Just Like Christmas!

Maddie was so excited last night. She said it felt just like Christmas Eve. She couldn't wait to go to bed because the sooner she got to sleep the sooner it would be morning!

Can you guess why?


After exactly two years of tin-grin-aggravation, Maddie got her braces off this morning!!!

Isn't that a beautiful smile?

Disneyland Again

(You COULD read that title in a bored tone. But you will NEVER hear it that way from ME!)


Two weekends ago the Junior High orchestra, choir, and band played at a music festival in Fullerton, California. Part of the trip included a visit to the Magic Kingdom and California Adventure. My friends Leisel and Kimberly and I were a little nervous about sending our "babies" on a trip alone, so we decided to "just happen" to be in the same hotel and the same amusement park that same weekend...Good sneaky plan, eh?


We had such a good time! Here Leisel stands under the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to California Adventure. Kimberly had never been here before, so we rode all the fun rides-Soarin' Over California, California Screamin', and the Hollywood Tower of Terror. My knees did some good shaking.


My pictures were not very good, but I thought this one of Kimberly in the Tower of Terror line was cute. (We couldn't be WITH the "independent girls," but we did have to stay in constant-encouragement-mode phone contact with them. They were a little hesitant on some of the rides.)


Maddie, Savannah, Rebecca and their friend Erin. Once they finally got their courage up to go on the Matterhorn the first time they went back for THREE more rides! It's a little sad to see these babies getting so grown up...


One of my favorite things at Disneyland is the landscaping.


Aren't the flowers beautiful?


So much variety...


and color...

Can you tell this is just one of my favorite places??

Brrr-to

There's this really cute little girl in my life.


Sometimes, when she's cold (or not) she wants to be wrapped up like a "brrr-to." (You know, that Mexican rolled-up-tortilla-with-beans-inside.)

She has a great smile.


Don't you see her personality shining through?


She has a really cute big brother.


And a good mom and dad.


When she comes to my house she starts at the sidewalk saying, "Nana? Nana? Halloooh!"


I think she loves me too.

Thank you, again, Jessica, for the great family photos.

A Gift of Love

Saturday our stake had a wonderful service activity. We boxed up donated items for several local charities and sent packages to military members of the stake.

I didn't think to bring my camera, but you can see great pictures of it on Jessica's blog.

It was a lot of fun and accomplished a lot of good too, I think.

A great way to spend a Saturday morning.


I sewed this cute quilt with matching "I Spy in My Garden" soft toddler book to donate to one of the charities we served. My friend Georgia quilted it, of course.

Pay it Forward

My cute, crafty, and talented niece, Elisabeth, had this posted on her blog and I finally decided to play along. I promise to get inspiration from Allyson, so if you are one of the first three commenters, I promise you will get something.....pretty good! Then, don't forget to Pay It Forward!

The Rules

1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on their blog, meaning that they will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on their post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate pictures and comments!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along.Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! SO, REMEMBER...Pay it forward!

Have fun!

Family Night

Last Tuesday we went roller skating for FHE (a day late and many dollars short.) Sydney couldn't WAIT to get her skates on.


She only made it around the rink once though.

Ally got in trouble for carrying her off the floor.


Maddie decided after two times at the rink, she doesn't really like skating. Amy is pretty darn good. Well, she didn't fall anyway.


Julie says skating is the kind of thing that no matter how hard she tries, she'll never get any better...Ally's going to stay home and babysit next time...

Tyler and Aubrey loved it and Jeff, Brian, and Susan can skate circles around the rest of us. But it kind of made us rethink our brilliant idea of building a family run skating rink in Mt. Pleasant as a way to keep the family working up there.

I think you have to actually be able to skate to run a skating rink. Or at least like it a little...

Disclaimer: This hideous picture of Ally (originally posted - see above and Ally's "comment") makes her look way larger than life and not nearly as pretty as she really is. It is only included to show the cuteness of Sydney and her ignominious exit from the skate floor. Also Amy's half-cuteness in the background. ("Tell her she also cut ME out of the picture!"--Amy) Hey, if I have to occasionally post likenesses of my large self, others may be grossly misrepresented on my site also...

A Sad, Sad Day (?)

Ever see the movie "A Simple Twist of Fate" with Steve Martin?

Remember the "mouse funeral" scene, with the marching and chanting/moaning?

This is what I saw when I looked up from the table in the dining room yesterday.


And yes, there was chanting/moaning/great sadness, for whatever character had passed away in their imagination game.

They marched through, turned around, marched out.

We never got a full explanation...