Dreams Really Do Come True

This year for Christmas we gave our children some magic.
Disney magic that is.
It was the BEST Christmas morning surprise!!!

We set sail Feb 28 - March 4 on the beautiful Disney Wonder.

It was something that I always wanted to do with my children. And I wanted to take them when they were young enough to enjoy the magic that makes Disney so special. It really was a dream come true for me. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.


It was extra special that Grandma and Grandpa Osborne came with us.


AND that Dave celebrated his big 4–0 birthday on the cruise. What a way to celebrate :)



So here are some of my fav's from the trip . . .












































Also, I put together put together a little slide show with music including these and many more pictures. So if you have about 15 minutes and want to check it out - here you go :)


Click here to view this video


I added commentary to the pictures in the Shutterfly album format (you can also click on slide show and view at them full screen in the album sans the music and transitions.) So you can peruse whatever you like! Enjoy!


261 pictures
Click here to view these pictures larger

Love and kisses,
Wendy

Family Photos

A couple months ago my friend Jami flew to AZ from Utah to visit her sister and meet her new baby niece. A few ;) (wink) years ago Jami and I lived across the hall from each other in the dorms, freshman year at BYU. We had some fun adventures and I could tell some stories (but I won't :) We were also room mates the summer after our sophomore year for the months leading up to both of our weddings. I love this girl!

It has been fun to catch up with her, compare notes about our boys (she has 5) and even commiserate, oops, I mean discuss the joys of being a bishop's wife :)

I was so thrilled to have my amazingly talented friend take our family pics this year.

These are some of my fav's: (besides the new header for my blog)

Extreme Makeover

On Christmas night I went upstairs to put Luke to bed. He was so tired from the day's festivities that he fell asleep in my arms as I rocked him and sang the usual bedtime songs. I carefully laid him in his crib and returned to the rocking chair.


Then I sat and cried. Not just little tears but sobs that summoned Dave into the nursery to see what was the matter.

“I can’t do it,” I told him. “I’m not ready for this.”

Dave, being supportive, started offering suggestions on how we might put my “big-surprise-plan” on hold for a while, but also reminded me that Luke would not sleep in his crib forever.

The next morning Dave, Josh, and Zac awoke very early. Grandpa O. joined them. Equipped with snacks and lots of winter clothes the four guys headed north for a day on the slopes -- Josh’s activity of choice to celebrate this day, his thirteenth birthday.





As soon as the boys were out the door I sprang out of bed and into action.

I WAS going to do this, I told myself - I COULD do this. And besides, the surprise would be so much fun and the day of work ahead of me would be busy enough that there would be no time to look back or rethink this decision.

When the boys returned that night we blindfolded Josh and led him up the stairs to his special birthday surprise.

The nursery that I rocked Luke to sleep in the night before...

...Was now a teenage boys bedroom.
 

It was the perfect gift and this boy was THRILLED!

Luke was relocated to this room, to bunk with “Zac, the awesome.” :)

And...
... After I realized that I could make room for the rocking chair in this room
... that Luke would still let me rock him at night
... that we could snuggle and read stories together in bed too...

EVERYONE was happy.

Actually, it has been a nice change.

Happy Birthday Josh!

(this is the cake he wanted - strawberry cheesecake Gelato)

I love you birthday boy!

forever - mom