Getting our ducks in a row- The Dryg family journey.

Anita Stansfield: Win a Kindle Fire!

2012-02-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

Anita Stansfield: Win a Kindle Fire!: Win a Kindle Fire from Covenant Communications !!! Share the below Book Trailer link on YOUR Facebook page. http://youtu.be/id4BbSqnSrA ...

Monday, yes it's been a few weeks since I said I would try and blog at least once a week.

2011-06-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

So to go on with the fashion of typing just a few things that are on my mind... I will probably just scatter a few words together today.

~My kids make me laugh.
~We waited and waited for warm weather in Utah. Now we are in California. Grey skies and rain here- 85 degrees and warm in Utah. fffffttt.
~Nine years ago, when Ali was only a couple months old and Isaiah was 1 1/2, Cameron's half brother, Eric's daughter, Rebecca passed away. Cameron's family hasn't had much contact with Eric in the past, in fact Cameron is the only one of his siblings that has met him so far. We are excited for next summer when his family will be making a trip west from their home in Louisiana. There is something about the fibers of life that pull us towards family, even from such a distance- with so little known about each other- we are all so anxious to make that connection.
~The fragility and fleeting nature of life is on my mind because of the memory of Cameron's niece, which he met only once when she was young.
~Northern California is so beautiful and comfortable. Every time we come here I can see why people are willing to put up with the ridiculous cost of living to be here.
~No matter how beautiful and enjoyable other places are, somehow the mountains of Utah, and the deserts of southern Utah are home to me, all the way to my bones (If that is possible.) It probably goes back to family ties.
~I wish I were more perfect. Try a little harder, to be a little better, I guess.

Thursday Thoughts

2011-05-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is a (very poor) picture of Isaiah receiving his Religious Square Knot Scouting Award. I was so pleased to see him earn it. That is our Bishop, Bishop Dimond presenting it to him.

Days keep passing away... Lately I have had so many thought flying through my mind. I don't know if I ever have time for them to fully develop before something interrupts them. I was reading through the blog of one of my classmates from Malad, Tricia, and and she has one day a week where she just writes random thoughts that she's had. I kind of like that idea... whether or not I'll be as diligent as she is on doing it weekly... hmmm, don't put money one it. So here goes my first "Thursday Thoughts" Maybe next week it'll be Tuesday. Maybe Friday. Maybe I'll forget all together.

~I am really not a scheduler, planner, or organizer.

~My children will probably grow up to be procrastinators, and spontaneous, and not responsible planners.

~There are some good things about being spontaneous

~I noticed after proofreading this entry how there seems to be a really obvious void where I am ignoring the bad things about not being organized.

~I like the color yellow. It makes me happy. I think this started a little over a year ago, when it became Cori's favorite color, and I was always noticing yellow things to point out to her. She's moved on past her yellow phase. I haven't.

~Some days I get discouraged because I have 20 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-child-bearing weight. Some days I get frustrated that I can't exercise like it did before I broke my ankle. Some days I wonder if Heavenly Father guided me to that waterfall cliff that fateful day last June when I broke my ankle, because he knew exercise and weight loss was nearing obsession with me, and may have been taking precedence over my sweet children. Every single day, I HAD to burn at least 3000 calories. But was I ever making sure I HAD to read to my children?

~I am excited for school to be out so there is less running around. It will probably take me less than 24 hours to miss school days.

~I hope to have a successful schedule for my children to follow during the summer, so they can keep up with learning, reading, and daily jobs. I worry I won't be able to execute this. (See first thought.)

~People complain too much. And it's usually the people who don't really have much to complain about.

~I love my kids, and their welfare is always on my mind. Some times it weighs very heavily on my mind, and I'm often searching for the best method to handle each of them. It is discouraging when I can't find a good direction or solution for their individual needs.

~I think it is absolutely crazy that I can buy a whole new printer, ink included, for cheaper than the cost of replacing ink cartridges. It seems so wrong to throw a perfectly functioning printer in the garbage- but it is what it is.

~Do all kids think they know more than their adult counterparts?

~I'm excited for summer fun!

2011-05-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning at 6 I was really thirsty, so I went to get a drink. Tman and India were on my bed sleeping (Truman had woken up really sad sometime in the night and Cameron brought him into us, and India woke up to eat about the time Cameron left for work, so I was sleeping in between the two of them for an hour or so.) As I left I looked at them and thought, "Do I dare leave them alone, what if Truman wakes up..." They were pretty far apart on the bed, so I didn't think he would roll over on her or anything, and of course I was just going to get a drink, so I went for it. After i got the drink i had to go to the bathroom. Isaiah was in the bath, so I went , downstairs. Of course while I'm down there I thought I'd hurry and put a load in the wash. As I'm coming up the stairs finally I hear the baby screaming. I run back to the room picturing Truman trying to pick her up or something. But he's sound asleep. With his fat leg lopped over her face/neck. Flop. I can just imagine India's shock at being awaken by such a thing. It must have happened right then, because Truman didn't even have a chance to wake up. I picked her up and patted her, and she calmed down for me pretty quick. That's my funny story of the day.

Ok, I really need to get a camera that is not a cell camera. My cell camera is a pretty good one, it's 7 mega pixal, and the first digital one we bought before Isaiah was born was a 3 mp. But it is hard to get a clear shot with this one... the flash makes the pic to bright sometimes, and if either the people you are photographing or your hand moves even a tiny bit... it's blurry. Like this super cute one of India smiling. Blurry. Oh, well... she's still cute!

Truman really loves our bird, Ronaldo. It's a good thing he does, so he gets some attention and love. The bird. Not Truman. He get's lots of attention and love. I love the second picture the most. He is turning his head to give the bird a kiss.

I think Cori was jealous of the attention Truman was getting with the bird and the pictures I was taking of them, so she wanted me to take some of her. I got some better ones of the bird, but her expression in this one is my favorite, so I put this one up.

Truman still likes to pretend he's the baby from time to time, and laying in the swing is just one of the ways he likes to do that. He is so cute and sweet, I don't have the heart to get mad at him. Even though he is the size of an average 4-yr-old. It's amazing it hasn't broken, but so far it's holding up. One day he tried to lay in it when the baby was already in it. Luckily Ali saw him and was able to stop him in time. Truman has been a truly good boy since the baby was born. He has never hurt her (on purpose... I don't think he understands his fat body would've squashed the baby in the swing.) Sometimes when I'm holding or nursing her, he wants me so he'll climb up and share my lap with her, but he never tries to push her off. He just smiles at her sweetly, and says her name, or "baby" and pats or rubs her head, or gives her a soft little kiss. It melts my heart every time. Cori was good with Truman, too but she was 3 1/2. Isaiah was so rough with Ali we could never leave them alone for a second. I think Truman is one of the sweetest little guys on the planet.

India is most definitely the strongest baby we have had. She was lifting her head up off my shoulder completely the day she was born. I think she must have been doing calisthenics in my belly. The first time we laid her on the floor right after we brought her home, she pushed her shoulder and head all the way up off the floor. She was like less than week old. Maybe she has some supergirl in her. Probably. This picture above she was only 2 or 3 weeks old or so, and look at her hold her head up.

I like this picture. This is Cameron and all three of his girls on the day we brought India home from the hospital.

This one is pretty good too. A little blurry again, but they were jumping around like crazy. They were having a 'go-crazy-with-Dad-night' a few days after India was born, I love how I captured Cameron's agony as one of the kids jumped on him roughly. The kids have so much fun that night, they have been begging to do it again, but I don't think Cameron has recovered yet.

My pictures are out of order, but what can ya do... file a complaint? Here is Ali at the hospital with India the day she was born. She is a good sister. To the baby and Truman. Isaiah and Cori? Well... maybe someday.

This is Truman the day after his birthday, on the way to Ewan's baptism. Isn't he handsome? And cute, falling asleep with his collection of trains in hand/lap.

I love this one, too.... After Ewan's baptism we went to visit Tamber's family. On the drive back, Cori was asleep by the time we got on the freeway. Isaiah made it halfway home, but fell asleep too. Isn't that just sweet? Isaiah is a very good brother. To Cori and Truman. Ali is too close to his age or something, and the baby is too little I guess. Again, maybe someday he'll be a good brother to all of them. I know siblings squabble, so I'll just be grateful it's not worse than it is, and that all the older ones are really good with the younger ones. At least I get some tender moments, and a few good photos to prove they happened.

Ali and Truman's birthdays

2011-05-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

Train museum, Ogden

I snapped this when we were laying down playing. Truman is so much fun.

Easter Sunday girls... the boys weren't interested in posing.

We had a birthday week at our house this week. A busy week to boot, as all spring weeks are. Every week goes like this. Monday, Isaiah has soccer game (sometimes in Kaysville, sometimes as far as Ogden.) Tuesday, Ali has softball game and Isiaiah has scouts, Wednsday, Isaiah has soccer practice. Thursday, Ali has softball game and every other week also Activity days. Friday, Isaiah has Soccer game. Oh- and somewhere between 330 and 830 if we are not in any of those places... splash in homework and jobs and dinner and diaper changes... So with a birthday on Monday, and one on Friday... busy busy week. For Ali's birthday, she didn't want to go to the soccer game north of Ogden in Farr West, so she stayed with Robyn at our house and watched a movie she'd been wanting to see. The last few minutes of Isaiah's game was FREEZING. It was windy and then light rain turned to light hail, which turned almost violent within one or two minutes. Anyway we got drenched by the time the game was over and we ran to the parking lot. I'm glad Truman stayed home with Ali and Robyn. So we got home and Ali was able to open her presents and blow out candles. She was very happy she got just what she wanted... the books she asked for and a couple different kinds of invisible ink pens (the kind that show up under black light, which she also received.)

Ok, before I move onto Tmas birthday, I have to write down something funny I just heard on tv (one of the shows I watch when I can... Bones- the dialog is often quite clever.)
~Honesty is clearly the downfall of civilization; Civility, Propriety, and Manners are it's redeemers.
Ok, it is funnier after watching the whole episode unfold as the characters are experimenting with extreme honesty amongst each other.
Now moving on beyond the less relevant things that are on my mind.

Truman's birthday was pretty fun for all of us. We all got on the Front Runner train, and rode up to the Ogden station, where they also have a train museum. (TRAIN! train! Train! TRAIN! Tracks! TrAiNS!) The kids looked at and climbed on the display train engines they had, then we went home and Truman opened his presents (Trains!), then he blew out the candles on his train birthday cake (Trains!) Then he played with his new trains.

I think this if a first for me to have a child SO obsessed with any one thing, He eats with his trains, he sleeps with his trains, he cries hysterically during his bath because he can't bathe with them. It's been like this for a few months now. A month or so ago we discovered Disney channel has a new cartoon, and I knew immediately Tman would love it. Chuggington, It's the song that we can never stop singing, It's the only show he will sit down for more than a few minutes for. Isaiah liked cars, and he liked trains... but nothing to this extent. It's been fun for us to experience such a passion. His whole body actually stiffens with excitement when he sees a real train, as he is yelling, train! TRAIN! Oh mah goodness! Train!

It's Tuesday, so Isaiah is at scouts now, and Ali has to be at her softball game shortly... so gotta go!

Miracles happen, Tara Blogs....

2011-02-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

I know, I know... worlds worst blogger. Good thing only one family is halfway 'round the world and really depends on our blog for information and entertainment... That makes fewer disappointed people in my blogging achievements. To Christine and her lovely family.. Sorry! I know you have been in Qatar and are starving for information about the most awesome family in the world. I apologize for being so selfish!
So any day now little girl Dryg will be born. If she is like the rest of her siblings she won't come early and I will go into the hospital Tuesday evening to begin a more natural inducement procedure. I guess instead of pumping the oxytocin into my blood to start the contractions, the Dr. plans on putting a hormone cream on my cervix (I forgot what it's called, but apparently it's the hormone that naturally starts the dilation and labor process) I don't know much about it, I just take my Dr.'s word for it that it's a good way to go. Apparently it's a slower process, that's why you go in the evening before, you get the cream applied then you "sleep" in the hospital overnight while it slowly starts to work. I am sure I won't sleep well, but I'm 9 months prego, and wouldn't sleep well at a 5 star hotel either. I'd be awake every 20 minutes to turn like a pig on a spit, or to go pee, or to sit up because I can't breathe... you know the usual "-) According to Ali I won't have to worry about that because she has a very special feeling that my water is going to break tonight, and I will be having the baby. But she had also had that feeling two days ago, so her fortune telling skills are in question.
Hmm... I haven't blogged since September. It's hard to know what to write, because of course so much has happened. I guess that's why I should be writing all along, right? Haha. Oh, well... I have my facebook updates to go on. That's not exactly prime family history material, but better than nothing, right? My last update was,

I've decided Cameron is uniquely qualified to author a book entitled, "1001 things you should never say to your pregnant wife. Ever."

That tells you something doesn't it? Five pregnancies in, and Cameron still hasn't figured out any form of etiquette or decorum, haha. I remember with Truman when I had reached my ultimate fatness level (I maxed out around 210, I think?) He would say things about my size without considering how it would crush my hormonal soul... Like I was trying to walk across the walmart parking lot and people were being so inconsiderate to the poor prego woman, esp. one guy almost pulled out in front of me. Cameron's response was, "You should have let him hit you... that would have taught him." Haha. I can't remember all of them- one of them involved the correlation of me to a moose. I don't know- you get the idea. I was sickest of all with Isaiah, I think, although I had morning sickness with all of them. Cameron's best of all statements came a the height of said sickness when he declared all the sickness was in my head. He really meant it when he said it, and it genuinely pissed me off immeasurably... So after that colossal emotional fracas, it became funny to him. Not really ever so much to me, but that didn't stop him from saying it over and over every time I got nauseous or threw up with subsequent pregnancies. According to Cameron, insensitive pregnancy jokes never get old... I had felt pretty good for the last couple months until a week or so ago. I can tell it's the end, because it's all catching up to me. I am super duper tired. I swear I could sleep all day. And so many foods are making me sick again. Anyway, on one of my heartburny- super- tired days, I had been laying down or napping most of the evening I had already been frustrated I couldn't get the energy to get my normal stuff done... and Cameron in his ever so understanding and kind manner said to me, "Whatever happened to the nesting period, you've been laying down all day?" Haha. Again. So I think I really am going to make him write that book. Then I can at least get something out of his insensitivity... I'm sure it would be a best seller- top of everyone's baby shower wish list. Hee Hee.

Let's go back in order of facebook posts and that will be my way of updating our life. Before that the post was,

I don't know how, but Cameron has 5 kids including our 22month old watching a Brazilian soap opera...

Yes, Cameron is Gay. Haha, I'm getting you back Cameron, for all your insensitive remarks. But it is true, he is addicted to a Brazilian soap opera, pardon, a "novella" called Araguaia. He gets up like at 4 in the morning every day before work, so he can watch it. I can't criticize too much since the facebook entry before that was,

So, of all the ridiculous aspects of the new Rafe Imposter plot on Days, the silliest was all the construction noise they were trying so hard to cover up in the weeks leading up to the switch. Pshaw, as if Stefano Dimera doesn't already have at least one secret prison in the basement of Dimera Mansion.

I've watched days of our lives off and on over the years since I was like in grade school...but I am a girl, hee hee.

The two posts before that were,

Wake me up on the 23, I'm hibernating until the baby is born.

and

Some days the same noise level as normal is just too much, eh?

Just goes to illustrate what I was saying about I'm tired and 'done' with this pregnancy.

That goes back to about the 8th of February, and that is all I can sit tonight, so now I only have five or so months to make up for, Christine. Hope this is better than nothing!

PS Cameron and I just got in a huge fight because he feels like I am trash talking him on our blog, and he is a man that doesn't have to 'take that lying down'... so he will apparently be writing a follow up blog entry trashing me, if you are lucky it will involve some sort of reference to my relationship with my mother, which is always his go-to "below the belt" shot. So you may get lucky and get two blog entries this week, Christine.

2010-09-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Look at me I'm doing a blog entry~! Nothing much new, except that I can wear a pair of shoes, and I can walk. Yay for that. Truman is exploding with words and sounds, it's so much fun. Cori is so grown up, going to pre- school. She is in school almost as long as Isaiah and Ali... well a couple hours less, but longer than kindergarten will be. She has a lot of fun there, and I hope it is really good for her. Isaiah and Ali are back in the groove of things at school. Ali had her first procrastination event last night... we were up until 10:30 finishing an animal pop-up book for science. She is so related to me. (but if she asks, I never put things off until the last minute, k?) I finally met the kids teachers this week. Their back to school night was the week before school, and we were out of town. And I just really didn't want to go into the school on crutches, so I put it off. They are both really nice. It's funny, because Isaiah's teacher is Ali's math teacher, and Isaiah last years teacher is Ali's science teacher- so I know almost all their teachers. I just have to meet a couple more. Their charter school moves them around for different subjects, which I like. In cases like math, it allows them to be grouped into skill levels so they can progress quicker, (or get the help they need if they are not up with their grade level) It makes it much better for kids like mine who get bored if they are not challenged. My kids complain a lot about the dress code, but I just really like certain things about the setup of it all. I feel they are learning a lot more about a larger variety of subjects. Anyway...
Isaiah is on a competition soccer team this year. It's his first year doing comp, so they put him on the "B" team. I think they got off to a rough start, with not enough kids, a coach that really only wanted to coach the "A" team, and a few other problems. They finally got some coaches that want the team, although Isaiah got off to a bad start with them (he was apparently goofing off at practice and leading the other kids to do the same. ) So he hasn't seen as much playing time in the games we are used to. But I think things are turning a corner. I hope. It's so hard to tell with Isaiah. He is very talented and fast, and when he tries- he's good. But when he is discouraged (because he's not playing the position he wants, or their team is losing...) he doesn't try. I keep hoping this is a phase he will outgrow. In any case, he is trying harder, and doing better. So I'm finally starting to feel like the cost and time comp soccer requires will be worth it. He almost scored a goal at the game Monday, and that was awesome!
Ali apparently had a play at school last week that I found out about the day after it happened. I don't think it was a big production meant for parents, but it was fun for her. They did Pocahontas , and Ali played the part of Pocahontas. I remember when she went through her Pocahontas phase. She is still probably more like her than any other disney gal.
Anyway, Truman is trying to destroy the printer while I type, so I better go distract him.
Ok, your turn, Christine.

Before and After

2010-05-02T10:01:00.001-07:00

Last year when Isaiah was in 2nd grade, I had to read one of the books he read to make up a test for him (It was too new for the school to have a test on file, and he wanted credit for it.) The books are super popular, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I thought it was pretty dang funny, especially the part with that picture above. In the beginning of the book, Greg- the first year middle schooler- tells about his Mom, how she's joined the gym, and bought a whole new workout uniform and gear. His Dad snapped a picture of it the day she bought it all, but then she never went to the gym. Then the one day he forgot his backpack in the car, is the day she decides to go- so she shows up in his class in her spiffy workout gear, holding his backpack- embarrassing him thoroughly. Well that was the only time she went to the gym, and a couple months later the dad gets the photo in the mail. Since the lab sent doubles, he thought he'd be clever, and put them both up on the fridge, one labled, "Before" and one "After." That was so me last summer. When I joined the gym in may or June a few weeks or a month after having Truman, I declared I would not be Greg's Mom. Alas, I was... I think I made it there 3 or 4 times, before deciding naps were much more important. When I made my new goals in January... I didn't tell anyone, and I certainly wasn't going to jinx myself by taking a "Before" picture. But I was really very determined. I just decided... 25 pounds from each of my last kids = 200ish pounds, and I just can't weigh 200 pounds for the rest of my life. Even though I'm like 7 pounds from reaching my original goal, I still feel like I'm not quite there- where I want to be, but at least there is the ability to distinguish between "Before" and "After," right? (Sorry, no "After" Picture yet.)

Tidbits

2010-04-28T14:29:00.001-07:00

This is last Saturday at the Hogle Zoo Carousel. We went with some friends to celebrate Ali's birthday. (She's eight- unbelievable!)

The girls in their spring/Easter dresses. Christine... you need some girls.

Here's some of the funny things Cori has said lately...

"Someday I'm going to be a good mom, that doesn't spank children...."
"Mom! You scared my guts out!"
"I want to be a mom just like you, except not just like you, like Cori. I want to be a 'me mom.' "

A month or so ago, Cori was sitting/laying like this in church- she made it almost until the end of sacrament awake. (She said something to me a minute or two before the closing song.) After when I was gathering up our belongings someone nearby was chuckling and pointing at her. I said, "is she asleep?" And when I went on that side of her this is what I saw. It was precious and funny. Everyone got a kick out of her.

On Sunday, which was actually Ali's birthday- after church everyone except Isaiah and I was already in the van to head to Robyn's, when I saw Ali's new white skirt on her floor in her room. I yelled at her from the door to come back and hang it up so it didn't get dirty and ruined. Her Dad tried to plead her case to get a pass on her birthday, but I said no, it's white, come hang it up. By the time Ali had come inside, Isaiah had slipped into Ali's room and hung it up for her. Moments like that are so special to me. I mean, really... The moments when the same kids who are crazy, hyper, silly, naughty, moody, defiant, squabbley, teasey...everything except purely kind- show that deep down, a truly good person is growing inside of them. Those are the moments that make me a truly happy Mom.

The other night, before it turned freezing again (I mean, come on- snow in May? Get on with it, Spring!) The moon was near full, and the evening was warm and clear. I knew Truman would LOVE to be outside, looking at the moon, and the trees, so I took him out for a walk. He did love it. He stared at the trees, and the moon, and the street lights. He happily touched the branches of low trees, and his head followed passing cars. It was a one year old's dream- to get out of the cooped up house. When we were coming back onto our property, a neighbors family was passing our house. We chatted for a little while, and when they went on their way, saying goodbye and waving, Truman waved his fat little hand and said, "Ba. Ba. Ba." Does it ever get old? The wonder of a baby's new accomplishments? I wouldn't know, but I suppose it's like a drug to me, a familiar high that comes every so often when they let go for the first time, and stand unassisted. Or when you see the light in their eyes and you know they understand you. Or when they copy the sound you are making, "Ma, Ma, Ma." Who would ever have know a single uttered syllable, and a hand movement could make me so utterly thrilled.

Disneyland here I (we) come...

2010-04-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am officially crazy, and have signed up for my first half marathon... I'm not sure if I am more excited, nervous, or just scared. Right now I'm only running just under 3 miles, and so I haven't started a half marathon training schedule. I hope to be at three miles next week and when I get comfortable with that, I guess that's when I'll start it. I want Cameron to run it with me, and if we can get someone to go with us to watch the kids while we run, he probably will. The kids are of course excited. It has nothing to do with Disneyland. They motives are pure, and they just want to go to support their mama in her endeavors. (ha! ;-) ) Anyway, I hope I survive it... I'll write more later I guess!
(BTW, not that I ever posted my intentions or my goals, but at the end of January I made a goal to loose a little over 50 pounds by the end of May, to reach 150 lbs- I weighed between 140 and 150 before kids, and again between Ali and Cori, but gained and didn't lose 25 pounds with each of my last two babies... So the update is I have lost about 45 pounds, with 9 to go to hit 150. Yay, me! I feel like I will probably keep trying to loose another 5-10 after that, because I still have too much belly fat- so I'll have to see if my willpower can hold up. Now that Cameron is back to working 2 jobs, I can't get back to the gym until Truman starts walking- our gym doesn't have a "day care" but a "kids play area" I guess the running training will be a good thing!)

2010-03-21T15:06:00.003-07:00

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Kids and Biking

2010-03-11T17:32:00.001-08:00

This was a few weeks ago at the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy or Draper. We met Tamber's family there, and Ali was so happy to see Jessica. The kids all enjoyed it. Cori thought she was old enough to just take off and wander by herself at one point, so I had a heart attack while we all searched for a good 25 minutes until one of the staff finally found her.

After we went to a McDonnalds, where Isaiah took Trumy to the top of his first playplace. It was love hate relationship. He alternated the crying with the laughing all the way up.

After, when it was time to go, Ali attacked Jessica... She is her best friend and Ali did NOT want to leave her!

This is what our car often looks like when we get home from a trip or even just a day at Robyns house. So sweet and innocent when they're sleeping, eh?

When we went to the store a week or two ago, I was dramatically sobbing about how big Isaiah was, and how he used to be the little one that rode in the cute little shopping carts, and now he's so big... so he runs over and hops in with a big grin.

Every time the weather teases us with a warm day, the clouds and snow or cold rain roll back in. this was one of the almost warm days that we were able to to out to a park. Cori and Trumy and I had a nice little picnic at castle park, and we played around for a half hour or so- then it was too cold. I want summer!

Swinging was both their favorite, but Cori also made a cute little friend she ran around with for a while.

We had 3 kids with cavities, cori only had 1- it was her first, and she hated getting it done, even with the meds. Ali had the most, she had 6 0r 7- so they decided it would be easiest to give her a shot for her to sleep, so they could do them all in one day. I don't think we'll ever do that again. I didn't like it at all. Not only was she super stoned and loopy for an hour or two after, she was sick and puking ALL day long. She was miserable.

Trumy is our second little vampire baby. Cori's side top teeth came in first too. I think it's awfully cute- hard to get a good pic. All these pics come from my phone, because it is what I always have with me, but obviously not the best quality.

This is my favorite... Trumes love to look at water in creeks and rivers, and really enjoys robyn's house. Cameron dipped him down so he could touch the water, and he LOVED it. He was so happy... splashing and giggling. Every time Cameron would bring him back up, he would cry to go back down again.

Here's a video, you can kind of hear his giggling between all the splashing!

Trumes had a poo explosion while we were working in Robyn's yard, and after I cleaned him, he happily crawled up the stairs naked to the bath. He loves the stairs so much, he got to the top, went back down, and crawled up again (twice) before continuing on to the bath. Kathy was scandalized.

I am stupid, and forgot on my phone I can't turn it when I'm videoing, so if you want to look at this (poor quality) clip of Cori and Truman going on a wheelbarrow ride, you'll just have to tilt your head.

We are so proud of Isaiah... The kids didn't take gymnastics from November to March, because we just didn't have the money. And 2 weeks after they're back, he is doing his back handsprings, and almost his back whip! By the time I videoed him this day, he was tired, and only landed one on his feet, but he can do it. On Wednsday's lesson- he did a round off 2 back handsprings in a row. It's really something to watch him get the big long body up in the air like that! on the side you can see Ali practicing a little too. She is still getting better and better at her back handsprings, and almost can land her whip and tuck.

---

So when Cameron and I were dating, he took me snowboarding. I'd never been. Not even skiing. But he faithfully promised he'd teach me. We went with a couple of his buddies, and Cam and I headed to the 'bunny slopes.' After 5 or 10 minutes or so, he was bored. He said... "I think you've got the basics, you need to go on a little bigger hill." I looked scared, but he assured me it wouldn't be a big deal. Next thing you know, I'm in the lift with him- headed to the top of the Brighton mountainside. I swear we just kept going up for EVER. I was so scared. How was I possibly going to survive the way down? Well, he helped me off the lift, and we went down the first hill. I fell 15 times probably. He waited at the bottom. Impatiently. I understood- he loves snowboarding. When I finally got down to where he was, I said- "I'm going to fall 1000 times on my way down, whether you're here or not... Why don't you just head down and have fun." He said, "Are you sure? (0.5 second pause) OK, bye!" I had fun still and although I thought I wouldn't survive, I did. He wasn't at the bottom when I finally reached it, so I just got back on the lift and headed up alone again. and again. All day- for hours. He never bothered to check on me, just hung with his buddies all day. A couple guys I rode up with were really nice and cute, they couldn't believe Cameron just ditched me. I should have gone home with them. ;-) But anyway, we all had fun in the end.

My point in telling this story? 10 years later, I finally give in and let Cameron buy me a mountain bike. I've always hated bike riding- I don't know why. But I have been trying to get back in shape, going to the gym every day so my before and after picture don't look the same, right? Cameron thought biking would be a good activity for me, and I finally agreed. So Wednesday Robyn needed our help moving the remains of 3 giant pine trees. I was glad to do it, because Cameron was too lazy to watch Truman so I could go to the gym that morning, and I still had a calorie burn to hit. After a few hours of that, it was about 6pm, and Cameron said-"Let's just go on a "little" bike ride." After my snowboarding story, can you guess where this is heading? Well, he didn't abandon me on a mountain top this time, but that little bike ride? Half way up a mountain, two hours, across the canyon two cities later... yeah. About 15 minutes in, when the trail got so narrow it was crumbling down the 100 yard steep drop off as I rode, I knew I was going to get more than I bargained for. Mud puddles, gravel pits, sandy slopes, huge rocks and holes, up and down up and down...

Cameron snapped this pic of me with his phone on our ride.

But crazy enough... I totally loved it. I guess it's because in the last couple months I've been constantly pushing myself at the gym or wherever I'm getting my workout in... I've learned to actually enjoy the challenge instead of hating it.

So of course Cameron is totally stoked- I told him I had to get a helmet, because I know the chances of me crashing are well above the 50% range! So he went to the bike store today and bought me some awesome accessories for my bike. He wants me to love it, because it's always been one of his favorite activities. All these 10 years I've said to myself I need to just learn to like if for his sake, but just dreaded getting into it, because like I said it was always my least favorite. I would much rather play baseball, basketball, soccer, hike... but biking was always his thing.

Anyway, I'll let you know if I survive the next ride...

The great news, the good news and bad-but-not awful news, but mainly good news, YAY!

2010-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

So, really? It's been almost a month since I made a blog entry? How does time go by that fast? Yikes. Well first the great news...
Truman's heart has healed all the way! His 3 month follow up appointment since he had the issues, turned out a clean bill of health. We are so blessed to have such a sweet beautiful boy, and we are so grateful he was able to come through everything okay.
Now onto the good news...
Cameron got a job, yay! He'd not been jobless completely, but since March of last year, he has only worked part time, or temporary full time.
The bad news...
His dream job fell through. The Portuguese job he tested highest- and was was recommended for was just completely eliminated. Cameron loves Portuguese, and was looking forward to doing a job he really loved. It's not so bad, because the job that came through is the same job, just with Spanish instead of Portuguese, and possibly some day- either someone in the Portuguese position will retire, or the old slot will be reopened- and he'll be in the perfect place to slide into it.
So his temporary orders end April 10, for his stateside deployment with his National Guard Unit, and his orders in Ogden for his new job start April 11. The stars aligned themselves for us, or more realistically our children's humble little prayers were answered.

***Editors note*** After Cameron read this blog entry, he informed me I misunderstood him, and the bad news is not bad news really. They are hiring him on as a Spanish linguist, calling him a Spanish linguist, but having him do the Portuguese job he so wanted to do. This will not be permanent, but for at least a year he'll get to work in his favorite language, and then possibly he'll be switched to an official Portuguese position, or if that doesn't work out- he'll do Spanish... Hard to say, but we're so happy he is getting the opportunity to do work he loves, at a place he enjoys!

These two pictures crack me up... The first one is Isaiah's turn to read the scriptures... Ali was really listening, and cuddled up to him soaking it in. I thought it was really sweet and unusual (they weren't bickering) Then came Ali's turn. Ahhh, so much for Isaiah listening... He's always been an early sleeper.

Praying people in the house

2010-02-11T23:49:00.000-08:00

I was close to getting a good dependable full time job now it is possible that it won't happen I feel like it is teetering on the edge. Anyone who follows this blog and prays and wishes us well please make a request to Allah, Buddah, Heavenly Father, The Great Spirit, Elvis whoever you pray to please put in a good word for us.

Maybe Tomorrow

2010-01-29T11:38:00.001-08:00

Last August we were able to take a trip to San Jose, for a mini-reunion of the Dryg family. I think all seven of Great Grandma Dryg's kids were there, but we were among only 2 or three grandchildren to go. With the exception of Uncle Fred, and Great Grandma Bertha Dryg, our kids and I had never met any other Drygs in person. Now we feel like there really is actual other Drygs out there... they're not just myths. Right before we left, Bertha (98 years old) said, "It's a good thing we did this this year. I'm 100 years old, and that's long enough. I won't be here this time next year." I don't know if that was an old wise woman's premonition, or just chance... but she passed away a couple weeks ago. Isaiah and Ali had visited her in Michigan a few years ago, but we are glad Cori and Truman got a chance to meet her.

-----------------------------------------------

Cute Truman

Isaiah and Cori at the zoo, on the giant elephant statue

In San Jose at the ebay park

At Layton City Park, feeding the ducks

Truman in St George, enjoying weather with no snow.

------------------------------------------------------

I've been sulking a bit over my inability to do "everything." Kids, homework, housework, church calling, house fix-up/redo projects, scrapbook, (what's that?) exercise, organize, play with kids, read to kids, do projects with kids... and of course blog. Sometimes instead of everything, I feel like I'm getting nothing done. Then there's Christine in Qatar... 4 kids, foreign country, husband working a lot... blogs all the time, and in the blogs are details of her doing everything I need to do. Granted she does have a few more interesting things to write about- with so many new experiences they are having. Some days I feel like if I were to blog more often, it would go like this:

Isaiah and I got into another fight. I grounded him. He said I was mean. Ali ran around the house making fairy beds and another messy project I never saw (but I saw the mess) Cori screamed every 32 minutes, sometimes more- depending on how often her sister and brother teased her. Truman is cute. He pooped a lot today. He's still spitting up, maybe by the time he's 2 he'll stop. I cleaned the kitchen. The kids dirtied the kitchen. I cleaned the bathroom. Isaiah peed all over the toilet, and the girls got water and bath toys everywhere. (EVERYWHERE.) We were 5 minutes late for school again today. Sigh. Maybe tomorrow.

The Inn at Temple Square

2010-01-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken by Cody Anderson, who worked at the Inn's restaurant, Passages, right before the Inn was closed and demolished. I cried 214 times looking at them- Cameron and I met and were married here. A good portion of our courtship took place within the lobby. Cameron was the night audit desk clerk, and I would often stay after ... and play chess, scrabble, scatergories, or take-down (wrestling) into the wee hours of the night. We were married in the Brunswick Room, the banquet room facing South Temple Street on July 27, 2000. This album is dedicated to any who worked at, stayed at, was married in, or had special functions like weddings and anniversaries within the beautiful walls, before they were destroyed. Okay, now I'm crying again.

My boys...

2010-01-16T16:19:00.001-08:00

I was downstairs working on the computer and I heard my cute buns cry upstairs... I came up and found him in this position, stuck. It was so funny, and he was a good sport to stay there while I went to find my cell phone and camera. He was happy as long as I was there talking to him, but that couldn't be too comfortable.

We just got back from a little vacation to Utah's Dixie, my dear-ol-St George. It was beautiful, warm, and super fun. We could actually see the sky, a beautiful bright blue. No inversion. Warm enough to play at the park without jackets or even shoes. The kids all had a fun time. Truman got to swing for the first time at a park, while Isaiah walked on top of the monkey bars. Isaiah is so stinking big, and my heart is wringing as I realize Truman is growing even faster than Isaiah. It's true... Time really does speed up as life goes on.

Isaiah and Truman's mohawk day

2009-12-29T20:02:00.001-08:00

If Dr Seuss wrote the Book of Mormon

2009-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Nephi:
Of goodly parents I was born
I’ve never drunk, I’ve never sworn
This is Lehi, he’s my dad
Laman, Lemuel, they are bad
And who is this? Why this is Sam.

Sam:
Yes, this is Sam; Sam I am

Laman:
That Sam I am, that Sam I am
I do not like that Sam I am

Sam:
In a tent, my father dwelt

Laman:
And it’s so hot, I think I’ll melt

Lemuel:
Our father’s brain is out of whack

Laman:
Yeah, it’s too hot, I’m going back

Lehi:
Then go and get the plates, my dear

Laman:
On second thought, I’m staying here

Nephi:
You said you’d leave and go away
Now all you want to do is stay?

Lemuel:
That Nephi always gets his way

Laman:
Here we are in this damp cave

Sam:
We would not be here if you’d behave

Nephi:
I will go and I will do
There’s the angel, that’s my cue
Laban’s had too much to drink
Now he’ll lose his head, I think

Nephi:
Look what I found, a brother from the quorum

Sam:
We will take him home, we will call him Zoram

Laman:
Our gold and silver we have spent
I do not like it in this tent

Lemuel:
I cannot read the Liahona
I must have drunk too much Corona

Laman:
We hate it here, we have no lives

Lehi:
Then go back to the city and get some wives

Lehi:
A tree, a tree, I see a tree!!
The fruit is white, the fruit is free!
A floating building, could it be?
Why do they laugh and stare at me?
Laman, Lemuel, come and see!

Laman:
We will not eat your precious fruit

Lemuel:
We will not wear a tie and suit

Laman:
We will not help you build your boat

Lemuel:
We do not think that it will float

Laman:
No not this boat, it will not float
Not even in a shallow moat
I do not care what Nephi wrote

Lemuel:
We will not eat your fruit I say

Laman:
We will not eat it on a tray

Lemuel:
And we won’t eat it in a tent
Not even if your clothes you rent

Laman:
We’d rather have a can of spam

L&L:
We will not eat it, Sam I am

Sam:
You do not like it, so you say
Try it, try it, and you may
Try it and you may I say

Laman:
Sam, if you will let us be,
We will try it, you will see

L&L:
Say, we like this fruit of life
Sorry that we caused such strife
You’ve saved us from an awful jam
Thank you, thank you, Sam I am!

Our 2009 Christmas letter

2009-12-29T09:43:00.000-08:00

There are even more discards from our crazy attempt at a photo session this year, it is so impossible to get 4 kids to look and smile at the same time. There are more pictures of Cori, not because she is our favorite, but because she was the good sport that endured when others burned out from picture taking. The Christmas letter is down below the last pictures.

December 22, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

Merry Christmas and a happy, lucky new year from the Dryg Family! Here’s what’s been going on in our lives…
Cameron’s favorite pastime is playing soccer, and this year he enjoyed a new experience in coaching Isaiah’s rec. team. I think he prefers playing to coaching, but had fun playing with Isaiah. When he gets a chance, he continues to work on projects fixing up our home, the summer was spent fixing the sprinkler system and landscaping our backyard. Through his diligence in stalking yards that were putting new sod in, and had leftovers they were going to trash, he was able to bring home sod to put in our back lawn without paying a penny. He also found a fun large schoolyard-like swing set for free, and spent days taking old bolts and poles apart and reassembling them again in our yard. The kids are so excited about that. His winning project of the year was getting the hardwood floor in our front living room installed… We love it!
Tara tried to go back to work for JetBlue after having Truman in April, but decided her priority is simply with her family- so for now is not working. She enjoyed 3 years as a Cub Scout leader, but right before the baby was born, a new leader took her place. She misses working with the scouts very much! Someone has some pure unfounded faith in her organizational skills, as she was just called to be the Primary Secretary, so the new year will be full of learning experiences for her.
Isaiah started 3rd grade this year at a new school, the Oquirrh Mountain Charter School. He is a bright kid and we are happy with the curriculum at the school and feel he is being challenged there. Isaiah was baptized in July, on the same day we blessed Truman, which made for a special family day. He started Cub Scouts in March, and he’s earned his Bobcat and Tiger badge, and will be earning his Wolf badge soon. His passion is soccer, like his Dad- and he spent the spring, summer, and fall playing in various leagues and camps. He also does tumbling, which is a bit difficult for his tall frame, but is helping with his coordination and strength. Isaiah was delighted to finally get a brother this year, and loves the little guy so much. He is such a great help to his Mom, and a wonderful oldest child.
Alexandra, or our little Ali, is the physical opposite of Isaiah, she is a cute little shortie. She is sure strong though! Ali has also played on rec. soccer teams, and several camps this year. She enjoys it, and is a good little defender, but her true love is tumbling. She practices daily, and is often guilty of doing round-offs, back walk-overs, or back handsprings when she should be cleaning, reading or doing
homework. But she is a talented gymnast, who has no fear in learning and growing her skills. She is a 2nd grader at the Charter school. She enjoys reading, and science, and is quite sharp in all her school subjects. She’s very creative and often is doing a project that includes markers, scissors, tape, glue, paper, staplers, and paint. Ali has a beautiful, kind heart and loves people, and her Heavenly Father.
Corinne, our beautiful Cori, provides the spunk in our family. Her screams can be heard round-the-world! But as long as you don’t cross her, she is really a very good little girl. I’ve never seen a child so truly welcoming of a younger sibling replacing her spot as the baby. She has never once been mean to her baby brother, and sincerely loves him. She does jump into a vacant spot on her Mama’s lap whenever she can, and enjoys getting love from us- and we love giving it to her! She has a marvelous imagination and mind. We love to sneak up on her and listen to her solitary play… “Aah! help me, Mr. Elephant, I’m falling off the cliff!” “Don’t worry, I’ll save you!” Recently Cameron heard her in bed one morning sleepily saying, “Eenie-meenie-miney-mo…” pause “Okay.” Then she rolled over and went back to sleep. Every day we are entertained by her sweet expressions and ideas.
We were extremely blessed on April 29th, when Truman joined our family. I don’t know if there is a more loved being on the planet. Of course his parents adore him, and then there’s Isaiah, who waited 8 years for a brother, and his crazy sisters can’t get enough of him either. He is the happiest little stinker you’ve ever seen, always smiling. When someone looks at him, his eyes light up, and he sticks his tongue out at them with a smile. That’s his first form of communication… we love it. He’s slower than our other babies to sit up and crawl, probably because everyone is always fighting over a turn to hold him. Of course we are all delighted with the normal (but not normal to us) head shakes, hand claps, mouth tricks, rolls, jiggles, and laughs that come with the first year of a baby’s life.
Medically, we had an interesting year. Besides the usual Ali breaking a yearly bone with her monkey climbing activities, Isaiah broke two of his permanent teeth going down a slide of all things, Cori recovered well from her leg being run over last fall by our van. In October, Truman gave us a scare. He was hospitalized for bronchiolitis, although it seemed like a mild case, his doctor errored on the side of caution. Due to a string of fortunate events during his doctors care and hospitalization, they were able to catch a random heart issue that had set in. After transferring to Primary Children’s Medical Center, he was diagnosed with SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia) and an atrial flutter. The cardio team there is amazing, and they were able to quickly diagnose and treat this within hours. The SVT had probably been going on for a week or so, and although there was some damage and wear to his heart, the doctors believe it will recover and heal itself fully. We feel once again very blessed with this fortunate outcome, and for our darling baby’s health. We’ve decided we must have our very own set of guardian angels.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas time, and we love you all!

Love,

Cameron, Tara, Isaiah, Ali, Cori, and Truman

For Cinci

2009-10-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

Cinci, Cori finally recorded a message for you. Ali really wanted to take part, so she chimed in a few times. Cori thinks it's funny that Qatar and Guitar sound a lot alike. Especially when she says it. Today she asked if we could go to your house. I told her it's a little too far away, but we wish we could!

Cinci, if you ever decide you want to be a Queen, I don't think you should follow the example of these two girls. Queens never hit or scratch, and I'm sure they don't scream like this either!

Isaiah really did great in his soccer game Saturday. I didn't do a great job videoing, because it was so exciting, but here he his running to score one of the FIVE goals he got!

quick update

2009-10-03T17:34:00.001-07:00

Isaiah has still been loving soccer. He plays on a Kaysville city team, and and indoor soccer team at the sportsplex. This year for Halloween, he is going to be Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, and the Portuguese national team. He is getting better all the time, and last week did an awesome job with one goal and one assist.

Last Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo. It'd been a while since we'd been there, so it was a lot of fun. They have a new baby elephant, named Zuri... It was really fun to see her. They also have a baby giraffe, and a baby snow leopard (we only saw that on a monitor, it was inside with it's mother) and tiger cubs. The cubs were nursing when we were there, it was so cute. We went to Shiver's after, a drive in type place that we went to with Peter and Wendy/Christine and Jonathan a years ago, after a trip to the zoo. Now we go there every time we go to the zoo, it's a fun tradition. Isaiah barely fits in the cute little train seats... He's growing too fast!

We found a new place in Salt Lake, kind of like Chuck e Cheese, called Jungle Jim's. They have more rides there, and the kids had a pretty fun time. Cori had a fun time at the play place. This slide was pretty steep, and Cori kept landing on her booty every time, she thought it was funny. I wish it wasn't so loud there, so my phone could have picked up her laugh better. It cracked me up.

This is at Layton Park, after feeding the Ducks. Cori is such a good sister. She's never once been mean or acted jealous of Truman. We are so lucky she loves him so much!

Ali is still loving tumbling... She's got her back handspring down great, and has almost got her aerial and back whip. Isaiah also does an amazing job, considering his long body. He is so close to getting his back handspring on his own, and his aerial too. You can see where their passions are though, Ali practices gymnastics every day, and she spends her recesses doing them. Isaiah spends his free time playing soccer, even in the living room- which he knows is not allowed. :-)

Partners in crime

2009-09-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

This afternoon and evening was one of those nights babies have. The kind where if he's not eating every hour, he's crying. Every time he'd fall asleep, I'd sigh in relief. Only to sigh in weariness a few minutes later. Fortunately, and sometimes unfortunately, Isaiah loves his brother very very much. To the point of not being able to resist waking him up. Or at least encouraging him to wake up. You know how babies sometimes open their eyes, look around then fall back asleep. That's Isaiah's favorite time to run up and start blowing raspberries, talk animatedly to Truman, or insist on giving him "just one little kiss." This of course, would wake him, then he'd cry until I fed him again. Don't get me wrong, I understand babies go through growth spurts. I don't mind. It's nice in some ways. But he was so fussy, and I just wanted him to get some sleep. Isaiah was not allowing this to happen, so I started freaking out. He did it twice in a minute span, I told Cameron to take him out of the room and spank him. Usually I'm the one telling Cameron to find another way to discipline Isaiah... In fact just this morning after a battle that ended with 'I hate you' and 'you're mean' with a 'don't talk to me' or two thrown in, I was discouraging the whole issue... but tonight, I was done in. So I sent Isaiah to his doom in his room. It was awfully quiet in there for a minute, then I heard a slapping sound, followed by, "OW!" Then nothing. Then another slapping sound. Then, "I hate you!" Then nothing. Then another slapping sound. Another "OW!" Slap, "GO away! Don't Talk to me!" Slap.
Did you know Moms are endowed with a special, special gift called intuition? It kicked in, from the first "OW!" Something was up. I got up with Truman and went to Isaiah's door knowing I was going to walk into a farce. I opened it quickly- declaring, "FAKERS!" Sure enough mid-slap/OW! Isaiah was lying on his bed and Cameron was standing across the room leaning against the crib. Both of them had conspiratorial grins on their faces.
They're both grounded now.

Garbage

2009-09-04T15:21:00.001-07:00

I have been getting more and more tired of stuff. I mean actual stuff. There is always stuff on my floors, everywhere I go in my house. I'm guilty too. My room is as bad as Ali's. Well almost. Everywhere there's just stuff. It never get's solved, because even if we clean it one day, it's on the floor the next. Lately I've had an overwhelming urge just to throw everything in the garbage. I know I'd regret it later, when I need a pencil to write with, or a hairbrush, or toys to entertain my kids. But right now, from where I'm standing... I need about 17 extra large garbage bags.

I'll keep him, though.

blast to the past day

2009-09-02T12:45:00.003-07:00

I haven't done a blast to the past day for a while... Here's a couple for ya, Guess who? Click on the first one to enlarge it. It's much more enjoyable in detail.

Cameron, King of the Playgrounds

2009-08-30T18:23:00.001-07:00

Cameron, who has always found unique and extra fun playgrounds, struck another vein of gold in Pleasant Grove. He always considers it a victory if he finds one of the few remaining teeter-totters, or merry-go-rounds. This one had a teeter-totter, and some spinny things that the kids loved. Between the spinny things and the tire swing, Cameron had them all nauseous by the time they piled back into the van. Ali was the worst, she even still felt sick the next morning. But they had fun while it lasted. I guess that's what happens when Mom's not there to draw the line for the king kid, Cameron. :-)

My favorite things about babies...

2009-08-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

I love babies. Particularly my babies, but all babies. These are some of my favorite things about them...

-After they fall asleep, when they continue the sucking motion. (See video of Truman above.)

-When they fall asleep in your arms.

-When they are sleeping and the startle reflex makes their arms and legs shoot out, with their hands open wide.

-The rooting reflex

-When they wake up eyes wide, find your eyes, smile, then go back to sleep.

-Their tiny feet.

-When you are holding them, and they start sucking on your cheek, chin, arm, or whatever soft skin they find.

-Their smiles

- When they grasp your finger with their little hand.

-Their soft soft skin.

-The gees and coos and throat gurgles

-Their peach fuzz hair

- Their chubby cheeks

-The laugh-cry... When they can't decide whether to laugh or cry.

-When they stop crying when you simply hold them.

2009-08-22T14:37:00.001-07:00

So I finally synched my cell to the blog, so I thought I'd post a few recent pics from it. This one we took one night when we took the kids to the park around twilight... The pics turned out decent considering it was getting dark.

2009-08-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

I took this picture right after we got home from our vacation to Island Park... Cam had suprised us and got the hardwood floor finished in our front living room. The kids had fun for hours and days playing on it.

2009-08-22T14:34:00.001-07:00

We took this one at the National Guard base, on Family day. It was so hot that day, you'd think we were living in some crazy middle east country like Qatar. I wonder if it's humanly possible to get 4 kids looking and smiling at the same time...?

2009-08-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

This was one of the pics we took at the park that night... My handsome boys.

Ali and Daddy

2009-08-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

The last of the park pics... Ali loves rough-housing with her daddy... in fact, they are doing more of it as I type. Throw Ali across the room onto the bed is such a fun game.

Great-Grandma Dryg

2009-08-22T13:22:00.001-07:00

Cameron's Grandma, Bertha Dryg, is 98 years old. I first met her 9 years ago, when I was pregnant with Isaiah. We drove from Salt lake to Lyons, Colorado to visit her. She had so many stories, we spent most of the few days we were there listening to her tell about growing up in Bolivia, meeting Cameron's Grandpa, traveling alone to the United States to meet her husband, raising her 6 boys and 1 girl- and probably a lot of other stories I can't even remember right now. A few years ago- Cameron, Isaiah, and Ali went to visit her again, after she moved to Michigan. The kids were a little to young to remember, so I am glad we were able to get to California last weekend to see her one more time. For the first time in at least the 10 years I've been in the family, the Dryg family had a reunion. We met up at Grandma's old home in Los Gatos, now Cameron's uncle Ed's home. Her memories are fading, but she seemed to understand all her family was gathered around her. She enjoyed meeting her great grandchildren, and seemed proud to hear how many grandkids and great-grandkids she had. She joked about it was good to know she was good for something.

Before we left, we told her we were so happy to be able to see her again. She kept saying she was 100 years old. (I'd say, if you make it to 98- you get to claim you're 100) She also said a few times she was glad she came this year- because she didn't expect to be here at this time next year. I don't know if that is an intuition she had, or something she just said because she is nearing 100.

While we were trying to get all of our naughty children to sit still and smile for a picture with her (they were doing everything but sitting still and smiling) Some of her old mothering came out. I heard her instructing them to sit still, and once or twice she threatend to give them a good smack. I thought that was pretty funny. Too bad she didn't.

Playing Catch Up

2009-08-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

Um... Sorry I don't Know where the last couple months went... They dissolved into nothingness from soccer-basketball-lacross-baseball camps, the kids starting their new passion- gymnastics, trips to the Unintas and Idaho/Montana, and trying to spend a few days with cousins before they moved off to Qatar.

Here's a photo catch up of some of our summer activities...I think Isaiah has thoroughly enjoyed having a baby brother. The poor babe has a hard time getting a good sleep, because Isaiah can't bear to leave him alone for very long.

I love this pic, even though it's not great quality (took it with my phone.) Cori became a daddy's girl all the way after Truman was born. Here she is falling asleep, waiting at the window for Daddy to come home from work.

Cameron's Grandma McClain (Grandma Donna to our kids) Passed away just after Memorial Day. We all miss her sweet smile!

After cutting her own hair so many times, she made mullets look good, we went to Carrie Jo and had her rescue it... Everyone loved it!

Cameron has completed a few awesome projects this year, the sprinkler systems, prepping and laying sod in the back yard (had to take the trampoline down for that... the kids miss it, but yards looking better all the time.) And my favorite, our front living room done with our hardwood that's been waiting patiently in our garage since we moved in!

Cameron and Cori went on a hike with some co-workers from the us and columbia up to Timp Caves.
Truman before he got so fat.

Ali after her last softball game, with Coaches Cox, and Lawerence

Dressing up for church one week in June

The Fourth of July Parade in Kaysville

Trumey on the 4th

Ali and Jessica at Bridal Veil Falls on the 4th

I only had to fork out a dollar to get them to dive all the way under...

Isaiah and Truman shared a special day. On July 11, Truman was blessed, and Isaiah was baptized.
Ah, tender moment.

Camping with Christine and Jonathan's Family, and Peter and Wendy's family

Camping at the Spruces

The traditional catch a water snake and pose for pictures at Grandma's cabin

A cool tree in Yellowstone Park... More pictures of The cabin trip on Facebook!

Cameron and Clayton did the Grandaddy hike everyone's always talking about
ClaytonClayton, so happy to pose for a pic

Checking in.

2009-06-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

We are not very motivated lately to blog and too lazy to download pics these days. We took a family vacation to Thermopolis Wyoming a couple of weeks back and had a great time. It is a wonderful state Wyoming, one of my favorites, it still has a little of the Wild West in it as you drive down its empty highways and byways. It's got wildlife, history, scenery and friendly people. I don't understand why it has less than a million people in it.
Anyway onto our trip first night at the Best Western we got to sit in the hot tub that was fed with actual geothermally heated water. The rooms were great and the Bighorn river ran right in front of the hotel and there was a nice little river walk down to the swinging bridge that was constructed by the Wyoming National Guard. This is a girlie thing to say but that evening was awesome because the day was up into the mid 90's and in the evening you could smell lilac bushes but it added to the pleasantness of the evening and the surroundings.
The kids had a blast at the hotel or the newtel as they like to call it. Jumping on the beds splashing in the bath tub to their hearts content and pigging out on Trix yogurt at the complimentary breakfast in the morning. The water park was crazy they had at least twenty school buses lined up outside and the whole park was loaded with elementary and junior high school kids from all over the state. By lunch I needed a break so we had our picnic on the lawn outside the park. My kids begged me to go again so I did and at one point shortly after we re-entered we were the only ones there. To go from have over 400 people packed in there to being the only ones was a very strange Twilight Zone/Disney commercial feeling/moment. Unfortunately we damaged our memory card so until we can recover the pictures I can't show you any of the sights. It is late and I am going to bed but I will post the remainder of our trip tomorrow night or within the week.

Another enjoyable weekend with the kids

2009-03-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Picture #1 is Cori who found a "really good rock with a good chair" as she put it. This is on the West side of the island that we don't see from the valley. Off in the distance you can see the snowcapped Oqueer mountains and Tooele valley.
Picture #2 is on the causway on the way out to the way cool state park. By the way it is called Antelope island, not in any way to be confused with Cantelope Island.
Picture #3 Is of McClain Finley and Ali the three monkeyteers. Girls are always happy to have someone take their picture and they even try to smile. I wish I could say the same
for Isaiah.
Picture #4 is the four girls with the
Ogden Layton Wasatch mountains in
background.
Picture #5 is of Finley and McClain
two loving sisters in their childhood lets
hope they stay best friends in the years
to come.

2009-03-14T01:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the last couple of pictures I wanted to share. There were so many people there it was amazing. The one with Tara sitting is the wifes final resting place I think. If you look close you can see all the precious stone that was inlaid all that done by hand by only a few skilled laborers. Wish I got a picture of the whole room it was bigger than a sacrament hall.

2009-03-14T01:28:00.001-07:00

Well I guess you can only post five pictures per post. Well every time I see the picture of the Taj Mahal I think of Anne of Green Gables when her friend Katherine was wishing she had seen it before her life was over. Some of these buildings are enormous I can't imagine them being built in one lifetime with relatively primitive tools and methods. The red sandstone building is called the red fort. The leader at the time was put there in exile by his son I think. Someone correct me I don't have time to look it up. The man who built the Taj was deposed by his son but his son respected the construction of the Taj and let it continue I think. Probably making that up.

2009-03-14T01:14:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning and organizing the last week. I was looking for a place for all the unused backpacks and duffle bags that we have and in one of the pockets I found two undeveloped disposable cameras. I took them to get developed and we got some more pictures of our trip to India. I know I raved and raved about Goa and India in some previous posts but you have to appreciate the beach with zero people on it. I feel like we went far enough away for once to literally get away from it all. It was like nothing in our old life or western world could get to us while we were there it was a true vacation.

2009-03-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

Cori doesn't disappoint us for long... Got another fun shot of her falling asleep. This is after we got home from the Blue and Gold Banquet. As we were unloading the boxes and leftovers and things, she was playing around happily until she konked out over the arm of the couch.

Cameron already posted one of the pictures I took of our two silly girls. Grandma Esplin gave them matching pajamas for Christmas, but this was the first time they wore them at the same time. They were both really excited about matching. It was really funny. They took turns tackling each other screaming, "We match!"

These are my favorite times. I love it when they fall asleep in my arms! The moments become so much fewer and far between. They can't grow up! Anyone know how to freeze time?

Our trip to Antelope Island/Our girls get along sometimes

2009-02-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

We took a trip to Antelope Island a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to share some of the pictures we took. The ones with Ali laying down on a rock were funny because two summers ago when we were climbing around on those rocks she found some girl soaking up some sun so I was surprised she remembered. There are a lot of cavities in the rocks to hide in there too. Isaiah wouldn't stay still for a picture so I only got one at a distance. The picture of Ali and Cori in there pajamas is about the best I have seen them get along. Church was a nightmare today at least sacrament screaming Cori teasing Isaiah laughing when the whole congregation was staring at us because we were the visual aid for the subject of the talk "Reverence" freaking embarrassing. Anyway we had two dinner invites fall through in the same day. We were sad we felt like outcast/losers nobody wants to hang out with us. But we played pictionary with our kids after and we had a good time together at least. Maybe I will write another entry and drop it into the digital abyss in another week who knows. See you all next time.

valentine girl

2009-02-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

No time for a lot of writing... But here's a picture of Cori on valentines day. Cutie girl. We'll upload some more pictures and do an update soon. It will be called... Horrible Days of our Van's life...

Found: Pictures of sleeping beauty.

2009-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:00

PS, I checked my email and it looks like I sent myself some of the pics before my phone died. This got me going back through some old albums, which led to finding quite a few sleeping beauty pictures... so here's the show. Sorry the quality on some is not so great, they were probably the ones taken with my old phone.

Cuddling up with Ali always seems to help.
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Or with a baby doll
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Ali again
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Ya have to love the fall-asleep-in-the-highchair pictures... Especially when cuddled up with a towel.
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On top of the counter, Mom's recipe book for a pillow, fruit loops in hand.
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What? Actually in her bed/crib?
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Sandwiched between Dad and Ali.
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I found a few of her when she was really little, and couldn't resist. She always has just stopped, dropped, and slept.

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We were all tired in New York, but she had the luxory of being carried around by Daddy. He sat her down to put his coat on, and she still stayed asleep, sitting up on a bench.
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The couch is her very favorite place to fall asleep. She get's mad when anyone else is on "her" couch.
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It's more fun to take a bath with swimming suit on in the summer. Then it's like swimming. Until you fall asleep.
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In the corner of Isaiah and Ali's room, with her Care Bears & co.
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This was at my friend Meleesa's house. I think she was babysitting her, and she fell asleep in her son, Jaden's closet. It took them quite awhile to find her once she went missing.
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Here's an older one of her falling asleep on the top stair, after she lined up her toys on the banister rail.
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Here's the one on the rug by the front door. I forgot it was also the middle of a construction zone. We were in the process of ripping up carpet and putting in wood. (Don't tell anyone, we're still "in the middle" of that project.)
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Here she is between a couch and our fireplace. I kind of woke her up taking pictures, just enough for her to adjust and fall back asleep.

My baby

2009-01-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

This is so like Cori. Won't admit she's tired. Don't even mention the word nap. It's only happens at time like this, when she is happily entertaining herself, with a sock on her arm. She sits on the top step, and suddenly is out like a light. I have found her curled up on a rug by the front door. Naked next to her crib. In the closet of a friend's room. Between the couch and the fireplace. Wrapped in a blanket at her aunts house, in a room we never go in. Her terms, her locations.
I had some cute sleeping pics stored on my old phone, which sadly is very very dead. But here's one that survived, the one of her asleep naked by her crib.

But isn't she beautiful?

Here's a sampling of her cuteness. This is her side of a conversation she had with me today, while I was working on the computer.

Mom? Are you computing? Mom? I nam not cold. Mama? I think Ali fall and bonka-head on the clouds. Mom! You were being bad and I yam mad! I will throw you in the clouds if you are bad! Mama? You wouldn't throw Ali in the clouds, would you? Mom! The cat is on the com-poo-ter. Don't worry, he will get down. He will. He will. Look! He get down! I scare him away with my cough. Mom? Can I get on the wuv sack? I can? Yay!

I know this is cuter to me than to any other person in the world, but she's my baby!

Found: A picture of Tara

2009-01-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

Look, Christine... I found a picture of me. Not a Christmas one, but not too old- from September. I can tell because my hair is still bright red... better than the purple it was for the first couple weeks. It was still so warm then. After this, all of laid outside on a blanket to look at the stars. I want warm again.

Christmas

2009-01-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here's Isaiah getting ready to hang his stocking. We did it pretty late... Amazing he made it awake so long. Isaiah is our early sleeper. This is Great Grandma Donna's house... We usually spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with her, Robyn, Kathy and Grandma Dryg. Right after hanging stockings, we went to our house to call Christine and Jonathan to wish them Merry Christmas. It was about 730 am in Turkey, but somehow we picked the one morning in history that the McCollum boys slept in, so we woke them up.

When Cameron got home from UPS (they actually let him come home before 3am for the first time that week.) He was a good sport and put on his matching pajamas with Isaiah.

The next morning, he was the first to dump his stocking and survey his possessions. Cori watched him so patiently, until she realized she had one too.

This is what Dad was doing while the kids were checking out their stockings. I was mean, and I kept waking him up so he wouldn't miss all the fun.

The only thing Ali asked for this year was a cheetah. Luckily, Santa was able to come through, and she was so happy.

Although Cori got some fun presents of her own, she still lives in the "me" universe, where everything is hers. She immediately tried to take possession of the cheetahs. Luckily, Ali was a sweet sister, and shared with her. Cori's favorite present, we didn't get a picture of- but I think there is a video I might upload. It was an old fashioned metal framed bouncy horse thingy. She rode it and played on it all day. And amazingly, she still is crazy about it.

This was her second favorite present, a Little Mermaid blanket to go on her new bunk bed. She was so excited about it, and a little later in the day curled up inside it for a nap.

Isaiah got just what he wanted. He asked for Heeleys, and a Ripstick. The next few days he spent practicing the Ripstick on the tile downstairs at Robyn's. He can't wait until the snow melts so he can ride it outside.

"Clayton" gave each of the kids a music box or snow globe. Ali's was a music box, with penguins that skated in circles. They were so fascinated by it. Are you loving the matching nightgowns? Great-Grandma Donna always gives pajamas for Christmas, and Robyn found these cute old fashioned nightgowns for us girls.

Grandma and Robyn took the kids to the library a few days before Christmas, so they were able to enjoy story time with Grandma Dryg quite often during the holidays.

The only reason the kids were glad Christmas was over, was so they could start eating their gingerbread houses. We always have fun putting those together, and making a huge mess in the process. Oh, and notice Ali's tooth? She was working on that forever! It was her first tooth to go, she lost it the day after Christmas.

This was a week or more before Christmas... Ali's Christmas program. She blessed us all of December with the sweet songs they learned for it. Ali has always been good at learning songs, and remembering every word. We love to hear her sing!

Sorry, Mom.

2009-01-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

Cori is really good at saying that. She knows when she is doing something she shouldn't do. Like eating yogurt on the couch. (Spilling it all over the couch.) "Sorry, Mom." Or hiding under her bed, eating her Mamma's all time favorite Christmas mints. "Sorry, Mom." Did that stop her from crawling under her bed with the mints the next day? Nope. How about this morning... yogurt out of the kitchen again? "Sorry, Mom."

Update on the Daddy situation

2009-01-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

I went upstairs to brush my teeth, and found the sweetest sight...

Ali somehow made it to bed, but these three fell asleep after book number 3. Adorable.

Daddy, I need you!

2009-01-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

Cameron was all dressed up to go take the dogs on a walk. He turned the door nob to the front door and was just starting to open it, when Cori ran to him crying, "Daddy, Daddy, don't go! You can't go! I need you!" He picked her up and she put one hand on each cheek, and said, "You can't go! I need you!" A weaker man could have resisted, but not Cameron. He sat down with her on the couch, and two other children followed. They read our favorite book, "The Seven Silly Eaters." Children really do need their Dads, don't they? I still do!

It's a boy.

2008-12-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

It's a boy, it's a boy, it's a boy. Yay for our family. However, I do have to admit- I just might miss shopping for little girls. Any name suggestions? I probably won't take advice, but who knows, since Cameron is still stuck on Cyrus...

St George Thanksgiving

2008-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

I guess anyone who checks in with our facebook pages, has seen these pictures.. But I figured I'd update our blog page too. Our trip to St George was an awesome end to a fun week. Even Cori was blabbering on about all the fun she had... Airplanes, and boats, and the beach, and the car ride, and hiking, and swimming, and grandma and grandpa, and trains... Of course it's much cuter coming from her mouth. It was so nice for Cameron to be able to take the whole week off. That hasn't happened in... I don't know the last time. Too long.
While we were in St George, we were determined to get out and enjoy the amazing scenery, but our first day there the skies opened up, and poured. Did that stop us? Nah. We all put on coats that were at least semi-waterproof, and went on one of our favorite hikes with my Dad. It ends up overlooking Snow Canyon State Park, and is breathtaking. Isaiah and Ali fought most of the way, the stinkers. We found a big tree root that was in the shape of an A, for Ali- and that started a game meant to distract them from fighting. The "find letters made out of nature" game was a hit... but soon caused more fights. "I saw it first!" "No, I did!" "Cheater, you moved that!" And everything else you can imagine. But it WAS fun. It's amazing how many letters, and numbers they found naturally occurring.
Here's the pic of that first "A". About 3/4 of the way there, Isaiah got very pouty. It was kind of cold, but the rain was finally starting to let up. But not his attitude. "-) "I hate hiking." "Why did we even come?" " I wish I would have just stayed home." Wah Wah Wah. Ali was such a good sport. Cori, too- but she was carried most of the way so we didn't have to wait for her. She fell asleep about the time it stopped raining. She was totally out on her Dad's shoulders.This is Cori, Curled up for her nap, as her brother and sister played around.

We got to the top, and enjoyed the view (While I was freaking out about the kids being to close to the ledge.) Grandpa saved the day by bringing snacks, that lifted Isaiah's spirits some. Cameron started a game of hide and seek with Isaiah and Ali. They had a lot of fun.

This was Cameron's favorite hiding place. Isaiah wouldn't leave, so Ali found him pretty easy though.

See the smile on Isaiah's face? That was about the time I heard him say. "This place is so much fun!" Then he looked at me, saw that I was listening, and added to 'himself', "But I still hate it, and I wish I never came on the stupid hike!" He didn't fool us. The walk back down went a lot faster, of course. The sun even shone on us a little. We got back from the hike, and got busy making dinner. Cameron brought our turkey fryer, and we set about preparing a dinner yummier than Thanksgiving day. The turkey was scrumptious!

At night time, after the kids were safely tucked in at Grandpa and Grandma's house... Cameron and I went over to my cousins' home to play cards and visit. We did this a few nights while we were there, and it was a lot of fun seeing my favorite cousins!

Thursday we had our semi-annual Holt reunion. (My Mom's brothers' and sisters' families. ) There was only around 100 people there this year, a low number from years past. I love these reunions, the tradition is older than I am.
Friday, we took part in a newer tradition. For the last 5 years or so, the Holt family makes up the cast the first night of the Live Nativity at the Tuachan. Cameron is not as crazy about this tradition, although he is a marvelous actor. The kids enjoyed it, and loved the hot chocolate and donuts Aunt Jan provided for us after the show.
Ali loved playing an angel with her cousins Shaunelle and Briana.

Can you see the pure joy Cam feels to be there?

Aren't we a precious family?

Saturday, the last day before we went home, Grandpa Esplin took us to Red Cliffs State Park. I have always loved it there, I used to go hiking and swimming there when I went to Dixie. It was a perfect place for the kids to hike. Not to difficult, and lots of places to climb and explore.

Ali would have posed as Pocahontas every picture if I let her, but I am super mean- I made her smile some.Cori had such a fun time climbing up little rocks and sliding down hills.

Isaiah was as brave as his Dad, but gave us a heart attack when he was off on his own. We heard him scream, then start crying. I pictured him at the bottom of a cliff, or at least with a broken leg. But it was minor, he just fell down a bit, and cut his knee on a sharp rock.

Cori was Grandpa's girl for the hike.

Wrapping up the week, on Sunday, I was sick for the first part of the drive home Sunday. Blagghh. I fell asleep, and woke up when Cameron exited to find the hot springs he had been excited to find. It ended up being a really super fun place. The water was perfect, bathwater temperature. And it was so pretty. Absolutely unexpected out in the middle of nowhere.

2008-12-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

After running in circles and jumping up and down for 15 minutes, because, 'it's good for your heart.'... "Cori, do you want a drink of water? I just went and got it. It's really good water. And it's not even toilet water!"

Vacation week

2008-11-26T07:17:00.000-08:00

This week has been a full week. Tara and I decided to use her Jet Blue benefits for the first time. We flew to New York to see the sights. We didn't want to stay overnight because of the hotel prices there. We just walked all over the city and sped around on the subway system. It is a colorful city, we were about the only white people we saw with the exception of tourists from Europe.

The Statue of Liberty was pretty cool. We were really cold and tired by the time we got there. The statue of Liberty has made its way into our group of immortal national figures, that artists and directors use regularly in their craft. Ben Franklin, George Washington, Honest Abe, The Bald Eagle, Francis Scott Key, Paul Revere, General Patton... in all these figures the Statue of Liberty embodies all the ideals that they stand for. I felt that most of the people there were just there to get a picture for their collection without realizing the gravity and the important message and purpose Lady Liberty has. Of course it was 30 degrees and everyone wanted to be on their way quickly.

This is a really cool poem about the Statue of Liberty. It is written by Emma Lazarus.

"The New Colossus"
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

That night, Tara had to go directly back to SLC so she could work on Sunday. I took the kids on the flight to San Jose, and we spent a day and a half with my Mom and Dad. We were at the Atlantic ocean one day, and the Pacific the next.

The kids had so much fun climbing the redwood tree. Ali got stuck, and I had to go up to her rescue. Isaiah climbed 2/3 of the way to the top. Tara couldn't have handled it, so it's good she wasn't there. At the beach, I dug a big ol' trench, and all the kids around gravitated to it. We were preparing for the beach invasion. While I was there, I beat Tara's score at Geo Challenge. It's pretty funny how competitive we are with each other. It's only a matter of time before she beats me, and I'll have to up my game again. That's how we keep the romance alive. Geo Challenge love.

Constitution of the United States

2008-11-14T00:33:00.001-08:00

Constitution of the United States
Originally uploaded by The Adventures of Tiff & Sean

Looked like the real thing.

Catch up

2008-11-13T23:53:00.000-08:00

Texaco Mexico Pepsico Calexico with the California kicks kicks kicks and the super cooley tricks. That is one of Ali's little jump rope songs/ryhmes. Sorry we haven't posted in a while tough times. I have been getting written up at both my jobs. Job security is good at UPS but not at the JLTC. All the orders I write up have a clause saying continuation of order dependent on funding. Funding might go away with Obama. We are going to St George for Thxgvg and hopefully take a trip to California for the first time on Jet Blue. The week of ThxGvg may be a problem.
Does anyone have a boss or management that breathes down your neck or watches your every move? I do and it stinks. I don't just stop at one mistake I dwell on it and get flustered and think about it intensely and then I make a whole separate mistake. I don't want to list all of them but I always get a UPS truck that takes unleaded. Last Saturday I get in my truck go to top off the tank and after I finish I realize I just put unleaded gasoline in a diesel engine. Hope they don't fire me after peak. They will use me until peak is over then fire me probably.
Good people of California came together and made their voices heard. The side that lost is now beginning to persecute the church. Its very touching that they put out these very personal human interest stories about how Joe was partners with Bob for forty years and they loved each other more than any straight couple ever loved each other and how they didn't have any visitation rights or whatever because they were "gay". I know how these journalists work. Just like Stephanie Meyer gets us to love Bella and root for her; these columnists make these characters in their stories very likable and endearing. Don't fall for it and let pure emotion and sympathy take precedence over righteousness and practicality. Don't be guilted into changing your view by people calling you "haters" hate the sin not the sinner as they say. If you haven't heard there has been a major increase in vandalism to LDS churches along the Wasatch Front. Broken windows and one attempted arson.
For those of you that have read the Book of Mormon I suspect that the Gaddianton robbers were homosexual. That I remember there is zero mention of females or children among them and they always want people to join them. Reminds me of the City of Sodom and Gomorrah "send your men out that we may know them". Genesis. I probably misquoted but that was the gist of it.
It is getting way late I am going to bed before I go further into abstract and meaningless subjects. Maybe I will write again this weekend.

A Halloween post, intending to make Christine so homesick- she comes home!

2008-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Cameron's sister, Christine, has been living with her husband and three boys in Turkey. Our goal in writing this post is to make her so homesick for her favorite brother, her in- laws, and all her nieces and nephews... that she realize that Turkey is no fun. Utah is better. Come home!

This first picture is poor, sorry! It's the very end of the night, and every kid in sight was chasing and tackling Jason, because they didn't want him to go.

Right before we left, Cam was teasing Ewan, tickling and grabbing him from the car. I picked him up and handed him through the window to Cameron, and Peter said, "Yes, take him home please, he eats way too much. You can keep him." Anna ran into the house crying. Peter and Wendy thought it was because they had told her she needed to go change into pajamas... Nope, she really thought her Dad was giving Cuppy away.

A Halloween video at the Morkel's home.

You Missed a good party! And they even had real, ORANGE pumpkins!Ali Jump roping from house to house. Cecily made a cute bumble bee.

Ewan said he didn't get that scar when he fell from his second story window, into the basement window well below... It's just part of the costume- don't worry.

This one you really have to strain your eyes on... They were running so fast they were too far away to get a good picture. It's Anna, in her pink princess gown, chasing Isaiah, the fearless ninja. As you can imagine, he deserved it.

Cam borrowed Ewan's glasses for this Gandhi Pic. This is between hunger strikes.

Here's Ian, Peter and kids on the trick- or -treating circle.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

So getting Cori to wear a costume took bribery... Luckily we happened to have candy on hand. She was a slow poke, so she ended up on Daddy's shoulders half the time. Can you see her hiding behind her Nemo costume?
Ali and her cousin, Jessica at the Springville main street trick-or-treat.

Looks likes a candy coma, doesn't it?

Isaiah, the Ninja... he is a sneaky little crapper.

Our angel, Ali at the school halloween parade.

Saturday drive to Dugway

2008-10-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Way sucky got tired had to get out to do some jumping jacks to stay awake. Went to Crystal Hot Springs with the kids again. Had a super bad tooth ache had to leave church with the kids in tow. Had a root canal today way fun by the way. Feels like someone used a dewalt drill in my mouth. Jack hammer is more accurate as to how it feels now. Not even the 800 mmgs ibuprofen fully takes away the pain. Cori had her tiger cake for her third birthday. Tara thinks she liked her little animals and dolly the most. Savers toys!, awesome, she doesn't know the difference. Fighting a cold and a cough it is crappy will be looking for jobs again this next month. Tara will be adding more pictures of Cori's party we used a different camera and it will take a while to figure out how to transfer the pics. See you next time something out of the ordinary happens.

copyright infringment

2008-10-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

I read my wife's cousins blog tonight about her quirks. I thought to myself that those aren't very strange quirks except for maybe the one about not liking to run into people. I gave it some thought and found out that I have some pretty odd quirks too. I don't know if I will be able to come up with seven tonight but there are a couple that stand out.

1. When I eat cereal in the morning I pour milk into the cereal until I see the first flake or puff or FMW or cheerio move. Then I proceed to rotate my bowl clockwise and tamp down the cereal into the milk so none of it is extremely dry or sharp on my gums.

2. I firmly believe that 2% milk is the only way to go. I have a near philosophy on the matter. Why drink milk at all if it is closer to being water than milk. Why is milk good for you?... because of the calcium right? Well calcium is white and when the color of skim milk is opaque or less white than the two percent that would indicate that something has been lost. Women that drink skim milk are drinking it because they don't want to exercise to work off the chub they accumulate from watching three hours of soaps a day. I compromised with my wife and drink 1% but whole milk is another story. If you are going to drink whole milk why not just buy a cow. There is a scripture that says "delight in fatness" so a little fat isn't all bad.

3. Hamburgers. I eat them a certain way that nobody I know does except maybe the people that have seen the superiority of my method. I set the hamburger on top of my hand and rotate it depending on where the drips come out of. Clockwise too by the way. After all if its good enough for Father time its good enough for me. My method is cleaner and more effective. Your hands don't get greasy by squeezing out the guts of the burger they remain clean and clear of any sauce, grease or other debris that comes out of the hamburger. If you are skeptical try eating a Carls Junior six dollar burger, (specifically the guacamole bacon) without spilling anything out of it. I have accomplished it with my hamburger eating method. Let me know and be honest zero spills.

4. If I wake up in the morning and stub my toe or something super crappy happens in the first fifteen minutes of being awake I am next to certain that my whole day is going to suck badly.

5. At UPS I have to throw my last bag on the belt or disaster will befall me. Other people can throw the others on but not the first or the last. It is a serious superstition.

6. Toothpaste should exit the tube a certain way. From the bottom up. Not from the middle out or from top to bottom. I am pretty sure I picked that one up from old Dad. No excess needs to be left gumming up the cap area.

7. Since basic training I fold my shirts just a certain way. If they are folded otherwise I refold.

8. I am particular about the way I hang my pants. I place the first two belt loops together on each side of the button or snap. I don't rehang pants though not as big a priority on my list of quirks.

9. Sorry girls but I cannot drive as a passenger to a woman without being very nervous to the point of near hyperventilation. This is attributed to Alice Martineau who rolled her Geo metro in a blizzard on a mountain pass in Northern Nevada with me as the passenger.

10. I am ultra sensitive to the ground shaking ever since the 7.1 earthquake of 89 in Los Gatos Ca. if you want to play a good joke on me lift a desk up and shake it a bit while I am sitting on it and you will see the worlds fastest human.

So I came up with ten; more than I expected but I think they are diverse quirks and some of them I take some pride in as you may have been able to tell. My youngest daughter takes after me and she can be very difficult sometimes. So yes I know I need to keep these things to myself to avoid warping my childrens brains.

Provo trip

2008-10-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Robyn and me went to Provo and picked grapes at one of my sisters past places of residence. I am terrible at doing video I don't talk enough or I talk too much. I either keep too still or I move around too much. You will see what I mean when I post these videos. Watch for the fabled you'll put your eye out actually happen with Isaiah and Ali on the fence. Bed time see you next time.

soccer

2008-10-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent videos of lagoon and soccer. My wife erased one of my posts that had some cool links on it. Dadsagainstdrugdealers.com, kirstin roper photography, and weburbanist.com. I have a secret everyone; something that Tara doesn't want her mom my aunt Robyn to know about. I played another game with gays and dolls, oops guys and dolls coed team last night. I didn't have such a good night as last time. The coed teams only allow guys to touch the ball three times per possesion, that really lowers your chances of getting a goal. I think I might join a mens team instead. Our van got a flat, lame. We go to Provo soon I will take pictures of your old house Christine maybe get you homesick enough to come back.

2008-10-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a horrible pic (I need a new phone.) of Cori going to town with her, "Chocolate Hot." She loves it.
Cori's funny joke of the day... She made it up. You can't tell where her political influence comes from, can you?
"Knock Knock." "Who's there?" "Obama eats poo-poo."

cori's only swimming pool

2008-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

I have taken my kids swimming quite a bit throughout the years. Our third child Cori always is a party killer when it comes to swimming though. "I'm cold daddy I want to go hooome." So this weekend I thought I would try out Crystal hot Springs in Honeyville Utah. I took her there once before but she was still scared of the water. I guess you could say it didn't go over too well. But we have been to other pools since and she has gotten in and played for a little and then gets cold and wants to go home. At Clearfield pool and Bountiful Recreation Center they have hot tubs that only adults can go in. Can you guess where I am going with this?... So I go to Clearfield last week and I try going in the hot tub while watching Cori play at the other pool but she decides to throw a fit because she can't go in the hot tub. So we leave in order to spare everyone their ears what a shreiking screaming little turd. So I decided to try Crystal again last Saturday thinking she has had more experience with water and swimming environments since our last time there. It worked great all except the part where they close and my kids don't want to go home. So now all three are on the same page for Crystal. It is the best with the exception of Lava according to the two oldest ones Isaiah and Ali. I like Lava too but Crystal has an unregulated way about it that I like very much. Very few rules exist there, no lifeguards telling you not to run, all you have is your own good judgement which is just how it should be. Anyway here are some pics of Cori getting used to the nice warm water and one of our traditions of getting popsicles after going swimming at Crystal. Cori didn't look to happy in the picture but lets just say she warmed up to it, ha ha ha get it, hot springs, warmed up to it. What a nerd I am huh. She almost drowned by the way, thank goodness her dad looks out for her. I was in the hot tub trying to track all three kids in different directions and when I came back to Cori playing in the chlorinated pool on the other side she had lost a hold on the bar by the stairs and was drifting out splashing and panicking wow I felt like it was slow motion but when I got back to the hot tub the lady that was sitting across from me was looking at me in half shock and said "I have never seen anyone move that fast!" Cori didn't have any negative effects from the experience and wanted to go right back to playing thank goodness. Ali felt left out and had to tell them about the time she almost drowned in a swimming hole we found up in the mountains and her dad jumped in with his clothes on and boots and cell phone in his pocket to save her. The experiences with swimming wow. I will leave the Mexican Log jam story for another time.

Halloween true story

2008-10-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ok It's halloween soon so I am going to share some scary stories with all of you and this is the scariest thing I have ever experienced on the internet. Ok pop your toes pull your ear lobes and type in badger badger badger in the search area above and you may never be heard from again. If you can bear to talk about it afterwards you can share your thoughts with me about your experience.

first snow

2008-10-12T04:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't crash. I have been stressing out about the first snow storm of the year because I drive for UPS and I have heard so many horror stories. Well today was the first Saturday that I have driven in bad weather and it wasn't so bad. Isn't it always like that, you feel differently about things until you jump in and do them. Personal experience is an interesting thing. Tonight for example I found a friends blog and his wife maintains it mostly, anyway I know she is a huge Twilight fan. I am a man and when my wife started reading those "stinkin vampire books" I was really against it. Mainstream vampire culture really sucks in my opinion the people who are into that are freaks, it is simply evil to drink blood and it is glorified, those are and were some of my thoughts before reading these books. I don't want to go into detail on the why's and the how come's because it would take forever but after I read them I realized nothing is ever as it seems until you try it. Take the Underworld movies, the biggest fans of that movie are men at least in my experience because of Kate Beckingsdale. Interview with a vampire with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt evil and dark bad intent all the way through. I really hope Stephanie Meyer does not let Hollywood corrupt her books and make a trendy vampire movie that doesn't focus on some of the uncommon themes of her books.
I am Bella by the way according to my twilight personality test. Go to Twilighters anonymous I think it is called. Sorry about that tangent. I drive for UPS out in Tooele, Grantsville, Stansbury, Erda, Lakeview, Dugway, Vernon, Delle, and Magna. On Saturdays most of those lesser known towns don't get deliveries but it is fun to go on a weekly road trip even if it is in an ugly brown vehicle. So it was snowing hard there today and I didn't get wrapped around a telephone pole or slide completely off the road like I was imagining I might. I met two MIB dogs super friendly. I met a family that I can only assume adopted twenty physically or mentally disabled black children awesome people props to them. They have got to be loaded and good hearted. I was given help finding an address today by UHP strange that I was served and not given a ticket which has been the case with me historically. Served might be the wrong word because I have gotten served before when given a ticket in a sense. So props to the UHP everyone they aren't all bad.
I am lame, I missed my sons first goal in soccer because I was donating plasma and thought their games would be cancelled due to the weather. So I got thirty bucks for donating plasma and then had to give twenty of it to Isaiah as promised for the goal. He went out right away and bought two transformers and gave two to tithing. I am a proud father today. Man alot happens in a day so much to tell. The coolest things about Isaiahs goal are that three weeks ago he was looking up at clouds and picking grass during games. When I said twenty dollars a goal he changed completely. His first game he tried really hard and came close but no goal. So I told him "I can't do consolation prizes but I can work with you to improve your game if you want." So he got fired up and practiced hard then he had a second game still no goal. Then he practiced more and finally after working for a desired result he made a goal and got really close two other times. So basically he learned in a small way what work and practice can do. So I am hoping that is like adding fuel to the fire. Second thing that was the most cool was that he remembered tithing. I am thinking his Mom reminded him but he came downstairs to tell me he paid it and I think he felt good about doing it. I am really happy that I am not a complete failure as a father today and hopefully with the help of the Lord things can go like this on a regular basis. I know the quality is bad but that is a little clip of the game. In the future we will use our camera that is better.

I am still young

2008-10-10T00:26:00.000-07:00

I played indoor soccer tonight at the Sportsplex it was really fun. Despite what Tara says soccer is awesome. To some its like beer, it is hard to drink at first but after awhile you start to enjoy it or at least the effects of it. To others it is hereditary. I play at work with some older guys and word nerd linguists but tonight I played against athletes and I smoked all of them. Six goals!!! I am awesome excuse me while I pat myself on the back. In case you haven't noticed I am passionate crazy about this sport. I have always looked back with regret to my sophmore year when I made the varsity team only to discover I was ineligible because of math. I am trying half heartedly to ween myself off of politics, it makes me angry and after I realize there is nothing I can change I become very depressed. Soccer is a worthy pursuit. It makes me happy even when I lose. I lost fifteen pounds in a week playing for an hour and a half per day four days a week mixed in with riding my bike to work. I make friends and remember what its like to be socialable again. Speaking of friends I have run into some friends from high school. Lane Argyle's wife Jamie, Sarah Lund Bangerter, Todd Allen and Mark Andrezzi. Someone should tell Tara she should welcome me playing soccer because I could be taking up other hobbies like shrinking skulls in my basement or VOODOO... (on Barak Obama) he he he.

2008-10-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Boy-0h-boy. I haven't even been online for awhile, but I can see I need to start posting again. If for no other reason than to balance out our blog. I can't have the whole world, (or the 10 or so people that actually check our blog) think that BOTH of us think "The world is going to end next week, but at least we have soccer and Sarah Palin in the mean time." That may be taking a bit of paraphrasing liberties, but Cameron has been pretty sillious lately. By the way I love my scouts, they are not punks. They are just in their young 'rough draft' form.
So, funny quote of the week goes to Cori. I'll end with that.
"Mama, let's get your swimming soup and go swimming. Daddy is strong. He can pick me up, and take me in a boat, and we can go swimming. Where's my swimming soup?" At Walmart today, she "rowed" herself around the store with a mop as her paddle, and the cart was her boat. She had fun with that. So did I.

Ronaldinho Freestyle

2008-10-05T22:53:00.001-07:00

another noteworthy video of the king of soccer.

Gov. Palin On The Hugh Hewitt Show

2008-10-05T22:30:00.001-07:00

This radio interview is of Sarah Palin, the VP on the McCain ticket. Off to the left here is Bill Ayers a leftist domestic terrorist that blows and is one of Obama's close friends. I know who I am voting for.

Conference time

2008-10-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

Well I am not crazy. Even the General authorities say hard times are coming. Can anyone say I told you so. President Monson said it shouldn't be important to be right but it feels kind of vindicating. I got my kids to sit and watch two hours of conference. I had to use threats of cleaning the house and picking up after themselves as the other option of course. I told them I would give them a quiz at the end of the Brazilian guys talk about the still small voice and the importance of simplicity or rather our testimony not needing a powerful experience to make it strong but a gradual daily feeding. When they failed that quiz miserably I gave them another chance. The next talk was on trials and tribulations and how we should meet them. I hope they at least felt some of the spirit of the conference even though they were giving me the standard guesses about what the talk was about. First guess Jesus, Second guess Faith, Third guess follow the commandments, and so on down the list of the most successful guess sequence they have developed for their primary classes. Anything but listening. That is what I am going to do!, if my kids can pass a quiz on sacrament meeting each week that will determine whether or not I lock up the television. Maybe then I can get something from sacrament meeting again. Some great things were given to us this conference. Just by hearing some of it on the radio made me want to see it. I had drill this weekend so I missed most of it but I still caught some of it. Isaiah and Ali had a jog a thon at school. The fall precipitation has begun along with cooler temperatures. Cori said she wanted a strawberry birthday cake with lions and tigers and bears and horses on it. My jobs are getting tiresome. I am trying to learn computers with the military but it is hard with nobody to teach you but yourself. Tara is working with the scouts a lot. She puts in a lot of effort even though sometimes the boys just want to play video games. "Punks" I say. They have been very rude to my wife and to me. I don't like kids when they reach the age of eight and nine. At least (these) kids are on my scat list. This week I am going to hike up to Ben Lomond peak before the snow comes. I went to see a movie with my fellow air force buddy from ups we saw Apoloosa? I don't know how you spell it but it was pretty well done. We went to the Gateway mall and I walked by the new Tocanos restaurant. The low lighting and the brazilian jazz with the smells of the barbaque wafting out of the 10X10 windows letting you see the flames of the fire light up the shadowy meats rotating on their spits almost made me climb over the window sill and into the restaurant. See you all next Sunday or whenever.

Ronaldinho bicycle kick v Villareal - incl buildup + Eng com

2008-09-28T21:58:00.001-07:00

this is another awesome video of one of the best players in the world.

Ronaldo

2008-09-28T21:52:00.001-07:00

This guy is amazing enjoy. The music is kind of catchy too.

Can't find anything else to do

2008-09-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't feel like going back to gaming so I guess I will keep blogging until something more entertaining comes along. My wife hasn't been picking up the slack like I hoped she would so I guess I kind of have to keep on doing this. I think maybe I need to branch out and do other blogs on specific subjects. Well I had an enjoyable time at church today for the first time in a long time. Felt hopeful and resolute about the future. All it took was the last ten minutes of EQ on the subject of home teaching and heart hardening and a lesson about tithing in the GD class. Sacrament was alright too my kids were in a program so we only had to wrestle with one child in the pews. After church we had some chiken for lunch. We took a trip to the backside of Ben Lomond peak at the North fork campground and went on a hike to a tiny waterfall. The leaves are changing their colors and saying goodbye before they fall off and decompose on the forest floor.
Is there a smell for autumn? My kids say it was the campfires but I think I smelled something that is uniquely a fall smell. "No I didn't cut the cheese" I will post some pictures of our hike. Some of our friends have our digital camera for awhile but when I get it back I am going to put some videos on here. I just discovered a mega sportsplex west of I-15 in Kaysville! I heard rumor about it but I thought it was just Davis High School with their facilities. They've got indoor soccer and I am so excited to play. Isaiah is really excited too but they don't have little kids playing. I went up to twelfth street indoor to show Isaiah how fun soccer could be last night. He is having trouble enjoying himself at his games and at practice. I don't think his coach likes him very much. He just doesn't understand that not paying attention and being impertinent doesn't get you on the coaches good side. I showed him some video's on you tube of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho from Brazil and he is psyched out of his mind to play soccer now. Anyway I guess I will be posting once a week if not more from here on out.

Riding off into the Sunset

2008-09-19T04:06:00.001-07:00

Riding off into the Sunset
Originally uploaded by brchang

I don't like blogging anymore see ya.

Mr. Lumberg

2008-09-14T18:50:00.001-07:00

Mr. Lumberg
Originally uploaded by cBass10n

For those of you who have not seen this movie I recommend it. Office Space is the title and this is Lumberg the epitome of a bad boss.
This week was interesting. We cleaned a lot of the house this week. (And by we, I mean Tara cleaned house, and I helped for 30 minutes Saturday, at which time I was tired of it, and decided to take everyone on a hike.) We are trying to get our basement more liveable so we can rent a little. The last person that came to look at it ran away screaming because of the kids mess. I got burnt out from my two jobs. I want to quit UPS real bad but I don't want to lose my benefits there because my job with the military is temporary. We got a bill for 4000 dollars and neither of my insurances have picked it up yet, which is the whole reason I am working two jobs. Frustrating is doesn't quite describe it. Hopefully it'll work out. One of my many bosses at UPS has singled me out as a person that always takes time off when there are lots of people that take more time off. Isaiah and Ali are both improving with their reading. All it took was about a week of one on one time with their mom. It is amazing how self reliant they can be but even more amazing how they can excel with a little push from mom and dad. Isaiah and I are going to work on his soccer. He has six inches on the biggest kid on that field and he was just standing around twiddling his thumbs playing with the grass etc. I told him I would give him ten bucks if he didn't let ball past the goal box line and he stopped the other team cold. I went to Governors day at Rice Eccles stadium it was alright a couple people passed out from locking their knees. Afterwards I went to the Pie Pizzeria, and a lot of the Army Guard was there. It is a little embarrassing to be in the same military with some of these guys. These Army officers sitting next to me were getting drunk and talking about one of their troops getting in trouble for have pictures of women he had been with. So I was embarrassed about the guy that did that because these guys were broadcasting it and the officers had his digital camera and were passing it around for all to see. Including civilians sitting nearby. Saturday I had some time off to spend with the family so I took them up Ogden canyon to the hot springs and to a little beach on Pineview resevoir we skipped rocks played in the sand and just had a good time. I will upload the pictures later.

Nice moves

2008-09-07T21:51:00.001-07:00

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A Letter to Atticus and Shermie:

2008-09-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Atticus and Shermie,
Actually, Atticus-you don't understand how fun it is to be a lion. FUN! You can run faster than a train, and while you are growling it scares everyone away. And nice tame lions don't have to eat raw meat. And they run faster than cars too. And I already have sharp paws. Do you still visit the turtle that lives at your apartment?. I wish you didn't live all the way across the ocean, so we could visit you a lot. I really miss you guys. And all your family. I talk about you so much it drives my Mom crazy. I'm in first grade now. That's neat you guys started pre-school. Be good at school, okay? If you growl and roar at school, you might get in trouble. Don't ask me how I know that :-) I love you guys! You are the best cousins. Remember when we went to all the parks that one day before you left? Do you remember how Atticus and I were playing King and Queen, and there were a lot of emergencies? That was so much fun!
From Alexandra Amy Dryg, AKA Kiara the Lion

Election Time!

2008-09-07T08:45:00.001-07:00

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"I've got one or two things to say about change, like the change we must change, to the change we hold dear! I really like change, have I made myself clear?"

That's too funny.

Getting ready for next year's So You Think You Can Dance...

2008-09-06T21:36:00.001-07:00

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Tune in soon...

2008-09-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

To the next episode of "Days of our Election."

Cameron is really funny.

2008-09-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Cameron has gone from hating McCain and liking Obama to hating Obama and Cheering McCain. I can't tell you how many times I've had to try to get him to see the light about how extremely extreme :-) Obama is- but there was a time when Obama was a better choice than McCain. Oh, and I remember he also used to think his wife, Michelle was super classy, and thought she would make a great first lady. HA! If you heard him talk about her now! Anyway, I just have to laugh at all of Cameron's political posts. He is way more passionate about it all than me. It's good to be informed though, and at least now he's seen the light
about the Obamas.

McCain rules

2008-09-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Republicans are going to destroy the dems in the election unless they screw up big time.

Sarah Palin

2008-08-31T22:06:00.001-07:00

This woman is pretty interesting. Sure I am disappointed about Romney but at least McCain didn't go with Huckabee. Sarah Palin was born in Idaho went to college in Idaho played basketball in high school her nickname was Sarah Barracuda. She was a beauty queen or something Miss Alaska I think she was Miss Congeniality. She married her high school sweetheart they have five kids. Their fifth son is a special needs child and I think I have heard that the doctor recommended abortion three times and she rejected that idea hands down. She snowmobiles ice fishes, hunts, and she is a lifetime member of the NRA. She joined the PTA then became a city councilwoman, then mayor, then she ran for Governor against an incumbent. She then proceeded to take out the trash. People that were corrupt. She has met a lot of resistance and there are a lot of people in the establishment who want her gone. She cut spending the way one of us would. The governor had a private jet paid for by the taxpayers so she goes and sells it on EBay and makes a profit, does away with the state motorcade and pool and proceeded to make many other cutbacks, and what did she do with all that surplus money? She gave it back to the people of Alaska she has an 80 percent approval rating so that tells you something. Don't listen to the news the media, its trying to paint her as a seriously inexperienced person not qualified to be vice president or president. That is some serious hypocrisy because Obama is more inexperienced than she is. The media is using the complaint that she didn't go to Harvard or any of the Ivy League schools she went to a college that some of us normal people would go to. I don't care for McCain but just because he is ancient and Sarah Palin might become our president if he croaks I am voting for Palin McCain this year. This woman needs to be president she is a genuine reformer. I know Tara won't like this huge political blog but nobody reads my blog so I put it on here. I wonder how PETA is going to react to her furs?

Special Ed.

2008-08-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

We have proudly joined the new century, finally. We have an iPod. Unfortunately, our technological knowledge gathering ended around the turn of the century. So a week later, I finally figured out how to get music on it. Thanks for your moral support, Karlee. Anyone know of an iPod Special Ed. class?

awesome version

2008-08-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Cameron/My%20Documents/My%20Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/InsideOut%20A%20cappella/Experience/10%20The%20Lion%20Sleeps%20Tonight.m4a

2008-08-29T23:57:00.001-07:00

These are some of my random favorites and Tara's too.

Back to school night

2008-08-29T04:51:00.000-07:00

I thought I missed it got stuck in traffic but thank goodness they anticipate late parents and do multiple meetings. Utah teachers I have to admit are pretty cool. They really love the children you can see it in their enthusiastic presentations during back to school night. I am glad that my kids have lucked out with teachers so far. I just wish I had more time to be more involved. Some day hopefully I can quit UPS. I can't imagine working two jobs for twenty years. I will be 47/48 when I reach retirement. By then my kids will be gone but I guess that they will have had what they needed by me working all the time.

biscuits and gravy, cup & saucer cafe

2008-08-27T21:36:00.001-07:00

biscuits and gravy, cup & saucer cafe
Originally uploaded by cafemama

this picture was the closest.

Tribute to the greatest biscuits and gravy in all the land

2008-08-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

Granny Annies biscuits and gravy are the best in all the Wasatch Front. For four years Tara and me have tried all the dives looking for the best biscuits and gravy. Ruth's Diner was our favorite for a while then we discovered Sills and we were conflicted because the waitresses sucked. These hags would roll their eyes when we would come in because our kids would trash the place but we still went for the biscuits and gravy and the scones. Then one day we decided to try this place that we thought was an old folks restaurant called Granny Annie's. So far we havent found a better place as far as the food goes. It is in the IHOP class of restaurant but let me give you some idea of the awesomeness of this place their regular pancakes are the size of a car tire well not quite but probably twice the size of dennys or Dees. The waitresses are much better but could still be better. Anyway try it out if you are on I-15 they are just off the only Kaysville exit just down from the Arby's. They let me ring myself up on Saturday mornings before I drive for UPS.

To the face - Cambodian Kick Boxing

2008-08-27T20:47:00.001-07:00

To the face - Cambodian Kick Boxing
Originally uploaded by jameshill

this was the most accurate depiction of what my wife did to me last night.

Ever been punched in the face while you were sleeping? "It's great"

2008-08-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I was sleeping very comfortably having an enjoyable dream. Can't remember the dream I just remember waking up to the back of my wifes hand. So my thoughts were kind of like "dangit!" and "what the hell?" at the same time. Then I was really angry because I knew she was wide awake when she did it because she was laughing. Yes, she thought it was quite fun to hit her husband in the face while he was sound asleep. Ha ha ha go ahead laugh it up but when your spouse decides to punch you while you are sleeping and then starts laughing about it don't come to me.

Hello, doesn't anybody love me???

2008-08-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have only received 5 kisses, one of those from my baby! Come on guys, I'm not even charging. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe I should charge. Hmmm.

For you...free! Isn't this picture funny? Isaiah took it a few months ago, & I never forsaw an opportunity to use it until I found this kissing booth

2008-08-26T16:41:00.001-07:00

Outhouse Duck

2008-08-25T08:28:00.001-07:00

As promised, Christine... Here is the the timeless story of the Outhouse Duck,

otherwise known as, Cameron's Feathered Feces Friend...

The kids and I were in Idaho, near Yellowstone Park for a couple weeks this year. There is a million outdoor adventures and beautiful places to visit. Of all the places we went, Hebgen Lake, in Montana, was by far the favorite of all the cousins. We went there several times, and Cameron heard all about how awesome it was on the phone. So when Cameron managed to come up for a quick visit, that was at the top of his list. When we got there, the kids were prepared, swim suits under their clothes- they were in the water before the van engine was turned off. I pointed the way to the outhouse so Cameron could change into his.

I helped my Mom and Robyn get settled in some shade, and finished unloading our picnic lunch. As I was starting to set lunch out, I noticed Cameron and Isaiah whispering conspiratorially in the shadows. I heard Cameron tell Isaiah, if he told Mom- he wouldn't get his new Transformer. Isaiah had a pleased look on his face, and the I knew right away something mischievous was going down. Of course by gentle questioning and a little threatening, I was able to get the truth out of Isaiah. It all started when Cameron was in the outhouse. He looked in the toilet hole, and thought he saw something moving down there. His first thought was that some pervert was down there. As his eyes adjusted, however, he could tell it was some kind of a large bird- maybe a hawk. Of course, Cameron with his tender, animal lover heart, couldn't bear to allow the little thing to perish in the poop. What was his plan? To hold Isaiah by the legs, lower him down the pit to grab the distressed creature, and raise it up to safety.

Yes. You read right. Cameron was going to put his first born child, his only son, down into an abyss of feces, in attempt to help an unknown bird. And yes, Isaiah had agreed- in exchange for the measly compensation of a new toy from Walmart. Luckily I am skilled in the ancient matriarchal art of interrogation, and was able to put a stop to this plan before it could be carried out. Naturally, Cameron had rationalization for this crazy plan. Of course Isaiah would be safe, he wouldn't allow him to get any human waste on him, although he would be surrounded by it in a precarious situation. Nothing could possibly have happened to him. But I kept my foot firmly on the ground, and vetoed the unthinkable scheme. Cameron was truly upset. He had determined it was a duck that was trapped in the outhouse toilet, and he couldn't have any real fun at the lake with such a tragedy so nearby him. Soon he was back out of the lake over in the trees. I saw him working on something. It involved a long branch, a piece of plywood, and a bunch of fishing line. Cameron had a new plan. After a few modifications, the very first outhouse-trapped duck-elevator was ready for action. With help from his unwilling assistant (me), Cam was able to prod the duck onto the plywood platform and pull it to safety. He grabbed it inside a plastic bag, and released it into the lake. After I saw how happy it was to clean itself off and play in the water, before it flew off- I felt a little bad for being so antagonistic. Besides his plan to put Isaiah inside a crap hole, I was rather proud of my husband, the saviour of animals. (This is far from the first time he has gone to great lengths to help injured or distressed animals) The day ended well; the kids AND parents had fun playing at the lake, and the cute little duck waddled, swam, and flew once again.
Somewhere, John James Audubon is smiling.

If that wasn't entertaining enough... here's another funny addition. My dear Mother, Lana Gale, was a little less impressed at the days heroics. She said to Cameron, "You know, I think you are the only man in the world that treats animals better than his Mother-in-law." Cameron, of course, reassured her, "Lana Gale, if you were stuck in a pile of shit- I'd help you out too."

2008-08-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

It's blast to the past day...
This has always been one of my favorite pictures. Ali was 1 1/2, and hadn't seen her Daddy for 6 weeks. This is right after his Basic Military Training graduation.

Recognize this chub?

2008-08-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

This is Isaiah at almost one year. Doesn't he look so sweet and innocent? Those were the days. Like the hair spikes? They've been replaced with devil horns.

Injured baby

2008-08-22T08:38:00.001-07:00

2008-08-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Just so our huge reader audience is aware, Cameron's account of yesterday's festivities are down below his annoying visual aids.

Cori's accident

2008-08-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

Now that Cameron has posted all those horrible unfunny posts, I guess I better explain what he's talking about. Yesterday, most of the day was spent preparing for pack meeting. We ran all over town preparing for skits, awards, costumes, memorizing lines, etc. At 5:30 when we needed to be at the church setting up for our campfire program, I left my scout partners house with the kids, stopped by home to pick something up, jumped back in the van and started backing up. Three things happened at the same time. 1. Isaiah said, "Where's Cori?" 2. I felt a bump, and 3. My heart fell to my stomach or beyond. I heard screaming, I didn't know if I would make it worse by putting the van into park, but I didn't have a choice. I ran around to the psgr side. and Cori was on the driveway, her arm still under the tire. She had blood on both legs, and a great big tire track across one leg. I was able to pull her arm out. It looked like she had no injuries in major areas, but I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if I should take her to the hospital, or call the ambulance. I called Cameron, asked him to come home. Then I called him back and asked him what to do. I couldn't think, but Ali was very in control of the situation, and assured me I didn't have to worry because Cynthia (her friend) and she had just become doctors, so they knew just what to do... I couldn't think as it was, so her constant chatter was a little frazzling, but looking back was very cute. Apparantly they had spent the afternoon nursing a dragonfly. Unfortunatly it didn't end well for the poor insect, they ended up burrying it. I decided to call 911, and within a few minutes every Davis County emergency vehicle was on our street. Ali again stepped in and said, Don't worry, Mom... I'll tell them everything that happened and tell the what's wrong with Cori. Within a few minutes, 25 rescue worker-men and one woman were in our living room. I don't know what we would have done without them all. They took us to McKay Dee hospital in Ogden. Other than the needles, cold xray machine, and getting her scrapes cleaned out, she handled it all very well. Other than a questionable spot on the ankle or foot of the tire track leg, the xrays looked fine. They bandaged her up and sent us home. Pack meeting apparently went well. At least something did. Of course, we are extremely grateful. We are very blessed. Our home teacher and a friend in the ward came over to give us blessings. Brother Ward, the friend that came over to help with the blessing, lost his youngest son a few years ago under the very same circumstances. He backed his truck over him, and unfortunately the boy didn't make it. Of course that brought a whole extra level of emotions to the night.
Cori slept quite peacefully, and is doing quite well this morning. She is being carried from place to place, as she can't walk on her leg yet. Now, you can appreciate how truly unfunny Cameron's posts below are. He is just happy because he thinks now he'll be Cori's favorite again, since I'm the one who injured her. Poopy Pants Cameron.

Road Kill

2008-08-22T01:25:00.001-07:00

Road Kill
Originally uploaded by CFA Mommy

Maybe this model in about the accurate scale to what it was like when Tara ran over Cori. No wonder she felt the bump.