Back in February we were able to go and surprise my oldest sister Stephanie. I am so grateful that my brother-in-law Brian helped us to pull off this great surprise for Steph. He was so good at keeping it a secret and at helping us and picking us up. He was also very patient while dealing with us for an entire week! Thanks Brian!





Brian picked us up from the airport. He convinced Steph to go out to eat so we met her at Chick-fil-a. Brian went in first and we waited a minute and then walked back to where they were sitting. Oh my… Steph’s face was PRICELESS when she saw us. She looked pissed, but we later discovered that is just her surprised face!!! Ha ha ha! We all started crying and hugging! The people sitting around her were so confused as to what was going on. I’m sure we looked like absolute morons. It took the kids a minute to realize who we were too! So fun to surprise all of them though!



Savannah was hiding behind her mom’s chair… she wasn’t too sure about us at first!
It was so much fun to spend the entire week there. It went WAY too fast. We of course went shopping and spent way too much money. It is always so much fun to go shopping with sisters! We went to Charming Charlie…. an awesome accessory store. I was in heaven! Do you think I bought enough?




It was so fun because Steph didn’t know it, but we had another surprise for her on her birthday. We left the kids at home (which was difficult as choas broke out right before we left, but we made it out of the house) and went to eat at a yummy BBQ place. Brian had told her that someone from work was coming to dinner with us. She wasn’t too happy about that, but really it was that Brian had picked Jenny up from the airport. She hid when we came in the restaurant and then came out once we were all sitting. It was great to watch Stephanie’s face as she was super shocked! It was so fun!!!


Mom, Kaka and I stayed up late the night before Steph’s birthday and made her birthday cards! Oh my gosh we were so hyper and were the biggest nerds. Check out our beautiful cards!


Yeah, we are dorks, but it was fun!
Jenny brought out Napolean from Uncle Siegy, which Stephanie loves. He also sent Florentina cookies. Oh my goodness I love those!
This is Steph jumping around with excitement when she discovered that it was Napolean dessert in that box! She was SUPER happy!



We were mean and sent this pic to Steph the night before we went there and asked if she wanted any. She thought we were so mean! But of course we brought this batch out and then Jenny brought another batch when she came. Yummy!
Of course I made us go to Panera Bread a couple of times! I LOVE Panera Bread. I really wish we had one around here.


We stopped there several times just to pick up sourdough bread. Oh my! So good. I LOVE good sourdough bread. I want some now!!
We got to go the the Atlanta temple together, which was really nice. We may have struggled a little with staying awake, but it was really nice to be with each other.



I didn’t get one single picture of Michael. But it was sure fun to tease him and hang around him.
I loved saying good night to the kids each night and sleeping in Lizzie’s room. It was so nice of her to give up her bed for me the entire week. It was always a littler entertaining to hear her talking in her sleep too! I loved having to say I love to each individual person. Savannah makes everyone say I love you and then the persons name and you have to go around the room saying it to everyone. My favorite part of the nightly routine was Autumn and Stephanie singing A Childs Prayer. I love that song and it was so cute to watch them sing it together! I tried to post a video, but can’t figure out how to get it posted here.
I loved waking up to these cute faces!





It was such a great trip and it was SO hard to say goodbye. We were leaving just after sacrament meeting. The kids all knew that as soon as sacrament ended they had to say goodbye. It was the saddest thing. I was super emotional the whole time cause I didn’t want it to end. The second sacrament ended Autumn just started bawling and climbed on my lap. I of course was bawling also…. which just continued on down the row. It was pretty funny cause almost all of us were bawling ( I am sure Brian was rolling his eyes and laughing at us!) and Savannah asked why everyone was crying. Steph told her that we were leaving and she got so sad and covered her eyes and started crying too. Then Steph’s friend who was sitting behind us started crying and said how sad this is! Oh it sucked. Kaka and I finally walked Autumn down to primary, bawling the whole way. I felt so bad sending her in to primary like that. Lizzie was trying hard to not let her emotions show since she was in public. Steph and Savannah took us to the airport. Man it sucked saying goodbye. Apparently after we all walked away Savannah told Steph ” I want those four to come back” and has said that almost daily since we left! Bless her adorable little heart! Love that girl.


Oh and don’t forget the dog…. George. If you know me you know that I dislike cats and dogs. However, I fell in love with George. He is a super cute little puppy!



Kaka was SO in love with George I really started to get concerned that we would come home and she would get a dog!
Happy Birthday Steph! Thanks for not being mad at us for showing up with no warning! I love and miss you, Brian, and the kids so so so much!