the one about my trip to LA

In July, Danette asked me if I would like to go to Market with her to shop for stuff for the Country Bear. HECK YES!!!! Brayden was dying to go and now that he is old enough it was time for him to experience market. Danette talked to me about it on a Friday, and we left the very next Friday. It was short notice and a quick trip, but SO WORTH IT! It was so much fun. I had never been in the downtown LA area before, so I was excited! We flew out of Salt Lake City on Friday evening and got into LA pretty late. We ate at the hotel and went right to bed. We got up early on Saturday, caught the shuttle and a shopping we did go. Here is Brayden being a weird-o at the hotel before we left!! (he he he)

This is Brayden and I on the shuttle. Market was actually in two different locations. We didn't care where we went first, so we just took the first shuttle. We found some pretty cool stuff the first day. Not tons of new things, but a little. We were there for most of the day and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were beat so we ate and went to bed. Sunday morning, we headed for the other location, and it was much better! We found some great new lines and got some awesome ideas for the store. We actually finished up at a decent hour and since we had some time to kill, I suggested we go on a tour or some thing. Danette was a little nervous, being in a new place and a huge city, but I finally talked her into riding public transportation to Hollywood! I was so excited to go!!! I talked to a guy that worked in the visitors center in the convention center and he told us just how to get there and what we should do. We hopped on the subway and away we went! When we got off the subway, we were right in the middle of Hollywood. We were right across from the Disney theater and they were actually having a movie premiere right then. It was for G-Force. That was kind of cool to get to see all of the action surrounding that. Immediately, this pirate chick came up to Brayden, handed him a sword and posed for me. Ok. Whatever. I took a picture of them and she told me, "We work on tips." I just stared at her. Then she said it again and stood there waiting for me to pay her. WHAT?!?!?! I gave her a dollar and she walked away. Apparently that is very common and I noticed that people were paying all kinds of freaks for photos. It was weird. I had to pay her so I could take a picture with MY camera. And Brayden didn't even want a picture with her!!! Look at his face!!! HaHaHa! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy that picture. It cost me a dollar to take it! So strange. I feel like a rebel, but I took this picture of Barney and he has no idea!!! Shhhhh, don't tell him! Anyway, we decided to ride a double decker tour bus and check out Hollywood. It took us all over and we saw tons of cool things. Rodeo Drive
Rodeo Drive, again
Beverly Hills
We didn't tour the stars homes... We didn't have time for that tour too. Anyway, our tour would stop in various places and we could get off the bus and get back on when the next bus came around. We decided to get off at this cool shopping center and farmers market thing. We had a nice lunch, wandered around for a bit, stopped for a photo opp and headed back to the bus.
We shopped around downtown Hollywood for souvineers, saw some fake celebs, a prostitute and hopped back on the subway. I tried with all of my might to take a picture of the Hollywood sign, but I never could get a good one.
However, I got a lot of pictures of this dude's head while trying to get a picture of the Hollywood sign. That counts, right? That evening, Brayden and I swam at the hotel and then we played cards for awhile. We went to bed early since we had to leave for the airport early Monday morning. Then we flew to Salt Lake City. I split up from Danette and Brayden at this point because Brett needed me to pick up his new car. I met up with my Uncles Kim and Jayme. They took me to the car lot and made sure I got the car all squared away, then we all left and I drove home. I was home before 8:00. It was a crazy fast trip, but so much fun. I am so glad I have such a cool boss that let me go along for the trip! Brayden and I get really silly sometimes and I know we drove Danette nuts, so I sure hope I get another invite!!!

the one about Quayd's 7th Birthday

Seriously... where does the time go? My tiny baby boy turned 7 yesterday. Yes. I said SEVEN!!! It is so crazy how quickly he is growing up. I know that everyone says that, but it is true. He started 2nd grade last week. So weird.
(This was on the first day of school. Brennen, Amelia and Quayd were just heading for the bus and they so DIDN'T want to stop for pictures!) Anyway, we have seriously partied all weekend! It started Friday afternoon. Quayd's friend party was from 5-7 at our house. He invited about 22 kids, and I think 19 showed up! His invitations said: Come "CHILL" with me at my Birthday Party! I hope you can "POP" on over! They were attached to a popsicle and we delivered them in the ice cream truck. We rented a big slide and a bounce house and the kids just played and played the whole time!



They loved it! We also had hotdogs, chips, pink lemonade, cupcakes and popsicles. I was going to have them play games if they got bored with the slide, but they never really did. It was a pretty big party! But it was so easy for me! I didn't have to do anything, really. Just the food part. They totally entertained themselves. It was great!





On Sunday, we had Quayd's family party. Danette let us use the pool area and it was so nice! Quayd wanted Tacos for dinner, so I assigned things out and it worked perfectly! We had my Grandparents, my mom, my brother and his family, Morgan, Gleneita and all of Brett's siblings and their families. Talia's new boyfriend, Tyson, has a little boy, Wyatt, and he was so cute! We had so much fun with him! His dad doesn't like him to get sticky or dirty, so when we gave Wyatt his own cupcake, I thought Tyson was going to have a stroke!
It was so cute and funny! We had a blast swimming. The weather was perfect and the company was even better.



He got some very cool gifts, including a $100 dollar bill and a razor scooter that makes sparks. Danette kept asking him what he wanted and he would say, "I don't know." So she kept telling him that if he didn't tell her, she was going to give him pink panties. Well, guess what!?!? He got pink panties!


Brett and I gave him this cool bike that he wanted. It is a big tricycle with a basket thing in the back so he can haul stuff. He is such a little boy! We also gave him a cell phone, jerky and a new backpack.

Brett, Brennen and Quayd got the rabbits out of the pen yesterday and took them for a ride in the new bike!

I always like to take a little bit of time on his Birthday to reflect on the past and remind myself how blessed I am to have him. It has been a tradition that on his Birthday, Brett or myself (sometimes both of us) write him a letter and put it away so he can read it when he gets older. Sadly, the last two years, Quayd's birthday has been overshadowed by funerals (Brett's dad, Mike, in 2007 and my Great-Grandma in 2008) and I think we have overlooked the letter writing. I wanted to be sure he got his letter this year, so here it is.

8/30/09
Dear Quayd,
Today, you turned seven years old. Why do you have to get so big!?!? You are such a handsome little boy and you have gotten so big and tall. You are in second grade now and I just can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday that you were still in my belly and Daddy and I were so excited to FINALLY be parents. It's funny to think back at that time in my life. I was so curious about you. I wanted to meet you so badly and I couldn't wait to see what your little personality would be like and what you would look like. Now I can't imagine what it was like not having you in my life. I feel like I have known you forever! You complete our little family. Daddy and I were always happy before you came to us, but now I realize that we weren't really that happy afterall. We were definatley missing something... and it was you! Thank you for being you and picking us to be your parents. I know we make mistakes and we are pretty stupid sometimes, but I guarantee that no little boy will ever be loved as much as you. EVER! We would do anything for you. You are our whole lives! You are such a perfect mix of Daddy and I. You have a little bit of a temper, like daddy, and you are very tender and emotional like me. You are built like your daddy with your broad shoulders, cute bum and skinny legs. But you have a round face and big brown eyes like me. You like to stay up late and sleep in, just like me, however, when you decide you want to go to bed, you don't want to be disturbed, like dad. Both Daddy and I love to swim, camp, laugh and have fun. Just like you.
As a seven-year-old, you love to ride bikes and scooters. You wear flip flops EVERYWHERE. You would rather wear pajamas or "comfy clothes" than anything else. You are a FISH in the water and you have become a GREAT swimmer. You like to eat pizza, tacos, cheesecake, ice cream, Cool Ranch Doritos, jerky, any kind of candy, peanuts and tomatoes. Your best friends are Brayden and Brennen, Amelia, Shade, and Gavin. You love soccer and you have gotten be a great player. You also enjoyed T-Ball and you will be starting flag football this fall. You have lost 5 teeth so far. Four in the front and one molar that had to be pulled. By the way, you HATE the dentist.
I hope you always feel like you can come to me with anything. I will love you, no matter what. You are such a special little boy. You are kind and sweet and you are always concerned about everybody elses feelings. I love it that you still like to hug, kiss and snuggle with your old mommy. I love our Sunday afternoon "snuggle fest." That is probably mine and dads favorite time of the week! Thank you for being you. I am so proud of you. Thank you for being my baby and for putting up with me. I know I am kind of a weird mom, but I swear I love you more than any mom has ever loved their child. There has never been a more special boy than you and I am so glad you are mine! Happy 7th Birthday, my little sugar bear!
Love, Mom