It's your birthday... shout hooray!

Today is Robert's birthday!!!

48.

Not old.

Just a little ripe.

Robert with his favorite people....

Robert was juggling a few of his presents (baseballs... of course)

This shot looks like he is balancing the ball on his head.

Only a great photographer could have captured that!

Bella.

The birthday cat.

The rest of the trip...

We had a great time in Taos, NM. 

Things worked out pretty well even though I forgot my machine.

Here are a few pictures....

We walked downtown.  Peppers everywhere!

Here is a picnic quilt I was working on.  It has the cutest ladybug fabric in it.

Susan and Judy pondering fabric at a quilt shop.

This is a quilt I had already started... just needed a bit of sashing and then another border.

The triangles are for a spiderweb quilt.  Pretty much the quilt that never ends :)   I also brought along a bit of embroidery to work on. 

I took a picture of this one susan was working on.... just gotta do it now!!

Daffodils at an old mill we stopped at on the way home.

Kayla and I loved the old brick wall we found right before Las Vegas, NM

very rustic!

If you're going to drive six hours to go quilting...

YOU MIGHT WANT TO REMEMBER YOUR

SEWING MACHINE!

Kayla and I left this morning to drive to Taos, NM to meet up with my friend Susan Clark and her sister, Judy from Colorado.  Kayla is going to work on her mission scrapbook and the rest of us are going to sew.  About an hour before we got here I realized I forgot my machine.

Luckily, I brought a bunch of things to work on that don't require a machine.  But I really WANTED to sew :)

Kayla working on the laptop....

Susan sewing...

on her machine.

that she DIDN'T forget.

Judy would only let me get a profile shot...

me cutting denim.

lots and lots of denim.

Love notes from my kids.....

I woke up early yesterday morning to find this note on my kitchen counter..

What is a

bowl of

corn pops

without

milk?!?

I'm pretty sure Andrew meant to write "I love you mom!!"
But it was late at night and he was tired :)
Hey... it's been a busy week!

Happy Birthday Braden!

15 years ago I received the best 6 lb 3 oz gift in the world.

Braden Lawrence Sawyer

Ten things I love about Braden:

1. He is SO GOOD! I'm not exaggerating. This kids loves to do the right thing.
2. Braden is creative. I don't think I've ever met someone with such a wonderful imagination.
3. He is great with little kids. Always willing to help and kids love him!
4. Braden has a very sensitive heart and really cares about others.
5. He is a good friend and always has empathy for other's difficulties
6. Braden likes to work. Not necessarily for us :)
7. Love church. That should get two spots.
8. Loves church.
9. Is very responsible. One of his church leader once commented (only half joking) that Braden was more responsible than the leaders.
10. Braden is wise with his money and is saving for his mission.

Braden reading the card from Kayla and Shea.
We all went on a picnic to Legacy Park today. This evening Braden had five friends over for pizza and then they went to see Clash of the Titans. Oops, I forgot to get pictures of that, but here are a few from the park.

Kayla is HOME!!!

Here we are just waiting.

The plane was 15 minutes late.

I was fine with that.

really.

Shea peaking through... she wants to hug Kayla first .



But I got to hug her first!!!!

Then it was Dad's turn!!

and here we are... so happy!!

It was VERY windy today so the

balloons all popped before we got home.

Yes - I should have listened to Shea

when she said to leave them inside.

Reunited with Jack!!

Can you believe it...

Sasha LOVES Kayla!!!

Lexus was our photographer.

A wonderful photographer!

Amazing what was under all that fur!

A DOG!

Since Kayla is coming home TOMORROW we decided to get Jack groomed. And boy-oh-boy did he need it. I should have taken before pictures. Let's just say he wasn't allowed in the house.

But now Jack is beautiful!!

Happy Easter!

I love SPRING!!!

Friday, Robert colored Easter eggs with Shea and Braden. (Carving pumpkins and coloring eggs are two things I just don't do. I'm the photographer.) Saturday morning we had our Easter egg hunt... not sure why I didn't take pictures. It was fun, especially when Andrew lifted Shea up to get the eggs that were too tall for her to reach.

Sunday morning we watched conference with Song and Sophia. Our TV room is SMALL, so Shea and Braden made their own seats on the floor.

Hmmmm... can you color with your toes?

Watching conference....

The girls....

Butterhorn rolls. Delicious!

Deviled eggs. Wouldn't be Easter without them!

My beautiful punch bowl broke at Christmas.... love that tupperware!

Sushi!

Sophia came over yesterday and showed me how to make sushi.... not sure I'll make it without help in the near (or far) future. But it was fun!

The ingredients

Shea holding the thingy that rolls up the sushi.
not sure what it's called.

Shea and Sophia creating the masterpieces!

Beautiful!!

Enjoying the fruits of our labors with

the missionaries, the Stoker's and Song and Sophia.