PRetty COOL!

check out www.tarawhitney.com. Our family is featured on up and coming photography business web page. Oh aren't we just so famous. ha

Aunt Kelly would be proud!

There is a reason that my sister Kelly calls Rachel "mini me". Here is one of them. Endless creativity and drama and a love for garage sales and second hand treasures. She is modeling here a skirt that she bought at a neighbors garage sale for a dollar. A skirt you ask. Yes, a skirt. She has transformed it also in a shirt. Here are some of the different looks she was able to put together for my viewing pleasure. More on miss Rachel to come!

Phoenix botanical gardens

You can't fully appreciate the beauty of these pictures without the smell that goes with them. I went with Rebecca on her field trip and it was so beautiful. It has been raining for 24 hours straight and then this morning had that clean, fresh, just rained feel and smell in the air. There is actually a certain tree that puts off that desert smell after it rains. I didn't know that. I am continually in awe of the complexity of this world. Everything is so intricate and unique. So much attention to detail in every plant, animal, and insect. How fun as an adult to still get that feeling of wonder and amazement. Life is good.

Baby piper photo shoot

More pictures here

kenny's girls

Back from Tahoe. The weather was incredible there. Unseasonably warm. We spent alot of time just sitting on the porch and hanging out. Smelling that clean pine air. Enjoying the mountain view and talking. My whole family gathered to celebrate some wonderful things happening in my brother Kenny's life. Pictured are three of them. He recently married this brazilian beauty Leticia in Oct. 2006. She is expecting their baby "Sophia" in April. Also this is his daughter Kelsie whos 14th birthday we celebrated friday. For the first time in her life Kenny has custody of her and we can see and talk to her anytime we want!!!!! We had alot to celebrate this weekend in their family. Baby showers, birthdays. Kenny turned 35 on sunday. More pictures to come on all the fun events. We love love love you guys!!!!!!

spring break YES!

This was yesterday. We heated the pool to a fabulous 85, and I have given myself permission to relax and enjoy my kids. Lizzie turned a marvelous pink. Today I am afraid she is red, despite many applications of sunscreen. I did a photo shoot of sweet baby Piper Black (pictures still in the editing process) which always makes my girls want to be the subject. So I always get a few of them too. Today was one of the most relaxing days I have had in a long while. I read a book, swam, and watched the girls happily play. I didn't even answer the phone for a few hours. The weather is so incredible and there isn't a cloud in the sky. AAHHHHH is all I can say. I will have to put a picture of all of our red faces today. Tomorrow we are heading out for Tahoe. Jacob has been praying so much for me to be able to make all the necessary preparations etc. etc. big words to say he wants to leave on time!. We will see. ha

Leah today

Leah is such sparkly little girl. Can you see the magic in her eyes? She has a heart of gold. She currently is very excited about her new dance classes. She looks forward to them all week. She currently is obsessed with food. She loves it sooooo much. Tonight she was midsentence saying something and I set down her dinner plate in front of her and she instantly stopped talking and said ooooohhhh. Due too this new love of food she has become my little sausage, as I call her. She came up to me the other day and asked, "Are these my lovers?" as she grabbed a little roll of fat around her middle. If you know how she pronounces R's you would love her question even more. She makes us laugh, but also makes me crazy with her absentmindedness. i wonder where she gets that. Dave? ha

For my analytical sisters

I love this little message that I ran across on the time out for women site. (this is a picture of me with my three sisters and one of my two brothers at nicole's wedding (the youngest of our party of 6).

"My poor mother had four daughters and then a son. My sisters and I have spent the last forty-plus years analyzing everything my mother ever said and did. We have dissected and discussed her behavior, her parenting, her appearance, you name it. My poor mother. She didn’t stand a chance.
I, on the other hand, was blessed with four sons. A couple of years ago, I asked my oldest son, Connor, who was then 22, “Son, how do you feel I did as a mother?” He looked at me and said, “Huh?” I repeated my question, “You know, how do you feel I did as a mom in raising you?” “Fine.” “Do you think I did a good job or did I do a lot of damage or what?” “I said fine.” I persisted, “Well I’m sorry if I messed up or made a lot of mistakes or whatever.” He replied, “No sweat.”
So I asked his next-oldest brother at a later date. “Brennan, how do you feel I did as a mom?” “OK, I guess.” “Well, I’m sorry for all the mistakes I made in raising you. I know that I could have done better and I hope you can forgive me.” “K.”
Not to be outdone, I asked their younger brothers who replied in similar fashion. Actually, one son was tremendously eloquent, “Real good, Mom.” He’s my favorite. Can’t remember which one it was but he’s my favorite.
You see, guys don’t analyze the whole mothering thing that much. Can I tell you how blessed I am? Not only do they not pound to death everything I ever said or did as a mom, they don’t remember it! What a gift I have been given! And I certainly appreciate it.
For those of you who were not so lucky and have reproduced hyper-analytical types like my mother did, take heart.
Think what it was like to be a Mother in Israel following Moses around and having your kids say for FORTY YEARS, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” What was it like for Sarah and Lehi where their family home evenings ended up with two brothers tying up their little brother and trying to kill him. Now we’ve had that happen but they always untied him by the end of the evening . . .
What was it like to be the mother of young Alma? “I told you time and again, do NOT play with those Mosiah boys ever again!” and then sitting there crying at their missionary farewell saying, “Who knew?”
Being a mother can be a scary adventure. I think the Lord doesn’t give us any background on these kids for a reason. Talk about a leap of faith!
But you know what, He asks one thing of us as moms . . . “Will you wake up again tomorrow and love them?” Frankly, He asks the same thing of all of us—aunts, wives, sisters, teachers, moms, friends, grandmas---“Will you wake up again tomorrow and love some more?” To which, I wax eloquent--“OK.”

our saturdays

This has been a part of our saturdays for a couple of months now. Dave coaching and me on the sidelines cheering. I really love it to be honest. I love to see the look of determination in Jacob's face as he charges down the court. I love to see Dave really trying to teach these kids, and the look of respect they have in their eyes as they listen to their "coach". It is so cute. To these 11 and 12 year old boys this is the best part of the week. What they look forward to, what they dream about. Making that perfect shot to win the game right as the buzzer sounds. You would think it is the NBA how the parents cheer. We know this may be as close as our kids get and that is ok. It really is for the love of the game (and for the love of our kids).

YOU MUST

You must go and see my sister Kelly's blog, and all of her things that she has for sale in her etsy shop. Her blog is so much fun, and she is super creative. Here is a picture of her knitting at my brother's wedding. That is so typical of her. She loves to take her knitting with her to funny places. She knew that her husband was the right one for her when on one of their first dates she took a huge afghan that she was working on to a college basketball game that she went to with him and friends. That he wasn't embarassed won her over and he even helped hold the yarn for her. You just love to make a spectacle don't you kel? ha ha. How lucky am I that she is my sister and I get first dibs on all her creativosity. Aren't you so jealous?

Self portrait

Here it is my blurry self portrait taken in my bathroom for cjane's theme challenge of....you guessed it... a self-portrait. I like the fact that it is blurry because it hides imperfections more. ha

GOTCHA

here's to wishing I could take your picture right now!

My favorite!!!

this is worth waking up for. My favorite wheat bread ever. Made right here in the phoenix area by Alpine Valley. It isn't at regular grocery stores but guess what? They have it at Costco. Another reason to love costco (like I needed another reason). It is the most moist, dense, yummy bread. It makes the best toast with real butter and also you can't beat a turkey sandwich on it. I highly reccommend you get your hands on a loaf. Oh yah, it will keep you regular too. ha ha