My Baby's 7 years old today. . . and lots of other stuff!

I received a package in the mail the other day and look what was in it . . . this beautiful "Happy Birthday" banner that my clever sister, Melanie made for me.

 On the other side it says, "Valentines Day" in such cute fabric pieces.  Melanie is a quilter and she comes up with the most darling ideas.  She made the banner knowing they were moving to Idaho and sent a very sweet note with it which read, "Now, you can hang this banner up and have a little part of me at all of the birthday parties I can't come to."  (yes, I cried when I read that!)

 Our little Hailey, turned 7 years old today.  She is absolutely the light of our life and I can't imagine life without her.  She is really into birds right now.  (last year it was reptiles, but this year it is birds!!)  She wanted a parrot cake----so, thank goodness for the internet---we searched and found a pretty good parrot cake that we could duplicate!  I think it turned out really pretty.  She loved it!

 Of course, she wants a REAL parrot but this cake will have to do for now!  ha ha

 This is her little birthday outfit.  We let her open it before school so she could wear it on her special day.  I just love that she is 7 years old but still wears size 4/5 pants.  She is just petite! 

 Do you see her little art gallery in the background?  We took down the regular pictures that hang there and decided to make that her art gallery.  Hailey goes through more paper and markers than any other kid I know!  I want to save all of them too because each is so unique and always has a sweet message written on it.  

  She also has all of her upper baby teeth still so that makes her look even younger to me than all of her other friends.  (again, I'm completely OK with that!)  She is my last little baby and I want her to stay little!!!

 This is her best friend, Isobel.  (Izzy for short)  I took Hailey McDonald's for lunch and ate with her and her friends.  Those kids were so cute!  You'd think I was a rockstar or something---about 10 kids asked if they could sit by me at lunch!  I love how innocent and trusting children are.  As I sat eating with her, my mind couldn't help but think of the tragic events of last week.  I looked around at all of the pure, innocent faces of children and just shuddered.  I can't even begin to imagine the grief that is upon those who lost loved ones in Newtown, CT.  I couldn't stop hugging Hailey during lunch and I must have kissed her a dozen times.  

 After lunch, she begged me to stay and play with her at recess.  So, off to the playground we went.  We played on the swings and I gave "underdogs" to about 8 kids on the swings at least 8 times each.  That's 64+ underdoggies!!!  Whoa . . .  Then, I taught them how to play "Red Rover" and they had so much fun doing that!  When it was time to leave, Hailey just clung to me and wanted me to pick her up and hold her.  She is super snuggly and loves to be around me.  I just eat it up, because the older the kids get, the more difficult snuggling becomes!  I still get in some great hugs and snuggles with my teenagers, but it's just different when they are taller than you!

 Hailey got a fox body pillow that she has been wanting for weeks now.  Ever since she saw it at Target she has been dying to get one!

 Since she loves birds, Tom bought her a book about the birds in Arizona.  Hailey went crazy looking through the book and reading about the different bird facts.  She said, "Dad, when it's the 25 days of Christmas, can we go birding together?"  Perhaps she thinks the break from school is 25 days long--ha ha!  At any rate, I still think it's so cute she wants to go out and look for birds with her daddy!

 Of course, the two goofballs had to be laughing and wrestling the entire time Hailey was opening her presents.  I kept saying, "Can't you guys just focus on her for two minutes!?! ha ha!  

 Spencer was making this wierd sound by hitting his throat and humming at the same time and Kohler was absolutely cracking up!  It was pretty funny!

They finally calmed down enough to get a good picture!  I love these two boys . . . even if they are goofballs!  ha ha

I have a lot of things to catch up on but life has been super busy getting ready for Christmas, birthdays, concerts, staff luncheons, school meetings, teaching RS last Sunday, choir rehearsals, etc.    But, here are a few photos of what we did last Monday night after FHE.  We were singing Christmas songs with the two little kids and decided to record their sweet voices.  So, Tom got out the recording equipment and we did it---right there on the fly!  They aren't perfect recordings but they are so precious to me.  

 Hailey, in her little pajamas, sang, "Believe" from the movie The Polar Express.  It was pretty high for her voice so I transposed the song down 3 half steps which still made it a little high but not as bad.  She gave it her all and really belted out the high parts.  It was super cute to watch her.  Hailey really got into the recording and loved hearing her voice.  Tom would give her suggestions and she listened and made the corrections and would say, "Now play it back for me dad!"  

 Spencer sang, "Somewhere in My Memory" from the movie Home Alone.  He has such a beautiful, pure tone.  I hope he grows up to sing like his dad!

 Of course, Tom (a.k.a. Goofball #3) turned up the echo when Spencer recorded to full blast which sounded hilarious and  Spencer got the giggles!  He was seriously cracking up and could not stop!  ha ha

 Look at his face!!!  We were all hysterical, laughing at him--laughing!

 Then, on Tuesday night, after YM, Tom and I helped our Bishop's son, Dallin, record a beautiful song he performed in Sacrament Meeting a few months ago.  It is going to be a Christmas present to his parents and he was super excited to record his voice for the first time!

On December 11, Spencer had his School Orchestra Concert.  He started playing the cello just a few months ago and he is really liking it!

 Spencer is the second cello in behind the girl with the long blond hair.

 They played quite a few Christmas songs and we were really impressed at how nice they sounded, for a 5th grade orchestra.  

 Yes, the Santa hats were worn the next day to school!

OK, best find of the week!!!!  Did I mention that Hailey is CRAZY about birds and wants a real one?  Well, the other day I was at Party City and asked if they have any bird decorations for her birthday party.  The manager said they had a styrofoam parrot with feathers that was damaged from a pirate costume that she would sell me for $5!  DONE!!!!  I came home, hot glued the broken feathers and loose feet---and we were in business.  Hailey LOVES the parrot and named him, Christopher.  She is happy (and so are we!)

My Own "Little Women"

When my closet floor becomes so cluttered with shopping bags filled with Christmas surprises that I can hardly walk around in it, one of my personal favorite Christmas Rituals needs to happen . . . and it happened last night.   

I say goodnight to my sweet family, grab my favorite movie, and lock myself in my office to wrap presents for 2 hours.  Every year I watch the same movie and I am always so surprised how it still moves me.  One of the first moments that makes me smile is right when the music starts.  I LOVE THE MUSIC of this movie.  The next is when the girls, after discovering a miraculous Christmas breakfast prepared especially for them, decide to give it away to a starving family in need.  I love how they go "a-wassailing!"  I remembered that I had some leftover wassail from my holiday handbag party Saturday morning, so I paused the movie and heated up a cup for myself.  Ahh - it was so delicious!

 The other three moments that always bring me to tears are centered around Beth.  When Beth comes down with Scarlet Fever and the physician tells her sisters there is nothing he can do, my heart sinks to see the anguish in her sisters' eyes.  Then, Marmie comes home---and the strength of that mother, who has just returned from caring for their injured father in the hospital, begins to draw the fever from her head by rubbing her feet.  Her courage and strength were enough to preserve another few years for her sweet daughter.  I also love when Beth comes down the stairs at Christmas to find a new piano, given to her by a kind friend.  When she sees the fine instrument, she bursts into tears, knowing that her music will finally sound clean and bright, the way musical tones are suppossed to sound (compared to their old, out-of-tune previous piano) and her heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for his kindness.  Finally, the speech Beth and Jo have the night before she dies always gets me. 

"Why does everyone want to leave?  I love being home, but I don't like being left behind.  Now I'm the one going away.  I can be brave like you."

I love the simplicity of their lives - no television, no computers----they take time to play, time to learn, time to listen . . .and time to LOVE.  

These are the "little women" in my life.  I have 3 sisters, just like Beth.  If I had to label each of us with the characters, it would be:

Tamara=Meg (the oldest and protective of her sisters :)

Melanie= Beth (always the one who never wanted to move away from home)

MaryKay= Jo (full of spunk and enthusiasm for life)

Suzanne= Amy (the youngest- very artistic and the little blondie)

These sisters of mine mean the world to me.  I love them with all my heart.  There isn't anything I wouldn't do for any of them.  They are the "Little Women" in my life and I wouldn't be the same without them!

Sugar and Spice and ALL that's Nice!

What is made of sugar and spice and ALL that's nice?  

 These kids for one :) and two------- 

 Our Gingerbread House!

 We love getting together with friends and decorating our Gingerbread House.  It is so well made (thanks to my good and most generous friend, Kirsten who is an AMAZING pastry chef--trained in Paris :) and it lasts the entire month of December, until the kids pluck off the candy and eat it all!!

 This is my good friend, Kirsten - we planned the purple shirts too! ha ha

We keep it on our front entry hall table for ALL to see!

Tom designed the candy brick chimney - very clever indeed!

Annual Girl's Weekend + 1

Every December, Kelsey and I fly to Utah for our Annual Girl's Weekend.  We have done this for five years now, but this year, we decided to add one . . .

 Yes . . . Hailey girl came with us this year.  

I asked my girls to indulge me in these darling red coats I found.  I have just had a dream to take my girls to NYC, dressed in red coats, and walk around the tree at Rockefeller Center, go ice skating, and then see the darling Christmas show at  Radio City Music Hall.  Maybe someday NYC will happen, but for now, Salt Lake City is good for us.  There is something magical about Salt Lake during the holidays and we wanted to be a part of it.

 We met my parents at the airport and then headed to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for lunch.

 Hailey made a wreath on the ground with leaves while we were waiting to get in to the tabernacle.

 We heard the most amazing organ recital from Richard Elliott.  He played an incredible arrangement of "Come, Come Ye Saints" that brought me to tears as I sat in the very tabernacle that those blessed pioneers built by hand.  Then, Bro. Elliott played the same song that I played at our Stake Christmas Concert a few years ago, "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella" - only he was absolutely masterful.  I got chills listening to him!

What did I ever do to be blessed with the most amazing parents in the world?  

 After lunch, we walked around some shops and saw this enormous Christmas ornament decorated ALL with candy!

Hailey and Hayden enjoying their strawberries and cream!

 At 4:00 we went back to the Grand America Hotel for Afternoon High Tea.  (one of our favorite traditions!)  Ali (my sweet sister-in-law) met us with her darling girls, Hayden and Parker.  

Here is Ali and her little Parker Belle.  

 They had the most delicious hot chocolate, finger sandwiches, and desserts!

Hailey loved the hot chocolate but didn't even touch the sandwiches or dessert.  She is my picky eater and it drives me nuts.  Kelsey is always so good to try new things (except seafood!)     But even this year Kelsey didn't eat very much of the finger foods.  Soooo, we may be skipping the afternoon tea next year . . .

 Of course, Grandpa couldn't resist playing with Parker.  She is such a little cutie!

No snow again this year!

   

 We stayed at the Grand America this year and really loved the beautiful rooms.  The view of the city was pretty awesome too!

 The next day, we went and did some Christmas Shopping at City Creek.  Wow - is that place impressive!

 Mom found a new coat which looked absolutely amazing on her.  My parents are so fun to be with and so classy.  They have taught me so many good things and I am so grateful to them for all they do for me and my children.  

 Yes, Hailey loves her new ear muffs!  She slept with them the night before and wore them practically every waking minute after. ha ha!

 This is a gorgeous outdoor fireplace that you can sit by and relax at City Creek.  Kneaders, where we ate lunch, is right behind it.  

I can't believe this little girl is now almost 15 years old.  I love her so much!

 After City Creek and a fun lunch at Kneaders (yum!) we headed down to Gardner Village. Hailey had two wishes coming on this trip.  One was to ride a horse (which I didn't know if we could make that happen) and the other was to find a reindeer stuffed animal.  Luckily, we found a reindeer at Kneaders and she named it, "Jingle" --then we saw that there were horses at Gardner Village!   Hailey was so excited that they had horses to ride!  Her other wish came true! (phew!)

 That night we went to the BYU Folk Dancers concert called, "Christmas Around the World."  It was really fun for me to show the girls that I performed on that same stage about 20 years ago.  

They did a really beautiful Chinese Dragon dance which Hailey loved, since she is obsessed with any sort of reptile!

I sure love my daddy!  We have the same brown eyes :)

 The next day we had a nice breakfast and packed up our things. My mom and dad treated Hailey to an art kit that she picked out for her birthday coming up this month.  She loved it and used it on the trip home.  

I am forever grateful that I have daughters.  I love my sons and am truly so grateful for them as well.  But, it's just a really special thing for me to have two daughters to share special moments like these with.