Joys of Parenting

So, Don and I went out on a hot date one Friday night and left our girls home to babysit, as we often do (although nowadays they are always gone babysitting everyone else's kids)! We came home to an immaculate, clean, home with all the kids in bed then went into our bedroom to find this....


Award for "best parents"? How about "best kids"?! So darling of them.

Summertime Visitors and B-day Parties!

I had been begging my brother-in-law, Jason, to ship his four kids out to stay with me and he actually did it! And he even added a bonus....my sister, Wendy, got to bring them! It has been 2 years since my sister, Ginger, passed away and I can't tell you what a treat it was for me to see her children and be surrounded by little "gingers" for 10 days. It was hard at times, but healing as well. They are amazing children.

Wendy's new husband, Joseph, got to come for the first few days and we had so much fun with them! We went to the temple and out to eat for Joseph's b-day and just enjoyed getting to know our new bro-in-law a little better.

We celebrated my niece, Jenna's, birthday with Gillian's and it was a PARTY! How can it not be a party with nine kids?


Gillian has been anxiously awaiting this birthday as 12 is a big year! She graduates from Primary and enters the Young Women's Organization.


The rule in our home is that you have to wait until you're 12 years old to get your ears pierced. So, we made it a special "girl's day out" and Wendy and I took all the girls to Claire's to watch Gillian get her ears done. Before we left I decided to ask Jason if Erin could get her ears pierced at the same time since she was only a few weeks away from turning 10, the rule in their house. He gave me the "ok" and when we told Erin she went ballistic! She was beyond excited.

But, that excitement soon turned to anxiety as she watched Gillian go first. After a period of going back and forth and back and forth, Erin finally decided it might be a good idea to wait until she was 12 also. :) Great idea, Erin Kate!


Everyone who knows me at all knows that I have issues with loose teeth. If someone shows me a loose tooth, it's out w/in 2 mins. Cute Jenna knows that and came right to me and asked me if I would pull her tooth out. Of course I will! So, I got the floss, tied it around her tooth, and "pop!" I yanked it right out. Well, Jenna went right to work writing a letter for the tooth fairy asking if she would give her some "fairy dust" so that she could fly. I'm pretty sure the tooth fairy panicked a little bit knowing that she could not give this little girl any of her special fairy dust, but she replied with this note and gift.... (double click to read it)


Jenna was thrilled with her special "fairy sweet dust" that she could sprinkle on her cereal, but come to find out later that Gillian was there when she woke up to find this special gift and without reading the note first, Jenna immediately asked Ryan to sprinkle her with the dust so that she could try flying! So darling and so believing. I love that Jenna girl.

It was a busy, but fun-filled, rewarding week and a half with Ginger's kids and my sister, Wendy. We swam (a lot) and went to the park and watched movies, and stayed up late, and ate junk food, and just played and played and played. I loved being with these precious children. It was comforting to see how well they were doing and sweet to hear them share memories of their mother. I loved having Wendy here to take Maternity shopping, watch chick flicks with, share the burden of cooking and cleaning with, and just have someone to talk to all day, every day. We had a blast together. I love and miss all of my sisters!