Happy 16th Birthday Kayla

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Island Girl.  Kay loves everything having to do with tropical islands - sun, surf, sand, waves, beaches, palm trees, sunsets, shells, hammocks, ocean breezes, and a good tan line.

Her arrival came quietly and smoothly, even with no doctor around, and her life has followed suit.  She's not one to draw attention to herself, just goes about doing good making life smoother for others.  She is hard working, self-motivated, and incredibly talented in so many ways.  She brings a tremendous spirit of peace and joy to our home and family.   We love you Kay!  So proud of the Royal Daughter that you are!

This Is The Place Pioneer Park

Field Trip day with Brenna to This is the Place.  It is the area where Brigham Young first came into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, and has been recreated so that people can experience what life was like for the early settlers in Utah.

They learned about the life of Mountain Men - how they would trap animals in bring them in to town to trade for food and tools.

Brenna volunteered to wear the 'Dunce Cap' in the one-room school house.

  

They participated in a handcart pull around the park. 

 A favorite part of fields trips is being with friends.  These 2 have been such good friends to each other as they both came into the well established ALPS program a few years later than most kids.  They are alike in their goofiness as well as their tender hearts and helping hands.

Needing a Little Waffle Love

Sometimes after a long hard day at the office (or classroom) you just need a little Waffle Love.

and a little Temple Love.  These two things can make any night better :)

General Womens Meeting

Every 6 months the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints holds a General Conference for the purpose of teaching and strengthening it's church members. The 1st meeting held each conference is the General Women's Meeting and it is for all women ages 8 and up (that's all the girls in our house)

Tonight was our 1st meeting without Aubrey, but she was participating in this event with her relief society sisters down at BYU.  One of the things I love about the gospel of Jesus Christ is how it touches each and every single person exactly where they are at.  Though the audience ranged in age from 8 to 108, the principles taught are universal and through the power of the Holy Ghost, each individual heart is taught and touched.  I love the messages of love, forgiveness, and on this night, I especially appreciated the message from Sister Wixom about our own Divine Nature and where it comes from.  Click on the link above to read her inspiring words.  

I am so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thankful to know Him and feel of his unconditional love for me and for all mankind.  I recognize the infinite atoning sacrifice He made on our behalf, and know that only through Him can I be cleansed of my sins and shortcoming, but also receive the grace and enabling power I need to progress and become more like Him.  These conferences increase my testimony of Him and His redeeming love.  

Zoo Fun

Brenna LOVES the zoo.  She loves everything about it

From the lion mouth drinking fountains

to the monkeys and baby monkeys (look really really close)

to the polar bears in the hot sun

to the carousel rides 

to watching elephants take baths

to seeing her very favorite animals - the Giraffe's.   Nothing like a great day at Hogle Zoo!

Kayla's 1st Dance Proposal

While Kayla was in California, girls started asking boys to Bingham Ball, which is a formal 

'girl-ask-boy'  dance held up at the State Capitol Building.  She needed to get right on asking someone.  Now you can't actually 'just' ask someone.....is has to be an official dance proposal. 

Dance proposals are pretty serious business here.  You've got to be on the ball, ready with wonderful, unique ways to ask each new boy/girl to each dance (and the dances come about every 6-8 weeks)  Similar to dance dresses....you can use one you've worn or done before.  

We used  Family Home Evening to brainstorm ideas.  Kayla had just won a Goofy stuffed animal, so she decided to go with the Goofy theme.  One quick trip to the store and a few drive-by's of the prospective date's house and she was ready for the big ASK.

Goofy doesn't look to good in this pic, but he was covered in 'glow-in-the-dark' silly string and surrounded by candy.  Within his outfit were 5 small pieces of papers with the letters to Kayla's name for him to put together.   Kayla was successful in her 1st dance proposal......now to wait for his response. 

Kay's Final Day

Last day of Kayla's Sweet 16th Trip.  She was treated to lunch with Grandma Miller

Goodbye to Grandma & Grandpa Webber

Goodbye to the palm trees - which she LOVES! 

Such a great trip for the two of us.  Love you lots Kay!  Happy 16th!

La Crescenta 5K

 This morning I got to run with some of my favorite running partners along one of my favorite routes in the heart of my hometown of La Crescenta.  The route began at Two Strike Park (which holds a sentimental place in my heart as the location of my kiss from Robert and where we engraved our initials into our favorite tree)  From there we head down the hill, made a right on Orange Ave.   passed  Robert's house (where his parents still live)  and headed slightly uphill for another mile to the water station/turn around point at the corner of Frederick and Santa Carlotta.  Talk about 'Memory Lane'  This literally is my memory lane - Santa Carlotta between Fredrick and Rosemont. I would pass house and think about who lived there when I was growing up.  It was super fun to be out running this route.  Now I just had to make it back to Two Strike.  I didn't have a great sense of where I was at time wise, but I hadn't seen too many women ahead of me as I approached the turn around point.  I was even ahead of Kayla at this point - which is a lead I can never keep.

The return route was great until I hit Rosemont and had to finish with that serious uphill to the park.  Ugh.  Ugh. By now Kayla had passed my and was nearing the finish line.  I just kept reminding myself that  'I Can Do Hard Things' and was so happy to see the finish line in sight.  I caught my breath, found Kay, and we watched for my dad to come through.  That guy is amazing.  71 years old and running like he's 30.....He's a rock star.  Dad came in 2nd in his age group behind his running rival Jim,who has won the 70+ age category the past few years.  I came in first in the 40-44 age group and Kayla came in 4th in the 15-19 age group, but Kayla was the big winner in our family that morning.  Such a fun run down Memory Lane.

BYU vs. UCLA - Rose Bowl

Dad and Kayla hiking into the Rose Bowl.  If you've ever been to a large sporting event with my Dad, you'll know he likes to park far away from the stadium for easy exit access out after the game.  We may have laughed, but the area around the Rose Bowl is so beautiful, I'll never complain having to walk a few miles to get there.

The So Cal chapter of the BYU alumni association put on a pre-game tailgate party with food, games, activities, the cheerleaders, and BYU president & athletic director.  It just so happens that the president of the So Cal BYU alumni chapter is a La Canada native, so it kinda felt like I was at a stake activity.  

Fun to spend this day with dad and Kay

Go Cougs!

Back of the shirt given out by the alumni group.  We pretty much know every sponsor on there as they come from the La Crescenta/La Canada area.  Funny.

I even found friends from Utah at the tailgate party.

  We loved every minute of it....except the final minute of the game, when BYU turned over the ball just outside their own end zone.  But, we really could not have asked for a better day full of fun, friends, and football.   We love BYU Football!

Kayla's Disneyland Days

Disneyland Day 1

They say Disneyland is the Happiest Place on Earth - and for this girl - that is definitely true.  She would live here if she could.  So grateful we could plan this special trip for her 16th Birthday. 

                     This was her first time in CARS Land and she loved everything about it.

 It was also my first time on Tower of Terror and a few other lose your stomach type of rides.  With a family of 7, and 6 other people in our family eager to go on these rides, I'm usually the odd man out that waits patiently at the exit.  But not this trip.  It was just me and Kay and we hit every single ride.

 Though it was only Sept. it was fun to see some of the Christmas stuff up.

Uncle Terry and Aunt Sally had picked us up at the airport and took us straight to the park.  That night, they picked us up and took us out to Red Robin for Kayla's birthday.  Thank you so much!!!!

Baker Brenna

This girl loves to bake.  She has grown up watching and helping Mom and sisters bake and now she is venturing out on her own.  Checking out Kids Cookbook's at the library to make new and yummy creations.  Thanks for adding so much goodness and goodies to our home!

Miner's Color Run 5K

        Tonight the girls ran in the Miner's Color Run 5K as part of a Bingham PTA Fundraiser
         I'm not sure if the pouring rain helped or diluted the color chalk stations they ran through.

But they were all smiles

                                              Dancing and running with sisters and friends
                                  No mind the stitches Kayla just got in her ankle or the pouring rain

                                                  Another successful 5K for the girls!