Words for Will

Will is learing to say so many words! This is a list of words that we have heard him say:

Woof, woof ( Oof )

Brooke

Light ( ight )

Bye

Hi

     Hello ( He puts his hand to his ear, as if he is on the phone )

Night, night ( nigh, nigh )

Daddy

Mama

Foot ( oot )

Hot

No, No

Kitty ( itty )

Bat

Fish ( ish )

Truck

Eye

Nose ( ose )

Hair

Mine ( he learned this one last week, he says it perfect, and he says it all the time to Brooke )

Yuck

Duck ( uck )

Bike

Cold

Ghost ( ohst )

Shoes ( ooes )

 Car ( ar )

Book ( ook )

Blankie ( Key )

Ouchey ( owweee )

Bird ( bead )

His absolute favorites are hot, fish, woof and truck. Will really wants to talk. He is doing great, because he actually tries to say almost every word that we try and teach him. Will says truck every time that he sees one pass by us in the car. He says hot to everything he knows that he shouldn't touch. Grandma really impressed him one day, by pretending to get hurt when she touched the stove. She said, " Hot, Ouchy, Ouchy" Will has been obsessed with the word ever since. Will loves fish, so he felt inclined to lean how to say it. He actually says " ish " to be exact. It is to cute to watch him learn. We are all so amused by him, and we just love him so much!

Halloween Party 2011

Halloween is a family favorite holiday in our house. Brooke even had a hard time deciding which she liked better one year, Christmas versus Halloween? Anyone who knows Brooke, knows of her intense love for anything with lots of sugar in it. How can we blame her? Her Mommy, Daddy and Grandma Pack are all guilty of the same candy addiction. Halloween is great for Brooke because she is a candy horder. I seriously find candy hidden in every crevis of Brooke's room. She told me once she hides her candy so she can't see it, and want it all the time.

We had our third annual kids Halloween party while my brother's family was visiting. We had a great time! We ate my home-made chili for dinner, and then let the fun begin with Halloween music and dancing, pin the tail on the cat, and pinata ( thanks to Grandma ) and ended with Kevin's famous magic act.

Kevin has been practicing this magic act for three years! It really is getting better every time. He had a couple new tricks this year, thanks to a magic video that Grandpa Pack got him as a souvineer, when in Tennessee.

                                                       Will was a hamburger for the night.
                                                    

                                           
                          Our scary spider entrance gets everyone creeped out that comes to our door
                           

We decided that pin the tail on the cat was rigged by Kevin, who knew the kids could kind of see out the glasses

Will thought it was hilarous that we were all hitting a pumpkin. If you want to talk about Halloween being scary...We were all scared when we realized that Kevin was letting the kids use his extending steel baton to hit the pinata. Thank goodness we realized before it was Will's turn. He used a light saver.

                                                  Tru was thoughful about hitting the pinata

                                                     A magician always needs voltunteers

                                            Will was picking up the Magic skills from his Dad
                                                         

                                                            We were all very attentive ;)

                                                            dry ice potion is always fun!

.                              Luckily I am well aquainted with Halloween parties, after three years

Captain Hook is My Brother

As the little sister of my brother Allen, It would be a surprise for me that he had turned away from " the dark side"  since he hated the good guy" role,  in all of my favorite Disney movies, that I watched as a child.

 It isn't a surprise at all, that his life would become a real battle, since that was what we were constantly playing. Even him, as a teenager and myself just in grade school.

 Bad guys, versus good guys, every day. 

And my name, was Peter Pan. And he was Captain Hook. Plus, I must mention his added advantage, that Amy, was his sidekick " Smee. " She would respond to his every beckoning call, to tickle my feet, so that I couldn't get away from him messing up my hair, or fight him back.

Every day there would be wrestling, and bouts back and forth about who was stronger, and who was going to win the next fight.

We call him " Paul " in our house, even though at school, he was Allen.

 He and Amy called him " Hook " and he walked around our house, with his pointer finger curled up, just like a hook. He flung his hook at me every time I walked past. With a smile on his face, he would say, " Next time you are going to walk the plank, Peter Pan ! "

I never minded being called "Peter Pan" , because I watched the end of the movie. Peter Pan won, and never grew up ;)  I loved having my older brother play into a child's movie, so that we could play together.

My Brother Allen is a true American hero. He was in the Marines from 1998-2008. He also graduated from college at BYU, as a Political Science Major.  He graduated in the top of his class and had many promotions, that eventually lead him to become a Captain ( platoon commander) over seeing fourteen tanks, and the men in them,  in the Iraq war. He served as a captain in Iraq twice, once in 2003, while his wife Sarah was pregnant with Landon. ( He barley made it back for Landon's birth ). He went back in 2004 for six months, when Landon was just a baby.

When we found out that he was being sent to Iraq, our family was in complete fear, that eventually grew our faith in prayer. We were so thankful both times, that he came back safely. The first time he was in Iraq, we never knew where he was, and we only knew that he wore the chemical warfare suits, because it was believed that they had chemical weapons in Iraq. We knew how intelligent Paul is, so we were glad he was in charge. We all respect him and admire him for his patriotism, and devotion to our country.

My brother's work ethic, intelligence, physical stamina, and loyalty, are only a few of the qualities that the military world, his church leaders, and our family have come to recognize in my brother.

My brother now serves the country in another way. And his life, is truly like all the movies that we watch for entertainment.

My brother's family came to visit a few weeks ago. We were in heaven having them here. We did lots of fun things, but the best time was just playing at home. Brooke loved playing with Nicole, Landon and Tru. Will met them for the second time, and was giving all of them hugs, by the end of the week.  Their new addition to their family " Hailey " the dog, was the nicest, most gentle dog we have ever met too! Will couldn't stop laying on her, and giving her hugs.

                  Tru ( 4 yrs ), Hailey ( the dog ) , Nicole ( 10 yrs ), Landon ( 8yrs ), William and Brooke

                 
                   Will chased all the kids around, and was trying to get any affection and attention he could get

                                              
                                                 Will and Tru, were having a bonding moment 

              Landon loved all of Brooke's ideas to find crystals in the backyard, to hide things, and trick people

 
                                                                Grandpa is very loved

                                                Nicole and Brooke, both love to do art work

Brooke and Tru liked playing Barbies together

                                             
                                           Will could not get his paws of of this precious puppy

S.O.A.R.ing Eagel Award

I got a call from the principal at Brooke's school. She said, " I have Brooke sitting in the office with me, and she has a huge smile on her face." She explained to me that Brooke was chosen to the the S.O.A.R.ing Eagle by her teacher. Brooke was chosen for always being:
                                    
                                              Safe, Organized, Attentive, and Respectful

She then let me know that Brooke would receive her award at the assembly, the following Friday. She invited our family to come to the school and take pictures of Brooke, and help celebrate Brooke, being one of  "Baker's Best" students. 

Brooke had her picture taken by the school, and it will be displayed on a, special wall in her school where each S.O.A.Ring Eagle, for every semester, has their picture up, for all the other students to walk past everyday.

Grandma & Grandpa Pack, Daddy, and my brother's family that was visiting, all came to the assembly, to watch Brooke receive her award. It was a great feeling to see Brooke receive the recognition, that I know she deserved.

After the assembly, we celebrated by getting Brooke ice cream, with candy on top. Brook was excited all week for the assembly and promised ice cream.

Blogger wont let me change the orientation of the picture. I will have to work on it later....Sorry for now

State Fair 2011

Kevin got off of work early one day, a week ago, so that we could go the the Texas State Fair. It was so nice to be there on a Wednesday afternoon, with out any crowd, and still plenty was going on at the fair. It really was a great fair experience, for our little family.

Will was amused with something interesting to look at, in every direction. He loved passing by the games, looking at all the huge stuffed animals. He liked it even better when Brooke got to play a game, and he got to stick his hands in the water that was full of rubber ducks.

Brooke loved being reminded about the fair, in the movie, Charlotte's Web. They even had the pigs, that were to be judged in a very convenient spot this year. Brooke asked if the little girl that was showing her pig, owned the pig, when it was a baby? The little girl told her, that in fact, she did raise the pig from a baby. Will learned how to snort like a pig from this experience of the pigs, up close and personal. At first, Will seemed shocked to see the pig. I think it was because he and I play with a toy pig every day. He didn't expect to see a pig that big!

In the petting zoo, Brooke loved feeding a baby lamb. Kevin practiced a technique he was researching, about how to pet an ostrich. I didn't catch it on camera, but he actually grabbed the ostrich by the neck and began to pet the head of it. Kevin claimed that ostrich liked it, but I am not so sure about that. One on- looker enjoyed seeing an ostrich getting petted on the head, and another one, look appalled, when he saw Kevin grab the ostrich neck. I thought it was worth a try, to test out the technique he saw on TV.

The dog show was not very impressive, but the acrobats were stunning! I was worried all the stunts they were doing on ladders, might give Will some new climbing ideas, but it didn't.

I asked Brooke what her favorite part about the fair was, and she said, " Riding in the big bear, with our whole family in it, was the best!" I actually got very dizzy on this huge spinning bear ride. It calmed Will down for some reason? After we rode that spinning ride, Will was very relaxed and just soaking in all the entertainment.

The state fair is a family tradition for our family. Kevin and I loved the year that 7-11 had Slurpee's at the state fair. And Slurpee's at the state fair, meant that Dad had unlimited free tickets. We went the fair three times that year. I was pregnant with Brooke. It was great fun. We were sad to hear that 7-11 took the Slurpee tent out  after two years of doing it.

Note to Brooke and Will

Most of my life struggles have been self inflicting. And for one reason, or another I just have to make a mistake more than once, to realize that I need a change in my actions. I would like to promise myself, that  my days of making the same mistake over and over, are finally, over. But I can only promise, that I am highly aware of, and engaged on working on, this problem of mine.

It started with the training of the half marathon. I started off excited, and ready to carefully work my runs in, around my families needs. I was determined this time, my running, would not take over my life. It only took a few weeks of running 35 miles a week, ( which is the necessary weekly mileage, to meet my previous, half marathon time ) for me to notice that our Sat. family adventures were greatly affected by my 5 am, 10 mile run , with my friends. The exhaustion was like a cloud of confusion that loomed over my head for hours of the day, and by the time that I came out of the confusion, it was getting to be afternoon, and much of the day was gone.

 After two Saturdays like this, I knew I needed a change, to keep my goal of not affecting my family. So I decided I would run hard all week, so that when Sat. came, the early morning run, would not wear me out. I even started doing my long run on the treadmill during the week, and this was where the danger came. Because I didn't have my friends with me, since I was on a treadmill , I got bored. I love to run, but the truth is, that I love to sprint short distance, and being on the treadmill, with no friends to talk too, I just wanted to get the long run over with. I ignored the fact that normally I run 7 min. miles for max 5 miles, and I pushed myself at this same pace for 8 miles.

I got greedy. I couldn't believe that I could go 8 miles and hold a 7 min. pace. I had never tried to run fast, for long distances, and I wanted to try it again. The feeling after the distance at this pace, made me feel invincible. Plus, doing this distance in the week, made it possible to take an extra day off of running, and still complete the required mileage.

Then something happened, that is worse than the greedy feeling, that held me of high hopes to run even longer at that pace next time.

I had an uneasy feeling about my training, even though everything seemed to be working out just fine, in this new system I had found where my Sat. runs were later in the morning, and shouldn't exhaust me for the day. Well, I did not completely ignore the warning that came to me.... I emailed the girls that I was running with and told them, that I felt terrible, that I hadn't offered to help them more with their paces. I felt terrible that I hadn't offered to pace them for the actual race,( I have had a coach pace me in the past, and it it awesome, so I should want to give that to a friend, right? ) and I said that I decided that I wasn't doing this race for my time, but that I wanted to help them. Teresa, was thrilled about my offer, although she felt sad for me to not race it for myself. I assured her that I wanted to do this for her, and I had a feeling that I should.

I figured the uneasy feeling that I had about the race was because I selfishly, hadn't offered to help friends more. I figured I felt bad, because I felt so proud of my recent long run times, but I hadn't thought to help a friend. But I know now, that the uneasy feeling, was a warning about where my pride would take me, if I didn't get it under control, and I had the thought to help a friend, so that I wouldn't need to put pressure on myself about my pace. I had a feeling about this, but offering to help a friend was not enough. I needed to inquire more of the Lord, and the feeling probably would have come, that I need to not let my pride push my pace in my own runs.

My pride lost control. I got on the treadmill after downing two Mountain Dews, and I put in Cinderella Man in the DVD player. (Cinderella Man is one of our favorite movies.) I watched Russel Crowe's starving family, and the adrenaline of the boxing got to me. I started loosing my legs at 9 miles, at 7 min. pace, but I kept thinking, if I just hold on, could I imagine how it would feel to run 7 min. miles for 11 miles? It would feel awesome. I was into the movie. I thought about how bad it would hurt to have to get back up, after being knocked out, like Bradock did in the movie, and real life ( since it's a true story ) and I made myself do it. I am pretty easy to motivate, and I ignore the pain and push myself to much. I lost all form, and I felt the cloud of confusion coming, even before I stopped running. ( normally this doesn't happen until you are finished running. )
I even made a comment about this run on facebook because I was so proud of myself.

My pride is broken down, now. I learned my lesson. I know, that the uneasy feeling that I had, was a warning about what was to come, if I didn't change the path, that I was about to go down. I assumed what I was doing wrong, but I didn't prayerfully ask.

My neck and back pretty much always in pain right now. Any normal person would have stopped running right after this event. But no, not my stubborn self. I kept running after the injury and three chiropractor visits that really helped me. After my last 10 mile run left me in severe pain and I had to continue holding a baby anyway, I finally got some sense knocked into my head.

I now feel terrible for wasting Kevin's hard earned money and all because of my pride. Up until a few days ago, I still planned to do the race somehow.

Pain ended up breaking my pride and I told Teresa that I can't pace her, because I need to heal, so that I can take care of my family.

Hopefully I learned my lesson and hopefully I wont abuse my body anymore. Just because your body can endure the pain of running, doesn't mean, that it should.

Just because it feels good to accomplish something hard, doesn't mean that the sacrifice it will take, will be a worthy sacrifice.

Make your sacrifices a worthy cause, my dear Brooke and Will. Sometimes the glory we want, is not always what is best for us.

GO-PEDS

Some of Kevin's and my very first dates, were day dates. We went to breakfast to start the day, ( we both LOVE breakfast food ) and then had so many activities we wanted to do, that we just couldn't get to them all. We still haven't gotten to all of them yet!

One of our first day dates included going to get Ice cream for late breakfast,  ( one of my favorites ) and then searching for places that we could ride on Kevin's double rider go-cart.

I was sad a few years ago when Kevin sold that go-cart , to exchange it for a go-ped. A few months later, when he came home with a second go-ped that he claimed to be mine, for him and I to go on go-ped dates, I felt a little better.

Kevin mostly rides the go-ped during the times that he just can't sit in the house any longer, and he thinks we are taking too long. He then rides the go-ped outside the neighborhood. It is loud, so it is a nice little reminder that Kevin is sick of waiting for me to do my hair, or gather the kids together, and he probably feels he has done everything he can do, to help.

We go on rides side by side , on the two go-peds , every once in awhile. We would go more, but someone has to stay with the kids.

The go-ped is like a motorized skateboard, that all the neighborhood kids envy. Although it looks like a kid toy, it actually could be dangerous for kids, because even Kevin had a college friend (Mark Lensymeyer ) ride with him. Mark got too confident, and fell off it when waving hi, to the neighborhood kids that were passing by on their scooters. Mark almost went to the hospital because the fall was so bad. His wife wont let him ride the go-ped anymore.

Become as a Child

A few months before this picture was taken, when Brooke was three-years old, I began reading scriptures to her everyday. We also read other books, but we made sure that reading scriptures, were priority. After a couple years of reading the 100 page synopsis of the Book of Mormon ( Another testament of Jesus Christ ) , one day we lost our book mark. Brooke said to me, " I know where we were reading at! " and she quickly turned to the correct chapter in the book, and started reviewing the whole chapter with me. She kept telling me what was happening on each page. After she read a few chapters explaining the pages, I realized that it was time to read the New Testament. After she knows The New Testament, very well, we will read the Old Testament, and of course then back to the Book of Mormon, since all three of these books together, create a perfect witness of Christ.

As we were reading the New Testament, our conversation turned to Joseph and Mary leaving, to go to Bethlehem for Jesus to be born, and then leaving to go to Egypt. Brooke asked why they needed to leave, and although she already new the answer, and although she had heard this story many times, I re-explained that King Herod, ordered all the baby boys to be killed , in his fear that he would loose his power, since it was prophesied that Jesus would be born, and become king of the Jews.

I was surprised to see Brooke's eyes fill with tears, and her voice became shaky as she said, " But the poor little babies, what did he do? Come with a horse to their house, and take the baby from the family. Then put the baby in a cage, on the back of the horse? " Her tender spirit, was feeling empathy for these babies. I almost teared up myself to see her so upset. She had never been upset by this story before, but this time, she could relate more, having such a close experience having a baby brother now. Then Brooke's determination for the positive came out, and she started making all kinds of reasons why some of these babies were okay. She said, " I think that some of the Mom's put their babies in a basket, and then they put flowers over the baby, so that no one would know, that there was a baby in the basket." Then she said, " Or I bet that some of the Dad's made a tunnel in the ground and the Mommy and baby boy hid in the tunnel, and no one even knew that they lived there." Then she said, " Or may be some other Mom's just snuck away, to another land, where everyone was nice and no one was bad."  I agreed with her that all of these things, were definitely something that someone could do in that situation.

This experience with Brooke reminded me of my favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon. I was eleven years old,  in myseminary class, when my seminary teacher challenged us to find a favorite scripture that year, during our scripture study. And he asked us to memorize it. I found my scripture early in the year, I wasn't sure why then, but I know now why, this scripture stuck out to me.

Mosiah 3:19

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the holy spirit and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint, through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things, which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

I see it every day now that I am a Mother,  how perfect little children are, and how willing they truly are, to submit to the will of their father. They want to please their father. They are full of love, with empathy, and charity to every one. Even people from a story, that they have never even met. They are so quick to forgive us adults, when we become impatient.

It is not natural for us to want to be this loving, humble, and submissive to the Lord's will in our lives, but it can be done, if we have faith, and we ask for help, the Lord will send help from family, a neighbor, a friend and if we submit our desires to him, and strive to be like these little children that we love, our lives will truly be joyful, and that is all our Father in Heaven wants for us, for us to be joyful, and he knows how we can be.

Home Depot Date with Grandpa

One day when Daddy was out of town, Brooke and Grandpa had a date, where they made a toy helicopter at Home Depot. Brooke had a great time with Grandpa, teaching her how to hammer the parts together and then paint, their toy. Brooke loves seeing how things are created, so this was a perfect project for her. Plus, Brooke always loves spending time with Grandpa.

Pumpkin People

Brooke, and Sydney did a fun craft with pumpkins. Will was really excited about the Pumpkins, but he was too young to help, so Grandpa took him for a walk outside, while Brooke and I made our pumpkin person.

After we made the pumpkin people, Will and Grandpa came back to help with carving. Will said " Whooo " as he was able to look inside the pumpkin and stick his hand in it.

Brooke and Sydney, had so much fun playing together while she was here. They gave each other presents, and lots of hugs. Brooke cried when Sydney was gone the next day.

My Inspiring Sister

When we were little, one of my favorite things to do with Amy, was play school with her. I would come home from school and literally teach her everything I learned in school that day. She was doing multiplication before she was even in first grade! The crazy thing is, that she could grasp the concepts! Amy, is still one of the smartest individuals, that I have ever met in my life. When we were younger, I would take credit for Amy being the smartest student in her class, but it isn't true. I didn't give her the smarts, she was born with them! I just thought it was really neat to teach my little sister the things I was learning. Once I started gymnastics, my time with Amy was limited, but she was always right there for me, when I wanted someone to play a game with, or talk too. She most likely can not say the same thing about me, because as a teenager, I wasn't as nurturing to a little sister, as I wish I would have been. This is a regret of mine, most definitely.

I feel honored to be related to an inspiring person like Amy. No matter where Amy goes, what group, or activity she is involved in, her talents do not, go with out notice, or mention. Amy quickly catches onto everything she needs to learn. She went to BYU with a full ride scholarship, and maintained all A's to keep her scholarship, all the way to her graduation. ( I had a hard time with remotes, computers, and anything electronic, when I lived at home, because Amy just worked them all for me. ) Amy is a wonderful mother, that loves staying at home, prepares family dinners, teaches her daughter to be intelligent, like her, and puts the Gospel of Jesus Christ as her number one priority. ( Sydney would be completely capable of doing Brooke's homework. That became apparent as Sydney was correctly answering the questions, as Amy helped Brooke with her homework, when they were visiting.)

I can't imagine what childhood would have been like, without Amy. We always had fun playing in the Saint George, hotel pool. ( Our family took almost a monthly weekend trip out there for a few years. ) I will never forget before I married Kevin, when Amy and Kevin came to the office that I was working at, on Saturday mornings and they laid clothes out, across the parking lot to spell my name, for everyone in six story building, to look down and see. It actually got me fired. The only time I have ever been fired in my entire life. I will never forget when, I let Amy drive my car, before she had her licence. She ran the car, into a stop sign. We always had a blast at Disney World together. That is probably one reason, I have such special memories of Disney trips.

Amy, Andy, Sydney and FISH

Amy, my younger sister and family came to visit all the way from Alaska this past week. Amy is due to have a baby boy in December. It was such a nice visit. We were all sad to see them leave. It was cute to see Sydney and how big she has gotten, now two and a half! Brooke was in heaven with Sydney around. They were two peas in a pod. ( more to come about that )

We celebrated the occasion of having Amy, Andy and Sydney with us, by going see one of the first things that brought this very awesome and very compatible couple together....FISH! Amy and Andy love to scuba dive. Their sparks of love first swam  in a BYU college pool, where Andy was one of Amy's scuba instructors. After they were married, Amy and Andy, even went to finish college in Hawaii, where they could scuba dive all the time. Their adventure for the new, has now taken them to Alaska, but I bet eventually they move back to the ocean.

We had a really nice time at the brand new aquarium. Will absolutely LOVES fish. In fact, one of Wills first words, following DA DA, kitty, and woof woof, was fish. He squeals with delight and says " ish, ish, ish " whenever he sees fish! He was a little disappointed the first time we visited this aquarium, because he couldn't grab the fish in his hands, the way Daddy lets him grab hold of the fish, in the tank that we have at home.