Good ole Spudman!

So I was doing some cleaning today and came across my old Spudman trophy. I thought it would be fun to get all those racing pumped up and excited about the triathlon with just under 2 months left to train. Let's make it a friendly competition and whoever comes across the finish line first gets to take this bad boy home. Maybe we could even make this a yearly tradition and Mr. Spudman could become a traveling trophy. Of course I am only offering him up because I expect to bring him home myself.

So...bring it Christian, Isaac, and Em (?)! And for Team Marty, Elise, and Sadie (we need an official name here) you guys would have to divide up the time Mr. Spudman spends at each house. Okay. So it's out there. Good luck and good training!

Special thanks to Maggie for modeling with Mr. Spudman himself.

High Tea

I think the Victorians had a bigger hold on us than we like to think. I mean, how is it that a hundred years later, in a different country, with different customs...little girls absolutely are born with the inherent need to pour tea? I don't get it. Regardless, that Alice can pour a great tea and eats pretend cucumber sandwiches with a relish that Queen Victoria herself couldn't emulate.

Say Cheese .. cake

Because people seemed to enjoy the cheesecake that we toiled over and then brought to CJ's blessing, we are willing to offer the recipe to the world (all the "we"s here of course indicate, Bonnie, though it should be noted that I did help with the whip cream in someway, though I can't remember exactly how ... perhaps opening it ...?).

1 can sweet & condensed milk
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup lemon juice
8 oz. cool whip

Mix sweet & condensed milk with cream cheese. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in cool whip. Put in 9 x 13 pan lined with Lorna Dune cookies or a graham cracker crust. Top with 2 pkg. Danish Dessert & 1 pkg. frozen strawberries or other fruit.

Mothers Day 2008

The other day in Priesthood meeting we were discussing parenting. It was kind of interesting because all of us in the room were past their prime of traditional “parenting.” Someone mentioned the 121^st section of the Doctrine and Covenants where in verse 43 it says, “Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy…” I considered my own experience with “reproving” and I can say that I was usually sharp but rarely moved upon by the Holy Ghost. I do remember on more than one occasion when my Father, while spanking me, said in all soberness, “This will hurt me more than it will hurt you.” You know, at the time I had my doubts but after considering the tender heart of my Dad, I believe he was speaking the truth. But without a doubt, I can say that my success in the process of parenting was assured when Dona agreed to be my partner. I’ve shown very little wisdom throughout my life but choosing her has been a crowning achievement. I’d be less than honest however if I didn’t admit that I had no conscious thought of such an outcome when we began dating, I was just attracted to a dang hot looking woman! In relation to that, I just recently asked her who was the most beautiful woman she has ever known and without hesitation, she said, “my Mom.” I knew she’d say that. I think she has inherited all her mother’s qualities. I wish I could remember who said it but some smart person (probably a general authority) said that the most important thing that a father can do for his children is to love their mother. Thanks Dona for making that so easy.

The Three-Toed Sloth

Here is Parly's Three-Toed Sloth report. Thank you to Sadie and Christian for helping her come up with an interesting animal and researching all the cool information with her. She was so excited to do it. And now can't wait to show her teacher. It turned out great! And yes, her mother had a little hand in the presentation (ideas at least). Note: the facts are written on the leaves. Genius (I know). And the sloth hanging from the tree is made out of soft, fuzzy, brown paper making him more life like.

May 3 About Daisy

Here are some facts that you might not know: Fact #1-When Emily was born, there was no one who needed to be watched at home but when Dona went into labor with Daisy, we had a plan. Clark (my brother) came to our apartment and took care of Emily. While driving Dona to the hospital, we unexpectedly ran into (not literally) a missionary companion. You know how that can go. After too long, I explained that Dona was in labor and we went on our way. Fact #2-For some reason, we didn’t plan on having a baby so soon after Emily was born and I’m still not sure how it happened but we didn’t have any insurance for Daisy. I was willing to leave her at the hospital until we could pay the bill but they let us take her home and we’ve been paying ever since. Fact #3-One of my many responsibilities has been to pick names. Daisy was named after the “America” song that has as its first line, “Flying me back to Memphis, gotta find my Daisy Jane.” I think it is the piano opening that got to me. Anyway, she’s not Daisy Jane (we saved Jane for Dustin and Emily), she’s Daisy Sue. Don’t ask me where the Sue came from (my Mom wanted Daisy May, get it, because she was born in May. She wanted to name Julene, June but she was born on July 1st). Fact #4-Very shortly after she was born, Dona took her and Emily to LaGrande while I went to Duchesne to find a place to live. While in Oregon, Dona got very sick and it was determined that she had a gall stone (the gall). Fact #5-During her infant stage, Daisy pretty much slept, ate, and P2 (pooped and peed). One time I came home from the pool (summer job) and found all three of them on the bed, Dona writhing in great pain, Emily playing on the bed and Daisy sleeping. We had a two bedroom apartment that just a month previous had been a stand alone garage (the mice hadn’t moved out yet). Fact #6-I don’t have time to fact check her toddler to prepubescent stage except to point out that she snuck (with the help of Emily) out and went to a movie with a boy before she was 16 (Parly and Lily should not read that part). Fact #7-She threw up (projectile vomit) all over my shoes when she finished 4^th at the state cross country championship and I didn’t even mind. Fact #8-Shayne took her away from us (thank goodness) and she has become a wonderful wife and mother (even though she snuck out before she was 16).