Happy Anniversary Brian!/ Happy B-Day Kambria!

8 YEARS, WaHOO!!! Love you Brian.
Kambria is the best Anniversary present we ever got!!! More to post about her when I have access to pictures. Happy 4th Birthday Baby!!!

Christmas 2008...

Christmas was magical for us this year. The girls are at the PERFECT Christmas age, where they are JUST AS EXCITED for Slinkys and Princess panties, as they are for the expensive stuff! Brynlee and Kam both asked Santa for a ring, they were excited to see that he came through with one for each of them with their own initial on it. Kam also asked Santa for an MP3 player which she has had strapped to herself and on play ever since she opened it (it has a speaker on the outside so we have all been enjoying the music with her)! Gavin is enjoying his new train set, and most of everyone else's gifts. He especially is interested in the music player and also his Daddy's new helicopter. Here are the girls enjoying Christmas breakfast which Daddy so lovingly made for the family...YUM! Bryn was hoping to get a visit from Santa AND the Tooth Fairy in the same day! Her last front tooth is REALLY loose, she kept singing the song "All I want for Christmas is my [3] front teeth!"

These are my favorite boys playing with Daddy's new toy!:

My ornaments of choice this year were the home-made ones, they are the Best kind!

This was our first Christmas at our own home this year. We missed our extended family, but will be able to see them soon...Thank Goodness! Merry Christmas!!!

It's your Birthday...

Do a DANCE!!!

DEAR CHELSEA,

I am so grateful that you are my sister, so today I am going to CELEBRATE the day you were born! However, I will try to forget that on the night you were born, (I was in my new yellow jammies that I got for Christmas), Grandma and Grandpa came to get me out of my warm bed in the MIDDLE of the FREEZING night! Then, they took FOREVER to let me come visit you and mom at the hospital. How dare they?! (I guess it's time to get over that!) You were/are so cute!!! I was grateful when we were finally able to bring you home from the hospital and be together as a family at home. You are a GREAT sister (not to mention, great friend)! Even though I am older and wiser...you have still taught me a few things... ok, maybe alot of things! :) Maybe someday I will be able to walk next door and wish you a Happy Birthday, but for now I will have to settle for a little singing (and dancing which you can't see) over the phone. I hope you have a WONDERFUL Birthday!

LOVE YOU!

IF I had sent out Christmas cards this year...

...I probably would have included these pictures. I also would have wished everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! As you can see with these 3 little Joys, we have MUCH to be MERRY about (also much to be very BUSY with)! Maybe next year I will be able to get out Christmas cards, I think I may need to start now though.

*Photos by Chelsea Rose Photography (my talented sister)

One of THOSE snow days...

I am typically not a fan of cold weather and snow, but there are those days when you wake up from gray and gloomy weather the night before, to unexpected bright sunshine and a blanket of pure white over everything. Something magical about it. Reminds me of my childhood somehow. Yesterday was one of those days:

Brynlee is at that age that you write your name on EVERYTHING! (I remember writing my name on window sills, dolls, and under furniture...I will not be telling her about that yet.)

Kam was waiting for snowflakes to fall in her mouth, unfortunately they never came.

This was Gavin's first real experience with playing in the snow. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but it didn't take him long to be excited about the whole thing. He has always loved being outside.

After I came in the house, Brian decided to go out and show the girls what some real fun is in the snow, I was happy to have a window between me and the "fun!"

The Reason for the Season...

This evening, along with her Joy School friends, Kambria performed a Christmas program at a local Care Center. She was a beautiful angel in the Nativity. Brynlee was asked to be an angel as well, along with a few of the others' older siblings.

Kam has been practicing her songs all week long, and is a very animated little girl. She had all of the actions and words perfectly and would dance along, but tonight we were lucky that she got up there at all. She was a little shy, but her cuteness makes up for it all! We are so proud of her.

I am grateful to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, and even more importantly to celebrate His perfect life and His death which made it possible for us to live with Him again. I know that He lives and that He wants us to experience true joy in this lifetime. "True Joy" for me is my family, I am grateful to know that if I live the way that He and Heavenly Father want me to, I can be with my family for Eternity. So grateful.

Happy Birthday Toddy-Woddy-... etc...

Dear Big Brother,

Wish I were with you to celebrate today. If I were there, we would probably compare our muscles, you would win...but at least I am more flexible:
You have always been a wonderful brother, very protective of me. I felt protective of you too.
You married a Beautiful and INCREDIBLE woman!!! I should know, I hand-picked her for you! You can thank me again later. :)

You are such a good Daddy to your little ones, they are lucky kiddos (and really cute too)!

The first thing I always think of when I think of you is this video from 1991 (gotta love the light-bulb microphone) The end of the video is the best part! Thanks for always making me smile, you are really one of my favorite people in the WHOLE WORLD!

LOVE YOU and hope you have a WONDERFUL Day!!!

"YAAA YOU!!!"

This little guy is really so sweet. He comes up to me all of the time and just randomly gives me big hugs and kisses, whether it's on my back, leg, hand, cheek, but most of the time it is smack on the lips! Last night in the car I randomly said "Love you," and he surprisingly yelled back "YAA YOU," and he accompanied it with kissing his own hand and throwing the kiss! It was immediately followed by a very surprised audience (parents and sisters) who were very quick to yell happy sounds and clap. With the attention he received he did it several more times. He has not yet said many words (mostly he just points and grunts for the things he wants), so it was a very monumental moment for me. PROUD MOMMA.

What it's ALL ABOUT...

We just spent a wonderful week with family for Thanksgiving. It went by WAY TOO FAST!!! Even the drive wasn't bad...the kids loved movies the whole way, while Brian and I listened to a book on MP3. We stayed in a hotel half-way, which the kids always love. Even better though, was our arrival to Grandma and Grandpa's house! We got to hold our new nephew/cousin "Baby Dawson," play with loads of cousins (8 kids total, all ages 5 and under!), chase the kitty around the house constantly, and we can't forget STUFFING ourselves with incredibly yummy food on Thanksgiving Day!

This picture is of Grandma and "her girls" in the Christmas outfits that I made them:
Grandma PJ and my Mom...my definition of Beautiful (seriously...my grandma is 83 and not a wrinkle on her!):

The family is Growing! Eight Grandkids with one on the way:

The kiddos all love GREAT Grandma and GREAT Grandpa!:

Gettin' Comfy with Grandpa AL:

If Brynlee were a Turkey...

...she would hide "Behind a hill."

Super!...

Yesterday we got crazy with cushions. The girls begged to set something up that would work for a gymnastics vault. For the "springboard" we used a pillow, for the "vault" we turned over a rubbermaid container, and for the landing we came up with 2 thick foam pads and a futon cushion folded in half. Who would have known that it would be HOURS of fun?!!! (Plus they are actually getting really good at it!) It was WAY better than doing dishes!

He can do Anything!...

Remember this mess?!:

Never again will we have that mess (well hopefully anyways)! Brian worked so hard on this armoir, it started out as just a metal can rotator shelf and he completely enclosed it and made doors, it is awesome!

I guess Brian can't take full credit, haha:

Not only can he do beautiful armoirs, my tile floors, put in our ENTIRE 1/2 acre back-yard by himself, be a computer wiz and many many other things... when pie sounded good to me the other day, this is what he did:

He is Incredible!

8 years ago, today...

Brian asked me to marry him. We had been officially dating for about 9 months, but had been good friends for much longer. That day we had driven up to SLC to watch The Testaments movie at Temple Square. While watching the movie I was cold, so I asked Brian for his coat (normally he would just offer it to me right away, but he was a little hesitant...come to find out, the ring was IN his coat pocket!). After the movie, we decided to walk around Temple Square and find a quiet place to read scriptures together. We walked and walked... and walked, I couldn't understand why just any old place wouldn't do. It was FREEZING!!!!!


We finally settled on a nice quiet place, and Brian pulled his scriptures out of his bag (well I thought they were his anyways). He proceeded to hand them to me and tell me it was my turn to read. I was soo cold and really wanted it to be his turn, but when I looked down at the scriptures he had handed me, I was in shock! They had MY name engraved on them...only with HIS last name!!! At that point I was so confused and just trying to comprehend what was going on. When I looked up at him, he was down on one knee with a beautiful ring. It took me a minute to realize that I really wasn't dreaming and that this really WAS happening! I never waivered in my answer...YES!

Here is a picture that I drew for Brian for Christmas, just 5 days before we were married:

This is one of our engagement pictures (Nov. 2000): I am so grateful that Brian found me, because I wasn't looking at the time. I really didn't know that someone so wonderful even existed. He is such an un-selfish person, a hard worker, and an INCREDIBLE father. I'm one LUCKY girl!

Sad to see it go...

Brian sold his '91 Mustang GT on Friday. It has been struggling a little as far as leaking fluids and the AC not working lately. We just don't have the time it takes to fix it up and it just doesn't make sense to have 3 cars for 2 drivers (this one has been neglected lately because it is definitely the least practical of the 3). Yes, I know...it's just a car. This car, however, is full of memories. Brian got this car right when he got off of his mission, so he has had it for 11 years (9 of which we have been either dating or married). Although it was not the reason we started dating, I did think he had a cool car. :) Of course, not all memories of this car are good...I will never forget when I was driving to pick up Brian from BYU and I put my foot on the clutch in the middle of a busy intersection and the stinkin' clutch didn't come back up! (Luckily I was able to coast to the side of the road, but not without a mild heart-attack first)! Of course, there have been many good years since that incident. When Brian put the car in the classifieds, it sold immediately, and the guy that bought it said he has been looking for one of these cars in this color and condition for 4-5 years! Maybe it won't be as easy as I thought to surprise Brian with another one someday, Dang.

Glenn Beck's Message...

A couple of weeks ago, Brian and I were able to attend an event honoring Glenn Beck. Brian bought me tickets a few weeks before the event, and then the day before I won tickets also! (I think I was supposed to be there and hear his message). I am a big fan. (He actually reminds me a lot of my dad). He gave a message of hope and the power of choice which has stuck with me. As I was sitting there listening, I just kept wishing that my family and friends could be there also to FEEL the hope that I felt. Here is a copy of a news article about the event from the Daily Herald:

Glenn Beck urges Utahns to trust in God.
Caleb Warnock - DAILY HERALD

At time wiping tears from his cheeks, at times shouting jubilantly, conservative talk show host Glenn Beck admonished a crowd at UVU on Saturday night to trust God during the global economic storm. "Know who you are, know what you got here, know what makes you so great, know what makes you so strong. It is your values," Beck told a crowd of a thousand gathered to hear him. "It is your commitment to do the hard thing, your commitment to God. In God we trust."
Star of the fastest-growing TV show on cable in addition to a successful radio show, Beck became the first-ever recipient of the Pioneer in Leadership Award on Saturday, created by the Utah Valley Chapter of the BYU Management Society "to recognize those that exemplify the pioneer spirt of courage in adversity and integrity in leadership."
Beck closed the evening by speaking on the power of choice. He was preceded by a VIP $2,000-a-table dinner in his honor. The public, paying $20 per ticket, then entered the McKay Events Center on UVU campus to hear a handful of singers before hearing Beck's speech. The event was a scholarship fundraising event.
Beck received a standing ovation as he took the podium just after 9 p.m. He spoke for over an hour.
Weeping, Beck challenged the audience to remember the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"It is the best America has ever been in my lifetime, so when I warn you something is coming, something wicked this way comes, the economy is not healthy, this is not going to pass without great life-changing pain, you could focus on that or focus on what you could become because of it.
"We will pull together and stand shoulder to shoulder, we will become compassionate, we will be Americans again, we will be in it together, it will be a great and glorious time to raise our children. It will bring us closer, if we choose."
At times, Beck's message was aimed directly at a Mormon audience.
"I am a child of God with the power of the priesthood," Beck asked his audience to remember about themselves. He continued by urging the audience to be a shelter and leader for others.
"I am an American; I know tomorrow will be better because I am," he said, to a standing ovation at the close of his speech.
Following the ovation, Beck took the podium again.
"My family and I pray for you," he said with emotion. "We ask you to pray for us. We have a great amount of power. It is all within our grasp."
Beck began his speech not with an autobiographical sketch but with a biography of the audience. Saying many people feel they know him because of his celebrity status, Beck said he felt he knew his audience.
"I may not get a chance to listen to you but I think I know who you are," he said, saying the audience works hard, is careful with their money while being worried about the economy, compassionate "yet you find yourself almost constantly pissed off by lazy people," feels uneasy with the direction of the country, is dissatisfied with both candidates for president, and wonders what is true.
"I'm here to tell you the problems are not as big as you think they are," Beck said. "Some are a lot bigger, but the solutions are not that hard."
Americans have become "convinced that our voice does not really matter because it is just little old me and one person cannot make a difference," he said. "We are convinced that one person cannot affect change."
Beck said that for two years he has been warning of impending financial collapse. That collapse is the result of "ridiculous choices" and a failure to exercise common sense.
Beck said he had personal knowledge of collapse, noting he is a recovering alcoholic.
"I did just about everything I could to destroy myself and kill myself," he said, noting that at one point doctors told him he had eight months to live. "Here is a moment of hope. I'm still here ... never lose hope ... we are going to survive and thrive and pull ourselves back up, and we are going to be Americans."
Beck told those gathered to take inspiration from the obstacles faced not only by the founders of the country but of the Mormon pioneers. The difference between losers and failures is that failures try again until they find success.
Beck wept when speaking of how George Washington inspires him, and spoke emotionally several times of having conversations with God, asking in whom Beck could trust. Audience members wiped tears from their own eyes as he spoke, nodding their agreement.
"We can have hope because God is bigger than any mountain, God is stronger," he said. "Those mountains can fall, those mountains can move. God does not. That should provide us with tremendous hope. We must not fear, for is God is on our side, nothing will conquer us, but we have to be careful."

Happy Birthday Dad!

Just want you to know how much we really love you and appreciate you! You are always there for me and have always been a rock in my foundation. We look forward to celebrating MANY of your Birthdays to come! You're not THAT old.

Oldies, but goodies:

I am grateful that you were able to baptize me. Remember the water was really hot?! I think someone forgot to combine some cold with the hot when they filled it. Even though we were both lobsters when we got out, I remember it as a wonderful day. I especially like how you look like my bodyguard in the first picture! :)

Even though we are far away from you today, we will celebrate anyways! We will be sure to call and let you know how yummy the cake is! LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Brynlee is sick today and has mostly lost her voice, but she wanted to sing anyways...ENJOY!)