No good deed goes unpunished!

There I was, trying to be a good steward over my belongings, filling in a few small chips in the paint on my car with this special paint pen I bought from the dealership. Joseph saw me and said: "Paint!" I said, "No, this is a mommy job." I thought he was done. But he found a small felt tip marker and drew on the car. Luckily it wiped right off.
However, I didn't learn my lesson and kept working. After we were done, I discovered - and I'm not even sure how it happened...I didn't see him on THAT side of the car- a host of scratches on my car door. He had found a ball point pen, and just like mommy "painted" the car!

You're lucky your only two, little guy! I explained that he shouldn't do that- he asked why- I said it was because it hurts the car and is ugly. He said sorry in his own little way and gave me a "love."

I do love you more than a car door. But this one will go down in your book of stories-unfortunately.

The Roaring 20's

We were asked to participate in a skit marking our Stake's 50th anniversary. Our skit represented missionary work in the last 100 years. Warren and I began the whole show by representing the 1920s and not listening to the missionaries and then were also the final scene in the show-this time accepting the gospel. It was fun to dress up and be someone else for a little while. Oh, the days of hats. What fun!

Mr. and Mrs. 1920s

Our Bishop and his wife-the 60s.



Rebecca wanted to be in the show but twas not to be this time. I think she would have been a cute addition though!

Disneyland with old friends

We made use of our new passes to meet up with some old college days friends who were visiting for a couple of days. The girls got along great and the weather was perfect. Just wished we could have had more time to talk! Hope to see you soon!
If anyone else is ever down for a visit we'd love to meet up with you, too. Just let us know!

My Little Helper

Joseph decided to help me unload the dishwasher. This is one of those proud mommy moments. He really wanted to help me and from his perspective he was doing a great job!

I loved it.

Self Portrait

Happy Birthday Warren!

For Warren's birthday we surprised the kids and took them to Disneyland. We bought annual passes which are quite reasonable if you live in So Cal and with the birthday money (Disney is doing a "free on your birthday deal" or you can use the money towards an annual pass) and some Disney credit we had our passes for the whole year ended up costing us about what a day pass costs. What a deal! We told Rebecca we had to run some boring errands but since it was Daddy's birthday and it was what he wanted to do we had to have a good attitude about it. As she realized where we actually were and that we had tricked her she got so emotional that she started to cry. She does that when she is really happy and it is very cute.

As a gift to Warren I wrote to a few of his friends and family and requested "imaginary birthday presents." Several people obliged and sent the most fun presents imaginable! I had a great time reading them to Warren as he laughed and enjoyed everyone's thoughtfulness. I would post them here but didn't request permission to go public with them so I want to respect people's privacy. If anyone else wants to add one in a comment here you are welcome to do so.
I got the idea from my friend Becca and just loved it. I think it's a great idea.

And now for my final words of this birthday post:

Dear Warren,

I want the world to know how much I love you, am grateful for you and all you do for me and the kids. You are the greatest husband a girl could ask for and more. You treat me so well and work so hard for our family. Thank you for who you are and for sharing your life with me.

Happy Birthday, my best friend! Here's to many, many more.

Love,

Dorothea

Oh where, oh where has my daughter gone?

We were at a rehearsal this morning for a show our Stake is putting on next week as part of it's 50th anniversary celebrations. Every ward is doing a skit. I left Rebecca watching the rehearsal while I went to look at our costume options in another room. I didn't tell her where we were and she gets really scarred if she suddenly can't find us so I thought I better check on her and make sure she knows where we were.
She wasn't where I had left her. I started searching, looking and listening for kids playing in a foyer or hallway somewhere. I couldn't find her. I went back to where I left her and double checked. Still no Rebecca. I started mildly panicking. I started running around a little more frantically. You know how Stake Centers are, doors all over the place, nooks and crannies everywhere. I figured she was somewhere but the paranoid thoughts started coming through my mind: What if someone took off with her?
I went back into the cultural hall where I had left her and was about to ask someone in the audience if they had seen a little girl and where she had gone. The music started so I naturally looked up to the stage and there comes Rebecca, marching out onto the stage waving the American flag, trying to copy the only other performer in the number! She had been recruited. I laughed so hard.

Performing... I guess it's in her blood.