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We've been missing in action this summer, but it's because we've had an AWESOME one. I am really excited to record our adventures here.

When I was a little thing, I used to march in the pioneer parade in my Grandma's ward boundaries, which incidently was my ward for a span of time. It was such a dream come true for me to see our little Peruvian pioneers march in the parade this year! G & G Baugh made this great covered wagon and our kids were basically the only ones who dressed up! Gotta love it. Fernando knew when he married me that I love all things pioneer/Church history, but that love continues to manifest itself in new ways and I think he sometimes realizes he's married a pioneer junkie. And I plan on training these guys to be the same. It's my secret plot and it's working. In fact we're off to This is the Place Heritage Park today! I LOVE our heritage!

I should note that Pioneer Sam got tired of walking pretty quick, but Pioneer Mimi who is known for her "determination" (she always uses that word to motivate herself when she's set her mind to doing something difficult), let him get in the wagon and she pulled him nearly the whole rest of the way! She would have made it all the way but another cousin Reid offered to let her ride for the last little bit. Heroic.

I bet the real pioneers felt this happy to arrive in Salt Lake City!

Retro Series: Miniman's Blessing Day

Self, please remember this....

"We know that we are involved in God’s work every day, and that changes everything."

" It changes the way we think."

"It changes our decisions. It changes the way we dress. It changes the way we talk.

It changes the way we live. "

" We have the responsibility and the challenge from the prophet to believe deeply and actively in the family. We will need to do that in order to preserve our families."

"That means we have to be intentional about everything we do. Our life is not just happenstance. We know where we are going and what we have to do."

--Nourishing and Protecting the Family
Julie B. Beck

May 1, 2009, at the BYU Women’s Conference

Lift Where You Stand

I've always said I'd rather have a piano than a wedding ring. I love my wedding ring so I haven't been saying that much since getting engaged. But Fernando knew and so when he overheard an elderly lady was GIVING away her grand piano to anyone who would pay to move it, he snatched the opportunity.

Weeks later we had a beautiful baby grand piano which needed some work, but we still paid NOTHING for it and so over time we planned to save up the dough to pay for the improvements.

Cut to 3.something years later (where does the time go) when a guy came to diagnose our lovely piano so we can start making the improvements as Mimi will soon begin piano lessons. Thunder rumbled and the sky turned dark (figuratively) as he spoke the words: "It will not be saved."

So sad. The sounding board was beyond repair or something like that which is equivalent to the engine of the piano in autobody terms. The WORST of it all is that when Fernando asked the piano guy, "So, what do we do with it?" The guy said, "TAKE IT TO THE DUMP."

The horror.

It seems like sacrilege to me to put a grand piano in the dump where seagulls will drop on it and banana peels will rot it's legs away. It just hurts me to think of it. But it had to be done. So the crew disassembled it enough to get it out of the house and take it to the truck.

My dad told my to make sure and post these pictures so that my brother Patrick who is in CHINA gets to see the fun he missed. He somehow escapes to the orient every time we have to move anything substantial.

We had to slide the piano on blankets out to the truck, and then everybody had to lift it into the truck.

Anyway, we all got thinking about "Lift Where You Stand" by President Uchtdorf.

"...as strong as you are, you cannot and you should not lift a piano by yourself. Likewise, none of us can or should move the Lord’s work alone. But if we all stand close together in the place the Lord has appointed and lift where we stand, nothing can keep this divine work from moving upward and forward."

So even though the piano is gone and has left a gaping hole in our front room (albeit plenty of room wherein to dance our hearts out), it has reminded us of everyone who has stood where they were and lifted us, and that whatever strength we have, if we are willing to use it to bless others, makes a difference.

ps My dad saved some pieces of the wood. So we will incorporate parts of the piano into future important furninture items. Don't lose sleep over this.

Baseball in style

Some good one liners of late:

Mimi: "I'm not going to have a boyfriend when I grow up, just a husband." soooo much easier.

Me: "Sam. Stop smashing your brother! He's just a baby."

Sammo: "But I LOVE him. That's my commandment!" True. Love is the greatest commandment, Sam expresses love by mauling, and I can't argue with the reasoning.

You win again nursery leaders.

Mimi: "Not all children are geniuses, Sammy. But children of Fernando are geniuses." (Who has been feeding this line of reasoning to you, I wonder...) "And the wife of Fernando is also a genius." Yes, my identity has been completely obliterated at this point. But, I am a genius.

Sammo: "I'm TIIIIIIIRED of being good." I hear ya. But I'll bet being bad is exausting.

fatty boombah

Some friends of ours in Italy, the husband was Australian, used to call their baby a fatty boombah. I always loved the term and now I get to use it on this guy!


F and I were saying the other day how much we love baby feet and how the feet have a mind of their own. This guy loves his feet. I love this face. It's like..."excuse me? Did you interrupt me for something important?"

Actually SORTA seems like a white person could have had this baby. Amazing!

Don't you love babies?! OHHHHHHH.

Such a cutie little squish.

If you don't want to hear a weird baby voice or feel uncomfortable with me acting like a goofball please do not watch the video below.

Girl's day out

Aunt KT took Mimi for a girl's day out. She made some new friends at Old Navy,

Did some animal training,


Said goodbye to new friends WITH a stash of new cute clothes provided by spoiler KT



Got THESE painted at the GLITTER TOE party

Nice. Makes you wish KT would take YOU on a Girl's day out sometime, doesn't it? (Hint hint)