Happiness Is

I love my boys

What is a Boy?

By Alan Beck

Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood we find a delightful creature called a boy. Boys come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same creed: To enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to protest with noise (their only weapon) when their last minute is finished and the adult males pack them off to bed at night.

Boys are found everywhere- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.

When you are busy, a boy is an inconsiderate, bothersome, intruding jangle of noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a savage, sadistic, jungle creature bent on destroying the world and himself with it.

A boy is a composite- he has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword swallower, the energy of a pocket-size atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of a Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a fire cracker, and when he makes something he has five thumbs on each hand.

He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, the boy across the street, woods, water (in its nautral habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday School, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.

Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can cram into one pocket a rusty knife, a half-eaten apple, 3 feet of string, an empty Bull Durham sack, 2 gum drops, 6 cents, a sling shot, a chunk of unknown substance, and a genuine super-sonic code ring with a secret compartment.

A boy is a magical creature- you can lock him out of your work shop, but you can't lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you can't get him out of your mind. Might as well give up- he is your captor, your jailer, your boss, and your master-- a freckled-face, pint-sized, cat-chasing, bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with the two magic words- "Hi Dad!"

2nd Reception

Okay so I haven't really chronologically gotten to this point yet in my blog, but my mother is begging me to post these pictures from Carly's reception in Wickenburg. So to please my mother, I am doing this now and will finish with my other pics the days leading up to it later....
(they are not in the greatest of order, but I did not feel like switching them all around...enjoy)

More fun times

Another fun day trip we had while in Utah was playing at Lagoon. The boys had a blast playing on rides and in the water. All the big "kids" had fun too. Aaron loves roller coaster rides and he had lots of family to go with him. It was an exhausting day but so fun. I had never been before and think it is something we definitely need to do more often.

A special friend in a special place

We had a wonderful trip with Aaron's family to Utah. We stayed in Park City and went on a ton of fun day trips. The first of which was Salt Lake City. We went to the Church History Museum and a tour of the Conference Center. The kids had a blast. Kaden made a special friend in our tour guide at the Conference Center. He held her hand the entire time.

Gibbons Reunion

Every year we have a reunion with Aaron's Grandpa Love's family. It is always a fun time...

...Being with grandparents

...playing games

...catching fish

...spending time with daddy

We had a bridal shower for Carly while she was in town. She received so many cool gifts. I forgot to take a picture, but I gave her a notebook of recipes that I love. I typed them all out in size 5 x 7 and put them in sheet protectors. I should have taken a pic because I loved the notebook/dividers I got at Joann for it. We had a good time. I kind of was a party pooper because I had a fever the entire time with aches and chills. I felt so awful that I couldn't be more supportive, I didn't even get a pic of me and Carly together. She did have a HUGE turnout though and got lots of stuff. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends and family. Thanks to everyone!

John and Carly

Carly opening a "special" outfit

Carly's bridal hat


We asked John some questions prior to the party and then asked Carly the same questions at the party and compared their answers. If their answers weren't the same Carly had to stick a piece of bubblicious in her mouth. This is a pic of the wad she had in her mouth.


Thanks to all who came to support Carly!