Landon Landon He's Our Man...

This summer we have spent 1 or 2 nights a week cheering on Landon and Ethan at their tee-ball/soccer games. It has been a lot of fun!! Here are a few pictures of us Cheering on Landon at last week's game.

Bear Lake, BEAR LAKE, La-La La-La La-La

Uh... Went a little crazy with the title there...

A couple weeks ago (yes I'm behind again...) we had a reunion in Draper, so on the way we decided we would swing by Bear Lake and see uncle Ted. It was Elena's first trip to lake, and once we figured out how to make her happy, she had a pretty good time.

One of the coolest things about Bear Lake this year, is that Dave finally has a child that is big and brave enough to go in the water with him. Ella had a great time playing in the water! Eventually she got cold, but she doesn't have any insulation on her whole body!!

The Mystery of Mischief

From Elena

Have you ever seen the commercial where the lady is talking about how stains mysteriously happen or mysteriously cover themselves up? That is exactly what I thought of when I saw the scene before I took this picture. A 8 month old baby (that can barely sit up) mysteriously reaches into a box (that is out of arms reach) and strings yarn around her own head and half-way across the room... hmmm... something doesn't quite add up.

Her Father's Eyes

It is interesting how a song can get you thinking about things that you normally wouldn't think about. The other day I was downloading a bunch of songs that I like to classify as "daddy" songs. They were various songs that talked about dad's and their little girls etc. Well, I happened upon a song that I have heard many times before, but not for a long time called "Father's Eyes" by Amy Grant. It talks about a daughter that says the greatest compliment that she could receive was for someone to say that she had her father's eyes. The song procedes to talk about all the things that her father's eyes were capable of seeing: eyes that find the good in things, eyes that find a source of help, eyes full of compassion, etc.

Now, when I was younger, people used to tell me all the time that I had my dad's eyes. As much as I knew that it was true I didn't really think much about it at the time, but when I heard this song the other day it really got me thinking. I don't know that I had my "father's eyes" in the sense that I could see all the wonderful things in people that he always did, but at least they looked like his. Knowing I had my father's, never meant so much to me, until that day.

Now I have two beautiful baby girls, both with beautiful eyes.

Ella will forever be able to say that she has her father's eyes. Both Ella and David have the most beautiful sea blue eyes that could melt the coldest heart. (I should know, I get pretty cold sometimes!) It's no wonder that people comment both of their eyes on a regular basis. Someday I hope that I can look into Ella's eyes and see that she has the same open-minded and charity driven eyes that her father has always had. Sometimes I can't believe how patient and loving Dave can be. I nit-pick and bug him a lot more than I should sometimes, but somehow he still puts up with me and the kid's and loves us anyway. I could never thank him enough for giving Ella the best example for what her eyes could be.
Elena on the other hand has been blessed with beautiful, dark, brown eyes, which do not look the slightest like David's, but they are just like both of her grandfathers. Dark soul searching eyes, that make you feel the love that she has for you. Both my dad and Dave's dad have/had these same warm welcoming eyes. It amazes me how both of them saw the good in people, in a way that I can't even imagine.

I remember my dad always helping everyone, no matter their race, intelligence level, or opinion. In Dave's dad's eyes I have seen an extremely loving grandpa who has stepped up and been there for my kid's when they really needed it. It is so nice to know that your kid's have grandparents that will watch over them, love them, and maybe even spoil them once in awhile. Thank you Mike, you're the best!!

My new hope is that these two beautiful girls grow up that they can see the examples that these wonderful father's have set for them, and they can do more than just "look" like their "father's eyes", but also see all the wonderful things that these father's can see.

Elena's mess

Need I say more...