Rob and I just finished pulling off our ward party, AGAIN, this year!  It was truly Spectacular, fun, spiritual, wonderful, busy, christmasy...you name it!  It was that!

This was our "Poster" in the Church Foyer...I LOVE IT SO MUCH! (Thanks Jared!)

Pictures are worth more than words here....

Lovely Toni

The YM...Gangnam style!

The Bishopric

The Achievement day girls ready to sing! 

I've been pulling together music from every which way to complete the program....and in my "spare time" (ya right...) sewed the hats and cape-lets for my sweet girls!  They sang and looked beautiful!

The Benson Family

Sisters?

Lil' Angel

Of course we had the primary kids do the nativity....

see the sheep(kid) in front with the white fleece? (cotton-balls)  The shepherds behind started picking off the cotton and it turned into a little cotton ball fight for a minute!  Ya...it was AWESOME!

the stage is set

"gingerbread" village

the houses

Sarah practicing

fresh greenery

Brock...rr..Grandma?

too cool

Brilliant Tori!

Sugar Plum Goddess!

My favorite thing....

SO MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

I LOVE OUR WARD!

Darling December....

I'm sure you are all wondering what I have been up to....this may explain a lot:

and then there's this....

More to come....

Oh Happy July!!

Life is just a bowl of cherries....

Hermy-town

The DPR has been hankering for a trip to...well pretty much anywhere!  (All work and no play makes a mean pirate....)  So he's been organizing a family rendevous of sorts with our kids...and we headed off to Hermy-town for a little catching up and R&R.  I've said it before...There is something very magical about his home.  I said, "his Home"...not so much his "hometown".  (did I say that out loud?...oops...)  Bonnie had her flowers a bloomin' and every bird in the place was singin' like there was  no tomorrow.

Magical...right?

Rob took us all down to the river for a magical Pirate adventure...let's just say that like all pirate adventures, it's fun in the end, but you're never quite prepared for what's about to happen.  

(shoulda worn different shoes, Ben...)

I just Love all me scallywags!  RRRRRR!

A Patch of Grass to Call My Own!

I've been looking over my balcony for nearly 2 years now....wishing that that little piece of grass down there could be mine.  And all of a sudden....it IS!  We found out a couple of weeks ago that the downstairs neighbors are moving and we hopped, skipped, and jumped at the chance to grab it.  We spent an entire weekend running up and down the stairs  a hundred times, moving our stuff, and I must admit, it got to the point where anything that wasn't breakable went straight over the edge of the balcony to the patio below (including all our clothes and our bed!  Uhhh...now I've shown you the real me....)  I spent the rest of the week cleaning up with sore aching thighs.  Nothing like a good "move" to let you know how out of shape you are!  But it was sooooo worth it!   The first thing we did was plant a few things....

The most AMAZING Dahlia!

Rob immediately threw in some tomato plants.  He found some heirloom plants so we'll keep you posted on how they do.....

This beautiful Begonia!

 I have the craziest memory of a begonia plant that I have never forgotten.  My mom bought a huge fantastically beautiful one very much like this one....but bigger and with more flowers.  I was so enamored with it, I asked if I could take it for show and tell at school(I was in 2nd grade...).  When the teacher asked me about it, I said.."It's for you!" and promptly gave it to her! She was totally Thrilled!  My mother was NOT Thrilled.... Needless to say she was totally ticked at me when I came home without it!  HA!  I should never be trusted....

 PLANS -PEOPLE- I HAVE PLANS.... For my little patch of green! 

If you need me, I will be out sunning my toes and dreaming of small gardens...

"Be Thou Humble.....In the bathroom"

I'm trying to magnify my calling.  I truly am.  That being said...some days are harder than others.  I was called to be the "ward music director" which really means that I lead the music on Sunday and work out with the choir at Christmas and Easter...and any other time that the spirit hits me....and also, try to trick people into singing "special" musical numbers once a month.  Our Bishop has asked for that specifically.  Let me just say this, about all that,  "yikes!"

 Each week, I pick out opening and closing songs... and a rest hymn (if I haven't tricked anyone that week into doing a special number....) and also a sacrament song.  There is a theme for each week that I try to follow....and each week, without fail, someone will come up to me and say something like..."You know, that opening hymn was such a downer..." or,  "I think we should sing all 8 verses...don't you?" or, "I only like the songs that I know..."     duh...really? ( maybe that's because you don't know the others....)  It's so hard to please everyone.  But I do try....

The other day, while I was on the stand not listening to the speaker but instead thumbing through the hymn book looking for potential hymns..I had a funny memory pop into my head.  In Sacrament meeting, the kids were unusually occupied looking through the hymn book....they would look at the title of each hymn and then start giggling with each other.  I leaned over and said..."what are you guys doing?"  "Oh nothing"....(more snorting with laughter) Then they fessed up that they were going through the hymns, and reading the titles.  After each title, they would add the words "in the bathroom."  I started looking at the titles with them....

I saw another Angel fly...in the bathroom!
What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold...in the Bathroom!
Praise to the man...in the bathroom!
Does the Journey seem long....in the bathroom!

I couldn't help it..we all started giggling uncontrollably!  I know...totally inappropriate...right?
Regardless, it made me stop for a minute and giggle like a kid.  To be honest, I probably need to lighten up, and be grateful for my calling.  I love the hymns and I love music...and I get to be the one to pick what I like!  Because after all...Sweet is the work......Oh, you know the rest.

A little sad news....

When we left Utah, it was impossible for us to take our Pets with us....my niece Tara came to our rescue and took our kitty "Paris" with her to Idaho.  We got a text a few days ago, letting us know that Paris had passed away in her bed.  Thanks to Tara, she was able to spend her last years in a country place with lots of kids to love her.  She was such a good kitty....I hope she is in a happy place with lots to eat...(no mice, mind you....if there were mice there, then it wouldn't be Heaven.  At least in my mind...) and a warm place to stretch out and sleep in the sunshine.  Love you, Kitty Kitty.

MR GARCIA

I just got back last week from Utah where I was able to meet for the first time ever, my new SWEET!  Can I have a warm welcome to the newest little Garcia boy....MAX!

He is pure perfection!  The proud parents have decided to name him Max Robert Garcia....the Dread Pirate could not be more pleased.....just look at those sweet little cheeks! (the ones on the other end are really cute, too!)  He is such a cutie, I hated to leave!

Then today, I got word that Max has already been invited to his first pool party!

Not only that....but Sweet Isla had her 2nd Birthday!

That means I missed both parties with the Sweets!

Oh Man! ....remind me again why I live in California.....?

I love you, my Sweets!

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Grand-babies are the best Mother's Day Gift!!

Nina and Levi

We were at the Bistro on 25th Street, everyone talking and working....getting ready for the next day.  "THE"day.  Someone made a comment about Nina and Levi being married in less than 12 hours...the color drained out of his face. It looked like "tossing his cookies" was in order. Later, he told us in the car that he had never been more nervous in his life!  Not on the plane going to Basic...not even on the plane going to Iraq.  But that sweet little face with the cutest dimples has toppled him to his knees....Oh LOVE!  (way to go, Nina!)

White knuckles....

Breathing now....

Pure JOY!

sealing the deal with a ring...

Phew!  They made it!

Hey world....meet the newest McConnell girl!  ya...we love her....

We drove back from Utah the day before yesterday.  The whole way I dreamed of the most beautiful forest with mushrooms and moss....little trolls atop lemon yellow cake....birds and nests tucked onto boughs and polka-dotted girls with yellow sneakers.  My mind went over and over every detail that we have been planning for the last few months. 

But nothing compares to that little turned up smile that was on Levi's face as he married the girl of his dreams.
We couldn't be happier.