Shout out to my little, much taller brother.

My little brother Garret wrote yesterday that he has finished one third of his mission in Piura, Peru. We are a lot alike, and that caused a little bit of head-butting growing up. We have both grown a lot, and are much better friends now. I was thinking about how our rooms shared a wall, and late at night I would be in bed, and he would start playing guitar. I would bang on the wall for him to stop. He is very good, and I should have just listened, or gone in and talked with him. I'm making up for it now by writing him every week.

He is a wonderful missionary who truly loves the Peruvian people. In his last e-mail he mentioned how awesome it is to think that he is a son of the Man who made the stars. It is wonderful to see his example of humility in his realization of each of our divine potential. Even though you won't read this Garret, we sure do love you!

**Notice that his companion is basically a midget compared to him. I'm sure everyone there thinks he is a giant!

The faces of Elsie

We went and got Elsie's 3 month pictures today. I'm so glad we got at least one big smile picture, but each one of these pictures is a classic Elsie face. She is such a character! Life was so boring without her. Alan and I could just sit and stare at those peepers all day!

New things

Elsie is learning new things everyday. I love to watch her grow and learn. Below are some pictures showcasing her new talents and abilities:

Making animals out of cloud shapes with dad.

Smiling, wiggling, and generally flailing about. Poker face anyone?

Accountability

So I am back down to my pre-pregnancy weight (thanks to Elsie and her incredibly large appetite.) But... that doesn't say much. I would be very happy if I could lose 15 more pounds by the end of the summer. I try to eat healthy and exercise, but I have a big sweet tooth and don't like running one bit, and with Elsie to take care of, I can come up with so many excuses. SO... I am commiting to both those things listed above, and think it will help to have some accountability by posting it here where everyone can see. First step- not eating refined sugar. Day one is going pretty well, although it is only noon. Wish me luck!

Elsie Angel

Yesterday we were able to bless our dear angel daughter. I am so thankful for the 14 worthy priesthood holders who stood in the circle with my husband to bless Elsie. She looked so precious in the outfit grandma and I made for her. Poor thing got shots the day before, had a sleepless night, and slept through the whole church and family lunch. No one believes me that she ever wakes up, but after everything was over and we went home, her eyes popped open, and she smiled at me for an hour. She just likes saving smiles for mom and dad. It was a wonderful day, and I'm so glad we got to share it with our families.

Also, my dear sister Cara came down to spend the weekend with us. She also watched Elsie while we went on a date on Friday. While she was here, Elsie never cried more than 20 seconds without being picked up and cuddled by Cara. She loves her aunt! Thanks for coming Cara!

How can you resist this face?

Mini person picture

Elsie is getting so big, and is starting to love all the attention on her. I love to have her sit on my lap. We just stare at each other and make faces. She smiles so much, but whenever I put a camera in her face, the smile goes away. Here are some faces I have been able to capture. ** On a side note, can you see how long her gorgeous eyelashes are? She will never need mascara!