Great to be Eight!

My New Years Eve Baby has finally reached her 8th birthday!!! She didn't think it would ever come and she is excited to say the least. This is a monumental birthday and with it comes big responsibility. She has now reached the age of accountability and with that comes big choices. Her first choice she wished to make was to have her ears pierced. Now I am of the persuasion that when the girls ask to have them pierced then I would let them. Paul however is of different thinking, this being that they should wait until they are 12. So she set about persuading him that at the age of 8 she was old enough to take care of them and responsible enough to not lose every pair of ear rings she has- and she won the battle (being that she has him wrapped around her finger!) And so, amid the frigid temps, drifting snow and sheets of ice that were the roads, we made our way to the mall to begin her celebration. Now it must be told that while Paul did finally give his approval to the action he did then begin to fill her mind with horror stories and tales of blood shooting out her ears and passing out because of the excruciating pain that would envelop her (all to try and have her change her mind). Non of this swayed her but as we walked into the shop her nerves were jumping out of her skin!! I don't think I have ever seen her so excited and soooo nervous at the same time!! But she climbed up in that chair, clutched the teddy bear they gave her tight and went for it!!Oh, and these two- they looked on in complete amazement of her bravery!
They look great on her!! She didn't even cry, she was so brave! We followed up by having lunch in the food court and shopping for some new shoes. She declared it the best day ever! When we got home that evening she ran in and showed Paul and he declared "You really look like an 8 year old now"!! I don't think her grin could have been any wider!!

Happy Birthday Abby- good things really do come to those who wait!!

Pageantry and Tradition

And the month begins. This week I feel very busy, lists have been made (I'm not even a listy kind of person), my calendar is marked up and we will see if I can make it through this week! My month of holiday festivities officially started last Thursday when we attended Olivia's theatrical debut in her Kindergarten Devotional.
Those lucky little ones get to do the Christmas themed one each year and Livvy was so excited. I was surprised at her confidence on stage, she is a pretty shy little girl, but she jumped right up and delivered her line clear and precise without any hesitation. She really wanted to be an Angel and play the musical instruments (like Abby did when she participated) but she was assigned the part of a stable girl who swept it out in preparation for the savior's arrival- they sang the song "A Stable Fit For a King". It was cute and she did a wonderful job!

Next we had the Ward Christmas Breakfast on Saturday- and we even made it in time to actually sit and have some food this year!!! High fives all around for that accomplishment!!

The girls had been preparing for their meeting with Santa all week. They wrote down their wish list and took it with them that morning. This was to help them discuss what they really wanted without anything being forgotten or lost in translation. That darling Santa had them place each list in his sack to take back to the north pole- he didn't want to make any mistakes on Christmas Eve!!
Up next? I get to help Abby's class build and decorate Gingerbread houses and then I will be at Liv's school helping with the Teddy Bear Hug Service Project they do every year to benefit a Homeless shelter in Ogden- I look forward to both!!

Honestly...

These two can entertain us for hours!!!! (Abby and her friend Louisa)
One day I found them taping up their faces and they had us all laughing uncontrollably
Then the next day they are standing in the sun and giving all the friends a sparkly shirt reflection dance show (because they always seem to be wearing the same things, I don't know if the girls have the same taste in clothes or if it is their mothers!)

This picture really doesn't do it justice- the ENTIRE room- walls, ceiling, floor- was covered in sequin shimmers!! All were oohing and awing at the display for quite some time and the hip shake dance was the finishing touch.

I am sure they would come by invitation to your next party, but there will be a small fee of sugar and craft supplies- at least that is what they charge me for this one of a kind entertainment.

Christmas break should get very interesting...

From one to the next

I can hardly believe how quickly Thanksgiving came and then was gone. This year we stayed home and attended my mother's family get-together, my Harris side that I haven't seen in a long long time. It was wonderful, relaxed and fun. There were around 60 people! However, I really didn't take any pictures- VERY unlike me! I did take this shot of sweet little Naomi that just makes me smile:So I can't show you, but understand that it was delightful. My mother and her three sisters- cut from the same cloth I tell you!!!

Now I have been busying myself with the Christmas decorations. I forget from year to year just how much work and just how time consuming it is! But putting on the Christmas music and watching the girls put the decorations on the trees is joyous and it really gets me into the spirit of the season.

Oh, did I mention that I went out the day after Thanksgiving (no, not at the crack of dawn, I am FAR to old for that craziness now) and shopped all the sales and I can say my gifts for the girls are done- now that is a jump for joy kind of feeling!

How far along are you on your Christmas to do list?

Make a Wish...

Today she is four. Today she makes me rethink my idea of two being the best age a kid can be. Three was a good one for her and I have no doubt that with her fourth year- Eva is going to rock it!

With this much attitude,
(MOM, that is SOOO not going to make me smile.)
this much silliness,

(Me: Would you like to hold your favorite hippo in a picture?
Eva: Sure mom. )

this much sweetness, and this much adorable, how could she not have the best fourth year imaginable.


Happy Birthday Eva!Four is going to be FABULOUS!

A taste of the finer things...

After much persuasion, patience and yearning from the middle child- I signed Liv up for her first dance class. She is thrilled! It is just an introductory class, I need to see if she will actually enjoy it and want to stick with it before we spend any more. This class is studying the arts of Tap and Ballet. I have to admit that I never really did the whole dance scene as a child; therefore, I just haven't been very driven to indulge this side of the girls. Abby has been sporty since the day she was born and Liv wanted to give that a try as well. It was discovered that while she enjoyed herself she most definitely does not posses the same competitive drive and lost interest in soccer mid season. Now, we will give dance a try. Together we went and picked out her taps and slippers- really the cutest part of the whole situation! Once a week she dances, she twirls, she leaps, toe points and taps her way across the floor. She doesn't want to leave and literally counts down the days on her calendar until the next class- I think we just might have a dancer in the mix- and she is undeniably adorable!!

At 4:08 am

on November 2, 1977, I entered this world.I was the fourth child- soon to be middle child of eight. I had an older sister and two older brothers and my mother made the notation in my baby album that she was overjoyed to finally have another girl after those crazy boys. Can you blame her, you know I was a delight and PERFECTLY behaved baby!!!
How smokin is my mother in this photo? I mean really, what a dashing couple those two make, not to mention the children they produce- darling- if I can be biased!!!! :)

As would be, I grew and blossomed over the years, nurtured in a loving home full of craziness and joy.

Here I am at age 4- the same age that my Eva is very soon to be. Happy as could be without a care in the world.
This is Kindergarten (Olivia's age)- the beginning of years and years of perms given at the start of each school year. I became instant friends with a girl named Amy Jorgensen and freighted over my first ever test- writing the alphabet perfectly with NO erasers- the horror!
Ahh, 2nd grade (Abby's age)- Mrs. Olsen was my teacher, I adored her. One of her ears was double pierced and I thought it was SO cool! Later that year I broke my front tooth while playing blinds man bluff with my brothers- and can you even believe my mother sent me to school with a butterfly clip poking off the top of my head? But I do wish I still had that sweet argyle sweater.
6th grade- I thought I was so mature as I turned 12, shaved my legs, started wearing makeup and strutted around in my first pair of nylons and real heals! I had the world in my hand and nobody could stop me!
After much growing, maturing and finding my path in life. After many great friendships formed, love had and love lost, I reach my senior year, 18. It will forever feel like it was yesterday. I can smell the smells, stand in the landscapes, taste the foods, hear the sounds of the time ringing in my ears- this was a fun year in my life and it is permanently etched on the walls of my memory.

(Never mind my lazy eye in this shot!)

Now I KNEW that I understood life and all that it could throw at me! I graduated, packed my bags and moved myself up to Logan, Utah to attend Utah State University and study to become a Dental Hygienist- I learned ever so much more about myself and what I truly wanted out of life.

It is hard to believe all that has taken place over the last 33 years- some memories are good, some are sad, some I would like to forget and some make life worth living. I have a blessed life- so much to make me happy, feel loved and I want to create the same experiences for my own children. My birthday wish for this year is to have my 33rd year be filled with more of the happy things and to look back at 33 and say "Now THAT was a great year!"

Happy Halloween!

I can't believe how this holiday creeped up on me! I feel ashamed that I wasn't able to get it together in the true spirits that I usually do. We weren't able to do the Halloween countdown, I wasn't able to find a cleaver costume for myself, and we finally carved our pumpkins on Friday night. Liv's haunted house was my most ambitious to date and I am quite proud. As is Abby, who carved hers all by herself for the first time.

When Saturday arrived we were busy most of the day building in our family room, but I was determined to celebrate! So out came the costumes and the girls were all dolled up and very pleased with themselves.

Olivia has a love affair with her Jesse doll from Toy Story. When she saw this costume there was no discussion- she would have it for her own.

(Never mind the Lady bug perched on her finger)

I think she makes a pretty darling little red head!!
Eva declared, yet again, several weeks ago that she was going to be a bat, a spooky bat. So I said, at least you can be a cute little "girly" spooky bat that hangs about the graveyard.
It is really too bad that PG doesn't have an older, more ominous cemetery to accompany THIS kind of attitude!!

Abby, after all the butterfly hunting action this summer, was excited to become her most favorite variety- the majestic Monarch. We sprayed her hair a glittery orange to complete the look.

Cory, Jill and clan, made an appearance for the annual costume photos and then my Dad once again put on his mask and prepared to scare the neighborhood- delightful!!

Alas, it was raining, pouring buckets to be exact. However, we weren't going to let a little monsoon deter us from getting some treats, so with our giant sport umbrella in hand we made our way around the streets until Eva was threatening to pee her pants and Liv took a spill down some front steps when she was certain that death was upon her as a little "HotDog" came running out the door towards her!

Oh Halloween, how we love your adventures and simple childhood joy and the lasting memories you leave behind!!