Good to go!

McClain's up and ready to go.

We woke up early, showered and was excited to go. That first day is always the best.
New faces, new duds, a new freshness to the place we call school.
There's just something about the very first day.
Isn't is nice to see how much pride our little ones take in themselves. The boys are sporting a little longer do and its so funny to see them gel and create the perfect blow-out.
I even use the flat iron to flip up their sideburns. Wow.
It's a great day, with great attitudes and so great to see them happy and ready to go.
I miss them already. But its great to see them back there.

I'm going to miss you guys, work hard, study hard and remember to have fun... Love Mom.

Good Ole' LAGOON

Lagoon is fun and Life is BEAUTIFUL...

I have to say while after a long hot day,
We were feeling tired and worn out.

Lagoon is really better than I remembered.
Cleaner, nicer, newer, better.

It seemed as though they had renovated most of it.
What got our attention were the fountain sprinklers in the ground.
Similar to those at Gateway Plaza in Salt Lake City.

They loved the water and I snapped "real" expression shots.

I loved it too!

Come ride with me...

This cracks me up!

I'm so terrible...





I insisted that McClain get on
Lagoons free fall ride "Rocket"

He wouldn't agree.

I wouldn't give up.

I said you can do it.
I'll ride with you...

He said not a chance.

I felt a little bad
tourmenting him.

Not enough to stop.

A little demented you say...
Chris told me I take real pleasure in it.





He's struggling to
even look at me.

We made up later and...

He won:(

Lagoon continued...

We rode every ride almost,
made awesome memories and
enjoyed the kids completely..



Pepper Ray loved
the Merry-Go-Round.






We love ice cream "DOTS".













The boys loved this ride.
An oldie but goldie...

Life truly is beautiful.

Laugh a little, smile a little...

While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about. Angela Schwindt~

Bailey and Chris-Summer 08


"Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care."~Fred Babbel~

Kayle and Tanner-Summer 08













A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.~ Walter Winchell~

Grandma and Kelsi-Summer 08








~Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.Robert Brault~
Sabrie and Mom- Summer 08

What a beautiful smile!

I really do not get it.
"Is it me or do you all struggle with that smile that really isn't anything like one?"

"What is that?"

I love to take pictures right and you would think that my boys would be seasoned to the whole "smile, come on smile" thing.



Nope, It totally wears me out just trying to catch a few good ones.



Calm down and just relax Mac.


So tense...







Seriously dude!

What a beautiful smile.

Is it really that hard to smile?

I don't really ask the boys to pose or smile for me that often, but by the looks of it you would think it hurts to do it.



Why is it so hard to smile?



I tell funny jokes, pull all my tricks out for that one perfect smile.



But NO, it's killing him to even seem natural.


Oh the pain of it all...





Seriously what does it take to get a real, natural smile.



Let me know when you figure it out.











These two pictures are not the same...





They're different.






Same smile :|

Grandpa's Girl

My dad is such a sweetheart I love him very much and know that he loves us too.


Isn't is funny how you can bring a child into your
life and immediately everyone loves them.

Especially Grandpa's...

I'd have to say that Pepper is a Grandpa's girl, he calls her
"Pepper Pot"

She loves his hairy mustache.

I love you dad, thank you for being the best grandpa ever possible.

I think I've lost it!!

Ok, so my sister-in-law lately has made the comment to me "I've never imagined you Tara to have any kind of animal at your house!" Seriously, neither did I...

Until.... I met McClain. He is a young little man who dwells in our home and is absolutely OBSESSED with spiders. I know

"Who has a heart to allow a scary, hairy, eight-legged freak inside your home?"

I guess I do!

All summer long the boys have been begging and pleading with us to get them a pet from a dog to a bird and everyday the've asked if we could go to "Angi's". "Who is Angi?" you ask, she owns the pet shop in town.

I negotiated for a long time about the do's and don'ts the no's and the absolutely not's as to why we should or shouldn't have pets at our house.

I was raised as little girl in our home to steer clear of animals. Anything that could bite, poo, sting, crawl, bark, and shed.

Especially shed. Oh' my mom was a "cleaning, anti-germ, anti-pet Natzi" I thought I would be this way. I was taught to be this way.

What happened to me? What's happening to me?

In the past we have found creepy crawly critters, fuzzy kittens, water snakes, a salmander and seriously they have maybe made it 24 hours maximum at our house.

They don't do well here. They die, they stop breathing, stop eating, freeze to death, or shrival up and check out. You get the picture life at our house if your not human isn't great. Sad but true.

Anyway back to "Angi's", so after a long debate, Chris gave in one day and I over heard him say "Ask your mom" it was ok with him. To make a long story shorter I made a deal with them.

"You help me ALL summer long and we would go to Angi's and choose a couple of small friends to bring home." Dreading my arrangement I swallowed these words and started the summer.

Meet "Izzy-Mae"
McClain's pink toed, little girl, dosile, non-biting tarantula.

We've had her a week now and all seems well.










Sometimes I think I've lost it.. his love and gentleness with this creature is sweet. Can you believe I would think not to mention say that.

Doesn't this look like fun... He thinks so!

Meet "Sophie"

"I want a iquana" he said.

Question 1
Do you have any idea just how big an iguana gets?
Answer- up to 4 feet approx. maybe bigger.

Question 2
What do they eat?
Answer- Human food...

Question 3
Are they tame?
Answer- Until they turn from boy to man then its possible if he were crabby one day he could attack Pepper. Who knows maybe even eat her.

No more questions... Period.


Meet " Sophie"



Bailey's second choice - a sweet little female, did I mention little, eats crickets and keeps the fly population down, gentle, low maintenance chameleon.


She's colorful and fun to watch.














I have to say to all my adorable clean freak cousins and friends... They are monitored and caged. My house is cleaner than before and I'm still and will always be that clean freak, anti-germ, anti-somewhat pet Natzi my mother raised me to be.

Who knew I could change..... a little.

"It's A Whiteley Family Thing"

Can I tell you that we had a blast at our annual "Whiteley Family Reunion" hosted in Antimony, Utah. It consisted of a whole lot of happy times, games, entertainment and yummy food to satisfy anyone who came.

I love my family... Enjoying the weekend just getting to know everyone better is what the reunion is all about.

To Grandma Donna...Thanks for always sharing EVERYTHING with us. The cabin was perfect except for the sewer scare the last day. All went well and we know that you strive always for it to be the best for everyone.

Alta Mae... Is a total trooper. Always seeing that we are enjoying ouselves. Thank you for the graciousness of your heart.

To my cousins... I loved seeing and visiting with you all. Your children are beautiful and it was great to hang out with all of you this year.

Grandpa Bob... You would've LOVED what your little paradise has become. It is such a reflection of who you are and just a reminder of how much you love your family. I am so happy to share with my little ones just how wonderful you were and how much we love you.