Our New Daughter (in-law)

Back in March I wrote a post all about my amazing daughters. Little did I know that by the end of August we would have a new one! Our son Brandon married his eternal sweetheart on August 20th in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

We are so happy to have her as a part of our family. She makes our son very happy and it is so good to see them so in love.

Korrine is going to school. She is going to be a Spanish Teacher. She also works tutoring autistic children. We are still getting to know here and all that she is. I learn something new a few weeks ago when we were all in church together. She sings soooo beautifully. I actually stopped singing (I am sure no one minded...LOL) just so I could listen to her. She was sitting right next to me and WOW!! She is also beautiful and funny. We are all looking forward to getting to know her better, and are happy she is a part of our crazy family.

We love you Korrine!

Jaxson Turns 4

Happy Birthday to our sweet grandson Jaxson. He is such a funny little boy. He makes us laugh all the time. Look at those blue eyes. His mommy and daddy are going to have to beat the girls off with a stick.
Jaxson is autistic and is learning to sign . I just love watching him grow and learn. I love when he sees me or my husband he screams Grandma, Grandpa. It really melts our hearts. He is learning to speak and sign new words each day. He is becoming so independent and will let you know when he doesn't need your help...LOL. And his laugh...OMGosh...it it sooo cute!

Jaxson we love you so much. Thank you for being such a blessing in our lives. Thank you for all the love you bring into this family. You are precious to us and we love every minute we get to spend with you.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday CoCo

Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter Nicole. You are an amazing woman. You always try to see the best in every situation. You are kind and loving and have a way of making everyone feel loved. You can always make me laugh. You are a great mother, wife, sister, friend and a daughter that anyone would want to call their own...but I am the lucky one that gets to. I love you sweetie and I am soooo proud of you!!

My Beautiful Daughters

I am one lucky lady. I am a mom and a step-mom!! I have 4 beautiful, funny, smart, talented,amazing daughters!! Nicole, Natalie, Brittany and Kendahl!

Nicole (I call her Coco) is married to a wonderful man and she has a daughter named Paige. She works as the office manager of a dental office and sometimes just for fun fills in where I work at Anastasia's Attic.This girl can always make me laugh. And she has a heart as as big as Texas.

Natalie is still looking for her Prince Charming but stays busy with her work and family and friends. She works two jobs. One at the Salt Lake County Jail. She has many interesting and funny stories about that place believe me. And she works pat time at the post office at night. She has always been such a hard worker and can take things apart and out them back together like a pro! She looks just like her daddy and makes the best homemade pizza in this world!!

Then there are my step-daughters!! Being a mom is the best job in the world. With my step-daughters I get the to be a good friend. It's a little more relaxed.T hey have a wonderful mom already. I don't have to do the Mommy things...I just get to be a good friend and enjoy them when we are together. I appreciate how their Mom shares them with me.

My Step daughter Brittany is a stay at home mom who works her butt off taking care of Jaxson (3) and Brooklyn almost 1. She enjoys blogging and working out...boy is she skinny! She has a wonderful husband and they have a beautiful home. She has the most amazing smile and is such a sweetie!

Last but not least there is Kendahl...I call her Sweet Pea! She is in college at the University of Washington in Washington State. She got a full ride and we are very proud of her. She is funny and out going and makes friends where ever she goes. She has a sweetheart named Nate who is serving a mission for the church right now. We will see where that goes when he comes home. In fact she was just here for a short visit and we went out shopping!

You have to have lunch if you are going to shop....

Then of course there must be dessert!!! we need all our strength for shopping....

And then the loot! A new purse, a new outfit, some makeup and school supplies. Isn't that what you are supposed to do on spring break??

I want all of my daughters to know just how much I love them. I cherish each minute I get to spend with them collectively and individually. They always make me laugh and smile. They each have a special place in my heart all of their own!!

Happy Birthday Paige

Happy 8th Birthday  to our sweet granddaughter Paige. You are the sweetest thing, and we love watching you grow and become the young lady we have always known you would be. You bring such joy and sunshine in to our lives. You have a piece of my heart I will never take back. We love you more than you will ever know. You will forever be my "Princess Paige"

Opening presents is always so much fun...no matter how old you are! She is really into Pokemon right now so we got her a DS and one of the latest Pokemon games to go with it. She looks really happy about it.

My good friend Tatum that owns BUMBLE CAKES made her these wonderful Pokemon cupcakes. They were not only really cute but of course so yummy!

Borrowed this cupcake tower from my bff Tammy...but I am going to have to get one of my own. I just love it!

My daughter Nicole and her grandson, our great grandson Kayden....yes that's right this beautiful young woman of 30 is a grand ma...ok it is our step great grandson but since we don't like the word "step" in this family as far as we are all concerned she is his grandma and I am his great grandma. We love him so much and were so glad he got to join us for Paige's birthday.

Her Uncle Johnny and Aunt Brittany were there to help celebrate along with her cousins Jaxson and Brooklyn.

And of course it wouldn't be a party with out Paige's good friend Maycee. She and her family are like family to us.

My camera battery died so that was all I got. I'm sure her Mom has more pictures to share and I will try and get some of those! Hope you had a good time at your party Paigie Pie. We love you bunches!!

Happy Birthday Scott

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband Scott. Even though we gave you your surprise party a little early...to help throw you off of course. I wanted to tell you today on your 5oth birthday what an incredible man you are.

You are a kind heart and loving man...quiet and shy...giving and caring! You have such a big heart and do many things that people don't even know about...well except me! You love your family so much and would do anything for them.You are a wonderful husband, father,grandfather, and friend. You are such a hard worker and give your job as well as your family 100%.

We love you sweetie and hope your birthday/party was as wonderful for you as it was for us to share it with you.

The world became a better place the day you were born.
I love you!!

Surprise!!! And Happy Birthday

If you know anything about my sweetheart Scott you know that he is really shy. He doesn't talk much and usually just likes to blend into the background and let me and the kids take the lead.So I had to think long and hard about throwing him a 50th surprise party....and I went ahead and did it any way...LOL I think we were able to pull it off because we did it about 2 weeks before his actual birthday.

Yes, he is smiling because this is the second picture! I had our friend Tana ready with a camera to take the picture as he walked through the door and we yelled surprise...well he opened the door and closed it so fast and was heading back down the drive way...LOL. I convinced him to come back in and she took another picture....sure wish we could have gotten the first one...it would have been priceless!

Besides being a wonderful husband,father,grandfather,and great grandfather he is also a computer nerd and has a black belt in karate. My sweet friend Tatum at Bumble cakes made his birthday cake. I love all the detail. And Scott loved it!! Thanks Tatum you always do such a fantastic job!

My sister flew in from Florida for the surprise. My girls Nicole and Natalie adore their Aunt Nita or Aunt Sissy as we usually call her.

Our son Brandon and his dad. It was nice to have him here for this since he was away on a mission for his dad's last  2 birthdays.

The birthday boy cutting his cake!

My Bff Tammy, her daughter Maycee, Our daughter Nicole and our daughter Brittany holding our granddaughter Brooklyn. I just love all of those girls!

My Bff Tammy and her husband Aaron. I love the smile he has on his face...I think she may have just goosed him!

Our good friend Saundra. She is also Tammy's mom.

Good friends Jim and Regina Essex. We just love these two. In fact they introduced me to my husband Scott. I knew of him but had never actually met him. Thank you both from the bottom of my heart!

Maycee (Tammy's daughter) our granddaughter Paige and our daughter Nicole

Didn't realize the flash wasn't on.....(L-R) Sharon Starling a true blue friend. behind her is Adam brother-in law to Jeff, then Jeff boyfriend to Tara, then Tara my wonderful sweet friend and boss (also daughter to Sharon) and then April my wonderful adopted niece, friend and coworker.

I had a family room full of neighbors and friends I never even got to take pictures of. It was hard to be hostess and photographer. Thank you sooo much to all of our family and friends who helped me pull this off. We love all of you and cherish our relationships with each and every one of you!!

He also got a flat screen 47 inch TV as his gift but I forgot to take a picture of it....needless to say he LOVES IT!!!

My Sweet Granddaughter Paige

Congrats to my sweet granddaughter Paige. She won an award at school today. I was not able to attend because I was at the airport picking up my sister who flew in to be at a surprise party we are throwing for my husband. But I was able to get a picture with her later with her award. She is an  amazing little girl whom I love soooo much. She knows she has me wrapped around her finger....and that is just fine with me.
Paige...Grandpa and I are so proud of you and love you so much. You are growing up to be such a kind and loving young lady!!

Aunt Sissy's Visit

My sister Nita (or Sissy as I have always called her) fly in as part of a plan to give my husband a surprise 5oth birthday party. She got in the day before the party and spent the night at my daughter Nicole's House. They are very close and couldn't wait to spend some time together. We picked her up at the airport, and went to have lunch.  We will use any excuse we can to do a girls lunch!!

No matter when my sister comes to visit it snows!! No matter what month it is...yes she has come in June and it snowed. The ski resorts should pay her a commission! This picture was taken at Gardner Village where I work.

Me, my sister Nita,daughter Nicole holding granddaughter Paige, and daughter Natalie.

There is a tradition in our family. Whenever Aunt Sissy comes to visit my girls Nicole and Natalie take a silly picture on the sofa in the living room. Looks like Nicole was the only one who remembered...LOL

I love my sister so much. And even though we are about 20 years apart in age(she was the first born and I am the bay of the family with 3 brothers in between us) we are still the best of friends. I just wish we lived closer and could see each other more often. I love you Sissy...come back soon!!

Happy Birthday Johnny

Today we celebrate our son-in-law Johnny. He came into this family a young man....

He served his country in Iraq....

And now is a wonderful husband...

And a patient, fun and loving father.....

With a funny side......

He loves to work out, bike, run, play all kids of sports....

 and spend time with his family.......

We love you Johnny and hope your birthday is as awesome as you are.
Happy Birthday!!!!!!

New Years Resolution Continued.....

Well, as I mentioned in an early post about New Years Resolutions...like many of us I set my goals waaaaaay to high and set myself up for failure. So this year I decided to just not let others have the power to tick me off.  And for the most part it has worked out ok. Hey...it's only Jan. 16th...I am bound to slip a little. Not letting others tick you off is a hard job and I do work in retail ya know!

I also wanted to get organized. At one time I really was. People would say things like "Wow, your house is always so neat and clean" or "I would eat food off you floor any time" But that is when I was a stay at home mom. Going back to work has really taken a toll on the hours in a day I have left to do all the little extras I used to do.

So this year I decided that I would take small bites out of the "Elephant" so to speak and not overwhelm myself with big promises of all the grand things I was going to do. I decided each Saturday I would fill one trash bag with either things to throw away or give away.

 Yesterday I filled 2. And I only cleaned out one small night stand drawer and one big dresser drawer. And most of it was paper! You know old receipts, handouts from church, recipes torn out of magazines...etc. Boy did it feel good! It will take another Saturday to finish the drawers in my room and then on to my closet...which isn't bad at all. I usually keep it pretty tidy. I would like this.....

But will settle for just being able to find things when I need them. My house does not have a linen closet in the hall (builder must have been on drugs) so I have to keep extras like sheets and towels in my mater closet. It  can get out of hand pretty fast so I tend to keep it tidy...well kinda of tidy.
Then it will be of to tackle the office.....I want this.........

But again I will settle....for being able to find the phone when it rings...LOL

I will take pictures of each room before and after...well maybe...the before pictures could get really embarrassing and I may not want you to see them. BUT 2011 is my year!! I am going to get my house in order and keep the Hefty Trash Bag company in business!!!

OK, so I have said it out loud, and I have blogged it....now I will HAVE to do it...right?