Thank You



President Hinckley died the other night and I just had to express my gratitude for his wonderful life and example. We really appreciated the phone call from Kirk and Jayme who very lovingly and graciously told us that he had passed away knowing that news would be a little slow to get to us here. Wow...it really hit me hard. I know that he was 97 years old and had health issues but it still was a shock. We have appreciated all the kind words from my family who are not LDS but supportive of us and our beliefs all the same.

The girls were already in bed down on the pull-out couch in our family room but Kameron was upstairs when we found out and Tyler told him what had happened. Kameron asked us if he could be the one to tell the girls. I was a bit hesitant about this fearing he may run downstairs and blurt out...being one in the know..."PRESIDENT HINCKLEY IS DEAD!" But this was not at all the case. I was extremely impressed by Kameron who solemnly came into the family room and said "I need to tell you guys something. The prophet Gordon B. Hinckley passed away tonight". He said it with such seriousness and dignity far beyond his seven years... I felt I truly had a glimpse of who Kameron really is...a righteous son of God. As I looked at Reilly who was silently weeping I felt the spirit so strong in that room...and felt that despite our many failings as parents that we were doing something right with these wonderful children of ours. It was wonderful to kneel in prayer as a family and thank our Father in Heaven for our beloved prophet and his many years of tireless service. It was wonderful to talk to our children about the plan of salvation and that while we are sad that President Hinckley is no longer here with us we could only imagine what a joyful reunion it must have been for him and his loved ones in heaven.

I was came back to the church my senior year of high school and immediately felt such a connection to President Hinckley even while he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. I was drawn to his humor, his strength and how unflappable he was in every circumstance. I came to love him even more when he became President of the Church. I was amazed by his tireless energy and love of the gospel. His testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ truly bore witness to me of the truthfulness of the gospel. He has been a rock of strength that I could turn to in times of my own struggles and doubts...and in times of fear. I remember when 9/11 happened that all I wanted to do was to hear what he had to say and as as usual he was a refuge in the storm.

One of my favorite memories is of his interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. His enthusiasm was contagious.


Mike Wallace: Your church says God and Jesus spoke with your founder Joseph Smith back in eighteen hundred and twenty and told him to start this church. You believe that.

Gordon B. Hinckley: Yes, sir.

Mike Wallace: He was 14 years old...

Gordon B. Hinckley: Yes, sir.

Mike Wallace: ...a backwoods farm boy...

Gordon B. Hinckley: Yes, sir.

Mike Wallace: ... in New York State.

Gordon B. Hinckley: That's the miracle of it.

AND...this part:

President Hinckley acknowledges it is not easy to follow the Mormon faith. He calls it the most demanding religion in America.

[Gordon B. Hinckley interview]

Gordon B. Hinckley: It is demanding. And that's one of the things that attracts people to this church. It, it stands as an anchor in a world of shifting values.

Mike Wallace [voiceover; footage of Gordon B. Hinckley interview]: Example. Mormons adhere to a very strict health code.

[Gordon B. Hinckley interview]

Mike Wallace: No alcohol, no tobacco, no coffee, no tea, not even caffeinated soft drinks...

Gordon B. Hinckley: Right.

Mike Wallace: ...eat meat sparingly, exercise...

Gordon B. Hinckley: Right.

Mike Wallace: ...get plenty of sleep.

Gordon B. Hinckley: Right. It's wonderful!

Probably my favorite part of the interview was this:

Mike Wallace: There are those who say, this is a gerontocracy, this is a church run by old men.

Gordon B. Hinckley: Isn't it wonderful? To have a man of maturity at the head, a man of judgment, who isn't blown about by every wind of doctrine?

Mike Wallace: Absolutely, as long as he's not dotty. [Laughs.]

Gordon B. Hinckley: [Laughs] Thank you for the compliment.

President Hinckley was such an amazing man whom I will truly miss. But I know that the work will go forth and that Jesus is at the head of this church. I am so grateful for President Hinckley and his amazing legacy that he has left behind: his testimony, his service and his enthusiasm and love of this gospel. Thank You!!

"You can never foretell the consequences of that which you do. And the man or woman, or the boy or girl, on whom you call today, with whom you may speak, with whom you may leave a Book of Mormon, who may turn you down, may later become interested...and come into this church...strange are the ways of the Lord in touching the hearts of people. You can never foretell the consequences of that which you do" (President Hinckley, 22 March 2002).

Armand

Yes...I have had another date with Armand...a "hair date" that is. Why you ask? It is torturous...he is BEYOND annoying...but he is ever so cheap!! And...my mother requested/demanded a hair appointment before her surgery on Tuesday. The woman is in absolute agony but she was bound and determined to get her hair cut and colored!! So I scheduled an appointment for both of us at the same time so that Armand could work on my mom's hair for a bit and then she could stand up for a while while he worked on mine.

This worked out pretty well for me. My mom could listen to him about his movie aspirations/doomed love life etc. whilst I perused the latest naughty doings of celebrities while blissfully reading People magazine. It was win/win.

Kelley came in to hang out with us and chat and oh so lovingly went on a latte/cappuccino/hot chocolate (for the "momo") and scone run for us. (FYI: I am not sure if "momo" is a "utah" word or a "Kirk" word but that is what he lovingly calls me. It is short for "molly mormon" :) Anyway...suffice it to say I was feeling a bit daring and got 4 inches cut off and got "bold" blonde highlights...it looked cute but I am not adept at styling it so it may never look the same again. I am not nearly coordinated enough to use curling brushes, hair blowers, flat brushes, flat irons, and styling products all at the same time. I look like I am having a seizure while "styling" it. Arms flailing every which way and my hair ends up looking extremely sad. Those of you who are talented in this area I salute you!! I should have taken a picture but I haven't had my camera with me while taking care of my mom. Armand referred to my hairstyle/blowout as a "sex kitten" look. Could you gag? I nearly did. Today my look is more "mangy cat"!! Luckily due to my mom's invalid state he had to forgo his "massage". The lengths I will go to for a cheap cut and highlights!! Jennifer E...when will you EVER move up here?? I am begging you!!

Then in a sad attempt to flirt with Kelley he sold her a little bottle of $16 product for 5 bucks!! When I demanded that he find another bottle for me he "conveniently" couldn't find one! But I did get an extra hug after he came out and cleaned all the snow off my suburban...EEWWW!

Today we were ditching church while taking care of my mom and surviving a MAJOR blizzard. I have never seen this much snow in seven years of living here. And there is no sign of it stopping. I later found out that church was actually cancelled. So I am just hanging out in my jammies, drinking hot chocolate and catching up on my favorite blogs. Not a bad way to spend a day!! ;) I'm going to make some snow ice cream in a little bit. Can you handle another Kristin "snow" recipe? This was frequently requested by Kirk and Jordi when they were kids.

You scoop up a big bowl full of fresh snow. Packing snow is the best. To it you add half and half, sugar and vanilla extract. It is tasty!!

Today is my darling nephew Kaiden's 1st birthday!!

I can't believe my little cutie is already one. Happy Birthday Kaiden!! We love you lots!! Your mom and dad aren't too bad either. :) We can't wait to see you guys in a few weeks!!

**I am extremely behind in my birthday posts...John and my other darling nephew Dane had birthdays a few weeks ago...Stay tuned!!**

AWOL




I have been AWOL from the blogging world for so long I feel like I am suffering withdrawls. My mom hurt her back and so I was at her house for several days until we brought her back to my house. She is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. She ruptured a disk in her back and has a gigantic "bulge"that is pressing on her L4 and L5 and she has a small bulge on her L3. She can't really sit and pretty much has to recline all the time...or stand for short periods of time with crutches. She is going CRAZY being out of commission. She doesn't "do" invalid very well. She is on her cell-phone and laptop non-stop!! ;) She doesn't understand the meaning of "taking it easy". It's been fun having her here invalid and all.

Book Reviews GALORE

I have had some of these book reviews hanging over my head for months. I am relieved to get them done. I like doing book reviews so I don't know why it has taken me so long to post these. Usually if the book is a book club selection I like to wait until after our book club meets to post my review. But some of these are VERY past due. So here are book reviews: 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.

Book Review #20 Simplify by Carolyn J. Rasmus

This is the oldest review on the list. This was a past book club selection. We don't often read church books but this came highly recommended by both Andrea and Carolyn. This could shock you...but I doubt it will...I am not a huge church book reader. I don't drool with delight in Deseret Book or Seagull. I like to read biographies about church leaders or sometimes I will read a book by one of my favorite General Authorities or President Hinckley but I don't go searching for them. I RARELY read a book (OK that should be changed to pretty much never) read a book by a random LDS author about a gospel subject. Therefore I was somewhat excited to read this book as I would NEVER have picked it up on my own. Although in all truthfulness I did ask myself "Who is Carolyn J. Rasmus and why should I care what she thinks". I did a little research on the author and found out this:

Carolyn J. Rasmus received an Ed.D. from Brigham Young University and was a professor of physical education there. She was also executive assistant to the president of BYU and chaired the faculty advisory council. She has also been administrative assistant to the Young Women general presidency.

That didn't really help me out with why I should care what she has to say...so very skeptically I began to read. In case you are wondering...this book isn't full of helpful hints on how to simplify your life or how to get organized. What it is about is the atonement. Such a complex and multifaceted subject. A subject that I just never get a full grip on just what it is/does/means. Just when I think I do it slips through my fingers like a gossamer thread. Maybe that's the point. I don't think we will ever fully know or understand the atonement in this life...and we will spend most of our lives trying to comprehend the amazing gift we were given through the atonement of our Savior.

Rasmus takes each letter of the word SIMPLIFY and uses it to talk about different principles of the atonement.

"Convinced that the most destructive aspect of stress is what it does to us spiritually, Carolyn Rasmus outlines eight principles...that will help us keep from becoming so distracted by trivial things that our spiritual perspective is obscured. With these eight principles as a guide, we can enhance our ability to choose our priorities, remain calm amidst the daily chaos of life, and focus on things that really matter. "

It was good Sunday reading and it did broaden my horizons and made me think about how the atonement works in my life. Always a good thing. So if you enjoy church books or need something for Sunday reading you would probably like this book.

I rate it: OK

Book Review #21 New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

This is book 2 in the Twilight Vampire Series. This book didn't change my feelings about these books or Stephenie Meyer's writing...tedious...horrible dialogue...annoying main character. But I read it and enjoyed it. I was kind of worried about this particular book. I had heard that it contained much less Edward who is pretty much the only reason I read these books and my curiosity about how this story is going to resolve itself.

But...I was pleasantly surprised. I think I liked it more than Twilight. I like Jacob. I found myself rooting for him. But of course once Edward was back on the scene I was torn. So now we are dealing with vampires AND werewolves. Bella is still so freaking annoying I can barely stand her and I found myself begging the author to kill her off during her semi-suicidal post-Edward break up times. Sometimes I just want her scrapped and the author to concentrate on the story of the Cullens...a much more interesting subject matter in my opinion. Bella and her father have me on the floor with boredom. Does he do ANYTHING besides eat, watch TV, and fish?

That said...I liked it. I will read the next one in the series too. But since it has been months since I read New Moon and I have YET to read Eclipse I am in no rush. There are far more interesting books waiting in the wings. I do think the Twilight series has the Harry Potter effect on some people. It has gotten people who normally don't read or who haven't read in a long while excited about reading and you can't beat that!!

I rate it: A half-hearted GOOD...but it really should probably just be an OK.

Book Review #22 The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

This was our book club selection for December. A short, easy-read Christmas story. Charles Dickens it is not. But I enjoy a heart-warming Christmas story as much as the next person. Again I have to complain of stereotypical characters, horrible dialogue, and annoying characters with names like Chaz. The message of the book is one of substance though. "Find what breaks your heart and get working". I whole-heartedly agree. I do love books that are actually published that are about serving your fellow men, making a difference, believing in something bigger than yourself, and that have a wonderfully unapologetic Christian message.

From St. Martins Press:

VanLiere tells her story through the characters of the delightful 60-year-old Gloria Bailey and the down-on-his-luck 24-year-old Chaz McConnell. Although tough and practical when it’s called for, “Miss Glory” has a heart as soft as a marshmallow for those in need. Assisting others also helps Gloria alleviate her own hurts --- the death of her husband and the disappearance of her teenage son seven years ago. “It’s a terrifying thing to give your heart to that small band of people around you, knowing that relationships can be messy and that someday your heart may be broken and you’ll come undone.” Every year Gloria puts an envelope on the Christmas tree for her husband with a promise inside it that she’ll never stop looking for their missing son.

If you want a fast Christmas read next year...read it...I'll admit it...I shed a few tears over the prodigal son...and that darn envelope in the Christmas Tree. But...if you don't have time don't worry. I'm sure it'll be a Lifetime Original Movie.

I rate it: OK

Book Review #23 The Constant Princess by Philipa Gregory

This is the prequel to the book The Other Boleyn Girl. Philipa Gregory has thankfully improved her writing since The Other Boleyn Girl (a book I really liked though). This is the story of Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry the VIII, and her rise to the throne as the Queen of England. I really liked it. I think Katherine of Aragon is a fascinating historical figure and due to reading the book I went and read more and learned more about her.

From Amazon.com:

The Constant Princess of Philippa Gregory's historical novel is Katherine of Aragon, daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and first wife of Henry VIII. She was originally married to Henry's older brother Arthur as a teenager. When Arthur died soon after, she kept her deathbed promise to him to marry Henry, claiming to still be a virgin because of Arthur's impotence. Philippa Gregory re-imagines Katherine's life from her girlhood, where she always knew she'd be married to the Prince of Wales for political reasons, to her struggle to live in the foreign land of England, growing in both political skills and learning the reality of her parents' and her role in world events. In the end she was undone by the ambitious Anne Boleyn and a husband who would use any reason to divorce her.

This is a great book to read curled up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate on hand. If you read The Other Boleyn Girl and liked it you would like this book as well. My only complaint is that at times the story drags a bit but I think that is to give you the idea of why Katherine was refered to as "The Constant Princess".

My rating: GOOD.

Book Review #24 Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

This was our book club selection for January. I really liked it. I think it was a fun book to read and a fun book to discuss. Having a circus themed book club gathering was icing on the cake. Good job Valynn.

From About.com: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen opens with a day of disaster at the circus and Jacob Jankowski admitting he kept a secret from that day for over 70 years. The novel then moves to the ninety-something year old Jacob in a nursing home. As the older Jacob fights to survive the indignities of old age he recounts the story of his life with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on earth.

The story of Jacob Jankowski is told in flashback form...which I love. I particularly loved the setting of the book...a travelling circus in the 1930's during the Great Depression. What a rich and vibrant setting to have as the back drop of this tale. I learned so much about the circus, life on the train, performers, circus acts, roustabouts etc. I found it fascinating. I loved being drawn into the world of ringmasters, circus life, and side shows. Throw in a murder and a love story and it equals a fun read.

There were a few disturbing parts... the dwarf with the questionable comic book and the Amazing Barbara to name a few. But all in all I liked it. As a book club selection it did not disappoint in asking provocative questions about secrets, aging, and what REALLY happened. I love that!!

I rate it: GOOD

HAPPY READING!!

We Ride Again

Yesterday we went out to the lake for Sunday dinner. This is a much beloved activity unfortunately we haven't had too many of them lately. After Stake Conference Tyler, the kids, and I picked up Kelley and headed out to the lake. We stopped by my Grandma's Assisted Living place and "kidnapped" her and brought her out to the lake. It sometimes feels like we are kidnapping her. Her memory is going and no matter how many times you tell her that you are coming to pick her up she doesn't remember. Lucky for us she is a willing "kidnappee" and has the attitude of "Great! Get me out of here!!". She is now totally blind and trying to hoist her up and into the Suburban can sometimes be a bit of an ordeal...but not yesterday. She leaped right up and probably could've vaulted up and over the top!! :)

We met my mom out at the lake and cooked a fantastic meal. It was great to spend time with Grandma. This year has been hard watching her go from a vibrant, sharp, and active woman to a blind invalid. I think her memory has been the hardest thing to watch deteriorate. When Kelley and I were walking her into her house she said "The cabin is going to be really cold right now...I think I have my key...we can go over to the folks' they keep it nice and warm there". She was talking about her parents who have been dead since the early 70's. It is stuff like that that breaks my heart. But we had fun visiting with her and kept her laughing. Here is a picture of me and Kelley annoying my mom much to my Grandma's amusement.










The sun was shining (for a little bit at least) and there was tons of snow. We brought out our ice skates in case the ice was good for skating...it wasn't...too choppy and slushy on the top.
















But the Oates' driveway was a perfect ice skating rink for Reilly...who needs a lake with ice like this?? Look how perfect...

The conditions were also perfect for SLEDDING!! Usually we sled down the road but we made a great run in between my grandma's and the Oates' we could slide all the way out onto the lake.

The conditions were also perfect for a delicious cherry snowy treat...YUM!!

See I told you...even I do it too!!

But it does look a little ghoulish or maybe more vampire-like...with the red jello!!

I do have to say that Kelley was a big WUSS and refused to sled. Even after our big dinner and establishing our work-out motto for 2008: "Pooped equals Plump"!!

Once it got dark and all the little munchkins were busy being stuffed with brownies by Grandma...Tyler and I took to the hill for some serious sledding...NIGHT SLEDDING!! The temperature had dropped and the sledding run had gotten icy and FAST. We could slide even farther out onto the lake. Plus...it was really foggy and it fun to be sledding into the fog and out onto the frozen lake.

YEHAW!!

**EDIT** There is a price to pay when you are a 35 year old sledder (I chuckle just typing that). As I was getting undressed for bed last night Tyler said "What is that on your butt?" Hmmm...are there any good answers to that question? The obvious...cellulite in vast quantities. As I shot him an evil glare I turned around to the mirror to peer at my butt (again this required great fortitude on my part as I try to avoid glimpses of this particular nether region) what I saw was a GIGANTIC bruise bigger than a deck of cards on my left buttock. Don't worry I won't post a picture...this isn't THAT kind of blog...sorry creepy lurkers. But suffice it to say it is gross!! I'M OLD!!

Catch Up

I am playing catch up on things that I have needed to post about but haven't. Reilly wanted to see all her Christmas piano recital glory posted on the blog and I have been negligent. So here it is...

When I was a kid I took piano lessons from Mrs. Winkler (Naomi's mom). I loved taking them and loved playing the piano. But just as I felt I was hitting my stride we moved to Kansas City and I stopped taking lessons and never resumed. I still like playing the piano and do so regularly but I the way I play is my "own" style. I'm fantastic with my right hand, with my left hand I simultaneously play a few chords, ALWAYS with the pedal and with GREAT enthusiasm. Some day I will take piano lessons again and learn to play properly but for now it works for FHE and my own amusement. Valyn...NO I did not accomplish my 2007 New Year's Resolution of learning to play a few hymn well...It's back on the list for 2008. (sigh).

But now that Reilly has been taking piano lessons for a few years...and doing great I might add... and she has become a tad critical of my piano playing skills. "MOM!! You CAN'T play with the pedal all the time!! Are you even looking to see HOW the music is to be played?" (groan grumble) etc. So she is slowly taking over some of the FHE songs and she basically ran the Christmas Caroling program on Christmas Eve. I am being usurped. What can you do? I'll tell you what I do. When I want to annoy her...which truly is GREAT FUN...I continue to play my own way. I "get" now the sadistic glee that my parents had in annoying me. Tyler and I can amuse ourselves for hours that way much to the disgust of our children. Ahh...passive agression has saved their lives numerous times. ; )

But I am really proud of Reilly and thought she did a fantastic job at her Christmas Piano Recital. My friend Jodi is her amazing piano teacher and Reilly LOVES her!!

But I do like to get my two cents in while she practices. I like to have her do things "Mrs. Winkler Style" much to her dismay. I make her memorize all her recital pieces...I make her practice enunciating "My name is Reilly and I am GOING TO (no "gonna's" around here) play____. When Reilly tries to write down on all her music the letters under the notes I go behind her and erase them (Mrs. Winkler didn't allow that) but I did make her a little cheat sheet to keep by her if she needs to "refer" to it (which Mrs. Winkler did for me... a cute red laminated one...I still have it somewhere). I like to say quite frequently "Mrs. Winkler used to ____ or Mrs. Winkler never let us___ " only to have had Reilly remind me that Mrs. Winkler is NOT her piano teacher. True. But the influence of Mrs. Winkler continues. I'm sure one day Reilly will be telling her own strong-willed daughter "Jodi never let us get away with that!!" and we will come full circle.

Then on Sunday my baby became a SUNBEAM!! She was so excited and GLAD to be out of Nursery which caused her to howl every single Sunday. She LOVES Primary and had a great time. These photos are curtesty of Jayni. Both Elly and Ailey wore brown dresses which they were thrilled about it. Cute Adam is in their class too.

Ok...a few things down and NUMEROUS book reviews to go!! Kirk and Jayme...look how much use the girls have gotten out of those cute brown flowergirl dresses!! They love them.

Romney '08

This post was inspired by a hilarious email I recently received from my friend Tiffany. As the political season is in full swing it is time I admitted something. I love politics. I love talking about politics. I love arguing about politics. I love the debates. I love talk radio. I'm a geek. I know. So is Tyler. We are a matched pair. Tyler even woke me up in the middle of the night to let me know the results of the Iowa Caucus the other night.


Growing up I remember my parents taking an avid interest in politics. My parents were liberal Democrats and active in their political party. I remember lots of conversations about political issues, who they were voting for and why and who they couldn't stand and why. My mom worked on Dick Gephardt's campaign in the 80's. We were encouraged to take an interest in politics.

I remember being so excited to go and vote for the first time. I stood in line for forever. It was complicated and slightly confusing but I loved going to the polls. I of course was registered as a Democrat. This caused me no end of grief at BYU. Yes...I voted for Clinton...twice. I also voted for Gore. When Tyler and I got married we shared the same political views. We were both Democrats although we were on the conservative end of the Democratic spectrum. I remember both of us screaming and ranting at the TV when George W. Bush won the first time after a long and agonizing "hanging chad" debacle. We were irate!! My how things have changed.

As we had more children and 9/11 occurred we just kept sliding to the conservative right until we fell right off the democratic spectrum and landed at the more liberal end of the Republican spectrum. We registered as Republicans. Who knew? My family was appalled...still are. :)

This Presidential campaign is even more exciting because we know one of the candidates...Mitt Romney. Crazy. The first time I ever heard of Mitt Romney all that I knew about him was that he was Matt Romney's dad. Matt was in the dorms at DT with me and Tiffany. He was cute, funny and a nice guy.

For your viewing pleasure...

Matt...at the Morbid Center...aka the Morris Center.

DT Buddies...Tiffany and I are at the far right. Tiff is in pink and I am in purple and right above me is cute Matt.

Back to Tiffany's hilarious email. Whilst perusing Mitt's official website she came across the Five Brothers Blog (this is now on my favorites list) and was reading the blog entries from Matt. When suddenly her eagle eyes spotted none other than another one of our BYU college buddies, Greg. She emailed me and I found the picture and post and howled with laughter. In the above photo Greg is the one with his back to the camera wearing the "Lucky Strikes" shirt. They've aged pretty well. AND...for two very nosy girls it was fun to see both Matt, Greg, their wives and children. Because inquiring minds want to know. Right? ;)

Matt, Greg and Greg's son and wife...picture from the Five Brothers Blog

The second time I heard of Mitt Romney was when he stepped in to save the 2002 Winter Olympics and became Tyler's boss. That's right. Tyler was working for SLOC (Salt Lake Organizing Committee) doing venue design. His main project was the Soldier Hollow Olympic biathalon and cross country venue. Mitt was the President and CEO for the 2002 Winter Games. He did an amazing job and won Tyler's respect.

I remember going to the SLOC Christmas party, talking to Mitt and I think getting a good glimpse of the kind of guy he is. Tyler and I had a great time at the fancy party which was held at the U of U with a gorgeous view of downtown Salt Lake and catered by La Caille (I miss La Caille) anyway as we were leaving we saw Mitt...shirt sleeves rolled up...breaking down tables...stacking chairs...this is the President and CEO...and he was CLEANING!! I was shocked...you'd have thought he was at a ward dinner or something. He came over to chat with Tyler and I and asked us if we had had a good time etc. He was so nice and super friendly. I remember being very impressed.

I just think it is so funny that Tyler's former boss is running for president and that our buddies from BYU are on his website. Crazy.

I do think it says something that Tyler would vote for his old boss. How many of us have had bosses that we liked and respected? I have had very few. Let alone any that I would vote for. Now for my Uncle Steve's benefit who loves to say "You would vote for anyone if they were a Mormon" I say NO WAY! There is many a Mormon politician out there who I wouldn't vote for EVER. Orrin Hatch comes to mind. Harry Reid. But I like Mitt Romney and I think..."By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20)...great family...great boss...down to earth guy. So far so good. Go Mitt!!

Happy New Year

We hope that you all have a sparkling and spectacular New Year!!

New Niece

Introducing Jaylah Adrienne...

Jaylah was born on December 27th at 7:09 pm. She weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. She has LOTS of dark hair and is an absolute doll!! Jordin was induced and had a very smooth delivery. Both she and Jaylah came through it just fine. Jordi had a good pregnancy without any complications, no high blood pressure, an easy delivery, and pushed for less than 20 minutes. Stacey and I absolutely CANNOT relate!! According to my Mom who got to Kansas City the day before Jaylah was born she is an absolute sweetheart and a good little eater.

Jordi and Aaron had lots of friends and family anxiously awaiting Jaylah's birth. Jordi had both of her parents there and Aaron's mom supporting them at the hospital. Jordin and Jaylah are home now and doing great!! Jordi will be coming out for a visit after her six week check and I can't wait to give my new sweet niece a kiss. It will be fun to see little River and little Jaylah together.

New Years Day

We spent the day on the sledding hill. Usually we spend New Years out at the lake and if we're lucky and the weather is just right we get to do some ice skating. But we had fun "coasting" as my Grandma likes to call it! ;) Growing up in Springdell sledding was an "extreme" sport...we had a fantastic route...and our favorite thing to do was go "night sledding". The neighbors that lived nearest the sledding hill would turn on a big flood light that illuminated part of the hill and we would sled late into the night. It was so much fun!!

This particular park has several hills. This is the main one. It is a lot steeper than this picture makes it look. Tyler and Reilly are up at the top waiting for their turn to go down.

Here they are halfway down...Reilly screaming like a banshee the whole way!!

Aaahhh...safe at the bottom!! You are always guaranteed good fast ride with Dad!!

This park has a smaller hill for the little guys to go on...although Kameron was brave and rode down the big hill with Dad. It also has a narrow hill that reminds me a lot of the sledding hill in Springdell. Especially when we would start up at the upper dell...wind through the trees...and shoot out down the hill in the lower dell. I learned to be an "expert" sledder riding that course with Kyle Patten and Tom Buss screaming "Lean!! Lean!!" in my ear.

The only thing we didn't do was eat jello in the snow...I didn't want to attempt it at the park...gross! My kids love doing that and so do I. You sprinkle jello in CLEAN snow and then lick it up. It tastes like a snow cone. My brother and sisters do it too especially when we go snowshoeing and are guaranteed some pristine snow. This is another "trick" learned in Springdell. I remember my first winter there I had just come sledding down the hill to find my friends licking yellow snow! Susan Western ghoulishly said "Krrriiiissssttttiiinnnn...come join us" and I ran screaming down the street. Becky Western brought me back and explained that it was just lemon jello. Since then it has been a family favorite. Cherry is the best. It's a good thing we usually go snowshoeing in remote areas because if anyone ever came upon us licking red snow we might freak people out!! So...if you ever drive by our house and it looks like something has been murdered in the front yard (a Mrs. Beasley Free Zone) don't worry the kids have just been eating a delicious cherry treat!! ;)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Best Wishes for 2008!!