Catching Up...

I feel like I just try to catch up on my blog most of the time. Nothing extra special really ever happens, just life passing by, but I take pictures as they come and post them so people can know what we're up to. As I think about it though, the people that actually read my blog see me often, so they know what's going on in our life, but oh well...this is for me too. It helps me to remember the fun times and blessings in my life. In April we were able to go to Portland for a wedding. It's so fun to see other places and how beautiful this earth is. That is really one of the most beautiful, green and lush places I've ever been. We had a really fun time getting away from real life for a bit. Emma was also in a play called the Lady Pirates of Captain Bree...I love that she loves to act and sing. She's definitely a mini me. Anyway, I'll post some pics and I'm sure that will be it for a while, then I'll play catch up on my blog again.

Cute Emma in her play...she did a fabulous job!

Portland

Flowers at the temple

Me, aunt, grandma and cousin at the Portland Temple

Truly...this is the most beautiful outside of a temple I've ever seen. The landscape was phenomenal!

Mt. Hood from the airplane getting into Portland.

Easter Fun

So I think this is the most celebrated Easter weekend I've ever had...really. I feel like I've eaten my weight in candy the last few days...PHEW! It was really fun, but I'm a little relieved is over. Our friend Lyssa decided to have some friends over for an Easter egg hunt on Sat with a delicious brunch, which was of course my favorite part. The kids were so cute with their little baskets and things. Once again I upload the pics in the order I want them to post, but the post in whatever order they want to...GRRR! So needless to say the pics are in reverse order of happening, but whatever. So anyway, on Sunday we went to my parents house...of course. There were like 50 people there...there are so many kids now! We have a blast though! We had a delicious ham and various food dinner, had a dance party, had 3 kinds of dessert (my fav of course), egg hunts for the big and little kids, lots and lots of photo taking opportunities, and a lot of FUN! Cool that it was conference on Easter this year too! I only got to watch 1 session so far, but I DVR'd it, and I'll get it in the Ensign as well, which I prefer anyway. Anyway, I'm thankful for these weekends when I can spend time with my sweet Emma, my friends and family. I'm so blessed to have such great...well...both of those! Thanks everyone for a fun time!

Most of the cousins...what an event!

Cute Liam, Caroline and man...I LOVE Lily's piggies. Those are my favorite!

Oh Sean...how I love you!

Cute Emma showing her mad egg decorating skills!

Liam sifting through his loot...getting rid of all the chocolate...hm...weird.

Our friend Teri and Isabel..a pic I took that they didn't know I was taking...my favorite kind!

Peter doing his mad gymnastics! He's a pro!

My cute Emma

Emma being so helpful with her cousins.

Us

Us...again. I think I'm getting wrinkles around my eyes. What is that about?

Building.

So as everyone knows, I moved in Oct of last year. Well I need new furniture and things around my house, so I've been saving for things and getting them as I can. ANYWAY, I needed a perfect cabinet in my bathroom to hold all my stuff, because I don't have a linen closet. I asked my brother Zeke to build me one, but instead we went to Home Depot on Sat and found the perfect one. Well needless to say, thank goodness he was there to help me put it together. I get so overwhelmed by those sorts of projects. I usually get to the end and find that I left out an integral part of the project. Then I get so angry. Anyway it looks fabulous in my bathroom and fits perfectly! It had to be 19" and we found one that was 18"...PERFECT! So here are pics of before and after shots.

So...I've got to figure out how to upload pics so they will go in the order I want them to...but anyway, here is the finished product. LOVE, LOVE the color!

Oh...dowels...or however you spell that. We were short one, and of course found it at the end when the thing was put together...WHATEVER.

My brother Zeke..Thanks brother!

Hinges...obviously.

Unassembled. I don't love this stage.

The last month/Ode to sisters

Well, the last few months have been BUSY! I'm sure they have been for everyone. Kudos to all of my friends who keep their blog posts updated with cool to remember everyday stuff. I haven't taken one picture since Christmas! I need to wok on that. Actually, Emma took a picture of a cheezit, but I won't post that picture. We've been busy working and schooling. Emma's doing great in school, and I'm thankful to have a job. We're looking forward to the Spring and Summer to get out of the house. I'm excited for new babies to come to my family and friends because that's how I get my baby fix! Anyway here are some pics from when the family got together at Christmas time. We always have a great time together...as everyone already knows...lol. I'm so, so glad my parents had many children, especially so many girls. I love, love my sisters. I love my brothers too, but sisters have a special bond. Shelley, I wish you were here! I miss your shining face!~

The girls minus Emily, she hadn't gotten there yet.

Cute family pic

Just funny pictures. Kind of a tradition in our family.

Lyss and I

Cute girls! I love my sisters!

The start of Christmas!!

So...I don't much care for how user unfriendly blogspot is with reorganizing pictures. I need to get a strategy down for the order in which I want my pictures to be posted, cause I can't seem to move them around. ANYWAY...Christmas is starting in our life! We got to go downtown to the parade of lights a few weeks ago. Emma and I caught the #15 bus...and for those of you who live downtown and partake in the bus system you know how FUN that was. It was actually super convenient so we didn't have to park anywhere. It was RAD. Anyway, it was cold and of course we got there early, but we bundled and were warm enough. We had a really fun night. As you can see, we chose really cool lights for our tree this year. Blue and white lights. I think the blue lights are KILLER! They make me want to sing and dance a little. I love to turn the lights off and see the lights reflect off my walls...pretty eh? Well I think so. Anyway, I hope everyone is having fun getting ready for Christmas, we sure are!

Um...they had lights ON their costumes. Reminds me of the Hunger Games a little. I wish I could have lights on my outfits...

See how bundled up we got? Lots of layers was the answer.

Again with the lights! RAD!!

Us

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

So here is my Thanksgiving post. We had a blast this year, except that we missed Shel and Micheal and their kids so much...they will be here soon though, so YIPPEE!! We had a TON of people at my parents house this year. Brian's sis Tammy and her family were there, Joe and Lara invited a couple from their ward, plus our family. So I think all in all there were 35 people there! PHEW! Thanks to Lara and her rad camera we got a ton of family pics that turned out pretty cute! I love this time of year. I love to spend time with my family. I've always had the best time with them. Maybe our family is oddly close? I love it though!

My sweet Emma

Here's me pretending like I'm contributing to the basketball game...my lungs were actually burning.

Um...I was pretending to be a model???

I made a rad 7 layer jello, and my sis Allyssa took this pic, which we thought was pretty funny. I think it was the best jello there...but then again, I made it...and it was the first one gone, so you decide.

Cute Emma

I worry about senior pics in a few years. She's just so dang cute!

Finally...another post!

OK...OK! I'll post again! Some of my friends that I don't see often, or even the one's I do say this is how they know what the heck I'm up to so...Sorry I've been totally slacking, but I started my new job as a real live nurse! It's taken up much of my time for sure. I'm starting to appreciate my days off much, much more. So anyway, the most exciting thing that has happened was WICKED!!! I took Emma to see this fabulous broadway show a few weeks ago. I would post pics of that, but of course I deleted them from my camera before I made sure I copied them to my pictures. Whatever...my brain isn't functioning well really. So then we move on to Halloween, which was totally fun. Emma was Elphaba from Wicked and her friend Katie was Glinda, also from Wicked. They have had this planned for a year or so. They looked great! Oh...and I turned 33 this week...Yipee!!! I don't want to grow up yet, so I'm going to pretend like I'm 25 or so. No one guesses that I'm older than that anyway. So here are some pics from Halloween...don't be scared!!!

This is Katie's hair pre-Glinda. This is how we got it to be curly! She even slept on it...what a trooper. I did my hair like this for halloween night, and my head was so very sore!

At trunk-or-treat

Emma looks sooo scary!

This is pre costumes. We started preparing at like 11am for the night. We had a blast.

Oh gosh...make up is coming off...

In the midst of collecting a TON of candy. So much for losing weight this month...CRAP!

I'll get you my pretty...and your little dog too! I LOVE this pic!

By the way...I'm not a huge TV person, but one show I LOVE is GLEE. For those of you who are Glee virgins...oh man...watch it!!! It will make you smile...ALOT! There is also a soundtrack of all the Glee-ers singing all the songs from the show. It's FABULOUS!