Sammie's Baptism Day

Sammie got baptized yesterday.  Two of my siblings flew in from out of town to be there to support Sammie.  It meant a lot to me to have my whole family there.  It was also nice to have Sam and his family join us.  My amazing neighbor Doug got my yard ready (including pulling weeds and cleaning out my nasty garage.  Seriously!)   My sis-in-law Annette took these awesome photos.  Prepare yourself for picture overload.

Thankful

Today I am thankful for:

The most wonderful parents:

The greatest siblings and spouses:

The sweetest boy:

The sassiest girl:

The funniest little guys:

The nicest ex:

The sweetest friends:

and the coolest boyfriend (first time going public!):

The older I get, the more I realize that the only thing in life that really matters are people.  The rest is just stuff (and I know I just did a Dear Santa post..forgive me!)

I also know how hard it is to say goodbye to people in your life who mean a lot to you.  People who were there for you in your darkest hour and will always have a special place in your heart.  I'm grateful for those people too.

Most of all, I am grateful for my Savior, who doesn't just pat us on the back and say "it's going to be okay."  He has literally felt our pain.  All of it.  He knows what it feels like to be alone, to be uncertain of the future, to be heartbroken when your children are sad.  He has descended below all of it and yet has risen again triumphant so that we can too.  I am so grateful to be able to celebrate His birth and life this coming Christmas season.

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Best of Summer 2012

I spent the better part of August dreading the kids going back to school.  I hate following a schedule, and routines and the driving non stop.  What was I thinking?  Back to School is the best thing that happens to moms.  It is delightful having my big kids gone and occupied for a good portion of the day.  Preschool starts in a few weeks and then my life will really be complete!  There is a bit of crispness in the air...Fall is coming.  Bring on the cute clothes..jeans, sweaters, boots! 

But before we dive into Fall, I do want to document our summer with a "best of" list.  Without further ado:

Best Vacation (and only vacation): Sun Valley with the kids (and the Ex):



Best Weekly Activity: Seven Peaks.  I tried to take my kids every Wednesday afternoon.  Food is half price after five..so cheap, we couldn't afford to NOT eat dinner there.  The Diet Coke on tap is delicious.  I have only good things to say about the place.  Last year I thought it was totally nasty.  This year, my friend Susan and I decided it was nice.  I doubt the place has changed one bit..we just lowered our standards...a lot.

Best lessons:  Swimming lessons at Swim Kids.  They are the best out there, people.  Not cheap but really good private lessons.  I am a fan.

Best Treat: Red Mango Frozen Yogurt.  Golden Spoon is dead to me.



Best Shindig at my house:  Bridal shower for one of my old YW, Megan:



Best Purchase: A new bike!  I call it my Barbie bike.  It is so girlie and I totally love it.  I hate this photo because I look like I have some dead animal around my neck.

Best Value: Ice Cream at Thanksgiving Point.  I think it is 25 cents for a cone.  I am a sucker for their chocolate malts:

Best Boy Heaven: Cub Country:  Yes, that is dirt all over Luke's face.  The four hours I was up there chaperoning was the longest day of my life.

Best Educational Activity: Taking Luke and Sammie to watch my dad in Court (he is a Federal Magistrate judge:

Best Warnerpalooza get together: Fourth of July Weekend and being the Patriotic Pirates in the East Millcreek Parade:



Best Shopping Find: These pink kicks at Nordstrom Rack.  I am addicted to pink right now. 

Best Song: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen (I don't care how bad you hate it..it is catchy and happy and I love it.

Best Time Suck: Swim Team for Luke:  Practice every day for an hour and three hour swim meets every week about did me in.  But he liked it so it was worth it:

Best Cousin Activity: Playing in Grandma's "river"



Best After Church Activity: Temple Square with the kiddos

Best Mama-Son activity: BYU season opener in Provo with Luke:

Okay, now bring on Fall!

Fourth of July aka Warner-palooza

Fourth of July is a big holiday for the Warners.  Go big or go home is our motto.  I love it because all of my siblings come into town and there is stuff going on all the time.  Here is how we celebrated today:

We woke up early and dressed up as Patriotic Pirates for the East Millcreek Parade.  My mom does a float every year for the grand kids to ride on.  This year, my mom decided not to make a new float...and instead just pulled out the float from last year.  It is darling and everyone loves it.  We may just be the Patriotic pirates from here on out!

Here are some pictures from this morning:

I ordered these t-shirts for the ladies last year on ebay.  I don't know how mine gets tighter and shorter every year.  When I complained about it, my brother Rex told me it wasn't the t-shirt that was changing...

After the parade, Ashley and Tyler and their kids went to Kneaders with me for breakfast.  Everyone else pooped out and went home.  Their loss.  The food was to die for as usual.  Ashley and Tyler were raving about  it.

Then we all headed to the pool for the afternoon.  It was so fun to see all the little cousins playing in the pool together:

Even my dad came.  Buster loves to feel his beard scruff:



My brothers love to do tricks on the diving boards.  Here is my brother Cam doing a back flip.  I asked Rex if he had ever seen whales fly:

We came home for a couple hours then headed back up to my mom's for dinner.  My dad lovingly preparing the KFC:

We laughed that the blessing on the food was "Please bless this KFC to nourish and strengthen our bodies and we are so grateful for the Colonel and his 11 original herbs and spices."

My mom's candy jars were decked out in Fourth of July colors.  I don't know how she finds the energy:

Cousins often end up in the same outfits because Grandma buys them the same clothes:



The adult table (minus my mom who never sits down):

The kids spent 90% of the evening in Grandma's river:

My dad has a very weird preoccupation with these lips.  He is holding a photo of himself wearing those same lips on Christmas.  It isn't right:

Buster is totally freaked out by it:

Rex didn't buy any fireworks to do this Fourth of July and I'm sad to say, I kind of missed his white trash show.  But we got to sit on my parents driveway and watch fireworks from around the valley (I love this picture.  I stole it from my bro-in-law Tyler's facebook page:

Happy Fourth everyone!