Pictures from Alamosa, Colorado

Whew! We made it! What a loooong road trip. What was supposed to be an 8 hr drive turned into a 10 hr drive. We left an hour and a half late, and it was raining when we enter the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Plus, it was a windy mountainous road and it was dark. My babies did better than I did! Mom and Jo commented that Rebecca & Mary-Gail were the best troopers they had even seen.

Monday night (around 9:45 pm) we checked into our hotel. Spencer's family had supper waiting for everyone at their house, but I opted not to go - Mary-Gail had poop leaking from her diaper and needed immediate attention. Dad stayed with me and helped dress the girls after I bathed them. Both their clothes and sockies were bagged pronto! We gave them their "dream feed" at 10:30 pm and tucked them in bed (portable pack'n'play). They slept through the night and got up at 6:30 am. Just like clockwork.

Tuesday proved to be an interesting day. After breakfast at the hotel, we loaded up Jo's minivan and headed to the Colorado Gators park. Well, we tried to. Mary-Gail's incident from the night before (poop) was all over her car seat, the seat belt holding the car seat base, and the towel under the car seat base to protect the leather seats. Yucky boo-boo! Taking the car seat cover off was tricky, and we just threw away the towel. Sorry Jo - I'll buy you a new towel. Nearly 15 minutes later, we were strapped in ready to go. BTW, Rebecca & Mary-Gail were laughing, smiling, and talking this whole time.

We headed about 45 minutes to the Colorado Gators farm. We held a 3 ft long alligator, saw lots of snakes, and even more alligators. We even got to see an alligator get fed. There were some Emu's that were really interested in Rebecca & Mary-Gail and followed them along in their fences.

10 year old Tortoise

Dadda taunting an Alligator

"Stumpy" - alligator missing right front hand

Barely viewable - Mom holding a 3ft alligator

Tuesday night was the magical night #2 - the wedding reception. Carly looked as beautiful as she always does and her husband, Spencer, was all smiles. The reception was in Spencer's parent's back yard - beautiful. Jo and I did Carly's hair again, and again we all stayed to clean up afterwards. Rebecca & Mary-Gail attracted quiet a crowd and lots of attention. Especially when Rebecca would voice her opinion and "tell it like it is." They went to sleep at 9:00 pm (2 hours after their real bedtime) and slept with their naked legs draped over each other.
Wednesday morning we hit the road. Left at 8:00 am and got into Provo at 4:45 pm. Loooong, loooong, looooong road trip. Now for the pictures:

Spencer, Carly, my mom, Rebecca, my dad, William

JoJo, me & Mary-Gail, Spencer, Carly, Mom, Dad w/Rebecca

Me & my absolutely beautiful babies! Mary-Gail (L) & Rebecca (R)

Carly & Spencer are going to sent this picture out in their "Thank You" notes

Spencer's parents, Debbie & Todd Mortensen, Spencer, Carly, Mom, and Dad

9 months old today!

I had to create a separate entry to document this huge milestone! Rebecca & Mary-Gail will be 9 months today at 5:47 pm and 5:53 pm respectfully. My doctor's Dr. C Joseph Glenn, and Dr. George C Gourley (my uncle) had a hard time "finding" Mary-Gail. Her position was high under my ribs and when they opened her placenta, they said she kind of squirmed higher. Dr Glenn got hold of her leg and pulled her out - poor baby. She was all sorts of bruised, but Dr. Glenn knew what he was doing: even one ounce of pressure on a 27 week preemie's head and she would have brain damage.

Some of my favorite and memorable pictures:

Rebecca (left) & Mary-Gail (right).

Born @ 27 wks 3/7 days (3 months + 1 week early).

Mary-Gail has the nasal canula for oxygen and in most pictures is on the Left.

The above 2 pictures were on our Christmas Card for 2006

Wondering why my babies have a Cherry Coke bottle between them? Well, 1st: I lived on Diet Cherry Coke and Chocolate milk while I was prego and on bed rest. 2nd: The Coke bottle gives you some perspective on my babies size. 3rd: We're hoping to strike a deal with Coca-Cola :)
Mary-Gail is smiling - she had such a hard time (heart surgery + bilateral grade 3 brain hemorrage) and she still smiles!
Diapers don't even fit! P.S. the red plaid bows in their hair - measure 1 1/2 inches long.

Babies 1st road trip

Okay. It's Monday, August 27, 2007. The girls and I are going on our 1st road trip today. Kind of scary, I know. Especially since it's a long 9 hr drive. Where are we going? To Alamosa, Colorado, just East of Grand Junction, Colorado. Carly & Spencer are having a wedding reception there since Spencer is from there and his family still resides there.

We're leaving Provo at 9:00 am and hope to be in Alamosa by 6:00 pm. We're staying at the Inn of The Rio Grande Hotel - it's got a waterslide! The wedding reception isn't until Tuesday night, so we'll have Monday night and most of Tuesday day to relax. We're planning on leaving for home early Wednesday morning - not a whole lot to do in Alamosa. I'll post some pictures when we get home.

P.S. today is Rebecca & Mary-Gail's 9 month birthday! Can you believe it? Crazy how time flies!

Fun at the movies

Mom and I took Rebecca and Mary-Gail to the movies yesterday. That's right - the movies! Tony was at his IDPA shooting competition all day and I didn't want to sit home alone. So, mom and I decided it was time to see a movie at the Provo Towne Center. We packed up Rebecca and Mary-Gail and stuffed their diaper bag with milk and toys and headed to the 12:55 pm matinee show. We grabbed a bite to eat at Subway in the Food Court and ventured to the theatre to see HAIRSPRAY!!!

Oh my gosh was it so so good! Honestly I was worried that we'd have to take the girls out or stand in the entryway and hold them, or worse - that Rebecca would try to "sing" with the movie (more like scream) - but they were super good and watched the whole movie! (Rebecca dozed for about 45 minutes, but that was it).

By the time the show ended, mom and I were dancing in our seats and so were Rebecca and Mary-Gail. Mary-Gail was kicking her legs and pumping her arms in my lap, and Rebecca was bouncing in mom's arms. So funny! I really think they liked the music and the fun colors. If we tried to take them to any other movie, I don't think they would have lasted. What a fun afternoon!

We then picked up Lovey and went to super at Joe Vera's Mexican Restaurant and then headed to Jo's house. We put out the kiddy pool and put on the girl's swimsuits for a quick dip - the hose water was cold! Yesterday was a great day - thanks mom and Jo!

Fun w/Great Grandma & Grandpa

So my loving mom picked me and the girls up on Friday, and we went to my Grandma & Grandpa Gourley's house (they live on 930 East in Provo, just 2 blocks North of the Provo Temple). We spent nearly 3 hours visiting with Grandma & Grandpa. We played with Rebecca and Mary-Gail and talked about how much they have grown. We fed them and then decided that we were hungry too. We adjourned to the kitchen where Grandma made us supper: chunked ham and pickle sandwich on homemade wheat bread, bean w/bacon soup, and my favorite - fresh peaches with splenda and milk - yummy!

After super we asked, "What should we do now?"

Grandma said, "Let's go back and look at those babies!"

We returned to the living room to find Rebecca and Mary-Gail rolling around on their blanket. Here are some timeless pictures of my Grandma LaRae, and mom, Rebecca, holding their name sake, Rebecca LaRae.

Great-Grandma LaRae & Grandma Rebecca with Rebecca LaRae, almost 9 mo old

Great Grandma playing with Rebecca

Great Grandma showing Rebecca her "Hello Bee! Hello Me!" book

Independence Day

I was on the treadmill this morning flipping through the TV channels of CNN, ABC & CBS. My feet were dragging and I was not interested in pushing myself. I clicked to the TODAY show on CBS and saw Martina McBride performing her song "Independence Day." Can you believe I got choked up? I started thinking of my wonderful, strong, independent mom and I got emotional.


I don't know if it is because I've been thinking about my mom a lot, or because I'm a mom now, or what, but my mind kept picturing my mom and all that she does: she's a hospice nurse and takes care of geriatric patients. Mom has taken care of people all her life - from 7 pregnancies, raising 6 kids & babysitting 8+ kids at the same time, going to school while working as a low-paid CNA at a resthome, getting her RN license at 40, continuing to work at the same resthome as an RN now, getting promoted to the Director of Nursing (DON), changing jobs to go to another resthome facility to work as their DON, then changing jobs again to be a hospice nurse. My mom has the biggest heart and the most patience and THE MOST LOVE for people - no matter how badly they've hurt her or wronged her - she is so giving. The one characteristic that best describes my mom is Christlike.


So I'm running on the treadmill and thinking of my mom, crying, and my feet start moving faster and I'm hearing the words of Martina McBride singing "Independence Day" and I'm so grateful to have a mom like mine. My mom is strong. My mom is compassionate. My mom is giving. My mom is my friend.

My favorites

My favorite things:
* When Rebecca lets me hold her to feed her
* When Mary-Gail laughs at me
* Morning time when I hear the girls "talking" to each other
* Morning time when I peek at the girls in their crib and they smile so big
* 7:30 -8:00 pm when my lovey comes home
* 9:00 am when I take Rebecca, Mary-Gail, Pixie & ArlaMae for a walk (you should see us: large "cadillac of all strollers" double-stroller, two very happy pups on separate leashes - it's quite a sight)
* When Tony plays with the girls and they squeal with delight
* Each time I kiss Mary-Gail she laughs and smiles
* Mary-Gail's smiles: her eyes light up her whole face. I've never seen anything like it
* Rebecca's lovely voice - sometimes scream - because she talks all day long
* When the girls discover new things!

Saturday, August 18, 2007 - a beautiful day & night

So my baby sister, Carly was married for time and all eternity to Spencer Mortensen on Saturday, August 18, 2007. Her sealing was absolutely wonderful. Carly was glowing and had an aurora surrounding her. Her sealing was at 8:20 am in the Salt Lake City Temple - she had to be there 1.5 hours early, making her leave Provo at 5:30 am! Wow - but she did it and everyone was able to attend. Her photographer was amazing! Just great with all the people that were there and especially good with the kids during the reception that evening. Here are some pictures of the reception, albeit I wish we had a picture or two of the food table, the enchanted garden (my dadda's backyard) and all the behind-the-scene workers.

Carly with Mary-Gail
Spencer & Carly with all their nieces and nephews - Whew!
My lovely sister, Joanna and her husband, Jed
My dadda, "Pappy" with his grandchildren
My Dadda w/Mary-Gail, Me, and My beau, Tony "Lovey" w/Rebecca

Introducing Carly & Spencer Mortensen

Carly kicking her feet up on her wedding day, Saturday, August 18, 2007
Carly & Spencer on wall at SLC Temple, Sat 8.18.07
My lovely baby sister, Carly and her handsome husband, Spencer, Sat 8.18.07
Carly flirting in one of the reflection pools, SLC Temple, Sat 8.18.07
Quick glance back, Sat 8.18.07

Wedding of all weddings

Oh my gosh! My baby sister is married!! Carly Sue Brown married Spencer Lewis Mortensen on Saturday, August 18, 2007, in the Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. Their temple marriage was at 8:20 am (Carly, Spencer, and their escorts had to be at the temple 1 1/2 hrs early (6:40 am) which made them leave Springville by 5:45 am at the latest. Ouch!) Spencer actually stayed in SLC Friday night with his family who drove in from Alamosa, CO, so his drive to the temple wasn't bad.

Carly had Jo and me do her hair and get her ready Saturday morning, which meant we needed to be at Mom's by 2:30 am. Double Ouch! Tony and I decided we'd spend the night at mom's instead of getting everyone up and driving over in the wee hours of the morning. We gathered the girls and our other girls (Pixie & ArlaMae) and headed over arriving at 10:30 pm.

I still had sewing to do on Rebecca & Mary-Gail's dresses, so I stayed up until....1:30 am. Did I already mention that I was sooo stinkin' tired to begin with?! Carly let me sleep until 3:00 am, but that was it! Jo, who lives about 2 miles from Mom's house, was already upstairs with curly irons plugged in and bobby pins ready.

We tackled Carly's beautiful thick, red hair and 2 hours later (along with lots and lots of hairspray and bobby pins) we had created a masterpiece.


These pictures are from when Carly had her hair done "professionally" for her bridal pictures. Jo and I knew we were going to do Carly's hair for her wedding, so we videotaped the process and I snapped a few still shots.