Disney Day Two (Day 4)

Our second day at Disneyland was super fun, duh!  Lunnie's favorite thing was the characters, especially Mickey, Minnie, Tigger and Pooh. 

This was the night we went to World Of Color, still amazing!  We love love love World of Color!  We got a hotel close by in case we needed to go back with London, but we wore this girl out and ended up pretty much staying at Disneyland from open to close all three days. 

 

 

My friend Jan sent some gifts for the girls, so nice!  They were supposed to open them the first night we went to Disneyland, but the girls we ZONKED so they opened them the second day instead.  She got them each a pair of Disney PJ's, perfect!  Thanks Jan!  

Back to Disney (Day 3)

We were able to spend three days at Disneyland and California Adventures.  Dustin and I have always wanted to go with our entire family.  We know that's not possible, but it was so fun for the girls to be able to go with some of their cousins.  We love this place!!

Troy and Sabra were so nice to bring tiaras for all of the girls.

Lunnie and I were able to spend lots of time together this trip we were best buds and rode lots of rides together.  Some people think we are crazy for taking a baby.  It was so much fun and we are so glad we did! 

And to be honest, it was much more enjoyable for both London and I than it was the last time we were there.

 It was such a fabulous and beautiful day to be in Disneyland.  Brinley was even super brave and rode the Tower of Terror, scared the crap out of her!

 

The Sabbath in San Diego (Day 2)

On Sunday our little family wanted to spend the day in San Diego.  Lunnie got a tummy ache in the car and was screaming uncontrollably, so not like her!  She obviously has some sort of a bug.  Poor girl!  We stopped, I held her, nothing could calm this girl.  We opted to find a pharmacy, but a screaming baby (in pain) trapped in a car seat, California traffic and trouble with the navigators (yes, all three of them) don't mix well.  We finally found a pharmacy/drugstore, but given her age there really wasn't much over the counter medications she could take.  Needless to say, our day in San Diego was cut short, but Lun finally started to feel better so we spent most of the afternoon on Coronado Island, wandered around Hotel Del Coronado (so pretty) and ate lunch at a nearby pub. 

 On the way home Dustin suggested we stopped at the San Diego temple.  I have always been intrigued as we have passed by this beautiful white building in the past, but never stopped to see it. So pretty, so peaceful, I could spend my life on the grounds of an LDS temple.  I love how I feel here.  And honestly, this was one of our girls favorite parts of the trip, Brinley really has an appreciation for beautiful things and well, Lun just likes space to run around.

 

8 Glorious Days in Sunny California (Day 1)

Is there something healing about the color blue?  Blue skies and the sea heal the soul in a way like no other.  I don't think I could ever get sick of the ocean...ever!  Every time I go to California I think I could live there, you know, if circumstances were different, like for a period of time.  This time we were there for 8 days... 8 glorious days and this little trip couldn't have come at a better time. We needed a change of pace, a change of scenery... I NEEDED the sea! 

 

I was a bit nervous as this was London's first time on an airplane, but she did great.  She's just so busy!  I didn't think there was any way she would sit still for two seconds, but we managed.  I was constantly changing her diaper so we didn't run into any 'problems'!  The entire trip, every time I was near a bathroom I would change her regardless of if she needed it or not.  So what does she do as soon as we pull into the hotel?  She has a blow out like we have never seen before.  In the car seat (rental), all up her back, in her hair, EVERYWHERE!  So, we changed her in the middle of the parking garage and that was the beginning of MANY blow outs this trip. 

 

We stayed at the Hilton...nice, but we won't stay there again.  It just takes so dang long to get anywhere, the hotel is way too big.

The first day were there we met up with the Shockeys and  Clarks (Troy and Sabra) for some time at Huntington Beach.  It was so fun to be able to spend this time with all of them. 

 

When we were there we saw a plane go buy with a sign that followed "Will you marry me Princess?  Love Hector".  When I got home I noticed this plane was in our family pictures so I cropped it out.  I must admit, I was slightly disappointed that I wasn't the Princess in this story. How romantic!

 

 

 

 

Troy and Sabra brought kites, buckets and colored bubbles for the kids so we spent some time playing.  As the sun began to set it got quite chili, but Lunnie didn't care.  She was quite content to sit and eat sand. 

 

Later that night we had a pizza party in out hotel room and swam at the pool there, it was a great beginning to a spectacular trip. 

A Dad and His Girls

Dustin uploaded the pictures from his phone onto our computer and in going through them we came across some really cute ones!  A little while ago Dustin took the girls snowmobiling/sledding.  They both had such a blast and it was really sweet of Dustin to take them. 

 And how on earth could you look at this picture without laughing?  Oh how I love these girls!

Spring is Magical

Isn't it?

 

One Friday in March

Brinley mentioned that she wanted to go camping and with the Utah's notorious March weather we somehow ended up planning a family party.  In looking through my phone I realized I didn't get any good pictures, but it was actually really fun and something I want to remember.  The girls and I were in charge of making decorations while Daddy made treats.  We played games, watched movies and had so much fun spending the night celebrating...us!

Back in Business

I've neglected my blog a bit.  It feels like everything has been broken lately, broken camera, broken computer, etc. etc.  but the truth is, I haven't really felt like writing about what feels like a broken life.  Amongst all of my sadness we have had so many happy moments and I'm excited to blog about them now that the broken camera and broken computer have been fixed. 

I Can't Not Share This

So, we did quite a bit of Christmas shopping at Deseret Book and were qualified for a free subscription to LDS Living Magazine.  I thought it would be one of those magazines that I might look at sometimes when I have nothing else to do.  I got my first issues yesterday, have you seen it?  I must say I was so intrigued when I saw the cover.  I guess I was expecting a picture of an LDS temple or something, but this is what I saw...

I LOVED seeing these two on the cover of an LDS magazine, particularly the one with the tattoos.  I thought to myself, that is what we are supposed to be like.  Can we not embrace people's differences?  Is there not room for everyone here?  Don't we all belong?  Don't we all have a past or a history and sometimes we wear it on our sleeve.  Can we not pass judgement?  I was so intrigued by the cover that I couldn't not open it.  I flipped to Al's story (the one with the tattoos).  I just think she's so stunningly beautiful and I absolutely LOVED her story.

Long story short... she was living in New York City and told the missionaries that she would let them teach her only if they brought her a steak dinner thinking she would never see them again.  Of course they brought her the steak dinner.  She ended up calling them at 4:00 one morning to tell them she wanted to be baptized.  she states, "and I wanted to yell to all of New York that happiness is real, that it exists, and that they can have it..."

Al lost every friend she had and was even forced to choose between the church and her family.

I was so inspired by this girl!  I love that she was willing to give up the entire life she had know for what she believed in.  

I hope that I can be better at accepting people for their differences and that they will accept me for mine.  The LDS religion is NOT your judgmental neighbor or family member. Happiness is real, it exists and you can have it. 

Spotlight Family Style (Our Baby Cakes)

1. She loves all things food…a girl after my own heart
2. She eats dog food, ok this isn’t exactly something I love about her, but I love that it’s typical of her.  Someone says, “Where’s London?” and then we all run to the laundry room and sure enough, there she is with a handful of dog food and some in her cheeks.
3. I love to hear her say, “tickle, tickle, tickle”
4. I love that she was born a brunette, even if she is a blond now.  I don’t know if it’s just me or what, but you grow so close to your baby before it is even born, you know that what you have created is so amazing and that so much of your body goes into making it and allowing it to grow that it’s kind of nice when it comes out and sort of resembles you.
5. I love that she was a miracle baby for my Mother who I know was not ready to see heaven, but needed a bit of heaven sent to her.
6. I love her laugh.  Love Love Love her laugh!
7. I love her chub.  It’s starting to disappear, she’s getting skinny now, but what’s cuter than a chunky baby?
8. Her bum.  She’s a baby still so I can say that.  Love her cute little bum.
9. I love that as an infant she seemed to recognize Jesus.  I love the way she would stare at that picture in the Relief Society room and when I walked away she would cry.  She still stares at that picture, but she says “Jesus” now.
10. I love that her sister is her best friend, even if that means I’m second.
11. I love her compassion.  I love her concern for other crying babies.
12. I love that she was real to us, that she existed in our lives even before she existed on earth, that we knew she was a part of our family.
13. I love her sweetness
14. I love that she’s so active and into everything
15. I love how she always says “HI!” when she sees us.
16. I love how she loves babies and always points them out and likes to look at them
17. I love it when she sings… SO CUTE!
18. I love her chubby little hands… also VERY CUTE
19. I love the way that she admires her big sister and that she puts so much trust in her
20. I just love that she’s my baby, that she counts on me and that I still have someone to carry around.
21. I love her kisses, even the French kisses.
22. I love it when she is in trouble or just doesn’t want to listen to me so she runs from me.
23. I love that she is so smart.  The fact that she can even remotely work our phones is so amazing to me.  The first time she touched it she knew what to do.  She defiantly picked it up faster than Dustin and I.
24. I love that she loves her babysitter.  Even though it makes me sad when she doesn’t want me.
25. She loves animals so much
26. I love how she helps me do laundry
27. And dishes
28. I remember just after she was born thinking, “wow, she’s really pretty!”
29. She’s patient with me when I have other less important, or sometimes equally important things to do
30. I love how she will always answer your yes or no questions even if she has no idea what you are saying.
31. I love how she runs to the door when her Dad gets home
32. I love her innocence
33. I love it when she tells me “no-no”
34. I love that she’s a whole lot of personality in a little body
35. I love how she seems to understand most anything I say to her.  So smart!
36. I love how she reminds me that life is a gift
37. I love how she makes me wonder what she will become
38. I love when she talks, when she just goes on and on telling stories in a language unknown to me.
39. I love her stunning blue eyes
40. I love how busy she is
41. I love how she has changed me.  It’s hard to explain, but I’m different now, even more than when Brinley was born.
42. I love how she makes me want more and more and more kids
43. I love how she has strengthened my marriage
44. I love how she has taught me to have faith.  How when the Dr. told me she couldn’t see anything and couldn’t hear a heartbeat she was still there.  She has taught me that I can believe in things I can not see
45. I love her smile
46. I love the way she giggles when the wind blows in her face
47. and the way she admires the snow fall
48. I love the way she climbs on things. I’m convinced she will always aim high and make her way to the top
49. I love how forgiving she is
50. I love HER!  All of the little things that make her HER.  I love them all.

Love you Lunnie, so bless to be your Mom!