Makin' Memories in Kansas: April 2010

2 of my sisters and 2 of my sister in laws all had babies within the last 5 months and I was feeling forlorn to not have met them yet. Sweet Mr. BJ surprised me with a weekend getaway for my birthday present to go and see those babies. I was elated!!!!! My sister in law Jacque lives in California so I wasn't going to see her new sweet baby but 3 out of 4 would have to do. My oldest sister Amy had her 5th baby--sweet little Emma Claire and she picked me up from the airport. I thought it would be fun to stay with her for a couple of the days and then end up at my sister Ginny's for Sunday. I loved being with Amy. I love her family and it was wonderful being at her home. Baby Emma and I loved each other from the moment we met. She knew who her favorite Aunt Kiwi was! I loved holding her, making her smile, putting her to sleep--It was so fun being the Auntie for a change. I love all of my nieces and nephews. The first night there we got the kids all to bed and then met Ginny at the dollar movie for a chick flick. It was nice of Amy to think of doing that for me--that's not something she would usually do but it was really fun anyway--even if I felt like my mom was next to me during the kissing scenes--Amy hates that stuff! Ha! Ha!

Baby Emma has red hair. If she keeps it she will be the first red head in 19 grand children. Grandma honey is ecstatic (a red head her self with not a single child or grandchild with red hair--until Emma).

I enjoyed lunch with my Mother in Law and 2 sister in laws at a restaurant my college girlfriend Lindsay opened. It was great food, great company and so fun to see Lindsay again. After lunch my Mother in Law--Carol and I went shopping for some special presents for Brinly's baptism. I just love Carol. She is a wonderful Mother, Mother in Law, Grandma and YES friend. I could spend all day with her and love every minute of it!

Then it was time to meet up with my sibs and go to dinner and my parents cabin for the night.

It was fun to have everyone come----So much laughter!!!!

I finally got to meet the newest member of the family--my sisters 2nd boy--Brody. If you can't tell he was surprised to meet me!

And then a bit overwhelmed by all of my attention. We laughed at these 2 pictures until tears streamed down our faces. Eventually Megan started to get a bit unhappy by our laughter at Brody's expense so I made sure to get a better picture later--But these 2 pictures are forever priceless to me!!!!!!!

Here's the little guy looking quite cute.

That same night I got to meet my brother Colby and Steph's 1st baby--cute little Samantha--Sammy for short. It was so fun to see her with her beautiful big eyes and so cool to see Colby as a Father. My little brother's growing up! It was girls night at the cabin so of course--Colby had to come-he's one of us really--he just adds to the laughter!

The weekend was too short. It was a whirlwind--but I did spend every minute I could holding those cute new babies. They may not know it now but later in life they will see pictures of me holding them as babies and know that their Auntie Kiwi loves them and flew all the way from Kansas to see, hold and love them.

The last night I spent with Ginny. I tried to help as I could--her husband Wally was out of town and she is 7 months pregnant with her 3rd girl (her 4th baby). We went to church together and spent the afternoon making cookies and food for dinner that night. Everyone came over for the Sunday feast. It was so good to see everyone. I made my special chocolate chip cookies for the family--something I rarely do anymore now that BJ has taken over that job but I was the chocolate chip cookie maker of the family before the role was taken over.

Here's Ginny and that baby girl of hers. She's due in July---another baby that I won't get to meet. What will I do?

These are all of my adorable nieces and nephews that live here in Utah --I have 4 more in Boston. I just love them all!

Thanks for letting me come spend a weekend with you all. I know that my sisters and sister in laws know that I love them but this really was a special weekend for me to relish in family. I'm so lucky to have a family that I adore and love spending time with. It makes me smile to think of all the good memories I have with them. I will think of those memories until we meet again.

Easter this year was so much fun. The Monday before Easter we had a Family Home Evening about the "Meaning of Easter" and then decorated a cute little Easter Egg House. I hope that each year my kids are understanding more and more about the "true" meaning of Easter--not just the Easter Bunny festivities.

On Easter Morning the kids woke up to an Easter Basket full of goodies and then we had our traditional Easter breakfast----Hard boiled eggs with coffee cake.

That afternoon our Easter guests arrived. We invited two of our favorite families to come for an Easter Egg hunt and dinner. It was nice and warm and the kids had a ball hunting for all of the Easter Eggs hidden throughout the yard.