solanos

I don't know how to describe this great day.  We feel blessed to have this little girl in our family.

She wore the dress I was baptized

 in.

Ashlyn was on the top of the world (Yikes! Is that my belly!)

 

In attending past baptisms, Ashlyn's one request was to receive a "candy Lei"  like some of her other friends had received.  She was lucky enough to get two, and devoured a good portion of the candy on the way home.  She was nice enough to share and handled it surprisingly well when Lara later found what was left and shared almost all of it with her younger cousin.  We are still finding nerds in Lara's hiding spots.  It was little cousin Julia's first experience with gum :(  yikes. Lara and her candy addiction.

Here is Lizzy, Rachel, and Makayla who were some of the girls her age that attended and Lauren came too, but I didn't get her in the shot.

We bought a sheet cake from the bakery we had ordered our wedding cake from;  The Fruit Basket YUM.  I didn't get a picture of the whole cake, but saved the name piece for Ashlyn to devour.  All the kids wanted a slice of the rainbow, and we made a good sized dent in it and I have enjoyed snacking on the rest. 
I loved the program.  My mom played the piano and all of my brother Spencer's kids and our girls sang, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me."  Cousin Daniel spoke on Baptism and my sister-in-law Kimberly spoke about the Holy Ghost.  Our Bishop did a wonderful job conducting and my dad and Grandmother said the prayers.  Grandma and Grandpa Solano made the long trip from Paradise along with Branner and Eva who braved the drive from San Fran with their 7 month old Lillianna. 
My one regret from this perfect day was not taking a big group shot.  I am not that spry and that was one thing I didn't do.  Usually you do a big family shot, but I didn't get one.  I did get a small sampling of those in attendance. 

 Here is Ashlyn and Sarah before we started, and here is Ashlyn with Bishop Larsen.  Ashlyn had a hard time adjusting to a new ward and loved our last Bishop.  Bishop Larsen has finally won Ashlyn over.  (She still loves you too Bishop Hazen.)

 Here is Grandpa Solano with Lillianna, and Grandma Plumb with Ashlyn.

 It was fun to have Bob and Lorraine Hansen join us.  Here they are with Grandma Solano.
We were also joined by several families from our old and new ward, Michael and Laura Davis, 2 of my brothers, and one of Brock's brothers, so it was a great gathering of people all showing support for this big step in Ashlyn's life.  She received lots of cards and things in the mail and felt an outpouring of love and support by neighbors, friends and family.
Happy days. :)