Mark's Choice

Yep. It's been a while since I posted some pictures. I have some favorites from the end of last year, not sure these were ever posted or not . . . worth a second look anyway.

Rylee, making a cake for me. I wasn't allowed to look at it until it was all done. She must've spent a full 1/2 hour on this cake. Making and remaking, if I could've brought it home I would have.

Huntington Beach, CA. Rylee was not a fan of the water, but the sand and shells were just her thing.

This "L" has nothing to do with the word "CALIFORNIA." It's simply there because it's the first letter in Lauren's name.

Why are all these other letters on this plaza too? All we really need was just an "L" and an "R."

I'll only ever get a picture of Lauren in this stage of life once. This is it. Classic in my book. To me, this shows how proud you can be when you look very abnormal compared to the rest of society. Yet, still sport a smile and freckles that that are nothing but beautiful.

The frozen mud puddle in the lot next door. Awesome.

Rylee tries on my ski boots. Next time we head to the mountain, she thinks she might venture along. By the way, my ski's didn't last very long. After about 2-3 hours those tragic excuses for mobility down a mountain came off and were replaced by a snowboard. Ski's? What was I thinking?

Rylee, lost in some world. She comes out on occasion just to go the bathroom.

This was my Halloween gift to my girls. Orange fingernail polish and a black fingernail marking pen. We had a great time decorating nails. I'm no artist, but they were satisfied and even thought these were pretty cool.

I had the opportunity to actually be at Laurie and Tim's home in Ohio the week leading up to Halloween. This was at their ward party at the church. The Busch family has this giant chest of costumes that comes out and anybody can be anything they want for Halloween. Me, I was some type of witch with a black cape. Quite the wierdo to be exact, but it was a blast to walk around and introduce myself as Laurie's brother. They would stop and say, ". . . oh" as if "Wow, Laurie is so amazing . . . what happened to you?" I loved it. It's true, Laurie and her kids and Tim are truly amazing. This trip to see Taylor, Dallin, and Carly was one of the highlights of the whole year for me.

the faces of AWESOME

What a cool experience to speak face to face with everyone when your miles away. I'm starting my collection of screenshots from our video chats and I'll post them here.

I'm glad the girls get to see the name tags and we can explain to them about why you are on a mission.

New Year's Resolutions

We imagine that we want to escape our selfish and commonplace existence, but we cling desperately to our chains.
Anne Sullivan Macy

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it.
Alexander Graham Bell

We could hardly wait to get up in the morning.
Wilbur Wright

It's a new year, what can I achieve in the next 12 months? On occasion I look at what I have accomplished and wonder why I only engaged a certain portion of my full potential to accomplish that particular work. Is it because it can be done with less than 100% of my effort or is it because I didn't want to give 100%? If I know I can do better, then why not do it? One of my deepest fears is that I may give 100% and it still won't be good enough. Any thoughts?

Some of my other sources of inspiration:

And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship they began to murmur against me, saying: our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.

1 Ne 17:17

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

3 Ne 13:27

Ski before board?

 

Lauren and I went skiing this past week.  The snow fell deep and thick, and we decided now is the time.  It cost more than I expected but we had an absolute blast of a time on the mountain.  For her first time on the mountain I wanted her to enjoy it and want to come again.  So I decided to start her out on a pair of skis so she could at least stand up by herself.  We stayed on the mountain for several hours, some were frustrating, but some were not.  I waited until the right moment when she was tired but was starting to really get the hang of the motion, the turns, the stopping, and then we called it a day.  I wanted to leave her hungry for more on purpose.   Someday I hope we can shoot the hills together.  But this day was just day 1 and she did fantastic!!  She did leave the mountain hungry for more so I feel like I was successful in our first attempt.  

 

So get this. . . I go to make up some rice and I plunge the scooper into the bowl and find – why – rubies and emeralds of course.  That’s  not strange right? I decide to question Janna a bit and her response is “there might be a couple of gems in there. . .”  A couple?????  Try 40+.  If there’s a story here, I’d like to know what it is.   My best advice:  chew slowly.

 

Christmas Eve dinner.  Janna had to work this night from 11 pm to 5 am. She was home in time for the Christmas morning excitement. Santa successfully found our house.  In fact, his letter to the girls indicated he had to bring two sleighs just to fit Rylee’s Christmas present in one of them.  There was NO SNOW on Christmas – only cold, cold rain.  So we left a slip-n-slide out front for him to land on instead.  Before he left he ate the cookies on the plate and even helped himself to our gingerbread house (which wasn’t supposed to be for him – but hey – Santa can do whatever he wants right?)

 

The cause for Santa to bring a 2nd sleigh along.