A Picture Worth a Thousand Words...sometimes...you judge

The following picture actually did not give us a thousand words....

In fact it left us speechless....

We knew it could happen....

We did not do anything to keep it from happening....

Normally my wife would be the one to make this entry, but with her hanging out with some friends tonight, she agreed to let me (Ken) make this post....

My wife called me at work to tell me about the picture below....

So, it has been a few hours since she told me....

I am still at a loss for words....

I am excited and anxious....

My wife feels the same way and expressed her feelings about it right before she left this evening....

We post this with the hopes of having to keep the repetitions of this news to a minimum....

I am sure by now you are wondering when I am going to get to the picture....

Don't worry....

It well be visible shortly....

Let us know what you think of this picture....

Again, pictures can be worth a thousand words....

What will be your words when you see the picture....

Are you ready....

Crocheted baby blanket

I just finished this baby blanket this afternoon. It took me 14 days to crochet. This is one of my favorite hobbies next to scrap booking. I decided to make one a month to have on hand for my standard baby gift. I figured this was a good color to start with. I could give it to anyone either having a boy or girl. I'm excited to make another one next month.

This picture shows the ruffle I did around the whole blanket.
A close up of the pattern I used. My favorite pattern too.

New Years Resolution

So it has taken me a few weeks to decide what my New Years Resolution should be. I thought it through and came up with a few. Let's hope for the best this year.

1. Clean the messes I make and teach my children to do the same. This is quite different from the be a better house cleaner. This basically means if I get some thing out I should put it away. Plain and simple.
2. Be kinder and more patient with my kids. I am not the best but that is why I put more patient. I will at least try and that's what counts.
3. Set reasonable expectations for myself. For example crocheting a baby blanket in a week is not a reasonable expectation for myself anymore. If I crochet one every month that is fine. I seem to be my own worst boss, or critic how ever you choose to look at it.
4. Read 3 1/2 pages of the scriptures every day. I read a blog that stated if I read 3 1/2 pages of the bible I could read it in one year. I could also read the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine of Covenants in one year. This interested me very much and I decided to make it a goal.
5. I also feel it is important to love my kids more. By more I mean tell them I love them, hug them every night, and take them out for special treats every once in a while. After all to a kid or any one for that matter, Love is spelled T-I-M-E. So this year I plan to spend more quality time with each of my kids.

Well that about rapes it up. I don't want to make to many or I won't keep them all. I'm going to try to make and effort to keep just these 5. Not too many, Not too few. Just Right.

Parable of the Rose (Self Worth)

I first read this story in collage and had it in a thought book. I found it again on a friends face book wall and thought I'd share it here.

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it. He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought...

How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?

Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and before it was ready to bloom, it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose: The God-like qualities planted in us at birth growing amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns and find the rose within others.

This is the characteristic of love.... To look at a person and know their true faults. Accepting that person into your life, while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help them to realize that they can overcome their faults. If we show them the rose, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

~ Anonymous

By: Tom Baker

New Years Eve

For New Years Eve as a Family we decided to go to Lava Hot Springs. It was so much fun. The kids had a blast playing in the water. Afterwards we went out to dinner at the Thai Restaurant. It was a great way to ring in the New Year.

Angie getting warm in her towel for a while.
Ken Christopher and Kirsten loved the water.
Just me and Kirsten. It took her a while but she soon came to love playing in the water.
Ken just relaxing.
Soaking up the warmth of the pools. Just me and the kids.