Happy Birthday to you...

Ashley Brooke

November 21, 1983
Born: 4:14 pm
8 lbs 20 inches

One day old

My sweet baby doll

Hanging out at the farm

Taking over Justin's care bear desk that he got for Christmas, while clutching her Cabbage Patch
by it's hand

She loved that desk....and that doll! (1 year old)

Trying to wake Justin up by rolling over him with her bike...you can tell who the boss is in this relationship:D

Taking good care of "Maymee"
(her baby doll Amelia) (2 years old)

Once again taking over something of Justin's... this time his new birthday bike:)

"Hey who drank all the diet Coke?"

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Ashley was a girlie girl but tough as a boy (evidence... bruised legs and scabby knees as seen through her fish net tights:)

Dressed up for the Holiday's

Easter 87

Summer 88

Ashley doesn't think she's artistic but I found
some proof that begs to differ!

I think this is the only picture that exists where one of my kids has drawn hair on the top of Pat's head:)

Ashley is silly
(yes those are smiley faces on her toes:)

Ashley is brave

Ashley is athletic

Ashley is playful

Ashley is cool!

Ashley is nice!

Ashley & Marcie are Foosball Champions

Ashley is a Rock Star...so is Tanner

Ashley is a Jazz Fan!
Playoffs 2008

Ashley has a cute boyfriend!

Birthday girl

Ready for a surprise date with Nate

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday Ashley Brooke!

Check back later for a better Birthday Post.
Karli & Jake were hogging MY computer all night doing homework. I told them not to do it but they wouldn't mind their mother...silly kids!

Birthday Boy

John Rae

Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the world!

Traits I got from my Dad....straight hair, straight teeth, skinny ankles:)

Traits I didn't get from my Dad...quick wit, brown eyes, dark olive skin:(

Things I love about my Dad....

I love that my Dad doesn't act his age (87) but more like he is 77 or should I say 67?!

I love that my Dad went to work on his 87th birthday, driving to Brigham City to deliver a paper cutter

I love that we have to TRY and talk him out of climbing on his roof to put up Christmas lights!

I love that he has been an avid photographer for more than 60 years

I love that he sometimes has 3 different cameras around his neck

I love that he wants to go skiing

I love that he is always happy

I love that he loves a good fire

I love that every Season is his favorite

I love that he is smart

I love that he is witty

I love his sense of humor

I love his positive attitude

I love that he was a pilot in World War II

I love that he loves airplanes

I love how he tells jokes

I love that he was the quarterback for Pleasant Grove HS

I love that he is computer savvy

I love that he loves his ipod

I love that he is constantly reading a book or two or three

I love that he is always working in the yard/garden

I love that he loves to travel

I love that he has a good memory

I love that he can make his Grand kids laugh

I love that he can tell a good story

I love that I could go on all day listing things that I love about him

I LOVE THAT HE IS MY DAD!

....Bye now

"The Big Apple" of my eye

Sometimes I day dream that I live in a cozy loft

somewhere in Manhattan.

A loft that looks a little something like this

with a balcony that has a view

of this!

Since the odds of me ever living there are pretty much zero to none, I guess I would be happy just settling with a trip to the big apple.

I would love to see Central Park in Fall

I would rent a boat from the boathouse that was

featured in the movie Twenty Seven Dresses

then float along the river to see the beautiful fall foliage
.....ahhhh

I would like to stay at the Plaza Hotel where Kevin lived it up in the movie Home Alone 2

Which is conveniently located across the street from Central Park making it easy for me to spend a couple of days just wandering through it searching for all the famous landmarks.

Of course I would also visit the regular historic sights that are mandatory while in Manhattan, but here are some other things I would like to do while I am there....

Go to Carmines in the Theater District for a delicious Italian dinner...Family style:D

Then after dinner walk down the street to the theater and see the play that I have been wanting to see since it opened... Wicked!

I would also like to visit the LDS Temple. Last time I was there I went to a Sacrament meeting that was held in the same building. We took an elevator up to the Chapel, where we had a nice view of the city during our testimony meeting....it was awesome! We also introduced ourselves to Jane Clayson who was a member of the ward we were visiting.... she was nice:)

I would grab a quick lunch at Grays Papaya's
while shopping in SoHo

Then treat myself to a nice dinner at Mr. Chow's

and hope that Mr. Chow would bring me the Chicken Satay's again:D This is how it works....he comes out to your table to meet you and get a feel for what kind of food you like, then a little while later out comes your meal which is a total surprise! I lucked out and got these tasty treats that are melt in your mouth delicious!!!

For my sugar fix I would get some cupcakes

from Magnolia's

and stop at Dylan's candy bar... not so much for the real candy but for the eye candy!

Then on to Serendipity's for.....

their famous frozen hot chocolate! If you haven't seen the movie Serendipity you need to watch it.... I Love Love Love it!!

The window displays in this town are magical, making window shopping almost every bit as fun as the real thing!

In fact I had my first Anthropologie
encounter in Manhattan

It happened several years ago on a cold and snowy December night while trying to keep up with the hustle and bustle of the Holiday crowd. The pavement was slightly wet from the gently falling snow when suddenly it started to glow. Glancing up....there it stood shining like a beacon signaling me from across the street. It's giant window display's beaming like a glittering star inviting me to step inside to get warm and shop for awhile....which I cordially did;)

Another really cool store I discovered was
ABC Carpet & Home.

It is located in this really cool old warehouse a few blocks from where our taxi driver almost ran over a pedestrian (but that is a whole other blog post)

anyway this store was a fun discovery that was filled with 5 or 6 stories of overpriced gorgeous eclectic goodies, all of which wanted to come home and live with me

....or maybe I could just live there:D

Room with a view

Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through

the mountains, a torch flung to the trees.~ Faith Baldwin

Autumn, the year's last, lovliest smile. ~ William Bryant

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering

from the Autumn tree.~ Emily Bronte

For several enchanting weeks this fiery
Autumn tree danced outside my window.

Each day her lively performance
more charming than the last

Then overnight she was gone

Silently slipping back stage, trading her glamorous
dress for a woolen scarf.. gracefully rehearsing
her encore for Winter's grand performance.
~ Lisa Davies ~