ASHER IS 12!!!

I can't believe it's been 12 years since Asher came into the world! (and 12 years since he was on the news!!! What a beautiful baby!) I tried to get him to plan his birthday.....but he's a boy and had no intention of doing that. I tried to plan a party for him and a group of friends.....no such luck. Finally, he did sit down with me and planned out a very detailed day. It started with his free Krispy Kreme. (a dozen doughnuts.....a dozen years!)

After he picked up the doughnuts with his dad, they went to pick up Simon.....the lone guest to his birthday fun. They ate and drank hot cocoa (part of the plan) and.....

PLAYED VIDEO GAMES!!!!

(I know....big shock!)

Then it was time for the first present......

$15 to go to Sweetie's Candy Shop!

(yes....Colton does hold the dog like a baby....and our dog thinks he's a baby!)

Now.....I don't have pictures for the middle of the day, but here's the schedule: Go to Sweetie's, then off to Liberty Market (huge cheeseburger and chips) and Joe's BBQ (meat plate, mac & cheese and more chips) to get free birthday food, come home and Simon and Ash shared the burger before rushing off to.....the movies (Legend of the Guardian-the Owls of Ga'hoole to be exact), then back home to eat the meat plate and more video games, late in the afternoon the boys went to Joe's Farm Grill for more free birthday food (CHOCOLATE SHAKES!!!), back home again for.....yes, you guessed it......MORE VIDEO GAMES!!!!

Then the dinner...

Mashed potatoes

Veggies with Ranch and

STEAK!!!!!!

Asher is a carnivore....and proud of it!!!!!!

I'm not sure how he ate all the food that he did!!!!!

I didn't have time to bake his cake and thought I'd get to it on Saturday....no such luck.

Then Sunday was VERY busy. Asher had an interview before church, then church, after church we went to the bishops office for Asher to receive the priesthood, then home for a minute to grab a snack before we went out to Queen Creek for a baptism. It was a great day....but no cake.

Monday Jacquelen came over and made awesome french bread pizzas for lunch. Tony even came home and we were all able to finally sing Happy Birthday to Asher! (get my 1 - 2 candles for 12.....lame, I know!)

His birthday wish!

I love this picture!!!!

(I think I'll have to blow it up really big

and look at it every time I'm frustrated with this pre-teen....

it just might save us both!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASHER!!!!!!

Dad and I are so proud of you and we can't wait to see you pass the sacrament on Sunday!!!!

MY BABY'S GROWING UP!!!

I'm not talking about Kyler today.....it's my first baby! Colton up and out of the house by 9 am on a Saturday!!!! Shocking! But why? What's he doing? Where's he going?

Off to his first job!!!!!

See him there.....holding the sign!
Here's a drink break!
(Yes, I went to visit with my camera!!!!!
I was so excited to have something to scrapbook about him!!!!)


Back to work!

This shot was taken as I was in the double yellow lane waiting to merge into traffic.

The best shot of the day!

(they have free hotdogs and they have lots of other ones they sell. They are awesome! Tony and I had the 1/4 lb. hot dog.)

And here's one of the awesome hot dogs we got!

Thanks Josh for giving our boy a chance!

I hear he was a hard worker AND survived his embarrassing mom!

WHAT?!?

Just as I was about to leave my friend's house, we heard a strange noise........wind, rain and then HAIL! It was so LOUD....pounding on her home and windows. I called the boys (since they're home for fall break) to see how they were doing.....they (of course) were LOVING the storm!

Before I could leave Deanna's I had to snap a photo of all the hail on the trampoline and roof.

And here's the hail from her front walkway!

And I thought I lived in the desert!

QUESTION?

Question: Do I get mad that Kyler wrote on his door with a blue marker? OR Do I get mad that he misspelled the word "come"? I mean, really!!!!!!! Come was a spelling word LAST YEAR & he spelled it correctly?!?

Any answers?

WARNING....80's WEDDING PHOTOS!

Ok.....here's a few of our wedding photos. These were photos my cousin took....I don't have any of our photographers photos scanned in yet. I also don't have any of the photos scrapbooked. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!? As I completed my sister's wedding album last year I thought how pathetic that was....and then I moved on to the daily tasks in my busy life and still have yet to do anything about it! Here we are after we just came out of the temple. I loved and still love my Cinderella dress!!!! Yes, the veil is big....but not as big as I originally envisioned it. I'm an 80s girl!!!!!

Two of my bridesmaids, my cousin Jacquelen and my friend Amy.

Don't you LOVE the shiny fabric!!!!

AWESOME!

TOTALLY RAD!

My dad and me!

(my dad is younger in this photo than my husband is today!!!!! CRAZY!!!!)

Again...these aren't the photographers photos. Jean-Jacques is missing in this photo.

(from L to R: Jacquelen, Amy, Traci, Cheri, Me, Tony, Darren, Scott & Tim)

There's Jean-Jacques!

I thought it was funny how Tony and his groomsmen looked like a checkmark. Look at their heads and start with Tony. (why do I notice these things?!?)

Here was the second gazebo...just for the cake!

(don't get me started on the cake!!!!)

I had never seen this photo before.
That's my Mita and Papa (mom's parents). They were so happy to see me get married and then all I heard for years after from Mita was "I'd like to have a great-grandchild BEFORE I die!!!" I would tell her that if she died first...she'd get to see the child first! She DID NOT appreciate that....AT ALL!!!!!! It took nearly 7 years, but she did see that first great-grandchild......and she's still here to see all the others. Almost 40 great-grands!!!!!!

And again.....The Stock's

at the beginning!

And the Stock's in 2007!

And in May 2010!

May 23, 2010 to be exact, my brother's wedding day in the St. George Temple.

A POEM - BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "P"

Just thought I'd share one of the poems I wrote to go with my personal pie prize in Young Women's. Enjoy.

I Propose a Pre-Party Prize

for Participating and Privately Pursueing your

Pathway to Personal Progress

Prepare!

Perfectly Portioned.

Pleasing to the Picky Palate.

Puzzled?!

Peak?

POSITIVELY PREPOSTEROUS!!!

Presenting:

PROFOUNDLY PRETTY PERSONAL PIES......

& PHOTOGRAPHY!!! (cue snapping a Photo)

Pick a Piece or a Pair.

{Praise?!?}

(of course...followed by applause.....and I bow from me)

21st ANNIVERSARY!

Can you believe it's been 21 years since Tony stepped on my dress and then took me to the altar?!? (One very vivid memory of our wedding day was how many times that man stepped on my dress.) August 19th, 1989 Tony and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mesa AZ Temple. We were married at 9:00am as I wanted to be a bride ALL day! After the wedding we took tons of pictures around the temple grounds. Long-sleeved, high-collared dress with full skirt + Arizona August Heat & Humidity = MELTING BRIDE. Well, that's what it felt like!!!! After the pictures, we headed to a church building for a luncheon. We had lots of advice given to us......my dad: "I already gave them advice, but they got married today anyways!" followed by laughter....my brother: "Their marriage must already be in trouble if they're asking a teenager for advice!" followed by more laughter (sidenote: Jean-Jacques was 17.....but I was only 19....we were both teenagers!) Isn't my family hilarious!?! Our pink reception that night was held in an orange carpeted stake center......lovely! No matter though - I loved it!!! So did my little cousins. Actually, our reception was talked about - at length - for quite some time. Papa declared that no one would be able to top it! We had FRESH flowers as centerpieces (not commonly seen at church house receptions back in the 80s) and a huge fresh flower centerpiece on the refreshments table. Our refreshments weren't just cake, nuts, mints and punch.....we also added chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate truffles. We had pink lemonade - de-pulped.....yes, DE-PULPED, so it could be put in a fountain for punch.....THAT LIT UP IN THE CENTER! I know.....I just blew your mind!!!!!!! We ordered a gazebo for our guest book and an extra one for the cake! (the cake....I'll spare you the story.....the only thing I HATED about my wedding.....my ugly, UGLY cake!!!!! No wonder I ended up taking cake decorating classes!) We had a big area sectioned off with a little white picket fence for dancing. We even had a DJ up on the stage. That DJ played "our song".....Debbie Gibson "Lost in Your Eyes" Tony chooses to never remember that that is our song. When he finally says what it is....he calls it "In Your Eye" In 2004, we attended a Van Halen concert - featuring Sammy Hagar (this fulfilled Tony's biggest regret in his life....all I can say is - wow) After the concert, I joked that we should have picked "When It's Love" for our song. Tony was TOO excited about this and has officially (in his mind) changed "our song" to this. It is quite romantic......you know, with a big scream at the beginning! (Emily....I know you don't approve. Don't worry, the Debbie Gibson song is what's on our wedding video) After our beautiful reception, we said good-bye and left the building. In the parking lot we were finally alone.....it was then that we realized........we had NO car. We had to walk back into the building (getting harrassed every step of the way) and reveal that we didn't have transportation. After trying to retrace many peoples steps....we figured out my car was at Mita's and Papa's house. Papa drove us there and then we were officially on our own! And we lived happily ever after.....like from "Pretty Woman" happily ever after.....you know, he rescues her and she rescues him right back. Isn't that marriage in a way? Two people joined together through all the ups and downs. Through all our strengths and weaknesses. Through the sadness and joy. Through the $$$ and no $$$. Through the babies and kids and TEENAGERS! Through the time for each other and no time for each other. That's how I view it.....and more importantly.....that how I've lived it and will continue to live it.......FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY!