Friday, January 30, 2009

Getting to Know Bella

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The seven Turpin women.

Our beautiful Bella

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Sister Brown brought over a gift for Bella and some cookie dough, 2 frostings, plates, napkins, stickers, and a Ladybug (!) book for the big sisters!  It was so kind and the girls had a ton of fun.  Thank you!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Shelly and Arabella are on the way HOME!

We are reuniting our family again with the addition of little Arabella Michele Hope Turpin.

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Can’t wait to see you later tonight!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Wonderful Insight

I'm sure you have read this, but it's powerful to see. So, to all I know that are building something....a family, lives, the Kingdom of God.....enjoy.
With love from me, a woman who was blessed to have an invisible mother

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Laguna Beach 2.0

Today Michele, Octavia, and I meet down at Laguna Beach at 8:30.  We played and investigated the beach.  It was so much fun. I miss my girls.  They would have loved to climb over all the rocks and explore the tide pools.  Look, girls, that is a real board walk – not a fallen fence on the sand.  :)Arabella Jan 2 003 Arabella Jan 2 007

All water runs to the ocean – here I actually saw it – the pigeons were bathing in it.  The beach is just so pretty!

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People say that Sammi is active and loves to explore and climb on things.  Well, I have to admit something.  She got that from me!  I couldn’t stand it anymore and went and climbed all over these rocks.  It was so much fun!  The water kept coming up at least half way on these two pictures.  Arabella Jan 2 018

Arabella Jan 2 019Arabella Jan 2 029 Then the picture on the left is looking down into a gully.  It was so fun!

 

 

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Becca will appreciate this flower.  Isn’t the symmetry wonderful?

 

 

Arabella Jan 2 011 I am ashamed to admit that I had an idea in my head of the typical Californian – not counting those involved in the movie industry.   I have been guiltily surprised to find that normal people live in beautiful Southern California.  There are the same number of trucks and SUVs in sunny California as in the great state of Texas. People use water bottles.  There are WalMarts here.   But then Michele and I ran across this group.  I decided to guiltily take this picture so we can proliferate the stereotype. (I feel guilt)

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And finally, Octavia’s mussel shell family.  See the Daddy, the Mommy, and the baby?

I miss you girls.  I can’t wait to hold you all.  I love you Becca.  I love you Sammi.  I love you Jessi.  I love you Lizzy.  I love you Joy!

Love, Mama

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Surprise!

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It’s a girl!  Check it out : http://arabellaturpin.blogspot.com/

Jason and I have been in California to adopt our sixth daughter, Arabella Michele Hope Turpin.  We are so excited about another little girl to love!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Beach

Yesterday my Mom and Asia went down to Galveston.  I am hoping that the girls will post about it.

Today Jason and I drove over to Laguna Beach.  It is absolutely beautiful there.

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I love this picture of Jason.  A wave had just hit him.  The water in the Pacific Ocean is cold!  This is a fun shot – it’s our footprints in the sand.

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The two of us against a backdrop of the coast of California.Laguna Beach jan 20 026 Laguna Beach jan 20 030

These are just fun.  There are tide pools – real tide pools.  I’ve never been able to find one in Galveston.  The kids would have loved it!  I imagined Sammi and Lizzy all over these rocks!

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And then there was this tunnel through a rock outcropping – so fun.  I wish y’all had been there!

I have heard before about people talking about the roar of the waves – the Pacific Ocean makes some loud waves!

And finally a little clip of me walking on the beach.  In my head, sand is soft.  The sand here hurts.  The soles of my feet have never been so soft!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Newport Beach Temple

temple and arabella 2 029Jason and I drove over to Newport Beach this morning to see the Newport Beach Temple.  It is one of the smaller temples that is adjacent to the stake center.  I had never seen that layout before.  It is very beautiful.  I wonder if it changes how the Saints feel and act at their building knowing the temple is so near by.

 temple and arabella 2 006 This is the Stake Center, followed by the temple and the driveway that separates them.  It’s really great.  You drive down and turn right to go to the temple or left to go to the Stake Center.  (The picture was taken from the bottom of the driveway.)  I was very proud of the Saints – the parking lot on the temple side was full!

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Thinking as I always am about Young Women, I marveled at the opportunities this presented to teach about the importance of temples and temple covenants and marriage.  There is a sidewalk connecting the two buildings.  On the temple side, there is a short circular wall.  I imagined YW lessons being taught right there.  Just beautiful!

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Jason and I at the temple.  We had to use the timer to get these pictures, so Jason would hit the button and then run over.  But here we are at the temple.

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The front of the temple.  Over the door is a sculpture/relief (not sure what the word is) of Christ and some of his disciples.

It was beautiful here.  The grounds were lovely.  What a blessing to have temples dot the earth!

 

 

For Becca: flower pictures from the temple:

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Friday, January 16, 2009

Letter to Sammi

Dearest Sammi,

Thanks for your letter – I loved it!

And I loved that you included the picture of Joy.  Give everyone a kiss for me.  I love you all!

Love,

Mama  arabella day 1 005

PS – Tell Becca I bought a new pair of earrings today!  :)

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A LETER FOR MOM & DAD

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dear Mom & Dad

we are all having fun!

P.S.

joy is having the most fun!XXXXXXX

LOVE  SAMMI XXXX

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Observations from the Airport

Tonight Jason and I ate dinner at Houston Intercontinental Airport before flying out to sunny Southern California.  I haven’t flown since we went to California in 2007 to pick up baby Joy.  You could rightly say that I am not a big traveler.  I am very content to stay in my little bubble and live my life there.  As the girls and I study world geography and culture, there are many things I would like to see and experience, but truthfully, I’m OK seeing the sights from the safety of our home PC as I show the kids pictures and videos from around the world.   You could also say I’m not exactly up with the times.  It still looks (and sounds) funny to me to see grown men and women standing around talking to themselves on their bluetooths. 

I looked around the dining area tonight in terminal A and watched a handful of people eating their dinners and talking busily to someone on their phones.  I noticed a little bird, maybe a small sparrow, perched on the back of a chair.  He sat right next to a man who was oblivious to his little presence.  The man talked on and on about whatever and the bird fluffed himself up and then flew to the back of the man’s chair!  He sat there for a while, then flew to another table.  The man on the phone never saw him.  He missed out on something.  I wonder if I see in my life.  Just ramblings from a woman stuck in an airplane!  :)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Our Master Bath

Jason and I (mainly Jason) have been tiling our bathroom.  It’s about a 3 day job for the do-it-yourselfer.  We started on Thanksgiving day weekend and finished today.  That’s 3 days – 3 free available days.  Oh well.

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Time to Clean

It was time for the Saturday cleaning.  I told a child, “you need to go clean your room.” 

Child replies, “ I need help cleaning my room.” 

Jason responds, “Did you have help making the mess?”

“No, but I need help cleaning my room.” 

Jason turns to me and says, “She needs a bailout!”

Friday, January 09, 2009

Smoothies

Becca loves smoothies!  For Christmas she asked for her very own blender.  How exciting!  She makes us smoothies made from fruit, yogurt, milk or juice all the time.  Last night she made us a Strawberry Colada – yum!  Everyone loved it except Dad – who hates coconut.  :)  The nice thing about this current obsession is we all get to enjoy it with her.  Yummy!

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Overheard Today

“I was looking in the mirror and saw a really cool, smiling face.”

reply from another sister:  “That’s because you see a child of God.”

Saturday, January 03, 2009

The Zoo for Aurora’s First Birthday

We went to the zoo for Aurora’s 1st Birthday.  It was so much fun!  There was lunch, cupcakes, snacks, and lots of animals.  Everyone had a blast and went home tired!

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