Saturday, December 6, 2008

Tree Shopping


We found a good one!



After tree shopping we went to In and Out Burger and then Dairy Queen. Yummy!



The tree is up and ready to decorate. Now the Christmas jitters are overcoming Seth and Jonah.



We stopped at a neighborhood with a a culd-a-sac gone wild. Each house has a different Disney theme. From 2-15 and Valle Verde, go south on Valle Verde and pass Paseo Verde. It is the first neighborhood on your left called Clear Water. We drove around for a minute and then POP! We found it. We loved the spider man hanging from his web strands (in the photo).



We are heading off to the tree lot. We threw the kid's seats into Kyle's truck. Yes, Violet's seat is dangerously lopsided and not stable. That's because we are AWESOME parents.



I want to eat this picture up! You are so fun Violet!



I tried to get a shot of the kids together. When I looked back on my camera, this is what I found. Poor Violet!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Lewis cabin. I am sad to be home now...back to real life.


Many of us tried the Wii for the first time. How COOL is the Wii!



Their favorite game was the tank wars.



We played lots of games for hours and hours. Some family from Jana's side spent the holiday at the cabin with us.


The kids are bundled up watching Rudolph in the basement.



Mark in the middle with Seth and Joy. Mark is almost finished with his first semester at BYUI.



Joy is playing with her pet Rocky. It was funny to see her dress him up and cart him around like her own doll. Violet was very aware of Rocky the whole trip. It wasn't unusual to hear her shrieking, "Wocky, Wocky!"

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Park City


We are on our way up to see the gigantic hot pot at The Homestead.



We peeked down below and could see a deck for getting in the water and a beach ball floating around aimlessly.



This is Jonah at my Uncle Doug's house (my dad's brother). He is this wonderful eccentric brainiac. He's a retired neurosurgeon. He's really into hunting, and his house was built to showcase his trophies. Weird, I know. Makes me think of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Ironically they want to sell the house now because the bills are more than they planned for. It's really hard to find a buyer for this crazy customness.



More animals at Doug's house. This is just one photo and one angle. There are MORE animals and more rooms. He does have an awesome play room for the kids. That should make the house worth something :).



We had fun feeding ducks at the park. Kyle scored us an entire can of duck food from the visitor center nearby.



Kyle looking cool in his sunglasses.



Violet loved the ducks. Oddly they would not get as close to her as they would the boys. It was clear they were scared of Violet for some reason. We had our theories. The boys suggested her "Stinky Powers" which make her a fierce opponent in wresting matches at home.






We found this little visitor center on Main Street. It was a very relaxing trip and a good time with my parents!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Bonding Brothers


Kyle went backpacking with his brother Cody and brother-in-law Josh. They set up camp near this stunning lake and reveled in manly things only. I wish I could have been a fly on a tree, but I was lucky to get these fun pictures.



Here's the group: Kyle, Josh, Cody.



That's Josh and the camp.



Josh and Cody



They caught tons of fish...maybe one hundred? If Kyle were standing here he'd remind me how many. They ate well out there in the wild wilderness, and they let the rest of the fish go.

Okay, so Kyle just walked in and said, Maybe 100??? It was more than 100 on Friday alone. Good thing I got that straightened out for the blog record!



I've heard there's a fine line between a man fishing and man standing on the shore looking like an idiot. This looks like fishing to me!



Those are some backpacking skills! Kyle really had a great time. I'm relieved he came back to his three little kids, wife, and job. I missed him!

Thursday, October 23, 2008



The Kite Runner is a powerful and moving story. I just finished it last night. The themes that connected with me were:

1. Friendship - between two boys

2. Father son relationship - the unquenchable desire for a son to please his father. At the beginning The Kite Runner reminded me of The Chosen. The Chosen is a powerful story of friendship between two boys and it also juxtaposes the relationship of the two boys with their fathers. The Kite Runner turned out to be a completely different kind of novel - very dark and miserable.

3. Compassion (or cruelty). Twice the book alludes to Hitler. It's because he is the most evil example of what can happen when people feel superior to others. Feeling "better than" is the root of the cruelty behind Hitler and behind most of the cruelty in The Kite Runner. But when we think of Hitler, it is too easy to remove ourselves and feel like we have nothing in common with that kind of evil. I believe when we read, The Kite Runner, we are compelled to examine ourselves. Have I ever felt better than someone else? It really doesn't matter the reason. In any situation and for any reason, it is deeply wrong.

4. Freedom - I can't help but feel sooo grateful for America after reading this book. I do believe America has a moral obligation to defend and help others who are suffering under something like the Taliban. To what extent...I don't know. And I don't want this to be too political anyway :).

It was an intense book. Don't know if I would recommend it, but I also can't say I regret reading it.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Mess Is the Best


I am terrible about taking my camera out for family outings, holidays, cabin trips. While I really want to become better at that, something tells me it's these little moments around the house I will miss the most.

Little Lady


Kyle and I constantly ponder how different Violet is from the boys. Here she is with her purses.

First Tooth


The tooth fairy came to our house! After many days of wiggling, Seth lost his first tooth at school. He said he raised his hand and Mrs. Asay came over to his desk, and he showed her the tooth. He brought his tooth home in a little treasure chest (from the nurse's office). Jonah said he "felt" the tooth fairy that night. I guess he thinks she bumped him in the night. Oh, Jonah bug.

Seth is Happy!


After lots of begging, I gave in. Who cares if pumkins rot! We'll buy more and carve like crazy. We're trying to keep busy with track break.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Whispers of Winter

With the chilly weather today I feel nostalgic and moody. While it's probably just a passing cold front, winter is whispering its sweet magic. Reminding me of the past and hinting of the future. When winter really does hit, the novelty will wear off. I'll be tired of wiping green snotty noses and tediously bundling three little kids for outside play. Today, I’ll enjoy it. Winter reminds me of high school with Kyle, and how a simple hug from my passionate, loyal admirer could make any stress or worry seem not so bad. Our thoughts and worries were so different then - more involving ourselves. It’s always fun to remember that beginning and falling in love. Kyle and I both describe that wonderful feeling as a pitcher of warm water pouring down onto our head and filling our whole body.

This afternoon I pulled Violet out of her crib after her nap, and it felt like I was pulling my first baby, snug in his sleeper, out of the same crib. Just feeling nostalgic, I guess. I love this stage. I can pull a baby (actually toddler) out of the crib and feel the joy of the union while being free from any tired, dark circles under my eyes. With an almost 2 year old, I feel I still have a baby, but I’m far beyond that sleepless first year. I have many wonderful night’s sleep stockpiled under my pillow.

My pictures will not download for some reason. I’d bug Kyle to help me figure it out but he has been so busy. In fact, today one more light bulb burned out in the kitchen. My kitchen is pretty dark. I’m one to let things go… hey, there’s always tomorrow. But Kyle is better at tackling jobs and duties with energy. So those burned out light bulbs tell me he is working hard on other things. That’s a good thing! We keep waiting for this sad economy to seriously affect his landscape company, but so far we are thrilled with its progress. I realize, a few years out with this stale economy and we may have a different story. Soooo, when I’m motivated to figure the picture thing out, I’ll post some cute ones! And maybe I’ll even find the light bulbs in the garage and use my own two hands for once (probably not).

Favorite shows I’ve seen recently:
-Cold Mountain. Edited on TV. With Nicole Kidman. Loved it.

-Namesake. I Love a good human drama delving into the characters like this one. Not one minute of action. Made me respect People from India and my parents.

- The Last Samurai – Also edited on TV. Not edited enough and I had to turn my head during the fighting. But the story line was really good, inspiring. Themes of honor and discipline.

-Political stuff. CNN. This will be a very interesting election. Obama vs McCain. That’s the extent of any politics on this blog :).

Books: Last book I read was John Grisham’s, Playing for Pizza. 100% male book. I grabbed it because Italy was on the cover. I didn’t want to pay for the hard back “Twilight” book on the store shelf that EVERYONE is talking/blogging about. The WHOLE Grisham book was football. Uhhhg. It was pretty bad reading for me, but I do appreciate football a tiny, smidge more. I’m desperately needing to grab a good book from the library!

Other news:
-Kyle was released as EQ president. He is now the priest’s quorum advisor. He loves it.

-I was called to be the primary pianist. I love it. The children’s choir in the Saturday morning session of conference was awesome. Today I was practicing a baptism song, “I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain… I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.” How beautiful!

-My dad endured surgery AND the electric paddles and his heart is still not on rhythm. He is very frustrated. I’m hoping and praying things will turn around for him. My parents are coming over Sunday for dinner to celebrate his birthday. Seth and Jonah see other people’s birthdays as a time to eat cake. Seth asked several times today about the cake he’ll get tomorrow when Grandma and Grandpa come over. Sometimes I think my kid’s lives are pretty good.

Quotes:
At the Lewis cabin, Jonah was carrying a big log and looked a little tipsy. He confidently declared, “I can totally handle this.”

We saw a whole crew of police cars while driving to Granny’s house and Seth said, “There must be a thug around here.”

Violet is putting words together. Tonight when Kyle came home she blurted, "Daddy home." Also, every morning she walks around the house looking for bugs. She points to the bug and screams, "BUG" in this really cute high-pitched, 1-year old voice. I take care of the bug quickly so she doesn't pass out from yelling out BUG over and over.

There's my random post! I'll get my pictures back on board for some direction :).

Thursday, August 21, 2008

In Vegas?



Vegas has everything. We're famous for castles, volcanoes, Eiffel Tower, and all the downtown glitz (and sleaze). But there is so much more here that supports a culture for families.

On Tuesday we picked our own produce in the morning and then headed to the mountains for a picnic lunch. We were back home by late afternoon for naps. My parents live in the northwest part of Vegas and they have so many interesting things out there. We have done the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, Floyd Lamb State Park (pony rides, peacocks, and a pond), and of course Mt. Charleston. This orchard we visited was in the northwest as well. I recommend all of them!



Where are you zucchini?




I'll be making lots of zucchini bread with that green machine. For some reason it cracks me up to see Violet down there in the dirt. She's still so little.


They have a variety of apples.


Mt. Charleston was an escape from the heat and city. We did some great exploring and "hiking."

Thanks mom for helping with this fun day. We didn't go ANYWHERE this summer so this was the kid's summer trip. In August, my mom finished teaching her last year of 1st grade. Yea!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Welcome

Welcome Friends and Family! You made it to the other side.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Showcase Landcare

Kyle recently ordered a decal for his truck. This company is Kyle's baby. He tells me that he loves how all his hard work and how any good idea he has, goes straight towards his own little baby. For better or for worse! I, of course, think he is amazing. I see all the programs he has on the computer and how he runs things. He is unbelievably organized. I am proud of him for working so hard and making this happen. He loves it!

I enjoy answering the phone for the company. Kyle added a 2nd line to the house for Showcase calls. I get to be his little secretary and screen calls for him. I also love his killer tan and monster muscles. I get the white collar/blue collar man all in one package. Irresistible!

P.S. Don't you love how Kyle is wearing that red Showcase shirt in EVERY post? I guess the boys aren't much better. At least the two of them swap shirts for variety.

Seth's Birthday

Seth turned 6 years old.

Thank you for the birthday presents.

Seth, his cousins, and a few friends went to Pump It Up.

Chase climbed up this wall over and over. It doesn't seem like a 2 year old should be able to do that!

What a fun day!

Joy is adorable in this picture. She looks so good with all the red.

Summer Sweetness

This shows a classic Violet shy pose. She always puts one finger in her mouth and looks down.


Violet tackled this peach.



I love all 30 toes!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Mormon Matters

So, I still haven't gotten around to making my blog private. But who says I can't post in the meantime?

I read the July Ensign with the cover story of sharing the gospel using the internet. I have noticed that many fellow bloggers have come to the challenge and added links with sites for our church. They have also shared testimony in other ways. I have really enjoyed reading people's blogs, even strangers and seeing these elements.

When Mitt Romney was campaigning, I realized how many negative things on the internet there are concerning mormons. Who knows? Maybe this force of mormon blogging moms can make a difference. I know not everyone views mormons as "crazy." I found this article recently and it made me feel very proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

Paul Allen is the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, the ones who played the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Super Bowl a few years ago. He is also the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA basketball team and is co-partner with Bill Gates in Microsoft.He wrote this editorial in the Santa Clarita, California newspaper:

I have heard and seen enough! I have lived in the West all my life. I have worked around them. They have worked for me and I for them. When I was young, I dated their daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Now that I have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated my daughters. I would be privileged if one of them were to be my son-in-law.I'm talking about the Mormons.

They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have ever known. They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called religious people I have encountered. They study the Bible and teach from it as much as any Christian church ever has. They serve their religion without pay in every conceivable capacity.Not one of their leaders, teachers, counselors, Bishops or music directors receive one dime for the hours of labor they put in. The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not generally known.

I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how evil and non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven. I decided recently to attend one of their services near my home to see for myself.What a surprise!What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the religious ministers of the day were telling me. I found a very simple service with no fanfare. I found a people with a great sense of humor and a well-balanced spiritual side. There was no loud music.Just a simple service, with the members themselves giving the several short sermons.

They urge their youth to be morally clean and live a good life. They teach the gospel of Christ, as they understand it. The name of their church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints."Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you? I asked them many questions about what they teach and why.I got answers that in most cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrines did not seem too far fetched for my understanding.

When I read their "Book of Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the opposite from what I had been told I would find.Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of the same questions about doctrine. To my surprise, when he found out that I was in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. He referred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded to me like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly that they were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christian mold. He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. He gave me a pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that the Mormons were not telling me the truth about what they stand for. He didn't want to hear anything good about them.At first I was surprised and then again, I wasn't.

I began to wonder. I have never known of a cult that supports the Boy Scouts of America. According to the Boy Scouts, over a third of all the Boy Scout troops in the United States are Mormon.What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second to none in this country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches to help take care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and in need of a little help.The Mormon Church has donated millions to welfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They have donated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burned a few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies to countries ravaged by earthquakes. You never see them on TV begging for money.What cult do you know that instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes, serve in the military if asked and be a good Christian by living high moral standards? Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Mormon youth get up before high school starts in the morning to attend a religious training class? They have basketball and softball leagues and supervised youth dances every month.They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and every police department in the country, because they are Trustworthy.They are taught not to drink nor take drugs. They are in the Secret Service - those who protect the President. They serve in high leadership positions from both parties in Congress and in the US Senate, and have been governors of several states other than Utah. They serve with distinction and honor.

If you have Mormons living near, you will probably find them to be your best friends and neighbors. They are Christians who try to live what they preach. They are not perfect and they are the first to admit this. I have known some of them who could not live their religion, just like many of us. The rhetoric which is spread around against them is nothing more than evil propaganda founded in untruths.(Others) had successfully demonized them to the point that the general public has no idea what they actually believe and teach. If you really want to know the truth, go see for yourself.You also will be surprised.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Inspiring, Touching Blog

I just finished reading through this blog: http://adailyscoop.blogspot.com/

It is written by an LDS mother in Vegas who recently lost her baby girl, Camille, to drowning. I do not know her, but I had heard about this blog earlier and told myself I would not read it. I was afraid it would be too upsetting. Then I read on a friend's site that yes it is upsetting, but also very touching and makes you want to be a better person and mother. I thought I would share the link on my blog too. The mother is a very good writer; she expresses her thoughts and feelings often poetically. She is enduring well and that is what life is about. I will remember her example when trials come to myself, my husband and my children. With such tragedy, it would be easier to completely fall apart and not carry on. And much harder to pick yourself up, the best way you know how, and continue to contribute to the world around you. I think all of us have experienced losses and trials and can relate to some degree. What a beautiful blog.

Kyle, we should get a basset hound


Kyle says noooo dogs. But look at these guys. I'd love to get a basset hound in a few years. I'll start the begging now and maybe in a few years Kyle will either be convinced they're cute too, or he'll be broken down enough to let one of these pups into our home. Dogs make good pets for kids because they are loyal and loving. Then we can ensure that our kids will have at least one loyal friend growing up. Seriously, Kyle we should get one. The boys will love cuddling with one of these while they watch TV.

I'll do more research on them and see all the reasons we should get one. I'll tell you up front that I already read that some ....drool...but some DON'T. And we'll get one of those! They are calm and warm, and don't bug visitors who come to the house. They are so dang cute!