The Highlight of My Day: April 2011

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in April:

Fri 4/1/11: Today was a perfect spring day! Lizzy and I had a great time playing outside this morning. In the evening, we went with Papa to Harmons then had a picnic at the park. Lizzy loved sliding on the slide with her papa. It was LOVELY!

Sat 4/2/11: Brad and I watched two sessions of General Conference today. Lizzy was completely convinced that President Uchtdorf was Grandpa North. She had fun saying "Amen" during all of the talks, and she loved conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Sun 4/3/11: We got about 5 to 6 inches of snow last night, and it kept snowing throughout the day. It was perfect for General Conference weekend. I loved Elder Richard G. Scott's talk in the afternoon session. He spoke about marriage and made a special tribute to his wife. I cried the whole time.

Mon 4/4/11: We talked about Easter and the resurrection tonight for FHE. Then we watched "The Easter Dream."

Tue 4/5/11: Lizzy and I enjoyed watching Gilmore Girls together. I loved it when it was commercial time and Lizzy would say, "Where girls?" After the commercials were over, she would say, "There is!" She's so cute!

Wed 4/6/11: I made Shepherds Pie tonight and it was a big hit! Everyone liked it.

Thu 4/7/11: Brad and I visited YSAs tonight. Then we got to go shopping together. Lizzy was so happy when I came home. She loves her mama. "Mama come home!"

Fri 4/8/11: Dinner at IHOP and then off to visit Marian! Brad and I had fun playing Nerts with Marian tonight, and Lizzy had fun trying to participate. We love Aunt Marian!

Sat 4/9/11: I enjoyed watching movies with Brad today, and not having to cook. Brad did about 5 loads of laundry for me, which I haven't been able to keep up with lately. He is wonderful! I love my husband!

Sun 4/10/11: My baby in my arms at church was definitely, hands down, the highlight of my day. I love my Lizzy. She is such a sweetie! I wish she would do better in nursery, though. She screamed and cried the entire time until they got me. Poor baby. But she was sooooo happy to see me, and that was nice.

Mon 4/11/11: Brad and I made some time after the kids went to bed to watch a movie together. I love cuddling on the couch with my hubby.

Tue 4/12/11: Lizzy and I played bubbles outside this evening, and Brad and Emma joined us. I was pleased that Lizzy got to go on a walk with her dad and big sister.

Wed 4/13/11: Brad... is .... lovely! Tonight he made me feel like the most wonderful wife in the world. I love spending time with him.

Thu 4/14/11: Peter Jackson posted a short clip of "The Hobbit: Start of Production" on Facebook. I was thrilled beyond thrilled!

Fri 4/15/11: I heard my baby's heartbeat on the Doppler today. It was lovely! In the evening, Brad and I had dinner at Virg's, then we headed over to the park with Lizzy. Lizzy LOVES going down the slides by herself now. It's her new favorite thing to do.

Sat 4/16/11: Today's weather was perfect beyond perfect! Brad and I enjoyed playing with Lizzy in our front yard. We played with chalk and then did bubbles.

Sun 4/17/11: We attended Stake Conference today. Lizzy was so cute and well behaved! She loved sitting next to Grandpa North. In the evening we did some more chalk and bubbles in the front yard.

Mon 4/18/11: Dinner at Wendy's, then a fun night playing Nerts at Aunt Marian's house!

Tue 4/19/11: Lizzy went on her first Easter egg hunt! She liked watching the other children gather eggs, but also managed to find 8 eggs by herself. Hooray for Lizzy!

Wed 4/20/11: I shaved down Miko today. She looks so cute now! In the evening, Brad, Lizzy, and I enjoyed having strawberries with cream at Marilyn's house.

Thu 4/21/11: Brad made my birthday absolutely wonderful! One surprise after the other... I was totally not expecting that. I loved that he showed up from work a half day earlier bearing gifts and treats. We had a relaxing afternoon and a fun evening. I love my husband!

Fri 4/22/11: I enjoyed going to Brad's volleyball game tonight! Lizzy had fun playing ball with Brother Mullen. It was cute watching her play. She's so athletic!

Sat 4/23/11: We had a yummy BBQ dinner at Marilyn's house with the Bruce-Clan, minus Bruce and Michael, and Scott and Emma. My macaroni salad turned out nicely, and I loved Loralee's potato salad.

Sun 4/24/11: Lizzy stayed for the whole second half of Nursery by herself! I'm so proud of her! It was nice going to Relief Society.

Mon 4/25/11: We had an Easter celebration and my birthday celebration for FHE tonight. We had a blast dying hardboiled eggs and going on a Easter egg hunt. Scott baked me a cake for my birthday, and Emma made me a card. I loved it! My kids are great!

Tue 4/26/11: Picked up the van from the mechanic today! I loved having wheels again.

Wed 4/27/11: Brad and I have been having a fun time watching Royal Wedding specials on TV over the last week. We are trying to get in the mood to watch the big televised event on Friday!

Thu 4/28/11: Time with my honey is a lovely, lovely thing! Scott and Emma went to visit their mom tonight, so Brad and I went out to eat with Lizzy. I liked spending time with Bradley. We had a nice evening together.

Fri 4/29/11: Brad and I got up at 3:30 in the morning to watch the Royal Wedding. Prince William and Princess Catherine had a beautiful wedding. I loved the music, the traditional ceremony, Kate's dress, all the unusual and pretty hats, Westminster Abbey, and all the fancy horses and carriages. I'm very happy for the bride and groom and for all the royal family.

Sat 4/30/11: I loved having Scott and Emma home this weekend. I could tell they liked it, too. Both had time to play with their neighborhood friends, and in the evening we went to visit the cousins, which they also loved.

The Highlight of My Day: September 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in September:

Wed 9/1/10: I think I'm going to LOVE the new parent-time arrangement! It was so nice not having to deal with the stress of sending the kids off to their mother's house on a school night. Both Emma and Scott seemed happy too.

Thu 9/2/10: Brad is growing a mustache for Halloween this year. I think he looks cute. I personally like facial hair on men. I think my grandpa had something to do with that. Grandpa gave the greatest bear hugs and fuzzy kisses!

Fri 9/3/10: I had a lovely evening with Brad and the baby tonight. We went to the International Peace Garden on the way home from Bountiful. Quality time, just the three of us, without any drama or stress. It was lovely!

Sat 9/4/10: Another wonderful day with Brad and the baby! We had a very pleasant morning sleeping in until 9 am. We organized the storage unit some more, then we went to visit the Harman's. We bought a piggy plush toy from the Harman's garage sale for Lizzy.

Sun 9/5/10: Brad and I enjoyed watching the 3 hour feature from the special DVD edition of "The Two Towers." I love cuddling on the couch with my husband.

Mon 9/6/10: Brad's dad took us out to lunch at Woody's restaurant in Murray, then we went to Wheeler Farm. Lizzy enjoyed looking at all the animals, especially the cows, and Brad and David played a game of Bocce ball. It was a fun Labor Day weekend!

Tue 9/7/10: Scott has braces on his bottom teeth now! He has a very metal grin. He'll be 13 years old in only 10 more days!

Wed 9/8/10: "Lizzy, what does a dog say?" "Mooo!" "Lizzy, what does a kitty say?" "Mooo!" Not quite there yet, but we're getting there!

Thu 9/9/10: Today was Lizzy's 15 month-old doctor appointment. Lizzy is in the 53 percentile for her weight (22.94 pounds), and the 82 percentile for her height (31.5 inches). Sounds like she's going to be a tall, skinny girl!

Fri 9/10/10: After dropping Scott & Emma off in Bountiful, we headed over to our stake center for Brad to play volleyball. The men in our ward won both games! Yay!

Sat 9/11/10: Brad and I ran some errands together today, then we stayed at home and finished watching the making of "Return of the King" on the special edition DVD.

Sun 9/12/10: We dropped off Scott's birthday party invitations to all of his friends this evening, then we visited the Bruce Clan for a couple of hours. Scott's looking forward to his birthday!

Mon 9/13/10: My baby has turned into a MONSTER! In less than five minutes she turned my bathroom into Q-tip & Toilet-Paper Land. She seemed very pleased with her messy project, and most unhappy when I began cleaning it up.

Tue 9/14/10: We went to our ward's Scout Court of Honor tonight. Scott received around five merit badges. Good boy, Scott!

Wed 9/15/10: A very simple dinner tonight of chili-cheese and chips while watching "Kidnapped" with my hubby. I love simple moments.

Thu 9/16/10: Brought home some Carl's Jr. for Brad & I to have for dinner tonight while watching "Two Towers." It was a our date night. I love being with my Bradley!

Fri 9/17/10: My awesome, wonderful, handsome stepson is now officially a teen! Scott turned 13 years old today! I'm excited that Scott has hit this milestone in his life. It's going to be fun watching Scott grow into a confident young man. If he's anything like his dad, he's going to be fabulous!

Sat 9/18/10: I picked up my mother at the airport today. YAY! Lizzy took to her immediately, which surprised me, because the last two times she saw her Grandma she was not happy with her. Scott has his birthday party today, and I decorated a "Portal" cake for him. Turned out beautiful!

Sun 9/19/10: We stayed home from church today, because Brad, Lizzy, and I were sick. Scott and Emma went to church. I enjoyed spending time with my mama. I made salmon chowder for dinner.

Mon 9/20/10: We took my mother to our library for the first time tonight, and had FHE when we got home. We did our "sweets and sours," and my mom got to join in, too. We had ice cream sundaes for dessert. YUMMY!

Tue 9/21/10: My mother left today, which made my heart sad, but it was lovely seeing how nice she made our home look while she was here. The kitchen and dinning room are spotlessly clean, thanks to her hard work. My mom is so awesome!

Wed 9/22/10: I enjoy hugs from Scott. Today he gave me a big giant squeeze while we were standing in line. He's such a wonderful boy. I love him so!

Thu 9/23/10: Brad and I enjoyed looking at costume possibilities for little Lizzy to wear on Halloween. She's going to be so cute to dress up!

Fri 9/24/10: I found Lizzy's costume today! YAY! I also bought Emma's costume online, and have Scott's costume lined up to buy. I even know what I'm going to be for Halloween. . . one month before Halloween!

Sat 9/25/10: We got rid of junk today... and bought some more. We stopped at Entheos to get our van washed after dropping things off at the storage unit. Entheos also had a small garage sell that Lindsey was helping with. We bought a VCR for $5, a toy for Lizzy for $.50, and a children's book ("Are You My Mother") for Lizzy for $25. Then we headed to the DI and bought my Halloween costume and clothes. I'm nearly all set for Halloween!

Sun 9/26/10: Got done some Visiting Teaching today, and I also went to Ward Choir. We're singing a "Sound of Music" melody for the stake Music Festival.

Mon 9/27/10: I'm beginning to establish a bedtime routine for Lizzy now. Read a book, sing songs, brush teeth, and go to bed. She LOVES brushing her teeth, even though she only has three.

Tue 9/28/10: I've gotten hooked on watching "Dancing with the Stars." My favorite celeb dancers are Jennifer Grey, Kyle Massey, Bristol Palin, and Kurt Warner.

Wed 9/29/10: My house looks beautiful today! My mom and visiting teachers need to come over more often. I need the motivation to not be a slob!

Thu 9/30/10: Planning, planning, planning! I've got a new project I'm working on. I spent all afternoon preparing for it. Crossing my fingers things will work out!

The Highlight of My Day: August 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in August:

Sun 8/1/10: Rachel and Craig arrived at Aunt Cindy's house today. We went to Multnomah Falls together. It was beautiful! The Marshes arrived this afternoon, too. It was great seeing them again.

Mon 8/2/10: We headed to Powell's Bookstore today. We also went to the Portland Temple, and the Lego Store. We got some great books and Scott was very pleased with his Lego choices. We had taco salad for dinner. YUM!

Tue 8/3/10: The whole family went to Cannon Beach today. It was kind of cold and rainy, but we still had fun eating lunch together, shopping, and playing on the beach. The Norths and Montgomerys played soccer after dinner. I took pictures. Everyone had a fun time!

Wed 8/4/10: This afternoon we had our annual family BBQ. The potato salad and fruit salad tasted great, and Nick, as always, did an amazing job grilling. It's nice being with family!

Thu 8/5/10: We went out to dinner at a restaurant in Idaho tonight, and when we went to pay the check, the waitress announced to us very cheerfully that someone had already paid it for us. How nice is that? It made my heart very happy that someone would be that generous and kind to us despite us being perfect strangers.

Fri 8/6/10: It's great to be home after a long day of driving! I was so happy to sleep in my bed again.

Sat 8/7/10: I loved waking up beside my husband this morning tucked in our own cozy bed. It was so nice having Lizzy sleep in for us. Yay for time zone changes!

Sun 8/8/10: I announced in Young Womens that I completed my Personal Progress. I should be getting my medallion next week!

Mon 8/9/10: Lizzy has a new tooth coming in! It's her first tooth on top. The one next to it is following close behind. Pretty soon she's going to have a very toothy grin.

Tue 8/10/10: My happiest time of the day was cuddling with my husband and baby. Being a mother and a wife are my greatest blessings.

Wed 8/11/10: Lizzy is getting so big! She's walking and getting into EVERYTHING now. Her sense of humor continues to grow as well. We spent a good 20 minutes today just playing with her diapers. She would empty out her bag of diapers and stick them on my head and watch them fall off. She thought it was the greatest game ever invented!

Thu 8/12/10: I watched Lizzy make funny noises outside the bathroom door while she was waiting for her papa to get out of the shower. She was mimicking her father's raspberries perfectly. At first I thought it was Brad not her. Very, very cute and silly!

Fri 8/13/10: Scott & Emma came back from their week-long visit with Melanie. It's great having them home again!

Sat 8/14/10: We went over to see the Harmans today, and we helped clean and went swimming. Rosie and Tricky came, too. I had fun taking pictures of Rosie and the kids in the pool.

Sun 8/15/10: I received my YW Recognition today. I'm glad I got it done!

Mon 8/16/10: Lizzy played in the sprinklers outside for the first time today. She liked sticking out her tongue and licking up the water. She's such a cutie!

Tue 8/17/10: I like being internet savy! I discovered some pretty interesting things today. Did some detective work.

Wed 8/18/10: Emma had her therapy appointment this morning and I got to participate. I love my stepdaughter! She's such a wonderful little girl.

Thu 8/19/10: It POURED today while I drove to Scott's school to pick up papers. It's the Utah monsoon weather, as Margaret would always say.

Fri 8/20/10: Today was Scott's 7th Grade orientation at his new Junior High school. He enjoyed spending time with his friend Brett and seeing his new school. I can't believe he's in 7th Grade already!

Sat 8/21/10: Brad and I went to see "Inception" finally. We've been wanting to go for weeks. We enjoyed it, but agreed it wasn't as good as some of Christopher Nolan's other films.

Sun 8/22/10: Emma gave her talk in Primary today. She spoke on miracles that Jesus Christ performed while he was here on Earth.

Mon 8/23/10: First day of school! Emma was very excited to go back to school. She loves her new teacher, Mrs. Murray. She's excited to get back into the swing of things.

Tue 8/24/10: I watched an old 80's cartoon called "The Fluppies" on Youtube today. I spent my whole childhood thinking it was called "The Fluffies," so I never found it until now. It was fun watching it today. I remember watching it as a kid and loving it.

Wed 8/25/10: Brad and I started watching "Young Victoria" tonight. What a great movie! I wish they'd make more movies like it.

Thu 8/26/10: Scott put soap suds on Lizzy's head tonight. Lizzy thought it was pretty hilarious. He made her have a Mohawk and look like "Two Face." Silly brothers!

Fri 8/27/10: Lizzy went with Brad and I to Chick-fil-A for dinner tonight. It was rainy and wet, and Lizzy wore her adorable black and white hat to keep her head dry. Lizzy enjoyed her yummy chicken nuggets. Mmm Mmm!

Sat 8/28/10: Things went really well for Brad today! Mediation turned out much better than he anticipated. We celebrated in the afternoon and had a late lunch at Applebees.

Sun 8/29/10: Brad gave a fantastic lesson in Sunday School today on select verses from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. I love the way Brad teaches. He's naturally a great teacher.

Mon 8/30/10: For Family Home Evening we had popsicles in the front yard while we discussed the new parent-time plan the kids would be following. We wanted to know how the kids felt about the new arrangements. I think they're going to be fine.

Tue 8/31/10: We set up Lizzy's new dresser in her and Emma's room today. I had a busy time sorting through all the clothes and decorating things. My baby girl is growing up! She keeps out-growing her cute little infant outfits. Where has the time gone?

The Highlight of My Day: July 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in July:

Thu 7/1/10: I had two medical appointments today. Scott babysat Lizzy for me, and did a great job mowing the lawn. He's been earning quite a bit of money so far this summer.

Fri 7/2/10: Tonight Brad and David helped Marian move furniture and organize her basement. I took care of Lizzy. Marian was very grateful for all our help. She's still recovering from her hernia surgery and her badly injured knee.

Sat 7/3/10: Brad and I went to Rachel's baptism today. On the way home we grabbed some sushi for dinner. It seems weird saying "sushi" now. I always think of our cat.

Sun 7/4/10: We had a relaxing 4th of July this year. We went to church in the morning and I made taco salad in the afternoon. The Webb family came to visit us in the evening.

Mon 7/5/10: We helped Marian clean the pool and move furniture this morning. Then we had our summer swimming party & BBQ in the afternoon. Marian's puppy, Rocket, learned how to swim in the pool. It was very cute to watch.

Tue 7/6/10: Brad & I went to the library tonight and picked up the DVD "Cranford." We started watching it tonight. It's a pretty good show! I love BBC dramas.

Wed 7/7/10: I made a very healthy dinner tonight. Maui Maui fish and broccoli. It was surprisingly good for being so healthy. Mmm Mmm good!

Thu 7/8/10: Lizzy said "hi Kitty" first thing this morning when I took her out of bed. She also said, "thank you," and "all gone" at breakfast time. When did my baby get so big?

Fri 7/9/10: Brad & I went on a romantic getaway tonight. We had dinner at "Sweet Tomatoes," then we stayed in a nice hotel in Sandy with a big jetted tub.

Sat 7/10/10: The three of us went to the Days of 47 All Horse Parade. Lizzy loved watching the horses, which she called dogs.

Sun 7/11/10: Brad and I received new callings in our ward. I finished all my YW value experiences today. My goal is to have my last project finished before next week Sunday.

Mon 7/12/10: I washed the floors today, and they look so good! I like it when I'm in a cleaning mood.

Tue 7/13/10: Brad and I have our own storage unit now. We took care of that today, and went to the library, too. We brought home "Return to Cranford." Great show! I got a really short hair cut while Brad stayed home and took care of Lizzy.

Wed 7/14/10: I spent a good part of my day with Kimberly Thoman. We had breakfast at Virg's, then we went to the Jordan River Parkway in Taylorsville. It was an enjoyable day.

Thu 7/15/10: Brad picked up Scott & Emma from their mother's house tonight. We had a wonderful evening with them. The kids were very happy to be home. Lots of cuddles.

Fri 7/16/10: Tonight we drove up to Kamas and went to our Ward Campout. We ate dinner, set up the tent, and had fun watching the campfire. Lizzy thought being in the tent was so funny!

Sat 7/17/10: Sara Pearson's wedding open house was today at the Harman's house. It was neat seeing so many family members from the White/Labrum side of the family, as well as other friends. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Sun 7/18/10: Brad and I got a new calling! We are now the Young Single Adult leaders in our ward. We went to our first Sunday school meeting with them. Interesting experience, to say the least. Brad did a great job improvising the lesson. He's so talented!

Mon 7/19/10: I got buyers for the baby rats! YAY! Some will be leaving this week. I'm crossing my fingers that everything will go well and I'll find homes for all these baby rats.

Tue 7/20/10: The first rat left today. That was a relief!

Wed 7/21/10: I went shopping today, drove to pick up Emma from her cousins' house, then made it home in time for two more rats to leave. Three down, 40 more to go!

Thu 7/22/10: I had quite a laugh today watching Lizzy attempt to blow kisses for the first time. She put her hand over her mouth perfectly, then with all her might she blew giant raspberries into it. Silly baby!

Fri 7/23/10: Brad and I had lots of one-on-one time with Emma today. We took her to her therapy session, then we let her choose what she wanted for lunch: Papa Murphy's. Then Brad bought her a Batman Animated series DVD, which she enjoyed watching, and we made her one of her favorite dinners~ ravioli & corn. We finished off the day by having chocolate mint ice cream. YUM!

Sat 7/24/10: Today was Pioneer Day and we invited family members to come over for a BBQ. My nieces and nephews had a fun time playing with the baby rats. We did fireworks in the evening.

Sun 7/25/10: Michael had his Court of Honor tonight, which we all attended. Hooray for Michael!

Mon 7/26/10: I sold 5 rats this morning. That put me in a good mood!

Tue 7/27/10: Today was a day of appointments! I took Scott to this orthodontist appointment and Emma to her follow-up with her pediatrician. Sushi had her vet appointment, too, and we got eye drops for her. Can't wait to see how pretty she looks with beautiful clear blue eyes!

Wed 7/28/10: Lizzy learned how to climb down the stairs today. She's getting so big. Tonight Brad & I went to Red Lobster for dinner. The crab was delicious!

Thu 7/29/10: Scott & Emma did lots of chores today. I began packing for our trip. The rats all left with Debra. I was able to find homes for 10 of them!

Fri 7/30/10: We headed off to Idaho this morning. We had a surprisingly good trip. Everything went smoothly, and we ended the day eating dessert and swimming in an indoor swimming pool. LOVELY!

Sat 7/31/10: We arrived in Wilsonville this evening right before dinner. It's so nice being with my extended family again. My little cousin, Binny is adorable! It was so fun holding him and seeing his cute expressions.

The Highlight of My Day: June 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in June:

Tue 6/1/10: Tonight was Scott's 6th Grade program. He did a fantastic job, although I wish he would sing louder and smile more. He has such a nice voice but he hates to sing.

Wed 6/2/10: I took Emma to the Primary Children's Medical Center in Riverton for her lab tests. She was very brave. The good news is her blood turned out normal, so whatever she has is probably not too serious.

June 6/3/10: We picked up our new kitten from the Animal Shelter today. She's a little loopy tonight, due to the anesthesia from her operation, but we can already tell she has a good personality. Today was also Brad's birthday. We celebrated with cake and a present-- one of our favorite boardgames, Masterpiece.

Fri 6/4/10: Today was Scott's 6th grade graduation at his school. He won a total of five awards. After the ceremony, we took Scott out to lunch at Chick-fil-A. In the afternoon Marilyn came to visit me, then we went out to dinner with Brad, Twinkle, and David at Francisco's (Chef Tom's).

Sat 6/5/10: Brad and I went to Lagoon to participate in Del Sol's annual Lagoon Day. We took Lizzy on her first merry-go-round, train ride, and ferris wheel. Brad won a $200 gift card to Best Buy. YAY!

Sun 6/6/10: We joined the Bruce-clan on their walk to Loralee's sister's house this evening. We played an LDS card game with Melanie while she made us brownies. We also enjoyed watching the lightening show outside, and saw a beautiful sunset with amazing clouds and rainbows.

Mon 6/7/10: We got the van fixed today. Now it's completely road-trip-proof for our California vacation. YAY!

Tue 6/8/10: Tonight we went to Wheeler Farm to take pictures of Lizzy for her birthday. I was very pleased with the way they turned out.

Wed 6/9/10: My beautiful baby turned a year old today! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. She had her doctor appointment this morning and got three shots. Her doctor says she's growing wonderfully. Tonight we had a small birthday party for her. She loved her birthday cake.

Thu 6/10/10: Laundry from dawn until dusk! Got done some last minute shopping, too.

Fri 6/11/10: Drove to St. George today. The kids enjoyed swimming at our hotel.

Sat 6/12/10: Arrived in Long Beach! We ran some errands tonight and had dinner with the family. I love being back home.

Sun 6/13/10: We had a birthday party tonight for Lizzy. It was nice seeing old friends.

Mon 6/14/10: The four of us went to Disneyland today. Rachel, Craig, Susie, and Krista joined us later.

Tue 6/15/10: Today was our quiet day. We went over to LBCC to feed the bunnies, then we went to Rachel & Craig's condo for dinner and swimming.

Wed 6/16/10: We went to the Aquarium of the Pacific with Scott and Emma today.

Thu 6/17/10: Huntington Beach was our destination point today. We went to the beach then visited our friend Gizella. In the evening, Brad and I went on a date for our wedding anniversary. 4 years today!

Fri 6/18/10: We left Long Beach this morning and stopped in Overton, Nevada for the night. We had a quiet evening swimming and eating at a little diner called "Sugar's Home Plate" restaurant.

Sat 6/19/10: It's great to be home again! We had Magic Wok for dinner tonight and the kids and I went to pick up our kitty.

Sun 6/20/10: Had a great Father's Day. I made Brad breakfast this morning, and the kids and I presented him with gifts. I bought him a U2 video he's been wanting for the longest time. Lizzy gave the best present of all: she took her first steps!

Mon 6/21/10: I went to the storage unit and the library with Brad tonight. I picked up some new DVDs to watch with Brad, which I'm looking forward to seeing.

Tue 6/22/10: I took Lizzy to feed the ducks this morning and walk along the Jordan River Parkway. She loved looking at the ducks and called them "dogs."

Wed 6/23/10: When Scott & Emma arrived home tonight, Lizzy saw them and was so excited she starting screaming and laughing like mad. It was adorable watching her joy at being reunited with her siblings.

Thu 6/24/10: Brad and I are watching the newest production of Jane Austen's "Emma." It's fantastic! I loved watching it with Brad tonight.

Fri 6/25/10: Finished watching "Emma." It was WONDERFUL! I'm going to need to own it on DVD.

Sat 6/26/10: The four of us left Lizzy with a babysitter and went to watch Toy Story 3 in 3D today. The movie was fabulous! Pixar truly knows how to tell a great story and succeed every time.

Sun 6/27/10: Visited with the Bruce-clan tonight. Scott and Emma enjoyed spending time with their cousins.

Mon 6/28/10: Lizzy talks so much now! She's saying dog, bye-bye, hi, Emma, ball, and she's even trying to say thank you.

Tue 6/29/10: Scott has braces on his teeth again! I took him to the orthodontist this morning, and we've officially started the third and final phase of his treatment. In the afternoon I took the kids to Leatherby's.

Wed 6/30/10: We had cousin sleepovers last night. The girls slept over at our house and enjoyed playing with Sushi, who's feeling so much better now. I'm happy that she's acting like a normal kitty.

The Highlight of My Day: May 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in May:

Sat 5/1/10: It's May, it's May, the lusty month of May! Which reminds me, I had a great morning with my hubby today. He is absolutely wonderful!

Sun 5/2/10: We had dinner with the Bruce Clan tonight. Loralee, as usual, made a fantastic dinner: Irish Stew and soda bread. We topped it off with ice cream sundaes for dessert.

Mon 5/3/10: We made Mother's Day cards for grandmas tonight. We also had a ballet for kitty names. The winners are Sushi, Gigi, and Kiki.

Tue 5/4/10: I went to the Young Women activity tonight. Sister Lignell was there with our baby kitten. I had fun petting our kitty and holding her. We also made Mother's Day presents while we were there and I made myself a flower arrangement. Pretty!

Wed 5/5/10: I arranged things with Rachel today! We are going to be staying at their condo while we're visiting California in June! Yay!

Thu 5/6/10: Emma went to see her therapist today. She was so happy afterward it was contagious. :) I love my sweet Emma-girl.

Fri 5/7/10: Lizzy and I went to Brad's volleyball tournament tonight and they won again! Lizzy loved watching the players hit the balls. I hope she'll be a volleyball player like her dad when she gets older. She definitely has the genes for it.

Sat 5/8/10: Today was a good day! Brad and I had a great time going to the park with Lizzy and spending time at home just the three of us. My best news of the day: RACHEL IS PREGNANT!!!! YAY!!!

Sun 5/9/10: Today was my first Mother's Day with Lizzy. Brad made me a delicious breakfast in bed and also helped Lizzy make hand-prints. I got to see the mess Lizzy made with the white paint. It was quite hilarious!

Mon 5/10/10: Scott and Emma came home today and we had a Mother's Day FHE with them. Brad gave me a lovely Mother's Day card and Emma gave me coupons.

Tue 5/11/10: I made homemade chili tonight-- a special request by Emma. She loves my chili.

Wed 5/12/10: I was very productive today! My two biggest projects were grooming the dog and weeding the front flower beds.

Thu 5/13/10: Finished grooming the dog today! She looks like she lost 40 pounds. Skinny girl!

Fri 5/14/10: I saw Lizzy do imaginary play for the first time today. She was pretending to eat food out of my diaper bag. She reached inside the bag, pulled it out quickly, sent her hand toward her mouth, then started chewing and smacking her lips. She repeated this over and over again. So cute!

Sat 5/15/10: I love third weekends! Brad and I enjoyed not having to drive anywhere today. Plus, it was nice having Scott and Emma have sleepovers with their friends last night.

Sun 5/16/10: Today I'm officially going to say that Lizzy can stand by herself. She's been practicing for weeks, but today she nearly mastered it, standing for more than 10 seconds. She was very pleased with herself.

Mon 5/17/10: I enjoyed some freedom this morning and left Lizzy with Brad so I could go do some shopping alone. It was refreshing not having to lug the baby around.

Tue 5/18/10: My highlight of the day was watching Lizzy play ball with her sick Papa. She LOVES her papa!

Wed 5/19/10: Brad and I took Lizzy outside to play in the yard this evening. She had a great time crawling on the grass and playing with her papa. I took lots of cute pictures of her.

Thu 5/20/10: My sister, Rachel called me today and we talked almost an hour. I LOVE talking to my little sister!

Fri 5/21/10: Brad and I watched "Ponyo" together tonight. What a cute movie!

Sat 5/22/10: We bought kitty supplies today! Our little kitty will be coming home to us in just a few days.

Sun 5/23/10: My highlight of the day was watching Scott, Emma, and Lizzy play together. Scott and Emma were bouncing across the floor, and Lizzy was crawling behind them laughing. It was so cute!

Mon 5/24/10: It snowed this morning. Big surprise! I had fun singing Christmas songs and taunting Scott and Emma. Only three words from "Let it Snow" came out of my mouth before both kids started simultaneously screaming "NO NO NO!" I'm afraid their protests only encouraged me to sing more. You would think they would know me better after five years! I'm so bad.

Tue 5/25/10: Lizzy has been waving her hand and saying "Bye-bye" all day today. She is so pleased with her new trick.

Wed 5/26/10: I went to Emma's class program today and watched her do a hula dance and play the part of a Nanny Goat during her class production of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. She did a very good job.

Thu 5/27/10: I watched Opal Dream tonight with Emma. I didn't know anything about opal mining before watching this movie. Interesting and unique.

Fri 5/28/10: Scott and Emma didn't have school today and Brad only had to work half a day. In the afternoon we drove over to the University of Utah for David's retirement party.

Sat 5/29/10: Brad got new tires on the van this morning! YAY!

Sun 5/30/10: We had a family gathering tonight to celebrate Brad's and David's birthdays. We played Catch Phrase together as a family. 'Twas fun!

Mon 5/31/10: Today we had a Memorial Day picnic at Wheeler Farm with Bruce & Loralee's family. David came with us, too, and brought his Bocce Ball set. Lizzy loved looking at the pigs, cows, and horses the best. She also had fun crawling all over the lawn and watching the gulls and ducks.

The Highlight of My Day: April 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in April:

Thu 4/1/10: I went to the dentist this morning and they told me I had 8 cavities. I was like, NO WAY! Then they quickly reminded me it was April 1st. No cavities for me! *phew!*

Fri 4/2/10: We have 11 children at our home tonight, but it's all good. :) Scott and Emma love playing with their cousins, and it's fun spending time with all of them, too. Tonight we dyed Easter Eggs.

Sat 4/3/10: Today we watched General Conference and went over to Bruce and Loralee's house. The children had an Easter egg hunt there, and we watched "Once Upon a Mattress." Loralee made some very yummy homemade sweet rolls.

Sun 4/4/10: We watched more of General Conference today. I made a ham dinner and some potato salad with dyed eggs. Marilyn and James had dinner with us and brought a large stack of "Shaun the Sheep" DVDs and "Wallace and Grommit."

Mon 4/5/10: I took Scott and Emma to the dentist this afternoon and they didn't have any cavities! YAY! On the way home we stopped at the library and picked up some more "Battlestar Galactica" for Brad and me to watch.

Tue 4/6/10: I started my exercise routine today. A couple of weeks ago Brad made a DVD of my old exercise video I used to do as a teenager and when I was in my early twenties. Amazing, I still know the video by heart.

Wed 4/7/10: I made taco salad for dinner tonight. Yummy!

Thu 4/8/10: Lizzy decided to dump Rosie's huge water dish all over herself today. She was drenched from head to toe. She started laughing as soon as she saw me laughing. It was a very funny sight.

Fri 4/9/10: Brad and I went to dinner at Carino's Italian Restaurant tonight. It was lovely! Lizzy had fun flirting with the guy waiters and an elderly gentleman. I'm afraid she's going to break men's hearts someday.

Sat 4/10/10: A nice Saturday-- just Brad, me, and Twinkle. We got done chores, watched some more "Battlestar Galactic," ran errands, went out to dinner, and had a pleasant drive to Layton.

Sun 4/11/10: I had a fun time at church with Lizzy. She stayed with me the whole time. She was one of five young children in Young Womens. Sister Lignell brought her tiny baby kitten, too.

Mon 4/12/10: I tried to make steak tonight, but an unexpected storm came out of nowhere and made it too windy to keep a fire going on the grill. I ended up cooking on the indoor grill, which was still yummy, but it took a long time before dinner was ready. My funeral potatoes came out perfect, though.

Tue 4/13/10: Lizzy was so thrilled to see me when I got back from Young Womens tonight. It made my day.

Wed 4/14/10: I am learning how to double crochet. I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Thu 4/15/10: I picked up Susie at the airport today! She'll be staying all weekend until Tuesday morning.

Fri 4/16/10: Susie and I did a lot of walking today. After dropping off the Odyssey at the mechanics we headed over to the dog park in Taylorsville and went walking at the Jordan River Parkway. In the evening we picked up the Odyssey again and the expense was a lot less than we anticipated which made Brad very happy.

Sat 4/17/10: Susie ran in the SLC Marathon today. We drove over to the Gateway to see her cross the finish line and cheered for her. We went to Panda Express for lunch afterward.

Sun 5/18/10: We had a birthday party for me tonight. Brad got me a special edition DVD of "My Fair Lady," and Susie bought me two novels by Gail Carson Levine: "Fairest" and "Ever."

Mon 4/19/10: Susie and I had a very yummy sushi lunch today. Eating sushi has become a regular habit when I'm with my sisters. Love it!

Tue 4/20/10: I put together a CD of pictures from Susie's visit all together for her to take home. I love taking pictures.

Wed 4/21/10: Today is my birthday! I turned 30 years old. Brad took me to the Cheesecake Factory tonight. We brought home some yummy cheesecake and watched more Battlestar Galactica.

Thu 4/22/10: Brad and I took the Legacy to our auto mechanic's this morning to find out why it was making a strange humming noise. We thought it was near the end of its "life" and were expecting the worst. The mechanics found out what was wrong and only charged us $275 to get it fixed, which was a lot less than we thought.

Fri 4/23/10: I went to watch Brad play volleyball at the Stake Center tonight. Brad's team won both games. Yay! Brad and I enjoyed some time alone and watched two more episodes of Battlestar Galactic tonight. They were both really good episodes.

Sat 4/24/10: I bought a half pound of Boarshead's Cracked Peppermill Turkey today from the Harmon's grocery store near our house. Boarshead is my absolute favorite brand of deli sandwich meat. So, so good!

Sun 4/25/10: I set up my visiting teaching appointments today before the end of the month. Hooray for me!

Mon 4/26/10: We went to the park tonight and played tennis for FHE. It was a blast! Lizzy loved watching us hit the balls. Oh, and David approved our request to get a kitten! HOORAY!

Tue 4/27/10: My husband made me feel loved and appreciated tonight. :) I love him. I'm grateful that we have each other to lean on during rough times.

Wed 4/28/10: Lizzy has a tooth coming in! I can barely see it, but I felt it just fine. It's little and sharp and pointy. Pretty soon she's going to have an adorable one-tooth smile.

Thu 4/29/10: I caught Lizzy today eating dog food. What puzzles me the most is that she has become extra picky the last few weeks and won't eat yummy foods like chicken or eggs and yet she LIKES dog food. Gross!

Fri 4/30/10: Brad and I had Taco Bell for dinner tonight while we finished watching the last episode of "Battlestar Galactica." What a terrific ending! I loved it. I'm sad it's over, but at least we have the 1st season to watch together. I haven't seen the first 1st season yet. We skipped it since Brad had already seen it a few years ago.

The Highlight of My Day: March 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in March:

Mon 3/1/10: We went to the library today and I picked up some BBC movies to watch later. I borrowed "Bleak House," by Charles Dickens, and "Northanger Abby," by Jane Austen.

Tue 3/2/10: Today was a busy day! I drove Scott back and forth to the District Science Fair. In the evening we all went as a family to the award ceremony. Scott made it to the "Superior" group. We are so proud of him!

Wed 3/3/10: Lizzy tried strawberries for the first time today. She LOVED them. She had a fun time stuffing them in her mouth and playing with them. Now she has red stains all over her lime green outfit.

Thu 3/4/10: The sweetest moment of the day for me today was watching Emma play with her little sister. Emma had our Sol Bear and was tackling Lizzy with it. Lizzy laughed and laughed and obviously thought it was hilarious.

Fri 3/5/10: Brad and I watched more of BBC's latest version of "Bleak House," by Charles Dickens. What a great show!

Sat 3/6/10: We finished "Bleak House" today. It was really good! We also went to Sears and bought Lizzy some new dresses on sale. Very cute!

Sun 3/7/10: Lizzy was so adorable in church today. I put a bow in her hair for the first time and she was the highlight of Young Womens. Scott and Emma put up a tent in our living room today, too. They made an Igloo-style tent using chairs, pillows, and blankets.

Mon 3/8/10: Uncle Bob and Aunt Nadine stopped by to visit for a short while after FHE tonight. I wish I could have visited them more, but Emma needed homework help and Brad had to do the dishes.

Tue 3/9/10: Tonight was the Relief Society Birthday celebration at the church. I hadn't been to a Relief Society activity for a long time, so it was nice being there.

Wed 3/10/10: I went to a wonderful Youth Fireside with Scott. The speaker was President Christensen of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple presidency. He spoke about being consistent in our scripture study and prayers, and how important it is to be enthusiastic about the gospel.

Thu 3/11/10: Lizzy and I had a fun time playing the piano tonight.

Fri 3/12/10: I weighed myself this morning and found I lost a couple of pounds from the day before. NICE!

Sat 3/13/10: Brad and I ran errands today in the snow. We found some nice books at the D.I. and a beautiful purple bumper for Lizzy's crib for only $3. Later we went to the mall and Brad bought a new suit coat on sale.

Sun 3/14/10: We had a chili dinner tonight with Bruce & Loralee's family.

Mon 3/15/10: We went to the library tonight as a family and then stopped at Reams on the way home and picked up some groceries and strawberry ice cream.

Tue 3/16/10: My dad came to visit me today! YAY! He'll be here until Thursday. Tonight we all went to dinner at the ward Soup Cook-Off. I made Loralee's Savory Shell Beef Soup. It was very yummy. I also made fancy cookie dough brownies for the YW fundraiser.

Wed 3/17/10: My dad treated me to lunch at Bajo today. I LOVE Bajo! My dad also played chess with Scott today and was very impressed with how well Scott played. Scott's a smart boy.

Thu 3/18/10: I watched the BBC movie "Daniel Deronda" today. I was interrupted by the school calling to let me know Emma was sick. I picked her up from school and spent the rest of the afternoon with her.

Fri 3/19/10: I enjoy watching the newest series of Battlestar Galatica with Brad. I liked the one-on-one time with him. Tonight we have three little girl cousins spending the night.

Sat 3/20/10: We had a busy, fun day today. We ran errands this morning with 5 little girls. We stopped at Reams to get groceries and went to the mall to pick up my ring, which looks gorgeous now. After switching children at Bruce and Loralee's house, Brad and I took Scott and Emma to watch Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" together. In the evening we went to dinner at Aunt Marian's house and played Nerts and Uno with Tricky, Sara, and Marian. Emma and Scott played on the Wii.

Sun 3/21/10: Lizzy was a very creative girl early this morning. She decided to "decorate" her bedding with what she found in her diaper and then proceeded to apply the same goo to her face and PJs. Lovely! Needless to say she had a bath immediately first thing this morning and a thorough scrubbing.

Mon 3/22/10: Lizzy is standing up with support now. She knows how to grab low tables and pull herself up. She's also a very speedy crawler and loves getting into the dog's water dish and food bowl.

Tue 3/23/10: Emma is feeling much better today. She was sick for the last couple of weeks with diarrhea and today was the first day she didn't have any problems. The first thing she said when she came home today was, "I feel great, Mama!"

Wed 3/24/10: I watched "Northanger Abbey" tonight with Bradley. We also watched some "Battlestar Galatica."

Thu 3/25/10: I had some very fun moments today with Lizzy. She LOVES the giddy-up horsey game and playing with her kitty stuffed animals. I love listening to her laugh. It's the greatest sound in the whole world.

Fri 3/26/10: Brad and I went on a date (with Lizzy) to Sampan this evening. It was nice spending the time together.

Sat 3/27/10: Brad and I watched "Julie & Julia" today while eating yummy Bajo tacos and enchiladas. It was a good show, and a very nice meal!

Sun 3/28/10: Scott actually LIKED the soup I made today. :) I always consider it a victory when Scott likes the meals I make, especially when they're healthy meals and not cooked from a box.

Mon 3/29/10: This morning I found Lizzy in the kitchen with the dog. Lizzy was sitting on her bum holding Rosie's food dish with Rosie scarfing her food down as quickly as possible. I think Rosie was trying to eat it all before Lizzy could spill it or eat it herself. It was quite a hilarious sight.

Tue 3/30/10: Emma went over to Makenna's house to spend the night tonight. Scott went to Temple Square to see the Joseph Smith movie for a youth activity. That gave Brad and I some time alone to watch "Battlestar Galatica."

Wed 3/31/10: Our entire family went shopping at Walmart tonight. We got new shoes for the kids, tennis rackets for our family, Easter candy and dye, and Emma's first training bra (shocking!). Brad and I watched more "Battlestar Galactica" before going to bed.

The Highlight of My Day: February 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in February:

Mon 2/1/10: Tonight the kids and I went to the library alone since Brad was feeling sick. On the way home I felt spontaneous and took the kids to Petsmart to pick up a "clicker" for Scott's science fair project. While we were there we found the perfect cat calendar for Emma's room for only $3. NICE!

Tue 2/2/10: Brad completed his 2009 taxes today and he was very pleased with the results. :) But even BETTER news is that I found out today that my Aunt Laurie is a mommy!!! Her little son, Robinson was born last Friday on Jan 29th.

Wed 2/3/10: Brad and I finally had some quiet time tonight to watch a movie together. We watched "The Buddy Holly" story. Emma also began her Science Fair project tonight.

Thu 2/4/10: Scott started training his rat, Blackie, tonight for his Science Fair project. Emma has been working on painting her model of the earth.

Fri 2/5/10: We used our Carino's gift card from the Young Women leaders tonight for dinner. Brad and I ordered lasagna and David ordered spicy chicken pasta.

Sat 2/6/10: Brad and I went to Hires today for lunch. It was nice having the one-on-one time together, although both of us wished Margaret could be with us, too. The last time Brad and I went to Hires she came with us.

Sun 2/7/10: I barbecued steak for dinner tonight. For dessert, Scott, Emma, and I made caramel apples. It was fun watching "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" while eating our apples. Good stuff!

Mon 2/8/10: We got Valentines tonight for Scott and Emma to distribute at school. It was part of our FHE night.

Tue 2/9/10: Lizzy and I played on the piano today for fun. Lizzy likes to bounce her body up and down while she's banging the piano. I think that's her way of dancing as an 8-month-old.

Wed 2/10/10: Lizzy started crawling FOR REAL today! It's still "army-man" style, but she's moving pretty speedy across the carpet. Now we have to baby proof the house as soon as possible.

Thu 2/11/10: We had Valentine's Day dates with the kids tonight. Brad took the girls to Dairy Queen and had dinner and ice cream there. Scott stayed with me and we ordered a pizza and played video games. It was fun!

Fri 2/12/10: Last minute shopping before sneaking off to California tomorrow! I'm so excited!

Sat 2/13/10: My parents were totally not expecting us to show up at their doorstep today. SUCCESS!!!! We had a wonderful day visiting with my family and saying hi to neighbors. It's so good being back "home."

Sun 2/14/10: Went to my home-ward today for church. It was great seeing so many people I knew growing up, and to be back in my old building. I felt so at home. LOVED IT!!!

Mon 2/15/10: It got up to 85 decrees today! YEAH!!! I love Long Beach in the winter! Brad and I went to Trader Joe's today and got sushi and yummy snacks to eat. We stopped over at Rachel's condo and spent a few hours with her playing games and eating sushi.

Tue 2/16/10: Went back to Utah this morning. Sadness. :( It's nice being home, but I hate leaving my family and "homeland" behind. It was great seeing Scott and Emma, though. We finished Science Fair projects tonight and we gave them their Valentines.

Wed 2/17/10: I'm so glad my vacation pictures were recovered! Hooray! I had a fun time looking through them and posting them on my blog and Facebook.

Thu 2/18/10: Tonight was Scott's and Emma's Science Fair at the school. Scott won 2nd place for the 6th grade level! Hooray for Scott!

Fri 2/19/10: Brad and I started watching a really good movie called "Little Dorrit" by Charles Dickens this evening. I have a much higher appreciation for Charles Dickens' classics as an adult than I did when I was a child. 'Tis a new love of mine.

Sat 2/20/10: Rachel returned home from the hospital today. YAY! She is doing much better. I'm glad the steroids have helped her so much.

Sun 2/21/10: I made pot roast today for our Sunday dinner. We watched some Danny Kaye during dinner, and I finished crocheting the blanket I've been working on for a while.

Mon 2/22/10: We stopped by the creek in Murray to feed the ducks for FHE. There were hundreds of them! Scott got excited when he saw a river rat run on the bank. Lizzy looked like she was wondering what all the commotion was about.

Tue 2/23/10: Finished watching "Little Dorrit" today. I LOVED it!

Wed 2/24/10: I put a whole bunch of other BBC movies on hold at the library. I'm anxious to see more after "Little Dorrit."

Thu 2/25/10: Cuddling with Bradley is a lovely, lovely thing. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband.

Fri 2/26/10: Feeling quite sick today. Scott stayed home with me and then I had to pick Emma up at school because she ended up getting sick, too. But it was nice spending time with them even though we were feeling miserable. I started crocheting a new scarf while the kids were watching cartoons. It's my first time making a scarf.

Sat 2/27/10: The kids and I felt much today. Scott and Emma were well enough to spend most of the day with Melanie, which gave Brad and me a chance to have some alone time together, which was a nice treat.

Sun 2/28/10: We went over to Bruce and Loralee's house for dinner tonight. Scott and Emma were thrilled to spend time with their cousins. Loralee made a yummy rice dinner and Lindsey made chocolate pudding.

The Highlight of My Day: January 2010

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in January:

Fri 1/1/10: Today was our annual bowling on New Years Day with the Harmans! We bowled, ate yummy food, played Nerts and other games, and visited with Brad's extended family.

Sat 1/2/10: We had 7 of Bruce and Loralee's kids over for a sleepover last night. Today we had a great time looking at old pictures with Bruce and Loralee.

Sun 1/3/10: Lizzy made Mama and Papa so happy today! She is just a huge bundle of joy! She had a great time playing mouth games with Papa and making Mama laugh. She is so cute!

Mon 1/4/10: I introduced finger foods to Lizzy today. She really wanted my cookie so I gave her half. She sucked and sucked. Tonight during dinner I sliced some toast for her and she loved sucking on that as well. Rosie liked it, too. Rosie got to eat the stuff that ended up on the floor.

Tue 1/5/10: Lizzy keeps being the highlight of my day lately... she's just so much fun! Tonight Brad and I tried to go to bed by 11:00, but Lizzy had other ideas. So Brad and I took her out of the crib and began playing with her. She got a kick out of Brad's mini flashlight. Lots and lots of laughter in our room tonight!

Wed 1/6/10: It was funny watching Rosie be Lizzy's shadow today. Lizzy just started learning how to eat Cheerios, and most of the Cheerios end up on the floor. Rosie gets about 1 out of every 3.

Thu 1/7/10: I relieved a lot of tension and sadness today by writing in my journal. Things have not been easy lately, and it was great having an outlet to sort out my thoughts and release some repressed emotions.

Fri 1/8/10: Amanda is here in town! She came to visit Margaret, who's in the hospital. Tonight Brad's dad took Brad, me, and Amanda out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Lizzy came, too.

Sat 1/9/10: We bought a crib for Lizzy today from KSL.com. We'll be switching Emma's and Scott's room so Lizzy can share a room with Emma.

Sun 1/10/10: We had a family gathering tonight. All of Brad's siblings were able to make it. We talked, laughed, and cried. All of us miss Margaret.

Mon 1/11/10: I had a cheerful moment early this morning-- I had all three kids in bed with me, plus one large standard poodle spread out across our legs. It was a great way to start out the day.

Tue 1/12/10: Scott and Emma were able to go to their activities tonight. Emma made a jar of cookie dough mix, and Scott went swimming to get a merit badge. Both were happy they were able to go.

Wed 1/13/10: I am grateful for my wonderful husband. He is so strong and courageous. He has gone through so many difficult times but he always comes out standing taller than before. I love him and admire him very much.

Thu 1/14/10: I finally got to see Margaret in the hospital tonight. She is so very ill, it breaks my heart. But I am grateful that I went to visit her and tell her I love her.

Fri 1/15/10: Today was preparation day. Margaret will be passing away either tomorrow or Sunday. I am so thankful for Brad's family to lean on during hard times.

Sat 1/16/10: We said our last goodbyes and took Margaret off of life-support. She passed away at around 10:25 pm. While it was a sad experience overall, it was also special being there with Margaret as she slipped away from this life into the next. I am happy that all of her children were able to be there and most of her siblings.

Sun 1/17/10: I was searching through photographs of Margaret today. I want to have a display of pictures for her funeral on Wednesday.

Mon 1/18/10: Tonight we had a HUGE combined family home evening with Brad's extended family. It was truly a wonderful experience. We took turns telling stories and memories of our beloved Margaret. She was such an amazing lady!

Tue 1/19/10: I put about 30 various photos of Mom together for a display at the church tonight for the viewing. Brad and I also finished the programs for the funeral as well. It was neat seeing so many family and friends at the viewing.

Wed 1/20/10: Today was Mom's funeral. It turned out beautifully. We had a good size number in the chapel. Marian, Brad, Bruce, Sandy DeGraw, and Dad spoke at the funeral. Ruby White sang "Be Still My Soul," Loralee played a primary melody, and Marilyn played "O Divine Redeemer" on the violin.

Thu 1/21/10: Zach and Amanda took us out to lunch today at Applebees. It reminded me of all the fun times we had at our Wednesday lunches with Mom. Afterwards Zach and Amanda played "Nerts" with us at our home. I won. Later in the evening we had dinner at Marian's house and played "Nerts" there, too. I won again. When did I become so good at "Nerts"?

Fri 1/22/10: It was nice having a little bit of normality in our lives again, but I found myself missing Margaret quite often. Life isn't normal without her. I went through pictures again, trying to find more photos and videos of Mom so I can make a CD.

Sat 1/23/10: Brad and I watched "I Remember Mama" together. Such a sweet movie! I made breakfast for dinner tonight, which the kids loved. We had ham, eggs, and pancakes. Scott was thrilled that I didn't make any vegetables. I guess it doesn't happen too often.

Sun 1/24/10: Emma gave her talk in Primary today on the first Article of Faith. After church we watched a Janice Kapp Perry special on the BYU channel, then we watched "The Five Children and It" I got from the library. Bruce and Loralee's family came in the evening.

Mon 1/25/10: Scott and Emma are enthusiastically cleaning their rooms tonight. Brad gave them a highly motivated speech during FHE about switching bedrooms and what they would get as a reward if they finish by Saturday afternoon. They got so excited they couldn't contain themselves and begged their dad to finish FHE early so they could start working on their rooms early.

Tue 1/26/10: Emma found out during her Achievement Day activity that I would be going to a YW pajama party tonight. She begged and begged to let her go too so I agreed and we went together. She had a very fun time and can't wait until she's old enough to go every week.

Wed 1/27/10: I bought airline tickets to go to Long Beach! I am keeping it a secret from my parents, so hopefully no one spills the beans.

Thu 1/28/10: Marian, Natalie, and Travis showed up at our house tonight to celebrate John's birthday. They brought a yummy German Chocolate cake and ice cream.

Fri 1/29/10: Watched "The Mary Tyler Moore" show with Brad before going to bed. It's been a while since we've watched TV alone together-- so busy!

Sat 1/30/10: Scott and Emma finished switching their rooms today! YAY! In the afternoon we headed to Leatherbys and had delicious ice cream sundaes. In the evening we went to the Harman's and had dinner and played games with them.

Sun 1/31/10: We had dinner at Bruce & Loralee's house tonight. Loralee made delicious beef stew and homemade bread. Lindsey made us brownies.

The Highlight of My Day: December 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in December:

Tue 12/1/09: I got some visiting teaching done on the first day of the month! Yay me!

Wed 12/2/09: I talked to an old acquaintance from Long Beach today. He's now the Walmart greeter at the superstore near my home.

Thu 12/3/09: Scott and I went to a combined YM/YW activity tonight. I'm happy he's 12 and can come with me to activities.

Fri 12/4/09: Brad and I went to Del Sol's Christmas party at the "Energy Solutions Center." I saw my very first Jazz Game, and Brad got to go down on the floor at Half-time and low-five all the Jazz players while they entered the court.

Sat 12/5/09: Brad treated me to In-N-Out for lunch today. 'Twas yummy! It's neat finally having In-N-Out in Utah now.

Sun 12/6/09: Lizzy wore her pretty formal dress from Aunt Rachel to church today. It was her first time. She looked so adorable!

Mon 12/7/09: Hot chocolate, marshmellows, a glowing fire, and good company make a great Family Home Evening night!

Tue 12/8/09: Today we had a huge snowstorm! It's very, very cold outside-- in the single digits.

Wed 12/9/09: Lizzy is six months old today! Tonight we took her to Walmart to get her picture taken.

Thu 12/10/09: We got a large sum of past due money in our bank account this morning. Thank you ORS.

Fri 12/11/09: Organized the house for my Mommy! She arrived at the SLC airport after midnight. I went to the airport with Brad to pick her up.

Sat 12/12/09: Spent the day with my mother. She had so much fun with little Lizzy, and Lizzy loved her, too. Brad and I took her out to lunch at Applebees.

Sun 12/13/09: Mom came with us to church today. She held Lizzy the entire time. I am going to miss having her here.

Mon 12/14/09: I picked up Susie today from the airport! Tonight for FHE we went to the library then over to Bruce and Loralee's house to visit. I love having my sister here!

Tue 12/15/09: Susie and I drove over to Brad's work and had lunch with him. In the evening we took Susie and the kids to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. Susie's friend Michelle was there with her family.

Wed 12/16/09: Susie went to her interview at the University of Utah. I hope they accept her! It would be great if she could go to medical school in Utah.

Thu 12/17/09: I went to Scott's and Emma's Christmas Program at their school this afternoon. Lizzy came, too. In the evening, Scott and I went to the YM/YW Christmas dinner and etiquette night activity.

Fri 12/18/09: Made "lemons out of lemonade" and got done a whole bunch of Christmas shopping this morning! It was nice to finally have some time to do it.

Sat 12/19/09: Finally got to see New Moon tonight! Thanks Marilyn and James for watching the sleeping baby.

Sun 12/20/09: Today we had our annual Christmas story reading during Young Womens.

Mon 12/21/09: I got done a LOT of shopping today-- both Christmas shopping and practical every-day shopping. In the evening Brad and I went to Sam's Club and stocked up on lots of food.

Tue 12/22/09: Lizzy is starting to sit up without help! She's getting so big! Tonight I made cookies for Brad to deliver to his home teaching families. We also talked to Scott and Emma on the phone, which was nice. We miss them and love them.

Wed 12/23/09: We finally got around to passing out Christmas cards to some of our neighbors. It's nice not having to worry about that anymore.

Thu 12/24/09: Today was Christmas Eve. Brad only went to work for a couple hours, then he came home and spent the afternoon with me and Lizzy. Neighbors brought us goodies all day long, and we got packages in the mail, too, which was very nice. I made a big ham dinner and Marilyn brought the traditional Christmas cake.

Fri 12/25/09: Brad and I made a big breakfast today, then we had a quiet morning waiting for the kids to come home. When the kids arrived we opened up presents and emptied our Christmas stockings. In the mid afternoon the cousins came over and we spent the rest of the holiday with them.

Sat 12/26/09: Tonight we went over to Bruce and Loralee's house and had an enjoyable time playing Loralee's homemade game called "Realitivity."

Sun 12/27/09: I dressed up Lizzy today in green and purple-- my two favorite colors-- and she looked adorable! She is such a beautiful, happy baby.

Mon 12/28/09: Brad and I watched Avatar tonight. It was an amazing movie! LOVED IT!

Tue 12/29/09: We took Brandon, Ryan, and Scott to Burger King for lunch today. Then we stopped and hung out with Bruce and Loralee while swapping kids.

Wed 12/30/09: I had an enjoyable evening with Brad tonight. We discussed his meeting and talked about finances. He got paid a day early, which was nice.

Thu 12/31/09: I took Emma and Scott to see "Princess and the Frog" for New Years Eve. Later in the evening we ate French toast and bacon, then we played Tomb Raider on the PS2 until it got late. We were awake for the countdown! It was the first time Scott and Emma stayed up until midnight to welcome The New Year.

The Highlight of My Day: November 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in November:

Sun 11/1/09: The weather is beautiful and perfect! I love the hint of crispness in the air without it being too cold. I love seeing the leaves change colors. It's gorgeous!

Mon 11/2/09: I was bad tonight and let Lizzy try a tiny bit of my ice cream. She really liked it! Her little tongue kept going in and out as if she wanted more. I only let her have a couple of licks, though. I was surprised she liked it so much.

Tue 11/3/09: I am so pleased that Scott is reading Harry Potter! He can hardly put "Order of the Phoenix" down. I think he's on page 790. He'll be done by tomorrow!

Wed 11/4/09: I had such sweet little moments with Lizzy today. At one point she and I were sitting on the couch together. She was looking at the ceiling and smiling. I was admiring how beautiful she is. I kissed her cheek. She giggled. I kissed her again. She giggled. We repeated this over and over again. I love her so much!

Thur 11/5/09: We finished reading "The Five Children and It" tonight. Scott and Emma enjoyed it very much. We'll be starting a new book shortly.

Fri 11/6/09: It was Date Night for me and Brad! We went to Jamba Juice and watched Brad's new U2 video. I got the Pumpkin Smash smoothie for the first time. Very yummy!

Sat 11/7/09: Brad and the kids did an amazing job cleaning up the living room and doing the laundry. I appreciate their help. I love my family!

Sun 11/8/09: I love how both Scott and Emma call me "Mama" now. It's my new name. :) I love it!

Mon 11/9/09: This morning I took Emma to her Speech evaluation meeting. We brought Lizzy along, and it was really sweet watching all of the ladies in the office and hallways admire how cute she is. My baby is adorable!

Tue 11/10/09: I am grateful to have a husband to lean on during hard times. We were both feeling sad tonight since Brad's mom was back in the hospital. It helped spending time together.

Wed 11/11/09: I cut Brad's hair for the first time tonight! It was my first time ever cutting a man's hair. I did a pretty good job.

Thu 11/12/09: Lizzy learned how to splash in the big bathtub today. It was so cute watching her little legs kick! Tonight was Activities Day for Emma, which I attended. When that was over, Emma came with me to Young Women in Excellence. I loved listening to the speakers talk about "Making a Marriage a Happily Ever After."

Fri 11/13/09: I exercised today! It was my first time on the treadmill in about a year. I felt so good afterward.

Sat 11/14/09: Brad and I went on a date without the baby! Hooray! We've only done that one other time so far. Today we went to the movies in a snow blizzard. I admit that I thought of the baby the whole time, but it was nice to finally be alone with Brad, too. I liked seeing all the pretty snow during our commute.

Sun 11/15/09: Tonight was tithing settlement, and both Scott and Emma came with us. Marilyn and James watched Lizzy. When we got home we had a joyous time watching "Shaun the Sheep" together.

Mon 11/16/09: We filled out "Who am I" questionnaires for FHE tonight. We also talked about modesty and the importance of keeping our bodies clean (physically and spiritually).

Tue 11/17/09: Tonight was SEP conferences at Scott's and Emma's school. They did such a great job this past term. Both of them made their AR goals, and both of them got high grades on their report cards.

Wed 11/18/09: Brad was such a sweetie today! He offered to clean the refrigerator and did a wonderful job. I have such a fantastic husband.

Thu 11/19/09: Scott and Emma came home from school early today, since they don't have school tomorrow. I love spending the extra time with them!

Fri 11/20/09: Brad took a half day off of work and we took the kids to Super Salad to celebrate Emma's 9th birthday. Happy Birthday, Emma-girl!

Sat 11/21/09: Emma had two birthday celebrations today. Her little cousins came over for lunch and we had pumpkin pie instead of cake. In the afternoon we had the rest of the family come over (minus Brad's Mom), and watched Star Trek and ate birthday cake. To top off our festive and busy Saturday, we went to the church in the evening to attend the Hill's Pie Party. That was fun!

Sun 11/22/09: Brad's mom came home from the hospital today! She'll be staying in the living room until her health improves a little more. I am so happy and so grateful that she is home and not in the hospital. My heart is full of gratitude to the Lord for answering our prayers.

Mon 11/23/09: It was great spending the day with Margaret and helping her. I've missed her so much. She means so much to me.

Tue 11/24/09: Sister Healy made us a delicious dinner tonight! She made homemade burritos with yummy white sauce and cheese. SO GOOD!

Wed 11/25/09: Have I mentioned lately how fantastic my husband is? Today he worked on cleaning and organizing the pantry. He did a wonderful job! The pantry is finally in order and there's so much more space now than before.

Thu 11/26/09: Loralee made Thanksgiving dinner at our home this year. She did a fabulous job! We had a houseful of nieces and nephews. It was nice visiting with family and having Brad's mom with us.

Fri 11/27/09: Had a marvelous evening with Bradley and the Twinkle in Springville, UT. I love romantic getaways! They remind me how much I love my husband.

Sat 11/28/09: We had a lovely morning before returning home from the hotel. Brad brought home a giant box from Best Buy to be our Christmas present this year. We also went over to the storage unit this evening and picked up some Christmas decorations.

Sun 11/29/09: I made my first turkey! Brad brought home a free 14 lb turkey from Del Sol, so I got to make a mini Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It turned out perfect!

Mon 11/30/09: The kids came home today! We had a good FHE lesson after going to the library. We talked about the media and making righteous choices when choosing what to watch, listen, and read. It's so good to have Scott and Emma back!

The Highlight of My Day: October 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in October:

Thu 10/1/09: We picked up Rachel and Craig from the airport tonight! Looking forward to spending time with them this weekend!

Fri 10/2/09: We went out to eat at Iceberg today with Rachel and Craig. Poor little Emma was feeling rather sick.

Sat 10/3/09: Today was General Conference! We played croquet with Rachel and Craig between sessions, then Rachel and I had fun giving Emma a makeover while the boys were at the Priesthood session.

Sun 10/4/09: We played Apples to Apples tonight with the Bruce-clan and Rachel & Craig. We played just for fun, and kept playing and playing until it was late. It was great!

Mon 10/5/09: The nicest part of the day was laughing with Brad while watching "Arsenic and Old Lace." He and I were both feeling sick today, so he stayed home from work and I got to spend more time with him.

Tue 10/6/09: Lizzy's first time in the big bathtub today! She and I went in the tub for some playtime and to get cleaned up. She loved being with her mama in the water. I can't wait till she starts splashing (or can I?).

Wed 10/7/09: I watched "Early Edition" episodes this evening while nursing Lizzy. It was nice being lazy.

Thu 10/8/09: I went to the YW activity tonight. We played Jeopardy using the Strength of the Youth pamphlet for our trivial questions. Our team won!

Fri 10/9/09: I made my homemade chili tonight. Emma was extremely happy! Chili is Emma's favorite "Fall food." Love this time of year!

Sat 10/10/09: I put three baby rats on hold today from a rattery in West Valley. It was hard picking which ones we should get, but we finally made up our minds. They are going to be CUTE!

Sun 10/11/09: I gave a YW lesson today on Knowledge. It turned out well, and I'm glad it's over!

Mon 10/12/09: We are having a fun time reading E. Nesbit's novel, "The Five Children and It." We are reading it for our bedtime story every night as a family.

Tue 10/13/09: I felt so much happier today than yesterday. I think Brad lavishing me with extra attention last night really helped. I thought about him all day. I love my husband!

Wed 10/14/09: Brad and I went on a date to Jamba Juice tonight and watched "Last Chance Harvey" at home while slurping our lovely smoothies. Yummy!

Thu 10/15/09: I took pictures of Emma and Lizzy tonight. Lizzy was wearing the Halloween shirt Emma made for her.

Fri 10/16/09: Tonight I went with Brad and Lizzy to Brad's volleyball game. Brad's team won the last two games.

Sat 10/17/09: Lizzy had her first solid food tonight: rice cereal. She thought it had a funny texture and kept spitting it out of her mouth. Typical baby behavior. She is growing up so fast!

Sun 10/18/09: Today was Stake Conference. It was nice having more time in the afternoon to relax and spend time with family. I made some yummy BBQ steak for dinner.

Mon 10/19/09: We went to the library for FHE tonight and then had a lesson on "Graditude." I am planning FHE lessons around topics from the "For the Strength of the Youth" pamphlet.

Tue 10/20/09: Scott painted his Mad Hatter hat a darker forest green to match his costume. It looks fantastic! He's very happy with it.

Wed 10/21/09: I watched a good movie today called "Back When We Were Grown-ups." It was very different than the average movie, and I enjoyed it.

Thu 10/22/09: Brad was home today to get ready for the U2 trip. We went shopping together and then had some nice alone time at home. I love spending time with him!

Fri 10/23/09: We saw U2 perform live in Las Vegas today! It was my first rock concert. A-MAZ-ING!

Sat 10/24/09: We had breakfast with Rachel and Craig before driving home to Utah. I'm glad things worked out so perfectly with them coming to Las Vegas the same time as us! It was wonderful having them watch Lizzy while we were at the concert, and that we had conjoined hotel rooms. It was perfect!

Sun 10/25/09: Sister Clark made us a very yummy dinner tonight. I need to get the recipe for her yummy tuna and spinach pie. So, so good!

Mon 10/26/09: We finally got our family pictures done! Hooray! Lizzy was pretty fussy unfortunately, but I'm crossing my fingers that some of the photos turned out well. Can't wait to see them!

Tue 10/27/09: Brad's meeting tonight was very productive, and I'm very happy about that. Also, today was the first snow of the season! It was very pretty seeing all the snow on the newly fallen leaves outside.

Wed 10/28/09: Brad and I did some major shopping tonight at Sams Club and Walmart. The refrigerator downstairs is completely packed with milk. I hope we'll drink it all before the expiration dates.

Thu 10/29/09: This morning I went to Scott's and Emma's Halloween Parade, which was fun! In the afternoon, the kids and I drove to West Valley and picked up three adorable rats from a rat breeder. They are so CUTE! In the evening we went to our ward's Halloween Party, where we played games, ate candy apples, and decorated cookies.

Fri 10/30/09: Today was Del Sol's Halloween Party. We all got dressed up and headed over to the corporate building. We went trick-or-treating with the kids and saw a lot of really neat costume ideas.

Sat 10/31/09: Brad and Scott did baptisms for the dead this morning at the new temple. In the evening we went to Bruce and Loralee's house for trick-or-treating. We had a very nice Halloween!

The Highlight of My Day: September 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in September:

Tue 9/1/09: Lizzy turned 12 weeks old today! She loves to smile and "talk" with her mama and papa. She constantly rolls over onto her tummy and tries to wiggle away on her playmat. She recently started sucking her thumb when she sleeps and no longer likes her binky.

Wed 9/2/09: Today I am grateful for family members and new chapters in life-- even if those chapters may be hard. I went out to lunch with my in-laws at Applebees today. It may be one of the last times we do that with Zach and Amanda before they move to Arizona. Also, tonight my sister called to let me know that my Uncle David passed away while he was visiting his family in Southern California. Although times of change are hard, I am grateful for the opportunity of getting to know wonderful people. They have influenced my life for the better.

Thu 9/3/09: Tonight we all went to SEP Conferences. Scott and Emma have great teachers this year, and I am looking forward to helping the kids with their assignments and school projects. Should be good!

Fri 9/4/09: Brad came home early yesterday, which was a happy treat for me! We spent time talking together and discussing important issues with Brad's mom. I love being Brad's wife! He's wonderful.

Sat 9/5/09: Brad and I watched "Sarah Plain and Tall" together. It was Brad's first time seeing it.

Sun 9/6/09: Brad received some great news from his credit report: He's now in the EXCELLENT category! No more bad credit!

Mon 9/7/09: We decided to go for a walk this evening, with baby Lizzy in Brad's arms. After we got back the Bruce-clan showed up and we gave Jessica her birthday present.

Tues 9/8/09: The kids came back from their Labor Day parent-time with Melanie. It was great being with them again! We went to the library together and did "Sweets and Sours." Emma was very excited about upcoming events.

Wed 9/9/09: Today Brad stayed home from work. I took advantage of him being home by leaving Lizzy with him and getting my hair cut. Now I have a really cute short hair-do.

Thu 9/10/09: Brad and I took some great pictures of our family this evening. Nothing staged or planned-- just lots of nice pictures of us outside, enjoying our evening. It was great!

Fri 9/11/09: Today Rachel emailed me her itinerary for her flight to Utah in October. I'm so excited to have her and Craig come!

Sat 9/12/09: Brad and I made ourselves some pizza and watched Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. It was nice spending time together.

Sun 9/13/09: Scott went to his 12-year-old interview with the Bishop today. He'll be receiving the Aaronic Priesthood next week!

Mon 9/14/09: It was a wet, rainy day. I liked watching the rain fall, mainly because there wasn't much for me to do today besides being sick with a bad cold.

Tue 9/15/09: Brad and I had some alone time tonight and we went to the library. It was nice being with him. He takes such good care of me.

Wed 9/16/09: Brad and his dad gave me a priesthood blessing today. I love having the priesthood in my home!

Thu 9/17/09: Scott turned 12 years old today! Happy Birthday, Scott-Boy!

Fri 9/18/09: Scott had a sleepover tonight with Michael and Ryan. Emma got to go spend the night with her cousins.

Sat 9/19/09: This morning Brad, Lizzy, Michael and I went to see Amanda and Zach before they left for Arizona. We are going to miss them.

Sun 9/20/09: Scott received the Aaronic Priesthood today and was ordained to the office of a Deacon in our church.

Mon 9/21/09: I am reading the Book of Mormon while nursing Lizzy. I can definitely see a change in the way I think and feel when I read the scriptures. My day went much better.

Tue 9/22/09: We went to the library tonight and I checked out the Roger and Hammerstein musical "Cinderella" to watch with Emma. She really likes the song "In My Own Little Corner." I sing her that song at bedtime.

Wed 9/23/09: Lizzy finally likes her swing! I put her in her swing a few times today and she loved it. She played in it and took a nap. It kept her happy and entertained while I got done other things.

Thu 9/24/09: I drove to the Health Department today to get a copy of Lizzy's birth certificate. It's been on my to-do list for a very long time, so I'm glad I finally got it done.

Fri 9/25/09: Today I hosted a YW Board Meeting at my home with Marcie and Sharon. It's nice feeling in the loop of things again. I also went to Brad's volleyball game tonight. Our ward won both games!

Sat 9/26/09: Little Cinnamon passed away today. Scott conducted a funeral for her, which I thought was sweet. I enjoyed gathering together as a family in the backyard and saying nice things about a rat. It meant a lot to Scott.

Sun 9/27/09: Today was the Primary Presentation at church. Scott and Emma both participated. Scott's talk at the end was wonderful and brought me and Brad to tears. Scott also passed the sacrament for the first time today.

Mon 9/28/09: Emma had a fun idea for FHE tonight. She suggested we play a game where we have to write out as many prophets as we could think of in one minute. Brad won the game by writing down 16, I wrote down 14, and Scott wrote down 8. But the cute part was asking Emma how many prophets she wrote down. "One," she answered. "Only one?" we asked. She nodded her head. "Gordon B. Hinckley."

Tue 9/29/09: I loved watching Scott interact with 16-week-old Lizzy today. Lizzy smiles and coos, and loves "talking" to Scott. I also loved hearing Scott call me "Mama" several times today. It felt good.

Wed 9/30/09: Tonight we discovered that smacking our lips makes Lizzy laugh. All of us took turns making her happy. It was hilarious hearing all of the kissing noises in my room last night!

The Highlight of My Day: August 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in August:

August 1, 2009: All of David and Susanne Whitcomb's descendants were reunited this morning in Wilsonville, Oregon. It was great being together! Tonight we participated in a family bell choir with Aunt Wendy's bells. The best part of the bell choir was watching my dad conduct. Funny!

August 2, 2009: Today Brad and me took Rachel, Craig, Scott, Emma, and Susie to the Tyron Creek Park in Lake Oswego. We hiked on the trails and took lots of pictures. Oregon is so pretty!

August 3, 2009: Today we went shopping at the Lego Store in Portland and to Powell's Bookstore. Scott was completely thrilled to be inside his first Lego Store. Emma loved Powell's and bought a cool Batman comic book while we were there.

August 4, 2009: Most of the entire Whitcomb/Marsh/North clan went to Cannon Beach today. It was beautiful there... and cooool. We had fun shoping in town and walking on the beach. LOVELY!

August 5, 2009: The Norths, Susie, and Aunt Laurie went for a walk with the three dogs: Pippin, Toby, and Max. We walked down the road to an old cemetary. Scott and Emma loved walking the dogs.

August 6, 2009: We drove to Idaho today! I loved that we had cooler weather on our trip back. It rained quite a lot-- which was a little scary at times-- but it made the trip more enjoyable. Lizzy slept almost the whole time.

August 7, 2009: We arrived home today! It's so nice being back! Lizzy is now nursing regularly, which makes it easier than pumping all the time and washing bottles and pumping parts constantly. Good girl, Lizzy!

August 8, 2009: Did a lot of packing and cleaning up today. Tonight the Bruce Clan came over to visit. It was nice being together again.

August 9, 2009: Lizzy turned two months old today! She's a growing girl!

August 10, 2009: I heard Lizzy laugh for the first time today! She's so cute and precious!

August 11, 2009: Brad and I went shopping at Wal-Mart tonight and I got a new black top that I really like. Every once in a while it's possible to find something really cute at Wal-Mart.

August 12, 2009: I went out to eat with Margaret and the Polak family for lunch at Applebee's today.

August 13, 2009: I went to the young women activity tonight and brought home some make-up. It was fun!

August 14, 2009: Brad got off of work at noon today, which was a real treat! We went out to lunch at Hires with my mother-in-law, and afterward stopped by Amanda's house to see all the hard work they've done. Very nice!

August 15, 2009: Lizzy learned how to roll over from her back onto her tummy today! She's only 9 weeks old. WOW!

August 16, 2009: I'm starting to read a young adult novel: "The Goose Girl," by Shanon Hale. I got hooked on it tonight and had a hard time putting it down.

August 17, 2009: Tonight we ate popsicles for FHE on the porch outside. The weather was beautiful and the temperature was perfect. We had fun discussing what we liked about our week.

August 18, 2009: Scott and Emma had a great time playing with Lizzy this morning. It was so cute to watch! Lizzy loves her big brother and sister. She was quite entertained by their playful behavior and gave lots of smiles and coos.

August 19, 2009: Little Lizzy keeps trying to master her rolling over skills. I keep telling her she's too young for that, but she won't quit. Today she rolled all over her playmat and then off onto the carpet.

August 20, 2009: Today was Lizzy's two-month-old appointment with her pediatrician. The doctor was pleased to see how well Lizzy is doing-- how social and strong she is. Lizzy now weighs 10 pounds, 9 ounces, and she's 23 inches long. She did really well with her shots, too, and hardly cried at all.

August 21, 2009: Had all three kids in bed with me this morning. I love being a mom!

August 22, 2009: We bought the kids backpacks and then drove over to an ice cream social to spend time with Bruce and Loralee's family. The kids loved eating ice cream with their cousins.

August 23, 2009: Today was the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication, which Scott, Emma, Brad and I were all able to attend. We also celebrated Margaret's birthday today, with the family.

August 24, 2009: Brad and I walked the kids to their first day of school this morning. Emma is very excited to be starting school again. It was fun walking together and meeting their new teachers for the first time.

August 25, 2009: Emma got her long-awaited Batman Beyond movie from the library tonight. She was very excited to watch it again.

August 26, 2009: The kids stayed with us this Wednesday night instead of going to Melanie's. Brad and I took them and Lizzy to a back-to-school party at their school. We watched some more Batman when we got home.

August 27, 2009: Emma and I went to the dentist today to get our teeth worked on. It was my very first cavity. The nicest part of it was spending the one-on-one time with Emma. She's such a sweetheart!

August 28, 2009: We went camping at the sand dunes tonight! It was fun roasting marshmellows and watching the kids dig in the sand with flashlights. Lizzy liked looking at the moon.

August 29, 2009: We played on the dunes this morning for a couple of hours before packing up and heading home. In the afternoon we went swimming at the Harman's and had dinner with the rest of the family. It was fun!

August 30, 2009: I had Scott and Emma to myself today at church. Brad was feeling a little sick, so he stayed at home and took care of Lizzy. I enjoyed being with Scott and Emma. I love them so much!

August 31,2009: Tonight we went to Aunt Amanda's farewell party. She and her family will be moving to Arizona in a few weeks. We will miss them!