We tried doing family pictures for a cute letter this year. Actually, we just need a picture of our family that has all of our children in it! The last one we took was when T was the baby. We've added two . . . it's time for an update no doubt!

Getting 9 people ready and willing for a picture is quite the undertaking and finding a day that Matt is willing to go is hard too. But the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we decided to give it a go. Someone had a sleepover the night before, so trying to get her going was tough. (Sleepovers are highly overrated!)

I tried to "threaten" that we'd take the pictures with her in her undies, but in the end, she just wasn't in them. *sigh* We'll just have to try again.

Megan's Wedding. . . just a peek

I've been working on this album since the end of August and I finally got all the bugs worked out of my computer so I can send it to Megan. You're beautiful cousin! Hope you have a happy life together! :)

A Vote for Polygamy

T made a random comment today: "I wish boys could marry boys."

What do you do with a comment like that - it was really random and I'm still not sure why it came up. I just said, "really? Why?" His response was REALLY cute.

"Well, if we had two dads and one mom then one of the dads could go to work, the mom could do Mary Kay and the other dad could stay home and take care of the kids."

He's got it all figured out! He wants somebody really fun to be at home to play with him while Mom cleans, cooks and does Mary Kay! :) Are there male maids available? Maybe that would satisfy him.

Matt came in on the giggling a little bit later and we shared our humorous moment with him. He suggested it might work out better with two moms. . . not two dads. What's up with that?

Actually, I think I wouldn't mind polygamy . . . as long as I got to pick the second wife. I know there would be some issues to deal with and obviously there would be "women moments" when we wouldn't get along, but thinking about how much work we would get done makes me smile. :) We could even take turns - my day to clean, your day to play. It could work. I can think of a dozen of my friends that I would like to spend more time with. (I just wonder if they would still be my friends if they knew who they were and that I might be conspiring polygamy for them!)

I aspire to take photographs that are this beautiful!

E had her pictures taken by Hazen Photography for dance this year. Well, last year too, but this year she is on the competition team and they require more pictures. It was really fun for her . . . but could there be a conspiracy between the photographer and the dance studio? J thinks she looks 12, but I just wonder if that could be because the last portrait we had on the wall was 4 years ago. Wow has she changed! So I stare at them and wonder if I will ever be able to take photographs that are so fantastic and beautiful. I guess I can take heart with the fact that I helped to create the subject!!

"Get your notes Mom!"

C had another day that she didn't want to go to school. I'm not sure the real reason. She said she didn't feel good, her clothes were itchy, she didn't have good socks, she doesn't like school . . . the list went on and on. I'm sure she was just tired, but my job is to get her to school, so I told her she would have to stay in her room all day if she stayed home. She was full of attitude and I wasn't very happy with her decision to stay home . . . so the feelings in our home were far from pleasant. I shut the door to shut out the very angry words she was shouting. Very soon I started to see notes being pushed under her door. They were not nice. I just took them and put them in the garbage. Then I saw a note that said "Get your notes Mom". And she read it out LOUD.

"get your knowts mom"


I told her that I was trying to be happy so I wouldn't participate in "nastiness", so a little later I got another note.

I am sory abowt all of thos hate knowts I rily Do not hate you
Love C
MWA (That's a kiss)

"That's tight!"

T uses this word a lot. It's really cute and I thought that he was just picking up on the things the big kids say. That happens when you are one of the "younger" kids. So the other day I asked him what "tight" meant. I acted like I didn't know so he would explain it really well. So he said, "it's like saying something is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really cool. But I say tight so I don't have to say all those reallys". What a deep thought!

E is quite the dancer! My cheeks hurt when she's done dancing from smiling so hard. . . I might have a little bit of mother bias, but if you look for the best dancer in the group . . . you'll find my girl! :) It's a little hard to tell, so I'll help you. In the beginning she is on the far left and you can't really see her, but when they change formation she is right in the middle of the second row - there's a triangle at the front and she is right in the middle behind that. If you still can't find her . . . she does a back handspring - front row, on the right (your right). Have fun! I obviously can't scream loud enough! She keeps telling me I need her to teach me how to dance! :) I don't mind - she could teach me a lot. This team has won 1st place 8 times in a row. The whole team is REALLY good. I wish I could show you their competition, but you would just have to come watch!