New Found Love

So I know I'm super late, but I've recently discovered this band:

...and I am obsessed with them!! I just downloaded all the songs I could find, and I love them all. If you haven't heard them yet, go listen now!

(I wish I knew how to make a cool link on the word "listen" that takes you to one of their songs, but I'm not that computer-literate, so just go to iTunes and do it yourself, lazy)

Birthday Boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYMS!!!
My sweet nephew turned 3 today! Crazy how you can love a kid so much that isn't even your own. But then again...how could you not love that cute face?

(my friend Spencer gave this outfit as a gift to Jay when he was born...3 years later it finally fits!)

We had a Diego themed birthday party for Jay on Saturday...

Don't know who thought it would be a good idea to give the crazy 3 year old a motorized vehicle, but he sure loved it!

Frosting, not lipstick.

Haha! Such a good sport.

Love you so much Jayms,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Missionary Man

Who knew that Missionaries can send packages as well as receive them?

Well, leave it to Brandon to figure that one out. He's the sweetest.
I get home from running a million errands, trying to get a birthday package ready to send to him, and see a package waiting on the stairs for me.
It made it all worth it.
He sent me a pad of paper with a sticky note on it saying:
"tell me when you run out of this pad and I'll send you another. I LOVE YOU!!"
He also sent a few pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes to send him, which worked out perfectly because I just ran out of stamps.
He sent a pen, and a 2 page front AND back letter
(very rare for Brandon-he was never a man of many words)
BUT, my favorite part of the package was the tape!
I didn't even realize how much I had been missing his voice until I listened to that tape.
To be able to hear him tell me funny stories, then hear him laugh at himself was just the icing on top. It's so amazing to hear how much fun he's having and how much he loves his mission and companion.
I'd say he's a pretty smart guy because the excitement of his package caused me to go out today and buy all the necessities of a Valentine's Day package. He is one spoiled missionary.

If anybody knows Brandon and wants to write to him, he would love it.
Email me Claire_morris89@yahoo.com and I'll give you his address!

Whale Watching!

My mom planned a trip for the whole family to go out to Dana Point Harbor and do some whale watching! It was a B-E-A-UTIFUL day out on the boat-I definitely recommend this little day trip!My sisters were all yelling at me because I kept telling them to SIT STILL and take one good picture, so I gave up and this is the one we got.
I hope you all are embarrassed.

So, unfortunately we did not see a whale. We did, however, see an Albino Dolphin which is just as, if not more, rare than a whale. So because of this sighting I considered this day a success.

Until I went again and had even better sightings...

Courtney wasn't able to come with us when we all went, so I went out the next week to go again with her, and we had much better luck!

There were SO many dolphins and sea lions it was incredible! And they were swimming along side the boat and jumping like crazy!

AND...

Courtney and I were able to see (drum roll please)...

A GREY WHALE!!!!

We got so close it was awesome. It was a baby whale, only about 4 years old.

Needless to say, my family was very jealous that we didn't see a whale on our trip. Courtney and I just picked the right day I guess!

I'm kind of obsessed with Whale Watching now. I plan on going again very soon.