Prom 2014

All the posts here lately seem to be focusing on Chloe- 

She has had a lot going on!

In April- late one night- there was a knock at the door.

No one was there but there were 15 bananas placed throughout the yard.

Each had a piece of paper with the word - banana- sticking out of it on a toothpick.

Until... there was an

orange.

Chloe was nervous & thrilled & excited!

We were all dying to know who this boy was.

we figured it out and...

It was the nicest boy who had gone to school with her since Kindergarten.

Truly- she was over- the- moon that he had asked her.

I'm talking Valedictorian, going to college on a full scholarship in California, super talented & nice...

Right now- if you have daughters- you know exactly how I felt at that moment.

I don't even know how to describe it.

(Brian is holding a pair of black glasses in his hand & they are up against his black pants.. ha! He is not flying the bird.)

That weekend was General Conference for our church.

When these four left for the Priesthood Session, Saturday night.

Chloe & I went shopping.

The Saturday before that- 

the girls & I were lucky enough to get tickets to the General Women's Meeting!

Live tickets!! It was a thrill to be there & with my girls. Megan was home with new baby Peter.

It was so great to be there- I kept thinking back over the past year & all my worries. 

I loved being there- shed lots of tears of gratitude.

And said many prayers of thanks.

 I am so grateful to be a woman- I am so thankful to be a mother.

A good friend of mine is a secretary for the agriculture department of the church and had some really good tickets - 25 rows back. I cannot tell you enough how good this was for me. I am so thankful for my church. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has seen me through so many tough times & I cannot express... 

well- another post for that.

So back to the story...

Chloe & I went shopping in the little downtown shops near our town.

AND FOUND A PROM DRESS!

JUST LIKE THAT- NO SWEAT- NO STRESS- JUST FOUND THE MOST PERFECT DRESS IN THE WORLD? IT'S UNHEARD OF-- 

(Prom hair & makeup practice day)

Again- if you have daughters- you know exactly how much of a miracle this whole event was... and she hadn't even been to the dance yet!

The dress:

It's a light blue 1950's vintage dress we found in a dress/antique boutique.

It was perfect! It's so Chloe & fit her like it was made for her.

How I wish we knew the story of this dress...

but for now we know- it had just arrived that day.

and we bought it!

The night of the dance-

Her date picked her up & she was as cool as a cucumber.

The first thing he said when he saw her was-

You look Amazing

OH MY GOSH

My heart melted- what a nice guy. 

I was so happy for Chloe.

This was the perfect way to end the year.

It was like she had a real Cinderella ending. It was fantastic.

Like - good things happen to nice girls fantastic-

You know?

If you have daughters- or even if you don't

I think you will get it.

Not that Chloe isn't a nice girl... not that she didn't deserve to have a great prom date... it's just in real life we don't always get what we need or even deserve.

Enjoy the rest of these pictures.

They had a great time-

It's all I can do not to hug that kid & tell his mother that she raised such a great son.

I will- I will do both. 

I just can't yet- not without bawling like a crazy stalker lady.

I don't want to scare them....

I'll let you know when it happens.

my favorite weekend

Spring Conference weekend is really the best weekend of the Year.

Fall conference weekend is a close second... but spring... gotta love it!

We have a lot of traditions for conference weekend.

On Saturday morning I usually make a big breakfast to get everyone up & happy (this year buttermilk pancakes, eggs & bacon with fresh strawberries & bananas) then we break to get dressed quick- come back to the family room- get comfy... but not too comfy-

Then Conference begins at 10:00 AM sharp.

Saturday was warm & overcast, but Sunday we woke up to 2" of snow, which melted- then it started raining & hailing up more of the white stuff.

Spring in Utah is a fickle thing.

The younger kids in our house are always building something.

This time trent got out his legos & I came up with the idea of putting them on a blanket. Okay- it's taken me 24 years to figure out that noisy legos & blocks etc. can be quieted & easily picked up if put on a blanket. Better late than never.

The girls took notes for seminary.

and guess what!?

Grandma & Grandpa Messer are here!

We love having company for Conference!

Aren't they cute

There are five sessions to conference

But Saturday morning always ends up being my favorite.

I'm not sure if it's because it's the session I hear the most? but it is always my favorite & this year was no exception.

Not my best photo.

But still- here I am enjoying conference.

What a great weekend.

I have much more to write & say...

but it's spring break.

we are super busy & having a great time!

My favorite conference talk... that's a hard one...

but it's here!

a week in review....

It's been a great week here!

I've wanted to blog every. single. day....

but it just didn't come?

My mind just doesn't want to write-- I don't know whY?

But, I'm working on it anyway because I love this blog.

Lucky, Lucky us!!

Last week- right after school one day- we traveled down to Utah Valley to see the darling Nie Nie speak at BYU. It was amazing! She is gorgeous, wonderful & so very inspiring! We got there more than an hour early & waited for a seat (we were about the 40th people in line.) There were thousands there but we got a seat in the middle- six rows back. It was thrilling. The girls were on pins & needles waiting for her to come out. I was expecting a great speech on Inner Beauty. I was expecting it to be a packed house. I was expecting to love seeing Nie & family. I was not expecting the wonderful feeling in the air. My heart was touched immediately by her spirit. She permeates beauty & love. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, even though I already know her story. It was a remarkable experience & one my girls & I will never forget.

Luckily Brett came with us- he helped so much & picked up some dinner for us while we waited in line. He was surprised that there were not very many men there. Not to worry, he & this guy- bonded right away. That guy was saving a seat for his girlfriend (who came just in time... before a bunch of ladies scratched his eyes out for saving a seat for so long... Inner beauty?)

The Wilkinson Center Ballroom was overflowing with people. I heard someone say it seats 3,000. I don't know.. but there were people trying to sit int he aisles & people standing in the back & up both sides of the room.

Nie was completely taken back with emotion at the turn out!

She talked about the accident &

divine intervention.

She talked about our loving Heavenly Father & that He knows each one of us.

About, loving yourself no matter what size, style, shape you are &

taking care of our bodies. About not taking for granted the everyday joys of life.

A statistic: Only 2% of women describe themselves as "beautiful."

interesting

How much more beautiful would our lives/the world be if we understood our beauty?

None of this would have been possible if it weren't for Marcus & Brittany keeping Mr. Trenton with them at their apartment.

THANKS GUYS! He had a GREAT time!

***

Conference WEekend

this past weekend was General Conference.

One of the best weekends of the year!!

We loved it.

It was so nice to be home & listening to a prophet's voice.

Brian was home, we were all together & it was great.

It was sweet to think of our dear missionary Jack- also watching conference right along with us- in Brazil. I miss him.

today

he has been gone

exactly

6

months

He is doing wonderfully & emailed this week about his love of conference & how he got up on a crowded bus & testified of a living prophet. Then invited all on the bus to listen to his message about Jesus Christ.

what? Our Jack?

wow

the Johnson's joined us Sunday morning & brought cinnamon rolls- heavenly

Afterward- Hailey played for us.

It's been a great week here.
This week I'll be working on being a better blogger.

early visitor

This morning was very eggsiting-

besides being conference Sunday..

We had a visitor!!

YEs... The Easter Bunny was here!

In preparation for conference we got up & made a big breakfast.
Biscuits & gravy, eggs & sausage... Nothing gets teens out of bed for conference like a good breakfast. While eating, Trent went into the office to get something & What!!?
EAster baskets full of goodies- wow.

(don't you love that early morning hair do?)
Why would the EAster Bunny come a week early?
Maybe because we are going on a much planned out, very anticipated, spring break
VAcaTION!!
(MORE ON THAT TO COME) After the first talk we got out the eggs.
I LOVe dying eggs- love it.

here's Jack's BYU blue egg.

A yearly tradition.

Even dad likes dying eggs.

Don't look too closely at all the sewing supplies out in the kitchen... still working on the quilts, but in the kitchen so that I could listen to conference. I'm thinking now- even though I have made tons of progress- I will have to finish them when we get back from our trip.

Our other traditional traditional egg the "dinosaur egg"Sunday morning session of conference turned out to be my favorite.

Actually they were all so good, but Elder Holland's talk

was over the top inspiring & amazing to me.

I am really looking forward to the conference Ensign & wish I had it in time for our long, long awaited airplane ride.

yes we are going on a BIG vacation!

I am beyond excited.

I can't sleep, I'm having my typical over planning issues!

Because WE are going - all of us to my favorite city-

(WEll not all of us we have a dog/house sitter coming)

AFter learning that we can't go pick up the missionary in Chile, (we can... but his mission president says we cannot see him until his last day- we don't want to walk around Chile not knowing any spanish- by ourselves- pick him up then leave immediately...?)We decided to cash in all of our frequent flier & hotel points & take off.

Do you know what my favorite city is?

(it's Brett's too)

It's...

NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

so soon, this week, I will be blogging the big apple!

stay

tuned