Book Club

This month our ward book club is reading Helen Keller: The Story of My Life. I am really excited about this book for two reasons, the first being that I like most have heard the Helen Keller story but have not really read much about her, the second is that I'm hoping to gain some inspiration from her! I have read the forward to the book and am almost done with the first chapter, so far so good!! Thanks to Cassie my good friend for picking such great books!

Lauren's 2nd grade pride day

On Friday Lauren's 2nd grade performed at the school assembly. They did great!! Before we left for school I got a picture of Lauren, and then one with Laurena and Kendall, they are growing UP way to FAST!!


Lauren up on the stage, can you find her?


Lauren and her friend Brooke

Ava the girls cousin came as well with Grandma and Grandpa Powell, that was fun for the girls to see her!

Garage Sale

Come by if you live close by, that rhymes!! Yes we are having a garage sale tomorrow from 7 to noon. Lot's of girls stuff!!

LDS Haiti Relief Efforts

Because of the response of so many LDS members wanting to do something for the people of Haiti the Church has given a formal statement on how members can best help.
If you click on the link below you can read the full statement given by church leaders. But I wanted to share this quote from the statement that I loved,
"We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue."
www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/first-presidency-statement-on-haiti
Growing up in Southern California I personally know the unsettling feeling of an earthquake. Although, while living there our home never sustained any damage, I do remember things falling off shelves and my Mom checking her China cupboard to make sure things were not broken.
I remember one day being at the orthodontist and waiting to be seen it was late afternoon and all of the sudden everything started to shake, I was a little freaked out because my Mom had dropped me off and was running an errand, I felt really scared and alone, luckily it didn't last long and was about a 5.5 quake, but it was very unsettling. I also remember waking up one morning to my bed shaking and running to the door jam in my room (because that's what they used to tell us to do) and yelling for my Mom and sister to get up!! Problably the largest quake that I remember is when I was a senior in High school I think it was in January early in the morning it was a large quake about 7.0 or larger I remember that being a quake that caused alot of damage to roads and freeways and being very scary!! Oh so scary!! My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti especially the children who have lost homes, parents, siblings, what a disaster. It's my hope that the people of Haiti can rebuild and rebuild with much better materials and construction.

The LDS church has also set up a website so if you would like to donate directly to the fund through the church you can. I have put a link to that as well.
www.secure3.convio.net/ldsp/site/Donation2?df_id=1861&1861.donation=form1&s_src=14703

Latter-day Saint Helping Hands give service in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Happy New Year

So we had a great New Year in California! Two days after Christmas my Mom and I and the girls drove to CA to spend the last half of Christmas Break there. Bryant flew over on New Years Eve day and we spent the last three days having alot of fun as a family! Here's some pics of our time.
We went to Disneyland with my step brother's and sister one day it was alot of fun! Thanks to my Dad for our Christmas presents of Disneyland annual passes this year for 2010, looking forward to more Disney visits this year when we visit family in CA.


All Kendall wanted at Disneyland was to see the princesses so we did, but of course after waiting in line for almost 2 hours she fell asleep 10 minutes before we got to the front of the line. Of course we woke her up, but she was a little out of it. Princess Jasmine was first and she was still kinda asleep then it was Belle and she was waking up a little more, but the last princess was Ariel and it was so cute as soon as she saw Kendall she reached out her arms and said "Oh it must be my little cousin because we both have red hair" Oh Kendall was soooooooo excited!! Priceless!!



On Thunder Mountain, Kendall's first time! She loved it!

Toy Story


New Years Eve we went to dinner with my cousins and Mom and then headed up to my Dad's it was a fun time.
Dinner at Cheesecake factory, have I mentioned I love this place??




It was a fun time!
Happy New Year, and all the best for a happy 2010!

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! My Mom flew into town on Christmas Eve day we picked her up at the airport and then went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Yummy!! We woke up the next morning to Santa's deliveries and it was so fun. The girls got new bikes and a few other things from Santa. Christmas night we went over to Bryant's parents for dinner and another round of opening presents and good times. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!
Christmas Eve

Seeing what Santa brought

Outside on their bikes



Opening Presents




Thanks everyone for your Christmas cards, that is one of my favorite things about Christmas! Looking forward to a great 2010!

We got T-peed!

Last weekend we came home from our ward Christmas party got in our comfies, and put a movie on. At about 10 we heard a loud knock at the door so we all go to the door open it up and this is what we found!! Our kids thought it was so cool! The fun part though was having the culprits come back and have a fun laugh with us, here's some pictures.


The culprits