Well we just returned from seminary graduation for Chelsae and it was super!!!!
A wonderful spirit and joy to see our 4th and final child graduate from this wonderful program. Though not all our children really enjoyed seminary the entire year, there was always a "good" that came out of their experiences. We believe that we cannot control our association with other people that may have in the past caused us to stumble, but we can control what we do with this moment. Right now we are surrounded with these situations on a daily basis yet it is still up to us to either wallow in the past or to step forward and again to shed the "natural" man in all of us. The seminary program teaches us to look to Christ and not to the world. These wonderful teachers and leaders in this program keep beckoning to us to forget the mote in other eyes and work on the beam in our own. As does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. I love this hope of redeeming love promised to us by a living prophet. Hope is all we have to stand on at times. We also have a picture of Chelsae being honored for being a senior on the softball team at Burley after they beat Minico to pieces!!!

There and back again

Well it seemed like yesterday that I posted a blog but it has been nearly a month. I better catch up. Julie had surgery on Tues. the 22nd and all went well. She is a little sore but soon will be 100 % . Keep her in your prayers. Chelsae attended cheer leading competition but they never placed even though they did very good in their performance. Shawnae cut all of our hair during spring break, even Chris and Hannah's family. Grandma does not know what she is missing. Chris is playing city league basketball and they are in the tournament now and could do very well. Our little "Philly" family have the crud and are laid up for a while. Our prayers go out to you.
Spring is taking its own sweet time getting here and better be bringing some sunshine or else. Well that's a mouthful so I better quit while I'm ahead. Love you kids!

(\\I'll put on a video or two if I can find one)

Well howdy again pard, reckon I'll mosey over to the laptop and wrestle up a post or two. Sorry, we just watched part of a John Wayne movie. It was called El Dorado. A great movie and always a happy ending. Speaking of a happy ending, Chelsae made the varsity softball team. She was "pumped" when she arrived home. So we celebrated with left overs and strawberry milk. Also we are hoping for a happy ending with Julie's shoulder. She went in for an MRI today and we will find out later this week what the verdict is. She is having quite a time with the pain so please keep her in your prayers.
Shawnae is coming down tonight so her and mom can go to Twin tomorrow and get Shawnae's braces off. Another happy ending!!
We love happy endings. We watched a movie the other night called "The Lake House" and even this movie had a happy ending. You guys would love it. Even this night had a happy ending. As I was delivering the monthly reports to the auxiliary heads tonight, I was walking up to the front door of our elders quorum president's home and didn't notice in the dark that the front walk was solid ice.My right foot went first and the my left followed which any other time would have ended me up on my back or head. But both feet collided with the first step and steadied me helping me maintain my balance. I thanked Heavenly Father over and over for that close call. I even met a member that we did not know of. A mother with two children that are old enough for mutual. It reminded me of the missionary splits years ago that we would do every Sunday night.
Well we will end this with a happy video or picture. Don't you just love happy endings.

2+3=5

Today was a very special day.Even though it snowed like crazy and cancelled our weekend plans. Even though it is colder than a mother-in -law's kiss outside. Even though the only thing you want to do is snuggle up next to a fire and read Moby Dick and you instead do the laundry and cook and clean. Even though the poinsettia plant that you bought last Christmas is dropping leaves as fast as a pizza dropping slices at a Weight Watchers convention.Even though the promise you made to yourself to change your eating habits began 9 weeks ago and for some reason the pants are tighter today.
Yes even though all that, this was a very special and happy day.Julie and I are ....... well you will just have to watch the video for the rest of the story. Love you kids!!

Well the Bobcats are dust in the wind as far as basketball goes. Canyon Ridge took them out on Sat. A happy / sad end 'cause Chelsae is now "free". All she has now is competition in cheer leading and then baseball season hits. All of our kids have liked competitive sports. Now that we think of it, all of our kids have liked playing with a sphere of some sort. Chris loved the ornaments on the Christmas tree so much that it was not unusual to come down in the morning and find all the ornaments on the bottom of the tree branches. We think that is why he loved all sports so much. Nickie liked baseball but she threw like a girl. (which would make you laugh unless when you had to chase the ball). But Nickie loved circles of family and friends. And she loved "drawing " you in for a hug. Shawnae was great at hitting the ball and teasing the catcher and the pitcher. Chelsae loves to hit the loooooong ball but her speed is her gift. Now Julie was not involved in competitive sports in school but we wager that if there was ever a tether ball team, Julie would have won the gold metal. Recess was the time to prove her dominance in the school yard. As we look back over our years of young parenthood, our children loved ball games, movies and friends. But not all the tea in China could be traded for the times we played catch in the house ( much to mom's chagrin), or bounce the ball in the yard trying to be like Michael Jordan. Those precious moments then were so casually spent as if the clock of childhood ran as slow as molasses in January. Oh my fine friend, how those memories bring warmth on a cold day.
Julie and Chelsae traveled to Poky on Friday to spend some time with Shawnae at her cosmetology school. And while they were there, they had a pedicure, manicure and mom had her hair done. I will try to send a video of this with this blog as well. Any way they were very well done. We are very proud of Shawnae. Keep up the good work. You might make it to the "head" of the class. Get it? Chelsae is trying out for softball and we hope she has "covered" all the bases. Get it? Chris is renting cars so well he was #1 in the state of Idaho. Let's hope the customers don't "drive" him crazy. Get it? Julie is an awesome wife and mother as usual. She is right now at the racket ball club working out with her Pandora music. Let's hope that the "cycle" of life never stops. Get it?
Love you all!!!!

blah-blah-blah

Howdy kids, hope this blog finds you well. Chelsae cheered for the last home game on Friday against Poky and was honored before the game along with all the other seniors. I will try to get mom's phone to grab a picture for you. Shawnae even came down and gave her some roses. She even took the pictures for us for the promenade.
On Saturday we traveled to Twin Falls and attended the B-day party for Brady. Hannah worked really hard in providing a Hogwarts atmosphere. It was Harry Potter day and the games, decorations,food and costumes were great. Brady invited 19 friends and usually only half show up but on this occasion they all came. But Hannah and Chris handled them all very well nevertheless. The weather was warm and so most of the games were outside. Pictures to follow.
Afterwards Grandma and Chelsae headed home in the pickup while your mother and I got lost and ended up in Sun Valley. Why it was the strangest thing. Even the carmel apple store was open. So we ended up eating one and finding our way home. At Shoshone we stop at our favorite burger joint and had a sandwich,fries and a ice cream cone. Because as you know, it is a sin to eat french fries with out ice cream.
Now Chelsae is not one to waste a un-supervised moment so she got together with some girl friends and they made cakes for their "sweethearts". I am looking at it now and it resembles a turbine hat. Her new "attachment" is called Ben or Sam or something like that. And he seems like a nice guy. But then even I can "seem" like that too when I want to, come off it! Chelsae drove up to Hannah's and Chris's place later because of ACT test that morning. She says that the teacher doesn't like her. And that she may have done ok on certain areas of the test. We hope so.
Please listen to the Abbott and Costello routine on the oldies media. It is the funniest skit. They work very well off of each other. Their quick and have it down pat. Also the Smothers brothers is another one that always makes me smile. That media attachment is amazing. I even found an old Bill Cosby skit. Please post some of your funny caricatures and let us know, we always need a laugh.
Well we love you kids and I will post some more home movies with this. Sorry for the rambling that is why I titled it that way.