to Boss Frogs and rented snorkel stuff for all of us.  We used them almost everyday and saw a ton of fish and even got to swim with a sea turtle.  Next was off to Costco to get food for us to eat!  It's amazing that in Costco in HI, you can get a hot dog and drink for 1.50 and pizza for 9.95 and rotissorie chicken for 5.99 - same as in AZ.  Once we were loaded up with food.  We went to our hotel.  It was the Marriott Beach Club at Ko Olina.  We had a one room condo - that was almost 1000 sq feet.  There was a full size kitchen, washer and dryer and places for all to sleep!

When we got there - our room was not ready so we changed into shorts and took to the beaches.  The kids were drawn to the ocean like magentics.  They could not believe that they were there and loved playing in the water.  The hard part was to trying to keep them dry until we could change into swimsuits.

Once we got checked in, we got dinner and swam in the pool.

Friday - we spent the whole day at the beach, snorkeling, playing in the sand and totally enjoying ourselves!

Saturday - THE Swap meet.  Need I say more for those who have been there.  There is a swap meet at Aloha Stadium on Saturdays and Wednesdays.  The kids could not believe everything that was there.  They each had saved their own money and were very particular as to what they bought.  It was lots of fun and a great way to spend part of the day.  The rest - at the beach snorkeling, finding out that someone had gotten ahold of our credit card and dealing with that too. 

Sunday - Hawaiian church is a one of a kind experience.  After learning a little too much about a family, church finished and we headed over to the Laie Temple.  More pictures on the next post from there as well as the rest of our trip!

Mother's Day 2012

Madi 10 11/12  - almost 11

 Happy Mother's Day 2012

Max 9 1/2

Maya 7 1/2


10 things that have made me laugh this past week

1. The kids and I have been walking about 3 nights a week and we go about two miles each time. Once we cross the only road, we walk along a canal. About two house down, there is a turkey and I laugh everytime we get close and the kids start makng their own turkey sounds hoping for the turkey to answer back. I love their faces when it does answer.

2. The trampoline - about 6 months ago, we had to replace the frame, mat as well as about 10 springs. At the time, we wondered if it was worth it! Well it is, I love watching them play all sorts of different games and I laugh and laugh thinking about the games that I used to play on the trampoline.

3. Bryant - he can make me laugh more than anyone. The best is when he is not trying to be funny but he ends up saying something so funny at just the right moment.

4. Church is past week - it was fast and testimony meetings and it was one of those meetings that the only thing that you can do is be grateful that you are not in the bishopric and laugh quietly to yourself. Nothing too bad said but just crazy things.

5. Quoting movies - I work with a girl named Aleesa and we try to casually work movies lines into our conversations that we have with each and with the partners of the CPA firm. It totally cracks us up when we say one and they look at us like they have heard what we said before but can't remember where.

6. Watching Maya eat ice cream. No matter how careful she is, she always ends up with more on her face then she actually got in her.

7. America's Funniest Videos - My kids love watching this and I love to watch them laugh and laugh especially when they show things in going backward of how it was taped.

8. Better Off Ted - it was a TV show that only lives on on NetFlicks. It was one that we loved when it was on the air and have found it even funnier when you have seen it lots of times! If you have not seen it and you have worked for a larger corporation - you need to you will love it!

9. Old pictures - we were looking at pictures from the past and I always laugh and remember the great times that go along with them. My kids laugh at out clothes and they think that I am laughing at that too - which I am a little but I also am laughing at the memories.

10. High Heeled Shoes - Maya and Madi went with Kim and Taci to goodwill and found some "Treasures" These shoes are at least 3 inches high and they are clear. They were super cheap so we went back and bought them. I laughed when I saw them and I laugh everytime they were them and they pretend that they are Cinderella and these are their gglass slippers!

It's been a long few months

Life has finally gotten back to normal some what! It is amazing how working 5 days a week can add some much stress to you life. I made it through another tax seaon again and an loving working 3 days again. I can't wait until the summer when I get to work even fewer hours!

So What had the Rockwoods been up to since the middle of January


Bryant - work,YM's, fishing every Friday in April and catching over 145 fish!! He also redid the Kids bathroom, watched the kids so I could run Ragnar again and took me on lots of dates!!


Madi - orchestra - the Viola, Rock Stars (running club at School) went to a run at Cardinals Stadium and also won the family tickets to the last suns game of the year. She swam with the Mesa Aquadic Club 4 nights a week for February and March, went to Activity days, loved all of the little kids in our ward and decided that growing up has some definite perks!


Max - Played on a basketball league and loved it, ran in Rock Stars, loves cub scouts and competed in the Pine Wood derby and got 6 place out of about 30 boys, loves playing the WII and computer, throwing water balloons at others, being outside and eating wings with Bryant.


Maya - played Soccer and loved every minute of it, is in dance class, errand runner with Mom and Dad, always singing and loves life to the fullest! She has been playing outside a ton and can't wait for swimteam.


The reason why there are no pictures on this post is that I am typing it on my congratulations you made it through Tax Season treat to myself - an IPad!!! I love it. I will do the next post from our regular computer and will post a lot of pictures!

Five on Friday

1. I love this girl!! She has brought so much love and laughter into our home! When my kids were younger they never played drums on the pots and pans. Well - on Saturday, I came up stairs and found this! She was listening to music and drumming along with it. I laughed so hard and she loved it. I also loved that she knew that in order to be a drummer, you need to wear shades!!
2. For two years, Maya had to watch while Max and Madi played soccer. Well it was finally her turn in January. For someone who never played before she is doing quite well. She loves to run and actually goes after the ball (which is so unlike our other two). She has played in 2 games and it really enjoying it. So much that she told me that she does not want to do dance - she wants to play soccer. I guess there is some Sherwood blood in her! Her favorite position is sweeper.

3. Max decided that he wants to play basketball. He is a head taller than everyone in his class and when the coach saw him, he was glad for a taller player. He is more coordinated than his mom, and has made at least one basket in every game. No pictures of this - but hopefully next week. So now our Saturdays consist of soccer and basketball until March and I would not have it any other way!

4, Madi - she is playing the violin, piano, has activity days girls and just got done doing student council. So, now she is looking at doing a sport during the school year too. I think that she is leaning toward swimming.

5. Bryant - he has a new shift at work. It started right after Christmas. He now works Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Which means he has Fridays off!!!!! We are able to have a date night, he can go to the kids games (if they are before 12) on Saturdays and he is able to spend more time with us!

Next week, I will put pcitures of Christmas (which was a BLAST), december and November!

Ward Goal for 2012

In Church today, our bishop annouced the ward goal for 2012. This is one that I have been thinking a lot about before today. Our ward goal is to recognize and record daily blessings in an effort to increase gratitude and build trust in the Savior.

So I have decided to take the challenge and each day write down at least one thing that I am thankful for.

I am also going to have my kids to it to in order for them to realize how many blessings we truly have.

I have a notebook that I am going to be writing the things and hopefully by the end of the year, it will be full of our blessings of gratitude!!