Butterball

O and I spend a lot of time looking at old videos and pictures. One picture took me back to when he was a newborn, little and fragile. I recalled those moments when I realized he was taking after his father, i.e. lean. I was constantly worried that he wasn't getting enough to eat or packing on the pounds like he should have been. He was pretty content hanging out at the fifth percentile for weight.

Then I saw pictures like these, and wondered, "why was I worried?" I think his weight was mostly in his head and hands. Round little O-ball.

I Like It

Elder Ballard and Elder Uchtdorf were invited by President Obama and VP Biden to attend the national prayer service today. I very much appreciate, in a very much atheist world, the desire to unite faiths and beliefs and supplicate God for a blessing on this country. Once again, I feel grateful to live in such a country and even more blessed to be led by men such as these.


http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5383626

Historic Day

I find it significant, that the 2009 Inauguration is the day following Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Nothing less than historic.



Owen got in on the excitement too. We had some discussion about the name "O-bama" and that it starts just like "O-wen". Something about that was quite pleasing to Owen. While brushing his teeth tonight, Owen was saying in a sing-song way, "Obama, Obama, Obama, Obama . . . " His grandpa and politician would be so pleased to see him taking such an active part in a politics at such a young age.

15

The charming little girl on the right is now 15. She is an example of discipline, exactness and creativity.

I am continually grateful I married into a family of such talent.

The Christmas Basket

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the moment Kathy brings the "basket" into the living room on Christmas day. It is filled with items from the dollar store or Big Lots, items acquired from one of her recent trips to India or random things from her house.

I am not sure what it is, but something about having "free reign" to grab whatever we want drives me wild. As a result of the basket, I now have new mixing bowls, tools, a million toothbrushes (a love a brand new toothbrush), running gloves, post-it notes, and the list really goes on and on. I love it. A new discovery every year.

This is Kathy trying to find takers for some of the items from 2006. Gib?

Christmas Day

Tanner was flying this helicopter around the house and at one point I was seriously running for cover. I flew down the stairs, with the copter flying furiously behind me when I dropped for cover. One of the best toys ever.

Annual Christmas fuseball match. For the record, Joey remains the champion. Do not think otherwise.


Owen had a love/hate relationship with this exciting toy. He was rather enthralled, and then . . .
He jumped into Aunt Marliee's arms. Still smiling though.
The little black puppy was also a gift for Joey's sister. Pure joy.
All of us.

Christmas at Our Place