Young Women in Excellence

I love working with the 12-17 year old young women at church! Last month I was in charge of Young Women in Excellence where we celebrate them for their hard work in the Personal Progress Program. The girls chose the theme "Daughters of a Heavenly King." I love knowing that they know of their Royal Heritage. 

We had such an amazing evening. Here are some pictures to prove it!

Our Invitations were rolled up like a scroll

Every girl put on a crown when she arrived

Doesn't do it justice, but we decorated with lights

Swan Creme Puffs- Thank you Lacey Fry!

Sugar Spun Crown Cupcakes

We spoiled them with the dessert table

sparkling cider

Love these ladies!

Daughters of a Heavenly King

They outdid themselves on the display tables!

Everything went perfect! The girls each picked a value to speak on,  one girl earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award and another her 2nd Honor Bee. I spoke and then Trent did an amazing job speaking as their Bishop. But you have, have, have to listen to the song on this video that Mindy and Chelsea performed. I think it touched every soul in that room. I am so thankful for my calling to serve in the Young Women's Program at church. It has blessed my life.

Enjoy!

Halloween Fun

The month of October is always so much fun. This Halloween was no exception. We had a blast going to Halloween parties and trick-or-treating with all our friends. This year Crew was a football player, Kai-a power ranger, and Delaney-a doughnut.

my little trick-or-treaters

LOVE them!

Where's Waldo?

 I always feel so lucky that I get to be a stay-at-home mom. One major perk is getting to attend the kid's school parties. They don't get to dress up in Halloween costumes at their school. Instead they do a theme for the whole grade. 4th graders were 70's themed:

Delaney & her BFF

The 1st graders were Hawaiian themed:

Kai and his buddies

 We have the funnest Pumpkin Patch around! I took a gazillion pictures but will spare you and only show this one from the hay ride:

We had our annual neighborhood Progressive Dinner which is always a good time. At the end of the festivities we do a pinata for the kids. Delaney claims you can't see her in this picture because everyone is on top of her:

And we had a blast at the church Fall Festival painting pumpkins, eating doughnuts on a string, and doing the sack race:

Go Laney Go!

 I love this picture of Trent with all his buddies! If I recall, shortly after this picture was taken, he found himself flat on his stomach. I feel like he tried to take one massive jump to the finish line.

Hope your Halloween was as fun as ours!

San Diego

Trent and I had been planning the trip to San Diego for Cart's wedding for months. As it drew closer and closer, he kept dropping hints that he was stressed about going.  He was preparing for a big trial scheduled for the week after the wedding and he was swamped with work. Right before the trip I decided to cancel his flight. There was no way he was going to have fun if he was that stressed out.

That's when my "couples weekend" became a "girls weekend". My friend Angela has a fabulous husband who agreed to watch her 20-month old and 5 week old so she could get some time on the beach! We had a blast!!

First and foremost, Cart's wedding was perfect. I'd show pictures, but since I was IN the wedding, I didn't take any... here are the ones Angela took:

Me & Ang

Head Table

 After all the wedding festivities we spent the weekend laying out at the pool reading magazines, eating some amazing food:

Fish tacos at Rubios

Coconut French Toast at Isabel's Cantina

Pork Tacos at Carnita Snack Shack

Giant pancakes at Hash House

Red Velvet Cupcake at Sprinkles

We took our time getting ready each morning, laid on the beach, 

 and spent time catching up with some great friends that live in the area:

It was the most relaxing, perfect girl's weekend! Thanks for the memories Angela!!

My Best Friend's Wedding

McCarten Delaney has been my best friend for 16 years. I still remember the day we met our sophomore year of high school. We were inseparable then. Technically I named my first child after her.  She was in my wedding,  and in September I got to be in hers. 

She sent an email to her bridesmaids introducing us to each other and what she said about me made me cry:

"Lindsay- Lou Lou, the first friend I ever had that showed me what it meant to have faith, love, and be positive- even when things got tough. These were hard qualities to find in someone in high school. Lindsay was liked by everyone, made us all laugh and most importantly was always true to herself. Lindsay never judged me or any of our friends when we made bad decisions and she stood on the sidelines. We all know I have a potty mouth and I try to be good when I am talking to her but even if I slip she just smiles and hugs me as if I didn't say anything bad at all. I love the way she was always there to listen and support but the reason I love Lindsay the most is she is FUNNY and a BLAST to be around. Lindsay and I have maintained (her better then me) our friendship over the years and she has become an amazing Mom of 3 and is married to one of the most amazing guys that I know."

This is how I would introduce her:

McCarten has the biggest heart of anyone I know. I remember when we were 18 years old we drove by a bad car accident and she told me that she wanted to say a quick prayer for the people involved. McCarten has friends wherever she goes. She will engage complete strangers in conversation that may reach deeper than they might have with their closest friends. She treats everyone like family.  She laughs at all my jokes then repeats them to the next person who walks up making them not funny anymore. She is completely genuine. You never have to guess what she is feeling. She makes you feel like a million bucks because she gives genuine compliments that you know come from her heart. She is kind and thoughtful and funny. I feel so honored to be her friend.

Their wedding was beautiful. I am so happy for her and Mark and their sweet little Harper. 

                                                          Isn't she stunning?!?

 I love you Cart!! Thank you for letting me share your special day with you!

wedding

Our date this week was at the Loretto for Jaime and Drake's wedding. 

Jaime is my manager at work and I just love her. 

She was beautiful, the bridesmaids were beautiful. It was all lovely.

But for some reason,

I couldn't take my eyes off THIS beautiful man:

                                        I feel so lucky to be married to my very best friend.

School Days

                                              Well, it's that time of year again!

But before we shipped them off we had our annual Back to School Feast:

Back to School Feast
The request was steak, corn on the cob, rice pilaf, broccoli, and O.J.

I can't believe how fast time flies. Delaney is now a 4th grader. She is growing up way too fast but she is still our little sweetheart. Kai is a big 1st grader this year. Apparently on his 2nd day of school his teacher pulled him aside to tell him that he was the best reader in the class. Boy, was he proud!

1st Day of School

4th grade & 1st grade

Bus Stop

Tidbits about Laney Lou:   I can always trust Delaney to do the right thing. She is full of personality! She spends most of her time upside down in a handstand or cartwheeling through the house.  She is such a big helper. I don't know if I know another child that is so kind. I love that she copies almost everything I do. She is my little mini-me.

Tidbits about Kai-Kai:     This little guy has the most killer smile. I love hearing him laugh and seeing his dimples. He is my most sensitive child and has the biggest heart. If he ever hears someone saying something that isn't nice he is quick to remind you of that. He always sticks up for the underdog. He melts my heart by giving the most genuine compliments.

I feel so blessed to have these two in our family. I have missed them while they've been gone all day.

Angela's Shower

My sweet friend Angela is having a baby today. They are naming her "June".

Here are a few pictures of the shower we threw her at my house. 

It was a milk & cookies bar

with 6 different types of cookies & five different flavors of milk.

Angela, me, Jenny, & Sam

Back at it!

I'm baaaaa-aaaack!

And oh how I've missed you. I didn't attempt to blog ONCE this summer. With all three little pigs home it would've been too much of a chore.

 Speaking of chores... I didn't do too many of those this summer... but I LOVE August because this is the time of year when I step up my routine.

 The kids start school in a week which will leave me with just Yub Yub:

I'm feeling mixed emotions about the bigs going off to school. Some of our days this summer have felt sooooooo long- others have been magical.

Despite our family's crazy life right now, I've been able to take some time to contemplate all the growing we've done this last year. I'm really a believer that you can be strengthened by your trials. I read this quote the other day that I just love:

"The most beautiful people...are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." -Elizabeth Kubler Ros

Whoever you are Elizabeth Kubler Ros, you said it perfect. God bless beautiful people.