Sammie is 8!

Sammie had a big weekend.  Her birthday was Saturday and she was baptized the very same day.  It was such a special day.  We had lots of family for the weekend and we crammed into our house.  It was great to see everyone and spend some time together.  The girls liked having their cousins around.  When I was baptized I wrote in my journal that day.  It has helped me to remember the things that I felt.  I laugh and cry when I read it.

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"Today is Saturday. I had a good birthday.  I got baptized today and my grandma's and grandpa's came over today for lunch.  My dad gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost.  I got the Book of Mormon and the Holy Bible.  I am eight now.  I like to read.  Some day I will see my kids get baptized.  They will be happy like I was.  And today I know what is right.  And some day my kids will know what is right.  And I love my family.  And they love me."


On my baptism day all those years ago, I had my children on my mind.  I was thinking about teaching them the gospel and raising them to make these decisions for themselves.  I read this to Sammie before her baptism and told her that I had been waiting for this day since I was eight years old.  She smiled and gave me a hug as we shared this special moment.  Our lives are full of choices and living the gospel has been the most important choice of my life.  I know that this was an important day for Sammie.  It is her choice and her path, but it was an important day for me too.  It strengthens my faith and my testimony to see the light of the gospel in the lives of my children.  I am grateful for this blessing in my life.  It gives me strength and hope.

Making Valentines

The girls were set on making their own this year.  Olivia made her own too but came home later and did hers after basketball practice.  I love these little art projects and this one that they could pretty much do on their own.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

The girls were busy on Tuesday afternoon and evening making their Valentines for their classmates.  They turned out so pretty and were fun too because there really wasn't a way to mess up.
This morning I had my decorations out that I always put up every year and the cookies that my girls look forward to were waiting on the table for them.  I don't think anyone actually ate breakfast.  I did shove a banana at Sammie in the hustle and bustle of this morning, but she is the only one who got anything remotely healthy.  I was all off my routine this morning and things were all out of order. 
My mom got the girls the most adorable stuffed dogs.  They recognized how nice they were and loved them.  I don't think I have seen Sammie more excited.  She ran upstairs to Abby who was still asleep and was yelling out all the surprises.  Abby named hers Buster because he looks just like Grandma's dog.

The first and second graders at the school do a "sock hop" every year on Valentines' Day.  Sammie was all dolled up for that.  She was with one of her best school buddies this morning.  She also received a Student of the Month award!  She was so excited and "had a great day!" --Her words.  Her teacher said it was very well-deserved.  Sammie is very good and quiet at school.  She tries so hard to do the right thing all the time.  Her friend Liliana was Student of the Month in her class too!

Perfect Picture

This picture captures Sammie so perfectly.  We went to pick up Abby from a friend's and Sammie jumped in the car with a book that she was reading and put a stuffed animal in the cup holder of her booster.  She loves to bring her little critters along with her all the time and we are often waiting for her while she gathers a few to bring along in the car. 
Sammie is getting to be quite the little reader.  She tested on a mid fifth grade level according to the benchmarks they give at school.  I didn't even realize how well she was reading because when we read together, I usually read.  But she has been reading like crazy on her own too and is getting through books really fast.  Her new favorite is Beverly Cleary books.

LA Temple and Greystone Mansion

We visited the Los Angeles Temple a couple of weekends ago.  It was a beautiful, windy, day.  Perfect Southern California weather.  The youth were doing baptisms that day and since Joey was going, we decided to take the whole family and I got to go too before Joey had to go in with the youth.  The girls enjoyed the temple grounds.  I love the LA Temple.  I  love how it looks out over the busy city and is so massive.  I was so grateful that we went, even though we almost didn't.  It seems to be the way with temple trips.  Abby had a bit of a cold and was coughing a lot.  We didn't decide to go for sure until that morning.  I am always glad when we just forget everything else and go.  I never regret a trip to the temple. 

 

 

 

 

 While Joey was in the Temple with the girls and it was getting a bit too windy on the temple grounds, I drove the girls up the street through Beverly Hills and to Greystone Mansion.  The grounds are open to the public and the girls had fun climbing staircases and roaming the grounds.  We stopped at a pond on the property and were entertained for about 20 minutes just watching the turtles trying to kick each other off the rocks.  There were huge koi fish too that the girls had fun identifying and keeping their eyes on their favorites swimming around the pond.  I completely wore myself out but wasn't really any worse off.  Which was a good thing for me.  We drove back to the temple and picked Joey up and then headed to dinner in Westwood where we just barely missed the premiere to the "Lego Movie."  We had no idea it was going on and were surprised by the red carpet and a whole block of street was blocked off.  It was still exciting to see it all set up, even if we had just missed all the movie stars.  I hope that we take more trips like this together.  I love hanging out with these people :)

Well, look who had a birthday.

 
 
 

I turned 34 last Tuesday.  I had such a wonderful birthday this year.  In the past I've had great birthdays, good birthdays, birthdays when I was sick, birthdays when I was super pregnant, birthdays when I was cranky...but this birthday was a wonderful one.  I felt good and had lots of energy.  My kids all got me cute presents just from them, my mom was visiting and I had a great week and we got lots of projects done, my new rug that I ordered was delivered.  I just felt so happy and grateful that day. 

Abby was at preschool and my mom and I spent the morning shopping and getting ideas for decorating projects.  I had friends drop things off on my doorstep and one of my good friends baked me the most delicious oreo cake.  It was one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted.  I felt so loved and special.  I am looking forward to this year with lots of hope and gratitude.  I have a great life.

Rainbow Loom

The girls were busy with their Rainbow Loom all morning making bracelets.  One after another.  Everyone has been wearing them to school.  Sammie let me know that some second grade classes had to ban them because they were becoming a distraction.  Her class is still ok to wear them.  I arrive at the school during recess when I go volunteer and there is always a group of kids huddled around with their looms and bands and making these little creations.  I love these toy crazes.

 

Still Jumping

We finally re-vamped our trampoline with a new net that has desperately needed replacing.  It was just sort of swaying in the wind and hanging from the top for a while now.  Now that it is all fixed, it is like a new toy again.  Abby was out jumping the other day.  She was doing some sort of side jump and then would bounce off of her shoulder and flip over. 

I caught her in this shot.  Sammie pointed when she saw it that it looked like she was balancing on her pigtail.  We had a good laugh about it.  Oh, the simple joys of life. 

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