Sophia's 1st Birthday Party

Happy Birthday little Sophia! I can't believe you are 1 already, time goes by so very fast! Anne's family flew in one by one during the week to celebrate with the birthday girl. Saturday the offical party began at 12:30. Kathy, Sara, Chase Kingsley and Chase's girlfriend Tammy, Dan, Marin, and Dylan Bywater, Andy, Mindy, Ajay, Brady, and Cooper Sessions, GG Fae, Dad, Mom, and me were all there to party!

She got the biggest smile on her face when we all started singing the Happy Birthday song! When she got her cupcake she just started smashing it...the thought didn't even cross her mind to taste it until Dad gave her a bite of his cupcake, then she went to town! All the little kids had a hard time sharing, especially the "bubble gum machine" her Mommy and Daddy got for her...a few tears were shed but were easily stopped when another toy was presented.

As people slowly trickled out she got her stroller and started to push Pooh Bear around, then she felt like rolling around on the floor or trying to go up the stairs. It's so cute to watch her walk around, the balance isn't all there yet, but it's coming along. She says "Dada" "Ma" "Doggy" "Fafa" (that's elephant) and "was dat" (what's that, which she asks allll the time) just to name a few of her words.

Coon Huntin'

The Raccoon Recon Kit

Osama, the sleep terrorist (named by Dad)

For the last 2 plus months we have had a "friend" living in our attic. It liked living on my side of the house so for weeks on end I would lay awake in the night listening to it scurry and scratching around the rafters. I thought it was a mouse, so a trap was set...and we did catch one. A few weeks went by and I started hearing the ruckus again and told my Dad. We set another trap and waited & waited & waited...nothing. We put peanut butter on the trap, we put chocolate out, we put dog food out, and the standard slice of cheese...nothing. The scurrying and scratching was getting louder and I started to hear ripping and shredding (most likely insulation). I told my Dad it was something bigger and he said I was crazy. I listened and followed the sounds and found it in the wall and it was definitely not a mouse. Every couple of nights I'd have to haul myself out of bed and follow the sound in the wall and then give a good pound with my fist! The noise would stop, but only for a minute or 2.

Well, my Dad went out of town and my Mom and I took matters into our own hands. She called a pest control guy and he came, looked around and found raccoon prints all over in the attic. He set a trap outside (even though my mom told him to put one in the attic where we new it was at) but he was the "expert" and put it outside. 2 weeks go by and nothing is caught.

Dad comes home and we tell him what we tried. He does an inspection of our roof line and sees all these holes where it has had access to the attic. At this point when I hear it in the night I have visions of a rabid raccoon busting thru my bedroom wall and attacking me (I know I'm dramatic)! Anywho, after having my cousin Andy board up all the exits we hear it trying to either get back in or get out. My Dad sat outside with a flash light and a pellet gun waiting to see if it was outside...nothing...so he then set up vigil in the attic( mind you this was in the middle of Wed. night)...nothing. Last night he set the trap (which he bought, we gave up on the "expert") and put a cup of water and some cat food out. He then sprinkled flour all over the floor (so if we didn't catch it we'd have a trail and know where to reset the trap the next night). In the middle of the night I heard the cage shaking and rattling! Victory! The visitor had finally been caught and has been evicted! Ohhhh sweet sleep come to me!

P.S. My Dad couldn't bring himself to shoot Osama like he'd planned to. He drove her up to Jeremy Ranch (just outside Park City) and let her go. I feel good about that decision.

Tea anyone?

Why thank you, that sounds delightful on this drizzly day!

"Thousands of anti-tax "tea party" protesters took to the streets Wednesday in some of the nation's biggest cities -- including Boston, Tulsa and Sacramento -- voicing their opposition to high taxes and big government spending...The demonstrations are part of a larger grassroots movement against government spending called Taxed Enough Already, or TEA -- giving name to the Tax Day Tea Parties -- and come more than 235 years after the original Boston Tea Party revolt against taxes.

Today Mom, Dad, Hyrum, and I participated in Salt Lake City's very own Tea Party. It was raining/snowing, but that didn't stop people from coming out to voice their opinions on what is happening to our nation. The crowd ran the gammet from young, old, conservative, alternative, white collar, blue collar, etc. It's good to know that I'm not alone in my concern for my country and that people from all walks of life are on the "same page". I hope our leaders will sit up and take notice of the people they represent. I felt proud today to follow in the footsteps of my Grandma Madsen and my Great Grandma Fae, who were very involved with politics through out their lives. It us our duty as American citizens to stay informed and to participate for united we stand and divided we fall. Our great country was founded on Christian principles and the voice of the people, lets keep it that way. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Happy Easter!

This morning before church Mom and I colored some eggs so we could do a "hunt" with Sophie.

Then I got ready and went to church with Kimmi and enjoyed a wonderful musical Sacrament program. I am so grateful for the sacrifice my Savior made on this special weekend so many years ago. How blessed I am to know that the price has been paid and repentance and eternal life are possible because of my generous and loving Older Brother.

After church Hyrum, Anne, and Sophie came over and we enjoyed a delicious Turkey Dinner and then stepped outside to see how Sophie's hunting skills were. It went pretty much how Anne thought it would. Sophie found her first egg and couldn't have cared less about the others. Anne put them in her pail to try to show her what to do, but she just started taking the eggs out as Anne put more in. Oh well, we all got our "cuteness" fix and she was happy.

A Mom, a girl, & her egg!



"Ummmm, I just ate some dirt!"

The MS Walk

All the ladies on my mom's side of the family have been trying to get together once a month and this month I thought it would be fun to do the MS Walk. I was surprised and touched that they were so eager to do a 3 mile walk. I made team t-shirts and we met this morning and headed downtown to the Gateway to begin. I really enjoyed walking along and chatting and giving the little boys shoulder or piggy back rides to give them a little rest. The walk got off to a slow start with 3,000 people all bottle necked at the outdoor mall, but we maneuvered along and got some space and I think we all made pretty good time considering we had little kids and needed to make a few pit stops. My feet were tired by the end and I had to take a nap, but I'm glad I did it and I'm glad my family showed support for the cause (Dad, I know walking a few miles isn't much, but this is our way of saying you are loved).

Thanks to:

Ali, Damien, & Brinley Tuft, Gina & Jerry Pace, Colleen, Lexi, Mindy, Ajay, Cooper & Natalie Sessions, Sabrina & Elliot Cowan, Kimmi Howell (honorary family member), & Mom (I think I got everybody, if I didn't let me know! I'm brain dead sometimes)

Ajay, Elliot & Bri (riding Trax downtown)

Me & Ajay/ Kimmi & Elliot

Mindy, Kimmi & Mom

The Big 60! (a few days late)

No, this is not an April Fool's joke...my Dad turned the big sixty on March 23rd. We celebrated a little late this year because he was off traveling in South America doing exotic things like SNAKE HANDLING!!!!

Tonight we had Dad's birthday dinner at home and Aunt Caroline, Uncle Tom, Aunt Colleen, Uncle Wally, G'ma, Hy, Anne, and Sophie all came over to celebrate. It was fun sitting around talking and watching Sophie try new foods (she liked the Salmon and cooked carrots, but nothing compared to the Banana Cream pie her Mommy shared with her!)

My Dad loves cars, especially the fast kind, so we all pitched in and got him a certificate to go to the Larry H. Miller Raceway. He will get a driving lesson from a pro racer, drive a Mustang around the track himself, and then get to go again with the Pro driving! I can't wait to go out and watch that; it will be blast! Happy Birthday Dad! Love you!