my other august girl

She ELECTRIC..... Brookie wookie wookie!!

Our mom always wanted us to have joint birthday parties, which we hated.

Her birthday often fell after school started.

She was one of the youngest in her class and yet always had older boyfriends.

She may have been the pouty sister but I YUV HER!

(FYI im not attempting to rhyme, i dont have it in me at the moment)

Brookie, your chicken legs have worked out for you, and even though i seem to always make you a red head, I love that your in the minority as my brunette sister.

Your so wonderful, and hard working, and beautiful. I love that you rile my kids right before bedtime and that you honestly cant seem to get enough of them. I love that your a daycare director by day and show a whole lot of cleavage by night. I do sometimes miss that you no longer sound like your underwater, buy Im so happy for you that you can finally SMELL!! Please, never stop swearing like a sailor and censoring yourself beautifully around my children. Your such a great sister and you honestly just get more wonderful!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Brookerness, wookie chicken, bootsy!

You know I had to pick the cleavland shot.... it's too good

Eventful

So in big news, Steve got a new job that we are both excited about. He'll be writing for the Daily Herald. He is covering the mountain west conference football season, as well as compiling the sports box page. He seems to really love it so far and it seems right up his alley. He was nicknamed "Stat Man" in highschool, I guess for knowing all the scores of all the games so I guess "Stat Man is back.

Sam and his cul de sac buddies found this little guy in our garden today. Dad caught it and poked at it for a while before letting it go again. Maybe he really could catch rattlesnakes.... or not.

Goose, started pre-school today and he could not have been more excited. It is such a difference from last year. His teacher is also the primary president so he feels super comfortable. It's a super hero theme which is right up his alley.

Sophie smiles.... sometimes

In between grins and giggles, the Sophster can scowl like an ornery old man.

She seems to have perfected this skill by participating in "Scowl offs" (an intense competition, in which an almost 15 month old and her Grandpa stare at one another with furrowed brows til' one cracks) She will sometimes try this with me, I never win, I bust up laughing before my brow can even break a sweat. This girl kills me!

While I was trying to capture her scowling, I got all kinds of Sophie faces I thought I would share.

Yankee Doodle Daddy

Sophies room

I needed an excuse to download some pictures because I learned how to tweak my page just a bit thanks to my very non-nerdy, computer wiz friend Ashleigh. Here is Sophies room. I never got around to posting about it. The big brag here is not how fabulously it is designed but how CHEAP I was able to do it.

Blessing dress from my mama

I did spend a little money on fabric and ribbon, for the curtains. The style made it so I didn't have to buy a curtain rod though.

I found the big white frame at the DI for a 5-er. I think it used to frame a mirror. It was pretty beat up but nothing a coat of white spray paint didn't remedy. The other frames were also DI $1 finds that got the same finish.

It was so fun to so something so pink and girly. I dont know if I could spend money if I had it (as I was typing that I realized it's a total lie, I could so spend money) still though, I get a rush in doing things on the cheap.

schmoo... you ohwd!!!

Happy Birthday to Mackenzie!!!

Who is that awesome girl I know, way down in missi-sip?

Oh what, it's my Mackenzie, so sexy and so hip!

You have the title of worlds best Aunt, and can make a mean cream pie

You are shameless, should be famous and don't even have to try

We used to play with Barbie dolls and make up dances too

You can shake it like Beyonce way up in high heeled shoes

Your make-up bag is packed so full, and liner's always right

Between you and Carmindy, I bet you'd win the fight

I miss you way too much and would love to spend this day with you

I hope you have a fun day planned, at least you'll get something new

I might have done a repeat of the nasty bugar gift

I know thats what you were hoping for, or a reduction and a lift

Love you Tenza, Your'e the best... Have an amazing day!!!

GREEN DAY!

This is one the few bands Steve and I both enjoy. The concert was insane. It was such a fun, energetic, at times inappropriate show. We had general admission and were on the floor. Such a great concert
Behind The crazy grinning girl is Billy Joe and Tre cool and... the bass player.

Opening act

Girls Camp... Stacy's back

I was one of those girls that Loooved girls camp. I didn't mind the tents, the bugs, the drama. I loved escaping into the outdoors, and seeing what all the other wards did for their skit. I enjoyed all the bizarre songs we sung at the top of our lungs and making a total fool of myself. I always got a great spiritual boost from camp that usually made me decide to dump my boyfriend and swear them off til I was 16. (that was until I found another cute boy and wanted to "go out" with him.)

My first year at camp as a 12 year old beehive.

Kensie Rasmussen, Amy Nielson, Stephanie Shaver, Little Me (not sure why my eyes are closed)

still wearing a bandana...

Paige and Sister Larsen, (thought she was a 4th year huh? nope she's the miamaid advisor)

Our 2 first years, Paige and Kapri

Sister Diaz, Dallas, Amanda, Lauren

Julia, Courtney, Ellie, and Jessica

Elizabeth, Kapri, and Amanda. (my meal making buddies)

Ellie, Kapri, Paige, and Binni

Sister Boren killed Sister Yokotas car

Kapri and Ellie

Jessica, And Cambry

Cambry, Celeste, Kaylee, Jessica, Chelsea, And Emma

"No one in the world is youer than you, be who you are and be truer than true"

We had a Dr. Seuss theme this year, and our ward chose the book

"Oh The Thinks You Can Think"

for our theme. We had great trust, friendship and testimony building experiences. I had so much fun going up as a leader this year. It's a little different experience but I really felt like one of the girls. I braided like a mad woman and even busted out two sets of cornrows. I still sang like a fool. It was so good to revisit Princess Pat, and the animals by twosies twosies. I'm happy to have been able to get to know all these amazing girls.

a little bit famous

I felt a little weird about posting the article I had some published work in, plus I just never really got around to doing it. But we will call it lack of something to post about and also, Hey it's pretty awesome my work is in a magazine (Utah Valley Bride) on page 74 as well as page, 79. My up-do on page 74 is the smaller picture with the blonde model (Thanks Sarah). On 79, it's the add off to the left side... the model with the red hair. (Thanks Becca)

on the road to old

So it was my birthday... It was fantastic I must say. It really is nice to have one day once a year, thats yours. This post may resemble a 14 year olds myspace page (lots of self taken pictures, minus the I'm super cute/sexy face) But hey it's my birthday and it's all about me right? This morning I got good news at my "after"assesment for the fitcamp I've been doing for the past 6 weeks. I lost 6 pounds, 2 1/2 inches off my belly, 2 off my waist, 2 off my hips, 1 1/2 off my thigh, beat my mile time by almost 2 minutes, did 30 "real" push-ups in a minute in contrast to 3 6 weeks ago, amd I doubled my time in a plank position. So..... YEAH!! WAHOO!! YIPEE!!!

That was a great birthday present as it was, Thanks Lindsey, for kicking my butt... that is now much less flabby.

When I woke up I opened presents, which all had a fitness theme. We all tried on my new headbands, that contain sweat, as well as my shorn hair that won't fit into a pony

Jillian micheals will have to be my butt kicker til October

First time at the Cheesecake factory, So yummy.

I love her, "Yeah... that aint gonna happen" face

I LOOOVe fudge brownies from Macey's

We both enjoyed them

Stevie was my slave for the day. I changed no diapers... took a nap, and an hour long bath. and got a glass of water anytime I wanted one. He doesn't know it yet, but I'm about to ask for a foot rub. I only have 10 minutes left til it's August 4th. Thanks muffin cake, for a fantastic birthday!!!

wild things

We made our way to good ole Hogle zoo. I have to say, it was pretty darn fun. It was hot... but not blazing, our kids were good, and the animals were livley. Sam said his favorite part was when the cougar yawned so he could see his"teef". I have always loved seeing the girafes, their size it's pretty awesome to see in real life. Sophies favorite part were the monkeys. She made the funniest little face when making a monkey sound. Steve was all about the snakes and now has plans to go rattlesnake hunting... I'm pumped about that. It was nice to replace this zoo memory with my last one. I went with a new neighbor that I had absolutley nothing in common with and the animal stink seemed to be particularly bad that day.

One of our smarter purchases, the double stroller.

enjoying M&M's

He loves this cup and fills it with ice water daily

Hello lovely

leopard

on the carousel... that was new from last time I went

I have a picture like this somewhere

This was as close to a gorilla as we got. I'm not sure where the actual one was hiding out.

That monkey looks just like Soph... big eyes, round cheeks. lots of hair.

Sam picked a cobra, he loves that thing. It opens and closes it's mouth and he loves to chase birds with it. He thinks the reason they fly away is becasue they think the snake is real, not necessarily that a shrieking 4 year old is plowing towards them.