Tornadoes and Service

John Enslen, a friend, was asked to organize a group of 40 men from the Montgomery Alabama Stake to clean up in Eclectic, Alabama (about 30 miles east of our home) after the tornadoes. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to be one of those 40 men. These photos are from one house on Lake Martin. Unsurprisingly, the ladies who lived there lost their lives. I've cleaned up after many storms, and it's always humbling. It really helps keep things in perspective. It's reassuring to know that as long as I and my family are righteous, we can live together forever.

Mount Joseph

An area of over two rooms near the Helms kitchen were evacuated on Tuesday after a massive explosion of emotions and bodily functions occured. A fight ensued between Allie and Haley, causing a megaquake that was felt throughout the house. Emily shattered her cereal bowl, sending glass, cereal, and milk over two miles in the air. A volcano, Mount Joseph, erupted, compounding the problems already associated with the disaster-ravaged breakfast time. The eruption continued to spew large amounts of boogers into the air and showed no signs of abating after three sneezes. The scene was horrific. An area of over two rooms near the Helms kitchen was evacuated on Tuesday. Meanwhile, in an effort to avoid catostrophic aftershocks, Laura sang church hymns and Brent hid.

WARNING!

THE PHOTOS YOU ARE ABOUT TO VIEW ARE VERY GRAPHIC!

THOSE SENSITIVE TO BOOGERS WILL BE OFFENDED.

Happy Birthday Joseph!

Happy Birthday to our big boy!

Joseph celebrated his 1st birthday February 28th.

Joseph is just about to start walking. He's already taken a few steps, so we bought him shoes for his birthday. The girls and I made a jell-o cake to celebrate and Joseph was quite intrigued with the burning candle. The girls screamed everytime his little fingers got too close to the flame while we sang, "Happy Birthday."

It's hard to believe his first year has already passed.

We love you Joseph!

If Only Life Were So Simple...

Allie was feeling down this morning because Haley said Allie doesn't know everything.

Allie told me, "She (meaning Haley) says I don't know everything, but I do. Cows say 'moo' and ducks say, 'quack' ".

I know the last couple of posts have been about Allie, but she says the funniest things lately. It's like she's finally able to verbalize what's inside her head and it's hilarious. I love getting a glimpse at how children view the world. My kids are constantly reminding me that life is not as complicated as it seems and that simplicity is good.

Allie Can Multi-task

I passed the girls' bathroom today and noticed Allie was brushing her teeth while she was using the bathroom. I guess she's learning to multi-task. I'm glad she took me seriously when I asked her to hurry, but this is overboard I think. Obviously we didn't need any pictures.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Joseph is enjoying a chocolate chip cookie.

Emily is excited about the frosting on her cookie. She's eating it with her spoon.

My little cupids.

Still working on the same cookie.

Brent almost gave up on taking this picture.

Emily loves Daddy.

Our hats!

Allie's blowing bubbles in her strawberry milk... I think letting my kids do things like this makes me a better parent.

There's a time and a place for everything, right?

Such a happy boy!

Our Valentine's Day party.

We had a party to celebrate Valentine's Day. I tried to serve as much pink food as possible, the girls made their own hats, we drank pink strawberry milk, used heart-shaped crazy straws, and frosted our sugar cookies with pink frosting. Later we'll play our Valentine's Day "bingo" game using "m&m's" as markers. What could be wrong with a day that is designated for saying "I Love You" and consuming more chocolate?

Photos of the Kids

I know its been a long, long time since we last posted on the blog, but life has been busy. Laura and I wake up at 4:52AM every morning. She goes to the gym for an hour and I read my scriptures and eat breakfast. She gets home around 6:05 and reads her scriptures and eats her breakfast and I leave to go workout. She gets the kids ready alone - an amazing feat - and gets Haley to school by 7:45AM. Then, she goes to work around 8:00AM with Allie, Emily, and Joseph and works until 2:30PM. She makes a quick deposit at the bank for work and runs to pick Haley up from school by 2:55PM. She's home with all four kids by 3:10PM and by that time they're all hungry. I stay at school from about 6:30AM to 6:30PM every day and usually from about 9:00 - 2:00 on Saturdays. Sunday is my only day off. By the time I get home Laura has helped Haley complete her homework, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, fed everyone a snack, made supper, bathed four kids, done a load or two of laundry, swept the house, and managed to keep a smile. After I get home she feeds me and then I go study while she packs lunches for everyone for the next day. We usually try to meet up around 8:45 for 15 minutes of "together" time before going to bed around 9:00PM. Then, it all starts over again. So, it's not that we have procrastinated posting on the blog, it's that we have not had any time to do so.

This is Emily. She loves to crawl up in Joseph's highchair and also to get into his walker. She thinks it's fun. She's not really that far removed from the highchair.

Joseph always says, "Overweight is something that just sort of snacks up on you, Dad!"

Do cannibals get hungry one hour after eating Mexican?

Laura: Hey Emily, why does a milking stool only have 3 legs?

Emily: Because the cow has the udder.

Silly Haley and Allie.

What do you call a brunette with two blondes on either side?

An interpreter.

Why didn't Indians scalp brunettes?

Because the hair off a Buffalo's butt was more manageable.

A brunette says to a blonde, "Look, a dead bird." The blonde looks up and says, "Where?"

Haley loves grits, eggs, bacon, biscuits, and muffins.

Allie dressed herself.

Joseph looks like an ape.

You should see me flip Emily over the bar she's holding, she loves it.

Raise your hand if you're sure.

Emily didn't get the part in the Yoplait commercial. She did get the part of Pigpen in Charlie Brown Christmas though.

The cats left us a present. Haley and Allie wanted to cook it and eat it.

See, it's not very big.

As you can see, Emily is eating the breakfast of champions . . . Trix.

Thank you PopPop and Grammy for the swingset, the kids love it.

Emily loves being outside. She says that word very well.

Haley saved Emily from an Eagle that swooped down and tried to grab her.