Dalmatian Plantation

Have you ever watched a movie over and over again until it has become a part of your subconscious, ever etching to come out. Who knew that the obsession started so early?  I didn't even think that Anne, could watch TV; now I know. In the morning or after nap time, I know she is awake because there is a resounding, "aaah--ohh." This means that she has thrown her binki out of her crib. I pick her up and the first thing she says is, "ohhhh, woof woof," and points out of her room. She continues to point so that I will follow her directions. She points towards the living room and to the big front window. There is a large golden retriever across the street. She stands on the back of the couch 'woofing' at it. The first week we were here she thought it was a cougar and would growl at it. Now she knows its a big dog. After a few minutes of that, she points to the TV, looks at me with honest sweet eyes, calks her head to the side, extends her arm and hand and says, "Oh, woof woof woof." Meaning in her one year old smarty pants mind, "gee, mom, I am so cute, see (smile)... and because I am so sweet I should be able to watch 101 Dalmatians for the millionth time....yup!" 

So for the past two weeks we have turned on the 'woof woof' movie at least once a day. She doesn't watch it unless the dogs are barking, she will read books play with toys and look up to see the dogs in action. Her favorite part is "The Twilight Bark." But now I find myself singing, "We'll have a Dalmatian Plantation, where our population can grow."  I will be doing the dishes and just start whistling "If she doesn't scare you no evil thing will."  I am even singing it my dreams.  Seriously, disturbing.  I thought I could persuade her with some other animal movies, thinking she would love them, Bambi was a big flop, Nemo, not interested. So for now we are stuck and I find myself saying, "I'm hungry mother, I really am," and "We'll find them before you can say, Bob's your uncle." 

whew.....whew...and whew

So, sorry that I haven't posted in a very long time. 

We are in our new house and loving it. We've

been so busy packing and unpacking and then

being sick for two weeks on top of that, we're

bushed. So, were alive; pictures to come when

the pictures get up on the walls!!! 

Happy Birthday Baby!

Whew, this has been the fastest year of my life! 

Saturday, my little baby turned 1 years old!!!

What happened to the last 12 months of my life...

well, there has been a lot of learning, crying,

developing, growing and that was just me. 

No, seriously, this has been the best year of

our lives. Scott and I can hardly believe

that it went by so quickly. We are sooooo

grateful for the many tender mercies and answered

prayers. You would never ever know that Anne 

was a premie baby. She is absolutely perfect.

Our little Miracle.

A year ago I sat in the NICU holding my perfect 

little baby (7 weeks earlier than I thought I would); 

I whispered to her that I was so excited to be her mom and 

that I had so many things to teach her. Then an overwhelming

feeling came over me that, I would be the one learning 

from her. How true that is. She has taught me so much 

about love, laughter, letting things go, enjoying the 

simplicity of life, how to listen to the Holy Ghost,

how to have greater patience and most especially 

about true JOY!

She is a miracle in our lives daily. Her smile blesses my

heart thousands of times a day. We love her! 

We are soooo very grateful that she is ours forever.

Being a mommy is the greatest blessing I have

ever enjoyed. Happy Birthday, Anne!

Above is Anne, one week old. Below is one year old.

Same outfit. 

Anne had cousins, uncles, aunts and her grandparents 

at her party.  Thank you everyone for coming. 

We love you!

She was so excited about all of her gifts. She gets 

excited about the smallest things. I love that about her.

And I love that she loves her little baby doll and 

kisses her all the time. What a cute little mini momma

She was such a lady about eating her cake, she 

would take a little frosting flower one at a time

and taste it. She got into it, but still was a lady 

about the whole thing. 

Oh, they say when you marry in... August!?

Hip- Hip- Hooray! Cassie and John were married 

last week! Whew! It was a beautiful day, a little ...okay, a lot windy.

This is them leaving the reception. They are were sooo happy 

and ready to move on to married life.  Cassie looked so 

beautiful. I don't think I have ever cried so much during

a wedding before. Shhhhhesh, I guess it is different when

it is your own sister getting married. 

She was married in the Logan Temple. So, we were

 able so see some friends from there. It was especially fun to 

see Danielle; she was a YW leader for both Cassie and me. 

I don't think that your YW leaders ever know how much they 

mean to you. Sooooo, Danielle, I love you bunches.

Thank you for loving all of us YW!  There are not words to express

enough thanks.  We were so crazy thanks for loving us through it all: 

especially, late nights at girls camp, hundreds of Sunday lessons,

singing, hundreds of mutual activities and etc.  Mostly, 

thank you for letting us into your heart, we could feel it. 

You are amazing!!!

Of course Scott spent the majority of the day taking pictures of

his favorite girl, Anne.

Cassie was so funny, she wanted to wear her dress

all the day and she did. She wore it in the temple, out 

for pictures, to the luncheon, on the drive back to I.F.(2 1/2 hrs),

went mini golfing in it, then to the reception, and jumped 

on the tramp at the reception, too.! Way to go  Sista, 

get the wear out of  that baby, you'll never be able to wear again.

My sister Clarissa and I were bridesmaids, and we had 

very pretty dresses that many  people complimented.

But they were poofy, we called them our fru-fru-cupcake dresses.

But it was really fun! She is the bestest littlest sista ever. She is

also the best babysitter ever. She is amazing with Anne. 

Besides Scott and I, Aunt Rissy-Do-Da is her fav.

That is my brother John, he is also an awesome uncle and Anne

is starting to like playing with him too.

What a blessing to be near family.

By the end of the day this is how Anne felt. No, actally,

she is just showing off her teeth and growling at Daddy. 

It was a wonderful day!!! Thanks Cassie and John !

Thank you to every one who helped and came to support.

If there is one thing that I know... it is that families

can be together forever! I know it, through my entire

being. I know that those of our family that have

passed before us are not lost forever, we will see

 them again. It is true... families can be together forever.

Watching as Cassie and John created their new family 

as they were married was so... so... nope no words,

wonderful... nope not enough... the plan of true and 

forever happiness at its best. 

It was so fun to have Joseph (my oldest bro.) and his 

sweetheart of a wife there too, Jill. She is so fun! It was

some what ironic to have her be so prego at Cassie's,

wedding, when exactly a year earlier I was just as prego

at their wedding. Yeah, for new babies. 

"It's the circle of life..." hahahhahahahah 

wow time to be done.

Oh, what do you do in the Summer time?

Do you go to family reunions? 

Where you play the piano with great-grand cousins?

Do you turn 10 months old, 11 next week?

Do you play with Daddy outside at reunions?

Do you have pie eating contests at reunions?

Do you play on the slip n' slide in your clothes cause it's real HOT?

Do you love time with mom?

Do you go to girls camp?

Or swim in a pool, soaking up your diaper?

Or make homemade root-beer at a family bbq and swim party?

Do you make fun of Daddy and Grandpa sitting in the pool?

So do I.........

We are alive!

We were a little M.I.A. in the blogging world. I just

didn't have the motivation to actually blog. But hopefully 

we are back. We've been super busy with our sweet not so

baby anymore. She is moving and grooving all the day long. 

She gets on her hands and knees to crawl but chooses to 

scoot because it is faster. She is always wanting to stand 

and walk. If she is grumpy all you have to do is stand

her next to something and she is good for at least 20 min.

She walks around the coffee table, loves to hold onto the couch

and has figured out how to go from one to the other. Yikes!

She is always sooo happy! We are soo blessed 

to have her as our constant ray of sunshine. 

We are always finding her in crazy positions at night and 

during nap times. 

Also, other great news is that my little sister Cassie,

is getting married! Whahooo, to a great guy named John!

We love him, they are so great together. 

They are getting married in the Logan Temple,

on Aug. 14, 2009.

Hooorraaaayyyyyy!

Scott and I had the great privilege of going on our 

Stakes Youth Pioneer Trek. We were the Ma n' Pa

of our little family group. We were put into families, and then

into companies. It was soooo amazing. Neither of us had

ever had the opportunity to go on a pioneer trek. It was so

worth it! Our little family was unbelievably AMAZING!

We bonded together so quickly, honestly we had no choice.

The trek was quite difficult. The first day we went up some

very treacherous steep rocky hills. Just when we thought

that we couldn't make it to the top, we would, and then we

would see that there was an even higher hill to climb.

But the youth of Zion do not faulter. They never complained,

they never gave up, and the whole while, even when out of breath,

they sang. It down poured the next day for several hours, making

 very thick sticky mud. But we all persevered. With rain ponchos 

and muddy shoes and clothes we pushed onward and upward.

Two girls in our family sang and we joined them, and soon

so did the rest of our company. And although, we could have

been miserable, we were joyful, singing the songs of Zion we pressed

forward. It was a life changing experience for all of them. They

quickly appreciated the trials of our pioneer ancestors. They

also realized the easiness of our trail, we had water, food waiting

for us all day long, we were strong and healthy, and the trek was

only 3 days. But it was just difficult enough to help them realize 

that they too, can make it through their own trails and the

trek of life that they have been given. The Spirit of the Lord

was so strong, the experience humbling to say the least. 

It was beautiful to see the youth realize their testimonies, to 

realize that they can be pioneers in our day. 

One of the life changing experiences for me was when another,

Ma from our ward shared her favorite line of 

"Come, Come Ye Saints." 

It says: "Tis, better far for us to strive, our useless cares 

from us to drive."

I reflected on that over and over on the trek and the

days since.  What are the useless cares in my life, that I

need to drive away. On the trek, we were all the same. It 

didn't matter what you looked like, what color your dress was,

how much money you or your parents made, what your tent 

looked like, what your favorite show was, what car you drive.

We all had to push up the hills together, unified in a purpose.

Do we not today hear the words of a prophet, do we not

all share the same purpose, to make is back to our Heavenly

Father and Savior.  Our trek today is physically different, but

we have the same faith that led them onward daily. We

too are pioneers. In the words of a primary song:

"You don't have to push a handcart, leave your family dear,

or walk a thousand miles or more to be a pioneer.

You do have to have great courage, faith to concur fear,

and work with might for a cause that's right to be a pioneer." 

Florida Sunshine