Lulu's First Bite

Clever Kathleen

It seemed the days preceding Halloween this year were especially busy for the Young Crew. So go ahead and pass out the bad parent award, but we never got around to actually carving our pumpkins this year. Whoops. I was feeling bad about it until my friend Kathleen came by the other day to bring her daughter Ivy over for a play date with Brynnie. Kathleen is one creative gal. She gave me this cute welcome sign to rub onto my otherwise neglected pumpkin. Sassy huh?! Kathleen started a company called Cut It Out Creations a couple of years ago. I've fallen in love with all the things you can do with her customized creations. Here's just a few of the things she's done for me.

When I named my children, I knew I probably wouldn't find their names on little trinkets in souvenir shops. So it's nice to have a way to personalize things for them anyways! These are the covers of the mother's journal I keep for each girl and an art board in the girl's room.

Kathleen can make stuff as big or as little as you want it. So filling up a specific space is no problem. I just love President Hinckley's "Be's" and wanted to display them over a doorway in the kitchen. I also have a personalized Family Home Evening board in the works too! I can't wait to see how it turns out!
Thanks for jazzing up my pumpkin Kathleen! Thank you also for letting Ivy come play with us! Brynna thoroughly enjoyed her time with her banana sharing buddy! Your little woman is welcome in our home anytime!

My Man, Ray.

I've been having heavy doses of my man, Ray LaMontagne, lately. He is hands down, my favorite artist. His voice is soulful, sexy, and authentic... just the way I like it. His music speaks for itself. Just one amazing voice and the instruments blending together. If you haven't heard his new album 'Gossip in the Grain', check it out. As expected, it's a total goody.

South Pacific, Anyone?

Please folks, be nice, we're not professionals.

But what's bathtime without a round or two of

'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair'...

... and it just wouldn't be complete without a little 'Happy Talk'!

...and please ignore Brynna shoveling bathwater in her mouth. I don't know how many times I've told that kid how gross it is! Sick!

Family Is Everything

It's amazing the difference one can make in the lives of many. That truth was reconfirmed to me in Boise this past week again and again. I can't even begin to express how good it was to be there. To see my Nana. To see all of her children gather around her and be there with love and support. We weren't sure if Nana's stroke would take her from us or not. She was certainly ready to pass to the other side. She told us in her broken and fragmented words about a light, how she had to wait, and how she wished that she could die. But as the days passed it came to seem that it was not yet time for her to walk into the light. I find myself wondering what it is that she is left here to do. Her frail, little, eighty-five year old body has so much work to do just to do the simplest of things we take for granted everyday. But I know with out a shadow of a doubt that the Lord is mindful of her and has a plan.

Even in the midst of the scare, Nana was unifying her family. She brought them together. I saw my Uncle David while I was there, whom I'd never met. He has been away for so long and it was my sweet Nana that brought him back into our lives. I hope to stay. It felt that way. It felt like he would. It was so good to hear my mom and her sister and brothers telling stories and memories of their life together growing up. I've always felt family was everything and so it bothered me that someone was missing from the picture. But seeing them together, I felt that hope coming alive again. That the family can be complete. It's the way Nana would want it.
When I heard the news about Nana, I knew it was in the Lord's hands and that Nana has lived a life worthy of returning to His presence. But I was upset at the thought that I may never get to touch Nana's hand again. I may never get to feel her soft skin and look into her eyes again. Justin, being the amazing man he is, told me to go to her and not give it another thought. He would stay and keep things going on the home front so I could be there. I'm so, so grateful that I was able to. I was able to sit by her side, hold her hand, stroke her hair, kiss her face, and look in her eyes. I know that if she went tomorrow, she would know how much I love her and I'm grateful for that.

She got to meet Lauryn as well for the first time, and what a joy it was to be able to see the brightness that she brought to Nana's world. My mom's cousin Linda and her husband Steve came to visit her in the hospital. Steve, who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease, is bound to a wheelchair and can not communicate without pointing to a piece of paper to spell out what he wants to say. He told my Nana with tears in his eyes "Mary, there is still much joy in life." What a powerful moment and what a powerful message. He hadn't given up. He was still seeking and finding the joy in life. As I watched Nana react to Lauryn and to my cousin Spencer's little girl Amelia I saw what her joy is... it's her posterity. It's her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. Nana's presence in our lives gives us more than we could ever give back. But it's my hope that as a family we continue to rally around her, and lift her up, and help her find that joy. I hope the barren walls of her hospital room is flooded with cards and pictures and little paintings from tiny hands as she fights and works hard to be here with us. I hope we can help her find the joy and know she is here for a reason. And I hope that when it is her time to go, for us, her posterity, there will be no words left unsaid and no regrets. That she will know of our love for her and that we all will be living lives she would be proud of. I know our family can be together forever. Let us each do our part.

My Nana had a pretty bad stroke yesterday. She is in ICU now and I will be flying out to Boise tomorrow morning to be with her. So, I probably won't be on the computer very much for the rest of the week. Please remember my sweet Nana in your prayers!

Stinkin' Luck!

Last night when I was taking my contacts out, one ripped in half right on my eyeball. Darn it. So this morning I loaded up Brynna and Lauryn into the car to go to the eye doctor to get a new pair of contacts so I wouldn't be stuck wearing my glasses. But when I turned the key in the ignition, it made a weird noise and died. Darn it. My friend Laura came to give us a jump, but it didn't work. Darn it. Now the tow truck is coming to take it to the dealership. Darn it. Sigh, so now I have a useless car and am stuck with wearing glasses. Brynna and I decided maybe if we made some good angry faces we would feel better...

It worked! I can always count on my Brynnie for a good silly.