1st Birthday

I can't believe Sophie is already 1! We celebrated a day early with Grandma Kristine and Grandpa DeWayne since they are always busy on Wed. nights. Sophie enjoyed a splash in the wading pool while Lyndsi and McKay practiced their swimming skills in the bigger pool. Dad picked some pizza up for dinner and we all ate outside with Grandma, Grandpa, and Greg. I made Sophie's birthday cake in the shape of flip-flops. She loved the pink icing on top. In fact, she cried when Daddy took it away so he could cut her a piece. She wasn't really into the whole present thing while we opened them, but she did like the toys. Didn't really care for the clothes, though. McKay especially loved the little Leap Frog activity table and kept telling me that he was "helping" Sophie. Yeah. We all know what it means when a guy is "helping" someone learn a game! He just wants to play it. I just didn't realize it started as young as 3.

Since Sophie's now 1, I couldn't help but think back to last year when I was in the hospital and she was a tiny new baby. (See the photos in my gallery.) It was sad to see her have to be on oxygen and have the little humidifier box over her head with IVs in her little teeny hands. I know her problems were not nearly severe as other kids, but to us it was hard. I'm sure we already have, but thank you again who prayed and fasted on Sophie's behalf. That fast Sunday while Jeff was at church and I was back up at Alta View, we were given the OK to take her home. It was wonderful. Looking back on the pictures the other day, I felt this enormous wave of gratitude and wanted to thank you again for your faith.

Little Book

My good friend from high school and college just lost her dad in a car accident about a month ago. A few of us decided to give her something to remember her dad by. Here's the book that we'll give her. Each page has a place for her to record information about her dad, like his favorites, basic info about his family, a fun story from his childhood, things he was strict about, his funny guy habits, favorite holiday, vacation, etc.

Random Thoughts

The St. George temple is my favorite. Each temple has the same spirit within, but I think they each have their own feel to them. I love walking around the big grounds. It's amazing that pioneer men and women could build such a beautiful building in the middle of the desert without having the expert skills you would think necessary. I guess Nephi wasn't the only one taught to how build by the Lord. :) I took this picture when I went to St. George with my family over Easter weekend this year. It's one of my favorites now.

Speaking of St. George, my good friends (and used-to-be next-door neighbors), Jade and Randi Conrad, just had their fourth baby. They had a little girl and named her Tori. She is absolutely beautiful. (Although, I don't know how she could be anything but!) Congrats to them.

Sophie turns 1 a week from tomorrow. (That's her picture!) Sniff. I can't believe how fast this first year has gone. She is so much fun. McKay and Daddy are constantly making her laugh. The first time I really heard her laugh was unlike any other baby's laugh I'd heard before. She had a full on giggle at 5 months old! I've been in denial about her turning one, consoling myself with the fact that she doesn't walk yet and that she still didn't have a tooth. Sunday night Sophie checked the tooth off the baby list. Her first little pearly white popped through and now I see a second one making it's debut.

P.S. Check out my photo gallery and "in the kitchen." I've just added new stuff!

Forever

It has been so long since I last posted, but all with good reason. I've been rereading Twilight and New Moon to get me ready for Eclipse, which I finished Sunday. Loved them. Eclipse is the best of all three. Unlucky for me, the 4th one won't come out until next fall. Sigh. Harry Potter is finished, so not much new to look forward to in the literary world right now. I think I'll take a moment to get back to some of the classics, i.e. Jane Austen. Ah ha!! (I just had a light bulb moment) Shannon Hale, another favorite author, has a few books I haven't read including a new one about a girl obsessed with Jane Austen. How long to you think I'll have to wait for "Austenland," me being number 117 on the library waiting list??

In other news, it is just way too hot right now. Yesterday, it was 82 INSIDE my house!! Ick. I thought I moved away from this yucky August heat. I'm not quite ready for the cooler temps of fall, but I'm getting there. I've started pulling out some of my fall/harvest scented candles. My favorite? Cranberry Autumn by Salt City Candles. So yummy!! I want to bake pumpkin things, too, but when it's above 80 degrees inside, baking is not the best idea. Instead, I try to remind myself to enjoy these last weeks of summer and warm weather while I can.

On a more serious note, I'm saddened by the death of Pres. Faust. I was really starting to see more of who he is with my "spiritual" eyes. I especially loved his last Conference address on forgiveness. You could hear the love this man has for his calling, the Lord, and for each of us as he talked about the sad story of the Amish school shooting. We have been so lucky to have such a leader!

Gardening and Zucchini

Ever since we bought our first home in St. George (about 6 years ago), I've tried my hand at gardening every year. It was feeble at best. I've gotten a few peas, enough to snack on while I weeded the garden. I almost got some onions, until a kind family member mistook them for weeds and "weeded" them out for me. I had some watermelon 2 years in a row, the 2nd year I didn't even plant it! My tomatoes have been faithful every year, though. That is, until this year. I have gorgeous vines on 2 of the 6-8 plants and only 3 itty-bitty tomatoes. Sigh. Oh well, on the bright side, most everything else is starting to produce: corn, beans, pumpkins, and the zucchini is starting to come out my ears. (There are 2 or 3 beautiful ones ready to pick already and more on the way.) I know zucchini is a big joke around here. Everyone always has it in abundance. Let me tell ya, though. For the novice gardener, it is a big confidence builder! I can't wait to bake some zucchini bread now.

I love walking out to water or weed my garden and seeing all the lush green plants. It is an awesome feeling to know I had a part in that "creation." It's been fun to watch the kids, too. McKay and Lyndsi both love to help me water and are my constant companions when I go out to check how the veggies are growing. They especially are enjoying watching the pumpkin getting grow.

"It's the start of something new"

Lyndsi started Kindergarten today! She and I have both been anticipating this day with mixed feelings of nervousness, excitement, happiness, fear, etc. We did all the beforehand work of back-to-school shopping, meeting the teacher and even back to school night. Today we walked her to school and waited outside with all the other new kindergartners for the teacher, Mrs. McDougal (whom Lyndsi calls Mrs. McDoodles). A lot of people had asked me before hand if I thought I would cry. I didn't, but there was an indescribable fear and anxiety as I watched her walk into her future, a place where I couldn't follow her and protect her whenever she needed me. Honestly, I was not prepared for that. My little baby girl was walking into a building with a woman I had talked to for maybe 10 minutes of my life who will start the process of helping her learn to be independent of me. Ugh. Luckily, those 10 minutes gave me confidence in the teacher and praises of friends who've had their kids in her class added to the confidence. As McKay and I went about our morning jobs, I felt somewhat lost. I'm sure that feeling will subside over the next few weeks. I was glad when she came home and told me she missed me, but she can't wait to go back.

On a lighter note, she went back to school in style. Her favorite movie (obviously) is High School Musical, and her first day apparel reflected that: t-shirt, shoes and school accessories (pencils, folder, erasers, etc.). She was looking good!