Star Spangled Banner

Okay, I'll update with some pics and things soon, but for right now, you've GOT to listen to Payton Kemp (a little boy that used to live next door to us) singing the Star Spangled Banner on YouTube. Click here and then rate it. It's part of a compitetion and if he wins (which he should) he gets to perform at a MLB game and at the museum in Washington D.C. Contest ends April 13th, so go on, watch the video and rate it. Payton, you are AWESOME buddy!

WOOHOO!

Okay, I'm so EXCITED that I had to post this!!! For those of you who know Gaylene, you'll be excited too. Her count went from 120 down to 55!!!!!! Yes, I screamed (into the phone...sorry about your ears Gaylene) when she called and told me. Congratulations Gaylene!!! I am SO happy for you (and me...and everyone else who loves you)! I love you!

Our growing family

On Saturday, we went PetSmart, and in the parking lot there was a tent set up with the Animal Rescue pets that were up for adoption. This little girl stole my heart and we couldn't leave without her! Her name is Dulcie and she is a 9 week old Puggle (Pug/Beagle mix). Her coloring is called brendal, and I guess it's pretty rare. All I know is she is SO cute and she is such a good puppy! She was an unexpected addition. Like Mike says, he didn't wake up Saturday morning and think, "I think we're gonna buy a dog today". Even though, we're so happy to have her as part of our family. I don't know who was more excited to bring her home, Mike, the kids, or myself. Besides, we needed another girl in the house!

A lot of posts at once.

So I know I haven't done any "real" posts for a while, so here's a catch up from Taylie's birthday.
THANKSGIVING...
was great! This is a picture of the apple pie I made. It was the first time I did a latticed crust, and didn't it turn out so pretty?! I spent Thanksgiving Eve baking. I made 5 pies and I loved it! They were SO yummy! My mom came for Thanksgiving as well as our friends, the Callahans. Like I said, it was great!
Then we got a very wonderful, unexpected gift. We got to go to St. George for Christmas! The kids and I left TX and took my mom back to St. George the week after Thanksgiving, and we got to stay until the 27th of December. Mike flew in on Christmas Eve/Morning, and got to be there before the kids woke up, for which we were extremely grateful. Mike was sealed to his parents the day after Christmas, which was such a wonderful experience! Then we commenced on the long, 26-hour drive home. I am grateful that our kids are such great little travelers! Here are some pics of our time in St. George...we had a wonderful time with family and friends, and we are so grateful for the time we got to share with all of you! Thank you for everything...especially for letting us crash at your houses (day and night) and steal your time! WE LOVE YOU!

Our New Year's was great too! Our friends, the Hurton's came over and we played games and snacked on some goodies. We even blew up a few fireworks before we put the kids to bed. We are grateful for good friends! Happy 2009!

Full Moon

Go out and howl at the moon Saturday night. It is supposed to be the biggest and brightest we will see in 2009. I know I'm praying for clear skies!

We are still here...

So I know I haven't posted in 2 months, but I honestly have good reasons...which I will post about later! Just for now, I wanted to get this post on here quickly about my friend's baby boy. Baby Dakin is just 5 days younger than Jack, and I thank Heavenly Father that our little boy is healthy and strong. I don't think that I could have carried the load that my friend has carried. Dakin is a sweet, happy boy, and a blessing to his family and those who know him. His first 2 months were normal and we were all unsuspecting of any problems other than reflux. Well, things changed. I took them to the Doctor that fateful day, when they ended up being lifeflighted to Dallas. I spent most of that night holding my son and crying. Tears of gratitude for my son, and tears of guilt, because I have a perfectly healthy baby boy, and my friend does not. I prayed a lot that night (and many others), thanking the Lord for my son and his health, and praying for little Dakin and his parents. Dakin spent 2 1/2 months in the hospital and when they finally sent him home (on a ventilator) his parents were told that whatever he had he would grow out of. Then a few months later, they finally got a diagnosis. SMARD, a very rare form of it. He was the 4th ever to be diagnosed. He will not grow out of it. He will most likely be wheelchair bound and he will be on a vent for his entire life...they aren't sure how long that will be. There is currently a petition online that you can sign to help get legislature to pass a measure that would allow research to be done on this disease. Please take a moment to read my friends blog and click on the link there that lets you sign the petition. If all I can do to help is sign my name and urge you to sign yours, then at least I can do that. Go here to read about Dakin and sign the petition...PLEASE! Every child deserves a fighting chance.
P.S. If the link doesn't work for you (because I can't figure out why it won't work for me), just go to www.ventsuperman.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Taylie!

Yesterday was Taylie's 4th birthday! I can't believe what big girl she is. She can spell and write her name and sound out simple words. She is learning so much every day and tries to be so much like her big sister. She has such a cute little personality and our family would be incomplete without her. She's our curly haired cutie. She's our tiny and petite one. Mike always tells her that good things come in small packages, and he's right. I love you so much, Pancake! I am glad you had a happy birthday!
We had a little party for her on Saturday with some friends, and then yesterday our friends, the Hinkles, came over and had birthday dinner and cake with us and watched Tay open her presents. She had a fun weekend. Her party on Saturday was a "Paper Bag Princess" party. We read the book "Paper Bag Princess" (why can't I underline?), and then the girls all colored on their paper bags and got to be paper bag princesses. Here's a picture of my girls in their paper bags.

Taylie only wanted to color with the orange crayon, so it's hard to see, but they had fun. I love my little princesses!