Shannon is 16!!!

Today is Shannon's birthday! I decided to do a blog about her. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with her and I feel terrible now, but I was a crying mess. I just figured we had our 'quiver' full of kids - 6 was a good number, and then to find out that another one was coming just as I was about to send #5 off to kindergarten?.......man oh man.....

I just want her to know how much we adore her and we are glad she was sent to our family! She has been blessed with a gift of singing, like her dad - and most of her other brothers and sisters - which they won't admit to. She enjoys being with friends, wants to be in more plays, loves her new IPod touch, and clothes. I can't tell you how much she loves clothes, but I will say that she and Katie changed a whole downstairs bedroom into a 'walk-in' closet for the both of them and when Katie moved out, we thought it would have been downsized, but nope, it still looks the same.....Katie, did you take ANY clothes with you when you moved out?

January 4, 1996 - 9lbs. 5 1/2 oz.

Grandma and Grandpa DeWitt were both at the birth of Shannon.

August 1996. Brian seemed to like her when she was born. He loved to be the one to take her out of Sacrament meetings if she cried.
Her first snow!! Thanksgiving 1996, Snowflake. Get a load of dad!
The only way she could get her share of ice cream! Summer 1997.

She did a Hawaiian dance class through the city of Mesa. Summer 2002
She tried and out made (!) it into a play put on by the East Valley Children's Theater.....It Happened in Hamelin. June of 2006. (I think she was the bakers daughter).

And here she is turning 12 and the

Young Women welcoming her with a 'heart attack'.
Out in the 'giddy-up' with Trey...

Spiking the ball on the Mesa High club team.... In the pool at BankOne Ball park watching a LA Dodger/Diamondback game. Thanks Jonathan! Jill and Allan are in the picture too!

And last but not least, one of my favorites..!
Sleep well Shannon. Sleep well.

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve and all through the house

Everyone was bored, the children, dad's spouse.

Then Kevin and Shan, just sitting around,

Said "Hey, let's do something really profound"!

"Give me some p'jams" - said Kevin to Shan

"I think I've come up with a wonderful plan".

'Mom's now 'nodding' and for sure in her socks,

She won't want to fix dinner - let's go to Jack in the Box.

"Yeah', replies Shannon, ' but what about Allan?

"He'll want to go, but pajamas, he's got none".

'Let's see what Mom's got, for sure she'll have something...

Maybe a moo-moo, a nightgown, or G-string!"

......NOOOO....(erase the image from my mind, erase the image from my mind)......

To the box of costumes is where they were sent

And wha-la pulled out pj's for Al and the big event.

Yes, there was some discomfort and even discord
Of the recruit, but for a free meal, he jumped on board.

First they did posing,

next, the clock they did check, They realized they better get on with their trek.

So, mom said she'd go , the pictures she'd take

While the 3 of them ordered food: fries and a shake.

Checking the order, and checking it twice -

they had ordered dad taco's, gee that was nice.

And they exclaimed as we drove from the parking lot that night..
'Merry Christmas to All', hey, this has been alright.

Breakfast Fav......

Yep...this is one of my favorite breakfasts! Chocolate muffin from Costco, a handful of chips (I must have large hands), and a tall glass of ice milk.....um...we were out of ice today, so I had to hurry and drink it up. I'll make a run to the store today. Also, a heart I found on Wednesday. I had cooked hamburger for taco soup and wha-la.....there it is.....

Bottle warmers

Awhile ago - I think it was in last years Christmas magazines that I am still trying to get through - I saw these cute bottle warmers. They were made with sleeves from old, stained, too small, just plain ugly thrift store sweaters. As you know, on Thursdays here at Goodwill, they have $1 day. Pink tags this week. And there were LOTS of pink tagged sweaters. I was looking for texture in my sleeves and found 4 good ones. So, for fifty cents a sleeve + extra craft stuff that I already had, we have these:

I guess I need to add in the cost of the sparkling cider - $7 for 4 bottles at Costco. The total cost $1.75+.50+.25(extras) = $2.50, a gift for friends/neighbors. I love them and I still have two more sweaters to chop up. This time I think I will buy the Welch's grape juice that comes in a bottle like these. They are a little more expensive but kids will like them better. Have a good day!

Bouquets & Ice Cream

A long time in the thinking process, but just couldn't make myself get around to it. But this morning I had to do it. It was time to throw the bouquets away. They held on for quite awhile, but today they looked sad.

So in the trash they had to go. (This is one of the main reasons I DON'T LIKE getting flowers. Although they were nice for a time). So the wedding is over and Jill has gone home :( It was fun having her here, and Jonathan - anytime you want to head home after August is great! Fun times will be had when you are around. Yep, yep, yep!!!

Two new hearts to add: A pretty serious burn on Shannons arm- (I should have taken another photo about an hour later, because the top streaks went away a little bit more and the heart was more prominent). Also, I can't remember what this was, but it was in a cereal bowl and I took it right before washing it out.

Lastly, a few funny photos with Camden. After Katie went through the Temple on the 15th, we went out to eat at Rosa's. Yep, one of my favorites. Their salmon tacos are to die for. Anyhow, someone put several straws in his drink and here he is trying to get a sip. It was pretty hard work! Silly Camden. And one day he was at my house and we heard the ice cream truck going down our road. An ice cream truck in November? What's up with that? I sent Shannon down to my room to get some money and Camden and I went running for the truck. Here's what we got...A bullet bar for me. I LOVE THEM! Shannon got a Spiderman ice cream and Camden got a Tweety-Bird. Both of theirs had eyes that were bubblegum. Doug, Kevin and Allan got there a few minutes later and got the truck for a fun snack of their own.