A fun, family-filled weekend

Is Maddie embarrassed by our singing?

Grandma and Grandpa Birch brought Maddie and Syd down to celebrate Madeline's birthday as well as see Lainie's dance recital.  The girls did a ton of shopping and enjoyed staying at Little America with Grandma.  On Sunday we rode Trax from the hotel to the Tabernacle where we attended Music and the Spoken Word.  It was lovely!  Then back to the hotel again to enjoy the Sunday breakfast buffet.  We totally enjoyed ourselves and hope the girls did too.  It was fun to have them around and we hope to do this a lot more often!

Fridge of Fame

Congratulations kiddos! 

Your efforts and hard work sure have paid off.

We are so proud of all of you!

Four is a fabulous number

Just as the sun is starting to illuminate the blinds in my bedroom windows, I hear the pat-pat-pat of little feet descend the stairs and scamper across the floor. Next to my ear I hear the sweetest little voice bidding me “Dood mornin.” I feel a little body slide under the blankets and snuggle into me. Still warm from their own bed, I turn to nuzzle the softest neck. In return, I get a pat on the cheek from a chubby, little hand as it gets wrapped around my shoulders. If I lie still enough, and match the rhythm of the breathing next to me, we will both drift off again to dreamland. But today I feel differently. Today I’m interested in the hopes and dreams of this little person. What will they do in the future? Who will they become? I softly ask questions. I respond to answers with more inquiries. In between replies, I get little kisses on my nose, forehead and chin. I receive honey-filled compliments about being the “bestest mama ever” and promises that they will never “drow up” and leave me.


Oh how I love four year olds! Don’t you think they are just fabulous? All three of my children have been gloriously lovey at four and I would give anything to freeze them all in time at this very stage of their lives. If it was possible to give birth to a four year old, I would seriously consider having ten or more. But, just as his sisters did before him, Jace will soon be leaving this adorable era.

I will miss it.

(Although, it will help to remember his past offenses!)

Jace's surgery

This little boy had surgery

This little boy came home

This little boy wouldn’t sit still

This little boy didn’t groan

This little boy showed that recovery from a hernia

is faster than a gall stone!

Lessons Learned From Florida #6

Couldn't get on the flight home to SLC

Flew to Long Beach,CA instead

Stuck at LGB rest of day

Missed multiple flights

Paid a cab driver to take us to the scariest part of town

Stayed in a flea-bag hotel

Bed looked like someone had recently been in it

Gangsters congregated outside our door

Tenants next to us blasted Telemundo all night

Giant, disgusting hot tub in room

Nervous Break Down!



Lesson Learned: Never travel without your OCD husband!

Lessons Learned From Florida #5

Lisa after our community shower on the beach

Sanibel Island is absolutely lovely! It made all the other ugly, nasty stuff worth our while. We enjoyed the sand and the surf as well as all the seashells. Because the island lies east and west (different than most islands which lie north and south, it catches an abundance of sea shells from the Gulf of Mexico. If you wade out into the water, the surf brings up thousands of shells and dumps them all around your feet! (It feels really weird to be pelted with shells) We enjoyed browsing through some of the quaintest shops I’ve ever seen and devoured the freshest seafood I’ve ever had. Lovely, lovely, lovely! We even managed to take a shower. Granted, it was freezing cold ocean water but that didn’t stop us. After a few days of not showering, we were willing to do anything! FYI: nudity was not involved!


Lesson Learned: Good things come to those who wait.

Lessons Learned From Florida #4

While riding the beach trolley along Estero Blvd, Lisa and I were making plans to spend the day on Sanibel Island. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation across the causeway to get out onto the island. Taxi fares were astronomical and thus a rental was our only option. Having a car would also be very helpful in getting us back to the airport at 3:00 a.m. for our flight to JFK the day after. The only problem was the extra fee associated with returning the car to a place other than its origin. (it was just as much as the rental) Trying to vacation “on the cheap” meant having to rent a car from the airport. Our discussion quickly turned to purchasing a bus ticket back to the Fort Myers airport.



To our surprise, a homeless couple (who were sitting directly behind us) offered us their all-day bus passes. We objected…they insisted…we offered to pay…they wouldn’t hear of it. As we graciously accepted, they asked in return for a prayer on their behalf. They said that they needed our prayers far more than they needed our money! Honestly, that little exchange of courtesy was a good reminder to never judge a book by its cover. When they had gotten on the trolley with us, we were the only ones aboard. They chose to sit directly behind us and I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t appreciate it one bit. They were both shabbily dressed and in serious need of a shower. Their hair was long, greasy and the ends were matted in what looked like the beginning of dreadlocks. They smiled as us, but I didn’t read the friendliness in their eyes, I was too absorbed with the lack of teeth and the fact that the remaining ones were browner than the floor of our transportation. My head was racing with questions about their character and their intentions. Were they going to ask for money? Would the trolley driver step in if they proceeded to accost us? Why did they have to sit so close when there were plenty of other seats to choose from? Why did they seem so interested in our conversation?


Silly, silly me! Does it really matter what kind of package a gift comes in? Just because someone hasn’t showered in awhile doesn’t mean that they aren’t kind, thoughtful, or sincere. Just because their clothes are in desperate need of a good boiling, doesn’t translate into them not being decent people who contribute to society. (Just look at Lisa and I, we were in that same boat!) As it turns out, I’m glad they sat so close. I appreciate that they were listening intently. What a blessing it was to be given something as little and inconsequential as a bus pass because it brought with it a larger than life lesson. After arriving at the airport, we paid it forward by giving the bus passes to a couple of women who were desperately trying to come up with the correct change to purchase a ticket. And of course, there were many, many prayers said for this generous couple and faith that their altruism would be rewarded.

Lesson Learned: Never judge a book by its cover