what's happening?

Here's the latest from San Antonio (and Arizona):

KALE

Sweet chunky Kale - all 18 pounds of him - is as sweet and cute as ever. I've forgiven him for the restless nights he has had recently. Two teeth are in, he's healthy, he endures Jens...what more could we ask for? JENS

This sums it up right here. He carrys his beloved blankie everywhere along with one of SEVERAL cellphones (don't worry, he doesn't have his own plan!). Currently, as I type, he is taking a "nap". This usually entails stripping the sheets off his bed, rearranging the furniture, changing clothes, talking to his imaginary friends and reciting his favorite stories (Baby Leopard and Elmo Can Use the Potty). However, taking a "nap" never means sleeping, unless I lay by him which I really don't like doing, but not because I don't love him!

MARK

Remeber him? Yes, he's our daddy. That's what I tell the boys. We have been spoiled the past five years. It's not that we don't see him now, we just used to see him a lot more! He's studying like a mad man for his first round of exams this week.

On a side note that may be too much info for some, Mark is sun tanning in this picture to cover his latest skin ailment - ring worm. We think he contracted the yucky fungus while ripping out the contaminated carpet that was in our house. Fortunately, no one else has it.

SURPRISE!

We returned to Arizona this past weekend for my dad's surprise 60th birthday party. It was great to be home, but made it so much harder to come back to Texas.

As for me, I enjoy sitting on the couch watching the rain water the lawn so I don't have to!

Dad's SURPRISE 60th Birthday Party

By popular demand, here are copies of the Howard-isms from last night's party...

Flashback Friday

Snowmass in Aspen, CO. March 1988. Good memories!

Flashback Friday

Daddy-Daughter YW activity, February 1990.

Dad and Mom at Atlanta Temple

Flashback Friday

Kyle, since this is your birthday month...I decided to flashback YOU! Here's some of your cutest photos ever! :) We love you!

Christmas "Eve" Slideshow

Christmas "Adam" Slideshow

Thoughts on a Clean Office

OK. I spent all day on Thursday cleaning my office. I'll admit it was quite a mess with Christmas boxes, boxes from Christmas presents, mail that includes LOTS of catalogs....(once you order from one you receive a lot!), along with various other things that settle into my office. I was feeling pretty good about it, inviting all who came over to take a good look at it.
But alas! Today the Costco magazine came and I realize my time spent was in vain.
Listen to this quote from Albert Einstein (reportedly):
"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then is an empty desk?" I have used this quote before, but here it showed up only a day after my desk is empty. There is a new book offered at costco.com titled A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder. It contains true stories and case studies to prove the point that people with a modicum of messiness and disorder can indeed be more efficient, more creative and, in general, more effective than their highly organized counterparts. The author states, "An unproductive and frustrating obsession with neatness and order is a real problem in our society."
So, although I am happy to be ending 2007 with a clean office, I am not sure that keeping it clean will be the top priority for 2008.

Wait........what is that saying "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."