Amina and Her Big Fat Birthday

Ryan took these pictures for Amina's 12th Birthday party invites. She didn't pick these ones but they are some of my favorites. I was thinking about how much she and I have grown and learned together, how much she has taught me and I wrote the poem at the bottom of this post. How lucky am I to have 4 beautiful daughters? If you didn't get an invite but would like to come, call me and I will give you the info.

What a goofball.

This is Our Amina

Amina has got courage, That’s an indisputable fact..
Of the many fears she’s conquered just one of them is to act.
She’s climbed mountains with her father, had a rock dropped on her head.
Though the stitches were traumatic, neither she nor I are dead.
She is tiny but she’s feisty and at all cost’s wins the game.
In soccer she’s fought giant’s and found out…. they fall the same.
There is sweetness in her being and a kindness to her heart
She was my cuddliest baby. Cuddling still is Amina’s art.
She’s a tough little cookie. She’s a leader and she’s smart
She likes to try out all new things, she’ll get in and take a part.
In the last 12 years she’s learned and grown. Found where she likes her hair parted.
But my beautiful Amina, get revved-
The real adventure is just getting started

Blessing Day

This is Claire Cable. After suffering through 3 boys (wink wink) our good friends the Cables got their girl and she is beautiful. When I found out the baby was a girl I knew that I was going to have to get her a Shar Jackson original for her blessing dress (I traded for it). Doesn't she look beautiful? Not that she needed any help.
Shar even embroidered Claire's initials on the back. That is quality hand stitching friends.
Look at her with her little hand over her face. I think that she had had enough of the lovin's. Congrats Cables! Thanks for letting us be a part of Claire's big day.

POKER by: Amina

Park City was a lot of fun, but one of the most memorable things that happened was when I learned how to play poker. All of my uncles were playing and thought that they would beat me very fast, but as soon as I got Chad out, they really started to play. I got my uncle, Ojae, out next, then John. It was only me and Dad. He was winning but I caught up to him and took all of his chips. I was the CHAMPION!

I Got My Ears Pierced!!!

On Friday, my dad took me to get my ears pierced! I wasn't nervous at home, but once we got in the car, I got butterflies in my stomach. Once we were in the mall, my hands started to shake, And once I was on the chair, My teeth started to chatter! I got to choose my earrings, and I chose the Sapphire Daisy, since sapphire is my birthstone. When I was sitting on the chair, ready to get my ears pierced, Dad kept talking to the lady about how earrings are supposed to be lined up when you look at them. Finally, the lady said 1...2....3! And shot something through my ear! It didn't feel so great, but better than I thought it would. She said that I would have to clean them 3 times a day, and I couldn't change them until 6 weeks, and 6 weeks is my birthday!!!!!!!!
-Amina

DISGUSTING! BY:Felicia

When I was 8, a really funny thing happened. One night I was very tired I went to go brush my teeth. I picked up my tooth brush and what looked like tooth paste. It tasted familiar. later that night maisy went to go brush her teeth with the help of dad. He showed maisy the kinds of tooth paste there was. I showed dad the tooth pasted I had used. He said, thats acne cream! HE HE we both got a good laugh out of that one. At prayer that night me and dad told the rest of the family what happened they got a good laugh out of it to

Girls Camp at Island Park

Mesa Falls panoramic shot taken by Ron Bailey

I had the opportunity to attend Clearfield 4th Ward's Girls Camp this year. We went to Island Park, Idaho. The girls really roughed it and stayed in Amy Huggin's cabin. The Priesthood leadership camped outside where the temperature dropped into the upper 30s during the night. I'm not complaining though. We all had tons of fun.

I spent most of the past year regaining my dignity from last year's girls camp where I donned a purple Wendy's wig and made a fool of myself during a So You Think You Can Dance skit. It didn't take long this year for me to loose any dignity that I had built up. This year I did it by squeezing into yellow high heels, at least 3 sizes too small, strutted like a pompous girl, and talked like a little miss sunshine. I couldn't see it myself, but I am told it wasn't pretty. I'm pretty sure cross dressing is not an approved church activity, but at least the Bishop was there, so if a confession was needed, it is already taken care of. The high heels reappeared a couple nights later when Ron Bailey and I put hoodies on to do a turkey war. I came out as a turkey in yellow high heels. Ouch! I was so unbelievably sore the next day.

Poor Sadie must have been humiliated. I think I need to tone down my craziness next year or Sadie will decide she doesn't want to go to girls camp again. She was, however, a good sport as always.

Me wearing my yellow high heels and accessories.

One day we went to Mesa Falls. I found out later that my Dad was involved in designing the walkway that overlooks the Falls. It was absolutely beautiful. The walkway looks directly down on the Falls. There is a permanent rainbow and beautiful cliffs covered in green moss and bright orange lichen. It was picture perfect.

Sadie and Me at Mesa Falls.

Another day we all floated/walked down a stretch of Henry's Fork Snake River. The water was so shallow that you could walk nearly the whole way down the river. Also, the wind was blowing in our faces so instead of floating down the river, we would stay stationary. It was a serious workout to go down the river. Often, it was easier to get out of the boats or off the tubes and walk. I started in a horrible canoe with the Bishop. We must have swamped the canoe 3 or 4 times before I traded it in for one of the tubes. Part way down the river, the girls and leaders ahead of me saw a moose. Apparently Sadie's canoe drifted about 5 - 10 feet away from the moose. They were very calm, but the group after them freaked out. I didn't know anything about it but I guess the boat I ended up in stopped along the bank right where the moose was coming out. I wish I had seen it.

I did see about 5 moose during the whole trip. One time, the Bishop, Ron and I were on our way into town when we saw a moose. We stopped at the side of the road, got out and began looking at it through binoculars. Within 2 minutes there must have been 30+ people gathering around us. Some of them were pretty stupid and were trying to get as close as they could for pictures. We left before we had to clean up after a trampling.

It is so much fun to see my daughters growing up. I am glad that I am in a position to attend the Young Women's activities. Not a lot of dads get to see their daughters in these types of situations. Sadie is an amazing young woman and I consider myself blessed to have gone with her to camp. Thank you Sadie for putting up with me.

The Baileys at Mesa Falls

I was also glad that Ron and baby Luke came with Brenda. Ron and I slept outside in their tent. Ron, I am going public with this, you snore like crazy! The ceiling fan and light was great though. Thanks for the good times. -Ryan

Our Luke is MIA

Luke is across country visiting a new cousin and we are missing him. He is the light of the village. Here are some pictures, you can see why we adore him.