I'm Jacob!

Our youngest son, Buddy Boy, has a magic hat. Not the kind where you find rabbits or that make snowmen come to life, but one that transforms him into a new person: Jacob. Every time Buddy Boy puts on his Power Ranger hat he declares, "I'm Jacob!" In fact, he even refers to his hat (or any hat, for that matter) as his "Jacob." He tells anyone else with a hat that they are wearing their "Jacob" as well.

Why Jacob? It all started when our oldest son, Wizard, began going to Cub Scouts. There is a boy in Wizard's den named Jacob. Buddy Boy initially declared that anyone wearing a Scout uniform (including the Cub Scout hat) was Jacob. This eventually progressed to just any ball cap, but especially his Power Ranger hat.

Whenever he wears it, and we call him by the name we gave him, he corrects us, "I'm Jacob." If we ask if he's cute, he responds, "I'm not cute; I'm Jacob." If he takes his hat off, however, he informs us that he is not Jacob. Well "Jacob," we think you're pretty stinkin' cute anyway!

This is "Jacob" saying "Wussup, yo!" Which he repeatedly shouted in the middle of church a while back. Did we mention shouted? And repeatedly?

We rarely find "Jacob" in bed at night without his "Jacob" on. Or his shoes. Or even in his own bed (he prefers Wizard's top bunk). Shoes in bed. His "Jacob" in bed. What's next?

Kenzi & Tyler: WEDDING

Tyler and Kenzi started the rest of eternity together on July 1st in the Bountiful LDS Temple (yes, we are a little behind in our blogging. We have no real excuses, so here's a fake one: ALIENS!). We had a great time spending the day with this truly amazing couple. Sometimes you can just tell that a couple "gets it," and this is one of those couples. Tyler loves and cherishes Kenzi. You can see it in the way he looks at her and his every action around her. He loves her! And Kenzi is head over heels in love with Tyler. You can just see how much she admires and respects him, and that definitely comes out in the way she talks to and about him. And as you can see from these pictures, they do not have a hard time getting each other to smile and laugh. They love each other, and they love life. They have a bright eternity ahead.

Kenzi and Tyler, thanks for letting us document this special day!

Kenzi, you're beautiful. "Fo' Real!"

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!