Threat to National Safety

Cayleb calls them "choking lizards", but most of us known them by the common name choking hazards. At our house, the culprits are legos and magnets balls from the K-Nex sets. Of course Makenzy likes to pop them in her mouth and scurry out of the room when we ask, "what's in your mouth?" The sensible thing would be to put them up, up real high. Alas, her two big brothers are in a lego obsession so it is much harder than one would think - mom's with lego freaks know what I am talking about. But the magnets are what really worry me. We ususally have those safely tucked away because I've seen the news reports on kids that have died from the metallic consumption. Yet, the last little while our supervision has waned, and I keep finding the magnet balls all over the place. I am worried for Makenzy's mortality because if she doesn't die from one plugging up her small intestine I think the North Korean's long range missle tests may divert their course to the strong magnetic pull coming from our play room. Seriously this is a threat to our national safety - don't say you haven't been warned!!!

Daddy's Little Girls

MakenzyMe and my dad. He is amazing. He is honest. He once stole a spoon hiding it in his knee high socks and later some hubcaps, but he repented, now he is totally honest. He is a provider. He takes care of his own. He is funny. He can make tapioca pudding. He has been married to my amazing mom for 40 years! He has watched every war movie ever made, seriously every war movie ever made. He can cut hair, with a bowl on top of the head as guide, not a great cut but doable if needed. He's repelled down buildings. He doesn't care for pedicures. He has a dog. He has saved my siblings and I hundreds if not thousands of dollars on tickets with his good advice. He is humble. He helps people out. He didn't give the boy a ticket that stole a Christmas tree, instead he rallied his co-workers and bought their Christmas, fixed their car. He is the pillar of our family. He is my dad. Dad, I love you thanks for all you do and you stand for. Thanks for the visit.

Madalyn, Randy and Makayla at their Daddy Daughter Picnic. Randy is a fantastic dad - minus his lack of insistence to have Makenzy always wear her headband in public. He loves his girls so much. He often has many poignant thoughts about being a father that he writes in his journal. He loves having little girls.

It Sparkled

So I've been thinking about a clean house. Notice the operative word, "thinking." Anyhow, I figure you can have a clean house but only if you make a choice - a house that sparkles or kids that sparkle. In general, to have both, to really have both means I have to be mean - therefore, clean house equates mean mom. And frankly, I've decided I am just too nice of a person to keep up this whole mean mom show for a few piles of folded laundry and swept floors. Yeah, I've got to do it now and again, but in general I am o.k. with the kid version of clean. White glove maid has never been high on my list. French maid either though I wonder how high that rates on Randy's list? Anyhow, I just like the quick french maid clean up - pick up, ten minute tidy stuff. However, Makayla, my perfectly organized daughter wants the home to sparkle and shine. Today I ran to the store to grab one of Madalyn and my favorite staples, ice cream and milk (together so great, thanks Tiff for the "recipe"), and when I got home she was cleaning out the fridge. Wow! Today I didn't even try to force the whole "Saturday is a special day, its the day we get ready for Sunday" clean routine. At that moment, it sparkled, not my fridge (it was close to getting there) but Makayla. Because she was helping me have it all. In domestic talk that means, happy kids and a clean house without the cajoling turned threatening speech sputters. The joy wasn't sucked out of motherhood for a few wiped down surfaces and scrubbed toilets. I'll probably have to get mean for a bit by Tuesday, toilets have to be scrubbed, but today I didn't. Thanks Makayla.

Positive Thinking

In a book I am reading it states, "Attitudes are more important than facts...Any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not so important as our attitude toward that fact." In light of the recent inauguration, I was speaking with a friend last night that has a daughter working in Washington D.C. She said on the day of Obama's inauguration, there was a strange yet palpable feeling of hope in the air. Regardless of one's political persuasion, I truly hope that despite the numerous dim facts that are out there, that the attitudes toward these facts will help facilitate a positive direction for our country. It will be interesting to see what unfolds. In light of this, I also thought, how do I regard my challenges - what is my attitude like? Though I think of myself as more of an optimist, I definitely have some room for improvement.

Family time

Makayla diving for cover at family night dodgeball. Randy in his corner dugout.

Hee, hee, hee, I am a wacked out, hooded, goggled daddy! Actually, Randy

proved to be the safe target for the kids during our FHE activity - "ouch" those plastic balls really can hurt therefore, kids could only throw them at Dad, not each other.

Cayden's class did a re-enactment of the Montgomery bus boycott to in celebration of Martin Luther King Day. Cayden was Martin Luther King - he did a great job.

Makenzy in her cutie Minnie outfit - so pretty in pink - thanks Mom and Nic!

Log the Blog for Life

I think this is fantastic. All the time. All the thoughts. All the pictures. All gone - eventually in cyberspace. So I came across this site, www.blurb.com that slurps up your blog, how mouth watering is that, and turns it into a book. I think I am really going to have to do this.

School Days

This is Bro. White as "The Man" - probably never thought he would go from being a Ute to a U-Dub guy (f.y.i. Dub is a cute, west coast, Washington sort of way to say "W" for University of Washington). Another total sign we are supposed to be here, since my life is guided by signs, signals, and sighs (o.k. trying to make a clear segway here, but not really working) but I was a Hillcrest High School husky and the U-Dub mascot is a Husky.

Makayla and Mia - Mia has one of the best, infectious, just funny and fun laughs!

Mark, Bro. White, Mia (leaves in 4 days on her mission to Ohio), and Kurt


Circle of Death








Friday we went to the Institutes quarterly opening social - the theme was school days. It was really cute. They played games like heads up 7 -up, rock, paper, scissors, had a spelling bee, played dodge ball etc. Madalyn won at rock, paper, scissors and got a gold star plus a pick of the $1 prizes, woohoo!!! Makayla took 1st on one of the rounds of the circle of death (tying balloons to your ankle - last one with a balloon wins). They also had sack lunches with notes from "mom" and "Dad" that read like this; "Darling, Have a great day at school and remember I want you to sign up for an institute class. Love, Mom" Depending on time, I'd like to have a get together with some friends (family if they were here), and mimic some of their ideas. Maybe it might be a good way to break up the winter break.

My Blue Eyed Bookends and Design Mom

I love having girls!

When I was looking for some classy, girly religious prints for my girls room, I clicked and clicked some more and some more, turned left with my mouse and then right, and then back around and found a fantastic site www.designmom.com - absolutely fabulous ideas. She weaves her family life into design and it is such a classy site - love it.