Sorry if "overdue" led you to expect some pictures of Melissa's huge Leggo-my-Preggo belly from years gone by. These pictures are merely overdue in the "I should have posted these a while ago" sense of "overdue".
First up: Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House
Despite Nathan's and Elizabeth's expressions, our family had a great time at the open house. There were some moments of genuine reverence where the Spirit of the Lord was able to sink in. Cathrine and especially Bethany could really feel it.
Most notable in this picture is Bethany's Evil Genius expression. We tried to get something other than Squinting at the Sun, and what we got was Plotting World Domination. This is how I imagine Mitchell walking around school. Minus the pink blouse, of course, though I'm not up on the latest fashions.
Here's another picture, more indicative of the experience:
Next up: The First Annual International Lingual Exhibitionist Championships
Nathan lost. Bethany won the blue ribbon.
Next up: Dress Like Your Son Day at our stake.
Nathan loves to wear a tie and a backpack to church like his dad.
He doesn't waste his time with futile attempts to keep his shirt tucked in, unlike his dad.
And he's already a better executive secretary than his dad.
This may be my favorite picture ever.
Next up: Y-king the Hi on Labor Day 2009.
There were at least 500 people on the trail that morning, including two EMTs.
Coincidentally, 500 is the number of times that the kids tried to get us either to turn around or to carry them.
We had to use all our best manipulation techniques, but they all made it up and back on their own two legs, although Cathrine technically cheated by scooting on her bum for 20 yards or so. She deserved a Mulligan, though, after she left some skin and blood on a rock she was trying to climb and didn't even cry.
Pioneer stock.
My favorite thing about this picture is how it almost looks like Cathrine has gigantic (though quite shapely) legs.
Last but not least: Nathan and the Enormous Cupcake Outie.
Well, for a second he had an enormous cupcake outie. I didn't grab the camera in time to catch it on film. And he wouldn't let me stick the cupcake back on.
He leaned over his plate and the cupcake stuck to his belly. He started crying because he had just realized that he wasn't going to be able to lick it off. And then he saw the hungry look in my eyes and knew a reverse Zerbert was coming.
Which would drive just about anyone to hysterics.
We solved this problem the Man Way. After I realized that I couldn't just wipe it off with the cupcake, I squeegeed it off with my finger and fed it to him. I guess we could have used a spoon. But I'm pretty sure my hands were clean.
The most disturbing part is that I actually went and grabbed the camera instead of consoling him, prolonging his agony another five minutes while I tried to get him to do different poses and expressions. "Okay, now turn your head and stroke your chin like you're thinking real hard. No? Okay, just point to your belly with one hand and do a thumbs-up with the other one..."
This is the kind of thing that can only happen when Melissa has to leave the house to go to Sam's Club in search of her sanity.
