A Mini Reunion in La La Land (& Harry Potter World)

We seem to be in the phase of life where extended family reunions almost always equate to some variation of the stomach flu--and this time was no different. Sure, it made for some cancelled plans and some crazy times, but I'd have to agree with my Dad who later said, "Sure, we were sick for a day, but it was worth it to be there for all the other amazing moments with my kids and grandkids." Isn't that right? And isn't he the cutest?  

So many people sacrificed so much to spend Talmage's birthday weekend and baptism with us and my heart swells thinking about my love for them and their love for us. Someday I'll have a big old house with rooms and beds to spare, but for now I'm just grateful that they'll squeeze into our little place and even a friend's pad so that they can spend some time with us. It was a great time and I can't wait to see all of them (YOU!) again.  

On your left you'll find a normal-sized two year old. On your right you'll find an Amazonian baby! #threeweeksapart #fourinchesapart

Avery is the greatest sister, cousin, niece, friend and little girl around. I love her so, so much.

Uncle Jordan set up scary bear on T's bed!

Alexander Graham Bell and two Harry Potters (one who was too scared so chose school over the theme park, the other who chose theme park over home but then was too scared to ride the rides!) 

 Forgive the millions of pictures with just us and our boy but it was THE most amazing thing to focus all of our attention on just one child. Talmage loved all the rides and all the experiences and was just so grateful and fun all day long. This was his big birthday present from us and I'd say it was a huge success! Thanks to my parents and Jord and Mad who watched all the other children so we could go play!

Poor baby rolled down the sand towards the water!

Seven of the eight McKee grandkids. I can't wait to see baby Hunter in Utah in just a few weeks and get some updated pictures. 

These two have all sorts of crazy pet names for each other! James acts annoyed, but he eats up all of Ash's antics!

The ONLY picture we got of the whole group and it's not even at the baptism, but it's at the beach so #winning. To be fair, people had already started to go downhill by the end of the event and in hindsight, I'm just grateful there was no barf AT the baptism.

Quinny was getting the royal treatment from Papa and Gigi. How cute are they cuddling her in a towel and feeding her oranges. She eats up their attention even more fervently than she was eating up those treats!

Ashleigh took care of all the stressful parts of the baptism so that I could enjoy the spiritual parts. I'm so grateful for her love and support and presence at all of my most important moments. Having your very best friend be your sister just seems too good to be true, but I'm sure glad it's my real life.  

It was great to have some extra time with the McKee's, especially our little Lucy. By the end these two were having full out screaming wars, but for the first six days of the trip they were little BFF's!

Hooray for family! Love you all--see you again real soon!

T's Baptism

On March 11, 2009 I delivered a baby with horrific birth-related brain trauma and as he was whisked away to the NICU for tests and tubes I was told that if he survived the night there would be a laundry list of mental and physical limitations that would live with him. Sitting in my shock and grief, I wondered what life would be like for this helpless little creature who had been so violently forced into the world. After a few hours, James returned to my bedside and without a doubt in the world said, "Heather, don't worry about Talmage. He is going to be just fine." At just a few minutes old, the NICU doctor assisted James in giving Talmage his first priesthood blessing while the nurses prepped him for a CT scan. In the blessing T was promised that he would make a full recovery and that he would gain a keen intellect that would bless the lives of Heavenly Father's children. The recovery was long, exhausting and sometimes bumpy, but it was incredibly complete, and I think T's neurologist explained it best when he said, "Medical science cannot explain what has happened with your son. I don't know what you believe, but there is a greater power looking over this child." There is indeed a greater power looking over Talmage Scott, and he is every bit of proof I'll ever need that miracles still exist.

On March 11, 2017 I sent my baby all dressed in white into the water to meet his Daddy, who baptized him a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His smile couldn't have been bigger, his countenance brighter, and the love in that room filled by family and friends couldn't have been deeper. Over the years I've thought back on that blessing he received so very long ago, but never more than this month when I realized that those special promises made by Heavenly Father are quickly coming to pass. That keen intellect and earnest testimony of our Talmage-boy sure do bless our family and his friends, and I have a feeling that we're just seeing the beginning of the ways he will love and serve the world. We're so proud of you T, thank you for being our first baby friend!

T and the BOM

Last year we set some goals about how we could help Talmage and our whole family prepare for him to be baptized. One of the goals that he thought was important was reading the whole Book of Mormon. At first it was a family affair, but after we added Cora to the mix I sadly realized that we were not keeping up the pace we would need to finish this precious book by the time T got baptized. In typical Talmage fashion he said, "No problem Mom, if I can read all seven Harry Potter's in a month I can definitely finish the Book of Mormon by myself." And he did. He read a little bit every day, but when Winter Break hit he decided that it was time to buckle down and finish it. That kid is so dedicated and such a brilliant reader. He took his scriptures EVERYWHERE and for a solid week I rarely saw him without his nose in that book. On January 4, 2017 he finished. I was so proud of his accomplishment I literally wanted to burst. Proud because he accomplished a big goal, but also proud that he had really soaked up the stories and lessons and could tell me all about the adventures of various scripture heroes. He immediately grabbed a pen and said, "I need to write my testimony on the cover!" He has a copy of the Book of Mormon where Uncle Chase had done a similar thing, which must be where he got the idea. He wrote his beautiful and simple testimony and said, "Well, I guess I better start on the Doctrine and Covenants!" I love that little boy--his righteous soul and constant desire to learn and grow.   

This was my sight literally EVERYWHERE!

That testimony and that CTR ring and that sweet little boy. 

After James got home that night we stole T from his bed and had some counter talk about his favorite parts of the Book of Mormon. He asked questions about things he didn't understand, James taught him some deeper meanings of scriptures and the whole time I thought--is this kid really only seven?! If talking religion is this insightful when he's still basically a baby, I can't wait for the counter talks we'll have with our teenage T!

I Mustache You a Question

How darling are my smoothie-loving bedheads?!

A Pizza Party for Two

I hurried home from my meeting only to find that the guys night James had planned with a few friends was cancelled last minute due to some legitimate but still lame family emergencies. He was bummed because of the lack of boy bonding that would be happening, but also because four pizzas were on their way to our house! What one sees as a tragedy, another sees as a pizza party for two waiting to happen! We sat on our living room floor, box in each hand, and ate pizza like our life depended on it. And let me tell you, had our life really depended on it we would have been just fine!

Before long Athena and Justin stopped by and helped us eat more pizza (and cookies--did I mention we made LOTS of cookies?) and gosh, they're just the greatest people. We are lucky to have great friends, those who couldn't come play and those who could, but this night reminded me that we're also lucky to find friendship in each other. I think a pizza party for two just might become a tradition around here!

An Almost Sleepover

Melissa went to visit her sister in Reno and Adam was flying back from NYC so my kids life was made when we took the Burnett's home from school for an afternoon playdate and almost sleepover. Of course, the day when I'm walking eight kids home also happens to be one of the rare monsoon-ish Los Angeles days of the season and we all came home drenched from head to toe. Hilariously drenched! Luckily we have lots of feety pajamas and before long all of us were curled up cozy on the couch to watch endless movies, eat endless snacks (and then endless pizza) and enjoy the fact that rainy Friday's are for having the laziest fun possible! Adam's flight was delayed and a few of our little friends fell asleep, but the other ones just watched movies with blankies and enjoyed their first almost sleepover! We're so lucky to have such wonderful friends!

Quinn's all, "Hey Mom, you CRAZY? Look at this weather!"

If this is not the cutest thing ever I don't know what is. Just missing our bookends in this picture.

#babybesties

Best. day. ever!