Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Baby #3 is a...
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Halloween 2009
Soccer 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Pumpkin Faces
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Cookie Crazy
Pumpkin Pick'n At the Garden
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Perfect Pumpkin
Thursday, September 24, 2009
When life hands you lemons...
Monday, September 14, 2009
A Bun is in the Oven
Saturday, September 12, 2009
100 Club
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Virgil Whiting Reunion
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Lil' Artist
Monday, August 17, 2009
Lucky Me
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sonic Bandit
Monday, August 10, 2009
Kindergarten's Here!
New Church Calling
Retirement
Monday, July 27, 2009
Church Talk
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
SHOTS
Monday, July 6, 2009
Independence Day
Fireworks, picnics, parades, barbecues, and rodeos are only a few of the many fun traditions tied to the 4th of July. Bright and early Independence morning a great Feast was dished at Papa & Nana Smithies house. Decorated with flags, streamers, and everything red, white, and blue, all the grand kids (and adults) were feeling the holiday spirit. The remainder of the day was spent roaming the mountain enjoying the festivities. And of course we ended the night in the best All American Spirit... BBQing with extended family, lighting off a few fireworks of our own (shhhh...), and listening to the ooh & ahhhs of the kids under the firework show. What better way to celebrate our independence than with family.
Monday, June 29, 2009
TRANSFORMERS 2
Monday, June 15, 2009
Little Slugger
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Saguaro Lake Getaway
Swim Lessons
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Preschool's Out...
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tree Monkeys
Monday, May 11, 2009
Crinkled Mother's Day Card
(All the reasons I LOVE my Mom)
- My mom is special because...she always helps me be good.
- My mom's the funniest when she...makes funny faces.
- My mom always says...good things to me.
- My mom does lots of things. She' best at...school.
- My mom is smart because she knows all about...stuffs.
- My mom's the prettiest when...she goes to church.
- I like it when my mom...helps me with school stuffs.
- My mom is special because she...loves just me.
What a sweetheart. To tell you the truth I think my little guy may have had a little help answering or, for lack of a better word, "altering" some of his replies (specifically on #'s 3, 1, and I gotta give credit to the teach on #6). All in all I couldn't be happier with my testosterone overloaded house...I love my Whiting Boys. Thanks for the Mother's Day.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Batter Up...
The "Man" had his very first ever T-Ball game. Let me just say, I think us parents are into this game just as much (if not more) than our rebels that storm the field. What’s most important to me at this moment is his enjoyment (he's only 5, I can't expect him to be hitting dingers out of the park yet)…but he’s bound to get pretty good at it IF he gets a taste for it. I know he is the kind of kid, who once, hooked will not stop til he’s mastered it. Whatever it is. The entire point of him playing is so he can learn if he likes it or not. Now truthfully, I probably talked it up a bit to him…you know something along the lines of “Mommy likes to play softball …don’tcha wanna play ball like Mommy?” Because I would much rather him play something I know a little about rather than be involved in something I can’t help him with…Like Chess or Basket Weaving. However, if after the season is over he doesn’t want to play again, I won’t force him (but encourage him to try try again)...but I am sure we won't have a problem with that...the game was a success! Way to go get 'em #9.
Baseball's "Opening Day"
Egg Hunting
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Easter thought
I can’t believe I am posting something on a blog but I guess I can take comfort in the fact I am not creating my own blog just posting a thought and saying thank you on my wife’s blog. This Easter season I want to say thank you to each of you for being a friend and supporting me and my family. I want to thank my family members for being a strong support system and pulling together and becoming closer each day. I want to thank my wife for being all I have ever needed her to be and standing by my side through the good and the bad. I want to thank my savior for understanding what no one else ever could but him. For lifting me up on days I struggle and for filling me with hope and a desire to do better.
Times are tough for most of us right now, financially, mentally, and sometimes spiritually. “WHY” I have a hard time with this word, it demands so much and yet warrants little thought or action on behalf of the person asking the question. Trust me I get that it would be nice to know exactly why something had to happen the way it did. I still ask “why” most days and I wish the desire to know “why” would go away. Ultimately I am learning that “why” does not matter. It is not the answer to why but rather the question “How” that matters. How can I pick myself up and change for the better, financially, mentally, and spiritually?
I miss my mother no doubt. I find my self often wanting to pick up the phone and call her for advice or direction. I find that I start to look forward to a holiday like Easter as I think about the great traditions my mom and dad taught me and that we cherish at holidays. Picnics at the park or in the woods, Easter egg hunts, and small but meaningful present’s mom would put together for us on Easter morning, time together laughing and having a good time together with each other. Church on Easter Sunday in our new church clothes and a lesson or conversation about the meaning of Easter. This year will be different for sure and I have been dreading Easter a little as mom won’t be physically here with us. I found that I have been too caught up in asking that dang word “why.” How sad right…. No not that I miss my mom but that I have been missing “it” and “it” was right in front of me. This holiday we celebrate the fact that Christ lives. He broke the chains of death and lives and loves us and that because of this “why” does not really matter. Making good choices and asking my self “how” each day and working to become a better man, friend, worker, dad, husband, and son of God will allow me to focus on “how” rather than “why.”
Mom I miss you, I love you, and I think about you each and every day. Often I wish you where here and sometimes I know you are. I want you to be proud of your son and the man I am trying to become. I want to do all I can to prepare to see you again. I want to thank you and dad for sharing the gospel with me. For being the missionaries who worked so hard with the lord to convert me. I pray I do the same for my kids and family. I am so grateful for my savior Jesus Christ and his eternal sacrifice. I am thankful for his individual concern for me and my family and know he works with my family as we come to him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit because that is what he requires of each of us. Thank you for all I have and thank you for teaching me the importance of “how” rather than “why”
Check out this great clip put together on Easter. Well worth you time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc