Foof Chair Fun!!!

We bought these Foof chairs a couple weeks ago. They are just big bean bags, not quite as soft as the love sacs, but they are fun! I was laughing really hard while I was trying to take these pictures, so some of the video is a little shaky. Enjoy!

Katie

Caitlyn really gets up there!

Air Cim - bad back? what bad back? Don't show this to his Physical Therapist!

Air Joshua! He refused to let go of the balloon.

Air Caleb!

67 CDs and DVDs!!!

Our treadmill hadn't been working since we moved into our current home three months ago. I called customer support and they told me that sometimes wires will become disconnected in a move. They explained how to remove the motor cover to see if this is what happened. So, I removed the motor cover and made an amazing discovery! Not only was there about half a pound of paper but, there were 67, that's right, I counted, 67 CDs and DVDs inside the treadmill! Caleb thought it was really cool to put a disc on the treadmill and push on the belt and watch it disappear. So we have discovered one of the black holes of this household! The proof is in the pictures! Oh yeah, on a side note, the wires had been disconnected, so I reconnected them and fixed the treadmill and Cim said, "You are such a good husband Katie!"

-Katie

Glenn Beck's Tribute to President Hinckley

I was touched by this and thought I would post it in case no one else had seen it.

For those of you unfamiliar with Glenn Beck, he is one of America's top radio personalities (with a TV news show that does quite well also). He is a convert, joining the church in 2000 after overcoming some major challenges in his life, both personal and professional (Google his bio if you would like).

Enjoy!

Ellie's First Birthday!

I had one of those moments that make you feel old this past week.

As I was sitting on the stand in church looking down at Katie and the kids, it struck me...I have an eight year old son, a six year old girl, a two year old...and my baby, my little girl, just turned one. I am older than I think I am. The good news for me is that no matter how old I am...Katie will always be older. I anticipate that this fact alone should be sufficient enough to ward off any future mid-life crisis episodes.

Katie and I have an unwritten, but verbally agreed upon rule: We never discuss having more children until the youngest completes their first birthday (there was no real discussion before Ellie was concieved...she didn't have the patience to wait for her parents). This rule allows us to; hopefully, make a decision based upon promptings of the Spirit regarding our family and not from the emotianally driven desire to sleep, not change another diaper, or the fear of having one more screaming voice added to the already rock-concert-decible-level we have in our home on a daily basis.

In years past, this has worked well for us and every time, at about the youngest one's first birthday, we would start to get those little feelings, fleeting thoughts and impressions, that there were more members of our clan in the wings, waiting for their turn to join us.

But this time...it has been different.

As Ellie's birthday has come and gone, Katie and I both have not experienced those same indications we have had in the past. Maybe that means we have our crew, that the phase of bringing them into the world has passed and the next phase is beginning. Maybe not, I think it is still to early to tell.

Part of me is excited about moving on to the next phase, anxious to watch my family grow, excited to build memories and do all that I can to raise children of integrity and character. But there is another part of me, to be honest, a bigger part of me, who is hoping that it isn't so. As I watch my little girl Ellie grow, see her learn to interact with her world, see the unconditional love she has for her parents and siblings (that is definetly tested), I loathe even the thought that this phase may be over.

Already I see the innnocence of youth starting to fade in the eyes and hearts of my older children, not much, but a little...in ways that maybe only a parent would notice. I know that in the not to far distant future, I won't be greeted by a chorus of "DADDY!!!!" when I get home from work followed by the patter of little feet running up to give me a hug. Soon, my boys won't jump at the chance to go with me to the store just to get milk because it is fun to ride in "dad's car". My little girl won't be interested in having my undivided attention for hours on end to just talk about the random things in her life, nor will she run up and beg and plead for me to tickle her. I know all these things fade with time, and the side of me that fears change more than anything continues to grab onto those moments and hold on for as long as possible.

I am comforted to know that there will be other great things that take their place as they grow...but since I don't know what those things are, it is hard to take comfort in them just yet. There is so much joy in watching your kids grow up, but there is also an element of sadness as each year, as they blow out the candles on their cake, you realize that they are getting older and things are changing.

Ellie, my little baby, I love you. I am so proud of you and excited to see what the future holds for you. Just as with your brothers and sister, you will have excuse your overly-sentimental father when he gets like this.

A parent's love is always torn between the consistent drive to protect and shelter their children and the knowledge that they need to give them room to grow and experience life for themselves. I hope that you will know someday that, inspite of our inperfections, your parents try with all their might to teach you right from wrong, to help you understand the value of work, to built your testimony and your relationship with your Father in Heaven, to value honesty and integrity, to be kind to those around you, and to always try to leave anything you touch better than how you found it. And that to do this, and then have the strength and courage to allow you to experience it on your own and grow, to mess up and let you pick yourself up and keep going, is a demonstration of our love and care for you and your brothers and sisters.

Happy birthday my little baby girl!

Tahiti baby!!!

Well, somehow we pulled it off. We managed to actually leave our kids for over 10 days and enjoyed some R&R...I mean work...in Tahiti. It was an incredible trip and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Here we are on our way to the island of Moorea on the Ferry.

This is Cook's Bay, one of the two main bays on Moorea

Here we are at Opanohu bay, the other main bay on Moorea.

This is point Belvedere, the two main bays are on each side of the mountain in the back

Here is Katie in front of a noni tree...

We rode these little buggies around Moorea...it was awesome..check the videos for more.

It was a little painful...but we managed to climb the coconut tree for this picture...

Here is Katie at the docks of our hotel as we headed out to the "motu" a small uninhabited island for lunch.

A Tahitian sunset...beautiful.

Here we are at an orphanage that our company helps sponsor...check out their backyard.

One of many waterfalls on the island of Tahiti.

This is a Tiki burger..imagine a Big Mac on freaking steroids. Two 1/3 patties, two mostly raw eggs, four strips of fairly raw bacon, two pieces of cheese, tomatoes...basically 700,000 calories in one bite....I had to try it...no, I didn't finish it.

Here we are at the temple in Tahiti...it was beautiful.

The videos...

Here we are on the ferry on our way to Moorea

Here is our hotel "room" on Moorea...nice!

Cruzing on the road in our buggie...

Off roading in the buggie...it was a little bumpy...

Hanging with the rays on the motu in Moorea

Tahitian sunset...

These are called "Jack" fish. A local restaurant on Tahiti keeps a bunch of them in a pen outside their restaurant and uses them as...well, a garbage disposal. They are super agressive carniverous fish....imagine a freaking HUGE parana. They feed them all of their organic scraps.

Cool Tahitian fire dance...

Here is Katie on our cruise with the dolphins...it was really cool.

Halloween 2007

Ok, believe it or not...I have actually found time to post! Sorry for the absence, things have been pretty crazy around here lately. Good news, the new office is up and running, we have moved, and we were able to get to Tahiti and back (see the previous post)...so hopefully things will calm down!

Anyway, here are some pictures and sweet videos from Halloween.

Ellie the elephant at Caleb's Halloween parade.

Moe (Joshua) & Deedee (Caitlyn) ready to trick or treat.

Yes...I am a freaking good looking man

Ellie sporting my hot mullet

Here are some videos....the first one is my favorite

Hope you enjoyed them!

Chose to be grateful

I came across an article that really hit home with me and I thought I would post it for all of you to read. It was written by a man named Craig R. Smith. He is the CEO of Swiss American Trading Corporation, a US investment firm as well as an author and a bunch of other stuff that is pretty cool. You can read about him HERE.

Anyway, he wrote this article at about this same time last year so maybe a lot of you have seen it already, but if you haven't, I would highly recommend taking 5 minutes and reading it.

Here it goes:

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe.

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3rd of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.
Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they are going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did … insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:

"What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs."

I suggest this Thanksgiving we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy."

Very good stuff! Keep the number of positive inputs in your life much greater than the negative ones...there is so much to be thankful for!

-Cim