Orme family reunion 2011

This was an amazing family event I wouldn't have missed for the world. I have always loved feeling connected to family and wish we could all live closer together. We dedicated the entire event to the legacy of Merlin and Erva Orme my wonderful grandparents. We stayed in Bear Lake, Utah at really the best Inn at the Lake. There was golf and swimming, volleyball and basketball, swimming and bbqs, biking and hiking, talent shows, slide shows, and devotionals. I left feeling completely satisfied with the exception of wishing it didn't go by so fast. I reconnected with cousins I haven't talked to in years, and they felt like best friends. I invited everyone to come to CA and I meant it!
This was the teen/college room and pictured are some of my favorite Guinn and Wertner teen/college kids. (Looks like Brody snuck in)

Josie made fast friends with second cousins Mikayla and Isabel

Kellen swimming in the pool. He loved it until he realized how much colder it is than the California pools he is used to swimming in!

Kellen met his second cousin Brielle. She was so cute and so were Jane and Eli, the other two toddlers his age.

This was the dining area. It accommodated 67 of us perfectly if you can believe it! Pictured are my Mom and Dad, cousin Jake, and Aunt Tricia.

I wanted to eat this little guy,Eli, along with his little sister Lily. His dad is my birthday cousin, Kirby. We were born 1 day apart 40 years ago.

The kids got so much use out of the Jacuzzi and pool. The hard part was keeping the toddlers safe and the mosquitoes out with the door opening so often!

These bathing beauties are some of my amazing cousins. They are all talented and beautiful inside and out. The thing I was most impressed by was what wonderful patient mothers they are. Even with the exhaustion, a million little kiddos really had no issues the entire time. One small child did get into an adult room and do some beautiful art work on a white chair with a black sharpie - it very well could have been Kellen so thank you to Jennifer for using calmness and magic to get it out :)!

Lauren and Emmie had a great time. They were buddies but had fun making some new buddies too.

Brad turns 43 !!!!

I know you hardly ever look at this blog. I can't believe that I married you when you were 23. I really don't remember life without you anymore. We are stuck! haha! I do love you so much and definitely don't mind being "stuck". You are so patient and kind, solid and confidant, most importantly, however, is that you have the best shoulders and arms I have ever seen! Happy birthday - I think this year is going to be your best one yet.

Emmie turns 8 !!!!!

What a great birthday! Emmie started with a Luau themed party with all of her friends and some of her family. She had a great time and was really satisfied with her day. Then just a couple of weeks later, she was able to be baptised a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Here she is with Brad just before. I think she looks so excited.

Here she is with me. I just love this girl soooo much. She looked forward to this day with much anticipation and excitement. She invited neighbors, friends, all of her church classmates, and a lot of her family. So many of them could come it was really special. The best was that Grandma and Grandpa Guinn made it from Washington and Aunt Lynnette and Uncle Travis and cousins came from Nevada. We were so grateful that Emmie was able to be baptised before her Wertner cousins moved to TN!!!!!!

Here is the whole family on her special day June 18th, 2011.

Emmie - you are a beautiful daughter of God. You are kind, smart, lovely, and talented. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent you to us. I love your sense of humor. I love to watch you dance because you can see how much you love it in your face. I especially love the way you set an example for your younger brothers and love them. No other 8 year old can do push ups the way you can either!!!! Keep on being the best you possible. Love you my big 8 year old.

OK so it is the last day of school!!!!! I am so happy, but not as happy as the kids are. They have all had an amazing year. Sure there were little bumps here or there, but overall - amazing. I can hardly wait to start our summer. I love having my kids around all day everyday. I am never ready for school to begin again. We have lots of camps going on, but I think we will be able to fit in our family time. We have to get in as much as we can before my sister and kids move to Tennessee at the end of July. So sad - I am still in denial:(. We will start our break with a graduation celebration for lyssie lou (can I still call you that now that you are going off to college?). So fun.

I heard someone say this time of year is "the wind up to the wind down". This is so true, and although I enjoy the wind up because it includes concerts and shows and celebrations, I really can't wait for the wind down because it includes trips to the beach, vacations, time with family and no early morning seminary. I am managing to hang on without allowing undue stress to take over. This new way for me has been easier than I thought, and I just don't know why I couldn't control my stress better before!!! I can't believe that another school year is coming to a close - with our schedule the weeks just fly by! My baby is 1 1/2 and my big boy only has a year left in our home full time. I am trying to enjoy every moment!

Davin goes to prom "2011"

Looking mighty dapper if I say so myself! I was not invited to the house where they were taking pictures sadly, so I am waiting for the couple and group shots. I did get a semi - apology the next day when Davin admitted that I could have gone because as I had expressed to him "there were tons of parents" there.
Davin waited 13 years to get a brother - he got these beautiful girls first.

I decided to make the corsage again since the one I bought for Mormon prom fell apart as soon as they got in the car. A little pressure, but we were happy with the way it turned out.



Mother's Day 2011

This was a really nice day for me. Brad spoke in church, Emmie and Brody sang, everyone wrote me nice notes, even Davin, and I got to relax at my Mom's while my Dad barbecued and Brad chased Kellen around. I am pretty sure this day should come once a month instead of once a year!

Perry turns "15"

Her dinner pick was BJ's, which made the entire fam happy!

She got lots of presents to make the day special :) She also got a special cake on Mother's Day from her Nana and a surprise party from her friends a week late - even though it was her year for a family birthday! There is no question that she is loved!

It is actually difficult for me to express just how much I do love her. The very thought that I get to be your mom, Perry, makes me feel emotional! You are amazing in every way, and I feel blessed daily by our relationship. Your generosity of spirit and being touches all that know you. Your patience, kindness, and respect are healing and an example to us all. But your virtue is what really makes you beautiful inside and out! The world is yours and all the happiness God has to offer! Love you sooooooooooo much.