Emily Tafa...thank you so much for bringing this song and this beautiful heartbreak of a video to my attention. I needed it tonight...

Daddy Day 2011

This year on Daddy Day the girlies were singing in their church's Primary program. They did a beautiful job, and Ane was completely confused why she was the only Naki's girl still sitting with me. We spent the entire program in an argument about why she could NOT get up and go sit with a sister. She spent a significant amount of time, moving from sister to sister in our conversation, and explaining to me why she should be sitting on their lap. I did feel bad for her. We'd been practicing the song they sang plus their individual primary parts each Monday night for the last two months or so. And silly us...she was confused then why she didn't have a "part" and so her obliging sisters made one up for her! And she would practice it when they did, and would stand and sing with them in our music room whenever we practiced. It was all quite confusing to her. For me I couldn't have picked a better thing to be doing on Daddy Day in honor of all that he stands for and all that he holds of value. It was perfect. The night before I had grabbed some balloons at the store...two for each child to release. Line and Malia had picked the colors, BYU ones of course. So Sunday late afternoon each girlie got to write a message to Daddy on them. I asked the girls if they would prefer going to the cemetery to release them or if they would like to take a walk somewhere we'd never been before. In Malia's words, "Mom, let's go somewhere we've never been before so we can have a new adventure with Daddy today." So we headed down to Utah Lake, which I know, many of you who live here go there all the time. But we'd never been there. And directionally-challenged me didn't even know how to get there. We found this little inlet area. There was a small hill with a path that we had to scuttle down to reach where we wanted to go. We made it down the hill, but when we got to the bottom to separate the balloons realized that the incredible wind had tangled all the ends of the ribbons together in one big clump. So the girls decided to all hold on to them and let go at the same time. It. Was. Hilarious. At least to me it was. Maybe to those of you who picture a movie-perfect moment it would have been devastating. But as they let go of the balloons, there was a brief second until we all realized that they were headed straight for the trees beside us. Yes, they stuck right in those branches. All the girls were squealing and I could honestly hear Naki's true laugh right alongside mine. The girlies ran straight to the tree and shook it all kinds of ways, until the balloons finally came loose and took the "correct" flight path. But seriously. How many of our flight paths go the way we thought they would or should? The girls and I laughed and laughed and laughed. It was just a perfect day. We walked for a while on a path that paralleled the lake, but after too many encounters with obnoxious bugs decided it was time to head home. Next year I really want to do a hike in the mountains. Who knows what will happen up there!

Cutest Laptop Junkies Around

I came up one night after everyone had gone to bed to tell these two goodnight, and found this cute sight. It made me feel envious and pleased all at the same time. Whenever I see happy couples doing things that I know Naki and I would've been doing, or at least I imagine us doing together, I try hard to curb my jealousy and remember that as I heard in our most recent general conference that my life is only in the second act of a three act play...premortal life, mortality, and eternal life. Someday, I will have reached the third and final act and finally be side by side with my sweetheart too.

Announcing the 2nd Annual Benefit Concert!!

Hey everyone...not sure how many people actually are on my blog anymore these days and would see this posted here. But in an effort to help my sweet brother and sister in law who charitably volunteer their precious and limited time to organize and run such a generous event in honor of our Naki, I am posting this information here so that anyone who sees it can spread the word and hopefully come out to hear some fantastic music. It is such a fun night, and really, a great night of entertainment. If any of you were there last year you know I'm not exaggerating. All the family and those working at the event last year were wearing some t-shirts that were made specifically for that night in honor of Naki. Many of you saw us wearing them then and many times since and have asked where you could get one. You're in luck! They will be selling them to any who are interested this year, so please let me know if you are wanting your very own t-shirt.



If you have the time or the desire, could you pass the information along all of your communication channels? We want as many to come as would like to, and I'm afraid I've maxed out all of my own connections. Spread the word!

Baking, and baking....and still baking

Now, I get the desire to bake every once in a while, and usually that's only because I want to eat whatever it is I'm baking, and know that the only way I'll get to eat it is if I just bite the bullet and spend the time to bake it. Jackie, on the other hand, just loves doing it. She explained to me that she likens her desire to bake to my desire to landscape. It's not just the actual act that we like, but it's all the things that take place before you ever see an actual outcome. All the careful thought, research, and planning and then seeing the fruit of your hard work. We both love the same process, but in two very different arenas. So, she was so good to be in the kitchen helping the girlies learn how to bake my favorite cream cheese sugar cookies.

Ice cream cone feast

After her quick post zoo nap, Ane enjoyed her ice cream cone...all the kiddos did, but she just took extra long eating it so still had some left when we got back from the zoo.

Auntie Jackie planned a fantastic spa night for all us girlies while her boys were out of town. She planned some delicious recipes for us to munch on while she gave some fantastic foot rubs and we watched the movie Penelope for the very first time. We're all addicted, and I want to be her for Halloween, which is extraordinary if you knew how much I hated the effort that goes into accumulating Halloween costumes every year. Here she is instructing on the chocolate strawberry dipping process.


And here is the all time fruit monster...


Ane wanted to help with the sprinkles for after the strawberries were dipped.


Here was the overflowing snack table. I couldn't stand it and before all the food was brought downstairs from the kitchen I devoured an entire banana in the leftover melted chocolate. I prefer chocolate dipped bananas over strawberries any day. And can I say how miraculous it was that after two and half weeks of eating ourselves silly on all of Jackie's delicious concoctions that I only gained 2 pounds? I think I shed the extra ones working my way through the airports with all the kiddos and the carry-ons.

She even made these super cute personalized labels for individualized water bottles for each person. I know only one picture of the water bottles is necessary, but I included all three that I took because as I scanned down the row, something seemed to follow me...see if you can find what it was.



Here's another glimpse of the food. That tupperware container full of heaven was a peanut butter cream cheese with mini chocolate chip dip. You'd think I would've been sick considering how much I consumed, and I don't even like stuff with peanut butter usually. And it made for a pretty delish breakfast if I say so myself. Seriously. 2 pounds was a miracle.

Here's Ane using the great foot soaker that Jackie's friend Mary let us borrow. Thanks Mary!

Here's Auntie Jackie doing someone's nails. And I forgot to add that when she wasn't in the kitchen that day working on the food for the night, she spent it straightening and styling all of the girl's hair.




Thanks for a great night Jackie...