Cover to cover

Bret had the venturous idea to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover in March. I am excited out of my mind to start. I always think back on the time when Bret and I were NOT together for a few months and how reading the scriptures and praying was the only way to get through another day. Those days were hard but I never felt so good about myself and I KNEW who I was becoming. I loved leaving my whole life in God's hands.

I am a bit of a control freak, so I do my best to manage my life on my own, I work hard to make things work and to get what I want. Case in point: Bret, Kingston, London, house and soon a puppy {sorry babe, it's gonna happen}. I try not to "bother" God with my life and therefore I sometimes try not to ask him what I should do or if He can help. I know this way of living is misguided and life could potentially be so much easier if I just put things in His hands but it feels impossible to let go of control. I know, I am a mutant.

Needless to say I am definitely anxious for the lovely effects of this special book to take over my life and to change my twisted perspective. I'm looking to renew my vigor for missionary work and to redefine the relationship I have with my creator. I'm hoping this month I can be changed forever and I can become someone I love and that my thoughts and feelings towards others will be pleasant and sweet. I'm hoping to get to know the real me, the me I was before I came to earth, the me HE wants me to be.

I struggle with myself and my attitude more than I do with anything else. Most of the time I am just disappointed that I am not a kind person and that I am not sensitive to others around me. I don't want to be negative or selfish. I want to change and I am excited to.

Bret has the best influence on me. I knew from the start he was too good for me and that he would get me back to the presence of God even if he has to drag me by the feet. Sometimes we take turns dragging each other but he is a lot stronger than I so he usually does all the dragging. I like him ;) I've got a few records of my own that testify of the love I have for my companion. Some pages may seem juvenile but I assure you the contents are the reality. The books of our relationship are falling apart and basically not legible at all. There isn't an alluring plot or climax to enthrall you. There are no sparkling vampires and I am absolutely not the apple in any man's eye but I prefer these pages to others entirely even if the grammar is atrocious.

Let her eat cake

Shye so loving made London's strawberry birthday cake for the party. It was exactly what I wanted and I cannot say enough about utterly delicious it was. It was truly admired and every bite was savored. Y.U.M.



{London was not hesitant at all to dig her fingers into that sweet strawberry goodness.}






{Shye's cakes make me that happy too}


{what I wouldn't give for another piece right now!!!!}


Shye also made mini cupcakes in a jar for all the mommies. Triple Chocolate Pecan Crunch... or something like that. Lots of chocolate = perfection in a jar. Just look how cute they are!!!


Thank you dear Shye!

Tea with the Queen

Miss Lo turned ONE on Friday the 19th of February and so we had a special tea party in honor of her majesty. This was something I have been waiting for since she was born. My only daughter's 1st Birthday party and I was determined to go overboard for her special day. It was so fun to have something NON work related to put some thought into and I wanted it to be fun for all who attended. Every detail was thought out and planned.

{Queen for a day}


{Lo and her guests enjoying watermelon lemonade and some delicate tea sandwiches, scones and muffins.}






{There was a table for the adults and one for the little girls with tiny appetizer silverware and handmade napkins from vintage material. Each table was adorned with fresh flowers and embossed teapots.}






{All the adorable guest came dressed to impress in their party best. Some had to leave early but each little girl received a vintage tea cup and a collection of pretty things that little girls love}




{To eat we had homemade scones with sweet cream and strawberries, an array of finger sandwiches with party toppers made from vintage images, mini cake balls with pink glitter, muffins, stuffed strawberries and blueberries and two different kinds of lemonades.}












Her sweet cousins and friends brought her the most adorable gifts and she has had soooo much fun playing with her girly toys ever since. I wanted to thank everyone who came and especially for all of your help setting up! It was the sweetest of days. Thank you.

Tah Dah!

Yes, I finally finished the yard! Well, not the entire yard yet, but finished the sprinkler system, curbing, extending the back porch with the square and rectangle concrete slabs and laid the sod. There's still a lot to go. And I shouldn't say "I" either cuz I had lots of help. Eric Eaves from my new ward hooked it up and helped me put in the spinkler system and let me borrow his tools, I hired a couple Mexicans to do the curbing, Dad gave up a couple weekends to come down and set the forms with me, mix the concrete, pour it, and work it until it set just right, and Barry gave up his President's Day to come unload a ton (literally) of dirt to level it out and to help lay all the sod. Becki and I think it looks so good and King loves to run around in the grass. Lo skips the grass and goes straight to the dirt to get as much in her mouth before we can take her away. I'm so glad to finally have this part done. I show it off to everyone who stops by the house. The next project will be finishing the sprinkler system for the garden boxes, finish the drip line and plant some fruit trees, and we want to do some vines to grow up and cover the back wall. Anyways, we're gonna enjoy it.

Remember When?

Remember when this commercial used to be funny? Now it just gives me anxiety? Kingston has definitely curbed my hopes for another baby right now.

This one's mine!

I knew I picked a good one when he took me to dinner at a place I mentioned weeks ago. Especially when he ordered just a hamburger so I could order something special like the lobster! And then he let me cover his face in RED lipstick kisses and post pictures of it on the internet. Tee hee.

So glad he's all mine!

A Real Good Time

Here is a little story about how I disappeared for several days.

My sister Missi had some sad news. My sister's Carli, Aubrey, Elisha and I felt sad for her too. We wanted to hug her. "Let's go to Utah to hug her!" we say..... Then we spend much time coordinating, bribing and begging to ditch our children and drive to Utah very VERY last minute.

4 girls piled into my toaster for a long drive like this:


we surprised our sister Mihhi (Missi) and made her smile like this:


Then we drove up to Midway and hiked up a hill to my parents cabin in the snow like this:


Wearing Arizona shoes like this:


Then we surprised my parents like this:


Then we called up my twin and surprised him too so we could bond like this:


Then we began to have lots of fun doing things like this:


and this:


and we took fun pictures like this:


and this:

{I'm the only one that actually looks cold but it's just not true}

and we saw pretty things like this:


and this:


and finally on the drive home I slept like this:


and this:


As you can tell it was a week long girls retreat and we had too much fun to blog about. Sorry the pictures are so lame, I must of been too distracted to care. That was the wackiest last minute thing I have ever done and I am so happy all 5 sisters could be with each other for a once in a lifetime experience like this one. I am blessed!

I did learn a few things on my trip.

1st and most important: Snow, cold, ice etc are not my friend. I will stay put in Arizona for the winter from now on.

2nd I might be morbidly obese in a small body. My mom says it can happen {I might be dramatizing my situation}. My sisters are all so fit and healthy and it really makes me want to try it out again. {more on this later}

3rd my twin brother B-Rad is too hot and too much fun to stay single for long. I also think he should live in Arizona by me so we can hang out more.

4th. There is most definitely a such thing as too much junk food. Wherever the line was I rocketed myself across it.

and finally, I miss my Utah family already! Waaaaah. {But I am terribly anxious to hold my babies once more at the same time} I'm so conflicted!

and there you go. I hope to pick up the blogging pace in the next few weeks but you know me, you can't really count on anything I say.

p.s. Isn't it great that our blog is no longer private? You can thank Bret for whining about it so much and my HORRIBLE people adding skills. I apologize to the people who never actually got added. I intended to I promise!