Park City Retreat for 2

Park City, Utah retreat for 2 = Big J & I, no little rebels, jet setting away, a 5 star resort, peace & quiet, all expenses paid, room service & blessed sleep, site seeing, and new friends. Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to accompany Big J on a business trip to Park City. This is the first time I have been on a company trip (besides tagging along w/ our business man to the Valley) and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind on going on a few more just like this....thanks to whomever made the decision to bring along the wives of The Mahoney Group fellas. And a HUGE THANK YOU to those who helped out with our little rebels while we played for the weekend.

Trip VS. The Family Dog

Clash of the Titans...at least in our home. Trip VS. Rosco, the family dog. Two little pups in the battle of the summer. The "BIG TEASE PHASE" has officially introduced itself to the Whiting Brothers. Our little rebels spent the day causing trouble, wrestling, helping mom w/ yard work....and Trip antagonizing the family dog. And so the "BIG TEASE" begins....Round #1 - Mom intervenes and catches the quarrel before it gets too heated between Trip & Rosco. Round #2 - Crew alerts Mom (annoyed at his little brother because we are "trying to get some work done around here") big brother Crew informs me, "Mom, he is really doing it again....he is pulling Rosco's tail." Mom grabs the little tease and moves him to the opposite side of the yard. Round #3 - a little growl, snap, and cry...Rosco won. And now you know my dear son Trip, that's what you get when you decide to go head to head with the family dog and pull his tail.

"Big Tease" Battle Wounds * Trip VS. Rosco

(the after math = a little nip to the forehead & a lesson well learned):

Simiply Put...This is Why we must BLOG...

"To you women of today, who are old or young, may I suggest to you that you write, that you keep journals, that you express your thoughts on paper. Writing is a great discipline. It is a tremendous education effort. It will assist you in various ways, and you will bless the lives of many--now and in the years to come, as you put on paper some of your experiences and some of your musings." --President Gordon B. Hinckley

Back to School..."Is it school time yet?"

"Is it school time yet?" A question that we heard all to often through out our summer of 2008. Crew has been more than excited for pre-school to start up again. We are so glad he qualified for another year in his speech program (developmental class), otherwise my sanity just may have well been on the doorway out with all the bumps, bruises, and boys will be boys attitude that rules our roost here in our home. Besides, I don't know what we would do to keep this kid occupied for 1 more year before he starts the Big Kindergarten class! So finally the day came when we could tell him, "Yes, today is a "school time" day!" He has been so much fun with all the school preparations...school shopping, picking out an "awesome" new backpack, shoes that make him "run faster", and loading his pack with little treasures for "show & tell days." His first day back to pre-school went something like this (in his own words), "We did paper-works times, circles times, play-times, and go home on the bus times." These bittersweet days are coming all too fast for Jason & I. It is so fun to watch them grow into "little people" & at the same time realize that they won't stay little for long. BUT while they do we will cherish them!

"Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

- Robert Brault

Midnight Lullabies

Midnight lullabies, our definition: sweet soothing songs with which to lull a child to sleep amidst the dark hours of the night. One of my favorite things and one of the reasons my heart grows fonder for my husband is his ability to sooth our boys with primary songs mid-night when they wake from a bad dream, are not feeling well, or are scared when we stay in a new place. Although his pitch may be off, Big J may not be able to hit the right notes, and he may not get a golden ticket from Simon Cowell, it is his voice, his sway, his arms, that comfort is found for his family. It is another love of mine when he tells me to "just go back to sleep, I'll take care of the boys," but instead I listen for his sweet sound that omits our home with safety and slumbers our children back to the world of dreams. He has the "Golden Touch" of a fathers lullaby. Thank you for singing us to sleep. Love, Us.

Win, Win...

A little "Valley" trip for shopping, DBacks game, celeb. spotting, and more shopping. A win-win weekend for the Whiting Family. Saturday our little pose was here, there, and everywhere in what turned out to be the most successful shopping experience to date, working together to get our list accomplished. Saturday = School shopping- with limited melt downs from our rebels, shopping- with limited melt downs between husband & wife, & everyone pleased w/ all our bargains. That evening we had a babysitter for the boys and tickets to the DBacks game. Plus #1- awesome seats right on the 3rd baseline behind the DBacks dug out. Plus#2 - adding Johnny & Jamie Hammond to our fun. Plus #3- getting there early to get our free t-shirts on "t-shirt day." Plus#4- celeb spotting Amari Stoudemire (he threw the 1st pitch of the game) and who sat just rows in front of us - celeb spotting #2 Anqaun Bouldin from the AZ Cardinals, again just rows in front of us - and of course the celebs' on the DBacks team!!! & Plus #5 - spending quality time with the person I love the most!!! Good Times, Good Entertainment, Good Friends, Good Kids, this is the "Good Life."

Cows, Milk, and a little Anatomy lesson.

Half way home from the grocery store last night we realized we had forgotten to buy milk. So the "Milk" conversation began with Mr. JCrew. We talked about Mom milking the cow (yes, I put my pioneering skills to work and milked a cow) at the Whiting Reunion and all its details then Big J asked Crew IF he could remember where milk came from & how to milk the cow?

Crew's answer: Cows make milk in its belly. And just when you thought the conversation was over he tells us, "....Yeah, you pull on its Penis!!!...and milk comes out!!!" Side splitting laughter roared in the truck while we attempted to give him the politically correct term for what mom was pulling to get the milk out, "udders." It didn't stick with him, he continued on counting his fingers, "1,2,3,4...cows have 4 Pee-nuts!!!...they squirt milk!!!" We gave up at our anatomy lesson on the cow after that...we couldn't manage to get a word out through all the laughter. So I guess IF you didn't know where milk came from before or how to milk a cow...you do now!!!

Breaking Dawn

Yes, I am obsessed. I am admitting to my Twilight addiction. Thanks to my Husband for feeding this addiction and Pre-ordering the final book to the Vampire saga for me so that I could have it in hand the day it is released!!! Got it, Glued to it, and loving it. Cant wait to see how it all ends. Thanks Big J...my heart still belongs to you.

Whiting Reunion 2008

What other family would be willing to camp with over 1,000+ relatives in a remote part of Arizona for four days?...The Whiting's. My 1st experience into the Whiting Family Grand Reunion was more than I could fathom. It was an overwhelming experience to walk around the Whiting Village and gain a new level of appreciation for the things the Whitings did, the way they lived, and the legacy they left. Hearing and reading the stories about how hard these ancestors worked I felt the importance of being part of this family. Thank you so much for those of you who put in their precious time into planning the reunion. We enjoyed the reunion so much. It was an awesome experience. I wanted to stay longer to enjoy, I didn't want our 1 day of opportunity to attend (because our family schedule is jam packed) to end. All the little "stations" that help to reinforce and teach; the Whiting Cash Store, charming stories; train rides, pony rides, and cracking the bull whip; cookbooks, The Saloon (where the little fellas could get a shave & the ladies a new hair due), family; etc, etc. will be cherished for years as we learn about our ancestors together as a family.

"Broken Teeth"

Thursday = park day at the Whiting Household. A much anticipated day for all on the premises here...the boys looking forward to the jungle gyms, swings, slides, dinosaur to ride like they are true cowboys on a bull, and endless space to run wild....and of course a day for Mom to sit, relax, and enjoy the conversation with girlfriends. On this particular Thursday we added one more kiddo to our park day fun. Little Steven. The boys had so much fun running, climbing, sliding, and doing what boys do best...I think this may have topped the list of the best park day ever for Mr. JCrew. None of them wanted to leave BUT when you have an 18 month old crying and add a couple of mischievous boys that are inimitably tired as well its time to go! So, with promises of an overnight stay we dropped lil Steven off with Grandma Flake for a little quite time and to let me get prepared for Crews 1st friend sleepover and he just had to have it be the best!!! We get home, change the "little mans" diaper, get drinks, fill a bottle, and we are good for nap time....that is until Crew begins telling me what is troubling him. Our conversation: Crew- "Mom, I am sad at Steben." Shanda - "Talk to me, why are you sad at Steven?" Crew- "I am sad at Steben because (a very worried sigh) he has broken teeth. Mom, (with a little pause then huge sigh, again) I don't want broken teeth like Steben." I just about died and then the remainder of the conversation consisted of me explaining that everyone looses their teeth and new teeth grow in and every detail there is to know about the tooth fairy. This kid kills me....he was very concerned for "Steben" and his "Broken Teeth." The innocence of children is priceless. Later that night when the boys where in the midst of their overnight party I would hear little conversations between the two of them regarding Stevens teeth....these boys are hilarious!!!