OUR SWEET Clara is turning 5 years old! JANUARY 23, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR CLARA, OUR DEAR GRANDDAUGHTER, SWEET BIG SISTER,  LOVELY DAUGHTER, FUN NIECE, DARLING GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER AND LOVED DAUGHTER OF GOD. HAPPY FIFTH BIRTHDAY SWEET HEART. HERE YOU ARE WITH NORA, HAPPY AS EVER.

THIS PICTURE MAKES ME LAUGH OUT LOUD FOR JOY EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT. I LOVE THE GLASSES AND THE TILT OF YOUR BODY AND YOUR FISTED HAND AND YOUR MOUTH OPEN WITH SOMETHING WONDERFUL COMING OUR I AM SURE... I CAN ALMOST HEAR YOU, YOU ARE A JOY, A JOY!!!

SAND, SAND, SAND IN THE PARK, IN YOUR HAIR, IN YOUR BOOTS AND BY THE WAY I  LOVE THOSE BOOTS. I LOVED GOING TO THE PARK WITH YOU AND ELI WHEN NORA WAS BORN. YOU TWO  HAVE SO MUCH FUN THERE. IT IS A FUN PARK.

I LOVE TO COLOR AND YOU LOVE TO COLOR. WE WILL COLOR SOME DAY SOON AFTER OUR MISSION. IT WILL BE SO MUCH FUN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY.

THIS IS WHEN YOU LEARNED TO FASTEN YOU SEAT BELT ALL BY YOURSELF ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK OF THE VAN. YOU REALLY LEARNED HOW TO DO AN IMPORTANT TASK. I AM SO GLAD YOU WEAR YOUR SEATBELT. I WAS PROUD OF YOU AND YOU WERE HAPPY WITH YOURSELF. THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE THAT BIG SMILE ON YOUR FACE.

I PLAIN JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE OF YOU BECAUSE I JUST PLAIN LOVE YOU!!!

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS ONE? IT WAS AT THE LIBRARY AND YOU WERE WATCHING A VIDEO OF A BOOK. IT WAS A LITTLE SCARRY FOR ELI AN HE WAS NOT SURE HE WANTED TO WATCH IT. YOU TWO LOVED PLAYING ON THE BIG SCULPTURES THERE AT THE LIBRARY AND FINDING LOTS OF BOOKS TO TAKE HOME. THAT WAS SO FUN.

HERE YOU ARE CREATING SOMETHING WITH STICKERS. YOU ARE VERY CREATIVE AND HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD AT COLORING ESPECIALLY LATELY. YOU ALSO LOVE TO PAINT, RIDE YOUR BIKE, GO TO SCHOOL, SING SONGS, PLAY WITH PLAY DOUGH, HELP COOK, READ, FOLD CLOTHES AND DO MANY OTHER FUN AND CREATIVE THINGS. AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR LEARNING HOW TO RIDE A BIKE WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS. WAY TO GO CLARA.

THIS PICTURE FEELS AS IF I AM SITTING AT YOUR KITCHEN TALBE EATING WITH YOU AND ELI. I MISS YOU BUT KNOW WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER AFTER OUR MISSION.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE IT SHOWS OFF YOUR BIG BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE IT SHOWS YOUR ADORABLE, DARLING DIMPLES.

HERE ARE THE THREE BRASHER GIRLS BUT MISSING OUR LITTLE ANGEL IN HEAVEN. THIS IS NORA'S BLESSING DAY. I AM SURE YOU WERE A BIG HELP FOR YOUR MOMMY. YOU ARE ALWAYS SO WILLING TO HELP CLARA. I AM PROUD OF YOU.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF YOU SLEEPING. I ALSO LOVE THE ONE OF YOU PRAYING WHEN YOU WERE TINY AND THE ONE OF YOU PUTTING YOUR HAND ON THE TEMPLE WALL WHEN DANE AND TRACIE WERE MARRIED. YOU JUST WALKED UP THERE AND PUT YOUR HAND ON THE TEMPLE AND LOOKED OVER AT ME. YOU WERE SATISFIED. IT WAS THE SWEETEST THING.

HERE IS ANOTHER HAPPY FAMILY PICTURE OF YOU AND YOUR DADDY, MOM, ELI AND NORA, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS? IT WAS AT THE TOP OF MT. ROYAL IN MONTREAL. DO YOU REMEMBER ALL THE SQUIRRELS? WE WALKED TO THE TOP OF THE HILL. IT WAS SUCH A NICE DAY. SPEAKING OF YOUR DADDY PLEASE GIVE HIM A BIG HUG FROM ME FOR SENDING YOUR MOM TO SLC TO BE WITH THE FAMILY. WYNN, JAMES, ACADIA, RAINY, LIBBY, HARPER, DANE, TRACIE AND EVELYN WERE ALL THERE TOGETHER AND YOUR DAD WAS SOOOO SWEET TO SEND MOM TO BE WITH THEM. GIVE HIM A BIG THANKS AND HUG, THANKS CLARA!

IS THERE A BETTER OR MORE LOVING SISTER? WELL I KNOW YOU ARE A KIND AND LOVING SISTER TO NORA AND ELI AND A SWEET DAUGHTER TO YOUR MOM AND DAD. THEY ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. AND YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT HELPER TOO.

NOW THIS IS A HAPPY FAMILY AND YOU ARE SO LOVED BY YOUR MOM AND DAD AND ELI AND NORA AND ALL OF US. WE CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE 5!!

HARD TO FIND PICTURES OF CLARA WITHOUT ELI. AND I LOVE THESE TWO. I BELIEVE IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE TOLD YOU JUST RECEIVED A NEW BABY GIRL COUSIN, AND IT WAS EVELYN. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS PICTURE. THE ENERGY, THE LOVE, THE EXCITEMENT, THE CELEBRATION. NO ONE CHEERS LIKE CLARA.

I LOVE YOU SWEET PEA. YOU ARE MY SUN SHINE, YOU MAKE ME HAPPY WHEN SKIES ARE BLUE. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW DEAR, HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, THANKS FOR BEING MY LITTLE SUN SHINE GIRL. WE LOVE YOU AND THINK YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR SWEET CLARA, YOU ARE OUR LITTLE SWEET TART AND WE LOVE YOU SO. PEPA AND I WISH WE COULD BE THERE TO CELEBRATE AND EAT CAKE WITH YOU. I KNOW YOU WILL HAVE A VERY FUN DAY. WE SEND ALL OUR LOVE A HAPPY WISHES FOR A LOVELY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY 5TH SWEET SONG BIRD.

tacoma stewarts

 some latest photos of the girlies.

rainy's taken to her toes.

 she tried food tonight. wasn't crazy about it.

classic acadia face in the tub. 

acadia loved her doctor kit. she and her mother already performed an incision and drainage on rainy's abscessed left knee using proper sterile technique. general anesthesia was used. (its healing well.)

went to the aquarium yesterday (dad's first weekend in a while). rainy especially loved it--see video below. 

where to move?

My Army detailer (the guy that determines where I spend the next several years) has been in contact.



There are a few locations that need a flight surgeon (general practitioner for pilots, flight crew, etc).



We thought we'd let you guys weigh in...




View GMO spots in a larger map

Clara's preschool Christmas program

Look who came for a visit...

FInally, we meet Evelyn and she is such a joy to have around...oh, Tracie and Dane too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE SWEETEST ONE YEAR OLD ON EARTH...NONI

WE LOVE THE MANY FACES OF NORA...

GAZING PEACEFULLY....

SHOUTING OUT FOR HER SIBLINGS....

PURE JOY FACE....

THE TEETHING FACE....

THE I AM POOPING FACE....

THE I AM SO EXCITED FACE....

THE HEH HEH HEH I TOLD YOU HE DID IT FACE...

THE, TELL ME YOU ARE KIDDING FACE...

THE IT IS SO WINDY TODAY FACE...

THE, I AM CONCENTRATING ON POOPING FACE....

THE I AM JUST SO ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE FACE....

THE PRISON LINE UP FACE.....

THE I AM SO CUTE FACE.....

THE JUST WAIT TIL I LEARN TO WALK FACE....

THE I AM TRULY AN ANGEL FACE AND WHAT...IT'S MY BIRTHDAY FACE.

ALL THESE WE LOVE. WE LOVE YOU LITTLE HONEY AND HOPE YOUR DAY WAS WONDERFUL WITH YOUR FAMILY. 

Happy Birthday to our sweet Tracie who we cannot wait to see!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Tracie, we cannot wait to see you and yours. We hope Evelyn makes you breakfast in bed. So sad but true, this is the only family picture I have of the Cannon's from a Skype screen

 However that will all change in this next week, the vampire and birthday vampiress are coming to town with their baby vampire....I see that she grew fangs as I saw them on "This Time For REAL"

 This picture may not mean much to you but to me, this is the place, Joseph Smith's home, where I got the call, that you and Dane were going to have a little baby. I will never forget it. We were so grateful.

I love this picture of you Tracie. You are always content to sit and watch the madness around you. One wonderful thing about you is that you always laugh, at the right time,  at our ridiculousness. We love you and are grateful you love us. I love your peaceful nature.

Well this is how we have seen the Cannon's the past few years, on Skype. I love this pic of Dane and Tracie. You are so pretty and Dane you look handsome.

 Thank you for all you have given up to stay in the beast. Thank you for giving up your degree to tame the beast. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made to allow us to come here and serve without worry.

 I love this picture of the two of you but you in particular. What a most lovely bride you were and still are.

 We know, you married Dane for his hair and his glasses....cool

 We love your style Tracie.

 This looks like fun times with Aunt Tracie and Uncle Dane. Must have been a great movie....

 Yes, I know I already used this pic, but I took three in a row and I liked them of you, even on Skype.

We often wonder who the favorite aunt and uncle is....you always seem to have a gaggle of nieces and nephew following you around Tracie.

I think this was at Em and Ben's house when you came for the blessing....so kind.

Hard to find pix of you without your hubby in them. I could not find the one of you and Evelyn sleeping but I will fix that when you come. Prepare yourself. You are a wonderful momma, wife, daughter in law and sis in law. I can't wait to see you. Hope we can take a few family pictures as well. We cannot wait to meet our little sweet heart Evelyn.

Hope you will have a few times like this in Monteal while you two are out on the town and dad and I are getting to know our granddaughter. I hope you will still be smiling after the long journey here. Just give Dane some Benadryl and he won't make a peep.

We love you and can't wait to see you. Thanks for making the effort to come out. See you SOON; )

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY. HOPE WE CAN SKYPE.