I will now wear steel toed boots

A toe-castrophy has occurred.

The place: my mom's exploding pantry

The time: Friday afternoon

The victim: the big guy on the left

The tragedy: as I was filching through my mom's pantry letting my fingers do a little shopping, I paid no attention to the gallon size can of green beans on the 2nd from top shelf. Little did I realize my brush against the shelf would cause a toe-castrophy to occur. The said HUGE heavy can fell landing on my foot.

Although my shoe was on, my big toe felt like it was going to fall off! I practically bit through my hand trying to make my toe hurt less. No such luck. So after driving home with my right foot and crying on the couch to my husband about my foot, the pressure began to build.

By Tuesday I couldn't handle it any more. I went to the doctor. He ripped off my toenail and I feel much better now. The only problem is: its oozing of its own accord. It won't stop.

disclaimer... yes I know this is disgusting and I hope you weren't eating. Sorry but I hope you never loose your toenail.

and ps... no I am not wearing any polish on that big toe. There is no nail polish, there is no nail. That is just my blood encrusted skin that should be under a toenail.

appy Hay irthday Bay

28 Things About my 28 year old!

1. Sometimes I think he isn't very talkative, but I am beginning to realize I am TOO talkative and he is just normal.

2. Lee is always in a good mood! So on the days when I am a "Debbie Downer" I can't help but be happier when I am around him. He says "well if something or someone makes you mad, you chose to be mad and they don't care if you are, so you might as well not let it bug you."

3. He is a part time professional carpenter. He can attribute it to the days back at Ginger & Pickles where he worked in high school. When they weren't busy taping someone to a table, they were making amazing birdcages and "Amish handmade goods" and he picked up quite a few useful skills.

4. Lee is one of the best dancers I have met. He used to go with his friends in highschool to dance parties and dance the night away. Hardly ever with girls, just for the fun of it. I on the other hand have NO grace or coordination.

5. If Lee could go to the Lake at LEAST once a week all year round nothing would make him happier.

6. When we are getting ready in the morning Lee has way more on his to do list than I do. So what if I forget to put lotion on my legs on Sunday morning... Lee on the other hand, must finish everything in his routine.

7.Lee is 6 out of 7 kids.

8. I think one time when we were 1st married Lee said he liked Almond Joys, so for a while I (and my whole family) thought that was his all time favorite candy bar and we would buy them for him for any special occasion. Finally he told us "Uh guys I like lots of other candy bars too."

9. Lee dated my best friend before his mission and I helped her write him his whole mission. Little did Lee or I know that we would end up together.

10. We even lived with my best friend and her husband for a few months after we were married while our house was getting finished being built. We were married! Like anything happened.

11. Lee doesn't like seafood or sushi.

12. Lee went to Brazil on his mission and loves brigadeiro *Thanks Catheys!

13. Until Sunday I thought I knew Lee's favorite ice cream, apparently its butter pecan and he hasn't had it for over 6 years! Just tell me you like it Lee! I'll buy it for you!

14. Lee just got a new job at University of Phoenix! Yeahoo... let the rat race begin! He is finishing some schooling there and then working towards a masters in International Business.

15. Lee has the best nails ever (yeah fingernails, I know weird and TMI) but they are so thick and sometimes I covet them.

16. Lee enjoys graphic design... and is pretty good at it!

17. When Lee was in high school he was a wrestler. Yep that means he spent his high school years wearing a singlet. I thank my lucky stars I never saw him in it!

18. Lee is the best Dad to our little girlies! He is forever giving them pony rides and swinging them and the little baby we watch during the week totally loves him more than me! jerk.

19. Lee sleeps in a pink room and is still a confident man. :)

20. He is the better pancake maker in the relationship. Apparently I have confidence issues, because we never have pancakes!

21. Secretly Lee wishes he was Wolverine from X-Men. "You picked the wrong house, bub."

22. Lee never complains at the neverending honey-do list I give him.

23. Out of the 6 years we've been married Lee has probably received.. oh maybe 5 or 6 back rubs. (and given at least 600) He is so selfless.

24. Lee is so good at lining up suprises for me, like for Mothers' Day or our Anniversery. He always thinks of creative things to do that are sooo much fun!

25. Lee is amazed at how much money girls (cough.. me) can spend. "Why don't you want to just put it all in a savings account?" he asks. Maybe someday he'll learn :)

26. Lee would love to live in another country someday to serve the community and do church work.

27. Lee got the "skinny jeans" from his Grandpa Schnepf. No matter what he eats he will ALWAYS have skinnier legs than me. I've learned to accept it.

28. Lee is up for having like 7 kids. Think we'll make it?


Happy happy birthday Lee! You are the best man ever in my, Eden and Delia's lives! We love you so much and hope you had a Happy Birthday!

Lots of Love,

Your Girlies!

Mering-oo

Yesterday, we celebrated Lee M. Porter's birthday. It was complete with roast and potatoes, a beautiful evening to talk around the table, Lee Trivia, and a meringue-less lemon meringue pie. Lee's favorite. (well not our pie....sans meringue) Apparently the meringue is delia's favorite too. As she snuck into the kitchen to eat the whole top of the finger lickin good birthday treat.
While playing Lee Trivia, we all learned that he is such a laid back personality that no one knows the real answers to his trivia questions; because he doesn't even know the answers! Whatever.... he says, I can't choose an answer :)

Triple Chocolate Birthday

The only problem with birthdays......

is the left over cake. Why does it tempt me so?! (and delia too!)

Happy Happy Birthday Cumorah dear!!!!! Thanks for letting us hang out with you the other night! It wasn't long enough! You are such a good friend and my inspiration in all things crafty, thrift finds, and style :) Love ya! ps- um.. we've been friends for like 10 years! We are getting soooo old!

pps- I am loving our trade for the yellow lamp. It is going to be amazing. I hope you aren't having traders regrets! Cause I won't trade back!!!

Our Hot Tamale

Dear Daniel,

It's funny... when I think back and remember, I remember things about you like bionacles, or swimming in the backyard, super smash brothers, and sour candy. But those are just 12 year old boy things. I like to think how much you've learned and grown. How you might still look like a 12 year old, but you are the best darned missionary out there :) Weird that you were 12... that Annie isn't 12 anymore and that she's so much older, even for Annie. SO many things to talk to you about, questions to ask you that you know the answers to now. Did you get to fly aroung the world and see all the beauties of the Earth? Did you get to learn where the dinosaurs went and how they died? K, I know those things don't really matter, not in the big picture of life.

I miss watching your hilarious impersonations of people, feeling sad when we found a cartoon family tree in your room that you made where we are all birds in a tree. Laughing that Julia is falling out of the tree because Dad shot her with a shotgun, loving crazy Grandma Jones bird that has stars around her head with all her scrambled brain cells :) Missing you.

And each year we'll get older and memories will fade. But its good to know that you aren't alone. That you are probably really busy, and peek in on us every now and then... maybe cheering with the rest of the team as Ann finishes the race at her first swim meet, or sitting around the table with us on Sunday afternoons at Mom's house. I wish you could sit at the fun table with my girls. That they would tease you and slug kiss you like they do Bubs.

But, I guess thats what life is about. We don't get to always choose our life experiences. Maybe thats a good thing, because then we wouldn't choose the hard ones that help us to grow so much :) Seriously we could really use a little brother to wrestle with, to tease and harass Dad with. So, maybe check in on us at dinner tonight, and realize we miss you and think about you often. And know that no one will ever fill the hole you left in our hearts.

Love,
Amanda

ps... Sorry its not enough pictures, I need to go through all my pictures :)

What's Up?.... Burrito

Everyday at precisely 8:30 I get a phone call.

"What's Up?" states Emily
"Burrito" I answer

Why? What does it mean? Not too sure anymore but it happens like clockwork. Oh Sissy Emilx HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! Since I'm the last sister to post, you can imagine all the witty things and deepest secrets that have been told about our sister. But here I go and in no way shape or form am I trying to top them. (I'm not witty like them, so I try to make up for it with pictures.) If you every have any unfinished projects, Emily is your man. Seriously... I might get kits from the scrapbook store, just because I know Emily will finish them for me :) .... oops nice food on your chin Bubs. I'd say Halloween is Emily's favorite holiday, but she also REALLY loves 4th of July. Christmas.... when is that again?Every time we walk into my parents house, the whole neighborhood knows... because Emily YELLS "Pickles! Earbug!" with her P.E. teacher voice.and for that she may be the favorite aunt. :)

If you want someone non competitive, take Emily... especially at the lake. But don't go before 8am or she will be grumpier than anything. (which I don't get because she wakes up early every other day?!)If you ever need anyone to sing the WHOLE song with out one word missed from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland call EJEmily is seriously the funniest person I know and her laugh is contagious. I am so greatful for ALL my sisters and am so glad we are just getting closer as we get older! Happy B-day Sissy!!! Ok Ok now for some pictures from this years party :)
For starters we had some scrumptious drinks. They were pomegranate soda and super tasty

Poor Bubs always gets stuck at the "fun table"
delia's highlight of the day: riding like a present :)
On Monday just the sisters went shopping for the dayLaura had the best find... a chicken head for Teeny

Emily's expert chaufernessUs dumb dumbs forgot to take pictures at lunch so we settled for akward ones in the car instead

Here Comes Santa Clause II

I just wanted to let you know that Darby Elizabeth Photography is kicking off our second annual "Here Comes Santa Claus" event. Over the course of the next two months Darby Elizabeth Photography will be offering photo-shoots for a great discount! So now is the perfect time to get a new family photo!

The packages will be $250 for one family and will look and be just as fun as all of our other shoots, include the digital negatives, a 1 hour shoot and have a 60 day online viewing page where you can order photos, cards, ect right from our pro lab!

Our photo-shoots are really fun and hip, and probably nothing like you've ever done before! For examples check out our Blog...we'll be posting new examples of our photo-shoots so you can see what we are talking about.

Not only will your photos be unique and fun...they will also be ready so you can order Christmas cards with time to spare!

The following times, dates and locations will be opened up for Christmas family sessions. We've selected two different but amazing locations to hold the shoots, Thursday's will be shot at an amazing location featuring trees, greenery and softness, while Friday's will be shot in a hip, colorful and urban-like location:

Thursdays: September 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th 5:30-6:30pm. The location on these Thursday's will be soft and green.

Fridays: September 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th 5:30-6:30pm. The location on these Friday's will be fun, colorful, hip and urban, but still family appropriate.

Thursdays: October 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th 4:30-5:30pm. The location on these Thursday's will be soft and green.

Fridays: October 3rd, 10th, 17th and 31st 4:30-5:30pm. The location on these Friday's will be fun, colorful, hip and urban, but still family appropriate.

Last year the sessions filled up quickly so be sure to email back right away!

To schedule your photo-shoot or if you have any questions email me at:

amanda@darbyelizabethphotography.com

If you know anyone who might be interested let them know too!