Hermana Heywood

On Mother's Day Whitney got to call the family. We put the speaker phone on and all listened in. Whitney is doing great. She's happy, hilarious as always, and she speaks English with an ancent! She told a whole story in English then in Spanish. She's been out 9 months-thats 1/2 way done with her mission!

She says she doesn't really miss us all because she loves being in Chile. Although she is already planning her homecoming dinner-perhaps meatloaf but she doesn't know because her "brain might explode with all those flavors!" (that's a direct Whitney quote). Apparently where she is in Chile the people don't cook much with seasonings.

Even though she doesn't miss us too much, we all miss her and were really excited to get to talk with her. And to think only 9 months more to go!

The FAMILY!

A family picture taken in March 2008. After a long day of driving to Long Beach and back, eating at one of Marc's favorite restaurants "Bubba Gump" and enjoying a walk along the shore, the whole family met back up in Hesperia. We were all there except for Hermana Heywood who is in Chile. I'm excited to get to talk to her on Mother's Day. Whitney's been out in the mission field for 9 months! My blog is full of pictures of our kids-so heres one for me and Braden.

Watering with Papa

Levi and Olivia love working and playing in Papa's backyard. This year Papa's trees are covered in fruit and the roses in the frontyard are in beautiful full bloom.

After a trip to Texas Papa Heywood gave Levi a shirit that reads:

"Life is Good When You've Got a Papa like Mine!"

How true that is.

More Broccoli Please!

Olivia loves broccoli. During Sunday dinner last month she kept asking for more and "mor broc-lee please!" Of all the things she could love I'm happy its something good for her. She could eat 7 (or more) servings of broccoli. So to quote Kronk, "More broccoli?"

Sorry the videos a bit long, but it does have some great music.

Chocolate Bananas and my little kidletts

Chocolate Bananas. A few weeks ago I was craving chocolate bananas-before lunch time. So we froze the bananas, mixed up the chocolate, dipped them and spent the next few minutes enjoying the delicious treat. Well, I went a little overboard. It was before lunch...and I did finish off the "extra" chocolate. Lets just say I never want to eat a chocolate covered banana again.

"Stow Yer Weapons"

SWORDS!

My little boy and his cousins LOVE swords. Their swords come in many different varieties- sticks found outside, drumsticks from their uncles room (sorry Will), sharpie markers, hammers from Grandma's hammer dulcimers, parts of mixers and blenders (especially the dough hook), wooden spoons, you name it and they can turn it into a sword.

Of course, with two dogs and with Olivia even the best intentions of "carefully" playing with swords can turn haywire. For the protection of my dogs and my little girl swords deemed unsafe by Mom get put on top of the fridge. Thus, Will, when you come home from school and wonder where your drumsticks are-look on top of the fridge. I always know that if I need something long and pointy-I look on top of the fridge, where all the weapons are stowed.

And it lives again!

Braden and I were given this plant for our wedding. It is an amazing plant. We water it, forget about it and it'll look like the top picture. We'll water it again and 3 hours later it'll perk up and look heathly! This has happen time and time again over the last 4 years and 9 months.