Aquarium Day

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Violin Concert

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Look What I Did!

My first ever pumpkin and apple pie! They're far from beautiful--I'm just relieved that they turned out at all. Too bad I can't try a piece before taking them to the big party tomorrow. You should see my kitchen! I should have taken a picture before I started cleaning up. Today I made 8 loaves of banana bread, a pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and a pumpkin cheesecake. My feet and back are killing me! Think I'll head for a bubble bath.

Brian's flying the S-92

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Thought you'd like to see what Brian's flying these days! These things are so huge and powerful that the office windows shake when it comes in for a landing. This is the biggest helicopter that the oil industry uses. 18 passengers, 2 pilots, and a crew manager. The rotor blades are as wide as Brian's arm length. It's a big difference from the little R-22 he started out flying:

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Our digital camera died, so no pictures for awhile. If you want to see more pictures, buy me a new camera :-). Yes! We are coming home for Christmas! I am so relieved to be getting out of here for awhile. Cajun Country is really getting to me. Kylie and I fly in Dec. 13 and Brian will come (with the cat) on Dec. 21. We're having a birthday party for Brian on Dec. 26--he is turning 30. Gotta have a big bash! Can't wait to see everyone!

Bedtime Buddies

New Violin

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New Trick Video

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First Day of School

I wish this picture came out clearer...stupid free digital camera. Here's my Bug going off to her first day of school! She's doing Pre-K at the Montessori School. She was really excited to get to work. Much to her dismay, today was not a work day, but an orientation day. She came home pretty upset. She had work to do! I thought I would come home and cry in my empty apartment. But I didn't. I took a nap. Then I worked out for a good half-hour (and didn't have to watch Dora or Barney!). Then came home and had a shower and did my hair. Had some lunch and watched HGTV. Thought about doing housework, but decided that today is my day off. I've been devoting every second and every thought to my angel for over 5 years, and I rather enjoyed a bit of freedom. I have really dreaded this day, but have felt supported by the Spirit. The downside to all this freedom: it's going to be really hard to give it up when it's time to have another kid!

Crawfish Boil

Our ward crawfish boil was forever ago, but I finally got my friend to e-mail me the pictures she took. Wish you could see the huge pile of crawfish in the middle of the table. I was surprised how much Kylie liked them--I couldn't peel them fast enough! I was surprised that I liked them too. In general I'm not a fan of Cajun food, though I love a good batch of homemade jambalya or a Chris' Po'Boy Special. I don't care for gumbo, and was warned not to eat it unless you know what is in it. Jeff Foxworthy once said that as long as there's a ditch out back, no one will go hungry. That's gumbo for you. There's a gas station up the road that has a large aquarium outside with 2 turtles swimming around. The other night we were there for a "beer run" (aka Cheetos and slushie) and Kylie was admiring the turtles. The owner of the station, using his one arm to smoke, was lounging outside and started talking to us about the turtles. He said, "Now I know what you're thinking: that looks like a tasty meal!" That's not what I was thinking at all...

T-ball

Okay, I'm having way too much fun with this Smilebox program! You have to stop each page with video on it so you can watch my cute kid. T-ball is over, so we need to find something else for her to do. She sure misses everyone!

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Optimists Creed

This is a must-have on every bathroom mirror. Go to this link and print it out! http://thesecret.tv/optimists-creed/optimists-creed.pdf

Hopscotch

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Swamp Tour

You'll have to pause the 3rd page to watch the video. Enjoy!

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Summertime

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Kylie-bug scrapbook

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Big Shrimp!

Cajun Spelling

Brian came home with a funny the other day: he drove past a store that had a sign outside stating that it was sold out of a particular product...what did the sign say? "Soulde out".

There is a town north of us named Thibodaux (pronounced "tibi-doe"), which is also the name of my ward. I learned some interesting history, which sheds some light on the spelling: once upon a time the majority of a town's population couldn't read or write. The few who could write were called upon for their services. If a man's name was Thibodaux, the scribe would write T-h-i-b-o-d-a-u and the man would make his mark ("x") at the end. Thus the name Thibodaux was born, and has stuck ever since.

It all makes me wish I had learned French in high school.

Kylie-bug

Kylie & Sallie

Kylie doing a "Naruto" move.My beautiful girl!

Sunday Afternoon In Louisiana

Today we had 3 new member confirmations at church (one of the converts had his baby blessed) and another baptism after church. It is a very unique feeling when those events take place. It was awesome to see the difference in the countenance of the lady who was getting baptized after church. She has very dark, cold eyes and a rough demeanor. But today she glowed and her eyes were softer. Two of the three confirmations were a man and his brother-in-law. The man is married to a member who stopped coming to church when she moved down here. The missionaries tracted into them, and the husband agreed to take the discussions. The brother-in-law was sitting in on the discussions, seemingly uninterested. However, the day that the missionaries asked Brother Lee if he would like to be baptized, the brother-in-law accepted before Brother Lee could! The missionaries were stunned, but thrilled. We have 3 sets of missionaries in our ward--one is from Preston, ID and served with Bro and Sis Chambers!

This ward has been interesting. The women are a little like pecking hens. There's always at least one "pecking" comment made in Relief Society. And they're very judgmental of others in the ward and how they're filling their callings. Not much ward unity. I wonder if that's part of the reason why out of 500 members, only 100 attend.

We've had crazy weather down here. We were in the 80's with 80% humidity...then in the 60's and rainy...then 80's with really sticky humidity...and today we're in the 60's again. Today I got stuck at one of the three draw bridges on the way to Brian's work. It was interesting to note the behavior of other drivers: most shut off their vehicle engines to wait, a couple people got out of their cars and chatted with other drivers. Very laid back, going with the flow. So I took a deep breath and just enjoyed being there too, watching the boats go down the bayou. Here's an example of common waters around here.

I found a picture of a 19th century plantation home that's just up the road from our place, called Southdown Plantation. Sugar cane is the #1 crop down here. I drove past the other day and there was a wedding going on out front. There's some awesome mansions down here, especially along the bayous. I think the bayous smell awful, but it must smell like home to these people, just like cow manure smells like home to me. Mmmmm, cows....

I Am Knowing Myself As God Knows Me and Created Me

I wanted to share with everyone this e-mail I got from Carol Tuttle:

"Dear Katie, One of the greatest accomplishments you can achieve in this life is to truly know yourself as God knows you and created you. How do you accomplish this? It is easy; just say to yourself several times a day: "I am knowing myself as God knows me and created me." As you speak this, the truth comes alive and you become it. Once you have come to integrate the truth of knowing yourself as God knows you and created you, your life challenge really begins: to live that truth with integrity everyday of your life.To choose thoughts, feelings, language, perceptions, and behaviors that express that truth with wholeness. Say it again, "I am knowing myself as God knows me and created me." Excellent, are you feeling it? God Bless You,Carol Tuttle."

How often do we go about living only half the life our Heavenly Father meant for us, doubting our worth and ability? This is something I struggle with every day. Join me this week in focusing on the above statement: I am knowing myself as God knows me and created me. Put it on your bathroom mirror. Let's see what happens!

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 6th wedding anniversary. We were married in the Logan LDS Temple and had a beautiful rustic reception in a log cabin in Smithfield Canyon. A big thanks to friends and family who have helped us keep it together this far. It's been rough, but we're making it. Now here we are, our 10th address in 6 years (14th for Brian, at least), we have a beautiful 4 year-old daughter, Kylie AnnaMarie (pictures coming soon), and a kitten named Sallie. It's been very different than we ever imagined. I had no idea Brian would be a helicopter pilot when I married him! I'm learning better each year to trust the Lord and His plan. It's so important to keep the Savior as the center of your relationship. Hopefully each year is better than the last!

Welcome to Cajun Country!

I'm attempting to create a blog to keep friends and family updated on our crazy life. I'll try to figure out our new digital camera and add pictures of Kylie. Check in every now and then to see what we're up to.

We're getting settled into our new apartment in Houma, Louisiana. Kylie is so happy to have her daddy home at night! They play lions and sing the Beer Run song and watch Batman. I'm trying to find a place for all of our stuff. Then I hope that foot zoning will spread like wildfire. In the meantime I'm enjoying being home and making friends. The second Sunday they had me playing the organ in church. (They'll never do that again!) And I'm excited to figure out how to plug our computer into our new flat screen tv to watch General Conference at home in our 'jammies.

The above picture shows the only pretty spot in this whole town--my apartment. I'm so glad I live here. It's my oasis. Everything is so run down and dirty. The air smells like water that's been sitting for too long. We are not far from the Intercoastal Waterway and its drawbridge. I do like hearing the boat horns as they're coming through. Kylie ate her first crawfish at the church potluck lunch. She didn't spit it out, and she didn't ask for another one. She was really upset with me that I pulled its tail off, peeled off the shell, and took off the head. She said it was going to be very upset with me. Then she ate the tail. One thing I've had to get use to is that everything moves in slow motion. No one's in a hurry to get much done. I suppose that's how they survive the heat. The people are very nice and will say hello like they've known you forever. We're getting it all figured out and having a great time!