A few highlights...2009

I've been so busy these past several months...so now you get to suffer through a marathon of pictures and comments that will go on forever...sorry. Here are some of my favorite pictures and moments of 2009...

Miller wins the Pinewood Derby for the Pioneer Ward

There were so many awesome, colorful cars...

Some of my favorite people of all time...

Brigham Cook (The Master of Scoutmasters!), Drew Millar (Lawyer..every Pinewood Derby needs one!), Grant Peterson (old Bishop), Todd Hjorth (new Bishop).

In July, Weston Keith Whitten turned 12 and received the Aaronic Priesthood. Such handsome boys...I love them.

Jett (13), Miller (10) and Weston Keith (12)

In August, my friend, Patty, put on another BEAUTIFUL wedding..this time for her daughter, Danielle. The wedding and reception were held in the Charleston, WV State Capitol Building and she turned a hallway into this magnificent gathering place.

This was the table she cleverly set up for the children in the family and wedding party. Their own little place to eat and keep busy.

In September, Miller and I headed to Charlotte for our first trip to watch Zach play football. It was warm and it was fun to have some one-on-one time with the Baby.

I really look like a bug...

Some shots of the North Mecklenburg Vikings...ZeeBee is #33

After the game, Miller, Zach and I drove to Virginia and spent time with Aunt Kelly at the Samples' Family Farm. This was my favorite place to visit this year...so peaceful and rustic...always so much love and good food.

The Farmhouse...love the laundry drying in the sunshine.

A view of the land....

Wouldn't be a real farm without a tire swing....

....or some 4-wheelin'....

(Oliver-17 and Jett-13)

Daisy (8), Journey (5), and Zach hitchin' a ride on the farm limo...

Wilbur the pig eatin' s0me home-grown, rotten peaches...

Wilbur has since passed on...they ate him for Christmas :'(

(Jett, Zach, Ryanne, Oliver, Weston and Journey)
Journey is quite the sassy one!

Daisy and Ryanne

The wind grew cold and the leaves fell, ushering in Halloween. For our church Trunk or Treat, Rob was MIA (studying) so Weston stepped up and decorated our "trunk" for the party...all on his own. I was very impressed.

A few of my favorite Nursery kids...

Bentley and Paisley

J0ann....

Zach and his mom, Katrina.

My friend, Suzie, bringing the 80's back...Hot.

The Schultz Family...Mary Poppins and the Chimney Sweep!

Great costumes!

Weston, Jett and Miller...So glad they'll still dress up.

Can't wait for next year!

Touchdown ZeeBee!

Took a road trip last week to see Zach play football.

He made the only touchdown that night for the North Meck Vikings.

It was magnificent...

FrEaKiSh Rash....

A few months ago, Weston put on some new pants we purchased from the Gap Clearance Center (before I washed them) and headed to church. During Sacrament meeting I noticed he kept scratching his arms, his stomach, his sides......to be honest, it was annoying. Of course I asked him to stop scratching...to sit still....and he did try. I just figured he was extra fidgety that morning.

When we got home, I noticed he was STILL scratching so I told him to take off his shirt and we took a look.

YOWZA...

He was COVERED in huge hives all over his torso and arms. We made him strip down further and the gigantuous HIVES were on his thighs, too. I felt so bad....

After eliminating any unsual foods or new soaps, we decided the cause for this freakish rash HAD to be those new, unwashed pants from the Gap Center. We bought Benadryl and cortosone cream and checked his tongue every 30 minutes for swelling. The rash kind of came and went throughout the night until about 4:00 am when Weston came down to our room and collapsed at our door. Weston was delirious but could tell us he didn't feel right so we got him dressed and took him to UK hospital. By the time we got there, his rash had almost completely disappeared (of course). They took his temp, checked him out and decided to admit him for observation.

They gave him some more benadryl and we sat.

About 30 minutes later, Weston's lips and face started swelling up and the freakish rash came back, worse than ever. They decided to give him an Epi shot and within another 30 minutes he was good as new. I have never seen anything like it..... Here is Weston right after the Epi shot....freakish rash just starting to settle down.

Sorry Weston....these photos could be valuable to me as you get older....

The Lunch Buffet...

We were going through Miller's backpack this morning getting it ready for school tomorrow and I found this. I promise this is a word-for-word letter Miller wrote to his elementary school principal...probably a language arts writing assignment. Now I ask you...who's kid is this?!

Dear Mrs. Henderson,

Starving, stressed out. That's me after lunch when I don't get enough to eat. If we had a buffet, no one would have to go through that.

If we had a buffet we'd be happy because we wouldn't be starving. I know this because when my dad is hungry he is not all that happy. You try starving every day and see how miserable you'll be. What if you were given a small lunch and you couldn't get full and you got a bad grade after lunch because you couldn't concentrate?

If we had a buffet it would be fair because sometimes people that have a late lunch, sometimes you run out of the main thing. This happened to me when we had chicken nuggets one day. When I got there, salad was the only thing left. Now a buffet may cost a lot but people pay for lunch and the people on free lunch pay for extra so why not a buffet?

100% of the kids in Mrs. Mitchell/Mr. Spivey's class want a buffet for lunch. We would be able to pick what we ate and not be forced to eat what we don't want to. This will help so we can concentrate in class.

If we had a buffet it would help our social skills because we would not be angry because we would not be hungry. If we had a buffet then the teachers would have an easier time teaching because kids will be full and engergized. When people are hungry they intend to slack off and get bad grades in school. People are starving before lunch and then they're stressing because they didn't get enough to eat.

I can see it now....kids coming to lunch hungry and leaving full because you gave us a buffet.

Sincerely,

Miller Whitten

4th on the Farm....

We went down South for the 4th of July holiday....drove down to southern Virginia to see Rob's parents and spend time on his cousin Kelly (and her husband, Gary)'s farm. It was wonderful.....the boys were without video games....they baled hay and rode horses...we enjoyed Kelly's amazing food and hospitality....we watched a baseball game....a hillbilly beauty pageant....and the best display of fireworks. We loved it all.....good food, good people, good times!

Oliver, Jolly (Oliver's buddy), Miller and Weston storing the hay in the barn.

Uncle Gary, Weston and Miller taking a break...


Gary drinkin' some of that Mormon Moonshine...(water)

A visit with Meme and Pops wouldn't be complete without a few games of Mahjong...

The Pulaski Mariners were playing....lovely Ginny Ryanne got the fox(?) to pose with us...

Contestants for the Miss Hillbilly Pageant.....I think the lady with the black cowboy hat won...she had the best pig call and could spit her watermelon seed the farthest....


Meme and Miller enjoying the fireworks....

Jett, Rob, Weston and Miller visit with Meems..she's beautiful and sweet at 92!

My Birthday Card...

Miller always knows just the right things to say.....Having him..makes having all boys OK with me...

"Happy Birthday to a mom that helps me everyday. Who loves me and protects me. Each day of my life. Love you always, Miller (The baybay)"

The Summer Buzzzzz

Time for summer haircuts....
Of course the boys wanted to look just like "big Z" so I let him do the honors. We ended up with some fuzzy heads....Jett's mohawk lasted about 20 minutes before I killed the joy and made him shave it off.

Weston...first victim.

Real funny, Zach

Our Garden....

Rob found the one spot in our little yard that gets sun most of the day and planted our 2009 garden....I hope this isn't a year of drought and famine or we're in serious trouble.

Love being a Cheap Date....

Always looking to enjoy something new within our d-school budget, I came across an ad in the Friday paper for some cheapo tickets to see the Professional Bull Riders in Lexington. $11 bucks, a diet coke and a bag of p-nuts made for a fun night out. I honestly thought I'd get to see Jewel's husband, Ty from DWTS ride a bull but Rob informed me this group was the "minor league" of bull riders....only disappointment of the night. On the way home Rob said, "Love it when you're a cheap date...thanks!" You're so welcome.

The BULLNANZA arena...

The "rescue" cowboy... a favorite with the ladies in the audience. Just saying...

Wish I had Rob's blue eyes...