Long post with many pictures...enjoy!

It's been two weeks since my parents 40th Anniversary Party that my brothers and sisters and I put on for them. Man, we were THRILLED with the results! I didn't think we could pull it off, but we did.

Theme: Hawaiian
Location: Cultural Hall at M&D's ward building
Food: Guava cake, Chocolate Haupia cake, Coconut cake, and Mango cake with fresh Pineapple and Strawberries. Lemon water for drinks. (cakes made by Sister Cline at the BYU Bakery, Fruit cut and decorated by James and Darlene - thanks you guys!)

Before the big event, however, we found out my Mom's sisters, whom she hasn't seen in about 15 years (or at least one of them), decided they were going to come out and surprise her and be here for the event. We were so excited!!!

They met us up at the church a few hours before the party to do the surprise part of it all. We had just finished decorating the place and told my parents to come up to the church and see it...(and then we'd all eat our catered Hawaiian food of Kalua Pig, Chicken long rice, Shoyu Chicken, Macaroni Salad and sticky Rice...yum)...

...back to the story. We decided that we'd let them come into the cultural hall and see the place while we were behind the curtains. Quinn made an announcement for them to sit in their oversized chairs, we had set up for them, and feast their eyes at the stage. The stage curtains opened and there we were all 8 kids, and 6 grandkids, singing "Happy Anniversary" to my parents. Little did they know that my two Aunts were behind us (they're a little shorter then we are, so we could easily cover them up). As we were ending the song we slowing did a "parting of the Red Sea" so they could see who was behind us.

I think the pictures below show their reactions best...

Mom & Dad: "Oh how sweet look at our kids singing for us"...

Dad: "What the...?". Mom: "oh how sweet, I'm not sure who those ladies..."

Mom: "KATHLEEN, EILEEN!!!!!"

Mom: "Aaaaahhh...I don't believe it!!!"

Dad: "Your sisters!" Mom: (sobbing) "my sisters!"

Mom: (sobbing)

Hugs all around after seeing her sisters for the first time in YEARS.

More tears of joy.

The Fitzsimmons women. Mom, Kathleen & Eileen

LET THE SHOW BEGIN!!!!

We did a time line of events all in song for my parents, starting with the moment my Dad came back from his mission in Brazil and was looking for the woman of his dreams. Then joining 'The Lettermen' back in the 60's, to seeing my mom sing with a guy names Dave at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Amarillo, Texas. It was love at first song.

Erin & Conn singing "Girl from Iponema"

Conn, Quinn & Shane singing "Hurts so Bad" acting as 'The Lettermen'

Sean comes in and does his own little rap in the middle of the song - so cool!

Caitilin & Sean, Aka: Dave & Colleen singing in Amarillo.

Caitlin & Shane, Aka: Mom & Dad now making music together

Quinn & Erin, Aka: Mom & Dad singing "Proud Mary" in the early 70's

Shane, Conn & Sean as the backup dancers

...had to throw an MJ move in there.

The Curran Family moves to Hawaii. Megan doing the Hula with Gavin & Kai playing the Uke's in the background

Kai playing the Ukulele

the Bunny Hop was a popular song in our house as kids. Here's Quinn and Conn singing it with the nephews and Shane joining in.

Aidan decides to grab the guitar and "play along" to the Bunny Hop song.

Ryan & Gavin doing the Bunny Hop.

Shane, Aidan, Owen and Kai - Bunny Hop

The Curran Family leaves Hawaii. Megan & Shane singing "Honolulu City Lights"

The Curran's move to Utah. Caitilin, Megan, Me, and Erin singing a family favorite, "I Will"

Me singing a song my Dad wrote when the first Grandchild was born, "Lullaby you Christmas baby". Conn accompanying me on guitar.

Sean raps about Mom & Dad's journey, Conn singing in the background

One of the most important parts of the night. Sharon as the Narrarator. We couldn't have done it with out her!!

Mom & Dad saying a word or two, and then sing together

WE ARE FAM-I-LY!!!

View from the stage, during "We are Family"

Aidan sure loves that guitar

Another view, crazy Quinn.

Kalin & Kai

What a fun night! Thanks to everyone who helped out and made it amazing!!! A big thanks to my dear Hub, Ryan, for the lovely pictures and for capturing those awesome moments. Dar, James & Sharon we seriously couldn't have made this all possible with out you guys helping. Much love!

40th Anniversary Shin-dig

More pictures and videos to come from the big bash for my parents 40th Anniversary party/program my brothers and sisters and I put together.

Here's one pic of my sisters and I after the program.

It's FRIDAY!...sort of.

Since the 4th of July falls on a Saturday my work is giving us salaried employees Friday off for the Holiday. Yay! I love it when this happens. Nothing better then having a 3 day weekend. Ok, maybe like a 4 or 5 day - or a vacation where I take 2 weeks off. But you get the point. I'm happy.

I'll be doing a few things to take up my day

1. Meeting with a Wedding Client to set up the dates for her bridals, engagment and wedding pictures, and get all the details for the big event - sweet!

2. My friend Kerra is going to do my hair, after much struggle to coordinate a day and time. Say GOODBYE to the gray! (yes, I know...it's SAD and I'm only 31...boo!). She'll also be doing highlights and cutting my hair. And I mean chopping it! I'm hoping to have the same hair style I got a year and a half ago. Short, stacked A-line. CAN'T WAIT!

The cool thing about this salon session is that we're doing it as a trade. She does my hair and I take her family pictures. I love trades!

3. I'm sure I'll find some time to hand out with my sister and her boys that have come into town from NC. It's so fun to see them!

With that said HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

New look

As you can see I've got a new look to my blog that I LOVE! However, in the process of it all I lost all of the blogger lists I had. If you see that your name isn't on the right hand column under "Friends", please leave me your blog address so I can add it.

Thank you mucho!

Loss of a Legend

I admit I am and always have been a HUGE Michael Jackson fan. We listened to his 'Off the Wall' album as a kid, watching my older brother Quinn try to mimic his break dance moves. Everyone in Hawaii loved Michael Jackson. I remember when we moved to Utah people weren't that big into his music. I was shocked! I loved all of his albums that he came out with. I remember in particular one summer when my cousins from Nebraska stayed with us for those few months. We'd listened to his song 'Scream' that he did with Janet, and made up our own dance moves to it. I've never forgotten that summer and the fun we had with his music.

It has always been a dream of mine to go to one of his concerts. I've never cared about going to a U2 concert, I just wanted to see MJ. I remember one time when the Jackson 5 reunited and put on this huge concert. I watched it on tv and got a little emotional because I had wished I could have been there in person watching them sing and dance. It was AMAZING, even on tv. I was blown away by their performance.

When my nephew Kalin was a kid he loved MJ's music as well. For Christmas one year he got a sparkly glove like him, a hat and suit like he had in the 'Smooth Criminal' video. We video taped him dancing like MJ, and mouthing the words to one of his songs. Kai too was a big MJ fan.

Being in Old Navy yesterday and hearing Erin as she read a text from a friend saying "The King of Pop had died", I got confused and for a second there didn't know who they were talking about. Never would I have guessed that it really was MJ. We ran to the car to turn on the radio and sure enough it was confirmed that the King of Pop had died of Cardiac Arrest.

Tear filled my eyes as I sat there in complete shock. We both got emotional. Erin started texting everyone in our family telling them about the sad news.

I watched E! News for the next few hours, and then went to you tube to watch some of his videos. I cried and cried as I watched the video of him as a child singing 'Ben'. This was one of Kalin's favorite songs.

One thing that I had always known before but hit me harder now that he is gone, is how AMAZING of a performer he has always been. People can say they don't like him for being a weird-o, and for the accusations that went on a while back, but there will NEVER EVER be a greater performer, and a more talented person then MICHAEL JACKSON!!

Here are a few videos of my favorite songs from back in the day. Check out that talent!

Check it!

This is what I did last night...




Check out the rest from the session here.

Random thoughts...

Random Thought #1

Bathroom stalls:

Why is it that some people choose the stall right next to you when there are plenty of other stalls open. I don't get it. This has happened to me several times at work lately. I go in, choose my stall knowing full well that no one else is in the bathroom with me.

Ah! Sweet silence, no one but me.

Next thing I hear is someone coming in and walking closer and closer to my stall, and then they park it next to mine, I mean RIGHT NEXT to mine. I mean, c'mon!! I'd like a LITTLE privacy. Why couldn't they go in the middle and leave some space in between us?! What if some music needs to be made while I'm there...do you really want to be THAT close to it?! I know TMI!!! But do you get my point?

I'm picky about the stalls I use, if there are enough to be picky over. I tend to choose the handicap stall, or the one all the way on the other end...but not in the middle, if I can help it. Why? I don't know.

Random Thought #2

Over done to perfection.



1.I've realized lately that I like my food to be crispy, crunchy. Take for example Pizza; I tend to over cook our frozen pizza's at home. The darker the pizza the better for me, not so much for Ryan.

Last week I had put a pizza in the oven, hung around for about 15 minutes and then went to the neighbors house with Ryan (totally had forgotten that I had pizza cooking - I do this often). We went and checked out the new closet they made under the stairs, something we want to do as well (not a whole lot of storage space in our place). Hung around for at least 30-40 minutes. All of the sudden I remembered the Pizza and darted out of their house and ran to ours.

The house wasn't smoky or anything. I looked in the oven and found that the pizza looked JUST how I liked it...maybe a little too well done...but still good. Ryan came in and asked how it was and I said, "Well, I know I'll like it, but I don't think you will". Yeah, a little too crunchy for his taste.

The same goes for Chicken Patties, cheese quesadilla's (I like my cheese crispy, not dripping with oil), and something I found this morning..Sausage, and Egg breakfast sandwich on sourdough bread. I bought one upstairs in the vending machines at work (yeah, this was in the vending machine - weird I know). It heats it up in it's internal microwave to a crispy, crunchy perfection - nothing like you'd get at McD's.