Tanner starts preschool!

Tanner had been waiting for this day for a very long time. He didn't think it was fair that his brothers got to start school before him. Tanner is going to "KinderPrep" at Ms. Jani's house, which is just up the street. Tanner is very excited because he has Trevor, his cousin in his class with him. I love Tanner's smiles in these pictures, he is such a little poser. What do you think, he looks like the next BYU quarterback with his build, especially next to Trevor!
McKay is so use to having his brothers to play with, he doesn't know what to do when its just me. Maybe he needs a new little playmate...I guess its time to make another announcement....JUST KIDDING!

Lightening Storms and Hot Chocolate

What could be better? One of my favorite memories growing up was watching the lightening storms roll across the valley with the family, no matter what time it was. So, I was easily persuaded when the boys asked if they could stay up late Sunday night and watch the lightening storm. Daddy said he would make us hot chocolate while the boys and I watched the storm light up the valley. I love the smell of rain! Paul's hot chocolate was pretty yummy too!

I Looked out the Window and What Did I See?

I know I've said this before, but Heber is a beautiful place to live. Where else do you see a hot air balloon landing across the street when you open your shades in the morning?

The funny things that kids say...

I've been laughing over this story that Bryson told us the other day.
BRYSON: "There was this boy and he was walking along and found this girl that was laying on ground. It was really scary because she wasn't breathing, so he had to give her mouth to mouth...uh, what's that word?...oh yeah...mouth to mouth recreation. You know Mom and Dad, when someone has to help someone else start to breath again."
MOM and DAD: (laughing) "A Bryson no mouth to mouth recreation for you for a very long time!"

This is Tanner's first prayer in Primary the other day.
TANNER(very nervous): "Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Please bless my Grandmas and my Grandpas on their missions"...(then the Primary pres. got up to help him)
I just thought you grandparents would think that was kind of neat!

The Model of Reverence

Now I know that most of you parents out there will think that this is a child that fell asleep at the kitchen table and, through the negligence of his parents, stayed in that position for far too long while his head bobbed up and down ... desperately wanting a nap... But, you would be wrong!

At about one year of age, our children become the model of reverence. Here is an excellent example. Just one minute before this shot was taken, McKay was involved in everything around the kitchen, making messes everywhere. He sits down, Dad says "It's time for prayer" - and immediately, our obedient and reverent child, following the example of all of his older brothers, which examples of reverence began also, quite miraculously, at the age of one, bows his head, closes his eyes and focuses on the mysteries of eternity.

Family prayer is a pure pleasure and a spiritual experience for the whole family every night ... Really! Not to mention scripture study, where our children happily get out of bed at 5:00 am (Hyrum Smith refers to these hours, 5:00 am to 8:00 am, as the "Magic Hours" - and they certainly are in our case). They pull out their scriptures without murmuring, read and mark canon diligently. The only complaint heard is when we have to stop reading.

This is a typical Sunday afternoon scene. Paul and the boys studying the scriptures in the afternoon shade. Even Bubba "feels" it and joins in. (This is actually a backyard picnic and Garrett reading his 1st grade books to the boys).

Angela and I have been asked ... again ... to teach at Education Week this next year, we are also on the circuit for teaching Enrichment Nights throughout the rest of the year. If you are interested in the model of parenting, please call, because our calendar is filling up quickly. Frankly, given the obedience and the reverence of our children in every situation, you all need to be worrying ... because we are the people sitting behind you in church judging you because your children aren't like ours.

(Anyone that knows us will get a good laugh at this one, knowing that we have been known to charge the people behind us after Sacrament Meeting because of the entertainment value of watching our "Celestial Chaos").

Whiskey Springs & BYU Football Dances

We had a Kentucky Fried Chicken picnic at Whiskey Springs last weekend with Grandma and our friend's, the Chappell's (in preparation for BYU Football: 7 days, 14 hours, and 12 minutes from the time this shot was taken). After we ate, we began to work ourselves up in a lather as we realized that only one short week and our late summer days would be replaced by cool fall nights and college football. The mere thought of returning to Happy Valley to watch the season opener against Boston College instilled in the boys their desire to do the little known Native American Cougar dance as good luck.

Angela and Grandma also broke into the Cougar dance, but, when they saw the camera on them, for fear of making blogging hit records, they gained enough composure to take this one rare shot. McKay refused to be restrained, only his mother's iron clamp made it possible for him to restrain his Cougar dance (this gets in to all of the boys about this time of year ... and no, it is not school ... it is BYU Football).
This image was taken during Bryson's Maori Haaka War Dance, in preparation for the Bronco Mendenhall warrior mentality preparations. Bryson actually picked this up while Grandma and Grandpa were on their mission, two missions ago, in New Zealand.

RISE AND SHOUT! I CAN'T WAIT!

McKay Walking

Some of you grandparents out there have specifically requested photos of little "Mak", as he is affectionately referred to here at home, walking. Well, here he is! The man, the myth, the legend ... McKay will likely be a sprinter or maybe even a gymnast - take a look at the balance in the photo above. The child is a prodigy. He is several weeks ahead of other kids his age.
You try walking with a load in your pants as heavy as yourself and see if you can keep your balance as well as this little guy does. Some might try to minimize the accomplishment, but don't knock it until you have tried it. You just might find that your 1 year old is, in reality, more coordinated than you.
Bryson and McKay's form of "pickle"