Chelsea's First Date..

I guess I've been waxing nostalgic..

I started a large post, but realized it would be enhanced if I told this story first..

(don't you worry, the aforementioned large post isn't too far behind!)

Chelsea turned 16 in December of 2006.. (she did get asked, last minute to the Christmas dance 2 days before her birthday, which we would have let her go to, but instead, my Grandpa Mark passed away, so we went to a funeral instead.. but I digress..)

Sometime in January of 2007, she got asked on her first date!!

But, in typical Chelsea fashion, it has a funny side note..

She was asked on her first date by Stuart Oldroyd..

Stuart used to be in our ward (boundary changes).. In fact, Chelsea & Stuart were "baptism buddies".. (for those of you having a hard time following, they were baptized the same day.. hmmm.. now I wish I had a picture of them together on that day.. I think back then it was "embarrassing" to have your picture taken with a boy.. There I go.. that whole digressing thing again..)

My details aren't perfect, but I think he asked her about 2 days before the actual date..

Enter Daniel Tullis.. In our ward at the time.. Actually lived 3 houses away from us..

Stuart & Daniel, pretty much best friends at the time..

So, Daniel calls Chelsea the day before the date, and, in her mind, invites himself along as a 3rd wheel on the date.. {note the phrase in bold & italics}.. She says "sure"..

In actuality, Daniel was asking Chelsea on the same date..

{think a double-date.. with the same girl??}

{this is the part where we, in the Walker household rub our heads and say, "Oh, Chelsea!"}

Yes, you read right, she has now accepted a 2nd boy for the SAME DATE..

That was just the beginning of Chelsea's sporadic, and generally never boring dating life..

What a Life..

Chelsea's weekend in a nutshell..

A Great Quote..

This is a bit of a different post for me..

In my ward, I am serving in Nursery right now, so I don't get to be in Gospel Doctrine.. I have always been more of a Gospel Doctrine girl than a Relief Society girl.. Just my personal preference.. Add on top of that that we have 2 of the BEST Gospel Doctrine teachers in the church.. No lie.. NOW add on top of that that our RS secretary emails a synopsis of RS every week (including Good News - my favorite part)..

This gets me to my post - I guess many people had asked one of the Gospel Doctrine teachers about a quote she used in a recent lesson..

Wasn't even there for the lesson.. But this just touched me, and I thought it was appropriate, given that Conference starts tomorrow.. Or as my girls call it.. "Church in Jammies"..

Enjoy!

As surely as the rescue of those in need was the General Conference theme of October 1856, so too is it the theme of this conference and last conference and the one to come next spring. It may not be blizzards and frozen-earth burials that we face this conference, but the needy are still out there — the poor and the weary, the discouraged and downhearted, those “[falling] away into [the] forbidden paths” we mentioned earlier, and multitudes who are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.” They are all out there with feeble knees, hands that hang down,and bad weather setting in. They can be rescued only by those who have more and know more and can help more. And don’t worry about asking, “Where are they?” They are everywhere, on our right hand and on our left, in our neighborhoods and in the workplace, in every community and county and nation of this world. Take your team and wagon; load it with your love, your testimony, and a spiritual sack of flour; then drive in any direction. The Lord will lead you to those in need if you will but embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ that has been taught in this conference. Open your heart and your hand to those trapped in the twenty-first century’s equivalent of Martin’s Cove and Devil’s Gate. In doing so we honor the Master’s repeated plea on behalf of lost sheep and lost coins and lost souls (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Prophets in the Land Again,” Ensign, Nov 2006).

The Magic of Stuffing and Little Clothes..

This is a magical place..

I don't quite understand it but it's true..

Ask ANY kid..

It has a magnetic pull..

Whenever we are in University Mall, the little girls ask to go in..

NOT like we've never been!

All 3 of my daughters have a Build-a-Bear

[to be exact, Chelsea-1, Savannah-3, Adeline-2]

After Monday, Savannah & Adi each have one more!

Grandma Rosemary added a last-minute birthday treat for Savannah,

and invited Adeline and Hailey (cousin) along!!

Here is our latest adventure there..

Adi with her pre-stuffing dog..

The 3 girlies waiting to add some bulk to their doggies..

{they all 3 picked a different dog}

Adi manning the foot pump to stuff her dog..

Savannah's turn..

Adi in the "washing" section..

{actually just strong air and a brush - to make your new BaB all fluffy}

Adi quickly started trying on outfits..

Went through many..

Savannah "fluffing" her pup..

It's hard to see, but a possible fairy outfit for Savannah's doggie..

HERE is the right one!

BaB is a place where Savannah's & Adi's differing personalities

really show:

Adi chose quickly,

{the only thing she had decided in advance was she didn't want a bear}

named her dog while waiting to get it stuffed,

tried on as many outfits as possible

before choosing something we would have assumed she would choose..

{something girly, pink, sparkly, fancy}

Savannah has been telling me every time we walk past BaB

that if she went, she would choose the Portuguese Water Dog,

but when it was time to choose, it was a hard choice,

mulled endlessly over outfits,

trying on very few,

still trying to decide if this dog was a boy or a girl,

chose a dress,

which was a surprise..

{she tends to choose NOT so girly outfits}

Working on all that important paperwork..

Hailey doing her computer work..

Meanwhile, Adi had been done with everything for a while..

The girls with their finished puppies!!

Adeline & Daisy

Hailey & Chloe

Savannah & Nala

Thanks Grandma!!!

Someone is 11 Years Old TODAY!!

IT IS TRUE!!

As much as I can't believe it, Savannah Klaire is 11 years old today!!

Happy Birthday!!

As a tribute, I found a few pictures so we could remember her as our "little" girl!!

11 years ago today..

{on the way to the hospital, I was discussing with 7 year old Chelsea how newborns don't have chubby cheeks,

and how none of the babies in our family have any hair..

Savannah proved me wrong!! - Just look at all that dark hair!!}

My tiny girl.. about 3 weeks old..

In her blessing dress..

She was 3 1/2 months old when we blessed her,

so we could bless her AND baptize Chelsea on the same weekend..

on her FIRST birthday..

I just love this picture..

Savannah is 4..

Here are 11 random things about Savannah Klaire..

• Savannah LOVES animals.. Love is not a strong enough word.. AT LEAST once a day, Savannah asks me if I will get her a dog, cat, goat, snake.. you name it, she's asked for it..
• Savannah is THE BEST big sister to Adi.. these 2 play with each other daily, always have fun, and very seldom fight..
• Savannah is a worrier.. I credit this trait to her Great-Grandma Arlene..
• Savannah is a fabulous piano player.. {we just need to find a new teacher}
• Savannah had stitches in her ankle when she was 3.. She sat up and watched the entire procedure.. Just like it was nothing.. {her 7 days post-partum mother did not do as well..} She calls this scar her "caterpillar"..
• Savannah and her best friend, Baylie had a rough start.. They first became friends as 3 year olds, and when Savannah would get mad, irritated, or any other negative emotion, she would slap Baylie as hard as she could.. There were some wicked slap fights.. Baylie had daily red hand marks across her face..
• Savannah used to want a Komodo dragon.. She would have named it Curly.. {she probably still wants one}
• Savannah has had 3 concussions..
• Savannah loves to crochet, sew & quilt..
• Savannah has TONS of hair.. Its is about 2 feet long and VERY thick..
• Savannah's 2nd grade teacher called Savannah her "Hypochondriac Turtle".. Which pretty much nails it on the head.. She is poky.. And she is always feeling "sick/injured"..
• Savannah has an AMAZING imagination.. This makes her very VERY fun to play with, and also leads to 2 hour long descriptions of dreams she had last night..

Savannah is a wonderful girl!!

I love you, and I'm so glad you're in our family!!