Synchronized Swinging

We went to the lake last week, and yes, the water is still very cold. The kids had a blast, especially Mikala, who loved the water so much we had to manually regulate her temperature by pulling her out into the sun each time her lips started to lose color. Eventually, as the sun started to go down, we had to make the water off limits all together, and we all retired to the playground.

Mikala and Claire both wanted to swing. Because there are four swings in a row, we thought that it would be perfect to have them all swing at the same time. Mikala and Claire were loaded into their swings. We then put Sara in hers, and she didn't cry--which we took as a sign of approval.

Amy, however, had a sudden surge of her trademark fear hormone preventing her from consenting to the swing idea. Amy is very keen about always remaining well grounded. Any activity that separates her feet from the ground is a good candidate for her activity blacklist. Amy did want to push Sara however, which allowed her to keep her feet firmly on the ground and kept her in complete control of the situation.


Makala just wanted to go "High-ah". I had her going so high at one point that I had to wonder if Myth Busters ever busted that myth about being able to do a 360 swing. Makala would love to be the one to prove it right.

Claire had a swinging angle limit of about 30 degrees. Anything above that would consistently cause the tensed-up-shake-of-fear, which every parent is familiar with.

Sara was mostly unimpressed and apparently thought the whole swinging thing was way overrated. She would only laugh with Mommy make funny sound and faces at her, otherwise, she tended to doze off. She doesn't do the tensed-up-shake-of-fear yet, but she does express herself quite well with her spit-ups and vomits when in scary situations.

We should have more lake adventures soon, especially when the water warms up.

Pop Quiz: Answers

For those of you who are absolutely dying to learn how to speak Am-mik-clai-ra, here are the answers to your first quiz.

1. pay up, peh-yup, amy.
English: ketchup (this one gets me stumped every time)

2. pappy, pah-peee, kala.
English: passy, or pacifier

3. da do, dah-doo, care bear.
English: peek-a-boo

4. caugh cry, a-hah-haa, sara.
English: i'm hungry, i need to burp, pick me up, change me, any or all-of-the- above

5. nanay, neh-naiy, kala.
English: bandaid--usually for some miniscule boo-boo

6. putt, putt, amy.
English: cup (in some upside-down world)

7. nuk, nuk, kala.
English: milk

8. hu oh, huh huh, clarie.
English: uh-oh

9. goggy, gawkey, kala.
English: doggy

10. heh pader, heh pawdher, amy.
English: Heavenly Father, normally followed with "anis aiy" aka--thank you for this day

Thanks to all those who participated. I'll give you the opportunity to grade yourselves. I have found out that context clues are vital. Maybe next time I'll be a bit nicer and include some...maybe.

Easter Weekend in Savannah

Amy...
going into a sugar coma.


Kada, Ainslee, Amy & Tyler...
like kids in a candy store.


Amy & Claire...
enjoy long walks on the beach.


Kada...
in her own world.


Tyler & Kada...
blown away.


Ainslee, Tyler, Amy, Uncle Thomas & Claire...
getting their feet wet.


Sara...
just chillin' ... yo


Claire...
gold digger.


Claire & Sara...
having their day in the sun.


Tyler & Amy...
best friends forever.

Pop Quiz

Thought you were done with school were you? Welcome to Basic Needs 101! This is a foreign language quiz. Let's see how well you can decipher Am-mik-clai-ra! I will give you a word, pronunciation, and the origin of the "word" (aka who said it) and you see if you can guess what word it would be if translated correctly into English. Can anyone make a perfect score? Pop quizzes will be given throughout the year. Good Luck! (Answers will only be counted if given in the "comments" portion of the quiz.)


1. pay up, peh-yup, amy.


2. pappy, pah-peee, kala.


3. da do, dah-doo, care bear.


4. caugh cry, a-hah-haa, sara.


5. nanay, neh-naiy, kala.


6. putt, putt, amy.


7. nuk, nuk, kala.


8. hu oh, huh huh, clarie.


9. goggy, gawkey, kala.


10. heh pader, heh pawdher, amy.

Stay tuned for the answers.

"She's been sighted, she's been sighted!"

We have received several anonymous tips from people who believe they may have seen Tammy Hood.



This photo, believed to be of Tammy, was taken on Y mountain in Provo, UT. This corroborates reports that she is staying with her sister, who resides in the area.



This photo of a woman on a moped, submitted anonymously, was analyzed by our experts who have confirmed that the moped is registered to Tammy's Sister, Maria Torres. The person riding the moped is a partial facial match for Tammy.

Our photo expert team has also confirmed that Tammy "looks like a dork" in the photo.

This is a photo believed to be of Tammy at the Phoenix airport, another hideout she is thought to have used. She reportedly stayed there for a total of 20 hours between March 9th-10th. To avoid suspicion, she would claim that her "fight was canceled."

Because of your help, and the expertise of our photo analysis team, Tammy has been found! After much persuasion, she has agreed to answer her husband's emotional plea to come home. We have since learned that Tammy has made it home safely, and is helping her husband recover from his battle with scurvy as well as thanking him for being such a good sport during her absence.

Have you seen this woman?

If you have any information about the whereabouts of this woman, please contact the authorities immediately. She was last seen fleeing from her family at an airport near Charlotte, NC. She may have boarded a plane. She reportedly left a sink full of dishes and several large loads of laundry undone. The latest information suggests that she may be staying with a relative somewhere in the western U.S.

Her husband has made an emotional plea for her prompt return. He is apparently not sleeping well and is having to change "lots of stinky diapers." He is also suffering from scurvy caused by his diet of cereal and hot pockets.

Top 10 Reasons Why it's Good to Have All Girls #4

#4: Natural Hair Styling Skills: Kala has two habits--her passy, and her hair. Lately, she has been teething and not feeling well. When this happens, she twirls her hair so much that she curls it! (And it actually looks really good.) Well I guess if you can't have a kid with curly hair, at least have one that will curl it herself!

Growing Up

We have waited for this moment for a long time. And not only is she smiling, she is cooing and laughing as well! We are so excited to finally feel like we are truly bonding with our little belle. She is healthy--gaining weight with the best of them. (A whole 12 pounds.) Sara continues to grow more beautiful every day. She enjoys interacting and playing with her sisters, which is also exciting to watch. We can't wait for her next milestone.