Sunday, June 15, 2008

My Dad is Better than YOUR Dad!

Remember bragging about why your Dad was better than anyone elses? Well, my Dad is still better! Here are a few reasons why:

Even though you might make him crazy (and when I say you, I mean Dave) He still doesn't off you. (He might shoot you point blank "on accident" right Kristy? But he generally doesn't lose his cool too often). Nine kids and we all still have our heads attached-that's pretty incredible!

My Dad is one easy-going, laid back kid of guy, looking at this picture you'd think it's because he's usually intoxicated huh? Nope, just so easy going that even his eyelids take it easy-they do in most pictures-unfortunately a few of us kids inherited this trait!

My Dad honors his priesthood. Here he is with us this spring when he came out to join Brett in the the blessing of our new baby Izzy. Dad is always willing to give a priesthood blessing to his kids, I remember him doing so each school year before we started back at school.

My Dad loves to have fun! Here the kids were all jumping on him, playing "Dog pile" like we did when we were little. Even the family dog gets in on the fun!

My Dad is supportive of big decisions, like buying our first home...

Or getting married. He wants to see each of us kids happy in our lives and he tries to show his support to each of us in the way we need it.

What I love most about my Dad lately is watching him interact with my kids. I feel his love for me by the way he treats my children, with kindness, patience, and tenderness. My Dad is not only a great big joker, but he is such a sweet Grandpa to my kids and still a source of strength and an example to me as well. Thank you for all that you do Dad!
I love you!
-Wendy






Tuesday, June 10, 2008

My High and Low for Today

The Iz is getting to that squishy, marshmallowy delicious stage of babyhood when you just want to strip the kid down and snuggle up with all of those soft rolls of chub. So, I do. I love this baby, she is such a sweet little thing and at the end of the day, there is nothing better than curling up with my baby girl on the couch. No, I lied, seeing my husband curl up with her-knowing he 's as sweet on her as I am-now THAT is the best! This family thing rocks!

I'm sometimes in awe of the responsibility of raising kids, maybe 'in a panic' is a better way of saying it. I'm in charge!?! I'm the boss!?! Really? Me? But I'm honored too to be trusted to care for these little people for a short time before they go out into the world on their own. It's empowering to know that God trusts me enough to send me these little strong spirits, He must think I'm woman enough for the job of teaching them. I hope He's right!

My high today is realizing that I have the coolest job around-being a "stay at home Mom," I realize too that it's such a rare blessing. Some may think it's selling out on a career, and it might be annoying that all I talk about is my kids, but my work is, quite literally, my life. And, it's a wonderful life. I wouldn't want it any other way.

My low today...hmmmm...it's probably just that I took on all the calories I just burned off working out by eating a few cookies. Not a big deal when you've got such a good high-not to mention a good sugar rush!

What is your high and your low today???

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

May Highlights

This month our Lil' Izzy started chunkin' up. So much in fact that she started eating everything in sight. I don't think she even realized that she had a toe-hold on herself here! Oh I do love this picture. I can't wait to show it to her future boyfriends.
These next two are to show off my little zebra girls, not yet as popular as The Cheetah Girls, but so stinkin' adorable in their matching suits. I told myself I wouldn't be a Mom who dressed her kids alike, but Anna and I found baby swimsuits at the dollar store of all places and this one matched a swimsuit Anna got from Aunt Jill and Aunt Ashley last year, we couldn't help ourselves!
Yeah, and the answer is "NO!" to anyone who might wonder if I'll be posing in my zebra suit along with these girls. I am more into giraffe print myself.
Here is our scurvy pirate, Captain Jack. Chrissy came to visit this month and while we were busy scrapbooking we made the kids all mustaches and they "played pirate" out on the boat. I couldn't find my camera in time to get shots of all the kids, but they looked grrrreat! Argh!
Quinner and I made homemade pudding pops this month with chocolate pudding, cool whip, and crushed Oreos. Mmmm...my affinity for frozen confections has grown. So has Quinn's.

Brett took this picture of Elizabeth last weekend. I feel bad that we haven't taken too many shots of her, but this one is really quite sweet, a perfect reflection of what a happy easy little girl she is.
This is Quinner and his buddy Kai, playing with their "dig-ohs and dump-ohs" otherwise known as diggers and dumpers. We have a few patches of dirt left in the yard and the kids are constantly scooping dirt and driving it around the yard. Who needs a sandbox when you have dirt eh? Also, it's a good excuse for why I haven't planted anything in said flowerbed, the kids just NEED that space, I respect their needs.
Meet Princess Fiona. Brett called Anna home from the neighbors the other night and this is what our daughter looked like! I knew he was part frog and he'd passed it on to her, which explains the croaking I keep hearing at night!
For any of you bored enough to read my lengthy previous post, yes, Brett did survive the river. I will answer affirmatively that we did indeed bake and eat a dessert for and in behalf of him in his absence. I'm such a nice wife though that once we received proof of life, we made up for eating his cupcakes by baking a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, it was the least I could do, especially after he froze his chances for future posterity off in that river for a week!
This month was the end of preschool for Anna, here she is with her teachers. After the graduation ceremony when we were running errands I looked in the back seat and saw my girl tearing up and silently wiping her eyes. I asked what was wrong and she started sobbing the saddest little cry and said, "I just miss my teachers so much!" I know Cris and Michelle loved my girl and I'm glad that she had such a great start to her educational experience. Thanks to her teachers for making it so special for her, it warms my heart to know that she was loved enough that my child feels a sense of loss at the end of the school year, it's a bittersweet ending.