School's Out!

I am so happy the school year is over. I love having the kids home and our days unhampered by any other schedule but our own! My kids last couple of days of school were a lot of fun with games, dance festival, and awards. They had a great time. And now we are ready for Summer!
I love the Summertime! I have such happy memories of it as a child and now as a mother. In my younger years summer meant days spent swimming in the pool, eating Popsicles, joining the summer library club, jumping on the trampoline, having lemonade stands, and just plain-old-enjoying myself as much as possible. I feel like the luckiest girl having grown up in California. My absolute favorite outing in the summer was the beach. I loved rolling down the car window as soon as the ocean was in sight and breath in that incredible beach fragrance. I love the beach and still miss it.
Now as I mother I try to pass on that wonderful heritage of "Summer Adventures". At the beginning of each summer the children and I sit down and make a list of all the wonderful things we want to do in the summertime. Some are really simple pleasures like getting an ice cream cone and other ideas are a little grander like go to Disneyland. Sometimes we can't do everything on the list but it's fun to cross out each item that is accomplished as the long days of summer roll along. As soon as the children and I make our list we will post it and please if you have any fun ideas let me know!

One Sick Cat

Hey All!
Isn't that the way Patsy makes her grand entrance in the movie Big Country? I love that movie. I should have rented it this weekend because I had ample opportunity's to watch movies for once. I declare ( more from Big Country) the only vacation a mother gets is surgery or if she just had a baby. Oh well. I most certainly did not have a baby so the only alternative must be surgery. I had some work done last Friday. (That sounds like I had cosmetic treatment doesn't it?) I had to have my gal bladder removed so I can continue to eat deliciously unwholesome fatty foods. I mean, who would I be if I didn't enjoy what I eat???!!
I'm very glad it is over and done with and I can't wait till I feel exactly like my old self again. I say old because I never feel older than when I am leaving a hospital. I feel positively ancient. I know I should post a picture of myself just waking up from the anesthesia in a lovely blue hospital gown but I look wretched and since I am the CEO of this blog I don't have to. But I will insert another picture of someone who is very ill.



I don't know her name but she is a very sick cat. Okay, I'm sorry! I'm in a silly nonsensey mood. I just needed a picture of someone, not me, feeling unwell and I thought a cat would be far more interesting. Besides I'm sure she looks exactly how felt. Poor little lamb.
I must thank my dear husband Adam who took the kids out on many adventures this weekend to give me as much rest as possible. He loves going on outings with them and it really was such a relief for me to know they were having a great time with their Dad.
Also, a big thank you to Heidi for watching my kids while Adam and I were at the hospital and taking care of them today so I could have another day to recover. She is such a wonderful sister! Thanks!
Sorry about today's blog. I know it was absurd but I'm pretty sure Leslie will like it. I haven't taken a pain killer in two days but who knows how long those things can last?

Rockin Robin

In our simple small world, amongst little children, exciting events do not have to be remarkable or brilliant to be important. This event falls into this category. A little robin has made her nest outside on our patio light. Like I said it's nothing incredible but the children and I were very excited.

One day Annaliese mentioned she saw a bird gathering sticks and other materials. Annaliese loves creatures of all sorts and enjoyed watching this busy bird. A few days later we noticed a nest on our patio and a robin in the nest enjoying her work.
Later that night when Adam came home from work he helped each child get a closer look at the nest. He carefully lifted each child up to be able to peer in and see what there was to see. Annaliese went first and declared there in the nest were two small, blue robin eggs. We were so pleased. Annaliese was able to take a pictures of the eggs and the nest because the poor mother robin flys away, just a little bit, each time we come out to take a look. We are now enjoying reading about robins this month and can't wait till the baby birds hatch!

Robin eggs are such a beautiful color of blue! It's so pretty it doesn't seem possible that it's real or natural.

Party Time!

What a great party!We had such a wonderful time throwing Bella Kate and Ivy Brisco a Cinderella birthday party last Friday. The girls and guests dressed up like Cinderella, put on makeup, played games, enjoyed cake and ice cream and opened up presents. They really had a ball!


Guest were greeted by a Disney princess cutout and a banner with the perfect beginning for a fairytale party "Once upon a Time."



The girls and their guests enjoyed pink lemonade and Princess Pizza outside on the patio. It was a perfect spring day for their party.




Everyone had a great time playing games at the party. The first game was sweeping a balloon across the yard with a broom. The next game was called the messy stepsister game. Items like mirrors, combs, and jewelry were scattered about the yard and the children had to race to help cleanup. Then we played "Hot Slipper". Cinderella's slipper was passed around in a circle and the person holding the slipper on the last stroke of midnight was out. The last game was Lost Slippers. We mixed up every one's "slippers" and then they had to find the right ones, put them back on and then stand up and do a ballroom dance.


My sister Heidi made this adorable cake with Cinderella figurines placed upon it. It was so cute and the two birthday buddies loved blowing out their candles. And of course you can't have a Birthday without presents. The girls had a wonderful time seeing all of their great gifts! Happy Birthday Bella Kate and Ivy!
I want to thank my sister Heidi for hosting this lovely party. I know it takes a lot of work to prepare your home for guests, games, and food. Thank you so much for graciously extending your home to us! You're wonderful!

Happy Birthday Bella Kate!

Isabella Kate Telles(Bella Kate) was born one very late night on May 16th, 2005 in unbelievably hot Arizona. Our family was so excited to greet our new addition. I believe, nobody more than I. It had been 5 years since we had a little girl and over 3 years since we had had our last baby. But above all this, I so desperately awaited her arrival because it was by for the most horribly awful, bring tears to my eyes,uncomfortable pregnancy I had experienced. I was one happy girl when we were finally introduced.

Bella Kate has been such a joy and delight to have in our family. She is our spunky, independent, feisty little girl. She is very sharp and a great observer. As an infant she was on the move early on. As soon as she could get a leg up she would climb to the highest point in the room she could reach. Bella Kate was such a tiny thing that she was allowed to eat as many chocolate chip cookies she wanted! She kept us all very busy that first year.

Bella Kate has a tough spot in the family but is somehow able to handle all that it entails. Her babe hood was cut rather short. Her baby brother showed up not long after she had celebrated her first birthday! Being smashed between two brothers, Adam and Jake, can certainly be difficult. Thankfully, big sister Annaliese does a great job keeping an eye out for her little sister to help balance those two boys.

Bella Kate is turning 3 years old this Friday along with her birthday buddy, Ivy Brisco. Bella Kate was born at 12:31 a.m. on May 16th. Later that day my sister Heidi Brisco had her little girl Ivy! Two cousins born on the same day! It was all very exciting. 3 weeks later my sister Catherine joined the baby girl party and had her first baby, Annabelle Gute. How lucky to have so many friends so quickly.

These last 3 years have flown by. They always do when you look back. We have loved having our little girl Bella Kate. She is such a darling. Happy Birthday Bella Kate! We couldn't be happier to have you in our family!

Happy Mother's Day

"The formative period for building character for eternity is in the nursery. The mother is queen of that realm and sways a scepter more potent than that of kings or priests." ~Author Unknown

Happy Mother's day! I know this is a day late but I was preoccupied last week working on my artistic talents, or lack there of.(See below blogs) I've had a lot of time this week to think about my mom and the wonderful childhood I had. With a mother like mine how could I not have had a lovely childhood?
My favorite memories of my mom and our home are not elaborate or brilliant but somehow these simple moments are very dear to me. I loved opening the front door to our family home, good ol' Gottes Lane. You would be greeted by bright sunshine, a breeze blowing through open windows, a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen, somebody plunking on the piano, sounds of kids playing in the back yard, and somewhere in the midst of it all would be mother.


A mom who if you asked her where something was she would stop what she was doing and help you find it. A mom who if you told her woefully how hungry you were would head to the kitchen to see what she could do for you. A mom who left sweet notes on your pillow to tell you how great she thought you were. And most importantly a mom who if saw you unhappy or in need of help would try her very best to chase your troubles away and "restore peace to your heart".
Thank you mom for making my life as happy and pleasant as any child could wish for. I love being a mother but sometimes how I miss being the daughter.

Telles Cousin #8

Congratulations to Wayne and Frannie Telles on their new addition,Wesley Lucas Telles. Along with their parents, big brother Wayne III and big sister Katie are happy to welcome their new sweet baby brother. Family of 5! That's impressive guys! Only one more to meet your quota!

What a handsome fella!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We love this holiday. We'll take any reason we can get to make a lot of great mexican food. A big thank you to my sister Erin, for posting such fantastic recipes for Cinco de Mayo on her blog: http://www.prudencepennywise.blogspot.com/ Try one of her recipes and believe me you'll be hooked!

The Telles Family celebrating Cinco de Mayo in style in good ol' California. We are miles apart but we all love many of the same things -family, parties, and great food! Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

A Brand New Cousin!

We are so happy to welcome a brand new niece and cousin to the family. Lilah Raquel Telles is Todd & Raquel Telles' first little baby. Congratulations on a beautiful baby girl!

My Mother's Day Nigtmare!!!

Okay, that title might be a little dramatic. Some mothers wouldn't even consider this soon-to-be experience a bad thing. But not this mother. I have been asked to sing in church (Sacrament meeting!) on Mother's Day!!! It's not a solo but it might as well be to me. I will be singing with Annaliese, and two other women. That is just not enough people in my opinion to drown out my own voice.

Don't ask me how this dilemma could befall a girl who as never even step foot near a choir and who, I might add, has no singing experience what so ever! Well, that is not exactly true. I have had some experience with singing, and to fully appreciate my despair at my next singing debut you must hear about my "first solo performance."

A long time ago, in rare act of kindness to my mother, I consented to sing with my nieces for the women in church(Relief Society). My nieces Holly and Mallory Montano were darling little girls and had that to help pull them through any defects in singing. I, on the other hand, was in the horrible, bratty, teenager years and had nothing to fall back on. Well, the performance began all right but my nieces suddenly found this situation so funny that they began to giggle and giggle and giggle. In fact they were giggling so much that they really could no longer manage to sing the song(a very high pitched one too! ) I was too old to stop singing myself and all major exits were blocked at that moment. One of them by my older sister snickering in the back! I carried on horribly but somehow made it through.......the first verse...... and then the second verse!!!

After the performance my mother came over to give me a little light pat on the back and her sad little smile but I was in no mood! I was furious! I wasn't sure who's fault it was but I knew it was someone else's and not mine! Oh, the humiliation of it all. And now reader you know why singing in church is the last thing I want to do on my Mother's day. It's even ruining the idea of my lovely Mother's Day dinner! And you just go any lower than that with me!