Little Miss Sunshine...I mean, Energizer Bunny!

We were worried when she was going through her "terrorist two's" ("terrible" was NOT accurate enough)! I am pleased to report that she has mellowed a bit. She is so full of energy and if there were some way to harness it, she'd light up a city block by herself! She loves to sing, and makes up her own original "songs" - music and lyrics! She also loves to dance! Her hobbies include collecting "princess shoes" (of which she has at least 9 pairs - I don't think I own 9 pairs of real shoes), and fashion accessories, including a tiara! I love that she has been blessed with a great imagination, and love for telling stories! Life is full of surprises and excitement with this wonderful little gal around! Happy 6th Birthday to my niece Eden!

"We are family...I got all my sistahs with me..."

Just a quick post about the great time I had at our ward Relief Society Social tonight! It was to celebrate the anniversary of the organization of RS in Nauvoo, Illinois, on March 17, 1842.

Our ward's theme for this year was from Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven". The tables were decorated "seasonally", and the sisters were invited to sit at the tables according to their birth month.

There was an AMAZING dinner - salad, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green and yellow beans with carrots, homemade buns, and lumpia! And for dessert, a very yummy chocolate mousse! I have to admit, we ate a LOT!

After dinner was a great "fashion show", starring the ward Young Women. They modeled the "seasons in a woman's life collection" - from the white gown worn at baptism, to white wedding gowns, to "comfy" mom clothes! It was a great time and the YW did a fantastic job!

Having grown up as the only girl with three brothers, I am grateful for the many sisters I have been blessed with through YW and RS! I have learned so much from them all, older and younger sisters...and I didn't have to worry about any clothes missing from my closet! How thankful I am for the Young Women, and Relief Society organizations! Through them I have truly learned my worth and purpose as a woman!

A Beautiful Saturday!

Today was a GORGEOUS day -- filled with sunshine, blue skies...and above freezing temperatures! Oh, the JOY to know that another winter season is coming to an end! I was walking around outside, and didn't have to wear a coat! I had a sweater on, and it felt so AMAZING! I felt so much FREEDOM in not having to wear my bulky, down-filled jacket!

There were BIG puddles of melted snow and ice everywhere! I didn't even mind getting splashed by other vehicles (as long as I was inside my vehicle!). The only "problem" I encountered was that my rear window wiper wasn't working, and boy did I need it today! Oh well, I'll get it fixed on Monday!

Another big reason why today was so wonderful was because it was my niece Tori's baptism day! Our entire family was able to gather together for this important step in Tori's life! It's amazing to think that she's old enough to be baptized, the time has flown by! She was so lovely in her white dress! She was also quite the trooper when the ordinance had to be re-done a couple of times, due to the skirt of her dress popping up and not being completely immersed in the water! The water was also very cold! I think it'll help make this day very memorable!

I think my favorite part of the baptismal service was when all of my nieces, and Ethan got up to sing "I Am A Child of God"! It was so fun to watch the expressions on their cute faces, and so moving to hear their voices singing this beloved song! I am so grateful for the blessing of being their aunt! They bring me so much JOY!

My brother is a...SUPERHERO!

I'll bet you never knew that one of my brothers was a superhero! And not just any superhero, Captain America! He'll probably disown me for posting this pic (and possibly for revealing his "secret identity"), but I just wanted the world to know what an awesome brother I have!















Although the costume, boots, and shield have been retired, he's still got amazing powers that he uses every day! My favorite 3 are: he's a wonderful dad to three great children, he makes the BEST eggs benedict breakfast ever, and his huge heart is always generous to his friends and family! I hope he knows how proud I am to be his sister!

Happy Birthday James, you'll always be Captain America to me!