We are a great team...

My Sweet Brian,
In celebration of your Birthday (yesterday), I am looking through pictures and realizing several (very random) reasons we are a Great team! I will list a few (in no particular order and by no means anywhere near the length the list really is!)
-
#1: We always have an adventure together! We almost won a car on the Price is Right (when it was good with Bob Barker). Well, we would have IF they would have called our names! They don't even know what they missed out on. At least we got on camera several times because they couldn't resist that (even if we are the only ones that can recognize the tip of your hat and my elbow)!

#2: We are passing along generations of talented toes (the monkey-type), it would really be selfish not to. Our kids really didn't stand a chance with these genes. The list is really endless of all of the things we can pick up without even bending over!

#3: You are a great protector, and sometimes I play the "need-protecting" part very well...

...of course I am learning. No one is going to mess with us! Just look at these targets from shooting (for your B-day) last night:

Now, THAT'S talent! (Just don't tell anyone that your target was MUCH further away than mine was.)

-

#4: Finally, I will let this next picture speak for itself on why we are a great team:

I hope you had a Wonderful Birthday, you deserve more than what is possible! I'm glad your mom was wrong when she thought you were going to be a girl when you were born, that was a pretty good April Fools trick on your part. Not sure I could ever "out-do" that one...but that doesn't mean I won't try. LOVE YOU!!!

Just darn cute...

...and our new baby ducklings are pretty darn cute too. :-)

Just like you...

*"You give me a kiss. You give me a hug. You smile when you see me too...
I wish every child in the whole wide world had a Grandmother just like you." "You read me a book. You sing me a song. You whisper you love me too...
I wish every child in the whole wide world had a Grandmother just like you."

"I'll try to be good. I'll do as I should. I'll whisper 'I love you too!'...

I wish every child in the whole wide world had a Grandmother just like you."

(*LDS Primary Song: Grandmother)

-

Dear Grandma Mmm's,

We sure hope you had a wonderful Birthday! Mommy, Gavvy, and I thought it was really fun to surprise you! Brynlee and Daddy wished they could have come too. You are so special to us all! I especially liked playing the piano with you and singing primary songs. Mommy asked me if I want to learn how to play the piano and I told her that I already know how, because you showed me how on Monday. Thank you for being such a great Grandma!

Love,

Kambria Dawn

Cheeeese...

This picture is the 3rd time within 15 minutes that I found him like this! I kept trying to hide that darn stool, but every time I turned around, there he was with it. If he has something on his mind...he does NOT give up! Apparently, cheese is what was on his mind. Not to eat, just to point at. He just kept saying, "cheese, cheese, cheese..." when I looked more closely, he was right!...cottage cheese...mac and cheese...block of cheddar cheese. (Don't judge me by my refrigerator inventory). When he turned around and saw the camera, he said "cheeeeese" again...what else can I say??...He is a genius.

I've noticed you looking over your shoulder lately...

...I get the feeling you are scared of me in some way?! Don't worry--Nothing but Love here...I even have your Birthday gift ready!...

I am imagining something like this to honor you on your special day:

Don't worry, these little cuties are not involved...or are they?!!!

Happy Birthday, to my Wonderful Father-in-Law!!!

Love,

Your sweet and even more innocent

Daughter-in-Law

This was JUST YESTERDAY...

...not really, but that's how it seems! This was actually 4 years ago. How is it that when I was younger, the years went by soooo sloooooww...but now they are just FLYING BY?! As I was reminiscing through all of my photos on my computer yesterday, I was caught off guard at how emotional I would get at looking at all of these with my beautiful girls together...

...some of them totally crack me up, and others just bring a feeling of true joy. Things aren't always perfect between them, they definitely have their moments, but for the most part they truly are kindred spirits.

Someday, (oh probably about 8-10 years down the road) when they are fighting over clothes, boys, bathroom-time...I am going to show them these pictures and remind them how much they have loved and protected one-another from the very beginning. It won't help them to stop fighting, it will probably just really annoy them!

They will, however, get over that eventually and be best friends again...just how it should be.

Miss you Chelsea!

Party day!...

Brynlee was finally able to have her friend party last Saturday (since we were in Disneyland on her actual birthday). It was the first friend party we have had, usually we have a get together with family, which is always very fun too. I wasn't sure how the party would turn out, but all of her friends that came were so polite and well behaved. Brynlee wanted to have a Disney party which seemed appropriate since we were just there. (She actually wanted to have a Hannah Montana party to begin with, but she didn't think the boys would like that.) Since Hannah Montana is Disney, we thought that would all tie together well. She wanted to wear her Minnie Mouse ears and have all of the kids wear mouse ears, they were so cute. She had a lot of fun!

I sure love that little girl. She is so sweet, caring, and very responsible. A lot of times, I treat her like more of an adult than a 6 year old. Although, 6 years old sounds very old to me right now, well...it makes me feel old anyways! :)

He answers to "Stinker"...

...Kam says Stinker is a "mean word," but we say it in a loving kind of way.
Taking pictures of things like this sure make it a lot easier to laugh about later. That marker is supposedly a "kid" one, but I think it took at least 3 days of scrubbing to get his favorite color OFF of him!:

He's such a loving boy...as soon as he HITS you...he immediately hugs and kisses! Awwwwhh.

A funny example of that is when Brynlee had a friend over the other day. Brynlee got hurt and Gavin ran to her and gave her hugs and kisses. Then Gavin went to her friend and hugged him too. Her friend said, "Hey, Why are you hugging me? I didn't get hurt." Gavin stepped back and SMACKED him...it was immediately followed by another hug. So thoughtful. I am still laughing about it. The smacking won't be funny when he is older so I will not be encouraging that type of behavior. We sure love that little guy, especially when he is not gouging our eyes out. Excuse me now, I need to go get a hug (hopefully I will not be needing any safety-gear).

That's MY mom...

...and today is her Birthday! We had fun celebrating with her last week while in Disneyland, but since we are far away today on her REAL Birthday...I had to take a trip down memory lane with the pictures. I found these pictures from when she used to be a model. Most of them are from catalogs, brochures, etc...

-

This is a picture of my mom (left), with her sister when they were little. I'm not sure how old she is in this picture, but I just think it is Adorable!

Our Family (a few years ago :-):

Sometimes people can recognize us as being related. Looking at the following picture...What do you think?

All of her Grandkids love her so much, why wouldn't they???...she is one FUN Gal!

I think the one thing about my mom that I have always known is that she LOVES me so much (as she does ALL of her family), I have never doubted that. I hope that my children will always know the same of me.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Once Upon a Time...

...we got to go to Disneyland!!! Last week actually. Kambria "has never been there in her WHOLE life!!!" (That's what she said, so cute). Brynlee, my mom, and I had actually never been there either, it was a great time to go! The first 2 days we really enjoyed the 80 degrees and Sunshine! The next 2 days we got poured on, but it didn't ruin our spirits, we were prepared. Plus, it was great for the lines. (The lines were pretty much non-existent the whole trip, WAHOO!) The girls were FEARLESS on the rides! Seriously. There was not one ride that they didn't want to try...over and over again! Kam was a quarter of an inch too short for the big ones, but by the 3rd day she was magically tall enough (a couple of folded maps in the heel of her shoes did the trick)! We figured with 3 responsible adults, she would be FINE. It was much more fun once we could all go on the rides together!

Brynlee was able to celebrate her BIRTHDAY there. When it is your Birthday, they give you a button to wear (plus get in for free), and everyone at the park says "Happy Birthday Princess!" (Even the janitorial staff!) She was in Heaven!

One of the girls' favorite memories of Disneyland was to meet the Princesses! They were all so beautiful and kind to the girls. It really was magical for them. I especially like the pictures of Kambria looking up at the Princesses, she was in such AWE!

Grandma's Birthday is only a few days after Brynlee's, so we made her a T-Shirt as well. It was a PARTY for everyone!!!

-

We were excited when we saw the Cars characters, it is Gavin's favorite movie (really the only one he will actually watch). We left Gavin behind with Brian's wonderful parents, we figured he would probably not enjoy being strapped in a stroller the whole trip. We missed him terribly, but he had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa...and aunts, uncles, and cousins! I told his 4 year old cousin, Kaleb, "Thank you for taking such good care of my baby!" He replied, "Yea, and we didn't even LOST him!" What a cutie! I am glad that they didn't "LOST" him! :) He was in GREAT hands! Hopefully we will be able to take Gavin with us someday.
By the end, we were exhausted! (...and we all lived Happily Ever After.)