Happy Birthday Brooke!

The Birthday Fairy strikes again!

This time with a room full of helium balloons.  The ribbons woke her up at 4:00 this morning tickling her face.

Brookie was a beautiful baby, with a gorgeous head of dark hair.

She must have loved life and her family so much that she didn't want to miss any of it . . . she rarely slept at all. 

Our little Sunshine.

Two Years Old 

Such a little performer . . . doing Good Ship Lollipop on stage at only two, and starting piano lessons at four-years-old. 

Brookie loves being active...even when it means an occasional boo-boo.

She is enjoying her 3rd year of soccer.

Brookie is a beach girl!

Nothing slows her down . . . even a broken leg.  Her leg broke while ding-dong-ditching!

Again, she is our Little Sunshine!

We love our Brookie Boo!

Happy Birthday to our Big Seven-Year-Old Girl. You are wonderful!!

Train Wreck

I'm sure most of you have heard about the horrific train wreck that occurred Friday afternoon.

Horrific is an understatement.

I used to ride that same train, nearly every day. 

To think that it was caused by human error, human negligence, is beyond comprehension.

Life is so fragile.  

My prayers are with those who are recovering, those who are mourning loss,

and those whose lives will no longer be the same.

This is a picture of my brother Steve (on the left) helping a victim out of the train.

- his expression is displaying disgust not for what he's doing, but for the photographers that were surrounding him . . . people were dying and yet there were many, many photographers just wanting to get the gruesome shots and not bothering to help save lives.   Although this picture is scary, it is nothing compared to the carnage he had to deal with that day.

My Mia Maids

I've watched these girls grow and change and learn and become more beautiful in the last two years.  I've had them all since they were just new from Beehives (12-13 yr olds).  Oh how I'm going to miss them!  This is one time that I'm glad that I need to get a babysitter for my kids . . . so at least I can still have any of these great girls over!  

I have been their Mia Maid Advisor (teacher of young women at church ages 14-15) for nearly two years and will soon be released (sniff).  

I love the Young Women; 

I love the fun;

I love teaching them; 

I love how they participate; 

I love the relationship I have them each of them;  

I love how they have matured spiritually.

But, I HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED I keep saying. I am still going to teach this Sunday. I still want to go to mutual every Wednesday night. Can I, please, pretty please? Can I? It's so fun! It's like a party, an escape, and excuse for a night out of fun and laughter! And these girls are so fun! I also love my partners-in-crime, the other leaders. Such wonderful women from whom I have learned so much. 

Tonight they planned a class activity to come over to my house (John wasn't home so I couldn't attend mutual), and they brought dessert and we had a fun little sort of going away party because we know I will be released soon.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE RELEASED!  Did I mention that yet?

I bet you all are wondering WHY I will be released soon.  What new adventure awaits . . . Well, I'm actually excited about this, but I can't have my cake and eat it too, so they say, but who is 'they'?  

What makes me have to leave these darling girls and move on to another learning experience is  a great opportunity to serve, and learn, and grow as a member of the Stake Primary Presidency (in charge of kids aged 18 mos - 12 yrs old throughout the area).   Another fabulous group of ladies, including Susie and Denise and Michelle that I am looking forward to working with and learning so much from them.  They are truly amazing and I have a lot to learn!

Hair

UPDATE: This is a shout-out for the PIXIE PATCH

They have the cutest hairbands and blankies for babies - and I just found another use.  Madison here is wearing Ashlyn's Pixie Band (the talented folks at Pixie Patch custom made this for Andrea's wedding last summer).  I used it to cover up the unsightly ends and the bands have a velcro tab to attach gorgeous Pixie Petals.  So cute!!  I love the Bands because they are so, so soft and stretchy. 

People are always asking me how I do my girls' hair.  Usually for church, they have some really cute style, and (although the pictures below don't really show) Madison had a cool "chain" 'do for the first day of school.  People say they looked like the Olympic rings, probably because the first time Madison and Brooke wore the "chain" to church it was at the start of the Olympics.  

Anyway, I'll have to post pictures when we do some cool 'dos, but for now, check out the links on my side bar.  There are plenty to keep you entertained for probably too long.  And right now, Girly Dos is having a fun give-away, so check it out and be sure to tell her I sent you! :-)

Every week, my girls spend time perusing the 'hair' sites to pick a style we want to recreate.  

We've even had playdates over here where we play hair salon and the kids all pick a style they want.  Never a shortage of girly-ness over here!  (poor Christian). 

Congratulations on My Engagement, or our Marriage, Or However You Want to Look at It!

For fourteen years this lovely digit wore a beautiful bauble~handpicked by my betrothed, yet spent the last year and a half in utter nakedness, alone, sad, desolate. Finally, yes, finally, attention was paid (a lot more than attention, actually) once more and another beautiful bauble was found to again wreath the lovely digit for what she hopes this time will last a lifetime.

Clothed in sparkles and sublime beauty, lovely digit no longer looks single.

Hooray for me! Now no throwing this one away!

John and I finally found (made) time to go ring shopping - after spending the morning "walking" for Prop 8 last Saturday.  It was really fun spending the afternoon with him downtown and meeting a wonderful jeweler and having this piece custom made.   

Happy 15 Years!

School Has Begun!

The First Day of School!

New outfits for the first week all picked out, new shoes, new lunch boxes, and 20 tons of school supplies purchased.  Bulging backpacks, butterflies in tummies, hair in curlers . . . we're ready!

Out front for our traditional first day of school photo shoot . . . always in a rush as we are ready to load into the car and hurry to school.  Christian and Ashlyn wanted to start school, too.  Christian will have to wait for next week for Pre-K and they'll enjoy MerrillSchool here a little while longer.  

I love how Madison and Brooke still want to match.  Or at least Madison is going along with it.  I know it won't last much longer and Madison will put a stop to her sister copying everything, or wanting to strike out on her own, but at least for now it's cute - and they'll be matching for the first week.  Like I said, the outfits are already picked out. 

Madison is happy about her teacher and excited for 4th grade.  After school she said she had a "really, really fun time!"  Oh, good.  I hope the enthusiasm lasts. 

The sun was too bright in her eyes to look at the camera.

Brooke got one of her really good friends in her 2nd grade class, so she's happy about that!

Ashlyn wanted to go to class with Brooke.  She is really going to miss them all day long!  

2nd and 4th grade?  That seems so old.  I don't know how I'm going to handle middle and high school.  This is going a bit too fast!

Renee's Wedding!

My first niece got married today!

Renee is one of the most beautiful people I know and 

today she was sealed for time and eternity to Brandon, the

love of her life.  We are so happy for her and wish her a forever of happiness.

The ceremony was really nice.  It turned out that my mother-in-law was the bride helper, and my father-in-law performed the sealing!  We kept it all in the family.

She couldn't have picked a better day.  The weather was perfect and had a nice cool ocean breeze.

She was a stunning bride!

The Norris crew tends to get a little crazy.  They love goofing off and having a good time. They are all just so cute!

Danika, Renee, CJ, Amber

Renee's Cousins (missing Shaun)

Beginning the receiving line.  The reception was held at Brandon's house, which is only three doors up from Renee's.  His parents really outdid themselves.  Not only is their home spectacular with a gorgeous yard and view, but his mom painted the entire downstairs sage green to match Renee's colors.  She tore out all the beautiful flowers in the backyard and replanted orange flowers.  It was unbelievable and really made the whole reception come together.

Congratulations Renee and Brandon!  

By the way, it was nice meeting you today Brandon.  We look forward to getting to know you in the future!