Dalton the Deacon

This handsome devil is now twelve years old and has received the priesthood. Here he is about to go to church to pass the sacrament for the first time.

After sacrament meeting, we got many, many comments about how fun it was to see Dalton grinning so big while passing the sacrament. Laurie Burns, the bishop's wife, even sent him a note and said his big smile reminded her that taking the sacrament should be a joy.

That's Dalton for you. He can bring joy into any situation (the key word here being "can") with his infectious enthusiasm!

Valentines 2012

We made our Valentines last night. I know it's a week early, but I don't like leaving anything until the night before. They turned out so great! I got the idea from Martha Stewart.

Cousins Sosie and Willa joined the fun.
Here are some different versions we came up with. These were so EASY!

Grandma's Sunny Day

Some of you know my mom, Dedee. If you do, you know she's awesome. She just wrote and illustrated (watercolored) this book for her family.

She uses weather as an analogy to explain her sometimes difficult life as a child and her conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The picture on the cover looks just like her, doesn't it?

I'm not showing all the pages and you probably can't read the text. These are her siblings: Mimi, Dedee, Peggy, Timmy, Sally, and Butch.

Piper is the hand model.

I love this page. So simple. Her parents split up and her mom moved out. "That was a rainy day."

She had to move back and forth between her parents' houses.

When she was a teenager, she "felt foggy". Then a friend introduced her to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Book of Mormon.

She read it and followed Moroni's promise.


She prayed and describes the Spirit as a "warm sunshine in my heart that spread through my whole body."

On the final page she says, "Heavenly Father answered my prayer. My life became clear. I know if I ever become confused or have questions about my life, Heavenly Father will help me."

Did I say my mom was awesome or what? She gave us this book the other day as an early Christmas present. All other presents will pale in comparison!

Soaring Eagles

One of Jason's patients, Stan Checketts, invited us over to ride his zipline. Stan used to own S&S, which built roller coasters. Now he has started Soaring Eagles and builds ziplines that you sit in instead of hanging from.

Stan was so easygoing and generous. First he took us through his house and his "Rec Center." Our mouths were open the whole time. Arcade room, bowling alley, swimming pool, racquetball court, you name it. Their family has a lot of fun. Stan said his kids and grandkids gather at his house every Monday for family night.

The great thing about the zipline is that you ride it both up (backwards) and down. At the bottom, instead of just slowing down and stopping, you "crash" into a line of springs, which is scary and fun.
Stan had a tiny gun as his belt buckle. The boys asked if it was real and I laughed and said "Of course not." But it was! He took it off and let the boys shoot it into the ground. It was a .22!!

Moe

My sister, Annie, had her cute little Moe (Amos) May 2.

Piper adores him. She wants to visit him every day.

Yesterday, Piper told me that Moe would love some chicken nuggets. I said, "Moe can't eat chicken. Moe can eat only one thing. Do you know what that one thing is?"

Piper thought a minute, then answered, "Crystal Light."

Little Babushka

We love Patricia Pollaco books, and we've read enough of them to recognize a babushka when we see one.

Locks of Love

Sicily has been growing out her hair for a long time to donate to Locks of Love. Finally we had the 10-inch requirement.
I cut it. Don't look too close when you see her.


And if you were wondering what Jason would look like with a ponytail, here he is is with the sheared locks.

P.S.
I had to add this after my cousin, Emma (from Sweden), commented that with a ponytail, Jason is a dead ringer for Anders Borg, the Minister of Finance in Sweden.

Music Man

Ethan (far left) has his last performance of Music Man tonight at the Ellen Eccles Theater. He has had so much fun doing it, and we are proud to bust watching him.

Sleeping Beauties

Piper and Sicily just started sleeping in the same bed a few weeks ago. It's been a bit rocky, but they love to cuddle together and end up sleeping like this every night. I had to go in and and sneak a picture.

Dalton's Eleventh

Today is Dalton's 11th birthday. He is a great kid. I am lucky to be his mom.

He got the presents he asked for: a USC hat and a fuzzy sweatshirt.

For his birthday dinner, he asked for ham and bean soup ("Use ham with the bone in, Mom, because it tastes better that way."), homemade rolls, caesar salad, and dirt cups for dessert. He's got good taste, doesn't he?

The Meanest Mom in the World

I was given this honor yesterday by one of my children. I won't name any names, but her picture is below.

And she didn't just leave it at that. "You've never been nice to me since the day I was born!" And a few hours earlier, when I asked her to bring me a diaper to change her baby sister, she said, "I always get you diapers. I always do everything for you. You never do anything."

So I'm not only mean, I'm lazy.



Don't feel sorry for me. It's quite a compliment if you look at it the right way.

By the way, what is the proper response to such comments? Mature response, that is?



All is not lost with our family's rising generation. Today was different. This same child has been delightful, playing all day with her little sister: school, puppies, bubble bath, snacks under the table.

I love you, Sicily.

Peter and Anne, Sitting in a Tree

"I'm going to be Peter in the play of Diary of Anne Frank we're doing in English class," Ethan announced to us the other night at dinner.

That sounds fun," I say.

Then, grinning ear to ear, he says, "Peter has to kiss Anne in the play."



"You mean you're really going to kiss her in class?"

"Yep." Did I say grinning ear to ear?

"What!!?" This is Dalton. "Mom, you can't let him do that! He's not supposed to kiss anyone until after his mission!"

I'll admit, we have always told Dalton this small fib. But only because he's been girl crazy since kindergarden. And we're just joking, for heaven's sake. Although I'm fine with him believing it a while longer.

Abie, Where Are You?

At approximately 2:30 this morning, Piper stood up in bed and called, "Abie?....Abie?....Abie?"

Piper, Abe, Amanda

Then she sat down and jabbered earnestly for a few minutes, punctuating her comments occasionally with "Abie." She had important things to say to you, Abe.

Abe, Piper, Holly

You may ask how I know this. I was lying beside her in her newly-acquired Big Girl Bed [translation: a twin mattress on the floor].

Note: Abe is Piper's cousin; son to my sister, Amanda.