Our first meal on the deck

It was chicken pot pie.

Alex's Magic Man Show

Like father like son

Grandpa's 88th

For my grandfather's 88th birthday we visited and I gave him 88 keys worth of piano music. I'm not sure how long I played, but I know that both he and I wished it could have been longer.

Nihon Matsuri 2008

Every year in the Spring, Salt Lake has a Japanese festival (Nihon [Japan] Matsuri [Festival]). Our family loves to go, even though I am the only one who speaks Japanese.

Maddie and Sophie having a picnic

Maddie, Alex, Sam, and Sophie decided to have a picnic on our deck this afternoon. It was the first day over 70 degrees and everyone was doing something outside today.

Todd and his creation

Todd has found a new toy. They are called Magnetix and he and the kids had a fun time making stuff with them.

Alex at Scout-O-Rama

Alex has been excited about being a cub scout since his sisters started girl scouts years ago. He has only been in a pack since February and now, here in April, he is going to the largest scout expo in the world, the Scout-o-Rama. He may look a little subdued, but he was jumping up and down so much I had to get him to calm down a little for the picture.

Alex painting a neckerchief slide. He picked a basketball.

One of Alex's favorite things to do at Scout-o-Rama was earn belt loops. For those who are non-cub scout oriented, belt loops are like merit badges for boy scouts, but much less difficult to obtain. It gives them the taste of earning achievements.

At the Scout-o-Rama, Alex earned his geology, astronomy, computers, science, and geography belt loops. It will be a good pack meeting this month.

Alex making a quail call.

Alex making a first-aid kit.

Hotness

I'm not sure if I should be proud that my son knows how to think-up and deliver lines like this, or a little disturbed. But after the morning session of conference, Alex cuddled up to Alicia and said, "We should have cookies after lunch and cook them on you because you are so hot."

Yeah. Proud and a little disturbed. Do you think that perhaps my commenting about Alicia's hotness and my feeling that she is the most beautiful woman who has ever lived might be influencing Alex? Hmmm... I don't know if I can stop saying those things, but maybe I might need to change where or when I say them.

Priesthood Session

Carl, Erik, Tim, Todd, my dad and I at the spring general conference Priesthood Session. It should be noted though, that those people are sitting in front of us. Carl, Erik, Tim, Todd, and my dad are not pictured.

Pre-Priesthood Session Winger's Outing

This pre-priesthood session Winger's outing was a little special. Except my mother and C.R. and his family, we were all here. Almost as important, all (except Alex) love Winger's. Therefore, we made a one-time exception and allowed everyone to come with us to our pre-priesthood session dinner. As can be expected, it was crazy.

Of course, we didn't hold back in our voracious consumption of one of our favorite foods - wings!

Madeline was almost an equal to the boys in her eating.













The rest of the little ones may not have been wing-a-vores, but they still enjoyed themselves.

Conference is Here!

The Annual Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is here and our family has been enjoying it. Listening to the prophet and apostles is always a treasured and enlightening experience. Living in Utah where this is broadcast over the local television stations allows us the ability to be at home while listening, so the kids get some fun activities to do to help them stay focused.













Alex is working in his conference packet which includes bingo and a word search. Maddie is listing the speakers, their topics, and the color and patterns of their ties.