happy fall, y'all

Photo courtesy of: unknown...somewhere floating around the internet

the final answer

She said "yes." I can't blame her.

cupid 911

We had an emergency late tonight. It went something like this:

Austin: Mom, I really need your help.
Me: What's up?
Austin: I thought prom was in three weeks, but it's this Saturday.
Me: Are you planning on asking someone?
Austin: Well, yeah, but I don't know how to do it.
Me: Can you just call her on the phone?
Austin: That's so...you know...boring.

Somewhere, sometime, long, long ago, somebody decided that in order to ask someone to a dance it needed to be more than just a polite question. "Would you like to attend the prom with me?" "Oh, I would be thrilled!" Sounds good to me. It's just too easy, I guess.

We're new at this. Austin only has one "semi-official" date under his belt. So we put our heads together, sat down at the computer, sent Chad to the grocery store for fortune cookies and Panda Express for a take-out box. We replaced one fortune in a cookie with "The Invitation to Prom," filled a take-out box full of the fortune cookies, and within thirty minutes Austin was out the door to deliver his request.

Confucius says boys who are slow to ask girls to prom are fortunate to have a smart cookie for a mom.

please, oh please!

Please, please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top, will you please watch this video and then rate it? This is a video Clay made for a contest sponsored by our credit union. Prize? $1,000. Not a bad dent in a mission or college fund...

http://www.bemoneysmart.org/videos/index/video:28

When you rate it, just click on the highest star you think it deserves (not one at a time). The more people who rate Clay's film with a high rating, the higher his film will move up in ranks. Help us out, people!

Disclaimer: None of the actors were paid. Okay, they are not even professionals. Actually, they are not really actors. And they hardly even practiced. And they are not for hire. And it was a windy day. All names have been changed to protect the innocent. Except "Mom." And she wasn't even that good.

If, and I mean IF, Clay gets a good rating (like four or five stars), he may even do a sequel. Lucky you. And I promise I'll rehearse next time.

holey moley

Folding laundry today I discovered this:

These are all of Adam's jeans. I know distressed is in, but this is ridiculous.

I'm afraid other kids will say, "Nice pants." And not in the Dockers commercial "Nice pants" kind of way. Looks like it's time for some new jeans.

sprung

Spring has sprung!


Oops! I spoke too soon.

b is for...

B is for baptism. My niece, Emma, was baptized last Saturday.

B is for beautiful. Isn't she beautiful?


B is for baby. This is Baby Ruby. She is Emma's new little sister.
B is for blessing. Baby Ruby was blessed last Saturday.

B is for big. This is a big yawn.

Baby Ruby was tired after such a beautiful day.

sugar bugs be gone!

Just because my dad is a dentist doesn't mean I don't get cavities. Truth be told, I forget to brush occasionally. Sometimes I'm just too tired. Just like my dad warned me, I ended up with a cavity. So today I'm visiting my dad's office. He's going to get the sugar bugs out. And I'm going to be brave. Very, very brave.

Jenni is my dad's helper. She is putting this funny elephant mask on me. I think it looks more like a Star Wars mask, but I won't tell Jenni. I don't want to make her feel bad. Jenni thinks I'm brave. Very, very brave. And cool. Very, very cool.


Jenni said the elephant mask will make me feel funny. I don't think I need a mask to feel funny. My mom already thinks I'm funny. Very, very funny.

Whoa. Now I'm feeling funny. And kind of fuzzy. Very, very fuzzy.



I'm getting a little nervous. Do you think I look nervous? Very, very nervous?

My dad must be really brave to put his fingers in my mouth. I hope I don't bite him. I bet he hopes I don't bite him either. These glasses make me look cool. Very, very cool.

I'm keeping my arms straight down by my sides just like a soldier. That way I won't grab the sharp instruments. That would be bad. Very, very bad.

My mom said that if she wasn't married to my dentist, she would stop brushing her teeth forever just so she could go see him more often. I think my mom is funny. Very, very funny.

twinkle, twinkle little star

Guess who is Star of the Week at preschool this week... Yup. It's Adam. According to Adam, Star of the Week means you get to sit in The Big Chair, be The Line Leader, and bring The Snack to share with the class.

It's definitely cool to be Star of the Week.


It's also enough to make any little four year old boy get a little wild and crazy.


It's good to be a star.

Shine on!

it's the thought that counts, right?

Adam, who is four, likes to climb in our bed in the early morning hours. This morning was no different. Except that today is my birthday. We had this conversation when he woke up:

Adam: You like hot cereal for breakfast, right?
Me: Yes.
Adam: With just bananas, right?
Me: Right.
Adam: And how much water do you put in it?
Me: Half a cup.
Adam: So how will I know what buttons to push on the microwave?
Me: Why's that?
Adam: I want to bring you breakfast in bed.

So of course I got up and made it with a little help from Adam, but he was so sweet to think of it on his own. I took the picture with my new 50mm 1.8 lens from Chad. The black candles...they are left over from my last birthday so you know I am on the other side of 40 now. All of the sudden 40 doesn't sound too bad!

homefun #4

This week's assignment: candid and posed portraits. I didn't really get a "candid" shot but I'm not really going for the "posed" look either. Just somewhere in between. I am trying to learn to use natural light...so I guess I'm in the "no flash" camp. I used a flash on photo #4 and I think it shows. The more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn...

A big thank you to my kids and their friends for being my willing subjects week after week after week after week. Like they say, practice makes perfect...and I've got a long way to go!

homefun #3

Taking a photography course in the winter is proving to be tricky. I can think of so many wonderful shots that could be taken in the summer. But winter...gotta think a little bit more. I took my camera along on a trip to the library. Our assignment this week: one photo with short depth of field (the amount of the picture in focus) and one photo with a longer depth of field.

v-day

Happy Valentine's Day!

hair today, gone tomorrow

I signed Adam up for Itty Bitty Ball--a four day program at our rec center that exposes kids to all kinds of sports involving balls. Yesterday focused on basketball. While eating lunch before Itty Bitty Ball we had this conversation:

Adam: I'm going to get hair under my arms.
Me: Why do you think that?
Adam: Whenever Austin comes home from basketball he has lots of hair under his arms.

Just don't grow up too fast!

homefun #2

All this spinning is making me dizzy. Our assignment this week was two photos: the first using a slow shutter speed and the second using a fast shutter speed.

Kendall was a good sport and spun 'round and 'round for me.

I was glad to be on the other end of the camera.

live at the grand ole opry

We were in Nashville last week. You know, Country Music City, USA. While there we met up with:

Yup. Mr. Garth Brooks. Who says real men

and cowboys don't wear pink?

We must not have "friends in low places" because we had front row seats.

We didn't leave with any "unanswered prayers."
He sang every one of them.

We were glad we "showed up in boots."
It was definitely not a black tie affair.

Thanks, Mr. Brooks, for playing long into the night...

and we "ain't goin' down 'til the sun comes up!"

homefun

Homework just doesn't seem like the right word...so...homefun. This is my first assignment for my photography class. One black and white photo showing contrast and texture; two shots using lighting before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

forty-one-derful

Just when the smoke from the birthday candles had cleared,

we lit them up again!

This time for Chad...Mr. Wonderful himself.

He is now on the other side of 40 which is kind of nice.

No pressure.

Here are ten things you might not know about Chad:

1. He speaks Trukese fluently.
2. Training for an Ironman Triathlon is his latest "hobby."
3. One of his legs is shorter than the other. He makes up for it in good looks!
4. Preston is his first name.
5. His graduation present from dental school was our sixth child.
6. Alaska is the only state he hasn't visited.
7. He has a police record for vandalizing a stop sign when he was a kid.
8. He has a blog. (Go visit and wish him Happy Birthday!)
9. He went to school for 27 years.
10. He is the best husband and father anyone could ask for.

Happy birthday, Chad! I love you as big as the planet.

back to school

Hesitant is an understatement. Adam was extremely unsure about attending preschool And if you think he was a little sad, you should have seen me. But, like anything else in life, with time it got better. Try two days. He now can't wait until the days he has preschool. He has the best teacher in the world. Besides me, of course.

I chose this picture because I will be starting school today. Well, not actually school. It's a class. A community ed class. The last time I actually paid to learn was in college about 15 years ago. I can't tell you how excited I am. The class is an Intermediate Photography class. Hopefully you can watch my progress. If not, maybe I can get my money back.

Do you think I should go buy a cute backpack to celebrate?

Or at least a purse?

We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

Our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley,

passed away tonight. He was 97 years old.

“Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike”

Gordon B. Hinckley 1995 April General Conference

His sweet wife was waiting for him on the other side. Can you imagine the joyful reunion? Of this picture of Sister Hinckley it was said, ""If people don't believe Mormons are Christians, just have them look at this picture of Sister Marjorie Hinckley."

Photos by Scot Facer Proctor

3, 2, 1...it's your birthday!

Kendall started her birthday countown a month ago. Her big day has finally arrived! Kendall turns nine years old today. Her birthday requests: crepes for breakfast, lasagna for dinner, and North Pole Toffee Cake...our family birthday favorite. Easy enough!

Can you guess what the first thing was that people noticed about Kendall when she was a baby?

This is my favorite picture of Kendall when she was a little girl. I'm not quite sure why...I've just always loved it.

I found a list of things that Kendall wrote about herself recently. I couldn't have described her any better myself. Introducing Kendall...in her own words:

1. Blue eyes


2. Brown hair


3. Long eyelashes


4. Happy smile


5. Cute person


6. Loves her dog Hazel


7. Has one sister


8. Has four brothers


9. Loves her family


10. Always chooses the right


11. Gets really good grades


12. Makes people happy


13. Has a kind heart


14. A good friend


15. Has good friends


16. Happy as can be


17. Loves her parents


18. Has a helping heart


19. Has people who love her


20. Finds everything happy

Kendall, you are a sweetheart. I hope you never ever change. Happy, happy birthday!