Happy Birthday Shelli !!!

Happy Birthday Shelli!

I can't think of a better place to be on your 28th birthday!  Basking in the sun on a beautiful beach in an exotic location.  You deserve it, I hope you are having a wonderful time.  

You could write a book on how to be totally prepared to leave your kids for 2 weeks while you are on vacation.  You have set a high standard for anyone else who leaves their kids at my house.....perfectly packed and coordinated outfits, way too many diapers and wipes, all their favorite books and toys,  work books and coloring pages, a personal calendar to track the days until you come home, a huge tote full of all their favorite foods and I mean endless (Jami is loving all the extra yummy treats around here, dad too, and Preslie).   The cute, cute Valentines cards and gifts.  You really make it impossible for me to spoil my grandkids!  The extra brand new Lightning McQueen cars was genius, just this morning Hudson was about to have a melt down when we couldn't find "Litning MaKeen" and I pulled a shiny new out of the diaper bag, I was the hero.  Thanks!  When I was finding this pic of you, Hudson said "there's my mommy! I love my mommy, she's nice."  He did mention something about missing his dad, too :)  That says it all, I love you too, you're nice!

Paris in Pleasant View!

Our stake has a big Valentines party every year and I guess it just gets more and more popular each year.  The theme this year was "An evening in Paris."

Us , The Brians and The Nyes

 The Coopers were chauffering and photographing

Well you can't really tell but this is a big old limo.  Have you ever been picked up for a ward party (stake, actually) in a limousine? By the bishopric?  Yes, we have connections.  My BFF (as Jami calls her), Natalie, happens to be married to the Bishop.  A fact that makes Jay a little nervous :) something about what might come his way.  I, on the other hand, can't imagine anything more terrifying than what I am doing, RS teacher.  The Coopers bought this sweet limo for just such occasions like this and prom and taking the deacons to the cannery. I feel like a loser not owning a limo myself.  If I can find another one for $600 I might!  The ride included a chocolate rose for the sistahs, too.  Nothing says Valentines Day like a chocolate rose!

The stake house was all decked out to give us a Paris experience, I guess I really don't need to go to France now .

Me, Jay, Bishop Brian and Natalie

Natalie and I started walking together last year, but when she started running and training for marathons, I couldn't keep up.  I am just not that dedicated, I always had some excuse or ache or pain.  So now we just go to lunch, and movies and the Temple.  We are the same age, our husbands are the same age, we both have 5 children, we both think we can still shop at the Buckle:).  She is just so much fun!  

Super bowl Sunday

Garret and Trulie and Jace came down to" Steeler Nation" to party big with us.  Thanks for bringing the 7 layer dip, it's not really a party without it.

Yep. Steeler Nation. 

 Whatever.  Nate just served in Pittsburgh on his mission and he's a fan.  We were just being supportive by finding some yellow and black to wear.

 It was a good day to be Nate.  He could watch football all day, no hassles.  And his team won.

Garret wasn't so thrilled about the outcome, but Jace played along in his QB jersey.

Jami's famous guacamole! Actually, it's Shelli's famous guacamole.  Thanks for the recipe, we have it at least once a week.

Barbeque ribs.  Super bowl is all about the food.....and the advertisements, which btw were a huge disappointment this year.

Not very super bowlish, but hey I got a new butter dish.

Again, not very super bowlish but grape salad makes me happy.

Way super bowlish stuffed mushrooms.

Publish Post

Shrimp.  A bribe to get Garret to come.

Now this was the real entertainment.  After baby talk arguing about who had rights to Jami's old barbie remote control slug bug, Preslie and Jace kissed and made up. Over and over.  

Park City Sundance Film Festival

Nate had a fun idea to celebrate MLK day in Park City.  Since we all had the day off, which is rare (especially for me :).  Not a lot of babies, so Preslie got lots of attention all bundled up in pink.
We we were lucky enough catch a glimpse of Paris Hilton as we were walking at the bottom of Main.  I know, it's a great shot.  I'm contacting People magazine, I might even moonlight as a paparazzi, I hear it's really lucrative, especially in Utah.  

I thought this would be a lively picture with the live entertainment behind Jami.  As we were getting ready that girl came up and was aggressively selling those beanies she had knitted herself, didn't want to take no for an answer and really, at only $40 each I am kind of having shoppers remorse :)  You can tell by the look on Jenna's face what she thought.

We saw a crowd gather and thought it must be a celebrity but it was just the fur protesters.  
This guy was taunting them, strutting back and forth in his real fur outfit.  No one threw red paint on him.  He would have hurt them....all.
It inspired us to support the fur store on Main.  Honestly, the only thing I have against fur is that it is so dang expensive.  Jami was the only one who dared to try on this $30,000 full length mink.
Ahhhh, our favorite little shop on Main. 
The cute sister missionaries took our picture with this camera in the wall thing and printed it out on spot. Awesome.  The church knows how important it is to take pictures at every opportunity....Jay, Dustin and especially Jeff!!  So next time you are there don't forget to ask for the picture and also check to see if you come from royalty too!
This was just exactly what my RS lesson was on!

Here's little Will!   He's such a cute, lovey, cuddly little polar bear!  We stayed over at Jeff and Jill's in Heber and had a great time, talking, laughing, eating, the usual.  We were planning to go ice skating but Tayler got sick at the last minute, she was soooo sad.  More pictures coming soon on Jenna's blog.

Jorgy Christmas Party

                                                                           Jami, Jenna, me, Nicole, Julie, Jill

Jill hosted the annual Jorgy Christmas party at her house this year. It is the perfect party house.....huge, beautiful and Jenna called it "amazingly childproofed".  I hope it survived the crowd.  This is the only useable picture I got, we tried to get all the little girls into the picture but Nicole was the only one who agreed.  Nicole was soooo sweet, she gave everyone a Christmas card just from her with a personal note. For those of you who missed it, I have your "card " from G&G Jorgy so you will have to come and visit me :)  Those attending: Mom and Dad, me, Jenna, Preslie, Jami, Jay and Lucy, Jill and  Jim, Josh, Jenessa, Jacey and  Jed, Joe and Denise, Christian, Braeden, McCall and Ethan, Jared, Julie and Bear, Nicole and Logan.  The food was so good and it was fun to visit with everyone.  Work got in the way for Van, Jay, Nate and Dustin.  We missed you.  Janie, we really missed your family.  Hopefully you will be in Utah next year!

Happy 26th Birthday to Garret

I have been so excited for Garret's birthday this year.  I finished his denim quilt a couple of months ago and have been waiting for his birthday to give it to him.  I think he knew it was coming after Jeff got his in October.  Unfortunately Jeff found THREE thumb tacks inside the finished quilt, at that point Cortnie and especially Tayler were terrified of his sweet birthday present :) so.....heads up Garret.  Apparently I'm not the world's greatest seamstress.
Jami was not in any of the group photos, acting as designated photographer and kinda backing up Garret's theory that he's the favorite child.  For sure favorite middle child :)
Thanks for the fun party and Happy, Happy Birthday!

Merry Christmas

This is the gorgeous Salt Lake Temple picture that the kids gave us at the Christmas party.  It's huge, you can't really tell.  We were so touched by this generous, beautiful gift.  It's where this wonderful, crazy, fun, never a dull moment family began 31 years ago!

I know, Dustin, I told him to wear the black coat :)                                   My 4 little princesses.

 Check Shelli, Jenna and Jami's blogs for complete details and pictures of the fun party.  I forgot my camera! But I did get a few pictures with my phone.