I'm so grateful! Yes I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me!

Today was the last of all of the ward's primary program presentations in our stake.  They were all great, but today's program actually made me cry because I was so touched.  The Cooley Station ward was the last ward to have their program.  I noticed that there was a girl who was talking in sign language as well as speaking her talk.  I was so impressed.  Then I learned that her mother is deaf and was sitting just two rows ahead of me.  Her husband and mother (or maybe mother-in-law, not sure) was also signing during the program for her.  As her children would say their parts, you could see this dear sister and her husband just beaming with pride as they spoke and signed their parts.  The grandma kept wiping tears from her eyes.  The tears really flowed when they children were singing "I Know That My Savior Loves Me."  I too love that song.  During the closing song, the entire primary sang "As I Have Loved You."  They sang it twice and the second time they asked the congregation to join in too as they signed the song.  I watched as this sister joined in and sang with her hands "As I Have Loved You."  I thought it was so touching that the entire ward reached out to her and sang this song just for her.  I was grateful for that ward for reaching out to this mother who never gets to sing with her children in church and yet she could take part in the program today.  I'm grateful that we have leaders who are so caring and teach our children how to serve and love one another.  I can't imagine going through life not knowing what the sound of my child's voice sounded like nor never hearing them sing.  It reminds me of the other primary song where the words are, "He gave me my eyes that I might see the color of butterfly wings, he gave me my ears that I might hear the magical sound of things."  My body may not be perfect and there are definite things I do not like about my body, but I'm so grateful, especially today, for the gift of hearing. Yes I know Heavenly Father loves me!

Dancing on the Ceiling!

Check out the newest addition to our collection!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!  It's a DISCO BALL!!  Seriously, is this just not the best thing ever?!  Just looking at it you smile.  We are definitely in for some F-U-N parties now!  I bought this off from Craigslist and apparently it used to be in a real ball room.  It's huge and even comes with a motor so it spins.  We're going to use it next week for the stake youth conference and then again for New Year's Eve.  SO fun!!  I showed it to Tiffany and her first comment was "I wish I would have gotten one for my wedding gift!"  haha!!  Let's Party!!!

Clorox Clean Up!

Okay, I know this is a totally random comment and probably sounds a little weird, but do you have a favorite scent of household cleaner?  I do - it's Clorox Clean Up.  I know that sounds funny, but I just love the clean smell it leaves.  When I spray the counters down or the sink, I know it's clean.  Same with my laundry, when I use Clorox on my whites, I know they are clean and white.  My girls keep joking that I need to make a Clorox candle and then I would be happy!  Hmmm....I wonder if they sell those!  ;o)  What is YOUR favorite cleaner scent?

Brandi gets married!

My cousin Del's daughter got married last night and we did a reception in her new husband's back yard.  They had a huge crowd and everything looked beautiful.  We got a big scare when it started to sprinkle pretty hard around 2:00.  We ended up taking everything down and then madly putting everything back up an hour or so later after we said a prayer asking for the rain to stop.  Prayers work, our prayers were answered.  I'm not sure I will ever do an outside wedding again, that is two back to back weekends where we had backyard weddings and both times we had weather issues and had to take everything down and set up again.  They sure are pretty but twice as much work.

Brandi had a black, white and hot pink wedding.  She looked gorgeous.  She wanted everything to have chandeliers so we did our best to not disappoint her.  We had them hanging everywhere - around the serving table, the welcome table, the cake table, and all around the yard.  Such a fun theme!

They showed pictures of them on this backdrop that we made for them.

Well hello Shannon!  I guess she wanted to be in my picture, huh?!!  Pictures of toppings for her ice cream.  We had all of the toppings in different sized jars with cute ribbons attached to them.  Turned out so cute!

Obviously this is before all of the food was set out.

We put the cupcakes on these new serving chandeliers we just got.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!

Seriously, is there anything cuter than this 3 tiered serving tray?  LOVE the jewels attached!  Love the bling!

All lit up at night, such a beautiful pink glow.  We had beautiful black organza table skirting too that was lit up as well but you couldn't see that as well from the picture.

And they lived happily ever after!

Sweet 16!

Lindsay turned sweet 16 on Monday and we went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate.  She wouldn't let us tell them it was her birthday so they could sing to her, she didn't want any attention drawn towards her so we didn't do it.  Bummer!  On a prior birthday we had taken her to Applebee's and they came up and sang to her and she was so embarrassed that she kept sinking lower and lower in her seat.  It was so funny!  Lindsay has so many talents and such a wonderful daughter!  We are so glad she is part of our family!  WE LOVE YOU LINDSAY!!

Now if we can just get her to smile for the camera!!  C-H-E-E-S-E!!

Hailey being teased by her sisters - some things never change!

Erik caught eating a roll!  He didn't know his picture was going to be taken!

We Be Jammin!

My Utah peaches came in and we've been busy making peach jam, peach cobbler and will be making some peach pie soon too.  There is nothing better than fresh peaches from Utah!  They are the best!!

Lindsay gets YW Recognition Award!

We're so proud of Lindsay!  She worked really hard and got her YW Recognition Award.  Congratulations Lindsay, we love you!  We're proud of you too!!

Royal Palms Resort!

Tonight my sister Kristin helped me set up for our work meeting at the Royal Palms Resort.  What a beautiful venue to have a meeting!  Honestly it didn't need much to make the room beautiful - it was sooooo pretty!!  We kept it very simple.  My camera wasn't cooperating so the lighting is bad (plus it was dark in the room) so the pictures are not very good.  I would have loved to have seen the rest of the property....just beautiful!!