Our Little Soloist

Our cute little Emee was chosen to be one of the soloists for her third grade singing program. (Emee is the one on the far left in the brown shirt, she is the last little soloist of the group)It has been something that she has been so excited for, and could hardly wait to do. She has never sung by herself before and I was so proud of her I could hardly stand it! Her song was so darn tender, and I think that I cried the entire time, lol. All of the kids were so darling and it was awesome to see her buddy Katie and Zach sing as well, their voices were so sweet! (Thanks so much for the video Beverly, you are AWESOME!)



Look at my little singer:)



Emee's cute class.



Emee and her bestest friend Anna.



Emee, Anna, and Katie's cheering section. Everyone at their school was so kind to us and had a little seating section reserved for us up close so that we could see Emee. In fact Mrs. Crawley the Principal was so kind to come over and grab our camera from us so that we could get a good picture of my little lady in action.



Emee's greatest fan! Can you feel the love?

Let the MATING Ceremony begin !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

My Little Ladies have always been TOTALLY and COMPLETELY obsessed with animals. In fact up until a couple of years ago if you asked Emee what she wanted to be when she grew up she would proudly tell you, "A Horse, of course". Both girls can rattle off the most obscure animal facts and can tell you just about anything about any animal at any given time. They absolutely love anything having to do with National Geographic, and the majority of the things that they play have to do with animals.

With that said, the other day I was walking down the hall past the toy room, and I heard Hannah yell (super loudly), "Let The MATING Ceremony Begin". LOL! So I VERY quickly went in the toy room to see what in the WORLD was going on, especially during a "Mating Ceremony". Luckily all the animals were just lined up in a row, with no "mating" actually happening, phewwwww, LOL!

These are a few of my favorite things:)

This past week, my sweet and very dear friends gave me the funnest and most special surprise that I think that I have ever had. We were all planning on going on a special road trip at the end of March to Vancouver, Canada (where they are filming the next installment of the Twilight series) to meet the cast of Twilight. It was supposed to a fun little road trip, and something that I have been so looking forward to since December. Unfortunately, my health has become so fragile lately that I am even more limited in where I can go or what I can do. So these AMAZING women brought Edward to me, lol:)



So my buddies had all come over and got set up on our front porch for the big surprise! Eric answered the door and got a wonderful SURPRISE, himself! (I am sure he was so overcome with joy when he saw Edward standing there,lol) Unfortunately, my sister and I had not yet gotten back from the store. So Eric, had all of them come into the Living Room and get set up there. Then they all left to park their cars down the street so I would not notice when we came home.



Look how cute my two favorite men are! LOL! The one on the left is by far my most handsome and favorite man. (Oh just as a funny side note, a couple weeks back Eric told me the funniest thing. He said, "Well you know, I am totally like Edward". "Oh yeah, how", I said, super curious what he was thinking. He said, "I love you more than anything, and I constantly have to restrain myself from killing you"! LOL!!!! Oh, Love At Home,lol~ )



Just another funny side note, before I continue on with my story, (I do have a tendency to get a little sidetracked don't I, lol) the other night my little ladies were feeling a little down, so as I was talking to them and painting their nails, rainbow colors of course, my little Sassy had the wonderful idea that Dad's toe nails needed a little extra "sparkle". Eric is so easy going that he said that was O.K. What was sad though, was that day he and my brother-in-law Marc were taking all the kids to go swimming at the YMCA. He wanted to take off the nail polish before they went swimming, but I told him that the chlorine in the water would probably take it off for him,no problem! Needless to say it has been over a week and his toes are as sparkly as ever! So the night that my buddies came over, they could not help taking a picture of those MARVELOUS toes! What that man won't do for us, lol!



O.K. moving on! So my sister and I got home, and Eric comes out and meets us in the garage. He tells me that a big package came for me and is waiting in the living room. So as I walked in all of my buddies yelled surprise!!!! It scared me to death, and then........(I am pausing for dramatic effect.....ahhhhhhh) there was Edward, full size and in all his glory!!!!! I was so surprised! (Look at my sweet husbands cute face) I was totally and completely overwhelmed and so excited! I LOVED IT!!!!!



So on top of meeting Edward for the first time, lol, they put together this amazing basket of a few of my favorite things, in fact the basket even came with a song, properly titled "A Few Of April's Favorite Things", lol, thanks Annie~ This basket had all the yummiest smelling lotions and bubblebath, my most favorite gossip magazines (I know pretty pathetic, but I just LOVE THEM), the most beautiful picture of our family and one of my sweet little ladies, my favorite Tic Tacs, a Twilight bracelet that says "I love boys who sparkle" (and with my husbands beautiful bald head, I truly do, lol), this awesome Unofficial guide of ALL things Twilight, a sweet picture of the Savior, butterfly gardens for my little ladies, Mama Mia DVD (a movie that we all loved and went to for a girls night out) the cutest earrings ever, oh my heavens, I could go on and on. It was amazing, and now for the very BEST part......( another pause for dramatic effect) my VERY OWN SNUGGIE, yup the one that is "as seen on T.V." I LOVE IT!



















And for all of you "Magical Snuggie" haters out there, I must say that this little snuggie is a wonderful piece of heaven! LOL! And........ look at how easy it is for me to use the phone now! LOL!


















So I just wanted to say thank you to these very special ladies that for the past two years have been such a blessing and support to my family and I. Thank you all for every amazing memory and for the joy of laughing so hard it hurts, lol! I love you!



My crazy partner in crime, and all things Edward, Chris.



My nutty buddy Selina, a.k.a. Rose.



Our most revered leader Annie, a.k.a. "The Chosen One", lol!



Two of the most beautiful and funny ladies, Natalie and Kelli. Can you believe that both of these ladies just had their fourth babies!!!!!!!!!! Yes I know, there really is no justice in this world:)



My sweet friend Angie, her sweet smile tells you everything about her~



My crazy buddy Kim, a.k.a. Kim Bo Slice, lol!



Our good buddy Pat, Selina's very own Brad Pitt, lol! He just could not stay away from so many beautiful ladies all gathered together in one spot, lol!



So in closing I have to tell you one more funny story! After everyone left, Eric quietly put our Edward in the corner of my room. (His reasoning was that it is what Edward does with Bella,he watches her sleep. Sound reasoning, if not a little bit freaky, lol) So, I had no idea that he was there. Off I went to wash my face, and I think that I had the biggest scare of my life. I screamed so loud that my sister and husband came running. I was faint and nauseous, the works! Now that I think about it, that really is an appropriate response to having a vampire in your room! LOL:) Thanks again ladies, love you!

Where are the Miracles?

I have unfortunately had a bit of a set back once again with my health this past week. My poor heart, darn it. It sure is trying but it is just getting so tired. Needless to say my little ladies have really been struggling. I was able to come home from the hospital today, hooray, but my sweet girls have been so discouraged. In fact, one of my little ladies told her Dad last night that she really does not think that miracles still exist. "How can things be so hard, and where are these miracles that you keep talking about", she asked with tears streaming down her face. My sweet husband, being the tender man that he is just held her and let her cry. It is difficult to explain to such a little one that all of these experiences in this life, either trying or wonderful, really are for our good, even when you have a sick mama. I have been thinking about her question a lot today and I started to think about what a "Miracle" really is. I guess what a "miracle" means to me. As I was looking through our photo albums today, I was reminded of a time when my little son was almost a year old.



We were going back to one of the NICU follow-up appointments that we were required to go to every few months. It was always such a fun and exciting time. Some of our most favorite nurses and Doctors who we had fallen in love with were there, some of my most special and dear friends, and other mama's with their sweet little ones were there. It really was such a fun reunion! Most of the children were sitting, some were making fun noises and looking into their mama's eyes, some were playing with toys, and some were even walking. They were all growing and changing so much and it was such a joy to see. These were little ones that had overcome tremendous odds, and were just, well, just PERFECT. Truly a "miracle", each one of them. But... for a brief moment my heart just broke. As I looked around at all these little ones I knew that my son would never have the ability to sit like they could, or look into my eyes and smile. He would never crawl, would never run into our arms, and would probably not live for a great deal longer, and I felt so discouraged. But within that same moment, as I looked at my little peanut, I was so touched by this beautiful sense of peace, and the wonderful knowledge that there were so many wonderful things that my little man could do.



He could smile, the best and most perfect smile, he loved so perfectly, he could giggle and snuggle like the best of them. His accomplishments were not the same as the others, and probably not very noticeable to anyone else but me, but they were amazing "miracles" in their own right. To me, he was and will always be just "Perfect" .That day was a huge lesson to me. Sometimes I have found in my life that I get so caught up in the looking for the "HUGE" accomplishments or "Huge" miracles, that I forget to recognize the small and precious miracles that happen everyday. I guess that sometimes it is easy to look at others and see how wonderful their life is, just as my little lady is doing. But the more that I thought about it, I realized that MY son was a true miracle in every way, just as each of my little ladies are. But I truly believe that these "Miracles" that we are so often searching for can be found in the most seemingly mundane of things. So my sweet little daughter who will read this tomorrow I am sure,lol,(she loves blogs) here are a couple of my most favorite "miracles" that have happened just today.



1. You! Every smile, every giggle, every tender hug, and compassionate thought is a "miracle" to me! Just being able to come home to your sweet hugs and kisses is one of my most special "miracles":) I love you.



2. Your Dad! Your kind Dad is my most favorite "Happy Thought". His love for me and you little ladies is still such a tender miracle to me. With little to no sleep, he still laughs and smiles and puts every one's needs before his own. A pretty darn great "miracle".



3. Chocolate, well just because! Isn't it a "Miracle" that it tastes SO DARN YUMMY! lol:) They would NEVER give it to me in the hospital, sooooo what a "miracle" to come home and find some, lol!





















4. Family! A Sister who will drop everything to drive hundreds of miles just to be a comfort to me. A "miracle" especially when it also involves several hours of screaming and starving children, lol!



5. Amazingly tender, giving, and loving friends who perform such incredible acts of kindness and will serve at any moments notice. They secretly do all my laundry and clean my house, and then bring the most yummy "heart healthy" meal. (A "miracle" that heart healthy food can taste so good:)LOL! (If you had to eat it, you would agree with my MIRACLE,lol) They continue to love me in spite of my many weaknesses, and crazy plans, and are always there to make me laugh.



6. A visit from such an amazingly compassionate and tender Relief Society President who loves with her whole soul and will sacrifice all that she has for all of these dear ladies whom she loves and serves. Thank you so much, it was a "miracle" that you showed up when you did, and an answer to my husbands prayers. I love you!





















7. Well......LOL, a "Miracle":)

I could go on for hours, really, I could, lol! But I was reminded of a scripture that I recently read. It is in Moroni 7:27 it says: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven... and in verse 37 it says: Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men....

So many of you have been ANGELS to us and my life has been so blessed by your willingness to "minister" unto me and my sweet little family. I have been blessed by so many miracles and continue to see them in your kind messages, your loving acts of service and in my little ladies tender smiles. They are found in the selflessness of a family member or in the memories of our little man. So my little one, I do believe that "Miracles" do happen everyday, and will continue to happen, we just need to have faith and the ability to recognize them. Thank you for reminding me to always look for those things that may seem mundane, but are true and wonderful "Miracles". I love you!

Our Little Book Worms

Both of my girls LOVE to read, and ALWAYS find the most interesting places to do it! LOL!
























Emee usually reads to her little buddy Wickett. It always amazes me that he stays completely still for the ENTIRE time!

"Carpe Diem"

"Carpe Diem" is my new motto these days! There are many things in my life that I have REALLY wanted to do, but always end up putting them off for whatever reason. For example I really want to meet Rob Pattinson someday, lol, I really want to go to England and ride on the "Hogwarts Express", I really want to visit the Sacred Grove with my children and husband, and I really want to go to Maine and have a fresh lobster dinner. Well you get the idea, my list is quite long. One of the things that I have been wanting to do for a long time was to cut my hair short again. My excuse always was that I wanted to lose more weight first. Sooooo, I decided that there are a few things that I just may not have the opportunity to do in this lifetime, but there are some things that I am going to stop putting off. So, hooray, "Carpe Diem", I cut it all off. Now..... on to meeting Rob Pattinson, LOL! (Sorry that the pictures are in black and white, my flash was not working well)

To the man I love!

This week my sweet husband and I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary. Wahooo! What an exciting time! I know that I talk about my husband all the time, but I am infinitely grateful for the blessing of him in my life. His friendship, love and sense of humor have made me a better person, a better mother, and well.... just better. I adore him, and feel so blessed to have spent the last 14 years with such a remarkable person. He serves without question, is the hardest worker I know, is such an amazing and fun father, and can make me laugh even in the most difficult of times. Eric has always been remarkably patient with all my crazy ideas and there have been many:) So Eric, thank you. Happy Anniversary my love.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Kind Gift From Stephanie Meyer, No Really!

My very dear friend Carrie is the cousin of my most favorite author Stephanie Meyer. Carrie had told her a little bit about my situation as of late, and the other day we received a very special package from Stephanie. To say that I was excited is a complete understatement. If I had the ability to, I would have skipped, or at least attempted a very cool wheelie in my wheelchair!! Stephanie sent me a signed copy of the Collector's Edition of Twilight, as well as signed Twilight T-Shirts for my little ladies, with their names on them. Sassy is completely convinced that Stephanie is magic. They were amazed that she knew their names and how to spell them. My girls have not read the books or seen the movie, well.... they are still a little to young, but I tell you, these little ladies have worn their shirts with so much pride, and will tell anyone who will listen to them that Stephanie herself sent them this gift. I was so touched that she would think of my little ladies, and would do something so special for them. She absolutely made our day! I had invited all of my best buddies over to open the gift with me and to take pictures.(Annie is not pictured here, she was taking the pictures) I know very little about Stephanie as a person, other than the fact that she wrote a super cool series and that she is a mom herself, but I was so touched that she would send such a kind gift to someone that she knew little to nothing about. This may be something that she does quite often, she seems like a very compassionate person, but to our little family it meant the world. It was such a fun moment for us, so Carrie, thank you, thank you so much, we love you! And to all my ladies, you are the very best! I am always so touched at the lengths that you will go to for me. I adore you all! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love my sister!

This weekend was so wonderful! My cute sister came to visit me from California for a couple of days and it was so PERFECT! I loved every minute of her being here. I have not had a chance to see her since I got so sick, so it was wonderful to just laugh and spend time together. She is such a special part of my life and I wish so much that we did not live so far apart. I adore my little sister so much and feel so grateful for her. She is absolutely beautiful both inside and out, and has blessed my life in so many ways. So Mist, I love you, we ALL miss you already!

Meet little "Wickett"

Today was a "HUGE" day for my little ladies. Ever since my girls have been able to talk, they have wanted to have a pet. Unfortunately Eric and I are not really animal people, and really that is a bit of an understatement! I am a little OCD about things being clean, and I cannot handle pet smells of any kind. Needless to say the girls have had to make do with our fish outside in our pond. I know....not very cuddly. However, both of my little ladies are obsessed with animals. In fact, they both would like to have a career working with animals in some way someday. This year, Emee made a goal to care for a animal every day for the next year. (Which I must say was amazingly well played on her part, seeing as we don't have any animals, and are huge fans of supporting goal setting, LOL) So needless to say, today we bought the girls an adorably sweet little Guinea Pig named Wickett (named after their favorite Star Wars Ewok). They were so excited, Emee even wrote a little song for it. Needless to say, I got myself a years worth of Bath and Body Works plug-ins in honor of our newest little family member! LOL!

"Come what may, and love it".

Since the beginning of December, life for my little family has changed pretty drastically. I remember after my little peanut passed away feeling a little lost. The girls had returned to school and Eric was back at work, so life was moving along as it should. But when Caleb was alive he was my day and if he was awake he had to be held upright so that he could breathe. So my days were spent holding and loving my little man. After he passed, I did not feel like I had anything to really "go back to". I remember wondering how I could magnify my calling as a mother when my little ladies were gone all day, and with such a broken heart. But time went on as it does and I filled my time with callings, temple work, and some volunteer work at the girls school. Life was wonderful again. However, since my release from the hospital life is quite different again. I can no longer have any exertion because my heart is still too weak to allow it, I can't go many places because the risk of getting sick is too high and I just can't do it, and I am generally too exhausted to do much of anything but sit on the couch. So once again, I feel like I am in a position where I am wondering how in the world can I be a Mom to my sweet children, and truthfully my heart has been a little bit broken, literally, lol! This past week I decided that I was in desperate need of something "Good". So I started reading the last Conference Ensign and in there was a talk from Elder Wirthlin entitled "Come what may, and love it". If you have not yet had a chance to read it, I would really encourage you to. (Just follow this link-) http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=b5f44bb52a73d110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 It really did my heart good. We talked about this article for Family Home Evening on Monday and my sweet daughters told me all the reasons why "They Love" me being so sick.

1. I am always in the same place I was when they leave the room. (which NEVER happened before)

2. I am home, so I can still love them.

3. They love that they can run up the stairs and I cannot chase them. (Which my little Sassy is taking FULL advantage of, LOL)

4. They LOVE how kind everyone is to our little family. (In fact after church on Sunday, Hannah said, "Mom I hope that this does not hurt your feelings, but since you got sick PEOPLE LOVE US!" I think that they have really realized the importance of service!)

5. They love pushing my wheelchair, which can have it's own set of dangers! LOL!

6. They love that our family is not as busy as we were. (It was good for me to hear that, because that is something that I am missing a little bit.)

7. But most of all they just love that I am still living and can be their mama.

I love my sweet girls! So this week my goal is to find things "To Love" about my new life. I am still working on it, and it may take a little bit of time, but I am determined to enjoy the time that I have been blessed with.

The Best Way to Start the New Year

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to our sweet little friend's baptism. Abby just barely turned eight and the Munson family was able to get special permission to have her baptism on New Years Day while all 10 of their kids and spouses were in town. It was so wonderful, and we felt so blessed to be a part of it. She just glowed! She had the most peaceful look on her sweet face and she looked like a little princess. I have decided that we should have a baptism every year on New Years Day. LOL! It was the most perfect way to start the new year. So thank you Munsons for allowing us to be a part of it. Oh... I also had a chance to meet Amber and Ben's' "Tiny Queen" for the first time. I just feel in love with this little red haired angel, isn't she sweet!