blue bird: FACEBOOK FAMILY SESH FREEBIE

I am so behind on my blog! I actually have a few more photos downloaded from my camera, finally! I will get on it!

I recently discovered that my neighbor just a few houses down from me is a great photographer. I have lurked and looked at her gallery! ;) Great photos in the outdoors! I love her choices of locations! I am posting this for her to get a little advertising!   Click on the link to see her work.

blue bird: FACEBOOK FAMILY SESH FREEBIE: Yay we did it!! bluebird hit 250 likes.... at least last time I checked ANYWAY I promised a goodie and here it is just in tim...

Our Baby Is 5 Years Old!

Sarah just turned 5!  We cannot and will not believe it!  It is unbelievable that 5 years can go so quickly, as you all very well know.  Here are just a few photos from her birthday yesterday.  You have to remember, too, that this girl is in love with Spiderman and equally in love with Peter Parker (Toby McGuire, specifically), so her request for a Spiderman cake was my command!  She was so excited to see it, though there is nothing professional or beautiful about it.  She was happy and that is all that matters!  Also, you must realize that she had NO desire to have a birthday party.  Seriously, she didn't want to have people singing to her and staring at her opening presents.  She is actually a private girl in these matters.  She is exactly like her daddy!  So, when she awoke, she was greeted with her presents and cake and Mom and Dad watched her unwrap the gifts. Later on, we had some "NON-party" celebrating with her two cousins, Nathan and Cameron.  We took the kids to McDonalds for lunch and then to Kangaroo Zoo.  Sarah then shared some cake with them back at the house. The kids gave her some Cars and Spiderman stickers and magnets and a Cars punching balloon/bag. That was a fun "NON-party"! We were glad to spend some time with my sister and her kiddos. 

This girl is an all around kind of gal.  She got a Maximus (from Grandma Turnbaugh)  and a Rapunzel(Tangled is her favorite movie right now) and she also LOVES Cars, the movie.  Lightning McQueen is the best.  Grandma Wright gave her some of those darling "Melissa and Doug" toys/activities - a magnetic doll you can dress up, an alphabet activity board, and also a Crocodile game (the crocodile's head snaps shut on the unlucky finger that is pushing on the wrong tooth!).  Daddy is going to teach her chess, so we got her a kid's chess book.  Did you know kids have a great capacity for learning chess (just like with languages, etc.), which actually helps a person become a thinker and problem solver.  Daddy is gung-ho about doing that with her.  Oh, and we also got her a mini trampoline.  The girl has so much bounce in her that we wanted her to be able to jump anytime, rain or shine!  The photo below is of her in mid-air, so her face looks a little odd and kind of squished.  Gravity, ya know!





Sarah's Pre-School Graduation at Pleasant Grove Recreation Center

Here are a couple of photos from her big night.  Man, it was tough getting a close up shot!  This is the best one.  The kids did a little program before getting their "diplomas".  Sarah is looking at the camera and is in the pink shrug, right in the center. 

 
Sarah is finished with preschool.  Her little program and ceremony are tonight. Hard to believe she'll be a kindergartner in the Fall.  I was very fond of her teachers and her little friends in class.  I will miss them. Sarah seems oblivious at this point.  The fact that she doesn't have to go back and all is finished for her  and the other 4 year old classmates, has not yet registered in her mind.

Salt Lake Temple Square Visit....Finally!

Early last week, we took Sarah to Salt Lake City to see Temple Square for the first time.  We had intended on going during the Christmas holiday, but didn't make it happen with our schedules and still getting settled in to the area at such a crazy time of year.  So, we finally made a trip up to see it and she was in awe of the temple and the grounds.  The flower gardens are always beautiful and very, very well kempt.  Sarah commented often about how beautiful the flowers are.  We walked through the visitor's centers and she was fascinated and quiet when we walked to the top floor of the North visitor's center to see the Christus.  She just stared and stared and was not lost on the fact that Jesus had nail prints in his hands and feet.   She also knows that Mommy and Daddy were married in that very temple just a fence away from the square and visitors centers. She has seen pictures enough that she didn't have to ask "what is that building"?  The last photo is from the top of the Conference Building where the Church's worldwide broadcasts are given once every 6 months.  Sarah recognized the inside a bit because she has seen it on T.V.  The pipe organ got a lot of questions going from her.  They do look a bit odd if you have no clue what they are.  

It was a lovely day out and we plan to go back to visit again soon.  Sarah has mentioned wanting to return already. 

Sarah in her new Jeep, the top off, and the wind blowing through her hair!

Oh, to be 4 years old again and to have a car to drive!  We never had stuff like this growing up!   Sarah took her Barbie Jeep out for a spin a few weeks ago and had a great time with Nathan and Cameron, her cousins/my sister's kids.  This was the first time using  the Jeep since Sarah received it as a Christmas gift from her Aunt Melissa (she NEVER spoils her only niece, does she!).  The weather was great with no clouds or chances of rain or snow for a change, so we had to get out and let the kids taste the first days of a warm Spring.  The cabin fever over the winter was tough, so getting outside is always a must when possible!  Sarah loved being chauffeured around by Nathan and giggled just about the whole time they rode around.  Cameron patiently waited his turn by riding the tricycle behind them, trying to keep up with those little feet pedaling away.

Baby Blessing

Here are just a couple of photos from the day of my niece's baby blessing.  The whole family gathered at Lindsay's house, in Spanish Fork, for lunch and socializing.  That little Olivia is adorable and I'm just smitten with her red hair!

Okay, I had to share this one, Lindsay!  This was a photo my sister, Lindsay (mommy of Olivia), caught a few weeks ago.  Love it!  What a cutie!  I am a proud auntie!  I want to steal her away and keep her!  ;) 

Easter 2011

My beautiful Sarah posing in her Easter outfit.  I can't believe she is going to be 5 in June.  No, really. I just can't, and won't, believe it! 

Checking out the Easter basket and finding eggs around the living room that we had colored the day before.  That silly Easter bunny found them in the fridge and hid them for Sarah to find. 

The week before Easter, we went to Spanish Fork to attend my niece's baby blessing.  I had Sarah wear her Easter dress, so that all of the family could see her in her new dress.  Sarah enjoyed spending the afternoon with all of her cousins.  I thought this was a cute photo of Sarah with her cousins, Rachel (next to Sarah) and Emily.  Cute girls!