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2012-01-19T19:40:00.001-07:00

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Question #8

2011-11-07T09:31:00.009-07:00

Here's dads response to question #7, (How did you handle peer pressure when you were growing up?)...

Not particularly well. I was persuaded by my friends to do lots of pretty dumb stuff. But I do remember one time I was pressured to smoke a cigarette, and I thought, "that's stupid. My Dad goes into fires with an oxygen mask so he doesn't have to breathe any smoke. Why would I want to breathe that stuff in on purpose?" So I didn't smoke, and I remember not wanting to swear or take drugs because then I'd turn into a hippie.

This weeks question:
How has society changed since you were a youth?

How has society changed since I was a youth? Pull up a chair, this is going to take a while.

It seems to be the tendency of every generation to wring their hands a bit about the current state of affairs while romanticizing the past. It's easy to see current day problems as worse than ever before while similar problems that existed in the past usually look a little better from a distance. It is true that some problems have grown worse and there is much to be alarmed about in our current society, but there is also a lot that is amazing and wonderful and should give us hope for the future.

I grew up in the suburbs of San Jose, California during the 60's and 70's in a middle class family. During the 60's, societal norms were then still largely influenced by the values of the 1940s and 1950s. Divorce was rare among the families that I knew. I remember when my parents divorced in 1970, I didn't know anyone whose parents were divorced, and I was embarrassed and ashamed about it. When I was growing up, there seemed to be a fairly clear expectation about rules of behavior. There were of course lots of people doing bad things, but I don't think there was a large segment of the population at that time who would argue that those bad things were not actually bad.

In general, when I was 8 or 10 years old, when my friends and I would step out of line and do something wrong, we knew it was wrong, and we'd get walloped for it when we were caught, and we'd learn our lesson and move on. I think we generally still had a pretty decent moral compass as a society in "middle-America".

By the 1970's, we had some real problems. Our hairdos to begin with. I mean, what were we thinking? Aside from that, society was under heavy assault from the sexual revolution and cultural war waged by the children of the "Greatest Generation"--the men and women who fought a global war to literally save the world, who were determined that their children would not go to war and would not lack anything that they themselves had sacrificed. Some of those brats grew up and went to college, where they revolted against the "establishment" and embraced Marxist/Leninist and other collectivist and nihilistic philosophies that they thought would change the world--the same philosophy that was the foundation of the Axis powers, against which their parents' generation had fought and bled and died to defeat.

They changed the world, alright. Their legacy is Woodstock and Haight-Ashbury, LSD & Pot, free love, STDs and really bad art, soaring divorce and illegitimacy rates, and a subculture of slackers. They put on protests that put our present day "Occupy Wall Street" crowd to shame (or would, if they had any shame to begin with.) We also got monolithic government "Great Society" programs at a cost of billions and billions of dollars (that was actually a lot of money back then) which resulted in even higher poverty rates and multi-generational welfare dependency, and which decimated the black family. (Today approximately 70 percent of all African-American children do not have a father in the home.)

I remember a high school biology teacher I had by the name of Fred Fisher. He was an enthusiastic, zany, and exciting, unconventional teacher who really made you think. He was extremely popular among the students. I remember one day he openly advocated that we kids should have sex whenever, wherever, and with whomever we wanted. This undoubtedly accounted for a some of his popularity among a bunch of hormone-laden teenage boys. The guy was an unreformed hippie with a captive audience of young skulls full of mush. I remember that at the time his advice seemed like a pretty interesting homework assignment, but at the same time I knew, even without a religious background, that there was something that wasn't right about it.

While some were frying their brains with drugs, Jefferson Airplane, and syphilis, others were putting men on the moon, designing and building computers, companies and infrastructure, laying the foundations for the digital revolution that truly did change the world. It was a weird couple of decades.

Dickens said it best:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

Today it's still the best of times and the worst of times. We've got some societal problems that undeniably much, much worse than they were when I was growing up. We've also got some absolutely terrific things going on, and opportunities for good that we never dreamed of in the decades of tie dye t-shirts and bad hair.

Probably the worst turn for the worst that we've undergone is the widespread acceptance of moral relativism. There is no shortage of "-isms" that are destructive, but relativism--the view that there is no absolute truth--is one of the most dangerous and destructive. It teaches that there's your truth, and there's my truth, and whatever works for anybody is just dandy. What that really amounts to is that there is your opinion and there is my opinion, and there is no way to know whether one is really true or of greater value than the other. Relativism promotes tolerance as the ultimate human virtue, and preaches open-mindedness to alternative lifestyles and values regardless of traditional ethics. At the foundation of relativism is the falsehood that there is no universal standard to measure the truth of any ethical proposition, so lifestyle (and any behavior, really) becomes a matter of individual choice. This philosophy teaches that one person's morals are no better or worse than another's, and that good and bad are relative and not absolute, but are instead subjective. Therefore, above all else, we ought to be tolerant. The end game of this philosophy is that it relegates faith, judgment, honesty, decency, self-control, character and other virtues to the scrap heap of old-fashioned, outdated and unenlightened notions. It removes the moral backbone from the average person, and it gives license to the clever, ambitious and power hungry to use any means at all to accomplish their ends, because they believe the ends justify the means. (After all, who is to say that they're not intellectually gifted and know what's best for us little people? To say otherwise would be intolerant.) In the resulting regime, all those who hold out in opposition must eventually be eliminated, for the greater good of society.

This is not unique to our 21st century society, of course. It's been around for dozens of centuries, but I think it has spread perhaps faster in your lifetimes than at any time in history.

How has this moral relativism spread?

"Through constant, instant, and omnipresent media exposure, we are electronically exposed and infected. In film, TV, cable, magazines, and web services, we're constantly set upon by attractive people making millions of dollars whose moral relativism and historical revisionism and collective cultural nihilism have poisoned popular culture. Hollywood has a much, much greater influence on our daily lives than Washington DC. We rightly worry about the danger of government propaganda, but Hollywood propaganda is dramatically more effective." -Andrew Breitbart

Nephi and Moroni identified moral relativism as being a central tenant of Babylon, and that it would be taught in our day, to facilitate, by any means necessary, the obtaining of the desires of Babylon:

1. The unfettered pursuit of wealth

2. Fashion and materialism

3. Sexual sin of every variety

4. Peer acceptance and popularity --the praise of the world

Pride and social stratification are the natural result of these pursuits. Then you get hard-heartedness, contention and constant drama, giving and taking offense, denial of God, indulgence and decadence, secret works of darkness, reviling against anything that is good, and eventually, destruction of the entire society. Babylon is like a cancer and will eventually kill the host. When Babylon falls, and it will assuredly fall, it will happen as if it were in an instant, and take many with it.

The good news is that Zion is the inverse of Babylon in every way, and that all of us who choose to flee from Babylon, can help to build Zion up, and prepare for the second coming of the Savior. I'm convinced that those who do will eventually experience mighty miracles, just as Enoch and his people did (who will be returning to meet the latter-day Zion at some point), and that we'll escape the fate of Babylon in direct proportion to how quickly and completely we reject her seductive enticements. The battleground is becoming polarized at an accelerating rate. The key to safety is for each of us to make and keep covenants with the Lord. I believe that doing so will result in protection and peace for each of us, individually and as a family, amid increasing chaos and strife around us.

Love,
Dad

-------

Moms response:

My answer won't be nearly as long and well thought-out as Dad's. I love hearing what he has to say. All you kids are so lucky to have such an intelligent and faithful dad. He loves you all so much, as do I.

I think that our society is still much the same. However, I do think that there has been a polarizing influence in our society. Those who are evil are even more vocal and crafty. I also believe that the righteous are better prepared and have an absolute radiance in their lives. I think that we need not fear. We only need to do those things which bring the greatest peace in our lives.

Question #7

2011-10-12T10:40:00.003-06:00

How did you handle peer pressure when you were growing up?

Moms response:

I was pretty shy and quiet up until I was about 12 years old. Then I decided that I didn't like how that was turning out for me so I became a little more assertive.

To give an example of how shy I was. One time, at Hunt Jr. High school I was called into the Principal's office along with a couple of my friends and we were talked to about the dangers of gossip. I think his name was Otis Grande. I'm not sure about his last name. He told the story of the feather pillow being ripped apart and all the feathers scattering to the 4 winds. He asked if we could ever get all of the feathers back into the pillow. He told us this story because he believed that we had been spreading gossip about someone. I had nothing to do with the gossip but, I was too afraid to say anything to our very tall and imposing Principal.

To answer the question about how I handled peer pressure. I don't remember being overly concerned about my peers. I know I wanted to be liked. I didn't mind the teasing about being a Mormon with long dresses and no drinking or swearing. I was proud of who I was.

Dads response to question #6, which was: How did you pull yourself out of ruts during tough times in your childhood?

I don't remember ever pulling myself out of a rut. I just remember enduring the typical disappointments that are common to most kids, when I couldn't get what I wanted, and I remember experiencing the typical teenage angst over stuff that seemed important at the time, but now, looking back, I can't even remember exactly what the problems were. I think in many ways, our children and grandchildren are much better prepared to handle tough times in their lives. You all have a better foundation -- intellectually, spiritually, musically, etc., than I had when I was a kid. I'm confident that you will all come through any tough times just fine, if we stick together as a family.

Question #6

2011-09-20T12:03:00.003-06:00

Hey family!

I took a little blogging break while I adjusted to the school routine again, but now we're back and ready to post some more questions!

Here's Mom's response to question #1 which was:

What one event affected you the most from your childhood?

It's really hard to pinpoint one event from my childhood that has affected me the most.

I remember my baptismal day and I understood and felt the Holy Ghost.

I also remember the next day after being confirmed, looking over at my older brother, Robert, and thinking, "heh, heh, heh, 'I'm perfect and he's not because I just got baptized!"

Oh well.

I remember once overhearing my Dad telling our Stake President, President Gehring, how proud he was of me. President Gehring replied, "Oh, just wait until she's a teenager..."

I decided right then that I didn't ever want to disappoint my Dad. I'm sure that there were many times when I did disappoint him but I tried to make those times few. I miss hearing my Dad tell me how wonderful I was. He made it a regular conversation topic. No wonder I loved him so much! :)

And Moms response to question #6:

How did you pull yourself out of ruts during tough times in your childhood?

I loved to write in my diaries when I was young. It was a saga of great sadness, total disappointment and lack of understanding by everyone else in the entire world! I poured my heart out into my little diaries that I kept every single day from age nine until age twenty-five when I had my first child.

You would have thought that I was being beaten regularly and that I had the saddest love affairs of all time. It was pathetic. However, it was cleansing and it helped me realize, really, how lucky a kid I was. Don't any of you even think that you can sneak in and read my diaries. I want them buried with me... along with the fourteen hundred albums that will be completed upon my death. Thank you, very much. :)

Dad has been extra, super slammed at work, so we'll be hearing from him when he gets out of "the current rut." :)

Questions #4 and #5

2011-08-25T11:04:00.003-06:00

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Moms response:

As a child growing up I wanted to be a teacher. Then after I started working as a dental assistant at age 16 I decided I wanted to be a dental hygienist when I went to college.

BYU didn't offer that program so I never followed through with that major. I have loved raising a family and having a Montessori school in our home.

Dads response:

What did I want to be when I grew up? I still ask that question occasionally, but when I was a little kid, it was the usual: professional baseball player, fireman, rock star, super secret agent man, or just your basic, incredibly good-looking celebrity. I decided against becoming a fireman because I saw that my Dad had to spend a lot of nights away from home. The other options didn't pan out for obvious reasons.

What was the most mischievous thing you did as a youngster?

Moms response:

I wasn't a very mischievous child. I was pretty quiet and mostly shy in front of adults and even my peers unless I knew them pretty well.

So, that answers THAT question. Of course, I've made up for it over the years. But, that wasn't your question.

Dads response:

The most mischievous thing? That's hard to narrow down to just one, but here's one that involved my awesome Uncle Bud: I remember he took me on a fishing trip with him and a friend of his. I must have been 7 or 8 years old or so. I don't remember why Troy didn't come, but it was probably because he wasn't such an expert fisherman as I was. Or maybe my parents just took a divide & conquer approach by farming us out separately for a while to get a little peace and quiet for a while. I remember riding in Uncle Bud's truck, between him and his friend, for a long time, after getting up really early in the morning, to get to the lake. We went out in his boat and had a good time. It seems like I caught a bunch of bluegill, which are small, kind of bony fish. At one point, we left the boat on shore, and Uncle Bud and his friend went off around a bend in the reservoir to fish from the shore, leaving me to also fish from the shore for my bluegill. I guess I figured that I liked fishing from the boat better than from shore, because I got into the boat and took off with it. Uncle Bud didn't find it too amusing to discover me and the boat gone.

Question #3

2011-08-16T20:57:00.001-06:00

What was your neighborhood like growing up?

Dads response:

I remember three different neighborhoods while I was growing up. The first one was in Los Altos, California. Los Altos is now a super expensive place to live, but when we were there, it was just a regular town with modest homes and no SUVs or soccer fields. All the houses in our neighborhood shared a common back alley. We would go to back and forth between houses by walking or riding our bikes down the alley. There was a pomegranate tree nearby, and I remember we would pick them off the tree that hanged over into the back alley and we'd get red juice all over our faces and clothes. There was a girl named Amy who lived next door to us, who we played with. Her mom's name was Doris. I don't remember her dad's name, but I remember that he was a bad man who hit his wife when he drank.

I don't remember when we moved, but it must have been when I was around 6 or 7 years old. We moved to San Jose, and lived on Blossom Hill Road, right across the street from a big vineyard. Now it's a really busy street and there's not a vineyard to be found for miles around. My grandpa and grandma Olafson lived with us there for a while. Grandpa would take a walk a few blocks with "Niven", our black labrador retriever, to a convenience store on most days. The dog would walk back to the house with a can of dog food in his mouth, and Grandpa would come home with a bag of M&Ms, to sneak them to us when Mom wasn't looking. When I was about 10 years old, we moved to the house on Park Manor Drive, where grandma and grandpa Brand live today. We had a lot of friends in the neighborhood, and we only occasionally got into trouble. Probably no more than once a week or so. The only serious trouble involved a car that had apparently been stolen by somebody and abandoned in a nearby field. But that's a story for another time.

Question #3

2011-08-14T21:46:00.002-06:00

What was your neighborhood like growing up?

Moms response:

We lived in a middle class neighborhood in Fircrest in Tacoma, Washington with a Jewish family across the street from us and a Protestant minister kitty corner from us. John and Carol Hill lived next door. One day when I was about 9 years old John told me how bad it was to smoke (he was a smoker). He inhaled on his cigarette then exhaled into a white napkin and showed me how dirty it became. He and his wife later joined the church through the efforts and friendship of my parents. John and Carol adored my parents. They had a hard time having children. They finally had a girl and then a boy. After they moved out I babysat for the young couple who moved in and had 2 children. One day the 2 kids were downstairs and it was really quiet. I ran down to see what they were up to. They had found a can of paint and were painting the whole downstairs.

Question #2

2011-08-09T22:41:00.003-06:00

Who were your childhood heroes?

Dads response:

My Dad was my hero because he was a fireman, and drove a really cool firetruck and wore all the cool fireman's gear with a helmet and oxygen tanks, and he was always racing down the road with the emergency lights on and sirens blasting, so he could get to the fire, to run in and save people. Day to day reality turned out to be somewhat less exciting than that for him, but that's how I remember it as a little kid. I remember that he would take us to visit the fire station with him sometimes, and we'd get to try on helmets. We wanted to slide down the fireman's pole, but there was some crazy policy against letting 6 and 7 year old kids slide down the pole and kill themselves, so I don't think we ever got to do it. But I do remember that he let my brother Troy and me climb into the cab of this humongous fire engine (the one with the extending ladder) and play for a while. That came to a pretty abrupt end when we discovered how to turn on the siren. When I say "we", I mean Troy.

Pottermania

2011-08-02T14:37:00.000-06:00

For all you Harry Potter lovers (you know who you are) who are who just can't believe it's over,
click here

300 Questions

2011-07-27T08:57:00.003-06:00

Hi Family!

I was browsing Deseret Book a couple weeks ago and came across a book called "300 Questions To Ask Your Parents Before It's Too Late. Dun Dun Dun... I bought it, and the original plan was to sit down with Mom and Dad, ask them the questions, then write their answer in the book. But I didn't like the idea of me writing their answers in short hand as best I could in the 5 lines they give you to write, so Dad had the idea to post the answers on the family blog. Brilliant! So that's what we're going to do.

Every week Mom and Dad will be posting their response to a question until we get to question #300 which will take approximately six years? Isn't zis exciting!

Without further ado, here is question #1:

"What is something (an event) from your childhood that has affected you the most?"

Here's Dad's answer: (Mom's coming soon. Right Mom? :)

I remember wanting a motorcycle of my own. I think this was while I was 12 and 13 years old. I wanted a motorcycle more than anything else during that time, and I remember my Dad telling me that we didn't have the money to buy a motorcycle for off-road riding. No matter how much I begged and whined about it, he still didn't have the money. He probably mostly just didn't want me to end up in the hospital. But my friend had one and I wanted one so bad that I thought I'd die if I didn't get one. Well, I didn't get one, and I found out that I didn't die when I didn't get something that I really wanted.

A few years later, my Dad helped me shop for my first car. We went to look at used cars and trucks, and I remember looking at a truck that I thought was really cool, and was in my price range, and I wanted it. I was thinking of all the reasons why it was a great deal, and why I should buy it. My Dad brought a friend of his along, who knew a lot about cars, so he could take a look at it. After inspecting it, he said that we didn't want that truck, because the transmission was not good. He said it might be ok for a while, but it would need to be replaced soon, and that it would cost a lot to do it. I remember being annoyed because I wanted that truck, and I didn't really want to hear any reasons why I shouldn't buy it. I was disappointed, but we moved on. I learned that it's ok to be disappointed, and that not getting something that I think I really want can actually be a very good thing.

Many years later, I was in the market for another truck. This was while we lived in Colorado. I found a beautiful Ford F-150 pickup that was almost new, and while it was quite a bit less than a brand new one, it was still a lot of money. I don't remember the exact amount bit it seems like it was around $25,000, and I would have needed to get a loan to buy it. Mom and I talked it over, and she wasn't in favor of it. I remember being disappointed (ok, so I'm a very slow learner), but I moved on. I eventually found my red pickup that you guys all remember. It was only $5,000 and I was able to pay cash, as I recall. This is the same red truck that we had until my Rockwell Stone days, when during a road trip with Tom Harris to promote our business, it blew a freeze plug in the middle of the desert and we had to have it towed into Las Vegas. That was when the tow truck guy, after not disabling the 4WD differential before he towed it, looked back after about 20 miles of towing and said "Don't look now, but dude, your truck is smoking!" Yeah, those were the good times. But the point of the story is that if I had plowed ahead against the good sense of my wife and had bought that expensive $25,000 truck in Colorado, things would have been very different for our family. Mom and I realized that having that loan for the truck would have meant that we would definitely not have qualified for the mortgage loan to buy the house on Riverbirch Circle in American Fork. We would have ended up living somewhere else. And while she was entitled to say it, I don't think Mom ever said "see, I told you so."

Nancy O'Dell's Scrapbooking Tips for Busy Moms | Parents | Parents Connect

2011-06-20T10:05:00.000-06:00

Nancy O'Dell's Scrapbooking Tips for Busy Moms | Parents | Parents Connect

I thought you all would love to hear how a busy TV personality finds time to scrapbook! You can thank me later! :)

bracitas etsy shop

2011-05-03T22:07:00.001-06:00

The bracitas headbands shop is up and running on etsy.
check it out HERE
I'll slowly keep adding more listings of the headbands SO STAY TUNED heeeeehe.
xoxooxoxxooxxox to you all.
katesylyn

Taylor's Easter artwork

2011-04-25T11:02:00.003-06:00

We're sitting in Sacrament meeting yesterday, and Taylor draws this:

So I said "Taylor. It's Easter. How about drawing something happy?

And here's what he produces:

The stinker.

brand sister routine SCRIPT lest you all forget

2011-04-22T01:31:00.000-06:00

ONE TWO THREE FOUR WERE THE BRAND SISTERS WE HOPE YOU LIKE OUR SHOW, WE KNOW YOU'RE ROOTIN' FOR US BUT NOW WE HAVE TO GO.......
{CUT. EXIT STAGE LEFT}
proceed to ESPANOL... {exit}
{Enter} UNO DOS TRECE..................

FRANCAIS.....
CHINESE (optional)

i think we need to call a emergency rehearsal to run through the choreography? some of us are a BIT RUSTY!
Ill be available in 2 weeks... when shall we all get together to rehearse? we also need to start casting of "wings. A tale of two chickens" ARE WE IN AGREEVANCE?

Braxton climbing The Quarry walls

2011-03-31T22:11:00.000-06:00

Dallin's soccer game against South Summit

2011-03-30T21:30:00.003-06:00

Sweet Brittney!

2011-03-30T19:14:00.001-06:00

Dallin's first home game!

2011-03-28T19:57:00.001-06:00

to all

2011-03-28T17:21:00.000-06:00

howdy do everyone! i miss you allllllllllllllllllllllll. here are a few pictures of us, since you may have forgotten what we look like. hope to see ya'all very soon. (marmsy, popsie, boondie, duagno, carly sue, braxto bean, danny boy, ja-rumskey, hilareesty, noa stinker, keeksey, john boy, aubisnobzy, honnalee, book a dook took, dallapinskipoodaleypumpum, stinky pete, etc etc etc and anyone else out there who happens to take a gander at this here blog a snog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

IIIIIIIIIII LOOOOOVEEE YOU!! and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxo
colty, katesey, jacksey bean and the torester!

Conspicuous Consumption

2011-03-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

Pop Quiz

2011-03-03T17:07:00.001-07:00

How much to you know about the geography of areas of the world that have lately been rocked by protests and revolutions? Here's a good way to find out, and learn a bit:

Take the Pop Quiz

Dallapinsky Makes the Cut!

2011-02-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

Dallin found out today that he made the cut for the high school soccer team. Not only that, but he's on the Varsity team, not JV. He is the only underclassman on the team.

GO PINSKY!

The Ragnar

2011-02-20T14:57:00.001-07:00

The Bracitas and Bracitos are getting ready for the Ragnar. Brittney organized and conducted our first team meeting yesterday.

Brittney, Hannah, Brooklyn, Dallin, and I have legs in the relay. Duane and Rebecca will drive the vans and pick up any of us that have collapsed due to too many jelly donuts and not enough training.

Here's the course:

Here are the legs of the race I have to look forward to:

Time to increase the daily dose of glucosamine tablets and reduce the daily dose of Krispy Kremes.

Mucho Magento

2011-02-20T14:29:00.001-07:00

A shot of maybe half of the attendees at the Magento conference. A good time had by all.

A master geek among geeks.

2011-02-20T14:25:00.002-07:00

Here's Duane telling the Magento guys that we love them in general, and how they can get their act together in specific.
I think it's fair to say he was the most knowlegeable participant in the "unconference" attended by hard core developer types.

Duane at the Magento conference in Los Angeles

2011-02-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

Duane in his natural habitat

Brooklyn gets a gold key award

2011-02-20T14:13:00.001-07:00

This is an award Brooklyn got a couple days ago as best in region for poetry. She's now in contention for a national award.

Taylor Tuff, the terror of the court

2011-02-20T13:19:00.001-07:00

Here's our own Pistol Petey, aka Tuff, driving to the basket for two points. Go Petey!

Tuff at the free-throw line:

In the key:

Here he drives under the basket to try a backwards layup

I like his passing game too:

The kid's a natural.

birthday boys

2011-02-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

crashing down...

2011-02-09T18:29:00.002-07:00

memory lane.

{source}

this morning i was flipping through my box of journals {yes, i have a whole BOX} trying to find our engagement story {since today is our three year engagement anniversary} but couldn't find it. i returned the box to my closet, lifting it up on the top shelf only to accidentally knock a whole bin of organized photos onto the floor. AAAAAAAAAAAACK! after everything came crashing down and a few...words...were ~~screeched~~ muttered, i began to pick up all the scattered photos, letters and other paraphernalia. i found some goodies that made the whole thing worth it.... enjoy...

to danika:

{Dear danika, I'm sorry I amd (?) at you. Will you forgive me? Would you like to do something with me like draw paper dolls or play animals or play little girls...you know... I'm Emily, you are Hally. Well you are my best sister that is 8 and almost 9. Well do you forgive me i love you and i will invite you to my birthday when it is my birthday. Love your little sister, Katelyn.}

danika wrote back {which i crossed out for some reason?} I love! you too Katelyn and you are my best friend too! Danika.

it was very important to include danika's age. . . ha!!!

aubrey:

{Dear Aubrey, I hope you have a wonderful birthday and you are my best sister in the whole wide world and I love my other sisters and brothers but you are favorite sistey. Love, Katelyn}

brittney:

{Dear Brittney, I love you this much <--------------> and I hope you have a wonderful birthday you are my best friend. Thank you for inviting. Love Katelyn}

papa bear:

{Dear Dad I missed you soooo much I hope you had a good time in Chicago. Did you miss me well i got to go now well by. You're baby Katelyn}

mother dear:

{Dear mom I love you so much I love you this much <-----------------------------> and more. I'm glad I was born to you. Love Katelyn}

do you like how i led my sisters to believe that THEY were my favorite sister/friend? HAAA i sure had them fooled! i'm so glad my mom kept all these little notes.

to everyone who didn't get a note: i'm sure i've written one for you that's just lost somewhere in the other bins that i still need to go through. {oh, except for jarom {a.k.a. my big meanie brother in those days}... i'm sure i never wrote you such a loving note, since i was your favorite little sissy to pick on. :P hehe

The latest on Petey

2011-01-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today Stinky Pete became Petey Priesthood.

Taylor received the Aaronic Priesthood, and was ordained by his Daddy to the office of Deacon. So he'll be passing the sacrament and collecting fast offerings and other important responsibilities. We're all very proud of you Taylor!

mr. T

2011-01-07T12:54:00.002-07:00

i pity the fool who has not had the delightsome pleasure of meetin this cutie of a pie...

taylor tots!

a.k.a. stinky pete

my baby brother turned 12 years old.....on JANUARY 5TH 1999! (as tay would often repeat)

{the number to call is 756-9923. REPEAT! 756-9923.}

taylor is a sweet-hearted, fun-loving, soccer-playing, hug-giving, bull honkey-cheatin, ping pong ball spinning, funny-quoting, happy kid!

he's got heart-melting dimples and a spunky little personality.

{and by the way, where do babies come from?}

we are lucky to have our pete. he's brought much merriment to our family... {and a lot funny "taylor" quotes to remember and laugh about}

what do birds say?......

....... boidy boidy.....?

happy birthday pete-a-rooskie! i love you!!!

Dude, where's my family?

2010-12-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

I go away for a couple of days and my family disappears, and is replaced by Professor Fate and the Great Leslie. Heh.

A Christmas Ditty

2010-12-25T18:47:00.001-07:00

I consider it a great privilege and blessing to be a husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather to this family. I am immensely proud of each of you for your goodness and uniqueness, and your contributions to our family.

We all enjoy the traditions and symbols of Christmas -the lights, gifts, food, music, the movies, and especially one another's company.
These are all wonderful things. But behind all of these is a single solitary life that we are likely to miss if we are not careful.

ONE SOLITARY LIFE
He was born in an obscure village,
a child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in another obscure village
where he worked in a carpenter shop
until he was thirty.
Then for three years
he was an itinerant preacher.
He never had a family.
Or owned a home.
He never set foot inside a big city.
He never traveled two hundred miles
from the place he was born.
He never wrote a book
or held an office.
He did none of the things
that usually accompany greatness.
While he was still a young man,
the tide of popular opinion
turned against him.
His friends deserted him.
He was turned over to his enemies.
He went through the mockery of a trial.
He was nailed to a cross
between two thieves.
While he was dying
his executioners gambled
for the only piece of property he had,
his coat.
When he was dead,
he was taken down
and laid in a borrowed grave.

[Twenty] centuries have come and gone
and today he is still the central figure
for much of the human race.
All the armies that ever marched,
All the navies that ever sailed
And all the parliaments that ever sat
And all the kings that ever reigned
Put together
have not affected the life of man
Upon this earth
As powerfully as this
One Solitary Life.

That was written by James Allan Francis in 1926, and is well known throughout the Christian world, but it mentions nothing about WHY Jesus has had such a powerful effect on the life of man. So I decided improve it. You see I'm a bit of a poet, and you did not know it... (with humble apologies to Mr. Francis and the Scarlet Pimpernel)

He was the first-born child in the family of our Heavenly parents
He became the anointed one, to be the savior from sin and death for all of his brothers and sisters
He condescended to come to earth in humble circumstances
He was the only child born into this world with a mortal as his mother, and God as his father
He grew from grace to grace, to a fulness
He went about doing good
He healed the sick, gave hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind, fed the multitudes and raised the dead
He established his Church and taught his gospel of repentance
He performed the great Atonement--an infinite sacrifice, for each one of us individually, making it possible for us to overcome spiritual death
He died voluntarily
He rose from the grave in a glorious resurrection, breaking the bands of physical death for us, forever.
He ministered to his followers in the Old World, the New World, and among the Lost tribes of Israel
He restored his Church and sent messengers, including Moses, Elias, and Elijah to restore the priesthood and the sealing power to bind us together as eternal families

He is the Christ, the Anointed One. The Great Jehovah, Son of Elohim.
I believe in Him, and I believe Him.
I believe in his power to completely compensate for all of evil and injustice inflicted upon innocent souls from the beginning of time
I believe in his power to entirely heal and reclaim me and you from a lost and fallen world
I believe Him when he says he can make me and you clean from the blood and sins of this generation, upon condition of repentance
I believe Him when he says he can provide a shield and a protection to us from the power of the adversary until we have finished our work on earth
I believe Him when he says he will be our Advocate with the Father, so that through Him, we can return to the Father's presence and have everlasting life.

This is who was born in a lowly manger, who has had such an effect on all mankind, whom we celebrate with lights, and music, and gifts, and goodwill.
Among all the rest I love Christmas because of the Christ.
He is my savior and my king
May we be his servants, so that he can call us his friends, and his Sons and his Daughters.
And God bless us, Every One!

Hannah's Back!

2010-12-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

We're all very excited to have our Hannah Lee back home!

the usual.

2010-12-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

we done be southern hillbillies ya'll doodz.

ten minus three plus thirteen divided by two plus seven

2010-12-01T13:21:00.001-07:00

today is this chicks birthday

the littlest bracita is now seevveeeenteeeeeeen! akkk! here are seventeen ways to describe this girl and reasons why i love her!

1. sweet

2. b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.
3. creative
4. thoughtful
5. an incredibly talented pianist
6. spunky and fun
7. always has something funny and clever to say
8. beautiful--inside and out
9. thick and gorgeous hair
10. loves to sleep--this could be considered a talent :-)
11. happy
12. very giving. she is always giving me a bracelet here, a shirt there... i'm still trying to convince her to give me that tiny glass ball-balancing-seal. heeeeehee.
13. easy going
14. kind to others
15. perfect eyebrows
16. creates unique and beautiful artwork
17. a wonderful friend and sister

teach me how to be like you! i love you boogie!

Happy Birthday to the Littlest Bracita!

2010-12-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

We love you Boogie!

1...2...3...4...

2010-11-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

{sung to 'brand sisters' tune}

happy birthday hannah lee!

i hope you like this post

i know you love your sisters

but surely you love me most!!

my cute little sister turns NINETEEN today. i still think of her as five years old running around naked, (as usual) chasing kitties........{she's got a scar to prove it} hhehehe...but my baby hannah is all growed up an goin ta cwollege now! ;-(

i have so many heart-warming, belly-laughing, crazy, fun, & happy memories with this bracita.

playing groundies. waterbabies. jumping on the tramp with the sprinkler. playing house, school, animals and running around barefoot outside.... those were the happy, carefree days. performing phantom of the opera for the rest of the fam. WINGS! (hannah played the wise and cautious harriett very well indeed) quoting our favorite movies. playing balderdash till two in the morning on christmas eve. waking aubrey up and ~~annoying the crap out of her~~ singing brand sisters at six in the morning. boating with the bartholomew's -- and swallowing half the lake when we got whipped around on the tube for half an hour. singing the entire joseph soundtrack on our disneyland trips. riding the tower of terror eight times in a row. playing ~~or cheating at~~ card games, harmonizing high school musical, ice creeeeaaam, and joseph's first prayer......... and our favorite song..... CHESTNUTS!

a book of poems, a box of paints....... a sundial......

{taylor is in awe of the hand crafted sundial.}

hannah's birthday wish list was inspired by this movie....one of the favorites.....

happy birthday banana! hope you have a lovely day.

love you!

xoxo katelyn

Some good advice for all you cheesy little nachos!

2010-11-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

2010-11-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

dear mom,

i think you're great.

......and beautiful, silly, happy, kind, goofy, wise, talented, clever, AND one-of-a-kind amazing MOMMA!!!

I love you

GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-11-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a little extra chipper this morning. I've got a little extra spring in my step. Why is this?

Hannah comes home today people! EEEEEEEEEEE!!! I'm excited to see my cheesy little nacho bracita. I have another tiny reason why i'm feeling so exuberant! --------------> click here if you care to know. :-}

The unimaginable is inevitable

2010-11-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

"Imagine that you had a time machine and could tell the people the following truths:

+ Go back 50 years, to 1960, and tell the Beatles that they would be the most influential musical group in history and that, half a century from then, there would be a announcement receiving worldwide attention that their music could now be purchased on billions of small computers. You probably should be kind enough not to mention that in 20 years, one of them will be gunned down in cold blood, and about twenty years after that, another would be almost fatally stabbed in his own house.

+ Return 30 years, to 1980, and tell the United States public, perpetually terrified of nuclear confrontation, that two big concerns within now-capitalist Russia are how the government is dealing with multi-billionaire Russian oligarchs and the fact that Moscow is the most expensive city in the world.

+ Teleport yourself to a decade ago to downtown Manhattan and tell the people staring up at the glimmering World Trade Center towers that next year they wouldn't even exist.

+ Go easy on your time machine and zoom back just five years. Find the teenager Mark Zuckerberg and tell him in just a few years he would be the world's youngest billionaire. While you're at it, burst onto the set of CNBC and tell them the world's biggest financial calamity was going to take place soon and that Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns would simply disappear.

All these things are true, and the recipients of this information would have considered you absolutely insane. They'd cart you off.

So I tell you now - - people living five, ten, and twenty years hence will know of events that I guarantee you would find impossible to believe. Some of them good; some of them bad. But they wouldn't be simply surprising or thought-provoking. You would find them unfathomable. So don't discount the infinite possibilities - again, good or bad - before us all." - Tim Knight

2010-11-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

hi

2010-11-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a million dollars!

HOT DOG!!!!!!!!!

Les git down to za nitty gritty.....what's the plan for thanksgiving?? Who izUiz and who izUaint comin?? Maybe someone should write an itinerary so we all know what's going on, yeah?

eeehheheheheh FED!! <----------said with a gentle nudge to danika's arm.

Whooper Goes Another......

2010-11-13T13:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Danika,

I wish you would start blogging again. I miss your cheery, funny, moving, and very lovely posts. I have to read through your archives to get my daily dose of danika!

I hope you blog. (said to the tune, "I hope you daaance")

sincerely,

Katelyn (your biggest fan)

2010-11-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Itinerary for next weekend

2010-11-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

Thursday, November 18:

12:00pm - Hannah is due to arrive in Salt Lake.

12:15pm - Head back to my place of abode, eat a tasty morsel, go shopping, tell secrets, and have some real bracita bonding time! (all bracitas are welcome to join us!)

(Meanwhile the fatted calf is being prepared)

4:00pm - Travel to the Fork of America, where we all shall enjoy an exquisite meal, followed by a delectable dessert prepared by the one and only Pinsky.

5:00pm: Practice the brand sisters routine.

6:00pm - Begin our movie marathon: First: "It's a mad mad mad mad mad world," followed by "thoroughly modern millie" which will then be followed by "It's Great Race." Lastly we shall watch "Pride and Prejudice"

Friday, November 19:

6:00am: Do brand sisters for Aubit

7:00am: Sleep for a bit

11:00am Run to the store since we indubitably ran out of ice cream last night

12:00pm: Hit up platos and hang out there for a few hours

6:00pm: Head home just in time for some din din.

7:00pm: Assign parts and rehearse for the play "wings :a tale of two chickens"

9:00pm. Get in our jammies and scrapbook the rest of the night!

Saturday, November 20:

repeat Friday's activities

Sunday, November 21:

6:00am Wake up and get ready to go to Jackson's blessing

9:00am: Jackson's blessing

10:00am: Head to my place for some chica chica ching chong

12:00am: take a 4 hour nap

4:00pm: write a post on the brand family blog (this applies to everyone)

5:00pm: Eat some more food

6:00pm: Perform "Wings"

7:00pm: Gather around the piano and sing songs

8:00pm: Write in our journals about the great weekend we just had!

At mid-term, it's better than ever.

2010-11-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

Superheros just ain't what they used to be. Or were cracked up to be. Or whatever.

A sweet replacement for Aubit's stolen car stereo.

2010-11-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

A little packing tape and some fresh batteries, and you're stylin'!!! Oh yeeeeeaaahh.

Thinking of Grandma Hall

2010-11-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

What are some of your memories of Grandma Hall?

Here's one of mine:

When Grandma and Grandpa came to visit us in Colorado I remember I was arguing with someone--aubrey probably--I didn't realize that she overheard us yelling and calling names until she later said to me "beauty is as beauty does." I was embarrassed that she overheard me. The memory of Grandma gently teaching me that lesson has always stuck with me. I may have forgotten that lesson a time or two.... {to which the girls can surely attest.} Sorry for that. :(

I vaguely remember our visit to Washington when I was really little.. all I can remember is her candy jars. :)

I still remember how she always smelled so good. I miss her.

What's something you remember about that sweet lady?

Finally!!

2010-11-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Now that I am an official member of this family...I decided to set some things straight.
1. I expect a glorious meal awaiting me on my day of arrival which is set to be the nineteenth of November, two thousand and ten.
2. I will so graciously accept foot rubs, back tickles, and massages of all kind while I am visiting. It is quite stressful to be the star of the family and I can't afford any more hindrance in my daily activities.
3. I will accept gifts of all kind for my upcoming birthday, after all a woman only turns nineteen once.
That is all...for now. Adieu.

2010-11-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

He'll gitcha aubz!

2010-11-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

k famileee i think we should bring this blog BACK TA LIFE!!!! I just read through all the old posts in the last few years.... we are hilarious!!! Let's all start posting again so we can have funny, inspirational, and educational posts to read in years to come!! I'm talking to everyone..... Dad, marmsie, boondy, bogo, jarom, hilly, keeks, johny boi, colty, aubit, hanny, boogie, pinsk, and pete.....so start BLOGGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm for serious people

2010-11-09T18:27:00.001-07:00

At the end of the day....IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Ahoy Mateys!!!!

2010-11-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon of today I was driving along in my box of bolts vehicle and thought.... I LOVE SUNFLOWERS??!!!??
Thenceforth~! I propose we preside in this lovely Winnebago afternoon delight!
Who is in agreevance with this?

2010-11-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

mm.. this blog kinda died.

Imma hard core hillbilly

2010-06-04T14:30:00.001-06:00

I just returned from the mountains. I'm a camper! I camp!
Okay not really....There may have been cabins...and hot showers..and hot food okay!
Still.
It was really fun, I spent time with the fam, read Catching Fire, hiked a bit and painted this soup bowl:
I painted a spider inside, inspired by Brooklyn's nightmare.

i'm not a crusty crab.

2010-01-05T02:10:00.000-07:00

yo yo yo famdamily. it's me. the keeker. upstairs or next door, you see.

if you want to blog, do it.

if not, don't.

but,

i do wish you would. blog i mean, on this blog.

it's so lonely, after all the work i put into getting pontofelpock up there and quoting the quotes.

throw me a bone and blog to your hearts content.

after all, we've all got lots to say and i want to hear it.

i can assure you that wouldn't be tolerated in london for the tiniest instant.

lots of xxxx and ooooo,

kikakins.

ps. did you hear about my tiny little blog at kikakins.blogspot.com? it's all about me, as per uzshe, and my fashion style. which is, you know evolving. half the time i'm a 70's hippie (as mom calls me) and then sometimes i'm an old bag lady with sloppy dresses, and still other times i'm a hip hottie with lots to put on. so give me a shout out and say hi. follow me and be my disciples. or just say 'HI, YOUR STYLE IS SICK' and i'll feel pretty good.

i'll be posting about MODESTY since that is the goal. it'll be pretty subtlety neutral yet screaming to cover that thang up, see?

have a looksee....kikakins.blogspot.com

danika jane

Blogger: Colton & Katelyn - Create Post

2009-08-12T18:02:00.000-06:00

Blogger: Colton & Katelyn - Create Post

you people are such cheesy little nachos.

2009-08-04T21:06:00.000-06:00

hot diggity dog this blog is not bonkin.

but...

with a cheesy little nacho, supremo burrito you might be back on track.

KISSSSSSES

keekerpeekerdeekersneaker.

Bracitas

2009-06-28T14:53:00.000-06:00

we are two big red firey balls of sweat and dirt.

2009-06-26T01:06:00.000-06:00

we are coming home my teacups. we have been packing and loading for 15 hours today. as in straight.

but we are done. hallelujah. we couldn't finish in time to leave today so we are waking up ultra early to get home around 3 or 4pm hopefully! only one catch...our apartment is now completely empty and we have to sleep here tonight. that's funny.

a) i never want to move again. in my life.
b) i don't think i shall ever leave utah again. in my life.
c) we will never as in EVER live on any floor but the 1st.

we had 2 guys come help us this morning which was mega dandy considering i could not help john with some of our furniture. the 2 dudes only stayed for a couple hours then left, leaving us with over half our apartment still up three flights of stairs. i'm not complaining. also it was 108 degrees. no wind. deathly hot. i'm still not complaining.

the trailer we got ended up being too small so we had to part with some items. we are leaving our leather couch chair and our bed frame. we simply could not fit them.

that is the low down as of midnight.

i am so ecstatic to move home, i appreciate utah so much more and in new ways. cheesy but true: i think i will cherish family time more than any one of you! move away for a year and you'll see what i'm saying.

love you and can't wait to be home at last.

love,
keeks, john & poo bum.

Never Fear, Obama is Here!

2009-06-22T11:02:00.001-06:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

this is legit.

2009-06-14T21:33:00.000-06:00

once upon a time
it was the best of times
it was the worst of times
two rings were chillin.
meringues were being crunched
while juice was being sipped.
the company was hilar
the mood, superb.
then all the sudden...
the ring was gone.
no where to be seen
so sad and lonely.
too many meringues
not enough tozers.

I read these words every week.

2009-06-13T03:52:00.000-06:00

-Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks.

-The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.

-When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.

-In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God, and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.

-First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.

-You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.

-Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.

-Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.

-God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve. God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.

-Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.

-When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.

-Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.

-If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.

-Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm.

-On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.

-Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.

-Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.

-You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.

-The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.

-Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.

-And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

Thus, we prepare all the days of our lives, and, as we grow, death loses its sting, hell loses its power, and we look forward to that day with anticipation and joy when he will come in his glory.

Elder F. Enzio Busche

hi

2009-06-10T12:05:00.000-06:00

it's meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

today we are going to the temple.
and i wish we could all go together.

and i wish we lived there and not here.

and how i wish wish wish pontoffel pock.

and if wishes were fishes i'd live in the sea.

2009-06-09T15:26:00.001-06:00

"The pleasure.... I can assure you.... is all mine!"

Homestarrunner dot net..... IT"S DOT COM!

2009-06-09T01:00:00.000-06:00

That's wack!
Like wickity wack?
No.., just regular type.

it's a forizzle da main gangsta of the homeys in da house, foo.

2009-06-06T12:02:00.000-06:00

EXTRA! EXTRA!

2009-06-05T20:24:00.000-06:00

2009-06-05T12:31:00.000-06:00

The Bracities!

sighting at the pope shower:

2009-06-03T19:29:00.000-06:00

2009-06-02T17:23:00.001-06:00

Gaaaroovy baby.

2009-06-02T17:05:00.000-06:00

Soooooooo, now we've got a thoroughly modern millie kind of family blog. Not to offend anyone's bohemian design sensibilities, but, er, what's up with the ginormous Pontofel Pock photo?

this is your written invitation:

2009-06-02T16:47:00.000-06:00

the last melon. mine mine mine mine.

2009-06-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Grandma's jewelry.

2009-06-01T19:37:00.000-06:00

I miss grandma so much. I wear her jewelry almost everyday.

hi bracit(os)(as)

2009-05-31T21:01:00.000-06:00

dude family, what's up.
this is the keekers.
bye.
ps. thanks for being my star.

2009-04-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

THE BOMBARDITY OF IT ALL!!! k. I didn't even read keeks email till just now, and what am I doing? I'm BLOGGIN!! ...an answer to danika's plea. so ya'll get off your rumps and blog a little snog. it's not hard.

update: Colton and I are just finishing up our daily work out routine at the gymn.. and I decided to read my email on the school's computer. and then I decided to write a blog. so there. colton is tired so we're going to go home now. i'm tired too. sorry keeks, i didn't put any pics up this time. next time. aight. much love to allllll foreverrr more.

love the arrants

phontophelpock, where the heck are ya?

2009-04-23T12:45:00.000-06:00

HEEEEE. what a snoggity bloggity bee. i had a dream about you kot. we lived in mom and dad's ginormo house and I wanted to borrow your makeup but you wouldn't let me. neither would aubrey. neither would hannah. but brooklyn let me borrow her jeans!

(thanks boogster)

miss yoU! love you.

do some bloggin before i call lieutenant snobblemunster and give him your not-so-squeaky-clean report of your anti-bloggishness activities!

yours truly
nik

(john's new name for me. THAT'S FUNNY!)

GREAT DAY IN THE MORNIN!!

2009-04-23T10:46:00.001-06:00

Hi. I'm woog. And here's my little contribution to the brand fam blogitty blogger snogger.

'Tis dandy to be
part of the brand famileee.

The end.

Katelyn

What a Trillion Bucks looks like. Woohoo!

2009-03-10T16:53:00.000-06:00

Ok, Danika said this blog was lame because nobody posts to it. Guilty as charged. I created it and pretty much forgot about it. Until just now, I didn't even notice her mini rant that she posted, oh, like months ago. Those that have their own blog are too busy posting pithy little posts and photos to it, to have time for the fam blog.
But since I've got oodles of time on my hands, I thought I'd show y'all how it's done.
So there.

Here's a cool little visual lesson on how honkin' big a trillion bucks is. Check it out here. It's a link to Duane's buddies at bloggled (His first client that used his famous entrepreneurial coder dude skills.)

New Bloggled backup service

2008-12-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Duane just forwarded info about the beta launch of the project he's been working on for the last few months. It's a service to back up your blog posts. There's a freebie version that you can try out at www.bloggled.com
Check it out and you can win free stuff too.

Lame-o

2008-12-15T02:49:00.000-07:00

No one blogs on this bloggity blog. It's lame. Like, lame cheese. Someone, and I mean, anyone needs to start blogging before I start swearing. It's super easy-chicken-squeezy. So start writing and telling us all stuff about stuff. That means you: Daddy-Doo-Dah, Mammacita, Boondie, Bogo, Jerome Littlefield, Hilly, mi esposo Wanko, Kot, C Boy, Aubit Snobit, Banana, Boogs, Dalla-Pinsky-Flatu-Linksy-Poodley-Pum-Pum, and Peter Piper.

Keeks

raincheck

2008-09-02T22:48:00.000-06:00

john was going to fly us (yours truly, eric and his date sara) to the grand canyon but the weather said, "nothin doin". so we took a rain check. we went to ihop for breakfast and watched "hancock" instead. it was a fun day with fun company. we're doing a "take 2" this saturday so we'll see if the weather is better.

john, sara, moi

sara, eric, johnny boy, the would-be plane

ya'll should start posting stuff yo. if you haven't heard by now, john and i have a blog. check it OUT: johndanika.blogspot.com

FYI AND/OR WARNING: WE HAVE CLEARPLAY!!!!!!!!! ANY R-RATED FILMS WE MENTION IN OUR BLOG HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY EDITED!!!!! IF JOHN OR MYSELF APPEARS SEMI-NAKED IT'S BECAUSE WE WERE/ARE/WILL/ALMOST ARE/SHOULD BE/WANT TO/HAVE TO OR WILL SWEAT TO DEATH/JUST WENT.......SWIMMING! YOU HAVE BEEN FYI'D.

if you all have any questions or concerns regarding our sinful behavior, please throw in a few extra prayerful words to the big guy. WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET.

luff you mom ;)

.

This is the Place!

2008-08-31T20:28:00.000-06:00

Hey there bros and bracitas!
This is the place to post your family pix and to tell your story so all the bracitas can stay up to date on all the juicies.
Everyone in the family has "authoring" privileges, so post to your heart's content.