Love School Alumni

One of the best parts about our relationship is that we are very affectionate with each other. We really like each other, and we like to show it. We often hear our boys shouting in disgust, "Ewww! They're kissing." Several times one of them has asked, "Why do you guys always kiss each other every time you see each other?" Our youngest son, Buddy Boy, even gets in on it by demanding, quite clearly, "Stop kissing!"

Our oldest child, the Princess of Awesomeness, has been wondering how on earth people end up like us. She tells us she thinks that there must be some secret school we attended that teaches people how to be in love. In fact, she has declared several times that we are lying when we say there is no such school. She is convinced that there is, in fact, a "Love School."

On the way home from church today, she was again asking how on earth we learned to be so in love. We explained that you read your scriptures, say your prayers, and regularly attend the temple. The Princess of Awesomeness exclaimed in wonder,

"That's where you learned to grab each other's bottoms???"

Baby Preslee

This little angel was so sweet. She hardly acknowledged that we moved her around so much while she slept. A few grunts and she was content again. She did awaken near the end and gave us a beautiful smile.

Quantum Physics, Maslow, and a Four Year Old

(Quantum Physics from enlightearth.com)

Some of the best (by which, of course, I mean funniest) conversations I have ever had have been with my children in a public bathroom. I'm not sure what the reason is, but our kids seem to have their deepest thoughts while sequestered in the stall. This Sunday at church I took our four year old, Rock Star, to the bathroom. While he was doing his business, we had the following conversation.

RS: Dad, guess what I don't know.

Me: Um, quantum physics?

RS: Nope. I know that. Guess what I don't know.

Me: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

RS: What?

Me: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

RS: Um. OK. Guess what else I don't know. There's two things: that, and one other thing.

Unfortunately, I was laughing too hard at this point to hear what the one other thing is in the world beside Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that our four year old does not know.

I'm glad he's already mastered quantum physics, though. It would be a little disappointing to have him enter kindergarten without a firm grasp of that one!

Baby Logan

This cute little guy was so much fun. He was awake when we started which was perfect to catch his beautiful eyes. Then he was even fantastic enough to go to sleep for some adorable sleeping shots.

I love how much his brother and sister totally love him. They were both so excited just to be by him.

My SCARY Lady

Yesterday we announced to our children that we would be watching a true classic, My Fair Lady. This is the conversation that we had with our fourth child, Rock Star, following that announcement:

Rock Star: NO! NO! NO! I watched it before, and it's really scary!

Me: You have not seen My Fair Lady.

Rock Star: I watched every movie in the whole world at Dia's house.

Me: Really? What's it about?

Rock Star: Scary stuff. There's a dragon what cannot be trained and is not nice!

Dia, by the way, is Rock Star's imaginary friend. He is the world's foremost authority on everything. Rock Star often cites experiences he's had with Dia as a reason he should not have to do certain things, such as eat today's lunch ("I tried it before at Dia's house, and I didn't like it!"), or watch the aforementioned scary movie.

We watched My Fair Lady last night, and it must have been truly frightening for Rock Star; after about 45 minutes of watching it he was passed out for the rest of the night. The fright just must have been too much for him!

Kenzi & Tyler: Engagement

Once upon a time in a land far, far away (read: Georgia), we met an awesome family. What was particularly awesome about them was the fact that they had two daughters who loved to babysit our kids! One of these daughters, Kenzi, will soon be getting married to an amazingly spectacular guy named Tyler.

Kenzi and Tyler met at the restaurant where they both work in Pocatello, ID (which, for those of you who are geographically challenged, is right next door to Georgia. Sort of. It's in the same country, anyway.). Before Kenzi realized that Tyler was the love of her life she would complain to him about all of the other boys, and how they just didn't measure up to her ideal. Then one day it hit her--Tyler was her ideal! Which, of course, Tyler knew all along, and was just waiting for Kenzi to realize. And having listened to her complain about what she didn't like in those other guys, he knew exactly what to do, and what not to do, to make Kenzi happy. Smart man, Tyler!

We met them in Salt Lake City this past weekend to do an engagement shoot with them, and we had a blast! First of all, Salt Lake City is beautiful, and when you add a gorgeoulous (it's a word; look it up. Or not; we made it up) couple, you have a recipe for a great photo shoot. When that gorgeoulous couple is a lot of fun to be around, likes to laugh, and is not afraid to do silly poses and make silly faces (such as poking fingers in each other's mouth or doing the Tyler patented "squishy-face-kiss"), you have the makings of a truly amazing and fun-tastic photo shoot!

We would be remiss if we did not give a huge thank you to our photography assistant for this shoot, Kayti, who hauled not only our gear, but also Kenzi and Tyler's suitcase full of clothes. Thanks a million, Kayti!

Anyway, here is only a small sampling of the fun we had with this dazzling couple!

Princess of Awesomeness

On the second to last day of the first July of this century and this millenium, the Princess of Awesomeness was born, making us parents. Since that first July of the millenium, the Princess of Awesomeness has insisted on having a birthday each and every year. This coming July will signify the eleventh such event. Last July was the tenth. What does all of this mean? It means we are old.

Some people reading this might object to the claim that we are old, while others may be picking their jaws up from the floor after exclaiming, "Holy, Methuselah!" Allow me to explain my reasoning. Think of the oldest living person you know who has children. I guarantee that their children's ages are in the double digits. I am certain that no living person on earth today has a child whose age is in the triple digits. Well, the Princess of Awesomeness has had a double digit age for nearly a year, officially making as old as the oldest living person on earth!

The Princess of Awesomeness, in fact, is old for her age. Certainly some of you may object to that statement, saying you cannot be old for your age; you either are your age or you are not. Now some of you may be objecting to that statement, saying you cannot not be your age. Some of you may now be objecting to the fact that I don't make any sense.

Regardless, the Princess of Awesomeness is old for her age. How? She is about to finish the 6th grade. Most people are 12 years old, or will very soon be, when they finish 6th grade. The Princess of Awesomeness, as I mentioned before, will soon be 11 years old, thus making her old for her age. Or maybe that makes her young for her age since she is younger than the next youngest 6th-grader by a whole year. Or is she old for her age because she is finishing the grade above all of the other 10- and 11-year-olds? Or is she old because she has the same number of digits in her age as the oldest person in the world who still has living parents? Regardless, we are old!

You may be wondering why the Princess of Awesomeness is finishing 6th grade instead of 5th grade with all of the other 10- and 11-year-old. The answer should be obvious: she did 5th grade last year! Some of you may be wondering why she didn't do 4th grade last year with all of the other 9- and 10-year olds. The answer should really be obvious: she did 4th grade the year before. A few of you may be wondering why she didn't do 3rd grade the year before with all of the other 8- and 9-year olds. Well, because she did 3rd grade the year before that! A couple of you may be wondering why she didn't do 2nd grade the year before that with all of the other 7- and 8-year-olds. Because she started 2nd grade with all of the other 6- and 7-year-olds!

One of you just shouted, "What do you mean the other 6- and 7-year-olds??? 2nd graders are 7 and 8 years old!" Not in England! The Princess of Awesomeness started school at the ripe old age of 4 with all of her 4-year-old British neighbors (pardon me, neighbours; Brits have extra U's that we don't have. I mean, Briuts hauve euxtra Uu'su thaut weu doun't hauve).

So the Princess of Awesomeness has gone to school on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean Pond. Whether here or there, she has always been at the top of her class. (Academically speaking. Being physically at the top of her class would require very impressive levitation skills!) Having dominated her class in two separate countries on two separate sides of the world, I think we can officially say she has conquered the world. So yes, when next you see her, the proper greeting is to bow down to your ruler.

And, because she started school in England, the Princess of Awesomeness is now young or old for her age, while her British counterparts are still their age for their age, and we are still old. I mean ould.