Hey Sista, Soul Sista!!

I have been wanting to post about my bestest sister for a while now. As you all know she is such a good writer, how could I ever match her wonderful tribute to me. Well I just need to forget about how mine won't be as good, because we all know she is way better than me!

Lara has always been the greatest big sister. Well, she did teach me bad words and then told me to go say them to my mom, which I then got my mouth washed out with soap. She also thought it was funny to ask me questions like, how are babies made, and what is a condom. I was like six years old, how the heck was I supposed to know. So I just told her what I thought, which ended up being pretty funny. One day while making cookies she told me that vanilla tasted like it smelled, so of course I thought great that would taste so good. She gave me a teaspoon full, and we all know how that ended (GROSS!) Anyway...Back to why she is the greatest!

When she was in college she would always invite me to come stay with her. I thought that was the coolest thing, to go stay with my sister in college! I felt so special and grown up, even though I was not. I was a fat, little immature girl, but she took me everywhere and made me feel good about myself. I also owe her big time for getting rid of my bangs and helping me pluck my eyebrows for the first time.

As I got older, she was always so willing to come to Logan to do my hair and make-up for dances. She always had good advice on friends and dating, even though sometimes I didn't think it was very good advice at the time. She did tell me however that as soon as I went to college I would be popular and no one would care how un-popular I was in high school. Which ended up being so true! When I met my husband, Greg, I called and talked to her for hours. I just didn't have a good self-esteem, and she was there to talk me through it and now we have almost been married for three years. Like I said before, she is full of good advice, and now that I am older I usually take all of her advice.

Even though Lara doesn't like to talk to me on the phone, I call her as least once a week. I can call her to complain, vent, cry, laugh, and when I need a "good job." She will listen to all the nonsense I have to say and sometimes it's not much, but other times we can talk for hours. Just recently she signed me up for facebook and we have had some excellent conversations through IM. I quite enjoy it, I don't know about her.

Thanks to Lara, we always have a good time together i.e. naming all the different kind of balls at the festival of the trees, making sugar cookies, spending hours at the scrapbook expo, laughing about chocolate teenies, and watching girly movies while eating the ice cream with waffle cone pieces in it. I know we have shared some not so good times together, but Lara always turns them into good times with a witty comment, and then we horse laugh until our stomachs hurt (or bum
if your Lara).

I love her for loving me and all my quirks, for loving and accepting my husband, for letting me play mom to her kids, for helping me through hard times, for laughing at me and with me, for liking the same things I do, for coming and staying at my house and leaving a funny to do list when she left, for finally teaching me how babies are really made and what condoms really are, for telling me good job, for loving treats as much or more than I do, for loving a good horse laugh, for complimenting me on a good pair of earings or a good outfit, for getting me into digital scrapbooking, and for just being Lara-the greatest big sisto!!

As I get older, and as my husband points out, I realize how much we are alike but at the same time not alike. She is an awesome mom and I hope one day I can be like her in that way. Oh how I wish we lived next door to each other!! I love you and miss you!!

J-Bax

I would just like to give a quick shout-out to my homie, Jen Baxter. She seriously is the greatest! She always makes me happy. Always. It is such a treat to talk to her. She is hilarious. And even when I'm stressed or she is stressed, it is still the greatest thing to chat with her. Today I am just grateful for my friend, Jen.

The Cocco For My Marshmellows

I know that Miss Cocco Jen has been spotlighted before, but it wasn't by me. So this is my tribute to her. And she shall be the first to have two. (And I kind of think she'll love that!!) PS...Isn't she cute???

It's hard for me to write about Jen. She's kind of the best writer of all time. Like really, the best. I don't remember exactly what it was that she was thanking me for when I received my first Cocco Jen Thank You Note, but I do know that I was in awe at it's witty tone and the perfectly formed handwritten text. Those little numbers are priceless to all who are lucky to receive one!!

I've tried to think back to our first encounters. I don't remember one specific thing. I know that Jen moved in after Dan Jen...and before Baxter. And she somehow got lost in the middle for me. It was a lot of new Jens to keep straight. I do remember her calling me after I gave a RS lesson and giving me some amazing compliments, and I was totally sold after that! I mean, who doesn't love a compliment? And honestly, Jen gives some great ones. It's truly a talent.

As I got to know her better I found that we have a ton in common! We bonded over old Disney movies, and 90's music, and Gone With the Wind, and Beaches. Jen is a wealth of pop culture knowledge, and would be a very smart life line for life's game of Millionaire. But even more vivid in my memories is eating dinner with her and finding out about her Poly Sci background. I remember being so excited to find a friend that would talk politics with me. Jen is a multi-dimensional gal. I like that.

Jen is the biggest over achiever that I know. (in a good way) And I tend to be that way too. So when you put both of us in the Primary Presidency together...you got a big vat of over achieving, over organized, awesome craziness. I've never worked with someone who appreciated the need to spend 3 hours making a sparkly flashlight. But Jen got it, and required it. That was awesome. Wait...back up...

First I have to say one of the dumbest things I did around Jen. I called her after I got an appointment to see the Bishop. I went on and on about how if it was a calling for Primary I'd shoot myself in the head. And how I hate other people's children. She listened...but with kind of a weird distance that I couldn't pinpoint. Then...I went to the meeting and was told it was a calling for Primary. And not only that, but that Jen was the President. Okay, open mouth...insert gigantic foot! She was pretty cool about it though. And I guess if you wanna be friends with me you have to get used to that...I'm a whiner, complainer, and loudmouth. It's not my best quality.

Okay, back to Primary. I loved going each week and seeing what awesome idea she'd come up with for Sharing Time. And I loved it because it ignited a tiny bit of competitiveness in me, and I'd have to try and "one-up" her the next week. She makes me a better woman. (thanks for that inspirational line Mr. Nicholson!!)

One of my favorite Primary memories of all time was cleaning out the Primary closet with her. And "More Than Just a Mark" will forever be one of my favorite pieces of poetry. We laughed so hard I nearly peed. Okay, I actually peed.

I loved it when she came over to watch American Idol in my bed. I loved it when she came over to sing karaoke with me. I loved it when she came over to get CD's from me and we talked while I cleaned the kitchen. I loved it when I went over to have her try on the pants I was making...and I stayed for like 3 hours!! I loved it when she came to have me and my mom fix her sewing mess. I loved our hour long conversation about old Disney movies in the Chick-Fil-A play area. I love the several times that they've stopped by and stayed for hours. I've loved a lot of "little" Jen moments, and not just the big ones!!

But the big moments are amazing too. Here's some amazing things that Jen has done for me and my family...

When Amelia was born we had a ton of help from the Ward, and mostly my friends. Jen brought in dinner more than once, and tended Will while I was in bed. It was a lot. By the time she got home, a lot of the frenzy had worn off. But honestly, it was difficult. (as it is for any new mother) In July we decided to go ahead and bless Millie. I got really stressed about the nursery and the whole idea of people in my house when I hadn't been able to take very good care of it. I was near the breaking point. Jen called and offered, no, demanded that she bring her amazing breadsticks to feed our guests. I cannot tell you the relief. It was an amazing gesture to begin with...but was just the EXACT one I needed at that time. I was SOOOO grateful.

She and Baxter also had an awesome box of stuff waiting for me when I got home from the hospital after my surgery last year. My beloved laptop rests upon it every single day...and I think of their kindness.

Also, one day...just a random day in the spring, Jen stopped by while on a walk to have Abby use our bathroom. I was having a really crappy day. She stayed and talked to me, and then called Dave to meet her at my house. He went and got Cafe Rio and they all stayed to eat with us. I needed company so bad that day. The Coccimiglios are really good at that kind of stuff.

And speaking of Dave...he perpetuated a service that brings my husband to tears to this day. So I'd like to mention that as well. During my 4 month stay in bed...lots of my friends came to get my son. It was very kind. One day Lynette had taken him, but she had to go to dance lessons with Shayla. Will went, but I'm sure it wasn't his favorite thing. Dave brought Abby and dropped her off. Now, a nice friend would have given Will a high 5 and asked him how he was doing. Not Dave. He asked Will to go with him on some errands, and then took him to McDonalds with him so he wouldn't have to sit there. The fact that someone paid that extra attention to our son, when we weren't able to give it at home, makes us (especially Patrick) feel so blessed. It's not just Jen that's amazing at that house!!

I know this is lengthy, but really Jen is just a great gal. She is smart, and spiritual, and the flippin' cleanest woman I've ever met. Now Jen, I know that sometimes you wish you could leave things messy and not go crazy...but I wish the opposite for myself. We need to meet somewhere in the middle!! She has impeccable taste. And I just love that she'll go to a place like 25 Main in St. George, and know that I'd like it too!! She once passed me a note during Sacrament Meeting...a note!! How middle school awesome is that?? I love that she loves Bottlecaps, and Kanye West, and Disneyland. Yes, our mutual love of Disneyland will bond us forever.

I have a distinct reason for loving each of my friends. And I've loved the opportunity to disect each one and figure out exactly what it is that I love about each person. I love Jen because she is constantly trying to live up to the picture she has in her head. She's too hard on herself. We all sit back and wish we had it that together! We wish we were that clean, we wish we were that witty, we wish we could quote lyrics in conversation, we wish we could motivate the entire ward to want to fulfill their callings, we wish we could write in a way that inspired everyone, we wish we were Jen...a lot of the time. Well, "When you wish upon a star...." I'm gonna keep tryin'!

Nominations For Mother of the Year...

The Nominations for Mother of the Year have been officially opened.

I nominate:
Mrs. Vanessa House Pollard.

Any seconds??











Vanessa has spent the last few years of her life devoting her thoughts, her body, her money, her time, and her everything to becoming a mother. She and her outstanding husband deserve some pitter patter of little feet around their house (that isn't their dog) more than anyone I know. And they've tried harder than anyone I know. Last December when their 18 week little Adam went to live with Heavenly Father, we were all so heart broken. But that heart break was coupled with great joy in knowing that their problems were now known...and behind them. Isn't it about that time when Heavenly Father says a resounding..."ya think?" Oh how uninformed we were.

I remember her telling us that she would be unable to ski while we were in Powell. Why would that be? (We all asked with a hopeful grin) And then a few weeks later it was the phone call that she was not only carrying a baby...but babies. We were scared for their upcoming trials, but super hopeful for an amazing outcome.



May I just indulge myself by saying we were well founded in our fears. Because those two little darling angels went to live with their Heavenly Father last week. But may I also say, on behalf of her friends, that we have had an amazing outcome. It is not the one I would have dreamed for her, obviously. But each of us has felt the hand of God touch our aching hearts. And we have seen our testimonies grow as we watch this amazing family embrace eternity.

How tender it is to watch a couple that is so much in love, so in sync, so focused on a goal? Vanessa loves Steve so much. And it is so evident. Sometimes I am jealous that in this trial they have drawn close to each other. Patrick and I tend to drift during stressful situations. We are going to try and take a cue from the Pollards and use those times to appreciate our mate, not want to kill them.

I have been so grateful to be counted as one of her friends. I want to publicly thank her family for letting us participate in the funeral services for their girls. Funerals, as you may know...not on the top of my "fun" list. But I must say that this one was a deeply moving experience. And I was so grateful to have the opportunity to attend.

You know after 9-11, no one knew how long was the appropriate amount of time before Saturday Night Live was okay to come back on? You don't know when it's okay to laugh again? I hope this has been an appropriate amount of time. So, now I will change tones to state: VANESSA POLLARD IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST CHICKS I KNOW. She has the best sense of humor ever. She is just as, or more, sarcastic than I am. I never have to worry that I've offended her with an off color joke...or a swear that slipped out. She also takes the most amazing dirty-ish pictures with chocolate marshmallows on a stick that I've ever seen! If there was an award for that, she already won it!

Vanessa is a great friend. Adam's loss and my surgery last winter overlapped. I was unable to do much more than send flowers. As soon as she was able, Vanessa came over and we had a chat. I loved that chat, and felt entirely guilty that I hadn't been able to go over and have it with her sooner. For my birthday she brought me perfectly OCD color separated m&m's in an amazing little square jar. It was too pretty to eat. So I didn't. But apparently, Will didn't see that beauty. He ate almost all of it in one sitting.

I love that she has that little bit of OCD in there. It makes it so that she has a better understanding of my own OCD issues. I love that she has kept herself from IKEA for fear that she may put their family into financial ruin. She is so amazing to my children. Not that the rest of my friends don't show love to my kids. They do. But somehow Vanessa has a special understanding of my Will. And she appreciates his weird personality, instead of getting annoyed by it. I know she is an amazing aunt as well. She makes every one's favorite choco-frosting treat...the Moreo. And I think she made the the boys into cookie shoplifters at Powell more than once. She is honest, and willing to admit to her flaws and idiosyncrasies. Which is why her blog is one of my absolute favorites! She has a great giggle. She is open, and giving, and did I mention...hilarious?

Vanessa, you have sacrificed more on behalf of your kids than anyone I know. And so I nominate you for Mother of the Year. You are my hero and one of my greatest friends and examples. Thanks! (Don't expect a trophy by the way...I don't have one!)