I Am the Champion

Every year my family has a football poll. My dad picks several college and pro games each week and then we all pick our games. At the end of the season, the person with the most wins gets a BYU football helmet and we put our name on it. I'm proud to say I have won it two of the past three years. Between my sister and I, we have won it four of the past five years. Go girls!!

It's funny because growing up my friends would say that since I'm such a football fan, I'd probably marry a guy who didn't even care about football. That's pretty much what's happened. David will watch a game with me, but he'd rather do just about anything else. I think Baylie has already been to more games than her dad. David doesn't participate in the picks.

Now I need to finish my bowl game picks. Whoever wins that one gets a famous football cane carved by my dad. (Let me take advantage of this opportunity to say the BCS system is lousy. Teams with four and five losses get into big games while teams like Texas Tech and Alabama totally get shafted.)

First Time Meeting Santa

There is something about this picture that just draws me. I don't know if it's the colors or the expressions on the faces, but I LOVE this picture. I wish I hadn't already sent out Christmas cards because I would have used this one.

You Be the Judge

The past couple of years, David and I have decorated a gingerbread house. We each do one side of the roof. Personally, I think my side is much better, but David prefers his. Regardless of which side is which, David eats most of the candy off it long before Christmas and it ends up looking pretty pitiful.


My side
















David's side

More Baylie Videos

Baylie is a chuckler, but she doesn't laugh really hard very often. We had fun hearing her belly laugh.

She doesn't say any real words yet, but we still like to hear her talk.

Christmas Song

A few years ago, I wrote a Christmas poem that I really liked. David put it to music and added a chorus. Now I like it even more. The lyrics are below. You can go to here to listen to David sing the song.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the inn,

Not a creature was stirring

Though filled to the brim.

While out in the stable 

A candle burned bright

As a husband kept vigil

All through the night.

On that night,

That still, still night

The Savior came

Into the world.

The cattle were lowing

A hush in the air

For the animals knew

Christ soon would be there.

While shepherds kept watch

In their own humble way.

Wise men saw the star

That signaled the day.

On that night,

That still, still night

The Savior came

Into the world.

The Christ child was born 

On a bed of new hay

To a world unaware

Of where the king lay.

Later the shepherds

And wisemen would come,

But for now it was Mary

Just holding her son.

On that night,

That still, still night,

The Savior came

Into the world.

On that night, 

that still, still night

Our Christmases began.

Tradition

I'm all about tradition and history and keepsakes, etc. Thankfully, so is my mom. She saved my first Christmas dress, so now I'm using it as Baylie's first Christmas dress. I just think that is so cool! Here we are in the dress.

Of Mothers and Kristin

We have Baylie in our bed almost every morning. She is nestled between us, which gives her opportunity to be our new alarm clock. In the middle of the night she will make fussing noises. Kristin hears them first. She gets up and brings her in, sets her beside me and tosses a new diaper in one of two places: on Baylie's belly or on my face. I'll sit up and change her diaper while she fills a new bottle with Baylie's formula. Baylie drinks that for a while before she dozes off until about 6:15 a.m. when our new alarm clock sounds off happily.

This morning I heard Baylie first. So I brought her to the bed. It must have been earlier than usual because when I gave her the pacifier she was out in an instant. I had already gotten the diaper and set it between Kristin and Baylie. I wish I had remembered to toss it on Kristin's face. All the better, Kristin apparently didn't hear all that happen. When the alarm clock chimed at 6:15 she was surprised that Baylie was in our bed already. I know Kristin and I know that my surprise gave her an inner smile. Those are my favorite kind to cause.

I am married to the sweetest woman. She loves me no matter what. She cares for Baylie full-time, and yet I can say I have her whole heart. Life lived with such a companion could not get any better.