The big 30

Hello everyone!  Yes, yes, this past week was my 30th birthday.  Boy how time has flown!  We had a great day to celebrate, and got to have wonderful chocolate peanut butter cake!  Here we are with the candles going!  Also, we had a number 3, but of course when we were pulling out the numbers that one fell out of the package and broke in half... I think it was an omen...

Monday was smoothie day, and nobody loves smoothie day as much as Brooke loves smoothie day!  Just look at that face!  Also, this may be the last time we make a smoothie that "doesn't need a straw..."

When we were getting Brooke ready for bed I took out her bow and when I turned around Jelly was sitting there, so I figured I'd try clipping it in!  She let it stay in for a few minutes and didn't seem to mind, but once she wanted it out she got it out in a hurry.  Still, it looked cute while it was there!

We've recently realized that when Winry has her pacifier she needs to have something else to hold.  This is because if she only has her pacifier she'll grab one of the moose's legs and pull it out of her mouth.  Apparently Monica thought it's never to early to learn to love high heels or something... (...Alex gave her my shoe, not me....)

On my birthday we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Sadly no one thought to take a picture until after breakfast, so here are the ones we didn't eat.  They were super good, I might have to have a birthday every week or two!

After breakfast Monica mentioned making a cake that day and Brooke ran to the drawer to get the candles.  When she got out the candles Brooke also got out the flashlight and would hold it up like this and say "I'm flashing the light!"

When I got home from work Brooke just had to have cake right away because she'd been looking at it all day (and helped Monica make it).  She also was very excited for me to open my presents, because she wanted to help.  She kept picking them up and asking if it was time yet, so we opened them basically right away.

Brooke made me some awesome art!  It's got fuzzy balls (her personal favorite) glued to it, and curly ribbons attached and even some decorative straws stuck through it!  I love it and it's exactly what I wanted!!!

And here we all are as a family before bed time.

When Monica and I went to bed Jelly had climbed under our bath mat outside the shower...  That was okay except we couldn't close the door...

On my birthday I also got tickets to the Denver Outlaws lacrosse game on Friday!  Monica found a baby sitter (thanks the Wilkes-s!) and we headed to the game!  The Outlaws play in the Bronco's stadium, so going to lacrosse games is extra great because I'll probably never sit this close to the field for anything else ever!  While we were there we headed to the Bronco's store and found some clearance Broncos shirts that we picked up for next football season.  We also got some food, and we looked at the Outlaws gear, but there was nothing that caught my eye.  They had some nice looking jerseys, but only in kids sizes.  We had a great time, and the Outlaws won too!!  Also, I think lacrosse (at least in Denver) is at a great point in popularity.  There's enough buzz and people there for it to be a big event and feel like a big event, but after the game we casually walked to our cars and still didn't have any traffic on our way home.  It's a win-win!

This afternoon I spent my time in the back yard with Brooke.  She swung for a while, and then she wanted to push bear in the swing.  She also brought out her little stroller to push bear around in the grass.  Eventually Monica and Winry joined us and we all enjoyed the nice weather chilling in the back yard!

Today I taught the lesson in Gospel Principles, and at the end I bore my testimony about the church, the restoration, and living prophets.  While bearing my testimony I felt the Spirit strongly as it confirmed what I was saying to me.  I feel like some of my most spiritual moments lately have been bearing my testimony at the end of Gospel Principles lessons.  It's amazing the spirit that bearing your testimony can bring.  I know the church is true, and I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ we can return to live with Him and God again.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.