Erina got baptized

If you know Erina then you know that she is not shy at all. Lets just say this day was no exception. She was so excited to greet everyone that came and loved the attention she got.

Play that Funky Music White... girl?

The stake wants me to stay planning and being apart of dances until I die. I swear it. I should have never planned 3 Mormon proms and then I would never have this problem. Last time I was home they ask Kaleigh and I to be the dance photographers and this time I am home they asked me to DJ the dance. Of course I have never DJed a dance before but how could I say no? DJing is like the only part of a dance I have not had total control over before. To top it all off... this dance was on the beach!

Bailey and I prepared and researched all the newest and best songs to dance to. We made quite the master list. These children did not even know what was coming their way. As it always goes, the DJ list was switched around a million times while the dance was going but it all went pretty smoothly except for that one 14 year old boy who told me my music was totally inappropriate but other than that it went great.

Look how many youth showed up! That is really good considering it was only two stakes: Morgan Hill and Saratoga.

Some of Bailey and I's friends showed up to help with the dance. They came the two hours from Concord. 

There are the kids dancing their tail ends off.

And the perfect picture (minus the children of God in the background that need to peace out) to end the night.

If you are wondering everyone tells me it was a success. Who knows, maybe this is my first dance to DJ in a long stream of dances. Hahaha... doubt it!

Dad's Work Party

Everything about Dad's work party was going smoothly

The food and drinks were yummy.

Bocee ball games were fun.

Walks were adventurous.

The water balloon toss was wet.

The gunny sack race was hopping. 

And pictures were turning out great until...

It was time to go and Taleah whacked her head on a concrete bench. She was bleeding from what looked like her mouth. It was just a lot of blood all over the place. Luckily it was from her nose. Within minutes there was a goose egg forming on her head in between her eyebrows. Next thing we knew, we were all crammed in the van on the way to the ER. Kerianna was on the phone with a nurse trying to figure out if Taleah was okay. The nurse said that going to the ER is the right choice and too keep her awake. All Taleah wanted to do was sleep. Her eyes were droopy. We made it to the hospital without Taleah falling asleep. Mom and Dad hopped out of the van with Tia and I drove everyone else home. 

After 4 hours of waiting around they returned from the hospital. Tia did quite the number to her face but in the end nothing was broken and she did not get a concussion. She is so lucky!

Smalls

Grandma thinks she is taller than me. Hahaha. Keeping dreaming Grandma. She also thinks that if she raises her eyebrows that she is defiantly taller than me. Good one Grandma... you are still the shorty.

Retro Crayons

Mom asked Taleah to help her clean out the crayons. They went through the box and took out all the crayons that were broken. About 1/2 of the box fell under that category. Why waste all those good crayons? My mom had the fun idea of making new crayons. We filled cupcake trays of crayon pieces and then melted them in the oven. They all turned out so cool.

This one is a family favorite. Somehow we got the white crayon to turn into a kiss like shape on the bottom of the heart.

Too Smooth

I met quite the character on the BART the other day on the way home from Concord and I think he was a little too smooth. My camera is missing.

Maybe he took the camera for collateral for breaking his heart. I don't know... but no is no dude. Hopefully it just got lost on the BART and it will be returned to me.

This is like wishing dirt tastes like oreo puddding. Very doubtful.

Words to Live by

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Sushi

My dad was given the coolest little container of sushi as a thank you gift. Awesome idea.

6 Shots Later

I went into the hospital a million times this week and tomorrow I get to go again!

The first reason I was in the hospital was for one of my best friends, Brittany Sims, had her baby this week! He was 9 lbs 13 oz and 22 inches. (large!) She gave me and 3 of our friends (Hilary, Alexis and Brian) the honor to see her right after the baby was born. Sure enough we spent a few hours in the hospital that day. 

The next day I went back to the hospital. This time it was a scheduled appointment for myself. I basically singed myself up to get more shots than a little baby. I got 6 different shots to protect me from the crazy problems they have in Ethiopia. I'll name them all for you.

Polio
Meningitis
TB
Yellow Fever
H1N1
Hepatitis A  

Phew, that is quite the list. Just when I thought I was all done with 5 and the nurse was cleaning up she remembered that she forgot to give me H1N1. I would rather have the shot then get some funky issue in Ethiopia and end up in their hospitals. The side effects of these shots are awesome. 

This morning I woke up and thought I was going to die. Both of my shoulders feel like they are bruised too, sweet. 

Today I went to the hospital to visit Brittany and the baby again. This time I brought Bailey and we heart attacked her. Brittany was looking a lot more chipper and alive. The baby got a lot of color to his skin and now looks like he is black. Before I was confused if they switched the child with another lady's son.

Tomorrow I get the honor to head back to the hospital again. This time I will be getting my TB test read and picking up typhoid and malaria medication. Yeah! All these shots and medicine only mean I am one step closer to Ethiopia. I also think I will visit Brittany again while I am already there.