Suprise Visit

My brother Johnny and his girlfriend Amanda surprised us and came into town this weekend. Kaylee has been enthralled by Amanda since we first met her a few weeks ago and talks to her on her pretend phone all the time. Amanda is such a good sport with Kaylee and plays a great princess :) That is why when Kaylee ran upstairs to tell me that Johnny and Amanda were at our house I didn't believe her. She kept insisting so I decided to follow her downstairs just to amuse her and sure enough they were there. It was a great Surprise!
We were able to celebrate Annie's 18th birthday, take our annual (and always too long) mall trip, watch family videos and have our very first family dinner at my parents with all the kids. It was great. It only made them leaving harder, but we are so glad they were able to come and see us! Kaylee told us that her feelings were hurting because she missed Johnny and Amanda so much! Awww. Hope to see you again soon brother!
And watch out boys Annie is 18!! That is right Annie is legally an adult. We celebrated by going to dinner on her birthday then had a party with all the fam up at my parents. Happy Birthday Sister. We love you!!

Girls just want to have fun!

Shane and I love where we live because we have some great friends. A while back some girlfriends and I decided to plan a little "Girls Night Out!" It took a bit of planning and not everyone could make it that we wanted to, but it was a BIG success. We went to dinner, stayed at a hotel, ate way too many treats, stayed up way too late and went shopping. Best of all it was kid free! Having amazing friends really makes the world go round! Thanks lovely ladies for a brilliant weekend. I love you all so much! Can't wait for the next one!!

6 years

6 years ago today a sassy California girl and a stud muffin Texan got married!

6 years later we've got two gorgeous daughters and a little wisdom & experience under our belt.

I like you,
I love you,
I sometimes want to punch you
and I can't imagine life without you!
Happy Anniversary babe! I love you more than I did 6 years ago.
I love being married to you and am excited for what lies ahead!

Wifey's Birfday

Yea for getting old! Shara had a birfday, and it was spectacular. We packed the house with friends, family, and a few bums off the street and had a good ol' time! Here's some visual documentation.





Shara's incredible husband, who happens to be the author of this post, purchased her heart's desire from amazon and had it delivered to her doorstep. So, you are welcome in advance for all the amazingly creative and beautiful cards you the reader will receive in the future courtesy of this expensive scissors-in-a-box-machine. Proof below.

Goodbye Rancho, hello Utah!

Yep, they finally did it. The Shepherd family has left California. It is very bittersweet, but more sweet since now they live 15 minutes away from us :) The girls and I went home to help pack up the house and say goodbye to Rancho. I will miss Rancho Cordova. I will miss the walks down by the river and sitting on the porch swing on a nice spring day. I will miss the short walk to Hagan Park and the church building on Cordova Lane. Although, I figured that most of what I will miss are things long gone and most of the tears I've shed have been for things of the past. So much has changed while I've been away and most of my good friends have moved on. Despite some things, I have some really wonderful memories of growing up there and I will always have a place in my heart for California. It is where my parents made our house into a home, where I found my passion for performing and where I can attribute most of my amazing, and goofy, qualities to!

Thank you 3rd, Cordova and Hagan Park wards.
Thank you White Rock, Cordova Lane and Peter J. Shields Elementary schools.
Thank you Mills Middle and Cordova High School.
Thank you to all my wonderful teachers, church leaders and neighbors.
Thank you to my awesome church, school and Galena friends.

On a brighter note: I've said before that home is truly where the heart is and right now home is in Utah with everyone but Johnny. Kaylee is excited for sleepovers at grandma's and mom is thrilled about the short drive down the freeway to my parents instead of 10 hours. So for those few things I will miss dearly I will gladly take the new things I am so excited for any day!

One year

I can't believe it's already been a year. Time goes by so quickly. And that is just it. Time will go on. Days turn to weeks, then months, then years and before we know it a lifetime will be behind us. We blink and we miss memories. We wait to long for something good to come along and we miss something better. We dwell in the past we dwindle the present. I think for Linda the past brought heartache and the future seemed out of reach. Her present was something she couldn't reach out and grasp without feeling the overwhelming cloud of depression that hung over her. It still breaks my heart that we are here one year later mourning her death. It also breaks my heart that time will go on and that she won't be a part of it.

My Mom wrote, "A year ago today my life was changed forever with the death of my sister. Remember the ones you love today. Tell them, show them. Be kind to the stranger. Be gentle with the downhearted and reach out to those in need. Maybe if we all do this, we can comfort those with broken hearts."

I believe that life is but a moment in the grand scheme of things. I believe that there is something beautiful and fulfilling beyond this adventure on earth and it is something that moves me and comforts me at the end of the day. So let us celebrate Linda's life and not her death. Let's look forward to the future and let this time heal our hearts. May the knowledge we have give us hope and the support of family and friends give us comfort. I hope this year can bring good opportunities, great blessings and the chance to be a little better!

Our Girls

I feel bad that I have not been as good as I should be about posting about my little girls. However I vow to be better. They are both so sweet and so cute everyday. So for now let's look at Miss "Tennie Pack" and Queen Kaylee all that they have been up to!

Kennady

Kennday is 18 months old. She says EVERYTHING and is such a copy cat of Kaylee. If Sissy does it, so does Kennie. When you use to ask her what her name was she would say, "Tennie Pack." Of course only a few weeks later it has become Kennie. She is getting so big! She is such a good little girl. She sleeps so well with her buzz and Pooh. She is obsessed with Buzz Lightyear. She puts up her arm and says, "and beyond." She loves giving "Tisses" and is such a good helper.

Kaylee

Kaylee is 3 years old. She is dramatic and funny and keeps us on our toes. She will say things that no 3 year old should know how to say and 99% of the time she uses the right context. She amazes us everyday. She loves to tell us constantly that she is a big girl and when we tell people she is little, meaning her size, she does not like that and quickly corrects us on how big she is. We now try to say "petite." She helps with her sister and is always worried when she is crying or upset. She is a sponge and picks up EVERYTHING. She says the most amazingly sweet and sincere prayers and helps us to remember the kind of people to be. She has a beautiful voice and even sings with vibrato. It is so darling.

Now for some funny stories

S: Kaylee don't do that please.

K: Mom stop trying to boss me.

Kaylee saying evening prayer a while back.

"Thank you for grandma being here and having her own bed and being a good 'sample. Thank your for Marky being a good 'sample and not calling me dude."

S: You doing good Kay?

K: You betcha!

Kaylee: "What in the world."

Kaylee was looking at her dad's stubbly face one night.

K: "Dad, shave these off. These are so scratchy."

Sh: "I'll shave in the morning."

K: "No. You don't want to wake up with theses cheekies. My cheeks are smooth."

K: A girl hit me and I cried.

S: Did you do anything.

K: No, it wasn't my fault.

S: Ok

A few minutes later...

K: Well it was my fault. I took her toy.

Kaylee was wearing a blue dress. My mom told her how pretty it was and how it matched her eyes. Kaylee put her hands on her hips, looked at her and said, "What do you know about it." Sassy!!!

Kennady was in her car seat and all the sudden she started yelling, "mom I stuck. I stuck."

I was having a hard day and I was anxiously waiting for Shane to get home and when he wasn't home yet I said to myself, "Where is your dad? I am going to kill him." Kaylee immediately put her hands over her face and started to cry, "don't kill my dad. I love him."

Kaylee was laying with me and her dad came in to bring her her stuffed animals she sleeps with. After he left she rolls over and looks and me and says, "I love my dad. He's so thoughtful." hahah WHAT?!?

We don't like our neighbors dogs. They bark all the time. Apparently Kennady caught on to this and one day when they were barking Kennady yelled, "Ut up Doggie. E Quiet." oopsies!

One day Kaylee was on the phone with her boyfriend Derek, from Swan Princess. She was saying things like "why are you so obsessed with me," and "Why do I call you everyday? Cause I'm your girlfriend." When she asked her dad if he wanted to talk to Derek, Shane got on her little phone and told him to stay away because Kaylee can't have boyfriends. Kaylee hurried and grabbed the phone and said, "I am so sorry. That was my dad. I am so sorry." Uh she's 3! Later we asked her what her and Derek talk about.

K: We just marry each other and kiss.

S: You can't kiss. You're a little girl.

K: We love each other. We won't kiss just go on a date. When I'm bigger we'll kiss.

Oh boy!!! No more TV :)