This being an LDS Blog and all, I figured I would do my best to share more pictures, as well as stories so I hope you have been enjoying the pictures. I know when I go through LDS Blogs its nice to also see pictures, besides just reading the stories (no matter how uplifting).

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and there is a funny story behind this picture. My daughter was so excited to go to the Salt Lake City Temple, and when I asked her to show me her excited face for the picture - this is what came out. It looks more like she has to go potty then anything! Its such a great picture of her with the Temple in the background though, and I love it!

Here is a picture of the Salt Lake City Temple I took back in 2005, and I thought it was cool enough that I should share with everyone who reads this blog. I know you have seen so many pictures of the Salt Lake City Temple already, but I thought this was a cool new angle.

I came across this picture I took a few years ago of my (then) 2 year old son (who is now 5) and every time I see this picture it still almost brings me to tears! It shows the humility and respect of a two year old for the amazement of the Lord (as you can obviously see from this photo) and it is something that needed to be shared with everyone who reads this blog.

Here is the picture:

Little kids are so humble and can teach us so much. We did not tell him to bow down and let us take a picture, he just went up there and did it all on his own. It is such a testimony to me of the power of Christ, and reminds me when he wanted all the little children brought to him. I am sure that Christ really was there with his angles that day my son was in awe during this picture, and they were administering to him.

Everyone knows (who follows this blog) that I was rooting for David Archuleta this year on American Idol, but last night David Cook won. I still am pretty happy for David Cook because I really do feel he has better American “Idol”ness about him. I think David Archuleta is going to be having a huge career in front of him and I wish him and Cook nothing but the best luck!

David Archuleta basically stole the show last night on American Idol. After the way Simon slammed David Cook I do not see how he will get the votes he needs to become the next American Idol. I think that David Cook did an amazing job on U2’s “still haven’t found what I’m looking for”. I would buy that single if it were out today, but overall David Archuleta just sang his young little heart out, and showed America why he deserves to be the next American Idol.

I was pretty sure it would be a nail biter down until they make the winner announcement tonight, but after last nights performances there is no way that David Cook can win, even though I really do think hes such a talented singer. I will still buy his albums and whatever he does in the future.

David Cook changed what he does (his singing style) the last couple of weeks, and I think its his downfall. When he was making songs his own, and doing everything he could to get to the point that hes at, that is the David Cook that America has been voting for! I am not sure why he felt he had to change it up. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! (right?)

Either of the Davids are winners in my books, and I have really enjoyed this season of American Idol. Its hard to think about the next season when I feel this season can’t be topped at all! Enjoy watching the show tonight, and GOOD LUCK to both the Davids!

Mornings at our house can be hectic (to say the least) with school, getting the kids ready, taking care of the babies needs, and getting everyone out the door in time to pick up the other kids who carpool with us to school.

With that said, this morning was unusually busy as we are having concrete poured in our back yard, and the workers have been hard at it since 6 am. I am super busy, running around trying to get work done, kids ready, and taking care of any needs of (and watching) the concrete guys, but then my daughter asks for the “sunrise toast” she found in the friend magazine a while back and asked me to make it for her. I could see how upset she was when she heard me say that this morning was just way to busy and that she should just fix herself a bowl of cereal.

I took a step back and asked myself; “How long is this really going to take, and I can show her how much I care!” So we made it, and had fun doing it together, and it gave her that time and attention she needs before going to a long day of school with temptations all around her. She was so happy, and she knows that I love her, and care enough to stop no matter whats going on and give her the time.

This life is really about family, its not about concrete, or all the other things we sometimes let take our time away from what really matters. Right now when my kids are young they like doing things with us parents, and I hope because we show them how much we care it will continue to be that way (even when they become annoying teenagers!)

I called this with the two Davids like two months ago, but none of that matters right now.  What matters is that two of the most deserving talented people are the remaining finalists on American Idol.  I am really hoping nothing but good for David Archuleta, but I still think talent wise and American Idol(ness)wise that David Cook is the one who needs to win.

I still will buy anything either of the two put out, but its really going to be interesting to see who wins American Idol this year.  It really is ether Davids victory for the taking.  I don’t think I have ever heard Archuleta mess up, but then again he has not taken the risks that David Cook has with his vocal and (talent) range.

Congrats to the Davids though, and I am very happy it has come down to these two finalists, because I feel like no matter what everybody wins!  Fans win, and these two singers win (even if someone does have to come in second).

So my (almost) 8 year old daughter humbled me again after her baseball game the other day.  I was not able to attend because my baby was napping and did not wake up in time, but thanks to my wife I got the play by play from the text messages.

My daughter has been known to get quite emotional if she does not do well, or do as well as she thought she could do.  If she has it thought out in her mind how something should go, and it does not go that way then we have a problem.  The last game she had before this experience she had a total melt down during the game and could not focus on was pretty much crying while she was batting.  With this kind of emotion you know she is not going to be able to focus and hit the ball, or much less anything else.

We had a talk about it after the game, and we also talked about controlling our emotions etc, but the main thing we talked about was being calm.  Well she was happy to let me know after this game (she did so well) that it was because of the little prayer she said in her mind before every “at bat”.  From what I hear she did clobber the ball too, and make some pretty good hits, and score some runs.

Ah, the power of prayer.  I really believe the prayer she said helped her calm down and focus so she could hit the ball, and play better.  She thinks its because she said a prayer, but either way I think its a win win opportunity to talk about the power of prayer!

Oh, and they did win the game!!

I am talking about reading scriptures, singing songs and taking the time to talk with your kids, and really see how they are doing.  It may be hard to get responses, but its worth them telling you what they did in school, and really having that feeling and confidence they can open up and be listened to.  In my house we read the animated scriptures because it really keeps the attention of a (almost) 8 year old, 5 year old and sometimes a (almost) 2 year old.  They love to see the pictures and ask more questions then you can almost handle, but its good because it shows they are into what is being read!

I usually let each one of my kids pick a favorite Church hymn, and we sing and have as much fun as we possibly can.  Each kid has their own favorite songs.  My girl likes to sing I am a child of God, or (as she calls it) “The Temple Song” (I love to see the Temple), and my 5 year old boy likes to sing the “popcorn” song because when it gets to the point where it says “I can take an armful and bake a treat” he comes up to me and squeezes me with the biggest hug ever, and this has become his tradition, as he seems to need it every night now!  I don’t mind - I love it!  We usually pick the song for my littlest.  He loves them all and just is happy to be with us.

Doing this routine for the baby is a good way of getting him calmed down and ready to go to bed, and when we do it he usually just goes right to bed, and does not spend any time crying in his bed.  I know its easier for him to fall asleep when we do our “nightly routine” because the spirit has been invited in and has a very calming effect.  I still am going to credit my kids good sleeping habits to a calming spirit, and not the memory foam mattresses they sleep on (but I am sure that helps too!)

The point - no matter how many songs you sing, or how many scriptures, or how long you talk is just to do it, and let you kids know they are important, and that the Church is important.  They see you doing this every night and it is going to sink in.  Even when you think there is no point of doing it, it is still worth it!

I am so pumped for tonights show of American Idol.  I love the styles of both Davids and wish them both well.  As far as I am concerned those are the only two in the competition left!  I said a long time ago the top three was going to be the two Davids and Michael Johns - I still believe it was a singing competition, and not a popularity competition (at times) that Johns would still be in.

I am also sad to not hear Brook White anymore still.  I heard an interview she did the other day on a local radio station here in Arizona and she is such an amazing person.  I can’t wait to see what kind of music/acting/career she puts out.

Tonight I think everyone knows that the two Davids are going to kick butt and they will be the only ones standing after tonight and the season ender will come down to the two of them.  I like them both and will buy music that each of them put out.

This has been one of the best American Idol years ever and its crazy to think how into it I have got this year.  If you are new to American Idol, or this blog and did not know - David Archuleta is a Mormon and we need to give him all the support we can, even though with all the teenyboppers and teenage girls in love with him and voting for him it won’t matter!

Good luck to everyone tonight, and I am so excited to see the performances!!!