Emma's Special Weekend

Emma was officially baptized on December 6, 2008 by her daddy. She's been anxiously waiting for her baptism for a very long time, so she was thrilled when she finally turned 8 years old in November. She was prepared and ready for her big, special day.

The baptism program was lovely and beautiful. Emma took an active part in planning the program. She loves making choices and being involved. She picked out the speakers, who would say the prayers, hymns, who would be conducting the music and playing the piano, and who would sing the musical number.

My mother and sister flew in from California to be here for Emma's special day. Susie's lovely soprano voice filled the room with a sweet and beautiful spirit when she sang the "The Light Within," by Janice Kapp Perry. Following the number, Brad gave Emma a gorgeous blessing when he confirmed her. Brad always does an amazing job with blessings. He makes me cry every time. Overall, the entire meeting was a wonderful, spiritual event, and Emma loved it.

We had a large birthday party/lunch at our house after Emma's baptism. Emma had a wonderful time opening her presents and blowing out the candles on her birthday cake.

Emma got a Princess watch from her Aunt Susie, a kitchen set from her grandma, a baptism bracelet from McKenna, and her very first scripture case and quad from her daddy and me.

After the party, Scott and Emma went to visit their cousins while Brad and I took my mom and Susie to Wheeler Farm. We loved seeing all of the animals there, and seeing the old farmhouse and barns. After leaving the farm, Brad and I took my mom and sister to SAMPAN's Chinese restaurant for dinner. I was craving Chinese food bad, and the food and service there was wonderful.

I love my little mama! She's such a sweetheart.
Cute piggy bottoms!

After dinner, we drove up to Temple Square to meet up with Scott and Emma and Bruce and Loralee's family. All sixteen of us had a wonderful time looking at all the beautiful lights on Temple Square. The weather was cold, but not nearly as cold as usual for this time of year. It was definitely the best night for us to go, minus the huge crowds and lack of parking spaces.

Overall, we had a wonderful weekend! I loved seeing Emma so happy, and visiting with my mom and sister again. I cried hard when they left, mainly due to the crazy baby hormones I am now experiencing. I hope to see them again soon.

Emma and Susie at the Christmas party on Friday night.

I love you, Mom and Susie!

The Highlight of my Day: November 2008

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

November 1, 2008: Tonight was our family Halloween Party! All of the grandchildren came over!

November 2, 2008: We had a wonderful weekend taking care of Aksel and Charlotte, and now they finally went home. It's nice having some peace and quiet, too!

November 3, 2008: My highlight was being together for FHE tonight. We talked about voting for goverment leaders.

November 4, 2008: I voted this morning! It was nice having election day come and go again. I'm getting tired of all the politics.

November 5, 2008: I found out that Proposition 8 passed in California! HOORAY!!!

November 6, 2008: Watched old Disney cartoons with my family while drinking hot chocolate with marshmellows. Yummy!

November 7, 2008: We babysat Aksel and Charlotte tonight. They sure are funny little kids.

November 8, 2008: Brad and I opened up savings accounts for Scott and Emma.

November 9, 2008: Brad and I took Scott and Emma to visit their cousins tonight. We had a nice time with them.

November 10, 2008: We went to the library tonight, and I got a couple of movies that I've been wanting to get for a long time. Maybe Brad and I can have a movie night tomorrow!

November 11, 2008: Brad and I had our movie night. We watched "Juno." I kept crying during the movie. My hormones are wacked.

November 12, 2008: I had my first prenatal appointment today! I saw my baby in the sonogram and I heard the heartbeat for the first time. Beautiful!

November 13, 2008: I bought Scott and Emma cute winter sweaters at Kohls today.

November 14, 2008: My highlight of the day was cuddling in the dark with Bradley while listening to love songs. It was romantic and sweet.

November 15, 2008: We had our family pictures taken today! I'm excited to see how they'll turn out.

November 16, 2008: Scott and I had a great time playing with playdough together. I think he liked me making rats the most. Lots of laughs!

November 17, 2008: Scott finished reading "The Tale of Despereaux." The only complaint he had was the negative portrayal of rats in the book.

November 18, 2008: We went to parent/teacher conferences tonight. Scott and Emma are doing wonderfully in school! I'm so proud of them.

November 19, 2008: I love the alone-time with my Bradley! We had a wonderful evening.

November 20, 2008: Emma turned 8 years old today! I made her some brownies and we sang to her. We'll have her big celebration on her baptism date in December.

November 21, 2008: Brad and I went on a date to Jamba Juice! We both got the Strawberry Surf Rider smoothie. Mmmm... lemons and strawberries!

November 22, 2008: Brad and I bought Emma a white dress for her baptism date, and we also got her scriptures! Brad and I also went to see "Twilight" in the theaters.

November 23, 2008: I like getting emails from my aunts on Sundays. :) I like hearing from them and keeping in touch.

November 24, 2008: Amanda and Zach came to visit us tonight along with Charlotte and Aksel. Aksel and I played with Halloween decorations together. We had lots of laughs!

November 25, 2008: Brad rescued me! He bought me soy milk, sherbet, popsicles, and lactaid pills. Apparently my pregnancy has caused me to become lactose intolerant.

November 26, 2008: Getting ready for the big day tomorrow! It was nice preparing things and watching Margaret plan things out. She's a wiz!

November 27, 2008: It's Thanksgiving! We had all of Brad's siblings and their families come over today. It was wonderful being with everyone.

November 28, 2008: Brad and I took the kids to watch "Bolt" today. In the evening, we went to visit Dan and Marnee Hill at their new house. It was fun visiting with them.

November 29, 2008: We brought our Christmas boxes home from the storage unit today! Time to decorate!

November 30, 2008: I was reminded today once again of how wonderful my husband is. He's so loving, cuddly, thoughtful, and sweet. I love my husband and our marriage very, very much.

Family Photos 2008

Thank you, Jeana, for taking such wonderful photos of our family! They are gorgeous.

I Am Thankful For...

Gratitude was the theme of our Family Home Evening lesson this week, for obvious reasons: Thanksgiving is this week. We had a nice discussion about being thankful and expressing our appreciation to others around us, especially family members.

During our discussion, I had Scott and Emma start naming off things they were grateful for, which started off being big things, but then gradually became more and more detailed as they thought about more and more things they were thankful for. The first thing Emma screamed out was "FAMILY!" Scott immediately pointed out, "Rats!" Then they began to name various objects around the house: "Refrigerators, couches, computers, electricity..." After our discussion, we all got crayons and pencils and began drawing what we were most thankful for. I think the theme of our artwork was definitely "family."

Aren't we amazing artisits? Here are our family drawings:

Birthday Girl

Emma has turned 8 years old!

Here is what Emma likes as an eight-year-old:

Favorite Foods: Spaghetti, beef stew, mushrooms, pizza, corn-on-the-cob, chicken, ice cream sundaes, cheese burgers, bacon, pumpkin pie

Favorite colors: purple, pink, and black

Favorite activities: playing with cousins, making up games, drawing, board games, snuggling, spending one-on-one time with others, playing with friends

Favorite subjects in school: art and math
Favorite movies: The Little Mermaid, Kiki's Delivery Service, Garfield, Batman (cartoon)

Favorite animals: cats and kittens, rats

Emma is a beautiful, outgoing 8-year-old girl. She has an energetic personality and a positive outlook on life. Emma loves befriending people and making them laugh. She is not the type of child who enjoys spending alone time with herself. Emma loves receiving positive attention from others. She is definitely a social extrovert.


Emma is a very unique individual. She has her own quirks and habits, and she's different than many girls her own age. For example, Emma has taken quite a fancy to Batman lately. Every night during story-time, Emma asks her daddy to read Batman comic books to her. She also asks her daddy to sing the Batman song to her. Emma also surprises me by what foods she likes and doesn't like. For example, how many girls say they like corn and mushrooms when you ask them what their favorite foods are? Or how many girls say they want pumpkin pie instead of a birthday cake on their birthday? Emma definitely marches to the beat of her own drum.


Emma is not afraid to conceal her emotions. If she's happy or sad she'll let you know straight off the bat. She always tries to make good choices, not only because she wants to please others around her, but also because she wants to be happy with herself. If she makes a mistake, she wants to fix it right away. She is not afraid to say she's sorry.

Emma is the most positive and joyful member of our family. We all love her very much, and we are grateful to have her with us.

Happy Birthday, Emma-Roo!

First Prenatal Exam

I am pregnant with one healthy baby! I scared my mom today and told her over the phone that I was pregnant with three babies, and she really believed me at first. She was silent for about 10 seconds before I bursted out laughing and told her there was really only one baby. I could tell she was instantly relieved!

Today was my first ultrasound. I was able to see my baby for the first time, and hear the little fluttering heartbeat. The doctor says my baby (aka Chili Pepper) is a perfectly normal size for 9 1/2 weeks. I was thrilled! It made everything seem more real and exciting. All day long I've been going over the same words in my head: "I'm really a mother! I have a real baby in my tummy! My baby is really there! I heard the heartbeat. I saw the figure on the screen. This baby is really mine!"

Chili Pepper

Being pregnant is WEIRD! I don't think I'll ever be fully adjusted to the mood swings, upset stomach, fatigue, sensitivity, and all the other symptoms that seem to come and go every single day. Nothing ever stays the same, so each day brings new challenges. Tricks that I learn today may not work again tomorrow. Some days start out good and end bad, and some days start out bad and then end good. Nothing stays consistant---nothing stays the same--- nothing is predictable--- everyday there's something new to learn from. Me and my body are officially strangers now.

But things have been fun and exciting, as well. I didn't expect Scott and Emma to be so excited about my pregnancy, for instance. They surprise me by asking me how I feel every single day, and they both pray for me and the baby all the time. They also want to know how their new little brother or sister is getting along every day (as if I really knew). Emma even gave my baby a nickname that she picked on her own. Apparently, my baby's name is "Chili Pepper." I think she named the baby that because I craved lots of spicey foods and sauces a couple of weeks ago (not any more). I thought the name was so cute that it kind of stuck. Both Scott and Emma, and even sometimes Brad, call my baby Chili Pepper.

Well, as far as I know, Chili Pepper is alive and growing fine. He or she keeps me sick every single day, so I know my hormones and body are working normally. I'll see my OBGYN next week, so maybe I'll find out more details about Chili Pepper then. My main concern is knowing whether or not I have only one Chili Pepper, and not two or three of them. One Pepper is enough for me!

Halloween Fun

We had a wonderful Halloween this year! We went to our ward Halloween party on Thursday night, Emma's and Scott's school Halloween parade on Friday morning, then we had a large family party on Saturday night.

Scott decided long ago that he wanted to be Indiana Jones, so we got him tan pants and a cool leather jacket from the DI, and I bought him a whip, hat, and Indiana Jones bag on the Internet. He looked incredibly good.

Emma wanted to be a leopard for Halloween at first, but then she changed her mind when she saw a cute black cat costume at the Halloween store. We bought the costume- complete with ears and tail- and I named her Gigi~ the french feline. She really got into character, and kept meowing and hissing all the time.


Brad and I didn't know what we wanted to be for Halloween until Tuesday morning. I told him he should be a "cat burglar" and I would be a cat. He thought that was a great idea. Emma, of course, was thrilled when I told her I would be a cat, too.

A group shot of all 12 grandchildren, Brad, me, and Grandma North.

Scott's bat pumpkin.

Emma and I made this Jack-O-Lantern together. Emma wanted her pumpkin to have a cat.

The Highlight of my Day: October 2008

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

October 1, 2008: Finished my monthly newsletter today. It helps me keep in touch with family.

October 2, 2008: Love notes. I love exchanging love notes with Brad. :)

October 3, 2008: Watched "The Theif Lord" with Bradley. It was a very unique family movie.

October 4, 2008: Enjoyed the lovely Utah rain. I drank hot cocoa with Scott and Emma. Our first hot cocoa of the season!

October 5, 2008: General Conference was wonderful! My favorite speakers were President Monson, Jeffery R. Holland (he spoke yesterday), and Joseph B. Wirthlin.

October 6, 2008: I started off my morning in high spirits. My pregnancy test was positive!

October 7, 2008: My highlight of the day was watching Emma being brave at the dentist. She was wonderful.

October 8, 2008: Bradley was my highlight. :) He's a wonderful husband. Gosh, I love him!

October 9, 2008: Ice cream sandwiches! Tonight was the first night I had one in months!

October 10, 2008: It was nice spending time with Bruce and Loralee.

October 11, 2008: Brad and I went shopping today. :) We got him a coat for a very good deal, and we bought Scott his Halloween costume.

October 12, 2008: It was nice visiting with Marilyn and James tonight.

October 13, 2008: I babysat my neice, Jessica, today. My favorite part of the day was going on a walk with her and Rosie.

October 14, 2008: Emma is the Star Student in her class this week, and I made a poster for her to share with the class. She was excited to tell them about herself and her family.

October 15, 2008: Flew home to Long Beach to spend time with my family before Rachel's wedding. I love being with my sisters!

October 16, 2008: Susie and I took my mother to get her ears pierced for Rachel's wedding. My dad didn't even notice!

October 17, 2008: Susie and I went with Sheri to get our nails done for Rachel's wedding. My first manicure!

October 18, 2008: My beautiful little sister, Rachel, got sealed in the LA Temple today. She was GORGEOUS! I'm so happy for her.

October 19, 2008: I took a nice long nap to recover from my busy weekend. It's nice being home again.

October 20, 2008: Today I had morning sickness all day long. Although it was entirely uncomfortable, I loved being reminded that I'm pregnant.

October 21, 2008: I drove Scott and Emma to the library tonight. I got a whole bunch of pregnancy books and fun DVDs to watch. So much to learn!

October 22, 2008: I'm so happy! My mom and sister will be coming to Utah to visit me in December.

October 23, 2008: I talked to my sister, Rachel on the phone today. She's such a happy little newlywed! I loved talking to her.

October 24, 2008: I got to relax and watch Gilmore Girls for a few hours today.

October 25, 2008: Spent the day at home relaxing, trying to get over a cold. Watched a lot of Animal Planet.

October 26, 2008: I went to Sacrament Meeting to watch Scott and Emma participate in the primary program. Scott and Emma did a wonderful job with their parts.

October 27, 2008: Brad fixed our poor, sickly car today. He worked on it until 11:00 at night. We were so happy it worked again!

October 28, 2008: Scott got his braces off today! HOORAY!!! Plus, we had a fun family game night of Clue and popcorn!

October 29, 2008: I felt less sick tonight! YEAH!!! And we got a bunch of shopping done for Halloween.

October 30, 2008: We had our ward Halloween Party tonight. Scott and Emma looked so cute in their costumes.

October 31, 2008: Brad and I went to a Bed and Breakfast Inn in Northern Utah tonight. It was my reward for getting pregnant. We had a wonderful time!