tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43272775924078636382024-03-13T17:30:01.424-07:00MiKenzie, Inc.Established 1978.
Mike MacKenzie, President;
Avril MacKenzie, CEO;
Kenneth MacKenzie, Jr. Vice President;
Alexander MacKenzie, Not An Explorer;
Hannah MacKenzie, Palindrome ExpertMichael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-67165719543381372852012-06-16T15:37:00.001-07:002012-06-16T15:37:57.590-07:00Kenny's Birthday We didn't get much for pictures on my birthday, too many people as we had gotten together for Easter at the same time, so I'm skipping on to Kenny's.<br />
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We let Kenny invite friends over this year. We had 10 kids (including ours) whiche made for a busy 3 hours. We had home made pizza and then let them burn off some energy.<br />
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After some crazyness in the basement and back yard we broke out the cake.</div>
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Luigi at Kenny's request.</div>
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Then we openned his presents.</div>
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It was a litte crowded as everyone wanted in close so they could see and sometimes touch.</div>
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After opening this present Kenny said in a very low and flat voice "I always wanted one of these." To me it sounded sarcastic. It wasn't. </div>
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After opening presents Kenny started building some with his friends and a movie was put on. The kids played with and fought over the new toys until it was time to go home.</div>
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All in all a good party.<br />
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The boys worked with daddy to build the rest of the birthday gifts after the kids had left.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-16063001258146065642012-06-16T15:26:00.002-07:002012-06-16T16:16:21.952-07:00Phone Dump<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">My phone was getting crowded with pics and video, so I transferred them all to the computer and deleted most of them from my phone. I was going to dump them on Facebook, but figured this way would be cleaner for all of your news feeds.</span></div>
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We took the kids outside to play in the sprinkler, but Hannah was too scared to actually get wet. When we came back inside, she didn't want to waste being in her swimsuit, so she insisted on having a bath in it.<br />
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Last month, we went outside to play catch. The boys aren't very experienced at this, but they're still young. This video was Alex's turn (we only have one child-sized glove). I'm using the glove that's older than I am that I've been using since I was a kid in Nova Scotia, and Rob and Dad used it before me. My favourite part of the video is when Hannah pushes the slide across the background.<br />
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Hannah was being really cute, so I pulled out my phone to record her. She noticed my phone and immediately stopped doing whatever it was she had been doing and tried to look at the screen. It turned out to be pretty cute, too.<br />
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This video is from this morning. After upsetting the top team in his Under 6 soccer league on Tuesday, Kenny and his team played the second game of their tournament this morning. They played a good game, but ultimately lost by a score of 2-1. He had a lot of fun, though, and that's what matters most. He wears number 29 if you're looking for him in the video.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah in October 2011. She climbed in the tub on her own, so I took a picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9FT-CxKTDd8G3cOF5dtgZcyvttMjy9zeXyNUms5kqNMMuS2_gH5cFYnFThnTmyxIV34BXWLYGmTcQKfD6AUeHYnmXVDIpOJmaMTLxRyOkkv2oNOK3K3UgMjIA3e1UApRbAfrh0cJqNM/s1600/2011-10-10+Hannah+and+Matthew+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9FT-CxKTDd8G3cOF5dtgZcyvttMjy9zeXyNUms5kqNMMuS2_gH5cFYnFThnTmyxIV34BXWLYGmTcQKfD6AUeHYnmXVDIpOJmaMTLxRyOkkv2oNOK3K3UgMjIA3e1UApRbAfrh0cJqNM/s320/2011-10-10+Hannah+and+Matthew+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah and her cousin Matthew. I believe this is at the Laqua's Thanksgiving dinner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJ1E-ekYXPOjxcO-gReeC7WJhftOuRtgv_39Tn1XQC5acWc7SIiiHbUCSuGuLlQEdedmws_PRIwN7LM5ERmYWk-DzebvNIOJTrA0FLAKUmxf07EYrjj46gDIucFv1_bk1GZvOZHILkCk/s1600/2011-11-25+Alex+and+Hannah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJ1E-ekYXPOjxcO-gReeC7WJhftOuRtgv_39Tn1XQC5acWc7SIiiHbUCSuGuLlQEdedmws_PRIwN7LM5ERmYWk-DzebvNIOJTrA0FLAKUmxf07EYrjj46gDIucFv1_bk1GZvOZHILkCk/s320/2011-11-25+Alex+and+Hannah.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Alex and Hannah while we were decorating our Christmas tree. It's a blurry picture, but I like it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iQL1TsZ26SFYDUbIUzjoH5qZLjS7-nErEFPQggYYLNT5sjvyjYtxD5h_n-DXraQQW9XHWSa9KIgBd3HX_dlf7QSfrgrqAPNu1VnHLNLTfLgJS3P05LW0L3yB3_XyafzEHI_aonR0_ls/s1600/2011-11-30+Mike+end+of+Movember+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iQL1TsZ26SFYDUbIUzjoH5qZLjS7-nErEFPQggYYLNT5sjvyjYtxD5h_n-DXraQQW9XHWSa9KIgBd3HX_dlf7QSfrgrqAPNu1VnHLNLTfLgJS3P05LW0L3yB3_XyafzEHI_aonR0_ls/s320/2011-11-30+Mike+end+of+Movember+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my mustache at the end of Movember.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUEiH9oeVD1liPErYty3wtK_XjJT7Xhu3H_cKSTrClO9OCq-LAvx8l1jW1wfmQTJKOxeeMZM7lXfIiALTJ_lZ6ZGeCNMcJiT96Rtgd5CG70GQFnGP28CyM99cnl6jvqr3ykOQKh0vEqc/s1600/2012-01-20+Lucy,+Jane,+Kenny,+Alex+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUEiH9oeVD1liPErYty3wtK_XjJT7Xhu3H_cKSTrClO9OCq-LAvx8l1jW1wfmQTJKOxeeMZM7lXfIiALTJ_lZ6ZGeCNMcJiT96Rtgd5CG70GQFnGP28CyM99cnl6jvqr3ykOQKh0vEqc/s320/2012-01-20+Lucy,+Jane,+Kenny,+Alex+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy Laqua, Jane Laqua, Kenny, and Alex. This was at Grampa's birthday party.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT16-OiwuD2910vfia84wiQ-hL72WmoquYiiJmcQ7w6hPnIDcJmZFaTnxf7EZrwAj-fNoUnRk54iylvELd279mHtoLMU4DGiLTGTsbgbDEGQRj8yuMXJS-NDpi3z3uA4Er-sD2G0BW7Ps/s1600/2012-01-20+Avril+(Don's+birthday).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT16-OiwuD2910vfia84wiQ-hL72WmoquYiiJmcQ7w6hPnIDcJmZFaTnxf7EZrwAj-fNoUnRk54iylvELd279mHtoLMU4DGiLTGTsbgbDEGQRj8yuMXJS-NDpi3z3uA4Er-sD2G0BW7Ps/s320/2012-01-20+Avril+(Don's+birthday).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is Avril at that same party.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt60h3mKx_RcsmbjwsPGHfSVNqX6LLGGx2PKbTGGdI9PjgVIqOmi4VcYwUrkXuxMsyMWFUjKwle1pRpzmzL_WBekVPS1Z5-WvXSmf-LTowyjV3Y208KVa0dbju-CFq3sUJWGTNhEeXHc/s1600/2012-03-02+Bronies+and+Pegasisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt60h3mKx_RcsmbjwsPGHfSVNqX6LLGGx2PKbTGGdI9PjgVIqOmi4VcYwUrkXuxMsyMWFUjKwle1pRpzmzL_WBekVPS1Z5-WvXSmf-LTowyjV3Y208KVa0dbju-CFq3sUJWGTNhEeXHc/s320/2012-03-02+Bronies+and+Pegasisters.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic as a family.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwH-1b3grGILhBSOgQV4vBSHsh1ESfZeTvxb7L2sX0vEp6OzSXPUonbcxFkBqFxyl0ah-eXPOpivonkSyjHdoVg53KwVJ5Pzzz5OSUdV1YhoAKIPuFHx_GYZznHW5Or3XV2khPxhmRBY/s1600/2012-04-21+Alex+and+Jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwH-1b3grGILhBSOgQV4vBSHsh1ESfZeTvxb7L2sX0vEp6OzSXPUonbcxFkBqFxyl0ah-eXPOpivonkSyjHdoVg53KwVJ5Pzzz5OSUdV1YhoAKIPuFHx_GYZznHW5Or3XV2khPxhmRBY/s320/2012-04-21+Alex+and+Jackson.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex and Jackson, Great-Grandma's dog.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_VRyTKI9hEehs2J06XcBdM8IjCT0SNJ2RGEN7GPYx3VnwUjDRB7IcSbD5P2j9KKy-hQfgB0KWa9lfbGOcLqTk321dPZQ8owoy9jX0nFekd0mB8ZK7yM9m98L17wqLhX6Rij4CQn-dGM/s1600/2012-04-27+Kenny+(second+from+right)+Kindergarten+assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_VRyTKI9hEehs2J06XcBdM8IjCT0SNJ2RGEN7GPYx3VnwUjDRB7IcSbD5P2j9KKy-hQfgB0KWa9lfbGOcLqTk321dPZQ8owoy9jX0nFekd0mB8ZK7yM9m98L17wqLhX6Rij4CQn-dGM/s320/2012-04-27+Kenny+(second+from+right)+Kindergarten+assembly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenny's kindergarten class putting on a presentation. He's the second kid from the right.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HHOib9W-A3MEmtjLAnlFOa7mmoKoetfetrh7pbSnLZ5xquRq8jBQJbOhA_jRSwtVcemedBy6zcd8tTCe3zlsKsYsJixpo3eQ7IPb8Z9J1DZ1mVybGLseN6mHx4bNNBLEahHoJeLgxwM/s1600/2012-05-23Avril's+new+haircut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HHOib9W-A3MEmtjLAnlFOa7mmoKoetfetrh7pbSnLZ5xquRq8jBQJbOhA_jRSwtVcemedBy6zcd8tTCe3zlsKsYsJixpo3eQ7IPb8Z9J1DZ1mVybGLseN6mHx4bNNBLEahHoJeLgxwM/s320/2012-05-23Avril's+new+haircut.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avril, whose hair had been long for quite some time, got her hair cut after work one day, and I made her drop by the motel to show me before she went home.</td></tr>
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</div>Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-24328506538006459732012-04-03T19:40:00.005-07:002012-04-03T19:58:07.703-07:00Hannah's 2!The boys had their birthdays and then it was Hannah's turn. Not wanting to wait two days to have her party we took it to Mike's work and had Pizza and Cake in the HoJo lobby.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7VfY9Gm_hM50afkZQtzKmJgcH3YoXwUdSSwwldV2VTuNVT71I27tQIphnCQhO4ov8f3VEjskseOAGsq6Ro8cryj_a0ygBvG2yLuGOf6Ee5fL2up6y1mXvEzqx9r8J1CVKmKuE8mIokDj/s1600/DSCF2143.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7VfY9Gm_hM50afkZQtzKmJgcH3YoXwUdSSwwldV2VTuNVT71I27tQIphnCQhO4ov8f3VEjskseOAGsq6Ro8cryj_a0ygBvG2yLuGOf6Ee5fL2up6y1mXvEzqx9r8J1CVKmKuE8mIokDj/s320/DSCF2143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727371280387056786" border="0" /></a><br />Hannah as been enamoured with her Hello Kitty stuffy since she got it for Christmas so we put her on the cake. Complete with sugary sweet Skittles.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMK-Ru43ZxvD9RJqZ20PNtjDoGFDYPNZmIGLYaMUGECleQzpfLr_xhJfjSMNskXwdYjcC0zaxevGn4FJrnGNLQYgko3CHtMDmNCweAGVtoEIchAdV4K8t-nbhffLpdb7SeXdRgxPqVf11/s1600/DSCF2152.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMK-Ru43ZxvD9RJqZ20PNtjDoGFDYPNZmIGLYaMUGECleQzpfLr_xhJfjSMNskXwdYjcC0zaxevGn4FJrnGNLQYgko3CHtMDmNCweAGVtoEIchAdV4K8t-nbhffLpdb7SeXdRgxPqVf11/s320/DSCF2152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727371289009823506" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfwxgMJTTgB3BWLFMHqg8twWg8Tl4yJhAT_b9pq9o-LTIBxYc_Dq9AO3ow8yON6FtcUMNaaS-1is4qnwG2lHuE08mAzcgx8uVXnGk52pa5-RAeniMyH6_-3bGcZlIPLX-6sKMG0FcMXDB/s1600/DSCF2155.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfwxgMJTTgB3BWLFMHqg8twWg8Tl4yJhAT_b9pq9o-LTIBxYc_Dq9AO3ow8yON6FtcUMNaaS-1is4qnwG2lHuE08mAzcgx8uVXnGk52pa5-RAeniMyH6_-3bGcZlIPLX-6sKMG0FcMXDB/s320/DSCF2155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727371299469961954" border="0" /></a><br />We couldn't convince her to blow the candles out herself, so I had to help. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6qaiBSuSo-2bDqFVAZ32PPsnC9he66B7danooP_pcZshrOMJRn81-Cep_SR1QxJ3T0t5-iDTT9e53aGkiJlGhQj6fHf665RUfTBp_BTIQL2sK8oaCqmQhQCLidaS6XV4Nm1rPw8e2WHc/s1600/DSCF2156.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6qaiBSuSo-2bDqFVAZ32PPsnC9he66B7danooP_pcZshrOMJRn81-Cep_SR1QxJ3T0t5-iDTT9e53aGkiJlGhQj6fHf665RUfTBp_BTIQL2sK8oaCqmQhQCLidaS6XV4Nm1rPw8e2WHc/s320/DSCF2156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727371308122747010" border="0" /></a>As soon as we took the cake away to cut it, she started the blow. Silly girl.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELO29MhaVzvDuCJiiOoibHe2gL9P5_W5b_F-4I-onEnXD_K1Vc5dDobMG0MBBG8_I3nEfyMthnSfghVGYzbXhHKN-SzfytnUBOKvk13pGAs_gYLcRLCRezDqzBAj3ZWutreAE_vXpEuJt/s1600/DSCF2157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELO29MhaVzvDuCJiiOoibHe2gL9P5_W5b_F-4I-onEnXD_K1Vc5dDobMG0MBBG8_I3nEfyMthnSfghVGYzbXhHKN-SzfytnUBOKvk13pGAs_gYLcRLCRezDqzBAj3ZWutreAE_vXpEuJt/s320/DSCF2157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727372084614600418" border="0" /></a><br />My father build her big birthday present. He built one for me when I was little and it was one of my favorite toys. My kids don't know what to do with a present if it doesn't come wrapped.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti-ERfMD1sY9dmv2jLW2oudI9aKuap-BHM23PEzNo3hXisw_KxSea0uW8_TVi0tM-6tZtD7Au1x2C_HrHw_vW-E2hhx4LHt9_UpQ6TrHyx2YQFJd2rVZunk2vZnyl7hMc6Nhogvu0mpUp/s1600/DSCF2163.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti-ERfMD1sY9dmv2jLW2oudI9aKuap-BHM23PEzNo3hXisw_KxSea0uW8_TVi0tM-6tZtD7Au1x2C_HrHw_vW-E2hhx4LHt9_UpQ6TrHyx2YQFJd2rVZunk2vZnyl7hMc6Nhogvu0mpUp/s320/DSCF2163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727372091145530530" border="0" /></a><br />Alex helped me wrap this one and was very eager to help Hannah unwrap it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdn6sg_AtbRBpEUWIuSG4Fa_WSJ5gqJ4yAQprrClPOYY2H1O9qpGG2z0kCuXzVCoZbTllfjhVbkpE0PorBNnddKgdAX-WIA1Di4nE9uWfSgHpyH4PdmteQjvNR5m9odnvsHyGhvAZ_Imy/s1600/DSCF2195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdn6sg_AtbRBpEUWIuSG4Fa_WSJ5gqJ4yAQprrClPOYY2H1O9qpGG2z0kCuXzVCoZbTllfjhVbkpE0PorBNnddKgdAX-WIA1Di4nE9uWfSgHpyH4PdmteQjvNR5m9odnvsHyGhvAZ_Imy/s320/DSCF2195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727372098252774562" border="0" /></a><br />She got some small accessories for her kitchen as well as some clothing and a Hello Kitty movie (which Alex watches at least twice a day.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNFoDfIBveRoexBsnI1CW15j3sw37oho9mRv21z4p5XLADnZL4GhMNaq9d_OEmJmWmvT1jyE74hIv9cPjIsacgtxBoSmVoQQy6VZUTSXvnUb57zzsijWekdBsVxz9qedM1pfKZE44r5nx/s1600/DSCF2190.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNFoDfIBveRoexBsnI1CW15j3sw37oho9mRv21z4p5XLADnZL4GhMNaq9d_OEmJmWmvT1jyE74hIv9cPjIsacgtxBoSmVoQQy6VZUTSXvnUb57zzsijWekdBsVxz9qedM1pfKZE44r5nx/s320/DSCF2190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727372096303168162" border="0" /></a><br />My baby girl is now 2.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-38510607779575613202012-03-24T17:12:00.008-07:002012-03-24T17:43:46.818-07:00Birthday BoysIt's nearing the end of March which means we have two birthday boys in the house. Mike had a nice quite party. We were planning on going to visit his family and have a big bash, but we all got sick. We celebrated a few days early, before the colds set in in ernest, with just us.<br /><br />Mike made his mother's cake. This time we added some chocloate chips to his icing for extra goodness. Mmmmmm.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeSy1g4V1Qtf-7evSB6PmyCzcwapgt-nic7ObfJIRHzAKmd5Zt4NxR6Hlmo0coxFyUT8mGEZ_tNET2khKy6PuP2-VcdGPAGN9JnbXTYb9G6dZXjYF0LhyvDKlXK8IuqbFl0g7jF-90NCH/s1600/DSCF2017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeSy1g4V1Qtf-7evSB6PmyCzcwapgt-nic7ObfJIRHzAKmd5Zt4NxR6Hlmo0coxFyUT8mGEZ_tNET2khKy6PuP2-VcdGPAGN9JnbXTYb9G6dZXjYF0LhyvDKlXK8IuqbFl0g7jF-90NCH/s320/DSCF2017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723622168816724754" border="0" /></a><br />A few presents from the family.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltokczyNp5MiRPlswZ3G-MXDX5l0N9xUr595e0X60SlRiD76SnmAhyphenhyphenZT-1NeX_v2BM_jh2sjhxMDEVE0enGpQr2CFin717HxhyMqaoar7th9ivcIt2CJ35BqvV7CCu5ZP3d7m5RMugpKI/s1600/DSCF2022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltokczyNp5MiRPlswZ3G-MXDX5l0N9xUr595e0X60SlRiD76SnmAhyphenhyphenZT-1NeX_v2BM_jh2sjhxMDEVE0enGpQr2CFin717HxhyMqaoar7th9ivcIt2CJ35BqvV7CCu5ZP3d7m5RMugpKI/s320/DSCF2022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723622175021554914" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfyx3ik4691gbB06eyh2CCoJJER0KoLCEwJKAvouo8oflwbknM6kBjMpi-t7ic1CeCjcu7AcVh3HSimeDK4utWpy3A0g8LcSwe6YCqCqm3Vg639KT8DamLnNad2BIYc_3X20v36BN9mID/s1600/DSCF2030.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfyx3ik4691gbB06eyh2CCoJJER0KoLCEwJKAvouo8oflwbknM6kBjMpi-t7ic1CeCjcu7AcVh3HSimeDK4utWpy3A0g8LcSwe6YCqCqm3Vg639KT8DamLnNad2BIYc_3X20v36BN9mID/s320/DSCF2030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723622186080343330" border="0" /></a><br />And a nice hug to end it all off.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PeYTfvRj5KmG6qpE_wCjccZ18O0YvvJ8NxDQCOlp8IJEm1PLZlSPzzvlp7Jb-FM10P7imZy6TUcyiEeRfN0AGEZd9P3qobwamb6xnQoSkruONvIeQOfBn19qucI6zHTYWA2D02svhjx-/s1600/DSCF2037.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PeYTfvRj5KmG6qpE_wCjccZ18O0YvvJ8NxDQCOlp8IJEm1PLZlSPzzvlp7Jb-FM10P7imZy6TUcyiEeRfN0AGEZd9P3qobwamb6xnQoSkruONvIeQOfBn19qucI6zHTYWA2D02svhjx-/s320/DSCF2037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723622199846921266" border="0" /></a><br />Alex had a little bigger afair. Not much cause were still a little sick and I like to keep things small. We opened presents before cake this time. Alex was very excited to get a box from Gramie and Papa.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD8ghLGrLYh8hBEcITQ38uLk0uUr6Bg3Zk-7j5aRdhR9okOP77k69A1SOTyLeBdWKJpHp9qs6ae_rUxxmjDiCInDtF2KhHb3cwwW8GNMCeXvezRU7mQDUy0QhTNyQi8PfXIwhd6GAN5cb/s1600/DSCF2078.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD8ghLGrLYh8hBEcITQ38uLk0uUr6Bg3Zk-7j5aRdhR9okOP77k69A1SOTyLeBdWKJpHp9qs6ae_rUxxmjDiCInDtF2KhHb3cwwW8GNMCeXvezRU7mQDUy0QhTNyQi8PfXIwhd6GAN5cb/s320/DSCF2078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723623825439631762" border="0" /></a><br />He was even more excited when daddy opened the box to reveal the gift inside ('cause he was happy with the colourful box and stopped).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjVWYxmHNifqCUDbecfmBH0AMdL0A9vAW5eMt3UQZQoYLWGiYxYGQ4k5Br2foBJb6kaMzTOF3tYei4qJ0a0Li3bnrAoWeIksdSagPY1cxcaizCpEgNHhT7wmPq6a2P5wU1i_tDwhq2mV9/s1600/DSCF2083.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjVWYxmHNifqCUDbecfmBH0AMdL0A9vAW5eMt3UQZQoYLWGiYxYGQ4k5Br2foBJb6kaMzTOF3tYei4qJ0a0Li3bnrAoWeIksdSagPY1cxcaizCpEgNHhT7wmPq6a2P5wU1i_tDwhq2mV9/s320/DSCF2083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723623830504362050" border="0" /></a>Our presents were set up in a treasure hut.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS05XTMx33ct_-0NWlzf_6UEOd7Lh3LNiIvu9obc8x6pR4whTlW_JF9xsRFNSnxlpAxknIpSJP6FBqxNJni9B82DYVnLRKcxit-ULh8yr_33CJFYjKyqWd5f9OAItxJNBG9tL_4XGVcC6P/s1600/DSCF2091.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS05XTMx33ct_-0NWlzf_6UEOd7Lh3LNiIvu9obc8x6pR4whTlW_JF9xsRFNSnxlpAxknIpSJP6FBqxNJni9B82DYVnLRKcxit-ULh8yr_33CJFYjKyqWd5f9OAItxJNBG9tL_4XGVcC6P/s320/DSCF2091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723623842815878002" border="0" /></a>First they set off for Hannah bedroom...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uRiyul3JsW2C44O8dehtNATTJie_Cb5MXBGCtrp7JGxmp2tRb-j8aerRozEOCdqR9GteONSEfVEqlAykqDHTNGdMjZ2SoVuTBzt84T8W5tIM_BrvyP3G9Lu9Ed4k4w45uYVGt7mLqXip/s1600/DSCF2094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uRiyul3JsW2C44O8dehtNATTJie_Cb5MXBGCtrp7JGxmp2tRb-j8aerRozEOCdqR9GteONSEfVEqlAykqDHTNGdMjZ2SoVuTBzt84T8W5tIM_BrvyP3G9Lu9Ed4k4w45uYVGt7mLqXip/s320/DSCF2094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723623857052348850" border="0" /></a><br />Where Alex got...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09E0hpNZddjX2IqV1d1iFGhONleKer-aWPzajvsXGjrGygQxbKLI4xq5PZJbP21MrUXtQ-yxrr0APNKlouX7cQ32E1SyCPJr_Ugr8AXRpKHk0ndNzM5bH7HMtEsqdAiUcYpdmEKwDFANs/s1600/DSCF2099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09E0hpNZddjX2IqV1d1iFGhONleKer-aWPzajvsXGjrGygQxbKLI4xq5PZJbP21MrUXtQ-yxrr0APNKlouX7cQ32E1SyCPJr_Ugr8AXRpKHk0ndNzM5bH7HMtEsqdAiUcYpdmEKwDFANs/s320/DSCF2099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723623865356043730" border="0" /></a>Which took us down the the boys' room...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKw-YuaCya-lZxKyRFYVNO9xko3UMXH8tQFrgQ4SUOzdEiwDc0nQOT9kTSb7J6NLOJK5F6VX_3Gqr8nXa6_tZ8HedNuSwxnvNtO5-2Jde1w2zmmzktJ-XoEtw_8kqt9ZtaRKuMD_8Wzipy/s1600/DSCF2101.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKw-YuaCya-lZxKyRFYVNO9xko3UMXH8tQFrgQ4SUOzdEiwDc0nQOT9kTSb7J6NLOJK5F6VX_3Gqr8nXa6_tZ8HedNuSwxnvNtO5-2Jde1w2zmmzktJ-XoEtw_8kqt9ZtaRKuMD_8Wzipy/s320/DSCF2101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723625902220866210" border="0" /></a><br />Where Alex got...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30igg71JVu1r5l-mImc2F_vu_WDFotdK8Qkc88UasadmWCoN1TsQQoc2Zzm9k0wdzfD7Qb0vJUy86Is5dBDFRngVvPOdjiyXivgF1Y9iL7XZjeYTpC-47a7Iiia_MIxQRJeP5aQAafIF_/s1600/DSCF2106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30igg71JVu1r5l-mImc2F_vu_WDFotdK8Qkc88UasadmWCoN1TsQQoc2Zzm9k0wdzfD7Qb0vJUy86Is5dBDFRngVvPOdjiyXivgF1Y9iL7XZjeYTpC-47a7Iiia_MIxQRJeP5aQAafIF_/s320/DSCF2106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723625907207362962" border="0" /></a>So we could go outside...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqbAgvMZa_CqWf-OlgPFhRY6IH0Am0FmGBhD9EW8MQFSH9ngwAmIU91bcqxxIDPiywgTRb0sHosQSh0T0D8jyOpDA-07RxVIKMq9DAX34dTOawvgeMRytmsYv3QhiXCZEcpQY-mWkjk37/s1600/DSCF2111.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqbAgvMZa_CqWf-OlgPFhRY6IH0Am0FmGBhD9EW8MQFSH9ngwAmIU91bcqxxIDPiywgTRb0sHosQSh0T0D8jyOpDA-07RxVIKMq9DAX34dTOawvgeMRytmsYv3QhiXCZEcpQY-mWkjk37/s320/DSCF2111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723625911647721394" border="0" /></a>Which took us to the back yard...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieUMqzSPws2LKBjqrOwNoztDJO633Mkd5DR9MTCKHpCxk7wN4NFjVK2g0STYn_qQmOY_AtCT_C26sUOch2P3NnSFkez5Gbrabt13GDjROqTz3h6sD4fFsLecP2NzJjt9VmRu8nWYhZGqY/s1600/DSCF2117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieUMqzSPws2LKBjqrOwNoztDJO633Mkd5DR9MTCKHpCxk7wN4NFjVK2g0STYn_qQmOY_AtCT_C26sUOch2P3NnSFkez5Gbrabt13GDjROqTz3h6sD4fFsLecP2NzJjt9VmRu8nWYhZGqY/s320/DSCF2117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723625922160892642" border="0" /></a>Where the treasure was "hidden".<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDq8Lpmyb0TLjylby6XpvEn6Z_g1jYNNBqiaQ2SkEiZ5kKOrSSvFbx5T-exPXyC67ILD8QF_t_g7mu8wvA1hQ0Pwi8IbMQWNgTmZZpPih4CgiyPa8_pipi9hEpmWNaM9eyOx4mDFmYMgf/s1600/DSCF2119.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDq8Lpmyb0TLjylby6XpvEn6Z_g1jYNNBqiaQ2SkEiZ5kKOrSSvFbx5T-exPXyC67ILD8QF_t_g7mu8wvA1hQ0Pwi8IbMQWNgTmZZpPih4CgiyPa8_pipi9hEpmWNaM9eyOx4mDFmYMgf/s320/DSCF2119.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723625924682540770" border="0" /></a><br />Once Alex had warmed up, we had some cake.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FCORhVJ5g51mbopnUIQDMq-cUmyBXx_B8N0S_53nqh0WFCbIjYILhmLZr_FT_vTUUUm9DaCxVYkIXbRKNAyZh4tfafPhEIkC-9pSBMmjmx-VuJrWWDplz3bzKvr1AF4k42-zaU2nhIVQ/s1600/DSCF2126.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FCORhVJ5g51mbopnUIQDMq-cUmyBXx_B8N0S_53nqh0WFCbIjYILhmLZr_FT_vTUUUm9DaCxVYkIXbRKNAyZh4tfafPhEIkC-9pSBMmjmx-VuJrWWDplz3bzKvr1AF4k42-zaU2nhIVQ/s320/DSCF2126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723626580381969442" border="0" /></a><br />And Alex reveiled he has 1 love interest. He is pretty tight lipped about it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lbLp37hqQeoKq4o2IG0A2lB6KnnlNjZ63CMlb7eeFHCWmAHq0KLBZma1qmqgk4ywFjGImYnNHWdFH3YIvs1q0n5XXjBYyBtvxuRj3eAGE-hAXukEB1PCM_HnPmCBNSK8XBr023jn2ASC/s1600/DSCF2125.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lbLp37hqQeoKq4o2IG0A2lB6KnnlNjZ63CMlb7eeFHCWmAHq0KLBZma1qmqgk4ywFjGImYnNHWdFH3YIvs1q0n5XXjBYyBtvxuRj3eAGE-hAXukEB1PCM_HnPmCBNSK8XBr023jn2ASC/s320/DSCF2125.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723626571416373138" border="0" /></a>After a few sword fights in the front room...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTegTafeNu_u0Pgoh7r37Cg4D0Rk9Y-rpxqpyLCLoOYjFmObzQ2sGL800083Q1j4ov0y3LOpCYIIp_PahKsT37EMLflLPBuytqjwydA-m-8T6FfW0yTI_gEuLWwwys9VFQwNpuKIXEhu2/s1600/DSCF2128.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTegTafeNu_u0Pgoh7r37Cg4D0Rk9Y-rpxqpyLCLoOYjFmObzQ2sGL800083Q1j4ov0y3LOpCYIIp_PahKsT37EMLflLPBuytqjwydA-m-8T6FfW0yTI_gEuLWwwys9VFQwNpuKIXEhu2/s320/DSCF2128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723626581529190642" border="0" /></a>we broke up the party and Mike went to work, leaving us to have a nice quite afternoon at home. If only Hannah would stop hitting the Birthday Boy.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-24053979459450984832011-07-30T18:08:00.000-07:002011-07-30T18:16:07.686-07:00TrampolineMy brother moved last year and his new yard is just too small. So small that they had to give up their trampoline. We are now the proud owners of a trampoline. Thanks guys...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-myOM_vWnUqSkizGrLevjYRSJR-NpQ340o72akzfAYMt_emW0yfPPczQXTjPi35F_FtiYpoJdtfzo9XDHOdAXPdVi2n91IqghGV2yrkcMG4ZMsHI_O4s934iipBa1DXUxZWtxejQoCwK/s1600/DSCF0587.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-myOM_vWnUqSkizGrLevjYRSJR-NpQ340o72akzfAYMt_emW0yfPPczQXTjPi35F_FtiYpoJdtfzo9XDHOdAXPdVi2n91IqghGV2yrkcMG4ZMsHI_O4s934iipBa1DXUxZWtxejQoCwK/s320/DSCF0587.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635318085713298658" border="0" /></a><br />I'm sure it will case many accidents in the future, but it will also bring huge amounts of joy and burn so much kiddy energy. So here's to summer fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsjVCN2H-YucpNWoYZp_dob0NFdNN5fQnPxdorEmRU9Z-3Ex2kmbPr1gfZeKDU_edPlUZr0de3PpAGyZM23lro1Yx2iCM_QnxfmPQ_DIF6OWeC-COzz06faU9ww6E7jQJ7BL59NAbZKmQ/s1600/DSCF0600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsjVCN2H-YucpNWoYZp_dob0NFdNN5fQnPxdorEmRU9Z-3Ex2kmbPr1gfZeKDU_edPlUZr0de3PpAGyZM23lro1Yx2iCM_QnxfmPQ_DIF6OWeC-COzz06faU9ww6E7jQJ7BL59NAbZKmQ/s320/DSCF0600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635318098738701506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnamNaJjaTRvEeZW3u7nyijpgPThbtnh_Cs9Eql13QCoQbwH3lpMuqCT17anD4Uo1nXCBIeZcJpTQqmtOwLP-3CovMWo7MvTC7EBGYeJ5KbOrc4bCj8TO3qZEVNOQde24UuXq677eATX6/s1600/DSCF0589.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnamNaJjaTRvEeZW3u7nyijpgPThbtnh_Cs9Eql13QCoQbwH3lpMuqCT17anD4Uo1nXCBIeZcJpTQqmtOwLP-3CovMWo7MvTC7EBGYeJ5KbOrc4bCj8TO3qZEVNOQde24UuXq677eATX6/s320/DSCF0589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635318090386094594" border="0" /></a>Oh, on a side note, Hannah's becoming and escape artist, so watch out.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-57890229818431084542011-07-30T17:10:00.000-07:002011-07-30T17:52:15.621-07:00Kenny's Birthday?Yes it's been two months. Time to play catch up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuXF_9t_B5gMXUWcenFIrUJP08t6wULGELUn0GTaFAVt7CeiY1V7OgXjr74f1KN9z15xelCQq9dnt487rf7C_9D_JNvz6WEiLFoSg0uhlUZopXUe34QGr3Xjl0yorxdAggkRusc1js9Da/s1600/DSCF0422.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuXF_9t_B5gMXUWcenFIrUJP08t6wULGELUn0GTaFAVt7CeiY1V7OgXjr74f1KN9z15xelCQq9dnt487rf7C_9D_JNvz6WEiLFoSg0uhlUZopXUe34QGr3Xjl0yorxdAggkRusc1js9Da/s320/DSCF0422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635306188447842066" border="0" /></a><br />Kenny's birthday was June 2. It was a Thursday so to accommodate work schedules we had an early lunch party. Nothing spectacular or extra special just some friends and family. Gramma and Grampa made their special pizza dough at Kenny's request.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmXRV6yXVwwlY1OkwdlXeHuHDKtm-Kem8i4BlD1DWmQE-7QpON9hjr_XAxfUSWQpDJ-CCLtkhp7SX4kGglLMuTeQoE3DlbIJqjazItv-1AmeJqaXcNWdeS7FPyiV4ch-q6PC2eAzoLia5/s1600/DSCF0420.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmXRV6yXVwwlY1OkwdlXeHuHDKtm-Kem8i4BlD1DWmQE-7QpON9hjr_XAxfUSWQpDJ-CCLtkhp7SX4kGglLMuTeQoE3DlbIJqjazItv-1AmeJqaXcNWdeS7FPyiV4ch-q6PC2eAzoLia5/s320/DSCF0420.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635306185883153042" border="0" /></a><br />We followed pizza with presents. Here Kenny is opening the one Alex picked for him. A couple of laser guns that Alex loves a much as Kenny does.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9CAYUGBxkBTplhCJEM_g1DgxSUFxIIM9NAdEEc9CXLHdQP0JAYkYUa-JtmuHjj_7H0R8mqvGpWaxWdsojKLFWQG_MoqnPPnFQRJuSuFzcbijJ90z1a80-sri8tK9wurTaG03h9-cDSkq/s1600/DSCF0425.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9CAYUGBxkBTplhCJEM_g1DgxSUFxIIM9NAdEEc9CXLHdQP0JAYkYUa-JtmuHjj_7H0R8mqvGpWaxWdsojKLFWQG_MoqnPPnFQRJuSuFzcbijJ90z1a80-sri8tK9wurTaG03h9-cDSkq/s320/DSCF0425.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635306198127982386" border="0" /></a>And here he is after opening the one from Mom and Dad. Does he look excited to you?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eV5CHQyHxxA0u_FwBIanR4wnEOp6k6mqRY5MC-pLOlAVok7UnxGbqIH6-26Vuhb3u3b-UA7_tZxYgxokQSWDyJMzGK_BaiibJsw3Qzynzy5FGidDAmQiJHkgP1F5uSRT4DVDAXFzAjC_/s1600/DSCF0449.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eV5CHQyHxxA0u_FwBIanR4wnEOp6k6mqRY5MC-pLOlAVok7UnxGbqIH6-26Vuhb3u3b-UA7_tZxYgxokQSWDyJMzGK_BaiibJsw3Qzynzy5FGidDAmQiJHkgP1F5uSRT4DVDAXFzAjC_/s320/DSCF0449.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635306202040977026" border="0" /></a><br />For his cake this year I made some rich chocolate brownies to go in home made chocolate bowls. The brownies were a little heavy for the bowls but so delicious.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbpGSuS-rwGGIU2W4FdVfHkHtdQQ5p6WY-xHxd2lFVrIVgp7GHQ7bkjiC4zda6uafSw-A4hUCw36lTRK4bfx5qPnaRUf1K1oY_jj_gcv3j8o-ApR3UEsW2CrgkiOqx9I-vTFI4hX89uwi/s1600/DSCF0464.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbpGSuS-rwGGIU2W4FdVfHkHtdQQ5p6WY-xHxd2lFVrIVgp7GHQ7bkjiC4zda6uafSw-A4hUCw36lTRK4bfx5qPnaRUf1K1oY_jj_gcv3j8o-ApR3UEsW2CrgkiOqx9I-vTFI4hX89uwi/s320/DSCF0464.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635307484193610674" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqIvKegDg8GEOqPMV7GLBsqrEFoLFdM7ICxbjLRiVundIZMdXDZt3vyJH9wRj1CSYOh-fNzDCaUDl-ogpflBytl61kwg9B3GB47a1I-O4NcVtNnNIGmFCHcxV0j-IU8ZrNnoyUklKA9Vb/s1600/DSCF0470.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqIvKegDg8GEOqPMV7GLBsqrEFoLFdM7ICxbjLRiVundIZMdXDZt3vyJH9wRj1CSYOh-fNzDCaUDl-ogpflBytl61kwg9B3GB47a1I-O4NcVtNnNIGmFCHcxV0j-IU8ZrNnoyUklKA9Vb/s320/DSCF0470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635307490707831746" border="0" /></a><br />Hannah had just a little too much "fun" with her cake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh8-HZ-G_591YNPX4iD8KCS8KQ4u-6pa6jIU8_ZckrhnuWALrLUiq9Rtsyq-lbXxF0M1voSFF7R8jiuTIDWm3jiBzj1GgnmE2ql8PoWD2B1vd7NJST_IT1yT0c3P8h1N_VhK2y6egjaJP/s1600/DSCF0476.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh8-HZ-G_591YNPX4iD8KCS8KQ4u-6pa6jIU8_ZckrhnuWALrLUiq9Rtsyq-lbXxF0M1voSFF7R8jiuTIDWm3jiBzj1GgnmE2ql8PoWD2B1vd7NJST_IT1yT0c3P8h1N_VhK2y6egjaJP/s320/DSCF0476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635307501062714578" border="0" /></a><br />Then it was time to play with the new toys. Here's Kenny with his cousin/best friend Isaac playing with his new guns.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDi0yvaG6bdSICmxL5WfKADbnNxxAaHNXtPE4QBYjR2QuK8KzTnWAFDSPquFl1pqidEufv_lyPBK3gFzBIsySEaOz_uT2iuJGXO5dAyJIdhJPLo5XekiJek5aV38sKPP_xvjUXDFS6-0Cc/s1600/DSCF0491.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDi0yvaG6bdSICmxL5WfKADbnNxxAaHNXtPE4QBYjR2QuK8KzTnWAFDSPquFl1pqidEufv_lyPBK3gFzBIsySEaOz_uT2iuJGXO5dAyJIdhJPLo5XekiJek5aV38sKPP_xvjUXDFS6-0Cc/s320/DSCF0491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635308392249966866" border="0" /></a><br />Kenny with cousins Lucy and Matea experimenting with his new game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjT12zaL7C9o95a1vWyZXy3E-DRzAtKJ00UlRnaTPKTxlmrlVMcaGQ44E1ydNBhiZS-uZhWzdTaLIUq9NshZNZbdSyVcXISQvNSSCQmiP2zAQGDFhr66YFiFxMd_eCzLlZfndNj38PwDr/s1600/DSCF0505.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjT12zaL7C9o95a1vWyZXy3E-DRzAtKJ00UlRnaTPKTxlmrlVMcaGQ44E1ydNBhiZS-uZhWzdTaLIUq9NshZNZbdSyVcXISQvNSSCQmiP2zAQGDFhr66YFiFxMd_eCzLlZfndNj38PwDr/s320/DSCF0505.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635308384348570386" border="0" /></a><br />Kenny also got several learning activity book so when the party was over we cracked those open. He does so good and has almost complete them all. Good thing this one is reusable. If you expand the picture you can actually read what he's written.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR_LvdW7wWD1C4bU_T2oqNo51KjypK0b3LpJonm3Zr4xCz6-Jt0VFfl1wJi_CS534r7oqY6Z1Y_x7VbZw1wQy4EAe0qaRx3WL9AJVru-jxdxZwuzDFpyyV5I0dBCqoxm_smgggkKs2GH3/s1600/DSCF0507.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR_LvdW7wWD1C4bU_T2oqNo51KjypK0b3LpJonm3Zr4xCz6-Jt0VFfl1wJi_CS534r7oqY6Z1Y_x7VbZw1wQy4EAe0qaRx3WL9AJVru-jxdxZwuzDFpyyV5I0dBCqoxm_smgggkKs2GH3/s320/DSCF0507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635308397155516098" border="0" /></a>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-62493292377837911012011-07-05T19:46:00.000-07:002011-07-06T07:16:40.763-07:00Why I'm Still a Mormon<div style="color: white;"><b>Note: This is not intended to convince anyone to join or leave the Church. This is simply me explaining to people (mostly my family) why I am still a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are so many people in my life with varying opinions and associations in the Church, so I just want to make it known where I stand.</b></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The first 18 years of my life went pretty much the way they did for most other LDS kids. I was born to a couple who were married in the temple and who raised my brother and sisters to be active members of the Church. We were taught to follow the commandments, to sustain Church leaders, to pay an honest tithe, and to follow the Word of Wisdom. I had conservative ideals, starting even at a young age when I didn’t really follow politics. Once I was old enough to vote, I’d vote for right-wing parties, and I’d hope that Republican candidates in the States were elected. I didn’t swear (much), I didn’t drink or smoke, and impure thoughts filled me with guilt. My one “flaw” as an adolescent Mormon would probably be that I didn’t graduate from seminary.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I was 18 years old, just a few months out of high school, something happened in my home life that triggered my first spiritual crisis. At the request of those involved, I won't go into any details, but I found myself, for the first time, asking myself “What if the Church <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn’t</i> true?” The two years after the end of high school were tough for me for a variety of reasons, and this on top of everything else sent me into a funk. I still went to church, but unenthusiastically, and I decided that I wasn’t going to serve a mission.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Gradually, as things in my personal life settled down, I once again became the same shy, laid-back, mostly happy person I’d always been. This, coupled with the gentle yet tenacious promptings of Bishop Hirsche, led me to the decision to serve a mission after all. I reported to the MTC when I was 20, and came home when I was 22. I came home more conservative than ever. I wasn’t a ranting, raving, Glen Beck-esque conservative like the ones you see on TV with their “God Hates Fags” placards. Rather, I was like what I believe most conservatives are: calm, considerate, and with a strict black-and-white view of the world. This isn’t really surprising. I think the year or two after anyone serves a mission is when we’re all at our most conservative. Most of us mellow. Some more than others.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I mellowed a lot. In the 2000 Canadian Federal election (about a month after I came home from my mission), I voted for the Canadian Alliance. The last few elections, I’ve voted for the New Democratic Party. My political opinions have swung wildly to the left, and a lot of my religious beliefs were pulled with them. There is no denying that the LDS church, like any other western Christian religion, is a predominantly right-wing institution. I found myself in another spiritual crisis, this one much more serious than the last one. Out of my family of nine, only three of us have anything to do with the Church, and several of my cousins have distanced themselves from it as well. They left for a variety of different reasons, and they all have a variety of different beliefs now. Not only was I looking at the Church from my new position as a liberal, but most of the people who were close to me had reasons—a lot of them valid concerns—for why they had left the Church.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I’m writing this to let you know that the crisis is behind me. I’m still a liberal, I still have issues with the Church, but I still believe that the Church is true and that being a member of it is the right thing for me to do. I’ve found a balance, and it works for me. For the remainder of this essay, I will describe my issues with the Church, why they’re points of concern for me, and why I’m still a Mormon.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My Definitions of the Core Doctrines of Mormonism</span></b></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1. Jesus Christ is the son of God and the Savior of mankind.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> This one’s pretty basic, but it’s also the most important. Christ wasn’t just a prophet, he wasn’t just a wise teacher, and he wasn’t just a man who achieved some sort of transcendence like a Christian version of Buddha. He is literally God’s Son and, through the Atonement, paid the price for everyone’s sins.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
2. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> For Mormons, this one is almost as important as Christ’s role. If Joseph Smith wasn’t a prophet, there would be no Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I don’t see how someone could claim to be LDS without believing that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus in a vision, had the Priesthood restored through him, and translated the golden plates. Yes, there are variations of the First Vision that differ from the official version found in Joseph Smith—History, and I struggled with that for a while, but I eventually realized that it isn’t all that important. Also, Joseph Smith Jr. was in no way a perfect person. Not even close. But being perfect is not a prerequisite to being a prophet.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
3. The Book of Mormon is scripture.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> This one goes hand-in-hand with believing that Joseph Smith is a prophet. We all know enough about the Book of Mormon that I don’t really have anything to add that my main audience of this essay (my family) hasn’t heard already. Suffice it to say that I believe in the Book of Mormon’s message even if I don’t believe that the Lamanites are the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">principle</i> ancestors of Native Americans. That is, to say, that I don’t take everything in it literally, and that has a lot to do with Joseph Smith being far from perfect.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
4. Priesthood authority is necessary for essential ordinances.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Ordinances such as baptism, confirmation, endowment, and marriage are sacred and shouldn’t be performed without proper God-given authority.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
5. Families are eternal.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> This one doesn’t really need an explanation. You all know about the Plan of Salvation, and how we’re married for time and eternity and sealed to our children. It’s not a huge, complicated idea, but I think it is very significant to Mormons, and is one of the things that sets us apart from other Christian religions.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What I Struggled With</span></b></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I could go on about polygamy and black people being excluded from the priesthood prior to 1978, but those are things that we, as a Church, have remedied and put behind us, even if the rest of the world hasn’t. Most of my issues with the Church deal with Mormonism as it exists today, especially Mormon culture (as opposed to doctrine).</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1. The LDS stance on gay <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>civil</u></b> marriages.</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The Church shouldn't care what people outside of Mormonism are doing as long as we aren't being forced to do it ourselves. If someone who isn't a Mormon wants to marry someone of the same sex, why should the Church care? If it's a sin, that's between God and the individual. The Church should govern its members, not the rest of the world. If the Church is actively working to prevent homosexuals from getting married, why isn't it also actively working towards prohibition of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and pornography? Yes, it preaches that these things are wrong, and tells the members not to use them, but what political steps have they taken to abolish them? In short, I'm saying that I don't have a problem with the Church not performing same-sex marriages. My problem is when they seek to prevent others who are not Mormon or even religious at all from having same-sex marriages.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2. Political and Economic Conservatism</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Look at the major right-wing political parties in North America today, especially Republicans. Aside from espoused religious values, what are their political stances? Capitalism, i.e. the accumulation of wealth. Welfare is a bad idea; let the poor go out and get a job. Public healthcare is a socialist, evil program. Tax breaks for the wealthy.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Look at what Christ taught. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship...And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” There was the parable of the Good Samaritan. The story of the rich man who asked Jesus how to be saved, and was grieved when he was told to sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I could go on. What I’m getting at here is that Jesus was a socialist. Mormons seem to have forgotten that sometime during the Cold War, and we don’t seem to be remembering it even though those godless Commie bastards in Russia aren’t there anymore. Republicans (including the majority of Mormons) have attached the atheist Communist regime in the former Soviet Union to all of socialism. I see pictures of protestors in the US holding up signs accusing Obama of being a socialist and a Nazi in the same breath. That is how the right wing views socialism, and that is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> what socialism is. Look at the Law of Consecration and the United Order back in the days of Joseph Smith. What is that, if not socialism?</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3. Exclusion of others not of our faith</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> When I say “exclusion of others” I’m talking mostly talking about groups rather than individuals. I’m also talking about a more social exclusion. I’m not talking about people giving a Book of Mormon to somebody at work, or shaking hands with the visitor on Sunday. There are members who are always giving out Books of Mormon and inviting non-members to church, and that’s great. I once posted this list, without in-depth explanations, on a message board that I visit regularly, and someone replied with this comment: “I know that many members do this we are not to in fact we are to welcome them in the church. I know at times their can be difficulties in doing this. As members of the church if we truly love those of other religions we leave the door open for them always [sic].” To which I replied: “I'm not talking about welcoming people ‘in the church.’ I'm talking about Mormons dealing with non-Mormons in a completely non-religious setting. I remember living in a small Mormon town when I was a teenager, it was common in fast and testimony meeting to have parents stand at the pulpit testifying about how glad they are to ‘live in Zion,’ how glad they are to be raising their children in a culturally homogenous little bubble. The minority of the population who weren't Mormon were looked upon with distrust. I grew up on the east coast of Canada where Mormons were a minority, and most of my friends, including my best friend, weren't members of the Church. I was only 12 years old living in Raymond, but even at that young age I was disgusted by the close-mindedness of a Mormon majority. That's the main reason why I avoid Utah like the plague.”</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4. Literal interpretation of the Creation account in the scriptures</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> We all know the account of the Creation and Adam and Eve as found in Genesis and the Peal of Great Price. People in the Church take it very literally. I believe the Creation occurred pretty much the way science says it did, but I acknowledge that it was guided by the hand of God. I believe there was a prophet named Adam married to a woman named Eve, but I think the account of their lives is not meant to be taken literally, but is instead largely symbolic. And without getting into details, I think the temple ceremony makes that glaringly clear, but people choose to ignore that for some reason.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I believe in evolution. Yes, even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">human</i> evolution. I view the account of Adam and Eve as God’s first dealings with the humans He created. The humans He created using the process of evolution. Don’t Mormons believe that members of the Church are considered members of one of the 12 tribes of Israel? Do we believe that we are literal, genetic descendants of Abraham? My Patriarchal Blessing says I’m from the tribe of Ephraim. Does that mean that, if you follow my genealogy back far enough, you’ll find that my great-great-great-etc.-grandfather is Joseph? No. We say that we’ve been adopted into the Abrahamic Covenant. So why can’t the same be said about Adam and Eve? When it is said that we are their descendants, why can’t it mean that we are adopted into the covenant God made with Adam and Eve?</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5. The modern Church's desire to affiliate itself with mainstream Christianity</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> There are a lot of good Christians in the world. I freely admit that. But Christianity, as a whole, is one of the most close-minded, rigid, intolerant religions in the world. And the modern Church seems to me to be trying to unofficially group itself under the blanket of mainstream Christianity. Yes, we want people to look at us as people who follow Christ. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is the way we're doing it. We're doing it in a way that says, "Hey, look! We're just like you guys! Why not lets be friends?" Thing is, though, we are not much like mainstream Christianity. There are huge differences and contradictions in our core doctrines and their core doctrines. In trying to give ourselves a more protestant-friendly image, we gloss over a lot of the things that make us different and stress the things that are the same.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6. The Church is run like a business in a lot of ways</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I'm not knocking tithing. Tithing is important. It's more the governing structure and policies of the Church that reminds me of a corporation rather than a religion. This isn’t a huge point of concern for me, but it does bother me sometimes. But don't get me started on how missionaries are treated, with that "Quiet Dignity" stuff.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Actually, come to think of it, yeah, I’ll talk about missionaries. I have a great respect for missionaries. I’ve been in their shoes. They work hard and have to put up with a lot of crap in the field. In a lot of ways, though, they are trained to be identical cogs in a huge proselytizing machine rather than as the unique individuals I think they would be more effective as. They dress the same. They have the same basic haircut. They use the same standardized teaching methods. They are taught methods for “building a relationship of trust,” which, even when I was a missionary, often struck me as coming off as faking friendship in order to convert someone. The Quiet Dignity that I mentioned earlier was basically a guideline of how to act at all times. Rules such as avoiding abbreviations (Doctrine & Covenants instead of D & C, District Leader instead of DL, etc.); don’t call each other by nicknames or “dude,” but rather call each other Elder or Sister at all times, even in private; and don’t joke around too much (this is a rule most missionaries break). I understand that it is important to keep an appearance of professionalism and an attitude of reverence for the calling of a missionary, but sending out identical automatons (yes, that is an exaggeration) is not the best method.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">7. Hypocrisy</span></i></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I'm not disputing that all people are sinners. Everyone has their vices. When I say hypocrisy, I'm actually referring, in large part, to things that I already listed as problems, things that affect the Church as a whole rather than as certain members as individuals. Political and economic conservatism being the major culprit. Social exclusion of those not of our faith being another big one. Countless members who live the Word of Wisdom perfectly, follow the Law of Chastity for the most part, go to Church every Sunday, pay an honest tithe, and then go screw someone over in a shady business deal at work on Monday. This isn’t a huge deal, because it’s part of human nature, and can be found in any religion.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So Why Am I Still a Mormon?</span></b></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I just finished telling you some of my grievances with the Mormonism. If you remember my introduction to this little essay, when I said the spiritual crisis is over and that I’ve found a balance, you might now be asking yourself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> I’m still a Mormon. Let me try to explain.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The Church is an organization that exists in an imperfect world and is run by imperfect men. The leaders of the Church are old, conservative Americans for the most part. Of course they oppose gay marriage. Of course they’re Creationists. General authorities are usually retired professionals who were successful in their areas of expertise. It’s not surprising that they run the non-ecclesiastical aspects of the Church like a business. Excluding people who are different than you is a basic human instinct. It’s an instinct that should be overcome, but it’s still there. That’s why Mormons tend to identify more with other Mormons and seek out their friendship. I’m not proud of it, but it’s there, and I think any social group, religious or otherwise, has those tendencies.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The bottom line, though, is that the Holy Ghost keeps telling me that the Church is true. It’s a feeling I can’t quite explain, but I’ve felt it numerous times. I’ll be close to deciding that the Church isn’t true, and God will say, “Nope. It’s true, Mike, and you know it.” (That’s not how it literally happened, of course.)</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that he translated the Book of Mormon and restored Christ’s Church on the earth.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I sustain Thomas S. Monson as President of the Church.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The Book of Mormon is a wonderful book full of truth and valuable lessons.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Most importantly, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.</span></div><div style="color: white;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> That is why I’m still a Mormon.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></div>Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-18736438731356442792011-05-25T20:15:00.000-07:002011-05-25T20:15:48.446-07:00Things I Don't Like But Wish I DidSara did this on her blog, so I figured I'd do it on mine, too.<br />
<br />
<b>Things I don't like but wish I did:</b><br />
1. Mexican food<br />
<b> </b>2. Exercise<br />
3. Going to bed before 11:00<br />
4. Top 40 music (it would make life so much easier)<br />
5. Soccer<br />
<br />
<b>Things I like but wish I didn't:</b><br />
1. Eating large amounts of fatty food<br />
<b> </b>2. Golf (so expensive)<br />
3. Speeding<br />
4. Facebook<br />
<br />
That's all I can think of, really. Not nearly as many as Sara, but it's something. I thought of one more thing for the "like but wish I didn't" list, but it's not appropriate for a family blog. It'll just be between me and Avril.Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-50354659242729632002011-04-19T18:53:00.002-07:002011-04-19T19:35:13.044-07:00Baby Steps<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTj-1A7JeOqRQ_GvLHA8eD2d7jaYx4K5VkWqw1AfbTuRBqgrH1WSAYCTQdI8N6-l4nU9a3totEhkWKxaoiW6S56v_cyiyamjk_wxBZJLFcYcNnSghLqkVWO-tsVfZNNU0Zb_Ol90pkTwX/s1600/DSCF0246.JPG"><br /></a><br />Hannah started walking shortly after her first birthday, making her the oldest one of our children has been when starting to walk. As the smallest of our kids, she's still under 20 lbs, packing her around isn't nearly as tiring as it was with the boys, who weighed that by 6 months. This week we finally caught it on film for your enjoyment.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgAjRno9YrV1XQKP4AGBVH6xBzYorghm5xv4Svp-RUKJRpTVmknIDBY_QIvlbGV5MlRJ0_5-eUM29VEULCgZUn04Hhysu1OG36re0oGNJMMiRUivf-NzJMB6HYpwWhii3CpaKmMP1gamx/s1600/DSCF0259.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgAjRno9YrV1XQKP4AGBVH6xBzYorghm5xv4Svp-RUKJRpTVmknIDBY_QIvlbGV5MlRJ0_5-eUM29VEULCgZUn04Hhysu1OG36re0oGNJMMiRUivf-NzJMB6HYpwWhii3CpaKmMP1gamx/s320/DSCF0259.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597483731362789218" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HqdBHskt_DP2y5p4gyUkb2CFHJboO8Ztv7W2K9LMFYaBs0Tk69I1SmJZLNYl6xZjyaCHV2R61KrI928RulECXlGvnIDAjRWAeKiCv8_HOf7l9geUBXWeb9sRQgiA8j41gM3YYEwQvgzJ/s1600/DSCF0245.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HqdBHskt_DP2y5p4gyUkb2CFHJboO8Ztv7W2K9LMFYaBs0Tk69I1SmJZLNYl6xZjyaCHV2R61KrI928RulECXlGvnIDAjRWAeKiCv8_HOf7l9geUBXWeb9sRQgiA8j41gM3YYEwQvgzJ/s320/DSCF0245.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597483728671669250" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBnvbS42M0LxQJrlnC2jpdziOAOfkxNO4g11sn1tg09KB2Cjl4vBduf47gpnEsXjJaM-iEsTRpOsOIc09X1wVXOqkgmpqSGnzer0RD49SAiaAlNrwcvf9rSXTtnsld2-AxPC8a3MbfomK/s1600/DSCF0250.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBnvbS42M0LxQJrlnC2jpdziOAOfkxNO4g11sn1tg09KB2Cjl4vBduf47gpnEsXjJaM-iEsTRpOsOIc09X1wVXOqkgmpqSGnzer0RD49SAiaAlNrwcvf9rSXTtnsld2-AxPC8a3MbfomK/s320/DSCF0250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597483725943508002" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTj-1A7JeOqRQ_GvLHA8eD2d7jaYx4K5VkWqw1AfbTuRBqgrH1WSAYCTQdI8N6-l4nU9a3totEhkWKxaoiW6S56v_cyiyamjk_wxBZJLFcYcNnSghLqkVWO-tsVfZNNU0Zb_Ol90pkTwX/s1600/DSCF0246.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTj-1A7JeOqRQ_GvLHA8eD2d7jaYx4K5VkWqw1AfbTuRBqgrH1WSAYCTQdI8N6-l4nU9a3totEhkWKxaoiW6S56v_cyiyamjk_wxBZJLFcYcNnSghLqkVWO-tsVfZNNU0Zb_Ol90pkTwX/s320/DSCF0246.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597483715293508962" border="0" /></a>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-61733732549536987272011-04-12T13:42:00.000-07:002011-04-12T13:42:35.533-07:00Avril's 26th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiLTjFDKSoOriihQGXzBXyhfaGoS45khZ4XMVx3qVBVwF5-Abz4fwxn9zeL9UInQ_e3egHgvoTwbyehT5gMrck8B6e4YS9MqOwLvD8z1YbCcC0bd1PCCEzcpvVkpKribfa_ty8Ol75M0/s1600/DSCF0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiLTjFDKSoOriihQGXzBXyhfaGoS45khZ4XMVx3qVBVwF5-Abz4fwxn9zeL9UInQ_e3egHgvoTwbyehT5gMrck8B6e4YS9MqOwLvD8z1YbCcC0bd1PCCEzcpvVkpKribfa_ty8Ol75M0/s320/DSCF0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This past Saturday was Avril's 26th birthday, and the last birthday in our family until Kenny's in June. She started the day with a cuddle with Hannah.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4P6Q2f7fkMtNR9LAD1XzF9fPC8SL4aFw9xy0__lS8OhZBcCbxB0iY39k6oqx09fmqWoNxEMz7fbyzuYRGdNYXdb9h8UGvw334KopgutYeoZL9ReWhqk1LIvQKL1Rv34COjLDe0ZzqxI/s1600/DSCF0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4P6Q2f7fkMtNR9LAD1XzF9fPC8SL4aFw9xy0__lS8OhZBcCbxB0iY39k6oqx09fmqWoNxEMz7fbyzuYRGdNYXdb9h8UGvw334KopgutYeoZL9ReWhqk1LIvQKL1Rv34COjLDe0ZzqxI/s320/DSCF0205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Cuddling with Hannah is a great way to start any day.<br />
<br />
I had to work in the afternoon, so we celebrated at lunch again, just as we did for my birthday and Alex's birthday. Avril's parents came by to help us celebrate. Avril was nice enough to request my favourite meal for her birthday feast: roast beef dinner. The cake was a team effort. It was a recipe neither of us had used before. I made the actual cake, and Avril decorated it with strawberries, whipped cream, and a chocolate glaze. It was very tasty.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP126QyLpIuL-HwQp4tRQfR8mFDVHielmakIrPsTCtjTWF3s6TY5XJhK2Y2Q_jW5gUnwLwwbN4yOAwn08XEGf_VGxTzUOlMcUjsiHqLScT2A3k4EFV6sFHK11mOE1xWY0RKlpA3oLS3o/s1600/DSCF0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP126QyLpIuL-HwQp4tRQfR8mFDVHielmakIrPsTCtjTWF3s6TY5XJhK2Y2Q_jW5gUnwLwwbN4yOAwn08XEGf_VGxTzUOlMcUjsiHqLScT2A3k4EFV6sFHK11mOE1xWY0RKlpA3oLS3o/s320/DSCF0208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After we ate, Avril got her presents.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2clpwQVF2fnHpajWBFX4B2JuEJFdQL3Ld7NEDHJDQpy6NKGQR2bz8VrRVT8XLErpwS80Kc5zo5ui_oscgvuEByWpTjTJohO0XYh7qx6LIY5dQZcl5axyPJF9OAAc0SZ5usyRmUNUsrIU/s1600/DSCF0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2clpwQVF2fnHpajWBFX4B2JuEJFdQL3Ld7NEDHJDQpy6NKGQR2bz8VrRVT8XLErpwS80Kc5zo5ui_oscgvuEByWpTjTJohO0XYh7qx6LIY5dQZcl5axyPJF9OAAc0SZ5usyRmUNUsrIU/s320/DSCF0220.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I know what you're thinking: "Mike, you bought yourself a video game and justified a frivolous purchase by disguising it as a birthday present for you wife? For shame!" I'd just like to say that Avril likes playing video games just as much as I do, and she has been a fan of the Prince of Persia series since I bought The Sands of Time when we were newly weds. That game was 100% her choice.<br />
<br />
So, that was the end of our early Spring Birthday Blitz. Now we can relax until June. Happy birthday, Avril! I love you!Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-48140026719147539822011-04-06T17:42:00.001-07:002011-04-06T18:04:21.390-07:00Hannah's First<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusmoHjsdNg_aS6H0_eaxKnbgVUyB9IMf_MfN0F1HKMhDhpbAwhnA3wv0a19G-3A6Jy9gfYkj35WqYitj01LFe5VI7vCZnczcS2PMw994xzAjwprd1sGABzqV-SyeqA-QUR7X9nsTGrWwc/s320/DSCF0058.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592636861862245650" />Our March birthday's finished off with Hannah's first birthday. Grandma and Grandpa Laqua and Auntie Afton came out for out birthday supper<p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCV1mwl4u0_zvF0tooNiE-kFmzA8QAN6eurH2kyMnm-p25k5ZqxF0vRBboX1aAeuB57cFn7KhLnR2ayiYsRHDGFVwPcx5NoE51NNdRRhtSLn8hp_9KfeQzAOKqCi6hjESaQyhKUiRmXdh/s320/DSCF0073.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592636868648416690" />She was such a precious angel as we gave her, her cake. She wasn't to sure about blowing out the candle; she wanted to play with it instead. Then we cut it up and gave her a piece.</p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRv3VQshDlfttVH1T2IxUgwi2lgPRCC4zu2FuMOXXMfUZaNFs1-9-lD2MAbYJEmhPrqrSQzFxrjFwAkw-1uPgyz6fSQYWMUcJjyk9GTo52Ys2nnYbLtmXHEvq1zpB6k1bPQdoRDCceONZW/s320/DSCF0077.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592636869499463906" /></p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYsA1-YCKgZCEPN3OQBbphX0zozn6Y4Zh2IOzZVM89eoj-lcJ8lXBNlWlxVLyZGd0BRxJPyoEvIMXLi4RjiCTr8eqTRNM1IZVMhgDg1TgLrvksxuN95NMegZAAKj9klVd-iQQdz0iePam/s320/DSCF0084.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592636873949066978" /></p><p>Then she turned into a little devil just for the camera.</p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyZlTvvG8KCagFV19jr0eJvOHsuxKif6C7HmzE6bmPjkv0lx0ItBmM5XAU8SW4Aa5EQYCeQG6Ljjeeidv3hGbXXHxN4cwJOWQIH51NFZMSQTNt-9mZqTW9apmxLwdpXRz29ZjNbIeJv8s/s320/DSCF0087.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592636879066781234" /></p><p>After cake she opened her present. She knew what to do with this. At times she was so interested in pulling the tissue paper out of the bags that she failed to notice the presents wrapped in them.</p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP1ozWW1ycGqTccOkasZSv-k4NaKyi5pAlQFs9RkrIIRBl8O1rLkhga6YF_Sii3BbsT-94yYGF7mQMR_lonS8lnIRa_yjYczepIoSNCgkgWTeZalVwhgR4whx75fMnDJmusvjNIX29CYG/s320/DSCF0135.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592639862197162994" /></p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihidejIQd9POalvLOrFdadTVoUKBV4Hk4uuzYO-SXKhZVhQKyCmrjjv8jyFfOgLrYYmzODos2bZiKbmv8ucrsTxXmNMi5eXMYMcR8c1lcvZ2uMJhYavFzJZIUVEQ7flJkR1SaKP0_DD0Po/s320/DSCF0137.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592639864289074610" /></p><p>She enjoyed having so may people around to pay attention to her and playing with her new cloths. She liked the toys too.</p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqhmCVJV0CnmxEhSSKcZEfLiaU3a4eGsNlCEifuoU-LLz74WNI3zBL5TcHSS_-mAUoHwTjCXlVnjMeheJz1BvQbrpgEcVTe0MJIycJC0LofG7-mHRVk8aD3FrVz0Dy6kINlj9WctPkQgE/s320/DSCF0152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592639872795368418" /></p><p>So now our sweet little baby girl is 1 year old.<br /></p>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-24049612835948087262011-03-28T15:53:00.000-07:002011-03-28T15:53:49.440-07:00Alex's Third<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBPss5TgQTfJ7P3CBCjflVJMzUHu-7Seoz6bibHd0VN_9UCLyr7sf2JKrcJmOeXtQn_sAzJO7pY_-XxGG9UyuayoOx-mLuLnPuohg2dvZAlT3PivPPkx-WRzmTKYRjfk5rZIc3SRrDtg/s1600/DSCF9986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBPss5TgQTfJ7P3CBCjflVJMzUHu-7Seoz6bibHd0VN_9UCLyr7sf2JKrcJmOeXtQn_sAzJO7pY_-XxGG9UyuayoOx-mLuLnPuohg2dvZAlT3PivPPkx-WRzmTKYRjfk5rZIc3SRrDtg/s320/DSCF9986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The second birthday in our Spring Birthday Blitz is behind us. Last Thursday, Alex turned three years old. That's a Bob-omb cake, for those of you who don't know all of your Mario villians. The figurines on the table were a gift to Alex from Kenny.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAu35zKjhP8TvcvfW3PWTPiRzHTnorcPChHi4tkxKoVNq25YkWNr3MSC3E338QAbbuHvrZZF1S-7nl8vZjKw5NKpT4Q2QZJMQ0_GW-pysmw4rr4SpwUgC9pBfVU7058sSsxzkVpEQf6v0/s1600/DSCF9874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAu35zKjhP8TvcvfW3PWTPiRzHTnorcPChHi4tkxKoVNq25YkWNr3MSC3E338QAbbuHvrZZF1S-7nl8vZjKw5NKpT4Q2QZJMQ0_GW-pysmw4rr4SpwUgC9pBfVU7058sSsxzkVpEQf6v0/s320/DSCF9874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I had to work that day, so we celebrated his birthday at lunch instead of at supper. We hadn't dressed the kids yet, so they're still in their pajamas for most of these pictures. We had chicken nuggets and french fries, which is one of Alex's favourite meals. After lunch, Alex opened his presents. Aside from the Mario Bros. figurines, he got the movie "Mega Mind":<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguErMSDdijhdmUDxRFRKVuZKNKZSZuW18boHfIqod-BeA-6FnXjOWGLJ_vi-xvA0VDdcNG-nH57CE4AepWXQnLNFJpoXBgJ27_qqBqQ7c6Du2Uxag5JMzOdozFg89tmmQkW5wWHHG6uNo/s1600/DSCF9891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguErMSDdijhdmUDxRFRKVuZKNKZSZuW18boHfIqod-BeA-6FnXjOWGLJ_vi-xvA0VDdcNG-nH57CE4AepWXQnLNFJpoXBgJ27_qqBqQ7c6Du2Uxag5JMzOdozFg89tmmQkW5wWHHG6uNo/s320/DSCF9891.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>A set of Nerf guns, which we all put to good use:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxv9EcXX-sZz0gHZRyJ44zp0j20ErasjcuY7ewfhoVipP0MmUYr0BwlBOeyrMkjKsrpkWkzTj6gcQx65VjQD3GRlCbuzuv1t0vEUUvOYNxdVz8AdhGDqVGKDGdD3DSI6vDIaocJKvcCs/s1600/DSCF9962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxv9EcXX-sZz0gHZRyJ44zp0j20ErasjcuY7ewfhoVipP0MmUYr0BwlBOeyrMkjKsrpkWkzTj6gcQx65VjQD3GRlCbuzuv1t0vEUUvOYNxdVz8AdhGDqVGKDGdD3DSI6vDIaocJKvcCs/s320/DSCF9962.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja3oxcQn3uVmWPPZP4fS1hKnGujoQwc6fBlUTTZRXSqHLPTgKE_ZUW9INJpsXC3WEvNgTNtCpckKjN1CREYCaJkj5AFrDr-fW4l0ywwyE7gXJczic-U76Mf-u-S06KsMPPxxYbY7PdbM/s1600/DSCF9980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja3oxcQn3uVmWPPZP4fS1hKnGujoQwc6fBlUTTZRXSqHLPTgKE_ZUW9INJpsXC3WEvNgTNtCpckKjN1CREYCaJkj5AFrDr-fW4l0ywwyE7gXJczic-U76Mf-u-S06KsMPPxxYbY7PdbM/s320/DSCF9980.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A set of Playdoh:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNO_NlUBzoy95rOf_Kg1m27u4WZWtyoXdqSSBUFBzXcFIZj0fOMT2yYTYMK554sSrmo-X07psi2KtWnX9g5kGdCMbHANk6jnB_Zr94p0y6zHeHsFrCAuBQISKp70-63A7kGofglT8E8oI/s1600/DSCF0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNO_NlUBzoy95rOf_Kg1m27u4WZWtyoXdqSSBUFBzXcFIZj0fOMT2yYTYMK554sSrmo-X07psi2KtWnX9g5kGdCMbHANk6jnB_Zr94p0y6zHeHsFrCAuBQISKp70-63A7kGofglT8E8oI/s320/DSCF0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And, later in the day when Auntie Afton came over, a Robert Munsch book:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgmt4V5pomnLZsXMZXxCJIAq-aB1rUnrr1OTc1qVGEI9ReT2XI_bph3fMtO0989ZESNaef-6OjjxsL8ydAFIp4cTHNCQePnefyFpzKGWI5vbVnTieETZWiAB6PcSBDG5zGcdfl8-qLvo/s1600/DSCF0039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgmt4V5pomnLZsXMZXxCJIAq-aB1rUnrr1OTc1qVGEI9ReT2XI_bph3fMtO0989ZESNaef-6OjjxsL8ydAFIp4cTHNCQePnefyFpzKGWI5vbVnTieETZWiAB6PcSBDG5zGcdfl8-qLvo/s320/DSCF0039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After opening the presents (except for the one from Afton), we ate some cake just before I went to work. Alex refused to try to blow the candles out, so he got some help from Kenny.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUbowgmszQLzm5tnLRaQjjOMxCpTcoCkiqMoHq5IeS4DJ0T7IDA3Ys-Tn7kSPnMbveYCc2mgM7H0sMOQgDgVANgDAEunAa3xlscTZfKPlOYTx9CNBGEQwBQ7txtf3BgPwGmys1U5FsgI/s1600/DSCF9993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUbowgmszQLzm5tnLRaQjjOMxCpTcoCkiqMoHq5IeS4DJ0T7IDA3Ys-Tn7kSPnMbveYCc2mgM7H0sMOQgDgVANgDAEunAa3xlscTZfKPlOYTx9CNBGEQwBQ7txtf3BgPwGmys1U5FsgI/s320/DSCF9993.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivH39UWmFJjZMimSsn83csOFRe5dYiA1K-dw77yrzFuAoBmnuVdfugfNOxLxm16AcW1exM1ofi_9mLXEv3TkGNHKRIcxZBUpgQhi3mog-YN48AHqW176DJeH3ybbppH2jIzJmnNqRdl70/s1600/DSCF9998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivH39UWmFJjZMimSsn83csOFRe5dYiA1K-dw77yrzFuAoBmnuVdfugfNOxLxm16AcW1exM1ofi_9mLXEv3TkGNHKRIcxZBUpgQhi3mog-YN48AHqW176DJeH3ybbppH2jIzJmnNqRdl70/s320/DSCF9998.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Next up is Hannah's first birthday. It's actually today, but we won't celebrate until Avril gets home from work, so I don't have any pictures. Stay tuned, though!Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-11066786034841928082011-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:002011-03-23T19:48:24.333-07:00MiKenzie Birthday MadnessMiKenzie Birthday Madness offically launched off on Sunday. We openned with Mike's 33rd birthday. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqOXK8VWqUXAnf3iPwAJrAEgZ8r1MMuxqy0J2TqHV5uXgc2wEkOzCjH8RQ4AMDjkMBUPN8QVk4if4M8PlfD7pACT7l3qXpL4q6AQL0RZPbond5jG4dT-Ph2VnZjfq03Duci_AAQyuvZhO/s1600/DSCF9859.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqOXK8VWqUXAnf3iPwAJrAEgZ8r1MMuxqy0J2TqHV5uXgc2wEkOzCjH8RQ4AMDjkMBUPN8QVk4if4M8PlfD7pACT7l3qXpL4q6AQL0RZPbond5jG4dT-Ph2VnZjfq03Duci_AAQyuvZhO/s320/DSCF9859.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587470628919250962" border="0" /></a>The Government randomly gave us money in January and we saved it so that we could buy Birthday Presents. Mike got to pick his own presents this year. A nice shiny new pair of running shoes and a video game (Just Cause 2). Just look at the happy birthday boy...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGharuK5LOpysrY8cCUsZjGJrrWIh47G-HvTzvgnhn_odoXWN4dPmp4mqLuiQbIrSBPTjN2hmll_rf5JsQvOhyphenhyphen-eDomLt9FNfaCPOnFvXWWkkNeD0qbx2c36rTFPWdNp0LgkpkmjF5tQ5m/s1600/DSCF9861.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGharuK5LOpysrY8cCUsZjGJrrWIh47G-HvTzvgnhn_odoXWN4dPmp4mqLuiQbIrSBPTjN2hmll_rf5JsQvOhyphenhyphen-eDomLt9FNfaCPOnFvXWWkkNeD0qbx2c36rTFPWdNp0LgkpkmjF5tQ5m/s320/DSCF9861.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587470637015624946" border="0" /></a><br />...oh wait he's not really smiling in that picture is he. Here's a smiling one, but that's not a boy, hmmmm.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGiUOnq13WJw-vXmDsViqhfMEgiqRvK4X-aWz87N3bPUw_X_azFB9hnr5P9vML5FRzIsxjl-3HbyjTfo5UDC7csp_0Nd4Cu0voDiYpH5-OJL9vbDhVGlc_WurUO8NZiWin2txgnyFD_Ww/s1600/DSCF9867.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGiUOnq13WJw-vXmDsViqhfMEgiqRvK4X-aWz87N3bPUw_X_azFB9hnr5P9vML5FRzIsxjl-3HbyjTfo5UDC7csp_0Nd4Cu0voDiYpH5-OJL9vbDhVGlc_WurUO8NZiWin2txgnyFD_Ww/s320/DSCF9867.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587470643175483554" border="0" /></a><br />Hannah enjoyed the cake. <br /><br />Events continue tomorrow with Alex's 3rd birthday and then we'll see if we still want cake by Monday when Hannah turns 1. Hopefully the breather between March 28th and April 9th is enough for yet another cake for my birthday. <br /><br />Stay tuned for more chocolatey goodness.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-86171881403354385262011-03-22T09:02:00.000-07:002011-03-22T09:13:47.278-07:00Bassinet Baby<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">The kids have started all playing 'together' in a specific room. The other day they were playing in Hannah's room. Kenny came out to tell me that the Hannah was in the bottom of her baby bed. I took this to mean she had crawled under her crib again. It's a favorite game for all of them. 10 minutes later when I finally went to investigate this is what I found...<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTjLgOCPskoekTu-TjMqWAbBAbdzVNc7kMLrWQNFcQyFJik3egtnGhcsAC4yf0PKf8G4a74XprX_Uobj1-iVmpciQ9hDMJP_pPLRmJQX7GG8wRP6hpWZRFSe0rGY8CbGvtxVH0lrVczD1/s1600/DSCF9851.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTjLgOCPskoekTu-TjMqWAbBAbdzVNc7kMLrWQNFcQyFJik3egtnGhcsAC4yf0PKf8G4a74XprX_Uobj1-iVmpciQ9hDMJP_pPLRmJQX7GG8wRP6hpWZRFSe0rGY8CbGvtxVH0lrVczD1/s320/DSCF9851.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586937669979416322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTjLgOCPskoekTu-TjMqWAbBAbdzVNc7kMLrWQNFcQyFJik3egtnGhcsAC4yf0PKf8G4a74XprX_Uobj1-iVmpciQ9hDMJP_pPLRmJQX7GG8wRP6hpWZRFSe0rGY8CbGvtxVH0lrVczD1/s1600/DSCF9851.JPG"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"></span></a><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyCQOse1N7-dAoI8wmlJmhs43M-WtvmQRKno7ermsopiiyZPPOJNb8Y2XuH50eM0xRiWt9OChEQG6UscSbYhsJCkX4EaA5Vqb-w-Sxun6vtpqIyIL6egQThJJdvSucpv2Nim8nJFsku9_/s1600/DSCF9856.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyCQOse1N7-dAoI8wmlJmhs43M-WtvmQRKno7ermsopiiyZPPOJNb8Y2XuH50eM0xRiWt9OChEQG6UscSbYhsJCkX4EaA5Vqb-w-Sxun6vtpqIyIL6egQThJJdvSucpv2Nim8nJFsku9_/s320/DSCF9856.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586937680587466882" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4D0QVaC5SrF6sEjdybupG91LF1RT73V7u6VJuQzuPNOsmXySSbbHlEAApb1ZGstKcJ72RNetfgwIgVCzRASRQKY_KIcze_YwSMEE6tbRe-egxZH8lBVoG2l90_Z51D1Z-6e3ioOS4eZ2/s1600/DSCF9858.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4D0QVaC5SrF6sEjdybupG91LF1RT73V7u6VJuQzuPNOsmXySSbbHlEAApb1ZGstKcJ72RNetfgwIgVCzRASRQKY_KIcze_YwSMEE6tbRe-egxZH8lBVoG2l90_Z51D1Z-6e3ioOS4eZ2/s320/DSCF9858.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586937687888329218" border="0" /></a></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">That is certainly not her crib she's under. I'm not quite sure how she got in, but they all loved it. Kenny wanted a turn after I pulled her out, but was forbidden the opportunity. 20 lbs the cloth basket can handle, 40 I don't think so.<br /></span>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-30834234749327392182011-03-10T15:45:00.001-08:002011-03-10T15:58:10.732-08:00Adventures in 2011Been a fun year so far. There is aways someone sick in our house. In January Alex took it to the next level by bringing Pink Eye home from church.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHxlKCIc3Nd0V6QHrZtpDSYy9Bk-YMUneAG3ecvyPU8i8geQiYIkUy1x6tA1jDV2H_2M0Rt6W2lma10_HC41IAin0H5yUfOkBD_a6L016xouVPVrPPQXc6V-bEcc0FMG4gCObX8QRxHqR/s1600/DSCF9688.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHxlKCIc3Nd0V6QHrZtpDSYy9Bk-YMUneAG3ecvyPU8i8geQiYIkUy1x6tA1jDV2H_2M0Rt6W2lma10_HC41IAin0H5yUfOkBD_a6L016xouVPVrPPQXc6V-bEcc0FMG4gCObX8QRxHqR/s320/DSCF9688.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582603117860828322" border="0" /></a><br />The doctor we saw was kind enough to prerscrib oral meds for this. He past it on to Kenny within two days and Kenny was not so lucky. Eye drops and 4-year-olds are not fun. Even less fun was when Alex's meds ran out and we gave him eye drops too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48YCk4n-GZbu2KPwLs2yARhN1M0eUm_x5Ftfg5YnV5vLJsW9kGWoKvytRGQZ6DQnn4hfgRH6YWiZYc-OCk-rKniLzeDt4n2cKbr-MKn-8mxHhcDvyRuACalNsrxrHdVPJgpgQtIyafKlZ/s1600/DSCF9686.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48YCk4n-GZbu2KPwLs2yARhN1M0eUm_x5Ftfg5YnV5vLJsW9kGWoKvytRGQZ6DQnn4hfgRH6YWiZYc-OCk-rKniLzeDt4n2cKbr-MKn-8mxHhcDvyRuACalNsrxrHdVPJgpgQtIyafKlZ/s320/DSCF9686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582603113096732578" border="0" /></a><br />Miraculously, Hannah, Mike and I didn't get it....Until one month later. Hannah was by far the easiest child to medicate.<br /><br />In happyer news. Kenny has been learing to write all his letters and we registered him in Kindergarden last week. He's very excited for September to come.<br /><br />Hannah is on her way to walking. She moves along the furniture and pushed odjects around for support as she practices.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkSQypU_QEDa_7jepRWqhOZzJ6byTQvxe3zgDYa8VJQKmpJzIY6PFnPAtPv4_GoxzLUjZTSakw-DX0VfonCSWQxQfRRL8vMO7QxRZXLMyN9V4s_AqdH3dV8mtQbKThlm7M_9AxzQP6_ok/s1600/DSCF9788.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkSQypU_QEDa_7jepRWqhOZzJ6byTQvxe3zgDYa8VJQKmpJzIY6PFnPAtPv4_GoxzLUjZTSakw-DX0VfonCSWQxQfRRL8vMO7QxRZXLMyN9V4s_AqdH3dV8mtQbKThlm7M_9AxzQP6_ok/s320/DSCF9788.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582603129400450834" border="0" /></a><br />We're gearing up for Birthday Madness at the end of the month as all but Kenny will be celebrating. There is going to be a lot of cake around here.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-51506379919705924122011-02-01T20:18:00.000-08:002011-02-01T20:22:27.253-08:00Replacement AuthorI wasn't sure which blog to post this on, since it is neither funny nor does it have anything to do with my family. I ultimately decided to post it here because <a href="http://www.hyperblogianism.blogspot.com/">hyperblogianism</a> is more of an exercise in characterization, creative writing, and humor than it is a journal.<br />
<br />
I have been an avid reader since I was 15 years old. It started in 1993 at the end of the ninth grade when I discovered the novel <i>Boy's Life</i> by Robert R. McCammon. I loved that book, and after I was finished, I raided my mother's collection of novels (she's a more avid reader than I am) for more books written for an adult audience. I was never really on board with novels targeted at children and teenagers. It was that summer that I read my first books written by Orson Scott Card and Stephen King, the two authors who I, as an amateur writer, get most of my inspiration from. Since the mid '90s until the present, my three favourite authors have been Stephen King, Orson Scott Card, and Dean Koontz. I have read and enjoyed novels by other authors, but these three have always been my go-to guys.<br />
<br />
One problem, though. They're getting old. King has even threatened retirement at time, and he actually almost died in 1999 before completing <i>The Dark Tower</i> series. And, I hate to say it, but as they're marching into senior citizenship, they're starting to lose their edge. Koontz is insanely prolific, almost to the point of being formulaic and predictable. One could argue that King is, stylistically, at his best right now, but he's also 63 years old, and his age shows in his writing. I have two complaints with Card. For one thing, he can't leave Ender Wiggin alone. And for another thing, he seems to be getting more right-wing while I find myself drifting further to the left.<br />
<br />
In past years, I've wondered whose books I'm going to read when the time comes that my three favourite authors, who are old enough to be my parents, either retire or die. Oddly enough, I discovered a new favourite author because another author I like (Robert Jordan) died. Avril has been reading Robert Jordan's <i>Wheel of Time</i> fantasy series since she was a teenager, and I picked it up myself in 2006. It's the first classic sword-and-sorcery type fantasy that I've read, and I found myself loving it. Unfortunately, Jordan died in 2007 after the eleventh novel in the series was published. He knew he was dying, and he made extensive notes and shared all of the major details of the remainder of the series with his family. His wife, who is an editor for Tor publishing read a story called <i>Mistborn</i>, and decided that the author of it, Brandon Sanderson, would be perfect for finishing <i>The Wheel of Time.</i> I read about this, and decided to check out Sanderson's first book, <i>Elantris</i>. Reading the blurbs and the about-the-author, I deduced (correctly) that he's LDS (he lives in Utah, teaches at BYU, and there was an Orson Scott Card quote on the front cover). I loved the book. So did Avril. We have read everything else he had published (which isn't much, yet) prior to taking over <i>The Wheel of Time</i> except for his series of books aimed at young teenagers. Currently, I'm reading <i>The Way of Kings</i>, which is the first book in what will be his own massive multi-volume series called <i>The Stormlight Archive</i>, and Avril is reading book 12 of <i>The Wheel of Time</i>. The best thing about him? He's only three years old than I am, so if I outlive him, it probably won't be by long.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.writertopia.com/photos/profiles/bsanderson.jpg?w=200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.writertopia.com/photos/profiles/bsanderson.jpg?w=200" /></a></div><br />
So, in short, <a href="http://www.brandonsanderson.com/">Brandon Sanderson</a> is the latest addition to my list of favourite authors, and I highly recommend that you read his books.Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-10600526176685007672011-01-19T18:04:00.000-08:002011-01-19T19:01:27.287-08:00Christmas...I'm only a month late getting these up.It's been a busy month and I haven't found much time to get onto the computer but I figure I should get at least a few of these up, even if they are a month overdue.<br /><br />We spent Christmas morning at home and then headed over to my parent's house in the evening to see all of my family. Here's a smattering of photographic evidence.<br /><br />We started with stockings...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGw5FMcgulJ1LwBqNP_FnbE5ZTxSqzp65y-e1_en3EgWdgu9wCAlidCV8gCDZWamEZ2rWZfz9vUibjdxbAerHWP4n1jhvQVj7Xdv5Md7MI0syK8Eqe27zZ-Vni8ctAoAslVxUBQqOlLFm/s1600/DSCF9302.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGw5FMcgulJ1LwBqNP_FnbE5ZTxSqzp65y-e1_en3EgWdgu9wCAlidCV8gCDZWamEZ2rWZfz9vUibjdxbAerHWP4n1jhvQVj7Xdv5Md7MI0syK8Eqe27zZ-Vni8ctAoAslVxUBQqOlLFm/s320/DSCF9302.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564092745104090306" border="0" /></a>Alex (yes that is a black eye)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-FyS9Y4Oq_Da9hdIWgGcrrYC3WcRQNs8RfHl0y_AA1SB4zpsg6wPoQsZo8xtUol-2oRz0BRFORz3PDPQocglsBsgO9rKnxgxywf0iDD1PumaBvncI3N8w01C2l6ss8V5AA-HBLxu4qxP/s1600/DSCF9322.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-FyS9Y4Oq_Da9hdIWgGcrrYC3WcRQNs8RfHl0y_AA1SB4zpsg6wPoQsZo8xtUol-2oRz0BRFORz3PDPQocglsBsgO9rKnxgxywf0iDD1PumaBvncI3N8w01C2l6ss8V5AA-HBLxu4qxP/s320/DSCF9322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564092755113369634" border="0" /></a>Kenny<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONaIm9kFQ_wOz-thEfdDmxeWBI3H71KBBUJiB_hN8lVgcz-aguGOfJKGCSLaUgORlGHwxNQikNKDbebGXWvlRltUqGUJUvgLR_ODWBiJVmdpMWIOUUpBTNFmyaHcbl10LZC79r_OIYnvc/s1600/DSCF9354.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONaIm9kFQ_wOz-thEfdDmxeWBI3H71KBBUJiB_hN8lVgcz-aguGOfJKGCSLaUgORlGHwxNQikNKDbebGXWvlRltUqGUJUvgLR_ODWBiJVmdpMWIOUUpBTNFmyaHcbl10LZC79r_OIYnvc/s320/DSCF9354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564092761279236978" border="0" /></a>Hannah<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTBrxfGtqDQYrSHayiV35dEHMiOy3gz_bJ8niylnZFrF4aI0Ky75xxpMu_634WEa-i8AZ7UAjfCxGZk5S3vtFQm0OcVydVtQ5FGUjZ9pVc-z4U7YjFAr8zAhVi5Q7ApbB1ZUFdtU04sp9/s1600/DSCF9336.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTBrxfGtqDQYrSHayiV35dEHMiOy3gz_bJ8niylnZFrF4aI0Ky75xxpMu_634WEa-i8AZ7UAjfCxGZk5S3vtFQm0OcVydVtQ5FGUjZ9pVc-z4U7YjFAr8zAhVi5Q7ApbB1ZUFdtU04sp9/s320/DSCF9336.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564092763959029394" border="0" /></a>Mike<br /></div><br />Then Mike made us breakfast...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ros2yuggFAcH4ywpcE6j1DOSZqFsvBaHGTCNjg3RkLjyrISnvdX-4LFenXD-CwlDNvEVPQlCLwY4mUiJcj2F77iN4qlUj_xsYMES5ckhDisBwHb_PmUfA4vv195__FdbJsC1rdIU-OnA/s1600/DSCF9408.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ros2yuggFAcH4ywpcE6j1DOSZqFsvBaHGTCNjg3RkLjyrISnvdX-4LFenXD-CwlDNvEVPQlCLwY4mUiJcj2F77iN4qlUj_xsYMES5ckhDisBwHb_PmUfA4vv195__FdbJsC1rdIU-OnA/s320/DSCF9408.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564093898114713106" border="0" /></a><br />Then we got to open presents...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmYO60T0ILKXgzvYjUXUm34zHXlvn3OeLweAeTAuLKev-9kjzTzQec7XW7gEW-zYLY28A0bxfD-EIm-lsyT1axo49cQupSsNO1I773Mav-0uCWYgFcxJ1oWdV7F2aGhFYrw5rvQKy67cq/s1600/DSCF9467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmYO60T0ILKXgzvYjUXUm34zHXlvn3OeLweAeTAuLKev-9kjzTzQec7XW7gEW-zYLY28A0bxfD-EIm-lsyT1axo49cQupSsNO1I773Mav-0uCWYgFcxJ1oWdV7F2aGhFYrw5rvQKy67cq/s320/DSCF9467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564093906033551218" border="0" /></a>Kenny<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5diRMKUQwqeg9VvlEVemjbw5jOTytW9PegMVLjOzZwLNWNjAujjG3FUNY0liGoikjWskJLNUZXg0khZyGnSNV2ish8dtBvTKH_pBllOkfFK9El302xIGZQ9gNBvYgbNaKCrU8pDHdfxT/s1600/DSCF9526.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5diRMKUQwqeg9VvlEVemjbw5jOTytW9PegMVLjOzZwLNWNjAujjG3FUNY0liGoikjWskJLNUZXg0khZyGnSNV2ish8dtBvTKH_pBllOkfFK9El302xIGZQ9gNBvYgbNaKCrU8pDHdfxT/s320/DSCF9526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564095359878403154" border="0" /></a>Alex<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhvSb_218a1cvZgASNejDLJlwGamSfkDna8HpSGd_vga4qhkBtFO7Mm1aHiBJC6Ul2ZNjJOJNH4fAbigoYfCMLxGcObSa60_WINaWSbLsM6fM4C0BpqcDFG0LTOpQlpZ9_oMgip0xylP_/s1600/DSCF9492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhvSb_218a1cvZgASNejDLJlwGamSfkDna8HpSGd_vga4qhkBtFO7Mm1aHiBJC6Ul2ZNjJOJNH4fAbigoYfCMLxGcObSa60_WINaWSbLsM6fM4C0BpqcDFG0LTOpQlpZ9_oMgip0xylP_/s320/DSCF9492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564093913464886658" border="0" /></a>Hannah with help from Daddy<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ttron_Ti8-MQThRoThMMCiowsk_zYUHr1-ecNzby_0uXajFsKOkSoAJv26lv7vIzCXLgql-Yx2Xg7NTZPANY-r9Ln121NW8fiWDsf_Auk3TfBAUk_mrNheoZLZf1YgU2cdllafoX4Wui/s1600/DSCF9514.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ttron_Ti8-MQThRoThMMCiowsk_zYUHr1-ecNzby_0uXajFsKOkSoAJv26lv7vIzCXLgql-Yx2Xg7NTZPANY-r9Ln121NW8fiWDsf_Auk3TfBAUk_mrNheoZLZf1YgU2cdllafoX4Wui/s320/DSCF9514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564095353031232034" border="0" /></a>Avril<br /></div><br />Once the tree was emptied Hannah took one trip around the tree and pulled off as many candy canes as she could...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmz_p4HLMilT8KWwpU2PaQErWFx8KAgfKPEUfoup2RAGJJ6_4c-SkkLhl26plLBU0B_vP4KdbGovurML2MkDuf_R4Pjitwocwi37vl2t-NUePS11T9dugfsqbVcMHX4yP147zAcF4CsNq/s1600/DSCF9548.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmz_p4HLMilT8KWwpU2PaQErWFx8KAgfKPEUfoup2RAGJJ6_4c-SkkLhl26plLBU0B_vP4KdbGovurML2MkDuf_R4Pjitwocwi37vl2t-NUePS11T9dugfsqbVcMHX4yP147zAcF4CsNq/s320/DSCF9548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564095361498893906" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTJiSSRM33DuYqpJJp4lo0NgfO1-PhMcn1tkJYMGxhPFhr_4ojNcZXOZFIhkWpEJcP8tfuxLLJNuydGgRLH72SD9Y8yw0oq_WoOJrq-kERA8UirAvyVUqXj1rpPFvKJGrT1EAN07HRBqQ/s1600/DSCF9558.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTJiSSRM33DuYqpJJp4lo0NgfO1-PhMcn1tkJYMGxhPFhr_4ojNcZXOZFIhkWpEJcP8tfuxLLJNuydGgRLH72SD9Y8yw0oq_WoOJrq-kERA8UirAvyVUqXj1rpPFvKJGrT1EAN07HRBqQ/s320/DSCF9558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564095370793603794" border="0" /></a>She had been trying to do that for 3 1/2 weeks and was very proud of herself.<br /><br />We didn't get very good pictures of the evening festivities, but the kids (and adults) sure had fun staying up late playing with cousins.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-8279408224577476732010-12-24T09:28:00.000-08:002010-12-24T09:42:50.527-08:00ChessIf Kenny has a favorite activity while visiting his Auntie Afton on Mondays it's playing chess. For a 4-year-old he's pretty good. Afton makes him follow the rules and he even "wins" sometimes. We do not own a chess board and have no intention of getting one. It's simply not as fun to have one at home. <br /><br />Yesterday, while doing my Christmas cleaning, I found a small fake tree. This tree instantly became a chess piece which the boys moved around the surface of a hard covered book. The further they got into their game the more it became Kenny's only piece and Alex was imagining all of his pieces.<br /><br />As I sat watching them play Alex reached beside the book and picked up one of his imaginary pieces and proceeds to place it on the board causing Kenny to shout. "No Alex you can't do that! Alex put it back! That one's dead already! Alex!" So Alex removed the errant piece off of the board.<br /><br />Oh to have that kind of imagination that you even respond to the other persons pretends.Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-47400368487427836112010-12-15T10:44:00.000-08:002010-12-15T10:49:12.129-08:00Christmas Approaches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznG4o_lae0wfPIuSTEnjLlc1Edy3B7U35A0de52SsEIFRL0fhkiUqxAFZSCRHAPP2ztKkVA7FcTdngtGAXvrZ34NjYNNX589RfAYtAzty2Y5H77yuqkT4XkIcE5ZGWusuvRXDchmV5LA/s1600/DSCF9143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznG4o_lae0wfPIuSTEnjLlc1Edy3B7U35A0de52SsEIFRL0fhkiUqxAFZSCRHAPP2ztKkVA7FcTdngtGAXvrZ34NjYNNX589RfAYtAzty2Y5H77yuqkT4XkIcE5ZGWusuvRXDchmV5LA/s320/DSCF9143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I read <a href="http://marysattemptatablog.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-for-me.html">Mary's</a> blog today, and figured I should do my own Christmas post. She did a great job describing the nostalgia of my Christmas childhood (she and I are less than two years apart in age, so our childhood Christmas experiences are basically identical), so if you want more details on that, visit her blog by following the link I provided on her name.<br />
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On one of my days off near the end of November, while Avril was at work, I pulled the Christmas decorations out of the storage room. The boys were pleased and helped me set out the decorations. Our nicest decoration I would have to say is our bronze tea light nativity set.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6xpoHou5FP5GYHYYeIFeA9RxunU8lxNvKOwHF20q_9yji23BEyrh0z6V-JoY48obzoCFNW2Kluxl_N_CEVusmQP4RxDGB9IoLEnM6HM6jOQJM72BHpAVhuzrp8R4QUoYaA-6yB0Qaek/s1600/DSCF9008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6xpoHou5FP5GYHYYeIFeA9RxunU8lxNvKOwHF20q_9yji23BEyrh0z6V-JoY48obzoCFNW2Kluxl_N_CEVusmQP4RxDGB9IoLEnM6HM6jOQJM72BHpAVhuzrp8R4QUoYaA-6yB0Qaek/s320/DSCF9008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Since we've been married, I've been gradually trying to get Avril to be okay with an artificial tree. Don't get me wrong; I love real Christmas trees. It's just that the fuss of getting them perfectly into the tree stand, keeping them watered, and constantly cleaning up the needles gets tiresome. Last year, while I was working in Edmonton, Avril's parents bought us a Christmas tree. It was a nice tree, but it wasn't a Nova Scotia spruce, which is what I usually buy, and Avril had an allergic reaction to it. So she was much more willing to get an artificial tree. So, again while she was at work and I was home with the kids, I went out and bought an artificial tree. I set it up and put the lights on it, and waited until later in the evening to put the rest of the decorations on it. The boys gladly helped, and Avril came home (later than I expected, which is why we started without her) and helped us finish.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjr7GaBq14VS85iYKYusfSC6hCp3sNyqy0Hgl1CKmhK48XmsB9NeKlwW1iZ8bAzy2PxE1KrHExH7lZBBDoeG7xT_DjA8RiINgD27JjbJX3V0s4wIXXcf0iHxZhZcBT4DwNYFP2BD7DPM/s1600/DSCF9130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjr7GaBq14VS85iYKYusfSC6hCp3sNyqy0Hgl1CKmhK48XmsB9NeKlwW1iZ8bAzy2PxE1KrHExH7lZBBDoeG7xT_DjA8RiINgD27JjbJX3V0s4wIXXcf0iHxZhZcBT4DwNYFP2BD7DPM/s320/DSCF9130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27uOXxYRaBIGqZI7T0OoAPo2d_NFshWbrb6nntDiDaaG4WJwuZag-eVNZBO1oTvQSokcS5nCiXUkxRhZjDaSnnoXUcIvcs9ftj33rQjnkW1EX_SN9wsqaYUlcSl2oNkDlzJb1i9D2D78/s1600/DSCF9139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27uOXxYRaBIGqZI7T0OoAPo2d_NFshWbrb6nntDiDaaG4WJwuZag-eVNZBO1oTvQSokcS5nCiXUkxRhZjDaSnnoXUcIvcs9ftj33rQjnkW1EX_SN9wsqaYUlcSl2oNkDlzJb1i9D2D78/s320/DSCF9139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Like Mary, I inherited some old decorations from Mum to add to my own tree. Among my favourites are the first egg with my name on it:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WwMqUz5H3O-NhQMO6Zxp8VWlsm1SEK3lPTeSjixmzrskIvNKVI4W8in6wGitmPCS5ex5SEldwpV8mo1c-cOcdq8hqskDB1R4eyBAiR5AvS4yijNVcXakDuRXX2gPA4k4J9K7sMP5YmM/s1600/DSCF9117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WwMqUz5H3O-NhQMO6Zxp8VWlsm1SEK3lPTeSjixmzrskIvNKVI4W8in6wGitmPCS5ex5SEldwpV8mo1c-cOcdq8hqskDB1R4eyBAiR5AvS4yijNVcXakDuRXX2gPA4k4J9K7sMP5YmM/s320/DSCF9117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>...and the egg with my six-year-old face in it:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQ2T8An8sleKe7BtBD9Kqy22azk5-GaQQSPGWjDLHIW0EhWIQgncnpvhgzXD0vgFdzYaylBOg18P53d6XEyC6n9Gq91cNJf8zWoCHx-4KeGRPfxy8KgeFANYVjigspqh09UEq9S9qYEM/s1600/DSCF9113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQ2T8An8sleKe7BtBD9Kqy22azk5-GaQQSPGWjDLHIW0EhWIQgncnpvhgzXD0vgFdzYaylBOg18P53d6XEyC6n9Gq91cNJf8zWoCHx-4KeGRPfxy8KgeFANYVjigspqh09UEq9S9qYEM/s320/DSCF9113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unfortunately, there was a casualty this year. I unwrapped the ceramic toy soldier I painted when I was 12 and found it cracked.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wQHcaJC_ifwR__iDf7YuQG-gH47iAq3yfgjZqwxCiga1t1YuRbLfpivXPPCz4vjjVSOkqG3FbynQZBd33lepbnHjp4GM41Z2WHsWNb9hfwKTZkB4Qag_wr5ms4jbMQFpozJF6eW7p_s/s1600/DSCF9128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wQHcaJC_ifwR__iDf7YuQG-gH47iAq3yfgjZqwxCiga1t1YuRbLfpivXPPCz4vjjVSOkqG3FbynQZBd33lepbnHjp4GM41Z2WHsWNb9hfwKTZkB4Qag_wr5ms4jbMQFpozJF6eW7p_s/s320/DSCF9128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I plan on gluing it together again, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.<br />
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Hannah's favourite decoration is anything she can reach.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdQzclwt9iAHZThKOtSX3E_glUaEbkVjEq-AMWHkad6bDr6lS4xfRiQHVp9TmLcVfHF8Yg-blS-8Y63-jrBEmTLAW_yH00qrY1qfYL1J5vK5DaivodEXK9wcLvieYdbASo-WzD7yR78E/s1600/DSCF9188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdQzclwt9iAHZThKOtSX3E_glUaEbkVjEq-AMWHkad6bDr6lS4xfRiQHVp9TmLcVfHF8Yg-blS-8Y63-jrBEmTLAW_yH00qrY1qfYL1J5vK5DaivodEXK9wcLvieYdbASo-WzD7yR78E/s320/DSCF9188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We have to block off the tree so that she can't wreak havoc on the tree, the decorations, and the presents beneath it. She's wily, though, so we have to watch her like a hawk when she's in the living room.<br />
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Besides decorating, we're always sure to do some baking during the holidays. Aside from homemade marshmallows, my favourite Christmas baked good growing up was sour cream cookies, and I try to make them at least once every December. The boys always insist on helping, which is fine by me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzF_dn6hSDZ3_vQJQGbXvvmxf1-mOxmLHnowlmbt-MgWtIV6RdzVrraphhGlVR8RrVkvP6PeXqdp_WTrpOeNo-hHPrTFs1kQqUpINzfEnUoUzKnDFebLhmdpG7eeCSCmd7Re-0yaZMm8/s1600/DSCF9166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzF_dn6hSDZ3_vQJQGbXvvmxf1-mOxmLHnowlmbt-MgWtIV6RdzVrraphhGlVR8RrVkvP6PeXqdp_WTrpOeNo-hHPrTFs1kQqUpINzfEnUoUzKnDFebLhmdpG7eeCSCmd7Re-0yaZMm8/s320/DSCF9166.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I have pretty good baking skills, especially for a dude, but I can't decorate worth crap. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlKMnvkQLfcsYMULViD148qRG2dlgm_wOr125govdl6DOiQvfmRzKQAxlYzWJMvQuFKJFJ-oq734PpsSaz1ujWdlqNsGNOpfmR8cHThyphenhyphen9hu98XWaVESxYUZAcKwbsRzYuCc0tGf9rilI/s1600/DSCF6832.JPG">Remember the cake I made myself for my 32nd birthday?</a> That's what happens when I mess with icing. So when it came to decorating the cookies, I let Avril take the lead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN4z4gThhsRubInUEqzfh39vIBeE85qbwFkHPa2ktijCJ8Uf_tDQtARhsIbZ7ppFGf43mTO6nFNT2vA7Llfb_Hxa-r2h9XbOcUD64pTzPEGEz3VzTxSVxSMjuSoFIgYTP0ipd1rIR8qw/s1600/DSCF9172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN4z4gThhsRubInUEqzfh39vIBeE85qbwFkHPa2ktijCJ8Uf_tDQtARhsIbZ7ppFGf43mTO6nFNT2vA7Llfb_Hxa-r2h9XbOcUD64pTzPEGEz3VzTxSVxSMjuSoFIgYTP0ipd1rIR8qw/s320/DSCF9172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpGkvtmVWBQkUzjOEF0mGpqOVtOtbrl9eg8Sh2Zx2XcV9qirWm3sto_7tDsKyIqFs7cR7EmFjLFPt-GRnqUR8VbWvZlI_19psxASBhRewjK6kkSpobpn8KnaUWhhlT9_ZAoKAQyghu5A/s1600/DSCF9180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpGkvtmVWBQkUzjOEF0mGpqOVtOtbrl9eg8Sh2Zx2XcV9qirWm3sto_7tDsKyIqFs7cR7EmFjLFPt-GRnqUR8VbWvZlI_19psxASBhRewjK6kkSpobpn8KnaUWhhlT9_ZAoKAQyghu5A/s320/DSCF9180.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Avril brought with her some of her own Christmas traditions, including making chocolates. One evening while I was at work, she and the boys melted some chocolate and poured it into little paper cups with peanuts, walnuts, raisins, and Skor bits.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61Npc98XRssnRAMEn7jP_mMdTd-mHXwDHt4aglRMD4egH8fY2aDlTAWVDeMepWiKhWcrgFMMdsoujETZyPWfBIL3STCfFirl8n-AIBWA-rQ3Q_eEgeoFglH6rgy3bE_K0_Oc0eiTXb8c/s1600/DSCF9211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61Npc98XRssnRAMEn7jP_mMdTd-mHXwDHt4aglRMD4egH8fY2aDlTAWVDeMepWiKhWcrgFMMdsoujETZyPWfBIL3STCfFirl8n-AIBWA-rQ3Q_eEgeoFglH6rgy3bE_K0_Oc0eiTXb8c/s320/DSCF9211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>So we've done some baking, we've decorated, and we've finished buying our Christmas presents. Now we just get to sit back, listen to Christmas music, and wait for Christmas.<br />
<br />
Also, just because, look at how pretty my little girl's eyes are:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguerMTCf2gdoVyphRilfIZqe_fW4PMXbRDPC8tq_AKRT4wNzR-_zsO1e462qobIlu50h5INvonAy7A9DCqLXR1dpupBcB2brqyjb-4NlONOlX0vQr8grvibQGNSGrUJiga1KJRQjE-YkY/s1600/DSCF9161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguerMTCf2gdoVyphRilfIZqe_fW4PMXbRDPC8tq_AKRT4wNzR-_zsO1e462qobIlu50h5INvonAy7A9DCqLXR1dpupBcB2brqyjb-4NlONOlX0vQr8grvibQGNSGrUJiga1KJRQjE-YkY/s320/DSCF9161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-6370839827838485372010-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:002010-12-02T09:37:52.130-08:00A Busy WeekLast Monday, I started working again, part-time, as a legal secretary. Mike and I work mostly opposite days and shifts so one of us is almost always with the kids. On Monday afternoons we overlap and my sister Afton watches the kids for us. We are very grateful for all she does and that everything seems to be working in our favor for once.<br /><br />On Tuesday night we got a call from Edmonton from some of my in-laws. The family adult Christmas party was the coming weekend and we were not planning on attending. They offered to bear our costs, the reason we were not attending, so that we could come. So my already stressful weeks was intensified.<br /><br />We left Friday when I finished work. The Chinook wind had melted the roads nicely during the day, but once night fell it froze the highways. It took me 45 minutes to get home. Then it took us an hour to get from home to highway 2 (usually a 20 minute drive). Once we got to the #2, the roads were fine. <br /><br />This kids slept most of the way up, which was a blessing and a curse. We got to Sara and Quincey's house just after midnight with some well rested children. 2 hours later we finally got everyone to sleep. Kenny still woke up at 6:30 in the morning. Thank goodness Auntie Sara was up with her baby so we didn't have to get up with him.<br /><br />Hannah got to meet her baby cousins. She's the oldest of this years batch, but somehow seems to be the smallest.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY__qiaKn4pvHDF7DlIVKptvM79rema4-AuIiQl-YLRjBXHESaUMxlN_OQhKtU_ZFmoKBEs0wurFPUrbWN-ZXdRMq2vyen31byMgvP4dZGFBn49gI61oTu7V-pb9T8zdGmwuNpedUfVDxV/s1600/DSCF9044.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY__qiaKn4pvHDF7DlIVKptvM79rema4-AuIiQl-YLRjBXHESaUMxlN_OQhKtU_ZFmoKBEs0wurFPUrbWN-ZXdRMq2vyen31byMgvP4dZGFBn49gI61oTu7V-pb9T8zdGmwuNpedUfVDxV/s320/DSCF9044.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546137018636345698" border="0" /></a>6 month old Tate with 8 month old Hannah<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLeEOTVu4ZBr7Nw-uIztxvYBmNY2jZzR2qRyOymQT3IsmVKIu0vY0GCQIvhAYWuye-4b5zeSK84j0gLyAr7RbMCJQmHgzBsOE_3a2uou5KQFEk8X3YYVR9rK2h0uleOQzOlADw9mXbA5r/s1600/DSCF9025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLeEOTVu4ZBr7Nw-uIztxvYBmNY2jZzR2qRyOymQT3IsmVKIu0vY0GCQIvhAYWuye-4b5zeSK84j0gLyAr7RbMCJQmHgzBsOE_3a2uou5KQFEk8X3YYVR9rK2h0uleOQzOlADw9mXbA5r/s320/DSCF9025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546137002765553410" border="0" /></a>4 month old Quinn<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXTqgL1FEDIhxBmejZ_9GvKwjbyeYGFt74RQWagBN9dGnJXcDESClmNOPkqGKuZith0xEmUxakRID7WItGJPZVkKdFoX10a40pztOxjS83creOhNKr7cZscL_nZ1DGp_36btDXTW_uUgv/s1600/DSCF9029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXTqgL1FEDIhxBmejZ_9GvKwjbyeYGFt74RQWagBN9dGnJXcDESClmNOPkqGKuZith0xEmUxakRID7WItGJPZVkKdFoX10a40pztOxjS83creOhNKr7cZscL_nZ1DGp_36btDXTW_uUgv/s320/DSCF9029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546137014269447138" border="0" /></a>Kenny and I crashed a bit in the early afternoon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tgrSlaFKXk1ggVRd4URBH_QTPu-bbMqzpDcFrT-Xz4J_YbpthAptpZdv03gGCqoIdeKRfkNiiC9fIH2CdKhjDfEdov4nR9bX5Nku2KEYkgWqtngoS01EypvgCjqhTlB2VVpdJgB62HuN/s1600/DSCF9023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tgrSlaFKXk1ggVRd4URBH_QTPu-bbMqzpDcFrT-Xz4J_YbpthAptpZdv03gGCqoIdeKRfkNiiC9fIH2CdKhjDfEdov4nR9bX5Nku2KEYkgWqtngoS01EypvgCjqhTlB2VVpdJgB62HuN/s320/DSCF9023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546137000880289714" border="0" /></a>Alex and Eloise playing 'together'<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8YX9N1sWriRyG0Lx0qPn_O5s0tfPHdzZANb2QiObH3TEvJmzmAmixv5i1ry3nU1M436_1GESJlyhV-N9fjuFxL-NwFCPu7GLxKFanUdWZBGavPL-6RcRKFGX8v7sQbr1FIEX7WHaZtb8/s1600/DSCF9067.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8YX9N1sWriRyG0Lx0qPn_O5s0tfPHdzZANb2QiObH3TEvJmzmAmixv5i1ry3nU1M436_1GESJlyhV-N9fjuFxL-NwFCPu7GLxKFanUdWZBGavPL-6RcRKFGX8v7sQbr1FIEX7WHaZtb8/s320/DSCF9067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546137023203244370" border="0" /></a>Kenny exercising while Max plays video games.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The kids had so much fun with their cousins and were very sad to leave. It was really nice to see everyone. I hope we can make it up again soon.<br /></div></div>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-27389376819420281942010-12-02T08:45:00.000-08:002010-12-02T09:02:58.511-08:00Snow, Snow, SnowI finally remembered to take the camera out while playing in the snow. The boys have so much fun out there. Alex doesn't have a proper snowsuit so he doesn't last as long as Kenny, but he still has a lot of fun.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehp7G6voXDq_Tsh0kA9BcL6ko-EHPZq1BI1NbXc8yhyfhp4qNQgLBBrHK9GPwfZzqIruCp7Kv1jTQHmZGm1_2UtG73TYtrftvztNx1AS4CKNUNhfOCjCkiDuXdo15TdVpKL1Rsrv52B5k/s1600/DSCF8998.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehp7G6voXDq_Tsh0kA9BcL6ko-EHPZq1BI1NbXc8yhyfhp4qNQgLBBrHK9GPwfZzqIruCp7Kv1jTQHmZGm1_2UtG73TYtrftvztNx1AS4CKNUNhfOCjCkiDuXdo15TdVpKL1Rsrv52B5k/s320/DSCF8998.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546129808298571154" border="0" /></a>Kenny and Alex bundled up for their first outing into the snow.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwtnxJEd7-ncaQRXXp-aKrGHitltef9YM3MxW6vdCtX1ij5XSRjEzZzhxCW1CwJypw0dn6wl7hZwg42Hnp-p6zEXIymtKSv8uEgWHi_uqutyTAMc4JrSoUNG9eEl7bnq-IN_myuuqaawe/s1600/DSCF9074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwtnxJEd7-ncaQRXXp-aKrGHitltef9YM3MxW6vdCtX1ij5XSRjEzZzhxCW1CwJypw0dn6wl7hZwg42Hnp-p6zEXIymtKSv8uEgWHi_uqutyTAMc4JrSoUNG9eEl7bnq-IN_myuuqaawe/s320/DSCF9074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546129816315412418" border="0" /></a>Alex with a snow encrusted toy.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHC0SspOoI921cBvvTa7PqLf_u8P2oS2g5D47AVQlABJ322OPhdqnd97q3cw4jBRZzru-0ip0nsa2uOYfnTinVABCPy0ZV37TApLRHxYSe_dNMoUGmnpyRQC6lU7KdV4oQOlJ-iie6zVVi/s1600/DSCF9076.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHC0SspOoI921cBvvTa7PqLf_u8P2oS2g5D47AVQlABJ322OPhdqnd97q3cw4jBRZzru-0ip0nsa2uOYfnTinVABCPy0ZV37TApLRHxYSe_dNMoUGmnpyRQC6lU7KdV4oQOlJ-iie6zVVi/s320/DSCF9076.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546129821793343602" border="0" /></a>Kenny decided to dig out the big snow drift.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2HEqXP7uleqhZ7I52E5Tm_DTmgRRTRLr2MTrjst-VuTDDZELq8EawclLsKYA8ZUNRiKKL9i9VuWwfB8gZzZ-rJB_qdGwkZOTAYEF0LsGCt4rwm23bBpv3Nai1ROSi9037_RiGeY1MXw5/s1600/DSCF9077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2HEqXP7uleqhZ7I52E5Tm_DTmgRRTRLr2MTrjst-VuTDDZELq8EawclLsKYA8ZUNRiKKL9i9VuWwfB8gZzZ-rJB_qdGwkZOTAYEF0LsGCt4rwm23bBpv3Nai1ROSi9037_RiGeY1MXw5/s320/DSCF9077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546129833087265666" border="0" /></a>The wind that day covered the shoveled walk withing minutes of shoveling.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMCwrHc1F7R3va4NlORCnoVRTM1RERxL_qCaNuKDAXvs71j-s_KdVj5AtRpoCqhUhZBzmHyR9il3eADFgTBuZdMgl6l2yfIle8zaycVDct08vKy71cusV560f_hvBREt3ARJ4kkJ_9Dlh/s1600/DSCF9080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMCwrHc1F7R3va4NlORCnoVRTM1RERxL_qCaNuKDAXvs71j-s_KdVj5AtRpoCqhUhZBzmHyR9il3eADFgTBuZdMgl6l2yfIle8zaycVDct08vKy71cusV560f_hvBREt3ARJ4kkJ_9Dlh/s320/DSCF9080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546129840478695714" border="0" /></a>Snow blowing in Alex's face. This ultimately caused him to retreat to the house.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoL8KxPJEuCk6SBmx0SDWcGLZLLxGRvWM70bjkE90otAUv_VNIi2zt4lyrD_HOZIapRp52ipCRn0vIhMadwyeZ56dJAj7ZzK7OS64WSV2Ps9w3BEwONLURJWAJI6-rr2lAV-zIaH1c2Jc/s1600/DSCF9082.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoL8KxPJEuCk6SBmx0SDWcGLZLLxGRvWM70bjkE90otAUv_VNIi2zt4lyrD_HOZIapRp52ipCRn0vIhMadwyeZ56dJAj7ZzK7OS64WSV2Ps9w3BEwONLURJWAJI6-rr2lAV-zIaH1c2Jc/s320/DSCF9082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546130138899026130" border="0" /></a>This is how I found Kenny after delivering Alex in to the warmth of the house. Mmm Snow. We didn't last too much longer than this.<br /></div>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-22607444459414541842010-12-02T08:23:00.000-08:002010-12-02T09:40:16.953-08:00A Growing GirlHannah's 8 months old as of this last weekend. She still ways in light and is very petite, but that brings it's own set of adventures. She still isn't crawling, but for almost 2 months now she's been very mobile. She pulls herself around to where ever she wants to go. About two weeks ago she learned a new trick.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZB40Hw-aovYjiCsbmtpns49NFTLrX4JiRw4j99vtEP1YoaC3zz2cq4QLoIQIeCffXS4OXlxhaAqyVAH2GsmirA9_6InADaRe57-XfiDKmHc3Qw4FjBaAGs9G83JKGHBpxeziyCpBEXsZT/s1600/DSCF9006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZB40Hw-aovYjiCsbmtpns49NFTLrX4JiRw4j99vtEP1YoaC3zz2cq4QLoIQIeCffXS4OXlxhaAqyVAH2GsmirA9_6InADaRe57-XfiDKmHc3Qw4FjBaAGs9G83JKGHBpxeziyCpBEXsZT/s320/DSCF9006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546123346196952002" border="0" /></a><br />She can sit up on her own now. So she'll drag herself to where she wants to be and sit up. She is extremely happy about it. On Thursday of last week she surprised us again by doing this...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgRDahgkl8etYKk7WtBwNOPjTcu03mw0gHQ-_dZScZMU8jnYa1Rtd1QZFGLdjjMFuCIYvduSg5i84peOV2LlmdXGxyHjSLq4Yee0eC5ibimhMcfeUhZWVVu3Izued1HVufngs6Qlc8oOW/s1600/DSCF9018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgRDahgkl8etYKk7WtBwNOPjTcu03mw0gHQ-_dZScZMU8jnYa1Rtd1QZFGLdjjMFuCIYvduSg5i84peOV2LlmdXGxyHjSLq4Yee0eC5ibimhMcfeUhZWVVu3Izued1HVufngs6Qlc8oOW/s320/DSCF9018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546124090279345346" border="0" /></a><br />She pulls herself up on anything she can now. She's two month ahead of the boys on this. As a light weight her muscles have the strength to do this.<br /><br />And just for fun here are some pictures of the boys boxing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7FTbfeIU9-3nb_N2hTr3CzEmhGGl69gNLP4fRcrcw3AkSNeESUP1o2WYfEEob5pIq6FckC8IuB5zBmS4g4WjfXOWjSFA3YOGD8rw7Iz2TRmF0uAl_F-nL3HfCOG4Ntc9YHBRGzMTJwYE/s1600/DSCF8992.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7FTbfeIU9-3nb_N2hTr3CzEmhGGl69gNLP4fRcrcw3AkSNeESUP1o2WYfEEob5pIq6FckC8IuB5zBmS4g4WjfXOWjSFA3YOGD8rw7Iz2TRmF0uAl_F-nL3HfCOG4Ntc9YHBRGzMTJwYE/s320/DSCF8992.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546125614658176946" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYxEQNVlKs0Lzw-YWLN6io_dslfW_dhxN3Fk1M8zpnb70SYuimjlf0GTCjoJArZ_UYgYwkTjWZpzvf73_Txot-ivYDxawCY93MXOCXcbjIBTM3Q57s9h2HzL7ehEHgrdLxo-mwu98SI6j/s1600/DSCF8994.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYxEQNVlKs0Lzw-YWLN6io_dslfW_dhxN3Fk1M8zpnb70SYuimjlf0GTCjoJArZ_UYgYwkTjWZpzvf73_Txot-ivYDxawCY93MXOCXcbjIBTM3Q57s9h2HzL7ehEHgrdLxo-mwu98SI6j/s320/DSCF8994.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546125628228647138" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSRURORLZqRF9IZPuErZEE0dOR63Z9Ze5Fsrf7HoJOiNCrn-gaNsbJ6HNp1QxOEUylwh5i8nei5jtW3qjvT97awIGlr8lF98gp4txOY6aQf6SjhM_1yZTJfq1B7qYVi86RWd6g2B0yVsO/s1600/DSCF8996.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSRURORLZqRF9IZPuErZEE0dOR63Z9Ze5Fsrf7HoJOiNCrn-gaNsbJ6HNp1QxOEUylwh5i8nei5jtW3qjvT97awIGlr8lF98gp4txOY6aQf6SjhM_1yZTJfq1B7qYVi86RWd6g2B0yVsO/s320/DSCF8996.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546125632445582802" border="0" /></a>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-46920219065404416332010-11-04T11:18:00.000-07:002010-11-04T11:52:37.249-07:00Spiders and Other Hallowe'en Fun<div style="text-align: center;">The week before Hallowe'en we borrowed some spider decorations from my mother (picture below). All week the boys would grab it and wrestle with the "Big Spider Boss".<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKG6w7Lob3WM7LdP7ARKsYoEqdf3Aw-pWvBX3ECr3-K6vE4tY_Thb1LDkddIAv9hQ3I3AlTfi9OcLF427g-UeTvnrQQzDBkBts3RK7taxgaI9dEubL8aejj8YOQpp_pl2z4jQAs2KgP3vk/s1600/DSCF8989.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKG6w7Lob3WM7LdP7ARKsYoEqdf3Aw-pWvBX3ECr3-K6vE4tY_Thb1LDkddIAv9hQ3I3AlTfi9OcLF427g-UeTvnrQQzDBkBts3RK7taxgaI9dEubL8aejj8YOQpp_pl2z4jQAs2KgP3vk/s320/DSCF8989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535763028276893170" border="0" /></a><br />On Hallowe'en night after we had gone out and got sugared up we were winding down with a movie. Before we started I sent Kenny to the bathroom. As he started to wash his hands he started screaming. My initial thought was that the water was too warm (he will only wash his hands in cold water) so I went the the bathroom to rescue him as he continued to scream.<br /><br />Turns out a small spider had crawled out of the drain and Kenny was cowering beside the bathtub. I guess wrestling with a fake spider that is the same size as you just isn't the same as facing down the real thing even if it is smaller than your thumbnail.<br /><br />On a lighter note here as some pictures of our Hallowe'en fun for those of you who didn't see it on Facebook.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Oj1dwI6irk_aGW04sezRcCZhYs2ptL24F7Y9WgazFy2AVthXlxSxt-DHXbVqNiIlR4f6k6sSQzpJXH1bi49V_oseaMjTkhFYYpFRt0HGLoXk3GepMd21n5e_9ouoqqWTMNzrS_77NX0/s1600/DSCF8910.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Oj1dwI6irk_aGW04sezRcCZhYs2ptL24F7Y9WgazFy2AVthXlxSxt-DHXbVqNiIlR4f6k6sSQzpJXH1bi49V_oseaMjTkhFYYpFRt0HGLoXk3GepMd21n5e_9ouoqqWTMNzrS_77NX0/s320/DSCF8910.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535764727672125010" border="0" /></a>We carved up some pumpkins on Friday night. They later became delicious pumpkin pie.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgcBx47Sf0_B4RP5C22gpKGTIUNGCLezpjjuOcpsNuC56yzHygGj08KON6_Aa5Iz6rjsqJgY_DLT87ERb9cRESWPaU7q7xYAxaREBpNdTH6XEyjvQVbc24-QU3nPXEwF27txQdqSyAvv2/s1600/DSCF8929.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgcBx47Sf0_B4RP5C22gpKGTIUNGCLezpjjuOcpsNuC56yzHygGj08KON6_Aa5Iz6rjsqJgY_DLT87ERb9cRESWPaU7q7xYAxaREBpNdTH6XEyjvQVbc24-QU3nPXEwF27txQdqSyAvv2/s320/DSCF8929.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535764736503418066" border="0" /></a>The kids dressed in theme this year. Above we have Luigi (Kenny) holding Princess Peach (Hannah) and below we have Mario (Alex) who is very proud of his gloves.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAuSyJw4XKCxBwanK-GUWHEGvn1PKFKW2a1nI45dZZfZPRTZiGI4fnQX31Pay8TJzOJ39WyUBpIN3jb8TsjLT4A_DgcytaPh4m18_sO8kKjJnzce_AIyfmgosWbdNPzQLC0KraGtHw5WT/s1600/DSCF8931.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAuSyJw4XKCxBwanK-GUWHEGvn1PKFKW2a1nI45dZZfZPRTZiGI4fnQX31Pay8TJzOJ39WyUBpIN3jb8TsjLT4A_DgcytaPh4m18_sO8kKjJnzce_AIyfmgosWbdNPzQLC0KraGtHw5WT/s320/DSCF8931.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535766919934523234" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw4l88IBbFtlFRWpwRKN6h2cTNvssbrTRWNb_O9RH1UsOUKbn_vgVYVQFD3_NXFb79HCXhyOXt8moOz9jrcCsXkTi_dvjas5i78hRoc5SMQbUZuJLi49dHKrJx8OUP4sRp9VdSIUFTDU5/s1600/DSCF8954.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw4l88IBbFtlFRWpwRKN6h2cTNvssbrTRWNb_O9RH1UsOUKbn_vgVYVQFD3_NXFb79HCXhyOXt8moOz9jrcCsXkTi_dvjas5i78hRoc5SMQbUZuJLi49dHKrJx8OUP4sRp9VdSIUFTDU5/s320/DSCF8954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535764740112307394" border="0" /></a>Our Ward had a Trunk or Treat on Saturday night but we still managed to get half way around the block on Sunday.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwz2VfmFLsrsd7SghLRqVxnfugx9c56Gl3i3s_FlqhFv4aIO0FVFLMDXqZLAshxVT1bPHpmtrd3YVee1kCQJk-WCXSrN26khuAMltsYwOygwSDzmJK9-anXbD7_u-H4csvTXZ7b-g-Xja/s1600/DSCF8987.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwz2VfmFLsrsd7SghLRqVxnfugx9c56Gl3i3s_FlqhFv4aIO0FVFLMDXqZLAshxVT1bPHpmtrd3YVee1kCQJk-WCXSrN26khuAMltsYwOygwSDzmJK9-anXbD7_u-H4csvTXZ7b-g-Xja/s320/DSCF8987.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535764744703058946" border="0" /></a>Monday morning Hannah stole Daddy's sucker and had a taste for herself. She wasn't too happy about us taking the sucker away though.<br /></div>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-72659987397555949442010-10-24T18:21:00.000-07:002010-10-24T18:43:11.734-07:00Helping HandsEver feel like your assistant is more of a hindrance and an aid. Here are some of the helping hands around our house.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdVSTsdSOuP2XOF2TADVasU3fLyEMXXzzB32sMybA_DzH2GQJdYTJJGPVPAAvKwMgfJZ_KXj4rxinUhkIqKUwqZNhdaAIGRdfA05Yfonocd2P75CdbxzV49aHz7czca1rn_96M0tAW-fg/s1600/DSCF8879.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdVSTsdSOuP2XOF2TADVasU3fLyEMXXzzB32sMybA_DzH2GQJdYTJJGPVPAAvKwMgfJZ_KXj4rxinUhkIqKUwqZNhdaAIGRdfA05Yfonocd2P75CdbxzV49aHz7czca1rn_96M0tAW-fg/s320/DSCF8879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531790318485374722" border="0" /></a>Alex helping Mike install a baby gate.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Osf3ywONSNdvUBAAPyklJthkaQdNPmn0Q4b5AjoCQt_QcwlxeZdyMHd4Amnj-8KG0_1velAJXK9OXuBJ8XFAqWGmKAWI4fWuCOK9MkhiRDgT5O2kxw1pW2nw8ulhWBbMxxav4-vFt7r4/s1600/DSCF8847.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Osf3ywONSNdvUBAAPyklJthkaQdNPmn0Q4b5AjoCQt_QcwlxeZdyMHd4Amnj-8KG0_1velAJXK9OXuBJ8XFAqWGmKAWI4fWuCOK9MkhiRDgT5O2kxw1pW2nw8ulhWBbMxxav4-vFt7r4/s320/DSCF8847.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531790341518027090" border="0" /></a>Hannah investigating the dish washer.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The camera was missing while the boys were helping me bake yesterday. Now there's a job they can actually help with.<br /></div></div>Avrilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00653478357809282413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327277592407863638.post-21708542581166761812010-10-18T16:35:00.000-07:002010-10-18T16:36:04.348-07:00Memories of the '80sIn an attempt to get me blogging more often, I've decided that once a week I'll post a fond or funny childhood memory. The first one is from 1983 when we were living in Fall River, Nova Scotia. I'm not sure what brought this memory back to me, but I was thinking about it this morning as I drove home from Lethbridge. My best friend in Fall River was a boy named Michael Fiander. He came over to play one day, and for some reason there were a bunch of styrofoam pieces around the house. We, of course, used them as swords and beat each other with them mercilessly. It made a horrible mess, and when Dad discovered it, he told me that if it wasn't cleaned up by suppertime, I was getting a spanking. Not just any old spanking, either. It would be a BARE-BUM spanking!<br />
<br />
Suppertime rolled around, and I hadn't touched the tiny bits of styrofoam scattered around the basement. I ate supper quickly, and left the table as soon as I was done. I ran to my room and hid under the bed. I was under there for quite some time. I didn't fall asleep, but I waited around with the patience of a child fearing his father's hard hand. After a while, the family wondered where I was. I listened to my mother and sisters looking for me around the house, and eventually going outside and calling for me. I refused to leave my hiding place. Eventually, someone thought to look under the bed, where they assumed I had fallen asleep. I let everyone believe that I had been napping rather than hiding. Everyone seemed so relieved to see me that the promised spanking was forgotten, and I was given a treat.<br />
<br />
So, kids, if you're ever in trouble, disappear for a while so that everyone will miss you too much to be mad at you.Michael MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04444141493875216225noreply@blogger.com4