The Itchy Stuff!

Although I'm driving while shooting pictures,

you can still see the small bumps on Hunter's face.

He went digging for too many balls on Saturday,

and has sprouted a good case of poison something on his face.

Hunter's looking for sympathy!

Spring Picnics

Ritter Park, in Huntington, WV in the spring...

We love going after church,

with a picnic lunch!

The trees are in full bloom, and oh so beautiful!

We don't stay long enough to play on the playground,

but long enough to take a few photos ;-)

No one minds train whistles

blowing

in the park!

Amazingly, the bees weren't all over the blossoms
or the food!

(Click on this photo to view larger, and look at Miller's grin!)

Today we had a guest!

Mom's in town!

Flew in just for spring.
(Porter showering our heads with tree blossoms.)

Such a nice thing to do!

Thanks for sharing, Dad!

Stewardship

My parents were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when I was four. One of my earliest childhood memories I've retained is of my father participating in my blessing as a child of record, in sacrament meeting. Normally this is done when babies are born, and I've never seen it done since, but I was four. My father learned about this blessing, and wanted to make sure we didn't miss out on this opportunity. He wanted to fully embrace all the blessings the gospel offers. Shortly after their baptism my parents moved to Utah so my father could earn a degree at BYU. I'm sure going from a small congregation in New England to a large congregation in Utah was different, perhaps a little intimidating. But I remember my father standing up in sacrament meeting, and saying, "I've been here for four weeks and every single time the sacrament prayers have been said wrong. Would it be possible to pay a little more attention?" As a four year old I thought nothing of it. As I reflect on these two incidents now I realize that when my parents entered the waters of baptism the level of commitment they made was not shallow. They were willing to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places," as it says in Mosiah 18:9. Their determination to do what was right, at all costs, has blessed our family. They knew what they were suppose to do and they did it. The gospel teaches us and gives us tools to be families. The family is an eternal unit. As parents we have stewardship over our children. How grateful I am for the stewardship of my parents and for the choices my parents made for me. "And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life" (Doctrine and Covenants 51:19).

WAKE UP!

I woke with a START this morning.

I heard knocking, and woke with a *gasp*!

"Jarrod, get up! The seminary kids are knocking at our door!

Panic ensues.

Jarrod hops out of bed,

trips on bedcovers,

fumbles for his glasses,

steps on the dog,

runs down the stairs,

and no one is there.

Then I realize what made the knocking sound.

I'm convulsing with laughter in the bed.

I'm hiding under the covers as I was not the one who left its warmth.

It was the dog, scratching an ear,

which made the metal ring on his collar hit the wall.

It was a good morning to serve fried dough.

Sweetened up the early morning rousing!

Look what's hatching on the farm!

We passed the Easter clearance in the store,

and Miller grabbed a BIG yellow duck.

"Miller, put the duck back."

Miller, we're not buying the duck."

Miller, I didnt bring money to buy the duck today."

So much for obedience.

He skipped down the aisle,

throwing the duck in the air and catching it,

and singing to an already chosen name,

Clucky Ducky.

No amount of convincing,

and let's-not-create-a-scene coaxing worked.

Fine.

Let the cashier handle this.

(whisper voice)

"I'm not interested in purchasing the duck.

Could you pretend to scan it, and then make it disappear?"

Miller waited at the end of the conveyor belt,

quickly noticing the duck not enjoying the trip to the bags.

Tears brimmed in his eyes.

"Mom, where's clucky ducky?"

"Miller, you have lots of stuffed animals you can play with

under your crib."

"Mom, those aren't mine."

He was right.

He has a one, green monster, named Fenway.

Call me a softie. I deserve it today.

Meet the newest addition to the farm.

Male Cake Bake

This cake is a couple of bowling lanes,

balls and pins included!

It's the annual male cake bake,

and we had the family's best friend over for the day.

Noah brought home medal with this creation he

found, planned and executed all by himself

(except for Dad's decorating assistance ;-).

Cooper went for the bunny cake,

since it was so close to Easter.

Yummy! Chocolate cake and coconut are a delicious combination!

Happy Birthday Wishes!

Although I love this letter my husband wrote last year more,

this is a sweet poem that honors his father's birthday today.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see,

Or that I hadn't heard,

Life lessons that you taught to me,

But I got every word.
Perhaps you thought I missed it all,

And that we'd grown apart,

But Dad, I picked up everything,

It's written on my heart.
Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be

The man I am today;

You helped build a strong foundation

No one can take away.
So here's to you, dear father,

From your forever grateful kid.

By Joanna Fuchs

www.poemsource.com

Happy Birthday Wishes!

This was the beginning of our

Happy Birthday!

song to Grampy.

This is the end.

Somewhere in the middle

are really silly renditions of the love we have for you.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Easter!

Even big boys like to color eggs.

Tanner's eggplant egg.

Hunter, camera shy, allowed Miller to put in and stir his eggs, since Miller was done in five seconds.

Porter could also be called color-me-egg-for-hours.

A colorful sample.

Cooper went for the long soak method.

Sawyer went for the multiple mixing method.

Miller was color-me-egg-per-second method, but with lots of joy.

3 dozen eggs, 6 eggs per boy, 36 eggs for egg salad sandwiches!

Miller in the community easter egg hunt.

"Mom, I don't want anymore. My basket is too full."

Portsmouth, Ohio

About forty minutes away from us is Portsmouth, Ohio, a town which suffered greatly during the 1937 flood.

After this flood, floodwalls were built, to stem the rise of the river after torential downpours.

This mural depicts the only fatality of the flood, a mother whose boat capsized, and drowned saving her baby, a lady who still lives today.

The murals began with an ad hoc committee, beginning in 1993, and were finished in 2002.

They range from depicting the history of that area, to famous residents that have lived there to the Portsmouth motorcycle club.

Tanner conversing with a friendly local.

Rogers' early years were spent on a farm a short distance away, and an annual festival in his honor is held in the spring, including a tour of his home.

2000 feet of history, 2000 feet of art