Memorial Day Pool Party

Jeff and Tricia had a big party for the Memorial Day holiday at their new pool. It was really thoughtful of them to plan this for all of the family and family friends.

Jeff and Tricia have always been so kind to our family. They are very giving. They have given us a beautiful armourer, baby dresser, couch and lots of great clothes and shoes for Brooke. We are thankful for all of their generosity. Those are just a few things they have done for us....

Jeff is just a giving guy. Him and his work buddies started this game where they " R.A.K. " Random Act of Kindness. I may not be getting this exactly right, but the story goes that they pay for people a restaurants, fast food drive thru's etc and they tell the waitress to keep it secret who paid for them. It's very neat.

Jeff said he got the pool to bring his family together and their friends. He said nothing made him happier than seeing all the kids in the pool having a great time!!!!

                                                           Emily, Doreen, and Alaina

                                                                          Jeff and Kevin

                                                     Will, Kevin, Stone, Mark and Brooke

                                                                     Jeff and Kevin

Big Red

Kevin once named his most favorite pet ever after Major. " Big Red" was Kevin's pet shrimp and also Major's nick-name. When Major asked us to name our son after him, we weren't sure if he meant to name him  Red  or Major? We got to see Major and his family this past weekend. We had a great time, and so did the kids. Mally and Brooke have so much fun together! Mason and Liam were very sweet to play with Will, and Mason taught me how to shoot his crossbow. ( I loved it! )

An interesting fact about Major. Major wanted to buy some extra land. Even though he has a huge property, that has a cabin at the edge of the property, he wanted more space. When he inquired of whom to purchase the land from he found out it was owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and it was not for sale. Major lives in Independence Missouri....Maybe one day we will be living next door to Major ;)

We were laughing so hard at this pic when we saw it. I told everyone to squeeze in and Kevin squated. he looks like he is constipated with a smile on his face....

I asked Major if he has shrank after we saw this picture. Kevin never looked so tall????

Mally is nine- years old. Her and Brooke have a great time!

Mason was so sweet to all of us. I am not sure where Liam kept running off too? I couldn't catch a pic.

Friendly or Fierce?

It wasn't our first encounter with what we thought could only be a shy, sensitive, and funny looking animal. Everyone in our family could take some advise from this animal.Yes, even an animal could have tips for us Turano's.


                      " Slow and steady wins the race "  We seem to all need to work on patience...


Turtles are funny looking and it makes me laugh when I see their grandpa lips and long necks that suddenly surprise you when they actually stretch them out. It would only be natural that we would need a turtle around us at all times to keep us in constant reminder that patience is a virtue...


Well.... this wasn't my initial reason for always wanting a pet turtle...But, you would have to learn patience cleaning that tank, right?


So the first time we attempted to get a turtle as a pet was when I first met Kevin and his friend Lynn had a daughter who had one of those tiny turtles that never grows up. Exactly what I wanted! I was quizzing her so much about her turtle (where  she got it, etc. ) that she told me she didn't want it anymore, and I could have it. Okay, exotic cats ( our pet Juma ) and baby turtle just don't go together. I had to take my turtle to work, where my boss lady liked the turtle so much that I gave it to her...I was sad about it, but she really wanted to give it to her grandson...


Second time we tried to get a turtle as a pet was when we found one with a cracked shell on the side of the road. Kevin said he had experience with this, and that we needed to take it to an animal hospital right away. Apparently he has a list of animals that owe their lives to him when he rescues them roadside and takes them to a hospital.


The third time I found a turtle was when I was running with my team outside of Cooper Aerobics Center. We were to do our workout and then meet with their injury specialist in a classroom after our run. I saw a baby turtle about half way through my run. He had crossed the road and was about to go into a field of grass. I told my friend E-dub ( Emily W. ) that I wanted that turtle and I was going to carry it for the rest of my run. She convinced me not to get it while I was running. She said I might give the turtle brain damage with all my bouncing. So I used the turtle as motivation to run even faster. I told myself if I could find that turtle when I was done, I was going to take it home and give it to Brooke. Well turtles are slow and it made me feel slow when I couldn't find the turtle after the run. E-Dub helped me find it finally and we rushed into the classroom. We put the baby turtle the size of a fifty cent piece into a paper cup and sat it on the floor. Pretty soon our coach was whisper yelling across the room, " Little E...your speedy turtle is across the room! " It was worth it to interrupt the specialist and catch the turtle from that moment on who would be called " Prefontaine " after the famous runner. At three years old Brooke could pronounce his name correctly and she could tell the story about why her turtle was nick-named " Pre " . We watched him grow and Kevin even took him out of the tank and traced him with a sharpie on the garage wall alongside Brooke's measurements. When he got to normal size Kevin made us release him into a lake.


So you can bet what happened when we got to Arbuckles and saw a huge turtle on the roadside just outside the closed park. ( We were there early to be the first ones in the park ) I wanted that huge turtle as a pet in my backyard!!! Kevin immediately said no, but I said, " Well, we have to show our kids...Will you bring it to the car and show Will through the window of the car? " He agreed even though I kept telling the kids, " Wait til you see this turtle, it looks like a dinosaur! " The big turtle had a dinosaur like tail with humps along it's spine. As Kevin approached the turtle, this turtle didn't do what every turtle I have ever seen do, does...He didn't do the quick hiding of his neck and face...He actually stuck his long neck out of the shell. As  Kevin had the turtle about half way into the air, this turtle started reaching his neck towards Kevin's hand to bite!!!!! Kevin dropped the turtle. I jumped out of the car in excitement. We still had no idea what we were dealing with... Kevin shocked said, " That is the meanest turtle I have ever met! " I said, " That was crazy...pick it up again! " So he went for it again! This time the turtle actually jumped in the air! What is this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in training? I had no idea a turtle could jump? Quickly realizing my vision of this turtle in my backyard wasn't going to happen, I brought Will out of the car and sat him on the hood of the car so he could see this crazy turtle. Brooke was scared, and the only smart one, who knew well enough to stay away from this turtle. As we went into Arbuckles I started asking if they had a lot of turtles in their park, and are they naturally here, or brought in? The zoo keeper said, " Well if you find one, you can bring it to us." I said, " We tried to catch a big turtle roadside and it jumped up to bite us! " He was mortified. He said, " You are out of your mind! That was a loggerhead turtle, a.k.a. Snapping turtle! If he would have bit down on your hand, you would have had to go to the hospital and have the doctor saw it's head off , in order to get it's jaw to unlock! " We had no idea turtles could be dangerous? When I explained the size of the turtle he said it was probably 50 plus years old at least. I felt really bad for pressuring Kevin to pick that turtle up so much after I knew what it could have done to him...When we told Mark Mansingh about the turtle he couldn't believe it. I still must not understand how bad these turtles can be?...Mark is the guy that Kevin and I went into a a bear cage with just a few short months ago, and he said he thinks the turtle is more dangerous than three bears? Who knows? But this was wild to see a turtle jump into the air and open it's mouth like a fierce shark ready to bite it's prey...I don't think turtles are so innocent and funny anymore...

ARBUCKLES IS TOO EXCITING TO GET GOOD PICS.....NO TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THAT...

Road Trip Adventures

We thought we would make our eight hour drive to Kansas City as complicated as possible, because that's how it seems that we do many things in our family. It is almost as if we enjoy not actually knowing what is going to happen at any given moment.
Of course complicated is okay when compared to some horrifying experiences we have had on our many road trips to KC.

 We will never forget when Brooke had to go potty so so bad that we had to stop roadside in the middle of no where. We parked aside a lot of trees, so that she wouldn't be seen. As Brooke gets her pants down we realize we are standing only a foot away from a beehive! looking up at the tree above us are hundreds of bees crawling on it! There is hardly a better way to scare the pee out someone!!! It was the quickest Brooke has ever finished her call of nature, and for anyone who has taken her to the bathroom, they know what I mean ;) You must know something about me and bees to totally envision this experience. I am terrified of bees and I run from them every time I see them! Brooke and I  ran as fast as we could back into the car that was very close by, only to realize that we had bees covering our entire windshield. This is not a joke... Had we stayed there even seconds longer someone would have gotten stung for sure. Good thing we are fast ;)

Another horrifying experience we had was when we were again not anywhere near restrooms. Will was about eight months old. Brooke started screaming, " Mommy Will has chocolate all over his hands!" I look over in horror because it was poop! He had one of those blow out diapers in the middle of no where, all over his car seat and then playing with it on his hands and we had no sink or soap!!!! Wipes do come in handy, but this was disgusting. For the next fifteen min. that seemed like an hour to the closest restroom to wash him all off, Kevin decided this was a good time to give Brooke a lecture on parenting. He started saying, " Brooke, this is the reason why teenagers should never have babies and in fact you shouldn't even have a boyfriend until you are out of college so you wont accidentally have a baby." Brooke as inquisitive as she is just stuck with the why would she accidentally have a baby, she missed the poop on the baby part that Kevin was trying to ingrain into her mind...He realized he made even more of a mess by bringing her into it ;)

We have had our fun on the way to KC too, don't get me wrong. Holding baby alligators at strange road side zoos, visiting snake farms, and wondering why our three year old Brooke had no problem watching a mouse get fed to a python? I took her away, it freaked me out she didn't care, buying baby ducks at a farmers market...Oh and yes, I can't forget the largest Toaster Museum in the world as the sign states. Come on, how many toaster museums are there? But we had to see it no questions asked...This man had the biggest collections of toasters it was hilarious to see, and neat. He had the very first model ever made of the toaster!!! And, Arbuckles stops top it all...luring hyenas towars us with a pig nose ;)

Luckily our drive to KC wasn't horrifying this weekend, it was fun, mixed with food as a new distraction to our destination. We had to order pizza in a random town, pick it up at the wrong location, and re-order it there.  I had a craving for vanilla ice cream with vanilla wafers. We finally found a gas station that had the vanilla wafers, so that was good. I was contemplating going into a Walmart.... The craziest part of our drive was that Kevin almost got a finger taken off!!!!! Yes, really a finger would have been gone if he didn't happen to have a million spare body parts, just like cats have spare lives....Strangely enough he seems to have something keeping him alive, even after all the dangerous things he has done...Maybe I have those spare lives too? ( Getting in a cage with a bear this past December... )

COMING SOON...HOW DID KEVIN ALMOST LOOSE A FINGER?????

Our Potential - Sometimes hard, but beautiful in the end

Will loves bugs so much that Grandpa Turano got him to eat a fly back in Feb. when he was visiting for Brooke's bday. Luckily I saw it in his mouth before he swallowed!!! I knew Will would love this up close experience with beautiful bugs. I was positive Brooke would find it fascinating too, and as always she came up with something I never would have thought of. She thought it would be a good idea to try and give a butterfly, butterfly kisses.

We had our weekly family lesson along with our trip to the butterfly exhibit. I thought this story would remind us of our potential, and make a fun family activity at the same time! It was the best butterfly exhibit we have been to yet, and we have been to a few... The kids were laughing and smiling. They had to kick us out as the last family there when it was closing time. We loved it so much that we had to take home our own cacoon in a cup. We watched it turn into a butterfly two days later.

There was a story of a tiny striped caterpillar and how he joined a pile of other squirming, pushing
caterpillars who were trying to get to the top of the pile. It was only when he talked to a certain
yellow caterpillar that the two of them decided that getting on the top wasn’t really what they
wanted most. So, they climbed down and away from the others. They enjoyed being together,
and they ate and grew fat until one day they became bored, and they wanted to find out if there
was more to life. The striped caterpillar decided to find out by climbing again to the top of the
caterpillar pile. The yellow caterpillar felt ashamed that she didn’t agree but decided it was
better to wait until she could take action she could believe in. So he climbed, and she wandered
aimlessly until she saw a caterpillar hanging upside down on a branch and caught in some
hairy substance. She said, “You seem to be in trouble. Can I help you?” “No,” said the hanging
caterpillar, “I have to do this to become a butterfly.”
“Butterfly? What is a butterfly?”
“It’s what you are meant to be. It flies with beautiful wings and joins the earth to heaven. It
drinks only nectar from the flowers and carries seeds of love from one flower to another. Without
butterflies the world would soon have few flowers.”
The yellow caterpillar exclaimed, “It can’t be true! How can I believe there’s a butterfly inside
you or me when all I see is a fuzzy worm? How does one become a butterfly?”
The hanging caterpillar said, “You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a
caterpillar.”
The yellow caterpillar began fearfully but continued the process until at length she became a
butterfly. Then she helped the striped caterpillar learn who he was and leave the pile to become what
he was really meant to be. . . .
So it is for us as Latter-day Saints. We too must act worthy of ourselves and the glorious vision
of truth and eternity which has been restored to us. That vision of eternal growth and gentle, loving
persuasion is too great a dream to let go of when we hunger in our hearts to be one with our Savior.
The power is in you to reach out and claim those blessings. You have the powers within you to be
Christlike. It is what you are meant to be.
(Barbara B. Smith, “The Powers Within You,” speech given at Brigham Young University on 1 February 1981)

Rental Properties

Ever since I have known Kevin he has had a real estate goal. Kevin has read seven real estate books at the least. He has bought another ten that he hasn't yet read. He has sat me down and made me watch Robert Kiyosaki for two hours. I love to learn about anything entrepreneur, so I was sitting at my own free-will after ten min. I am normally a pretty easy sale...... Interestingly enough, I wasn't sold, which made Kevin only want to make me watch more....

After seven years of occasional vows that he would someday be into real estate, I was so HAPPY for Kevin when FDP lent him the money for the down payment on these two rental units, a few months ago. I was so happy in fact, Kevin even asked my why I was so happy that weekend that he closed on the land? The houses came free. The loan amount was based on the value of the land, and the seller didn't ask for anymore than the appraisal of the land.  I told Kevin, " You have wanted to get into this for so long, and I am excited for you! " I am proud of him that has gotten started and that he never gives up...

The rental units came with renters already in place, and they are CASH FLOW POSITIVE! Quick down payment pay back....

Brooke was relieved to hear Daddy wasn't buying these houses to live in them. She said they smelled funny. She was so curious about the whole process of renters and why someone would want to do this?  She was very happy to help clean them up. Brooke loves to work and contribute to our family.

" I stand all amazed "

Contemplating on Motherhood this Mother's Day, I was able to figure out with in one-second what my favorite part of the day as a Mother is. I want to write it down for my children in case they forget.

My Junior year of high school I tried out for the varsity choir, even though I had not even taken choir at all, in my whole education at that point. I did take voice lessons for a year or so before I got competitive in gymnastics.

It was to everyone's surprise that I made it into the division-one choir called " Harmony" with sixteen members in it, total. We sang mostly acapella, and Jazz at city functions, and school concerts.

I do not practice singing anymore, but I do sing every night to each of my children separately when I put them to bed. After we say our family prayer I take a min. to sing a few songs to them by their bedside.

I love mostly to have their full attention, and both of their beautiful eyes staring at me. Will in my arms, sucking on his pacifier, intently listening. Brooke a little more engaged in the words I am saying since she knows what they mean. I tickle her face or back while singing on my knees. It doesn't matter if I am out of practice to them, they look at me with love, and it is so special to me.

It is my absolute favorite time of the day when I sing to them. I hope these songs teach them, and I hope they will sing them with their children.

I started with " I am a child of God " for both children, but rotate songs now.

To Will I sing, " Called to serve him Heavenly King of Glory, Chosen e'er to witness for his name. Far and wide we tell the Father's story, far and wide his love proclaim, on ward ever onward as we Glory in his name, forward pressing forward, as we glory in his name, onward ever onward as triumph song we sing. God our strength will be, press forward ever, called to serve our King. "

To Brooke I sing, " As Sister's in Zion we all work together, the blessings of God on our labors we seek. We'll build up his kingdom with earnest endeavor, to comfort the weary and strengthen the weak."

To both I sing, " I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. I tremble to know that for me he was crucified. That for me a sinner, he suffered he bled and died. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me, enough to die for me. Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me. "

I love being a Mother to these two amazing spirits. I am thankful everday for the opportunity to teach and love them.

A brave woman

 

                                                           Vilma Elizabeth Escobar
                                         
                                     Born May 13th, 1955 in Guatemala City, Guatemala
                                   
Came to the USA as and exchange student during her Senior year of high school. There she attended her senior year in Boise, Idaho.

                            After graduation she was accepted to BYU, Provo where she met Allen Pack in the Library. The story is that he felt prompted to talk to her. After six months they were engaged. The rest is history....

 Married in the Salt Lake City LDS temple, and sealed for time and all eternity on Dec.12th 1974.

            She has four children Allen Paul, Audrey Marie, Emily Gail and Amy Raquel.

Her hobbies are exercise and shopping. Her favorite foods are salads and salmon. Her favorite movie of all time is " The sound of music. "


My Mother is a incredibly brave and strong woman. As a upper class Guatemalan my Mother had maids in her home that prepared her meals, and brought her and her friends lemonade by the pool when she would have friends over. She lived a life of luxury where she tells stories of extravagant Christmas's and trips every year to Florida just to go shopping. She had a personal tailor make clothes for her.

Despite the luxury my Mother remembers from her early youth, she had the courage to put superficial things aside, and enter a life that the spirit whispered to her, that it would bring a deeper joy, that nothing else in life could bring. This is an incredible thing for a youth to take on. To let go of the things that her society taught her she must have, in order to be valued by them. Although all her friends were Catholic, and she herself attended a prestigious all girls Catholic school, she had the courage to change her faith to that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Although she knew she would loose friendships, and basically loose the life she had known for sixteen years, she knew that the church she wanted to belong too, was the church that is lead and directed by Jesus Christ himself. She was brave enough to make the choice to let her old life go, in order to meet the standards that would bring her closer to her Father in Heaven. She desired to take the steps necessary, like baptism, striving to keep the values taught at church, like daily scripture study, prayer, modestly dressing, treating her body like a temple, and choosing wisely the activities she would participate in. This is an amazing commitment for someone so young, with a life and surroundings that taught her the exact opposite, up until them.

For my Mother's bravery I am incredibly proud of her and will be forever grateful for that day that she decided to enter the waters of baptism. My Mother has outstanding faith in prayer, the atonement of Christ, and the knowledge she has that families can be united for eternity, after they have received  the proper ordinances, and are worthy of the holy sealing that binds families together for eternity.

Everyday I see my Mother who lives in constant pain from her neck injuries, yet she chooses not to dwell on this. She refuses to live her life different than before. She moves forward with optimism that the Lord will bless her to accomplish the things that she needs to do. She encourages me when I am in pain not to let it get me down.

My Mother has a giving heart. She is always giving gifts to all of her grandchildren, and in fact I believe this is a major reason why she teaches classes and doesn't just dothem for fun. She knows she will be working out anyways, and if she teaches the class she will not feel bad about the money she spends on things she would like to get for her grandchildren or her children. How unselfish of her! We are very blessed to have such a loving and giving Mother who prays for us, cares for us, and whom we know has given so many sacrifices to raise us. We couldn't thank her most of all for her bravery in coming to a forgien land to learn a new language, feel alone at times because everything was so different. The way she let go of luxury and chose a humble man that she knew would make a good father for her children is incredible.

Mom you are so loved and all you do for us is appreciated so much more than you know.

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day to one of the bravest women I know.....

Our Favorite Things About Emily or Happy Birthday!

Our Favorite Things About Emily, From Kevin

Kevin - One of my favorite things (one of many) about Emily is her amazing energy.  If you ever plan on going to Disney World with Emily, you'd better start training for the event, when the gates open I think Emily hears a gun go off because the race is on.  When you get back from the trip you will need a vacation.  Emily has the ability to channel this energy into whatever she wants at whatever moment.  This is a woman who has so much energy that one day, after drinking a half of a Red Bull, we had to drive her to the emergency room.  Caution: NEVER FEED EMILY CAFFEINE!  (Fortunately she was able to calm down before getting admitted!)  If she were a cartoon character she would be the Tasmanian Devil.  If she was a super hero she would be Iron Man (picturing the energy chestplate) At times I have scratched my head in bewilderment, particularly back when she had a horrible diet.  As she gets older, I see her learning how to channel this wonderful energy in healthier ways and this is very exciting to see what she comes up with next.  There is indication that she is learning how to have some down time and this is good - I don't want her to get injured again.   ...Iron Man?!!  How about Ironwife?!!  Ironmom?  Ironbestfriend?!! I truly dont know how she does it all!  I hope our awesome children have this wonderful energy!

Brooke - I like to play with you!  I like to go shopping with you too!  Love, Brooke

Dad Pack - There are many things I like about Emily. I have always loved Emily's smile. Even when she was a little girl she would get excited and smile about some of the simplest things in life, animals, flowers, and experiences.
She loves with a passion, her animals, her friends, her children, her husband, her siblings, her parents, and the Lord.
As Emily has matured I have seen her faith in God grow to be strong and firm.
I like that she wants to be close to her family and that she wants Will and Brooke to be close to their grandparents. She thinks grandparents are important to children.
Most of all, I am thankful she is my daughter.

Mom Pack - I like a lot of things about Emily. Will be hard to mention all of them since she has lots of good qualities. Emily is a very caring loving person. When she was little she had a cat named Kitty she treated her like she was her baby always making sure she was safe and cared for. Now that she is a mom , she devotes her life to take care of Brooke and Will. She teaches them to love our Heavenly Father and to love others like Jesus said we should and she does this not only by telling them that's the way they should be or reading the scriptures with them and taking them to church but by her example of serving others and being kind, forgiving and charitable with those around.
I like that she likes to workout, shop and do girly things. She is a very fun person, gets excited about doing fun things with her family. I like that Emily doesn't take for granted her blessings and if you something for her or her family she always says thank you. And she is always quick to say sorry if she thinks she has offended you in any way. I am so proud to be her mother.
Her family is blessed that she is the mom of their family. I am so glad Emily and her family live in Mckinney where we can see her often.  Sorry this is so long... I could go on and on, but I won't.


Audrey - Emily is the sparkle to life. Her laugh us contagious and her smile is too. She is fun loving. One of my favorite things though is her deepest desire to do good, to love others, and to think about others feelings. She is very empathetic and compassionate.
She is zealous in her desire for happiness, not just hers but her children her husband and all her family. She is fervent about seeking happiness. If ever anyone was going to find true happiness she probably will because of her fervent determination. Emily thank you for your sparkly, fervent zealous desire for all of us to be happy! I love you!

Bryant - One of my favorite things about Emily is when she gets her crazy sense of humor going.  I often remember and smile about when she was running around a hotel pretending to be a spy.  That fun loving attitude is contagious, in fact Emily has a gift so that her influence rubs off on others often.  What she feels spreads, and her cheer, energy, enthusiasm and humor spread like a sweet aroma to add zest to the lives around her.  She also has cultivated her deeper side, being able to be serious about serious things, but lighthearted about fun and light things.  She has given a great part of herself to her family and I admire her dedication to those people and ideals she has put in first place in her life.

Amy - My favorite thing about Emily is that she is always concerned about the people around her. She wants her family to stay close and takes time to let other people know what she appreciates about them. She has a great laugh that makes other people around her feel like laughing too. She loves the gospel and tries hard to learn and teach others what she knows. She is a good mom who always wants to teach her children and help them enjoy life. She is a good sister and friend.

Mom Turano -TODAY I LOOKED UP THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD "NICE" AND THERE YOU WERE--EMILY GAIL PACK TURANO.                                                     
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE PERSON YOU'RE WORKING TO BECOME.  WITH YOUR JOYFUL HEART, PATIENCE AND OPTIMISTIC QUALITIES- THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO YOUR DREAMS.  YOUR SPIRIT AND LOVE OF GOD COMES THROUGH IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.  YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR BAKING BIRTHDAY CAKES, SEWING A BEAUTIFUL APRON FOR ME, ENGAGING THE CHILDREN IN MAKING US A BIRD HOUSE AND GARDEN PLAQUE, READING AND PRAYING WITH THE CHILDREN AND THE ADVENTURES YOU SHARE WITH KEVIN- SHOW ME THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE AND PLAY.          
TODAY I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR DEEP FEELINGS AND LIFE CONCERNS. 
OH MY!  HOW CAN I FORGET THE BLOGS?  I LOOK FOWARD TO READING THEM BECAUSE THEY BRING ME CLOSER TO YOU, KEVIN and THE CHILDREN.
HAVE A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY...TODAY AND EVERYDAY...WITH LOVE, MOM TURANO

Dad Turano - a piece of work 

unusual

a true believer easy to lie to

walks on stilts

takes things very serious

a fool to put up with you

a nascar driver at heart

a cake maker 

Dad Turano - much can be said re this topic......one could write a novel ,.......a chapter ........a paragraph......... a sentence......a word...........in the years i have know you(emily) are complex and confusing individual .........with great aspirations and goals ..........a great writer of your family history ...........a person who has suffered in silence while her dim-witted husband (Kevin the chicken)) has driven hours out of their way to visit monkeys apes zebra giraffe etc... she has been kissed by ostriches....   licked by donkeys .....oh what great fun!!!!   and this was before they had the children .......can someone who loves MICKEY, WINNEY THE POOP not be a good soul........who in the world would spend their honeymoon at Disney World  --and actually spend time in the park ----this should have been a clue !!!!......emily you are a caring person with great tolerance .....you are a curiousand  ask intelligent questions and tolerate my absolute  goofy answers at times.... can you still walk on stilts???? 7"heels    wishing you the best BB  love LVD


Mary Turano and Dominic Turano - Emily is such loving and doting Mom two her children; how ironic her birthday is near Mother's Day.  We don't see her very often but she has always been a very nice and caring person.  It's nice to live vicariously through someone who has the "it" factor:  great clothes, great makeup, beautiful hair and is in great shape.  But all of those qualities pale in comparison to Emily's heart, which is filled with love and gratitude for her friends and family.  Happy Birthday, Emily!

Erin - As Emily's best friend, I could go on and on about the countless reasons that I love and admire Emily!
 According to Greek mythology, humans originally had four arms, four legs, and a single head, made of two faces. But Zeus feared their power and split them all in half. Condemning them to spend their lives searching for the other half to complete them. This is where the origin of the term "soulmate" comes from. 
In mine and Emily's case, we were destined to be best friends. Two halves looking for our "best friend soulmate", a partner in crime, someone we will always have to carry us through the hard times, and someone to always laugh with through the great times.

I have had the blessing of having Emily in my life and my friend for over the past 16 years. We have learned from each other and grown a lot over the years. A lot of amazing memories have been made between the two of us that I will remember forever. These incude:

Froshney, being attacked by a sheep while jogging, having a woman at 7-Eleven tell us we have "nice butts", eating mustard on everything, shopping, staying up all night just talking, and I could go on and on about all of our great times together.

Over the years, as Emily has grown from a teenager into a woman it has impressed me how truly selfless and kind-hearted Emily is toward others. Emily is always wanting to help others and always sees the good in others. Emily has a passion for life and adventure that many admire and covet. I love that Emily is always wanting to do something adventurous and fun! I love that Emily is fearless and knows exactly what she wants, and goes for it.

But mostly, I love how forgiving and understanding Emily is. She is a TRUE friend. She has always forgiven me for my weaknesses and has excepted me regardless of my many flaws. She has always been there for me, even though we live hundreds of miles apart from one another. She is always sending me thoughtful cards and packages when I am have been going through a difficult time- I don't know if she realizes how much that has meant to me. Emily always does the right thing, no matter how hard it may be. She is a great example to me and to all that know her. Her example of selfless motherhood, always putting her children's needs first, has helped me be a better mom as well.  

Happy Birthday Emily! This world is truly a better place because of you. I cannot imagine my life with out you and your friendship. I love you so much and am so grateful and honored to have you as my best friend, forever!

 Love, Erin Stephenson

Holly - One of my favorite things about Emily is her gift of selflessness. She can be going through something very difficult herself, but still thinks of others constantly. I've seen her offer to babysit or take meals to people, when she in fact was the one who needed those things herself. She is amazing like that. She always thinks of ways to help others and is always genuinely kind to all she meets. Emily is simply beautiful inside and out!! I'm blessed to know her and have her as a close friend.

 Happy Birthday Emily! Love ya! hoLLy


 Terri - Emily has such a huge heart and here are a few reasons why:

Whenever she knows I'm down or one of my family members is ill, she always sends prayers and asks people to pray for us. 
She will randomly call me to tell me she and Brooke made something for me.  They are the best prizes I receive.

She will invite me over for dinner and cook the best meals.  Sometimes they are the only homemade meals I get, with my work schedule.

I don't think she realizes how much this means to me!

Emily is an amazing mother and she's raising amazing, happy children.

Emily has drive.  She strives to excel at everything she does.  She has such a wonderful competitive nature.

Emily is even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside.

Happy Birthday Emily!  You are loved!!

Melissa -My favorite thing about Emily is that she is always thinking of others.  Even when she is having a hard day she is always asking how you are doing and what you have been up to.   She is one of the nicest person I know.  I love how she thinks about others and teaches this to her children.   Happy Birthday Emily!! You deserve the best birthday ever because you're such a sweetheart!
Love always, Melissa Bryson 

Amanda - My favorite thing about Emily.... Great idea, I just love Emily!  She is a great friend, and is always thinking of others.  Emily has such a strong testimony of the gospel and I love her willingness to share it with others.  That is why she is a great missionary!  Emily has a lot of fun in her life and enjoys doing exciting, new things with her friends and family.  I love this about her- how she surrounds herself with positive, uplifting, and fun people.  She is always putting her family first, which is so important and she is great at it.  I'm so glad I was asked to be her visiting teacher several years ago.  Otherwise I might not have gotten to really know her!  She truly is an impressive woman.  Happy Birthday Emily!!

Kristina H - Such a great idea since there are so many things to love about Emily. It's amazing to think that I have only known her for a short time but I feel like we have been friends for a long time. She is one of the strongest people I know. Emotionally and spiritually. She is such a good example to me of a very focused person with drive and ambition and a strong devotion to her husband and family. She is a great mother and I admire her so much for that. She is so easy to talk to and so accepting of others.  She has a fun personality and is so genuine. I feel like I can open up to her and tell her anything. She is a great listener. I am so grateful to have met her and call her my friend. She has helped me so much with my transition and move to tx! I feel Like we are meant to be friends and I am so grateful for that! Happy birthday Emily! You deserve a happy happy day filled with love and laughter. You Better get spoiled rotten too :) lol. Thanks for everything that makes you you! You are amazing!! Love ya! 

Twenty-Nine Years

Holly as always, is so tiny even in her third trimester! Nadine is my workout partner, hair dresser, and we can talk for hours, and we literally have talked for six hours straight, two days in a row.

I am honored that these inspiring women call me a friend. They are loving, faithful, and courageous Mothers who know where they place their values, and they know how to make life joyous for their families. Yet even after all the work it takes to create that joy in their home, they still find time to call or get together with me, and for that I am extremely blessed.

                                                                     Emily and Emily

It is a rare thing that I have with these amazing girls. Friendship that I can look forward too, count on,  and learn from.  I love each and every one of them, and I would do anything to be there for them.

Nadine and Holly gave me an early birthday party this year. It was super fun! Last year Holly made this funny and sweet " Emily quiz" that everyone took about me. This year her and Nadine called the party   " Favorites Party " and we all brought our favorite health, beauty or house hold item. We played White Elephant with the favorite items. It was so fun that everyone got to go home with a gift, and that is exactly what I wanted. Nadine made home made vanilla cake and cream cheese icing from scratch. She had to put her three boys to bed all by herself since her husband was out of town for work, and she had the house amazingly clean for us all to come over. Holly brought balloons, plates and napkins, and she still came, even though her husband was sick with a fever at home, and I am sure she was super tired from getting ready to move, selling her house, and being pregnant.These are great friends!

There is nothing I could give, or do to show the amount of appreciation that I have for these wonderful women.

                                  I am twenty-nine now. That is a great excuse for a party right?  

Wacky Innovation

As a kid I always wanted to work in a zoo. Being a stay at home Mom is kind of like working in a zoo, it's pretty messy, stinky, and wild at times. I am positive my reality as a stay at home Mom, is far better than my childhood dream.

Being a stay at home Mom is FUN everyday. It's a privilege, and I am baffled at why any woman would choose to go to work, if she didn't have to do it for financial reasons?

Will must get his wacky innovation from his Dad. He has been cracking me up with this bowl that he's been toting around for days. He uses it to carry things, and most of the time, it is a hat. The funniest part is that he actually cries if I try and take it from him because it is nap time.

Yesterday he saw a bigger bowl on the counter and he actually got a chair, pushed it to the counter took the bowel down, came over to me and said, " Sit Ma," and then he put it on my head, put his bowel on his head and sat down in my lap.  He slept the entire night last night with the bowl in his bed. When I went to take it from him I realized his hand was actually still grasping the rim of it.