I get to have more dental surgery

on Tuesday,

which happens to be

our 19th anniversary.....

that's a bummer,

we won't even be able to make-out,

but this time around

I'm a little smarter,

I'm getting sedated...

lucky me!!!

(I'm a little nervous)

our weekend

On Friday we took Candice to the airport.....

I've been emotional and happy,

and happy and emotional this past week...

I have wanted to write the last few days but...

it seemed too over-whelming...

It was tender to see Caitlyn say good-bye,

especially since the two of them haven't seen eye to eye lately...

She will miss Candice

but.......

not for long, cuz she gets C.j.'s room and car!!!

.

.

.

It was good to talk to Candice this afternoon,

she talked a lot and I could tell that she has been enjoying

her time in Utah so far. Her only complaint is how cold it is there!

she's freezing!!!

and she was freaking out because she actually saw people wearing shorts,

of course, they were going to the gym to work out, but.....

I think she is just in a little bit of freezer shock!

I love family and I'm so grateful that Candice gets to be surrounded by them!

and of course, it always helps to have two cute girl cousins

to hang with!

I'm liken Candice's new hair-do!

.

Everyone has made Candice feel welcomed...

thank-you!!!

.

Tomorrow she has her first day of her new school...

Good Luck!

Goals...

One of my New Years Resolutions

is to send everyone a birthday gift in my family this year....

I'm good at remembering everyone's b-day's

but

let's face it, there is nothing better than receiving

a small token of love!

I have a big family so, I'm guessin' about 36 tokens of love...

I've always wanted to do alittle better in the

b-day department, and so this is my year!

but, I have a few exceptions,

it will be a creative/fun gift from my heart, and creative on the finances too ,

and there are no promises' that it will be there ON your b-day,

altho, I'm shooting for that too,

I just don't want to feel like I've failed before I've even gotten started!

So, Monday is my nieces birthday, she's my first gift receiver.

she is a college student and so of course, every cute college girl needs a pair of

"book ends"

to make her dorm room look cute!

Here's where my creativity kicks in....

I found these at my local thrift store for $2.

Used some cute paper I had at home,

Added a little personal touch, only on one side,

and Whalaa....

Book ends, these will help Lauren be so smart,

hey, anything I can do to help, right!

(little Lauren and I ..... 19 years ago)

Happy Birthday Lauren Lou!

.

.

.

P.S. Lauren doesn't read my blog very often and so I feel safe,

but

just in case she does, won't she be so freakin' excited to receive these in her mailbox!

.

.

.

pss. I bet the rest of my family is so excited for there b-day's this year....

Deidre, you're next!

ha.ha

One more reason we love Sadie...

Who needs a brother to play b-ball with.....

when you have a dog?

(great block shot!)

our foreign ex-change student

I'm not goin' to lie,

I have a pit in my stomach,

.

.

I just bought an airplane ticket for Candice,

she's flyin' on a jet plane in exactly 10 days,

she's going to be a foreign exchange student,

in Vernal.........Utah!

(yes, because it will be foreign to her!)

She has the opportunity to go to school for the last quarter

with her cousins and live with my sweet sister and totally get spoiled by all my family!

I'm excited for her, I really am, and I've felt good about our decision to let her go,

I'm excited for the opportunities that she'll have there, that she can't experience here....

but, now that it's really here, and the ticket is bought, it's reality!

I'm going to miss her so much, and it will make me homesick but happy at the same time!

It's just so weird to me that she's growing up.....

and sad... sad that she's not my little "gink" anymore,

with her squeaky voice and blond curly hair,

now she's old enough to adventure out and about in the big world

and

I don't know if I'm ready for that!!!!

sigh...