Happy Birthday Baby #2

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Northridge earthquake. It happened exactly 15 years ago early in the morning. We were sleeping soundly all 3 of us in our own beds, Mike and I in ours and Eliza in hers and then the earth shook. I jumped up on the bed and ran across and jumped down, Earth still shaking; grabbed Eliza from her bed; Earth still shaking; stood in doorway for what seemed like hours and finally the earth settled. The only problem, when you are 2 1/2 weeks overdue carrying a 10 lb. 2 oz baby jumping and running are rough on you. The earth may have stopped moving but my body decided that 5 in the morning was a good time to start labor. Mike on the other hand tried desperately to convince me that maybe it was heartburn and all I really needed was more sleep; Nope. Not gonna happen; and this is why tomorrow, January 17th Miss Grace will be turning 15!  Strange. There are parts of that day that I can remember like they were hours ago and yet I can hear her and her friend discussing boys and fashions and bad hair from the loft. Where did the time go.  Let's see.....She's been to Utah and Hogle Zoo, Went camping in Malibu and took a life altering tumble (sorry kiddo, I still have guilt from that one), she took an airplane trip to Mexico for a winter vacation with family, even had a cool boat ride. She only ate beans and rice on that trip but at least I know now that it won't hurt. She moved 2000 miles away. Made friends with Libby, became a brownie, was diagnosed with a little health issue, learned that m & m's give you special powers and can enable you to stay very still in MRI machines, went to Junior high; learned to play the clarinet, made countless trips back and forth from Illinois to California; moved back to California; took her first plane trip without her parents; started high school; took a trip without family to go to Championships; learned that maybe traveling with family isn't soo bad after all; and the boys, soo many boys, Dylan, Austin, Nick, Cort, Scott.......the list goes on. Well, I guess maybe lots has happened. There seems to be fewer skulls these days. Yeah. Happy Birthday Baby.

Miss Liza has been accepted to BYU Idaho!!!

New Year's Post

Ok, here is the deal. I have sat at several computers over the course of the last week with every intention of posting one of those glorious and insightful New Year's Posts. Well, it's official. It ain't gonna happen here. I've started a few times. I have even gotten about 1/2 way through but I just can't seem to tie it up in a pretty package and post it. So, here's the problem. There are a few things going on that I can't seem to steer my focus from. There's Mike's dad being, well, it's not really ill. He is starting his second round of chemo and I worry about the girls watching him go through this and how they are handling it. Then, there's Catie. She is seeing a surgeon at the Children's Hospital this week because she has a problem with the soft tissue in her hip. Then, there's the whole work thing. I enjoy what I do, it's just the hours, well, they suck!! So, the New Year has great potential. I have printed out 246 pictures to work on scrapbooking.  I have vowed to get myself in better condition, scrapbook 3 pages a week, read the Relief Society lesson for Sunday even if I am in Primary and GET MY HOUSE CLEAN. So, please know that I appreciate all of you that peek in here and all of you that think about us. I just am a little overwhelmed and poignant words escape me today. But, later this week when I begin scrapbooking and talking about the love of a Crock pot and working moms. Then we will talk. ;)