Dede's New Doo

For the past few years we've had many struggles combining Kennedy's hair. As her hair gets longer, the challenge has gone from difficult to near impossible. While Kennedy has never liked combing her hair, she now screams like she's near death. Half the time I'm worried that someone in the neighborhood is going to call DCFS.

We finally reached a boiling point the other night. Ten minutes into the screaming I finally asked Dede, "Are you ready for a haircut?" To my surprise she responded, "Uh, huh."

Now, in the past she's been resistant to having her haircut. Truthfully, she's only had one haircut her entire life, so she's still kind of scared about the whole thing. The fact that she agreed to the haircut is a big deal. I decided that we'd make it a big deal and take her to Cookie Cutters for her special new look.

I have to say, Kennedy did great! Amanda (the stylist) is someone Dede knows from Church so it put her mind at ease as she sat in the chair. It didn't hurt that Kennedy was able to watch a Barbie movie, and she really wanted to balloon and sucker when the haircut was over.

By the time the day was done. Everyone was all smiles. Tara was happy she could comb through Kennedy's hair without a fight. Kennedy was pleased with her new look and all the new attention. I was happy that I had taken a girl to get a haircut and came home with two women still smiling.

Photos of the Day

Dylan discovered Creamies and I think he likes them!

The Bubble

Every year my mom's side of the family has a reunion near the end of July. It has all of the typical elements of a family reunion: tons of kids laughing and playing, all kinds of food to choose from, a midnight dip in the pool, cousins further than the eye can see. Oh wait, you don't go swimming for your family reunions at midnight?

I don't know where it started but every year our family reunion takes place from 9 pm to 2 am at the Bountiful Bubble (it isn't even called this anymore, but I don't know it's real name). It's a good time for everyone as we go swimming until midnight and then it's racquetball or ice skating til 2 am (Can you believe people actually play sports that late at night?!).

Not being a late night person myself I never make to the bitter end, but the majority of the family certainly does. I like the party as it's the best chance I have to talk to some of my cousins. Everyone is pretty spread out across the state and I rarely see my cousins, let alone get in a good game of water basketball...

My highlight from this year's party had to my mom in the pool. One thing you need to know about my mom - her hair is a big deal. Not just in size, but also in management. My mom gets her hair done once a week, so she is very careful to ensure it maintains it's proper appearance.

I'm sure you can imagine what happened to Mom's hair in pool. You guessed it. Somehow she happened to get her hair wet. I'm not going to claim any knowledge of how it happened. Let's just say there was an accident and we'll leave it at that. It's a good thing though. Once she stopped worrying about her hair my mom cut loose and had a great time. She even hiked up the stairs and went down the water slide. Way to go Mom!

Neighborhood Fun

The month of July is a big one for our little neighborhood. With the warm weather and festive mood, everyone wants to get outside and enjoy food and fireworks. Some of friends are really generous and provided a bit of both last night.



For the past few years we've gotten together with several of the other families for a BBQ and some giant water toys for the kids. It's fun to sit around and enjoy one another's company while filling up on some great hamburgers. While I look forward to the food it's safe to say Dede loves the water. She couldn't get enough of the slide, even if the water was pretty cold.



After we filled up on treats we headed over to the Cul-de-sac of Fire. Even though Dick isn't in the Bishopric anymore, his fireworks show is still a Ward event. It's awesome to see how many people come out to watch his assortment of different cones, fountains, and other airborne spectacles.



While Alex wasn't too hip on the noise of the show, Dylan was certainly interested in the lights and colors. I can't believe how good he was as he intently watched the 35 minute display. Dick certainly went above and beyond with the volume of assorted fireworks and everyone had a great time (even if Alex doesn't look like it).

For Your 3rd Birthday

Alex,

It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. And now you're three. It was just yesterday that we brought you into our home, wasn't it? I can't think of you as our tiny baby anymore - you're certainly my little man now.

Over the past year I've really enjoyed watching you develop your own style. So many kids seem to simply copy those around them, but you are your own person, Alex. You have so many wonderful traits that it's hard to think of mentioning a few. I love your laugh, your energy, your playful teasing (even when it kills your sister).

My favorite part of each day is to open the door when I get home from work and have you give a big hug as you scream, "Daddy home!" You really know how to melt my heart. I love that you want to be around your dad. Whether I'm fixing something in the yard, playing games on the Wii, or especially "mow da grass" it's awesome that you want to be my little buddy.

This is going to be a big year for you son and I can't wait to watch as you continue to grow into yourself. You are a special little boy and I want you to know how much I love being your dad. Alex - I love you.

Daddy

Birthday Boy

Yesterday we celebrated Alex's third birthday. I really can't believe he is already three. Where does the time go? My little man is growing up so fast!

We spent Alex's birthday doing lots of playing. We started out at the park but didn't last too long in the heat.




This was later at home, but Dylan is so cute, I had to put it in!

After the park, we went to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. We invited the cousins to come along and they all seemed to enjoy the aquarium.


Alex had fun and was quite impressed with this little aquarium and the Nemo fish inside.


After the aquarium, we headed home for some take out food, presents and cake and ice cream. We debated for some time about what kind of cake to do for Alex's birthday, but for the past month, Alex has been saying that he wanted a lawnmower for his birthday. He wanted a "big lawnmower, like daddy's" to be specific. With all the lawnmower talk, we decided to do a lawnmower cake.


Alex loved the cake and was quite upset when he realized that we were actually going to eat it later. It was quite tasty, though and he was fine once he got his new lawnmower.


He got spoiled by everyone and thanks to all for the fun toys, clothes, etc., you gave him.



A few thoughts about my little man, Alex.

I love the way he cuddles with me in bed in the morning and he's so tiny, I hardly know he's there.

I love how he adores his sister and brother and would do anything for them.

I also love how he teases Kennedy until she is in tears (which isn't hard to do!)

I love how he has such a sly look on his face whenever he is doing something he knows he shouldn't.

I love how he say "toodles" for "tools."

I love how he would rather eat sweets any day, any time, instead of real food.

I love how he says "don't touch" any time he gets an "owie".

I love how he swings a bat and throws a ball. He's a natural.

I love how he never stops moving. He's on the go, all the time and loves to go anywhere in the car.

I love his sweet, loving personality.

I love you, Alex boy. Happy 3rd birthday!

The Big Release

Well, it's officially over. Yesterday our Bishopric was released and the new guys took over (in case you're scoring at home: C. Featherstone is the new Bishop, A. Nugent as 1st Counselor, and K. Larsen for 2nd Counselor). I'm really excited for someone else to have a chance to serve the ward. I'm not saying that I don't want to serve, but it's time for a change.

Since we formally learned that our time was up, it's been fun to reflect on some of the amazing experiences that we've had during our five years in the Bishopric. Here are a few highlights:

1. Getting to know everyone in the Ward. Growing up in the ward I knew who everyone was, but serving for the past few years I've really gotten to know people. More than their names or where they live, I know them for who they are and for the amazing lives they've led. We can truly learn a lot from other people and I've been able to grow so much from listening to those around me. Whether it was visiting in people's homes, or our annual temple trips and the long bus rides - I really loved getting to know my friends and neighbors.

2. Walking down the aisle with my kids. Sounds silly I know, but one of the best memories I'll take from Sacrament Meeting over the past five years is having Kennedy and Alex run up to meet me and walk down to the back door of the Chapel together. Just watching the excitement in their faces as I came up to them was priceless.

BTW - The other highlight of the walk down the aisle was the little kids referring to me as "Jesus". On more than one occasion I heard a sunbeam tell his mom that we need to be quiet while Jesus walks by. Too classic!

3. Learning from other church leaders. It's amazing how many good people give of their time so unselfishly. Listening to the accounts of the leaders of the ward and their efforts to help those around them always inspired me to do more. They weren't bragging - it's just who they are. When you're around good people you can't help but want to be like them. All the people I served with have set a wonderful example for me. I hope I can live up to the challenge.

4. The Ward at 50. One of my favorite activities was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Cottonwood 4th Ward. We had a huge reunion with tons of returning ward members. Lots of fantastic stories about people, both new and old. We even had each of the living bishops speak to the Ward. It was incredible and a true highlight of our time serving together.

Well, there you have it. I'll miss being part of the action, but I know there will be plenty of action coming from our pew in church. Tara, you've been great to deal with all three kids alone. I only hope I make things easier by sitting with you guys next Sunday. I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to sit next to my sweetheart (even if I step out into the foyer for an occasional timeout).

the Worx GT

While I've never been one to buy products from TV, a couple of weeks ago we succumbed to the allure of a much needed product. About a month ago my lawn trimmer died. It was another of the "hand me downs" from my dad when we first bought the house. I'm actually amazed it lasted as long as it did, but 20 years was it for the old weed whacker. A week after the trimmer died, I was flipping channels when I came across the Worx GT.

Since I was in the market I watched the 30 minute infomercial. The funny thing is, I didn't watch alone. Kennedy, I've since learned, is an infomercial junkie. She can quote lines from the commercials about different products and she wants us to buy all of them. Of course, she was sold on the Worx GT.

Fast forward two weeks to Father's Day. I bet you can guess what I got. Do you need a hint? The kids were so excited for me to open the trimmer and go out to try it out. It's been pretty funny to watch.

So, my review after using the trimmer for a month. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I think the trimmer works really well. It claims to be an edger, but I have to get super low in order to use the edging feature. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I don't really like the edger aspect of the product. Still, I think it works fine and I'm committed for the next several years to the Worx GT.

Photo of the Day

I think we're going to have to use some extra sunblock!

Let the Speculation Begin

Sunday we had a member of the Stake Presidency visit our ward. This isn't anything out of the ordinary. Over the years we've had lots of visits to our Sacrament Meetings. This was different however. President Hansen asked if he could take a minute to make an announcement to the ward.

"Brothers and Sisters, we want you to be sure you are in attendance next week during this meeting. After 5 years of service, next week we will be releasing the Bishopric and sustaining a new Bishop."

He paused for a moments then continued:

"I guess the speculation and rumors can officially begin."

How classic! I've known for a month or so that we were finally going to get released, but I love the way the rumor mill has been given an official blessing from the Stake Presidency.

Personally, I don't care who they call in the new Bishopric. After 5 years of being in the know on every move of the ward it's nice to observe this one from the sideline. I'm just happy that I'll finally be able to help Tara down in the war zone. Plus, I won't have to wear a suit during the summer anymore - YEA!!!

Happy 4th from Virginia

I guess fireworks look the same whether you're in Salt Lake City, Utah or Fredricksburg, Virginia.

Here's to Good Friends

I know the best part of this trip to DC has been the chance to share our time with so many of our good friends. From the minute I knew I was coming to Washington I wanted to spend some time with my good friend Jeff. He's lived in Virginia for the past 8 years and I normally only see him when he visits Utah. I told Chappo about my plan to hang out in Virginia for a few days after the conference and he immediately wanted in. So the three of us have been planning this little reunion for the past 18 months.


Time really doesn't affect the major relationships in my life. Even though I only get to see these guys once a year or so, we quickly fall into a normal routine and it's as if only a few minutes have passed since we last hung out. I know we didn't really do anything exciting to read about, but the time we've spent has been wonderful (even if it consisted of 5 parts Madden 09, 2 parts Red Sox baseball, 1 part DC sightseeing, and 7 parts eating).

Another little gem of the trip was getting to go to the Red Sox game with Darren and Angee. I know Tara was really excited to spend some time with her good friend out here and I'm glad we were able to watch 4.5 innings of baseball with them. Even the rain delay and early departure was more fun because we shared it with friends (not to mention the two hour return trip to DC).

My last little DC reunion came on Thursday night. Chappo and I had planned to have dinner with our good friend Priti Shah from Cottonwood High and everything worked out great. We met Priti and her husband Mike (he's a trooper for hanging out with a bunch of friends telling old stories) and spent the time catching up and finding out about the past 10 years. It was good fun and a real highlight for the trip.

I really made some wonderful friends in high school and it was great to spend so much time with everyone this weekend. And just imagine - I only had to travel 1800 miles to see people who used to live 5 minutes from my house.

Touring DC

From the minute I learned the NECC 09 was being held in Washington DC I knew I had to come. It was even better when we realized that Tara was going to be able to come along as well. Last year I went to the conference alone and it's been two years since Tara and I were able to get away. What better place for a vacation than our nation's capital.

At the onset of our time in DC we knew we wanted to do all the touristy stuff - you know, see the National Mall, visit the Capital, walk around Arlington Cemetery, see the White House. Come on, what else do you do in Washington? We certainly checked off all the major sites as part of our trip.

The National Mall is incredible. I've seen it all on tv, but television can't do this place justice. I think the Lincoln Memorial is one of the greatest things I've ever seen. It is so massive and the craftsmanship is absolutely magnificent. I stood there in awe of it's majesty and the impact the symbol has for our nation. The Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial are all fantastic, but Lincoln will be tough to forget.

One of my favorite parts of our DC sightseeing was our trip along the White House. As we were heading down to the Mall we were stopped by a police barricade. Not being locals we weren't sure if this was normal for the area or if something was truly going on. As we waited the excitement built and, sure enough, a motorcade came right in front of us a few minutes later. I can't believe it, but President Obama and his police escort entered the White House grounds right in front of us. Sure, we couldn't tell which vehicle he was in, but you knew you had just seen the President pass by. Wow, what a moment!

The other major tourist stops on our journey around DC were the US Capitol and the White House. As underwhelming as I found the Capitol (it may have been the fact that my camera broke just before we got there), the White House was more that I could have asked for. I loved it! Seeing the candid photos on the walls as you entered was amazing. The portraits as we went though the various rooms were so inspiring. We saw my all time favorite portrait of JFK with his arms folded as he was looking down. It was a fantastic experience and I'm so glad our friend Julie was able to hook us up with the tickets. It was a once in a lifetime event and really made our trip.

Diary of a Red Sox Fan

After the huge ordeal surrounding yesterday's game I wasn't sure if I wanted to head back to Baltimore a second time. Things were a little different today. First, rather than riding public transportation, we actually got a lift into Baltimore from our old pal Jeff Wright. That's right, he came up to DC and grabbed us on the way to the game. Second, we were going to stay the entire game this time. Ok, I was going to stay through the entire game this time - Tara's flight left from Baltimore in the middle of the game.

I've been planning this game for months. I knew that Jeff could come and Chappo even flew down from Boston for the event. This was going to be the kickoff of our weekend together. Awesome!

The game couldn't have been worse for the first 8 innings. We got to Camden Yards late again and by the time we sat down the score was 2-1 Orioles. Then nothing happened. Sure the O's scored a few times, but the Sox' bats were silent. We didn't see a Boston hit until the 7th inning. Tara didn't see anything from our Red Sox before she finally had to leave. It was pretty bleak down 5-1 at the start of the 9th.

Then, karma changed. Kevin Youkilis hit a 2 run homer at the beginning of the inning. Two strikeouts later and the Sox were down to their final out. Still, it wasn't over. A hit, a walk, and another walk and the bases were loaded. Rocco Baldelli came in as a pinch hitter and his single up the middle had tied the game at five all. It was incredible. As disappointing as the previous night had been, that's how exciting today was.

It took another two innings before the Sox took the lead 6-5 and that was how the game ended. Our trip was salvaged. Rather than two terrible losses, it was a two game split and an amazing rally in the 9th. Even better I got to see the game with two of my best friends. All in all, not a bad afternoon.

Why didn't we rent a Car?

Last night we survived a five hour trip to and from Baltimore to be a part of the largest collapse from the Red Sox in the past 20 years. Awesome! Here are the gory details:

We left at 4:00 for a 7 pm first pitch in Baltimore. Now DC is only 50 miles or so from Baltimore so it should take about 1.5 hours to get there. Plenty of time. Now I researched for instructions on how to make the trip a few months ago, so I was going purely off of information from the Maryland Transit Authority. It involved a subway, a bus, and a train.

We rode the subway for about 25 minutes to get to the end of the line where we'd be able to catch a bus. Everything was going well as we exited the subway and headed towards the bus stop. We got to the stop and checked the schedule: Bus at 4:40 headed to BWI (our destination). Great - what time is it? 4:43. Oh CRAP! When is the next bus? 5:20. Oh SH** (I didn't say it, but that's how I felt). We sat around for 40 minutes waiting for the bus and making friends with an attorney from Virgina named Scott (he's my new best friend).

At 5:20 we boarded the bus and rode for the next 50 minutes (we were now in rush hour). The bus leaked, the seats were wet, and trip was slow. As we arrived at our stop, we exited the bus to see our light rail train pulling away from the station. Next train in 25 minutes. At this point the start of the game went from a target to a pipe dream.

We finally pulled into the Camden Yards stadium at 7:10 and by the time we got to our seats it was 2-0 Sox. I didn't even care that I'd missed a Youkilis homerun. We had made it. It took 3 hours, but I was in my seat. The ballpark was great. The weather was nice. The Sox were ahead.


Over the next hour things couldn't get any better. Boston was pounding the ball and cruising to an easy win. It was 9-1 in the 4th inning. Then the clouds built up and the rains came. At first it was pretty light. Then it got harder, and harder. The tarps came out and the fans scrambled for cover. It was 9 pm and we needed to get back to the bus by 10:45. I knew the chances for us to watch any more of the game was gone.


We headed back to the train, then the bus, and finally the metro. It was 11:15 when we got back to DC. I decided to google the score of the game and realized that the Sox gave up 10 runs in the 7th and 8th innings. It was the greatest comeback for the Orioles and the second largest choke in Red Sox history. I can't even tell you what a fitting ending it was to a terrible night.

And we didn't want to rent a car....