Friday, August 19, 2011

St. Louis, Missouri

This summer we took a trip to Nauvoo that started in St. Louis, Missouri. After a long, 3-part airplane ride, Brad & the boys went to a Cardinals baseball game.

Thankfully, their favorite player - Albert Pujols -had just come back from an injury and hit a home run in the bottom of the 9th that won the game (and landed two seats away from the boys who had their own very brief and very annonymous appearance on Sports Center's Top Ten)!

They had the time of their lives - a great game at a fabulous stadium with some of the game's most devoted fans. (I think they were just about the only ones there not wearing red... we should have planned better!)

The next morning we all went to the famous St. Louis arch. We had all seen pictures of it before, but had no idea how huge it was... (see how tiny we are standing there!)

or that you could actually go up insideof it! (see that row of tiny windows near the top???)

They have these tiny little elevators that our family barely fit inside! Brad's a bit claustrophobic - and terribly afraid of heights - so he asked us to sing him a lullaby on the way up to the top. We thought "Rock-a-bye Baby" was appropriate! {Nothing like a song about a little baby falling out of a tree to help you get over your fears, honey!} Once you get to the top, they have an observation area so you can look down at the tiny world below you... and, no - Brad didn't look!

Adam took lots of pictures, but these two of the reflection of the arch and the baseball park were two of my favorites.

The next morning on our way out of town we stopped by the St. Louis temple - so beautiful!

And we're off - Nauvoo or bust!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Congratulations, Adam!

Since today is offically the first day of school,


I thought I'd finally post picutres of the last day of school!


Congratulations Adam, Kami, Lyndi & Taylor!



Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mormon Prom

Matt went to "Mormon Prom" tonight with Paige...

and a bunch of great friends... and had a fabulous time. Yea!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Happy Birthday, Camille!

Her birthday wish

{new racket and a game of tennis}

was a bit ironic this year

because she broke her arm just the day before!



So instead,

she built on to her crazy hamster world. . .


and went out for her favorite ice cream treat!


We love you, Camille!


Easter 2011

Just a few quick picutres of Easter this year...















Saturday, March 5, 2011

Beautiful... Inside & Out

This afternoon our Laurels took part
in a fasion show of modest prom dresses...
aren't they gorgeous!!!
I just couldn't resist taking picture
after picture
after picture
of these beautiful,
beautiful,
beautiful girls!
I feel so lucky
to be able to serve them.

Happy Birthday, Adam!

I can't believe that Adam
is 14 already!!
He got some great presents...
a new shirt from Matt,
a game for the car from Camille,
some new church/dance clothes
from Brad and I,
and a game that he REALLY wanted
from Grandma & Grandpa.
And then we went out to dinner
because our heater was broken
and no one wanted to stay home!!
Happy Birthday, Adam!

I feel so loved...

When I got home from the market last week
I found these on my front door...
and this on my garage door.
I love my Young Women!!!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

Don't you love how you do things once
and all of a sudden they are a tradition?
Last year Valentine's Day was on a Sunday,
so I served crumb cake and fruit for a yummy breakfast
to go along with their Valentine's books.
Then last week we were driving in the car
and one of the kids said...
"I can't wait for Valentine's Day
so we can have that yummy breakfast again!"
And a tradition was born.
I love that it's never too late
to add another favorite family memory!

Since Matthew "doesn't read" I picked up a Wii game
that he's been begging us to get
(it didn't hurt that I wanted it myself
for a little change of pace in my exercise routine!),
and may I just say--
best entertainment portion of FHE ever!!!
We laughed until we cried.

And look what Brad surprised me with!
We don't usually do the flower thing,
but it was a really fun treat!
(Isn't he a great guy!)
Hope your Valentine's Day was wonderful as well...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What We're Reading

The only thing I love more than a good book
is a good book recommendation,
so here are a few we've enjoyed over the last couple of weeks...
The Holy Secret is the story of a man who comes to terms
with the fact that he doesn't really love holilness.
I enjoyed the story,
but the real learning came as I read it again,
searching for nuggets of wisdom needed in my own life.
---
The Forgotten Garden was my guilty pleasure.
An abandoned child, a cottage garden, a secret book of fairy tales
and a mysterious past to be discovered - a fun read!
---
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
is one of the best books I've ever read.
You'll weep over Immaculee's tragic circumstances
and cry tears of joy as she builds a relationship with God
that is beautiful beyond words.
Adam loved The Lost Hero,
Camille is begging and pleading for the next book in
The Mysterious Benedict Society series,
and Matthew says no one should ever read a book
with the word "cuckoo" in the title.
Happy Reading!