BEWARE OF THE CRAZY DUCKS AT THE GREEN BELT

BROOKLYN AT THE GREEN BELT.

Dear Brooklyn,

Today we went to the Green Belt to feed the ducks with my friend Brittanny and her two nephews.

There we hundreds of ducks everywhere. They flocked to us as soon as they saw the bread.

BROOKLYN WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THE DUCKS

Everything was fine and dandy until three huge ducks came up and wanted to snatch the bread right out of everyone's hands!

They were vicious little monsters. They chased us and snapped at us and hissed at us.

I was seriously worried that they were going to bite one of you kids.

Brittanny and I were yelling at them and kicking at them but they just kept coming!

You saw me kicking at them (I didn't actually kick them, I was just scaring them) so you wanted to kick them too! It would have been funny except I though you were going to get bitten.

BRITTANNY SAVING BROOKLYN FROM THE CRAZY DUCK AND THE DUCK FROM BROOKLYN KICKING IT

Finally, Brittanny's nephew and I ran down the Green belt with some bread making the three crazy ducks follow us and then we threw the bread and ran back. That kept them away for awhile.

The whole adventure ended when you fell and got yourself all wet and dirty, which was fine, except you got dirt on your hands - which you hate. Yes, you are a girly, girl and hate to have dirty hands.

BROOKLYN EATING THE BREAD INSTEAD OF THROWING IT TO THE DUCKS

All in all, it was a fun little adventure. One that I'm sure we will repeat many times this summer. Oh, I can't wait.

And if the crazy ducks come back to get you then we might have to send your dad after them with his paintball gun.

Sincerely, Lori

WHO CUT YOUR HAIR!?!? OH YEAH, THAT WAS ME.

Dear Brooklyn,

The other day I tried to cut your hair.

Not the normal "trim up your A-line" type of hair cut I normally give you, I attempted to cut, layer, trim, re-style, you name it.

I messed up. Big time.

At first I thought "Wow, I did a pretty good job!"

The next day I was like "oh, I kinda messed up a few spots."

The day after that I thought "oh boy. That doesn't look very good."

Today all I can think is "Holy crap you look like I sent you through a paper shredder!!!"

We need to get this fixed. Quickly.

Until then you will wear a hat in public, ok?

Sorry about that. I would say I promise never to attempt to cut your hair again but I know I will. Practice makes perfect, right? So maybe by the time you are 16 I will be pretty good.

Sincerely, Lori

STYLING SUNDAY: WEEK SIX AND SEVEN

Dear Everyone,

Soooo.... I totally missed last weeks Styling Sunday.

I didn't even get out of my pj's last weekend, except to go to church. I was in a mood, remember?

With some convincing from Kurt I finally decided to swap the oversized sweatshirts for cardigans and the lounge pants for jeans, at least some of the time.

I am back on my A game for this next week. Lots of cute styling to come.

I decided to answer a few questions I have been getting, so here goes:

Do you take your pictures yourself? Yes, I take a lot of my pictures myself. When Kurt is home he takes them for me, which is easier and faster, but he basically kicks and screams the whole time. I wish I had my sister here to take pictures for me. They would be way cuter.

Where do you shop? Well.... I don't have a lot of money to spend on clothes so the cheaper the better. Places I frequent are Target, Old Navy, JC Pennys, Aeropostle, DownEast, etc. There are a couple smaller stores in the mall here that have some cute stuff for cheap. Spend your money on your basics and go cheap on the really trendy stuff. I always look at the clearance racks. My favorite pair of jeans were $6 at Target. I even found some cute cowboy boots at a thrift store this week (see Sunday's picture.)

What are your styling secrets? Okay, really I don't have many secrets. But, I would say it is all in the accessories. Belts, jewelry, scarfs, socks, shoes. And it helps that I am a clothes pack-rat. I have a sweater that I got in 2001 that I still have in my closet. I am now learning how to wear things I haven't worn in a loooong time. Another thing: think layers! I am always cold to it doesn't hurt for me to wear 3 or even 4 layers.

Do you wear the same outfit more than once? Not the exact same outfit. But definitely the same pieces of clothes. I bet I could make a thousand different outfits with what I have in my closet but I might just have to go back to some of my favorites.

And this wasn't a question but a request from me: try your own Styling Sunday. Put together some cute outfits, take pictures, blog about it. Do it all week or just one day. I found out fast what looks good and what I want my style to be by taking pictures of myself. I also feel great when I am dressed and ready for anything or when someone in the store compliments my sweater or boots or something.

If you do this then write me comment next Sunday, or send me an email because I want to check you out! Okay? Okay.

Have an awesome and styling week!

Sincerely, Lori

YOU ARE MINE.

Dear Brooklyn,

When did my baby become a toddler?!?

I swear this happened overnight.

You are getting so big so fast.

It makes me sad. How could time go by so quickly? I feel like I blink and you are learning something new or doing something I didn't think you could!

Where is the pause button on your little life? Or perhaps the rewind button? Because I would totally go back to the very day you came into my life and soak it all up again.

You are the most amazing little girl. Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to explode out of love for you. And sometimes I feel like it does explode and comes out in the form of a bazillion tears as I write you love letters.

Someday you will read this letter and maybe you will catch a small glimpse of the love I have for you. Just know that you are and always will be loved.

I am grateful that you are mine. I hope to be the mommy you deserve. I will spend everyday trying to be.

I love you, Brooklyn. I love you so very, very much.

Sincerely, Lori

MY HARD WORKING MAN

KURT WORKING ON HIS HOMEWORK WHILE CUDDLING WITH BROOKLYN

Dear Kurt,

You are in Rexburg tonight. Studying. And playing some basketball.

You study a lot. Which I am grateful for because I know you don't love it but you do it so that you can get an education and take care of our family.

I love that about you.

I love your ambition. I love that you work hard. I love that you have good priorities but still know how to have fun and let loose sometimes.

So thank you. Thank you for being you.

I love you.

Sincerely, Lori

A LETTER ABOUT THE WEDNESDAY LETTERS... ON A WEDNESDAY.

LORI READING THE WEDNESDAY LETTERS

Dear Camille,

Thank you for choosing "The Wednesday Letters" for book club.

I enjoyed the book. It reminded me of why I started writing letters in the first place.

I hope someday my children and loved ones will enjoy them and learn from them too.

"I thought about keeping a journal, but I don't think I'd be able to keep it up. And who would care? Letters, though. Letters will last." - The Wednesday letters

When I read this quote in the book I thought "That is exactly how I feel!"

I'm glad you started a letter writing blog as well. Awesome, right?

On a different note: Thanks for the day out. I loved it. Brooklyn loved it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sincerely, Lori

SING, SING, SING

Dear Brooklyn,

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This week, I think you want to be a singer.

Too bad, though, because with your father's genes and mine there is no way you will even be able to recognize a right note if it smacked you in the face.

That's okay. Because with your father's genes and mine you will probably sing at the top of your lungs all the time no matter how bad it sounds. (It's not easy to embarrass a Killian).

So, keep singing, little one. You might just be able to prove me wrong someday.

Sincerely, Lori

THE SAD SIDE OF ME

Dear Kurt,

I am a wreck.

I literally spent almost the entirety of the last four days crying.

And I never cry. Sometimes I even try to cry but I can't. But not lately.

I blame about 20% of that on it being "that time of month."

I blame another 30% of the freakin' weather. If I swore, then I would be cursing Idaho all day, every day.

I blame another 10% on you. That's right.... you! I'm a girl, I can do that.

I blame another 20% on what my friend Natalie informed me of and I like to call "the Idaho/Utah theory" which explains why people around these parts don't make friends with each other like they do in places like California (where we both lived for a while and now we are both here so we can consider ourselves experts). Basically this is the Reader's Digest version of the theory: people don't make lots of friends because they have their family. They hang out with their families all the time, therefore, no need for many friends. Like "hang-out" friends. Not everyone around here is like this but I would venture to say about a good 90% is.

And I blame the last 20% on me. I let myself get in this funk and I let myself try to cry/sleep it off. Which didn't work.

Doesn't Life know that I need a break? No. It doesn't. It keeps moving along, kicking my while I'm down when it gets the urge.

Last night I crawled into bed around 7 pm and after throwing myself a nice little pity-party, to which I invited no one, I slept till Brooklyn woke up at 10 am.

I dreamt of warmer weather and friendly get togethers and houses that cleaned themselves.

I need some help.

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? Well, I have a problem. I admit it, but I don't know if I can muster enough energy and caring to do anything about it. Sleeping sounds so much easier.

Life seemed so much simpler just a short time ago. Can't I go back?

Help me go back.

Help me get out of my "poor me" funk.

And while you're at it, can you help the snow melt and leave for good?

Maybe some sort of change in our lives is needed.

Sincerely, Your Sad, Pathetic Wife

ANNIE

ANNIE MAURENE JONES

Dear Brittney and Job,

Congratulations!

Annie finally decided to present herself to the world!

She is beautiful. I love her so much already.

I can't wait to meet her.

Brittney, I hear you were amazing. You always are.

I love you all.

Sincerely, Lori

SOMETIMES I GIVE MYSELF THE CREEPS

BROOKLYN GETTING WARM AT CAMILLE'S HOUSE.

Dear Kurt,

I just got out of the shower and was standing in our room picking out some clothes when I heard a loud noise.

It was a weird sound and I couldn't quite place where in the house it came from.

I got worried that Brooklyn might have climbed out of her crib but when I snuck into her room she was sound asleep.

A few minutes later I looked over my shoulder and thought I saw something move. I do this to myself all the time. It is usually just my hair or a spot in a mirror or something that makes me think I see something move. I shrugged it off and ignored the creepy feeling I got.

A while later while I was getting ready in the bathroom and Brooklyn was playing on the floor next to me I heard another sound.

I told myself to stop freaking out or I am going to have to admit myself into Blackfoot South.

I couldn't keep myself from scanning the bathroom for possible weapons to protect Brooklyn and myself in case it wasn't all in my head.

Several house later I was getting the vacuum out of the closet by the front door when I heard another loud noise. Something inside my head screamed "Take Brooklyn and get out of here!"

I grabbed a blanket that was on the couch, wrapped it around Brooklyn (I wasn't going to go wandering around looking for a coat for her), and left the house.

I decided to walk down to Camille's house since the next door neighbors were sick. By the time I got about 30 yards I realized it was snowing. Camille's house suddenly seemed forever away. I eyed the Olsen's house as I walked by but it didn't look like anyone was home and I didn't want to take even the slightest detour in case they weren't because Brooklyn's nose was already turning red.

Camille kindly let us stay at her house until you got home (which was only half an hour, yes I couldn't stick it out in our house for even half an hour!). She didn't even look at me like the lunatic I was. I think she was convinced of the creepiness that was following me today, though, when the lights at her house started flickering.

When we got back to our house you did a long and thorough sweep and declared the house predator-less. I guess I am going crazy, but I wasn't going to be the girl who heard noises and had a bad feeling and then ended up getting attacked because she ignored it.

KURT GOING TO CHECK OUT OUR HOUSE FOR MONSTERS.

You even double checked the house before you left for basketball and I'm sure I will have you check again before we crawl into bed.

Thanks for dealing with my craziness and I might just try to beg you to stay home from school tomorrow even though I know you can't. This creepy feeling is still lingering a little bit.

So, how about we read our scriptures and say and extra long prayer and hopefully I will get some peaceful sleep.

And just in case something does happen to us: I love you so much. And I love Brooklyn so much.

I just gave myself the chills. Grrrr...... I hate this.

Sincerely, Lori