Flowers

 I've been going through some pictures tonight trying to see what I need to blog about and found these I took last spring/summer.  I love the one above because it reminds me of my Grandma.  She always had peonies in her yard.  I planted these bulbs a couple of years ago in remembrance of her and last spring this is what I got.  I LOVE it!  It especially makes me excited for spring to come in a few months.  The other 2 pictures are of the Hollyhocks I have in Wyatt's garden.  Another favorite of mine.  I'm getting excited for what is in store in a few months from now.:)

Merry Christmas

Wyatt's Tree

I have so much to blog about that it's a little overwhelming...Hawaii, Birthday party, Baptism, 16th birthday, Christmas, Elf on the shelf, etc. etc.   It's been such a busy and eventful fall but hopefully when January comes and things seem to slow down a bit I can catch up on it all.

I do need to post a few pictures of Wyatt's tree.  Such an emotional thing for me each year.  As we put it up and hang each and every ornament we think of each of you that contributed to his tree and that have helped us through such a difficult trial.  I labeled each ornament when I got it.  That way we could always remember who gave it to us and think of them as we place it on his tree each year.  We feel so blessed with abundance and are so beyond grateful for the kindnesses people have shown to us. There is GOOD in this world and Wyatt's tree is a symbol of that.

This year I decided to use all the white, gold, and silver ornaments for the front of the tree and then the colored ornaments on the back. I love how it turned out.  I also bought some fun little white squiggly things last year on clearance to add to it.  Love how fun it makes it.  Also, last Christmas my brother gave us some crystals from the Provo temple's celestial room chandelier that they were replacing.  I love them!  They make his tree sparkly and in the afternoon his room fills with Rainbows.  That has been such a tender mercy this year and so much fun.  Thank you Kurt and Shanna!

We miss our little boy and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think of him but we know he is near and loves us very much just as we love him.  Our love is ETERNAL and I'm so grateful for that.  I do look forward to the day when I get to see him marvel at the Christmas lights and open gifts on Christmas morning. I do believe that I will get to do that with him and it will be the most wonderful thing ever.

 One of the crystals from the temple chandelier.

 A new ornament this year from some wonderful friends.  Love it!!!

Rainbows on the walls of Wyatt's room from the crystals.

Hayley's Baptism

Hay was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday December 1st.  It was a wonderful and memorable day.  Hay is such a sweet heart and we feel so blessed she is in our life.  She has been the sunshine in our lives that past 5 years as we have mourned and grieved over her little brother.  I will be forever grateful to her for being there for me and for her sweet and fun personality.  Her dad baptized her and joked for the weeks prior that he was going to hold her under the water for a long time. Well, he kind of did do that.  It was the longest under water baptism I've seen. The spirit was strong and on these kinds of occasions we feel Wyatt's spirit especially strong as he wouldn't miss his sisters baptism.
We had many wonderful friends and family come and support us.  We are so grateful for all of them.  It just made her day that much more special.  So grateful that she has choosen to make that first step back to her Heavenly Father and that first step to make it to the celestial kingdom where her little brother has already made it.

With her cousin that will be getting baptized in July 2014.

Grandma and Grandpa J.

Family and friends.

Grammie and Grandpa L.

The desserts from the luncheon we had after at the church.

Baking Party

For Hay's 8th birthday we did a baking party.  I had one when I was a girl, my sister had one, and Em had one. It's kind of a tradition and I wanted to make sure Hay had the best one yet.  It was a lot of fun.  I wanted to limit it to 6 girls but just couldn't leave anyone out so I ended up making 12 aprons and hats.  It was a lot of work but I love how they turned out.

 I found the rolling pins online.  When they arrived at the party there was sugar cookie dough waiting for them to roll and cut out.  While the cookies were baking they got to decorate cupcakes.  After that was done they made mini pies...which I forgot to get a picture of.  You can buy the mini graham cracker crusts already made at Walmart.  We just mixed up a couple different flavors of instant pudding and poured them into the pie shells and then put them in the fridge to set up.  Before they left the party we put some whip topping on top.

It was kind of crazy at times with 11 girls needing frosting, help etc. etc. :) but lots of fun.  They then frosted their sugar cookies and put all their baked goodies into a cake holder I found at the $ store.  We opened presents and then sang "Happy Birthday" and had cupcakes.  It was fun party that I hope Hay will never forget.  Here are a few pictures of the day.

I made the chef hats out of poster board and tissue paper. Just taped the tissue paper to the strip of poster board.  I got the idea from my amazing niece.:)  I used coffee liners and cupcake liners for the flowers on the chef hats.

Waiting patiently for the bakers to arrive.:)

I put 2 cupcakes on top of each other and quickly decorated it.  This was a last minute thing that I remembered I needed to do. :)

The whole fun and crazy group.:)