Happy Birthday Raleigh!

Happy Birthday to you my Raleigh boy.
You have brought your daddy and I so much joy!
I love you so much and in every way.
Happy, happy day to you.

xoxo,

Mom

I Love Jenny.

Let me tell you a little bit about my sister Jennifer. She is the best aunt ever. And today, is her birthday. We love you so much Aunt Jenny! Happy happy birthday to you!

*Photo By Richie

Dear Mom.

click to enlarge: if you'd fancy a giggle

Dear Mom,

I'm breaking my "no posts on Sunday" rule for you on this very significant day. It is Mother's Day, yes, but more significantly it's the first such day you have spent without your sweet little boy. I know that he is thinking of you today and longing to be near you just as you long to be near him.

If I may be so bold as to speak for a moment in his behalf:

Dear Mom,

Hi Mom! Thank you for being so wonderful! There could not have been a better mother for Natty and I than you. We both feel so blessed to have you. You gave us your whole heart in everything, and always. What an angel mother you are. I know you miss me today mommy, I miss you too, but remember where I am and all the wonderful things that I'm doing. Remember how happy I am. Remember that I'll see you soon, and mostly, remember that I love you sooooooooooooo much. Ooooh I love you! I am nearer than you know. I walk beside you in the sunshine and I dance with you through the wind. I am forever your little boy, and I love you.

Mom, I'll see you sooner than you know.
Happy Mother's Day!!

Yours forever,
Gavin
AKA: Gavin Son, Gavtron, Gaver Dave, Gabbie, Gavzilla, Venus. . .Unkie

PS. "You're so bamboo tops!"

Mom, we do love you, Gavin and I. So much more than you could ever know. We will all be together again very soon. Thank you for always giving yourself to us completely. Thank you for teaching us to work and to play, to love and to forgive and to accept others unconditionally. Thank you for teaching us to be independent and strong but mostly thank you for teaching us to be humble and for teaching us about He on whom we should rely for all things. . .

We couldn't have asked for anything better, not in our wildest dreams.

I love you Mom!
Happy Happy Mother's Day!
xoxo,
Nat

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Uncle Bart!
They don't come any cooler than you!
I love you!!

xoxo,

your girl Natalie

You've Had a Birthday: Shout Hurray!

H: You are such a HAPPY person!
E: You are an EXPERT at everything you do!
A: You are ALWAYS THERE for everyone who ever needs you! Ever!
T: THE COTERIE! (that's a link, don't miss it). Thank you for that. SO MUCH!
H: You're HANDY to have around because you're really good at random things. . . :)
E: You make everything EXCITING! You love adventure!!
R: You ROCK!

I love you so much Heather! I hope you have a fantastic day!

xoxo,

Nat

PS- Comment if you love Heather too! Don't forget to tell us why!

Wowie Me. . . Cardon's Three!!!

Cardon this post is for YOU!

To my sweet boy with the giant spirit:

Your mommy and daddy love you so much! You have brought SO MUCH fun and Adventure (with a capital A) into our lives! Thank you for being so very wonderful!

Mommy loves your sweet, squishy kisses from your plump and generally wet lips more than anything else on Earth!

And you have that Daddy of yours wrapped around your little finger. . . and boy do you know it don't you?!

Remember the other day when I curled my hair (for once) and you looked up into my eyes in wonder, fluffed my hair with your chubby little hands and said in a breathy astonished voice, "Mommy! You look like a girl?!?" Well, my Cardon, I AM a girl. A girl with a total crush on YOU.

I love you my little man. SO much I do.

Happy Happy Birthday!

xoxo,

Mommy (the girl)

Chris' Photo Booth.

So for our good friend Chris' 30th birthday his lovely wife threw a big surprise bash at the "Shady Acres Retirement Home." The evening was complete with the "oldlywed game," bingo and even some swing and foxtrot! It was a rockin' good time, and I got to try my luck at a "photo booth" for the first time (an idea inspired by Nate and Jaclyn of The Image is Found. . . my favorite photography team EVER).

First the birthday boy. Owwwww!


Loving this guy's sticker. . . I heard that some crazy guy was randomly yelling "Mitt is More" all throughout Haleiwa today. . . just FYI. . .






Notice anything spectacular about this next one? Look closely. Ha ha ha. . . I love it!














That's me, Natalie, with the curler in my hair. . . This shot was taken by Erik Norton. . . of Erik Norton Photography. . . :)


A big mahalo to our wonderful team of nurses for helping us remember our meds and for serving us up cafeteria style. . .



The hat twins. . . sister was all about brother having both hats on at the same time. . . big important business. . .


Happy birthday Chris! We love you! And Jackie! THANK YOU for another rockin' party. Can't wait to see what you come up with next! (Remember Rachel's baby shower where we all had to come dressed as pregnant movie stars? You are a quack, and I LOVE YOU!). . .


Have a happy Sunday! Check back soon!

xoxo,

Nat

PS- For copies of the pictures above, please email me at natalienorton@gmail.com.

La la la la la la!

That "La la la la la la" is for you to sing, NOT SPEAK, the words "and a happy new year." You know, "we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas. . . bla bla bla and a happy New Year." "La la la la la la!" Isn't it SO MUCH better to sing it?!?! Anyway, we wish you one. . . A la la la la that is.

Christmas Comes to a Close.

Today we took down the tree and this is how I felt about it:

Merry Christmas

Hope you had a Christmas as magical as ours! Pictures coming soon!

12/2005

12/2005

Stuff those Stockings RIGHT!

Sick of boring old stockings full of smashed Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and a dry orange? Well this year, why not fill the stocking with something truly sensational? Some of this may not fit the typical "stocking budget," so maybe it'll have to sit under the tree with the knit sweater from Grandma, the Old Spice for Uncle Charles and all the other regular Joe's, BUT I PROMISE YOU, none of this stuff is anywhere near regular!



A hip alternative to the traditional stocking toothbrush, the Tooth Tunes by Hasbro ($9.99) will have your kiddos rockin' out at the bathroom sink. This baby guarantees the full 2 minutes of brush time recommended by dentists for proper dental health. We've got 2 of these jewels sitting in the Norton's North Pole (aka hiding in my parent's garage) anxiously awaiting Christmas morning! Comes with Hannah Montana, HS Musical and Black Eyed peas just to name a few. BE SURE TO BUY FROM TOYS R US! Ever other place I found them they ran close to $40!




Flip Video, by . . . well Flip Video. Available in all kinds of snazarific colors. It seems to run about 149.99 just about everywhere and that's for the version with the longer recording capacity. The shorter the recording capacity, the lower the price. Now, despite the "high" (totally worth every penny trust me) price, this one belongs in the stocking so that you can video the kiddies tearing down the stairs and attacking the tree! This baby lives in my purse. I video something spectacular, "flip" a switch and the built in usb comes a poppin' out and straight into my comp! It records things in segments so you're already all organized and ready for YouTube or Blogger or email for Grammie or whatever! THIS BABY IS FANTASTIC! In fact, we bought ours this summer and I've since seen it on Oprah, and if Oprah digs it. . . well. . . you dig where I'm comin' from?


Target, Chef'n Vibe, Collapsible Measuring Cup Set, $17.99. Great for the Family Chef!



Check out this Bees Wax Candle Making Kit from Willow Tree toys. 100% natural and 100% radical! What a cool, original gift! And at $10.95? 100% wonderful on the checkbook as well!


Eddie Bower, Complete Survival Kit, $19.95. BUY ONE GET ONE 50% OFF! Great gift for EVERYONE!



You or someone you love gone green? Great! Check out this fantabulous (truly) All Natural Shaving Oil from Pacific Shaving Company. Smooth and moisturized and all natural too? You betcha! At $6.95 how can you go wrong? DID I MENTION THAT PACIFIC SHAVING CO PLANTS A TREE FOR EVERY SHAVING PRODUCT THEY SELL????!?!?!? This is the stuffer that just keeps on stuffing. . . er giving!



Fusion Razor by Gillette, $9.99 Amazon (1 razor, 2 cartridges). This one rocks the chart! Totally the PERFECT his/her stuffer. I shave with this baby and so does Rich and it continues to receive RAVE REVIEWS. Downside, cartridges run a little pricey (cheapest I've found is bulk from my lover COSTCO). . . but on the upside, one cartridge lasts far longer than the typical razor.

Real Simple has a list of 10 rocking stocking stuffers for $10 or less. The list includes a paper soap dispenser and magnetic paper clips to name off my faves.

So silly.

Q. What did one snowman say to the other?

A. I smell carrots.

Lighting the Way. . .

Every year on Christmas Eve, just before sunset, you'll see a warm glow from my hometown of Alpine, UT. Each year, families set out white luminaries along the street in front of their houses, symbolically lighting the way for the Christ Child. This majestic tradition transcends tenderness in a county that is increasingly disturbed by the presence of God in the public (and I venture to say private) lives of it's citizens. I'd like to thank the good people of Alpine for continuing to stand tall as followers of The Savior, Jesus Christ.

*I remember every year Dad and Gavin going out to light the luminaries (my Dad grumbling about the cold all the way). Earlier in the day we'd fill all the bags with sand and a candle and set them in the back of the Landcruiser, then at sundown Mom would say, "OK boys, time to light the luminaries!" And off they'd go to set them up along the road and all the way up to the front porch because mom wanted Christ to know he wasn't only welcome in our town but in our home as well. Then we'd all hop in the car and drive up and down the the roads (with our lights off, much to mom's chagrin) singing Christmas carols and feeling so full of happiness, peace, and anticipation we could have burst at the seams. Merry Christmas Gaver Dave! Sure will miss you!

Elf Yourself!

Merry Christmas from me and da boys! Click to enjoy a laugh on us!

Create your own here, then copy and paste the link into the comment bar for all to see!!

COWABUNGA DUDE!!!

Happy Halloween from:

Rafael:



Donatello:



Leonardo and April (the reporter. . . the idea was for me to be the rat, but truly, how does one dress up like a rat for heaven's sake??):



Michaelangelo:



A whole family of happy turtles. . . and reporters . . . hmm:

How to Host a MURDER!!!!

Poor Jack Ular. . . He didn't stand a chance against

Dai Monsterdai: Jase
Stretch the Butler: Richie
Celia Fate: Natalie
Count De Bodies: Chris
Dinah Greusomeway: Dory
Ivanna Bytiznek: Rach
Jacqueline Hyde: Taylor
Vlad Tire: Jesse
Ann Angrimob: Jackie









And yes, we did put my brother's self portrait up as Jack Ular. . . the guy who died. . . ha ha ha ha HA!

Jack-O-Lanterns!!

We had so much fun carving our pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns! We're going to toast the pumpkin seeds now. . . we'll let you know how it goes. We're excited to see if the HUGE seeds that came out of the albino pumpkin taste any different than the little ones that came out of the regular old Joes. . . or should I say Jacks. . .