YOGURT LOVE

What do you do when you are two, you want yogurt, and your mom isn't fast enough? You help yourself of course. The joys of having an independent two-year-old around who absolutely loves (and I mean LOVES) yogurt!

I guess I should be glad that she only opened one!

It cracks me up that they are all still attached together and that she picked a middle one.

BTW - thanks for all the comments due to my last post. I wasn't trying to fish for comments, but thanks all the same.

DARN GOOGLE READER

I have to admit that I have a love hate relationship with Google reader at this point.

Loves:
1. I was having a hard time keeping up with all my friends blogs. Some people update daily, some monthly, some yearly. Now I don't have to click on their links anymore to see who has updated recently. Google does all the work
2. Order, order, order. I love anything that organizes my life.
3. It's so easy. I need a little simplicity in my life.

Hates:
1. NO ONE LEAVES COMMENT ANY MORE!!!! I guess I should feel special if someone leaves me a comment. That means that they actually clicked on my link and did an extra step to leave me a comment. I am just as bad. I don't leave comments much any more either. Bad Stacy! Bad Stacy!
2. I wish that I could put the links on of those who have gone private. I always forget to look at their blogs.
3. NO ONE LEAVES COMMENTS!!! This is really my biggest complaint about google reader. The organization has made it harder for us to take that extra step to leave comments on each others lives. I admit it I love to hear what you are all thinking. It makes me realize that people out there care about what I am doing and thinking.

Maybe you are all just trying to tell me something....

I am going to try harder to take that extra step and leave more comments. I am not a lazy friend. I want to be a true friend and leave you all some love. If I start slacking off again let me know. I can take it!

FAVORITE MEMORIES

The last few months have been a blur. It all started with Kevin's parents coming for a visit and just ended a few months later with my sister and her family coming. I knew that it would make the time go faster, but didn't realize just how fast it would go. August is nearly over!

I want to remember some of the things we did. Here is my top 10 list!

10. Dera trying to capture the sound of the kookabura on her video camera. Every time she got it out they would stop singing. It was pretty funny!
9. Watching everyone eat Vegemite for the first time - priceless!
8. Watching Dera's collection of sea shells grow and accumulate. She did kill a poor crab when boiling her shells.
7. The possum I killed on the way home from Wiseman's Ferry. Kev saw it skid across the road, since he was behind us on his scooter. I guess I am a killer like Dera - remember the crab (#8)
6. Madi's surgery = one stressed out mama bear.
5. Getting tagged on the train. Brandon and I accidentally rubbed up against some fresh paint on the train. Darn taggers! Those were my good pants!
4. Meeting the Barrs and going to the Central Coast - Australia is a beautiful place!
3. Seeing Cairns, The Great Barrier Reef, and parasailing with Madi - still think I am crazy because of that one. It was special to do those things with John and Susan.
2. Staying up late and laughing until the tears began to flow. It was so much fun to spend time with my sisters.
1. Madi's baptism - she was so happy and the Spirit was definitely with her. Plus watching the DVD our families made for Madi on her baptism. It was nice to feel the love our family has for us, and feel their presence on her special day.

LOOK AT ME!

I figured it out!!!! I will make a few more dish cloths for practice and then it is onto bigger things. My mom sent me some yarn and hooks with Julie as well as a pattern she created for a hat and flower.

I am so excited and I just can't hide it!!!

It is so fun to learn something new. Such a sense of accomplishment!

CENTRAL COASTING

Last weekend we spent on the Central Coast. Brandon's mission president and his wife, the Barrs, live up there and we were privileged to meet them. They were lovely. Words cannot describe the generosity and love that they shared with us. Madi has already made plans for us to go up there again in the summer and spend the day with them. It was great to have someone who has lived in the Central Coast for 40 years show us around. Here are a few of my favorite pictures.

A SPECIAL GUEST

Today we had a special guest in our home all day long!

Baby Claire spent the day with us hanging out and tagging along. Her mom and dad went whale watching and I volunteered to have her stay with me. Secretly I am hoping that they don't see whales. If they don't they get a return voucher, which they will give to us since they are returning to the States. Don't tell them that though...hahaha! Ok, so I already did - OOPS!

I couldn't resist getting all the kiddos together.

All in all it has been a good day. Every once in a while Claire will crawl around crying looking for her mommy, who can blame her right?

Maybe having four kids wouldn't be so bad....

MADI'S BAPTISM

Friday August 14, 2009 is a day I will never forget. Madi entered the waters of baptism and was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was such a special day.

Baptisms in Australia are not done the same as in Utah. In Utah there are so many members of the Church that baptisms are typically held on the first Saturday of the month and whomever has turned eight during the previous month goes to the Stake Center and gets baptized and confirmed. However, in Australia there are not as many children in a typical month who are at the age of accountability to get baptized. Therefore, Madi got her own special day. She was also baptized on her birthday which is even more special. We planned the entire program and made treats to share for after. It was a busy day, but well worth all the effort.

Here is the program so that we don't forget:

Chorister – Katrina Gledhill
Pianist – Carli Jeffrey

Conducting – Nick Murphy


Opening Song – Seek the Lord Early
Opening Prayer – Rosa Bale

4th Article of Faith – Cooper Hutchinson
Scripture – Stacy Hutchinson
Talk – Brandon Carlson

Baptism performed by Kevin Hutchinson

Song – I am a Child of God performed by Natasha and Antoi Nel

Talk – Joanne Carswell

Confirmation performed by Kevin Hutchinson

remarks - Nick Murphy

Closing song – When I am Baptized
Closing prayer – Julie Carlson

When we left the chapel and headed to the font I left Rylee by the glass to go help Madi. Rylee started screaming as soon as she realized I wasn't there. Lisha brought her to me in the bathroom where I was watching through the door. She whimpered through the entire thing.

Madi said she was a little nervous when she looked up and saw all the kids with their faces pressed against the glass looking at her.

Madi was a trooper. She had to get baptized twice. The first time Kev forgot to say her name - just practicing...hahaha! Not only that but her dress bubbled up out of the water. The second time went off without a hitch.

She came into the bathroom to change and was shivering. I couldn't get her dressed fast enough.

Madi, our little missionary, invited four friends who are not members of our faith. They all came and brought at least one member of their family with them.

top row: Antoi, Madi, Bethanny, and Isabella

bottom row: Jaimee and Sophie

My mom made Madi's white baptism dress and another special dress she could wear that day. I am going to take her out sometime in the next couple of weeks and get pictures in her special dresses. Thanks mom!

We were so glad that Brandon, Julie, and Claire were here to share it with us. (Somehow we didn't manage to get a picture with them) It was a little sad that the rest of our family couldn't be here as well. We wish you all could have been here to share in our special night.

I asked Madi after we got home how she felt about her baptism night. She said that she just felt so happy. It was obvious to me that she felt happy. She was glowing. She could hardly sit still and she was giggling and smiling all night long. Madi is such a special spirit, one that we are blessed to have in our home, and we are so proud of her decision to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.

Thanks to all who helped to make her night a very special night. It was nice to share it with so many of you and to have so much support since we didn't have family here.

A night to never be forgotten.

SUNNY DAYS

Today was a beautiful day.

I was adventurous again and drove to the beach. Twice in two weeks has got to be a record for me. I get a bit anxious driving a car - espcially here with the narrow lanes and the fact that I am not sure where I am heading most of the time. I have grown up so much and can now drive myself to the beach - who knew. Now I know what Rylee and I can do on our free days when the kids are at school. Madi told me that I need to take her to the beach every day during school holidays. Not sure that is going to happen, but a girl can always dream.

This time we headed to Mona Vale beach for some

sunshine,

crashing waves,

and sand lots of sand.

Claire loves the sand - especially by the fistful straight into her mouth.

There are no dogs allowed on this beach - but they never said anything about kitty cats.

Not a bad way to spend a few hours.