Katie's First Laugh, just before 3 months

I got the pleasure of getting Kate to laugh first. Last time, Luke got Gracie to laugh first, so it was doubly good. I have lots of pictures of her these last 3 months I just need to make the time to post them. Katie is the best smiler. Gracie was so sober all the time, it is really fun.

Anjelica's Life Sketch

Anjelica’s Life Sketch: January 22, 2010

by Hollie Barber and Nancy Randall

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him.
We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things,
and in all places" as we strive to live
the Young Women values, which are:

Faith:

· Anjelica believed what she learned in church and at home. She was baptized when she was 8 by Robert, and sealed to our family the same day Robert was sealed to his wife. He will always remember how strong the spirit was and how beautiful Angelica looked in her white dress, first at her baptism, then at the temple. Anjelica believed that families are forever.

Divine Nature:

· Anjelica knew where she came from. She knew she was a Child of God. Her divine nature radiated from her whenever she sang primary songs – which was quite a lot! :) She always came home singing, “The Priesthood IS Restored!" or "Scripture Power" with Michael, who loved it. Battle Hymn of the Republic was one of her most favorite, -and at the top of her lungs, of course!

Indivual worth:

· Anjelica knew her self- worth, and helped other people know theirs. She was kind to others. I can’t remember a time Anjelica ever made fun of someone. She was nice. When Bri married our brother Bill, Anjelica was in charge of holding the train on Bri’s dress. Bri remembers right before walking down the aisle, Anjelica’s sincere smile and laugh made her feel not as nervous. Anjelica made time for people; she knew that they were important. Her hair and her name were important to her. She loved her hair, and hated haircuts. But whenever Hollie offered to do her hair she was there in a heartbeat.

Knowledge:

· To get this, we are supposed to continually seek opportunities for learning and growth. Anjelica was all over that. She loved learning through books. Kevin recalls that anytime he saw her, she always had a book in her hands. Mom remembers that her favorite author was Charles Dickens. She would get this little twinkle in her eye every time she got to really discuss a book and critically think about it. That is something she and dad had in common. She learned to play the piano very quickly. She loved math and writing. And her handwriting was especially beautiful.

Choice and accountability:

· Anjelica chose to be happy. She loved to laugh things away. Tino and her loved watching funny movies with the family, and they loved joke books. She loved being outdoors no matter the weather. The more wet and messy the better—she was always optimistic. She wasn't afraid of being rough with the boys her age, or dogs or bugs. She chose not to do any that sissy girl stuff....

· She chose to use her spunky, fun-loving personality to overcome challenges and try anything new. IF her ideas failed...she'd try again. She never gave up… even when odds were against her. People were drawn to Anjelica because she made the choice to be happy and fun. We can all learn from Anjelica’s choice to be happy.

Good works:

· Anjelica carried a sweet and tender softness for babies and children. All of us brothers and sisters appreciate Anjelica for loving and playing with our kids.

· Karl had this to say about Anjelica:

“Anjelica was a lot of fun every time we visited. She was always smiling and laughing. She enjoyed my children, and they enjoyed her. I remember her playing games with us and swimming or jumping with the kids. I remember her getting her chores done so she could spend time with us, and how excited my girls were to see her. Anjelica was a lot of fun, courteous, and thoughtful.”

· Anjelica definitely let her light shine through her good works.

Integrity:

· Anjelica never gave up. She was confident and brave in what she thought and believed, and she was not afraid to stand by it. If she was afraid she hid it pretty well. Anjelica always chose for herself. When she did something, it was because she chose to do it, not because someone else told her to. Lisa shared memories of Anjelica always being the first to jump into the freezing cold water on our family vacations, overcoming the scary feelings of just how cold it really was. It never seemed to bother her. She ultimately overcame her challenges in life with integrity.

Virtue:

· Anjelica was excited to learn to drive and she wanted to become a psychologist someday so she could talk, listen, and help others who were struggling. But most of all… she wanted to be virtuous so that she could be married in the temple someday and have an eternal family of her own.

BOTTOM LINE - ANJELICA WAS BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT!!

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,
we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Hollie Close:

· I got to talk to Anjelica on Facebook last Friday night. It was probably the last time one of our family got to talk to her.

· Out of the blue she typed to me, “Hi Hollie.” I said, “Hi Anjelica!” And she said, “Guess what? I am going home.” I said, “Going home – to mom and dad’s?” And she said, “Yeah to mom and dad’s.” I said, “Wow! That’s awesome. For how long?” She wrote back to me in all capital letters, “FOREVER” with an exclamation point.

· Anjelica really did go HOME FOREVER!!

I love you forever Anjelica!

Anjelica Elizabeth Marie Garza Chandler, affectionately known as Jeli, unexpectedly passed away while napping on January 17, 2011, in Herriman, Utah, due to complications of Type 1 Diabetes.

Anjelica was born June 28, 1994, in Ogden, Utah. She came to live with the Chandler family in the spring of 2001 and then became a permanent member of the family when adopted on November 11, 2002, and sealed on December 17, 2005, in the LDS Logan Temple.

Anjelica is survived by her parents, Heidi and Bill Chandler, nine brothers and sisters, and sixteen nieces and nephews. The brothers and sisters are Tino Chandler, Michael Chandler, Nancy and BJ Randall, Robert and Heidi Chandler, Hollie and Luke Barber, Kevin Chandler, Bill and Bri Chandler, Lisa and Ben Merritt, and Karl and Megan Chandler.

She is a happy person - at peace with life, a good student, and very much loved by all who know her. She touched many lives.

Funeral services will take place at 12 noon at the LDS Center Street Chapel in Hyde Park, Utah. Prior to the funeral there will be a public viewing from 10:30 am to 11:30 am at the same location. Interment will be at the City of Hyde Park Cemetery. Officiating at the services is Bishop Victor Sorensen of the Hyde Park LDS Fifth Ward.

No Kissing Fights Mom!

Luke and I were kissing each other goodbye as he left for work this morning and it got a little closer to making out. Next thing we know Gracie says, "No Kissing Fights Mom!"

Pretty good name for it huh?

Reminds me of when we were leaving the doctor a few months ago and Gracie said, "Goodbye Sweetheart!" to the Dr.

Or when I told her last week that we were going home and she said, "No mom, we gotta go get deals!" I wonder where she has heard the word "deals" so much...? Us talking business all the time. It was hilarious!She also talks with her hands alot now. So serious! And has started to introduce us now to people. And she still "LOVES KATE TO DEATH" when she gets tired or bored. :) better than being mean to her though.

She walks around the house singing all sorts of songs and making up some then all of the sudden transitioning to another. It is hilarious. She got her singing ability from her dad and her ability to be sing the wrong words and make up songs from her mom. Ha ha! We sing, sing, sing. I love it. The latest song is the shark song since she has been pretending to be a shark. There is a shark in every room that we have to run from and get under the covers together to be safe. She also loves Cinderella and the donging clock where she has to run and she loses her glass slipper. She sings, "Do I love you because you are wonderful, or are you wonderful because I love you?" I guess I need to get the movie for her to watch it. Her make believe is just beginning!

So there you have it, "No Kissing Fights!" you guys.

Kate's Birthday Present to Me

So Katie decided to give me SLEEP for my birthday this year. This is how she slept:

Mon 10- 8 hrs
Tues 11- 8.5 hrs
Wed 12- 6.5 hrs (still not even bad)
Thursday 13- 7.5 hrs
Friday 14- 8 hrs
Saturday 15- 10.5 hrs (then I woke her up cause I was scared, she slept for 3 more hrs)
Sunday 16- 8 hrs

That is one of the best birthday presents ever. Now I just need to go to bed when she does so I get all that sleep too. I don't know why I get such good sleeping girls.

Gracie pretty much put her self down for nap time today cause the phone rang in the middle of me reading to her. Next thing I know she shut her door and when I went back to check on her, she was asleep in her bed.

Thanks also to Luke and my in-laws for being with me on my birthday and doing fun stuff together. Also thanks for the birthday songs, phone calls, and facebook messages everyone sent. It is good to be 26. Now if I can just get some more wisdom/maturity/self-improvement to go with it at not too high a price. :) JK

I am not sorry for not writing because...

I've been enjoying my girls! And my husband!
We are a happy family, more so I think, in our challenges than in abundance.

I have a lot to catch up though. I am sorry about that.
So I will do my best to catch up, now that we have reached a new level of normal, holidays are over, and my baby is almost 2.5 months. I think I have stretched the newborn, recovery, adjustment period long enough so I am going to start exercising, blogging my journal & pictures, and working on Home-Speech-Home.com again. So here goes!

We really have been better than ever so don't worry. Kate has been the best thing to happen to us since Gracie!!!