Feeding the Deer at Bryce Canyon

On our way back from visiting Grandpa and Grandma Osmond last week, we stopped at Bryce Canyon with all the good intentions of going on long day hikes, exploring the wildlife, and spending all day outdoors. Unfortunately, it rained almost the whole time!



The good news is that we found an amazing wildlife museum tucked away in Bryce Canyon. It was run by a man who had spent 44 years of his life hunting and stuffing 799 of the 800 animals featured there. Jake thought it was really amazing. Maia came out and said, "Mom, I feel bad for the animals!" I could sympathize with both of them.


While we were there, we were able to feed the deer, which was one of the highlights for everybody!



The only glitch in the plan was that Jenny started eating the deer feed. I about came unglued! Jeff tried to remind me that it was just corn, but I couldn't stomach the idea of Jenny sharing spit with the wild animals. Luckily, she didn't get sick.



At the end of the day, the sky cleared up enough for us to take a quick little hike at one of the lookout points. Lizzy said she needed to go to the bathroom there, but once she saw the port-a-potty, she decided she could wait (and she did, for hours!)



Bryce Canyon certainly is a beautiful area, and the scenery is breathtaking.

Hi, I Jenny!

My little Jenny is probably one of the friendliest kids you'll ever meet. Either that or she's got a complex.

She introduces herself everywhere she goes. "Hi, I Jenny!" is what she tells the people at the grocery store. "Hi, I Jenny!" is what she says when I introduce her to my friends.

But she also says it to her family. Today, she ran up to her Grandpa Cook (whom she sees at least every week) and said, "Hi Grandpa! I Jenny!"

Yesterday, when Jake was getting her out of her crib after a nap, she said, "Hi Jakie. I Jenny!"

And two weeks ago, when we got together with her cousins (whom we also see frequently), she burst out of the car, yelling,

"Hi Annie! Hi Natalie! I Jenny! I have flowers on my pants!"

What she apparently doesn't know is that we could never forget our little Jenny!

Back after a fun trip to Grandma's!

This week, my family and I took a quick trip to Utah to (1) visit everyone, (2) promote Dad's book, Laugh Lines, and (3) introduce Uncle Jay's book, Stages.

One of the highlights of the trip was going to get ice cream at Baskin Robbins with Dad, Mom, Michelle, Grandpa White, and Grandma White. Here are a few pictures.








Gotta run now. Jeff has been reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" to me while I drove from Las Vegas home. I'm engrossed, and he's reading ahead without me!

"I don't sink so."

My toddler, Jenny, epitomizes both what we dread and what we love about two-year-olds. Today, when I picked her up from playgroup, I said, "Jenny, say 'thank you' to Mrs. Ferguson for the playgroup."

"No," she said stubbornly.

"Jenny," I warned. "Say 'thank you' to Mrs. Ferguson. That was really nice of her to have you for the playgroup."

"No," she said again, and added, "I don't sink so. I don't siiiink so."

With a nervous laugh, I quickly excused myself from playgroup, vowing to teach my two-year-old better manners.



Also today, Jenny saw a "Sale" sign at the store. She brought it to me, delighted that she recognized a letter of the alphabet. "A, B, C, D, E, F, G!" She cried.

"That's right, Jenny," I beamed. "Good job! Those are letters."

But Jenny wasn't finished telling me about her amazing find. "H I J K LMNOP!"

"Yes, Jenny, that's right. Those are letters." As she worked her way through the alphabet, the decibels got higher and louder.

"Q-R-S-T-U-V-W--X--Y--Z!!!!!" She screamed the end of her ABCs. As I quickly shushed her, I couldn't help but laugh. She may have disturbed everyone in the store, but there was something beautiful about a child getting so excited about something as simple as the alphabet.



As I am sitting on the bed writing this blog, Lizzy, Jenny, and Maia are in the bath--and things are going downhill.

"Mom!" Maia (8 years old) said just now, "Jenny's roughhousing!"

I guess I'd better go save the big kids from my toddler.

Jake's funny, sweet letter to his sisters

Jake has a pretty vivid writing voice--his sense of humor comes out more in his writing than anywhere else. I had to share this hilarious note I found at the bedside tables of each of his sisters. It reads:



My amazing sisters

For many of you brothers who think their sisters are idiots.

As you know, most brothers despise their sisters or are envious of them. Well, for me, they are not burdens, or pirates, or deadweights dragging me down. To me they are sweet angels that live with me. Many of you probably think I'm crazy, but I need my sisters around to keep me company. Surprisingly, they will play games I like to play like Pokemon or Star Wars. I love my sisters and so should you.

I love you girls!

Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen a 10-year-old boy write to his little pesky sisters?

Lizzy's First Crush

I always wondered when my daughters would get their first crush. Maia is eight, and I've been waiting for it to happen for a while now. Little did I know that my three-year-old, Lizzy, would beat her to the punch.

Lizzy's crush is her swim teacher, Brandon. Brandon is an eighteen-year-old boy with a deep tan, broad shoulders, and white smile. All of the moms at the pool agree with Lizzy--he is cute.

Every time we go to the pool for swim lessons, Lizzy says, "I think I have my same teacher." And she lights up when she walks in and Brandon says, "Lizzy!" She was sorely disappointed last Thursday when I took her to a make-up class and Miss Heather, not Brandon, was there to greet her.

Today, she was really looking forward to seeing Brandon, whom she called "Brownie."

"I think Brownie is my teacher today," she said.

"I think you're right, Lizzy," I affirmed.

Lizzy absolutely glowed as she saw Brandon and flitted her way to the shallow end of the pool in her favorite swimsuit--a hot pink, ruched suit with a bow at the top. With the demure look of a girl in love, Lizzy approached the pool and said, "Last time I had a different teacher. I like YOU."

Surprised but pleased by the assertiveness of my little girl (who doesn't love a woman who knows what she wants and states it clearly without apologies!), Maia and I left the swim area to make a quick run to 7-11 for Slurpees. We came back to get Lizzy 20 minutes later.

When we picked up Lizzy, we said the customary "good job swimming," and she responded: "I had my same teacher."

"Do you love your teacher?" we asked.

"Yes," was her unabashed response.

"Do you want to marry your teacher?" we teased.

"Yes," she again said confidently. "Next week."

Perhaps Brandon will still be an available bachelor in 25 years, when Lizzy is allowed to date. Regardless, Brandon the Swim Teacher will go down in history as Lizzy's first love, the one she would do anything for--even jump in the pool, head-first.

Sweet Pictures for Father's Day

For Father's Day, the kids and I surprised Jeff with pictures. I have to include some of them (you're welcome, Mom and Barb!)--they're so cute! Of course, I'm partial.