Danger Zone

Cam loves slides. From the first moment she could walk independently, she sought out the slide and found it to be as thrilling as she imagined it would be. Even though she has taken a few painful tumbles on slides, she is undeterred. Given the choice of a slide or a swing, she'll head first to the slide.

Friendship

One of Syd's best friends the past few years has been Isabella. Syd says that Isabella is her friend "because she teaches me things. She taught me to run like a horse." Isabella is a sweet friend who often gives her friends, such as Syd, little gifts.

Lex's Last Day of Kindergarten

Lex's kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Wren, the same teacher that Syd had the year before. Both Lex and Syd felt great admiration for Mrs. Wren because she fills her classtime with fun art projects. She also runs a tight ship ,and we appreciate how Mrs. Wren has taught each of our daughters to have more respect for authority and to excel academically. In our house, Mrs. Wren is an institution. Kingergarten IS Mrs. Wren. We can only hope she is still teaching when Cam reaches kindergarten age.

Syd's Last Day of 1st Grade

Syd loved first grade because she could stay at school all day, eat lunch with her friends, and enjoy two recesses. Here she is with her teacher, Mrs. Kildee, on the last day of school.

Syd (Father's Day)

For Father's Day 2007, Ann took photos of each of the girls so that Scott could have updated pictures for his office at work. This tradition of giving Scott updated pictures of the girls for his office began with Christmas 2006. The 8 1/2 x 11-inch pictures on Scott's wall of each of his daughters have become the defining visual element of his office, and they generate a lot of comments.

Lex (Father's Day)

These were taken for Father's Day 2007 just outside our home. The bridge behind Lex in one of the photos is the walking bridge in our development, Seabridge.

Cam (Father''s Day)

These were taken just before Father's Day.

Passed Out

Lex's bedtime routine is to stack books next to her and read until she grows tired. Usually, she recognizes when her eyelids begin to droop and she flips off the light, but on this night, sleep overtook her mid-chapter.

Dressed to a T

In order to attend the ballerina-themed birthday party of a friend of hers, Cam donned an adorable outfit fit for the stage. Even though she hadn't dressed up as a ballerina previously, Cam knew she looked beautiful. She spent a few minutes walking around the front of our home showing off her new look and pointing out everything she saw.

Digging In

Don't you love Cam's look on her face here? She turns to her friend Miriam, sister of the birthday girl, as if to say, "Thanks for inviting me. I dig the grub."

Palm Springs Perfection

For Memorial Day 2007, we decided to leave town and spend a weekend in the Palm Springs area. The Embassy Suites hotel we stayed at was superb. The suite featured a full kitchen and pool outside our front door. We were able to make our own food in the suite and avoid the Memorial Day crowds at nearby restaurants. The entire trip was a smashing success. We went home rejuvenated and refreshed.

Lex and Cam (Palm Springs)

Syd and Lex (Palm Springs)

Pool Players

The favorite part of Palm Springs for the girls was the pool. In fact, Syd and Lex associate hotels with pools. When we tell them we are going to take a trip and stay in a hotel, the first question they often ask is, "Is the pool warm?" We swam for most of the two days while in Palm Springs.

The Happiest Place on Earth

In May, we took our annual trip to Disneyland. We stayed at a hotel on Wednesday night and made it to the park when it first opened at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning. A photo similar to this one here can probably be found in every photo album in America. This is the main entrance to Disneyland. Syd is hiding her face because of the sun. (It was about 90 degrees by mid-day.)

Dressed in Style

The girls wore Disney costumes to the park to show their enthusiasm. Syd and Lex looked adorable, but Cameron dressed as Tinkerbell melted peoples' hearts. Her little, green wings in back were the icing on the cake. She has nearly grown out of her costume, though. We'll have to buy a different outfit for the 2008 trip to Disneyland.

Meeting Cinderella

Sitting side by side with Disney princesses is one of the greatest joys of a 5- or 6-year-old girl. This time around at Disneyland, Syd and Lex met several of their movie idols. Notice Lex's head tilt here. We didn't coach her to do that; she's a Disney princess in the making. In Syd's hand you can see an autograph book. The girls each had an autograph book that they carried around with them and had their favorite princesses sign.

And then, in a gleeful turn of events, a Disney employee in one of the shops came up to Syd and Lex and asked them for THEIR autographs! Syd, dressed at Ariel, carefully signed her name as "ARIL." ("I forgot the 'E'!" she later lamented.) Lex did her best to write "Aurora" (Sleeping Beauty), but she needed help spelling it correctly. Watching them sign autographs was Scott's highlight of the entire day.

Belle

Cruella de Ville

The actress playing Cruella pulled off the role with perfection. With a scowl that put her perfectly in character, Cruella told the girls, "Now get out of here!" as soon as she signed their autograph books.

The Disney Glow

Does Lex looked thrilled to be at Disneyland or what?

In Awe

Everything at Disneyland intrigues our girls. Here, they are watching the Dumbo ride with awe and admiration. Lex's pointing and Syd's smiles say it all.

Bribery

To keep the girls engaged during the 7 p.m. parade, Ann pulled out suckers for each of them. It worked. They happily sucked on their suckers and made messes of their faces, ignoring how tired they were from a day of fun.

Who wouldn't want to kiss this pretty face?

Worn Out

Disneyland is a lot of stimulation for a nearly 2-year-old. By day's end, Cam was worn out. With only a short nap in the stroller in the late morning on her side, Cam survived the day like a champion. By 6 p.m., she looked beat, as she does in this photo. Here, Scott tries to keep her spirits high ... and keep her awake to see the parade which started at 7 p.m.

The Matterhorn Tradition

Scott has established the tradition of riding the roller coaster ride, the Matterhorn, with Syd or Lex. Last year, Syd was the brave one. She rode the Matterhorn with excitement and pride. This year, Syd backed out, opening the door for Lex to show up her older sister. Scott rode the Matterhorn twice with Lex. She closed her eyes in fear both times.

Go Clippers!

We took Syd and Lex to a Los Angeles Clipper game in April---the last game of the regular season for the Clippers. We bought tickets because it was Fan Appreciation Night and tickets cost only $5 each. (True, we sat in the nosebleeds, but hey, we were still in the Staples Center!) The game promised to have real importance before it began. The Clippers were fighting for the last playoff spot in the West at tipoff, but by halftime, the Clippers knew they had missed the playoff cut. Their weak second-half performance proved their disappointment and they lost to the worst team in the NBA. But we still had fun. We really want to expose the girls to sports of all kinds.

Wide Awake

Syd typically goes to bed at 7:30. The Clippers game didn't start until 7:30! For her to stay up until 9:45 was a real miracle. We were shocked at how well she did. Through the third quarter, she was awake, alert, and interested in the game and in the crowd. Within 5 minutes, she was leaning on Scott's shoulder with droopy eyes. We made it a few minutes into the fourth quarter before leaving early.

Basketball Junkie

Lex really enjoyed the game. She sat on our laps nearly the entire time and tried to keep up with what was taking place. Scott quizzed her constantly with questions like, "Who has the ball now?" "What just happened?" "What do you call it when someone misses a shot and someone picks up the ball?"

Tennis Pro

Scott had a fun afternoon hitting tennis balls with the girls. They are both naturals with the racquet.

The Many Faces of Cameron

We have a very expressive child! Cam has a personality all her own. One thing she really likes to do is eat. Recently we ate as a family at a pizza place and when the employee brought out the pizza to our table, Cam smiled and gave him a hug!

Scott's Time at the Taj Mahal

I never dreamed I would stand in front of the Taj Mahal. This picture was taken March 2 on my last day in India. I went to India on a business trip for my employer, Sage Publications. I attended with my boss, Steve, and a coworker, Troy. During the 9-day trip, we made stops in New Delhi, Chennai, Goa, and here in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. I can truly say that the Taj is worth the 3-hour drive (and a LONG drive at that) from Delhi. The building is extraordinary and incredibly detailed. I will not soon forget how it felt to step inside the front entrance of the Taj and feel the cool air and calming influence inside. The Taj was built by a ruler in the 1600s to house the remains of his beloved wife. Inside, the building gives off a near-sacred feeling.

Church in India

Our first day in India was a Sunday. I really wanted to see what a Latter-day Saint service was like in India so I attended a church meeting with Shalini, our friend from the Sage India office. This is one of the two LDS branches in New Delhi. We actually didn't enter this building for church, though. As soon as we arrived, we learned that we had picked the Sunday of district conference to attend church. So we climbed back in the car and drove to the nearby Hyatt hotel and attended district conference there. The keynote speaker was a member of the Seventh Quorum of the Seventy. The meeting looked and felt much like a stake conference in America only there were dozens of Indians in attendance. I will never forget singing "I Believe in Christ" with the congregation as I stood next to Shalini, a Hindu woman.

Driving at Your Own Risk

Driving in India is hazardous to one's health. And it's especially bad in a large metropolis such as New Delhi. No kidding. India does not enforce traffic laws and driving is accomplished through using the horn. Trucks like this one here all have a sign such as "Sound Horn" or "Use Your Horn Please." And the drivers are serious. To get around, a driver honks. When cars approach you, you honk. When you want something, you honk. When you have no other reason to honk, you honk. My head throbbed after spending hours in the car. And no, I didn't drive a car in Delhi. Are you kidding?

Getting Around in India

India is one of the few places I have been that lives up to its reputation. In the 9 days we spent there, I saw elephants, monkeys, dogs, and even camels on the streets. The mode of transportation of the majority of the people is walking. When an Indian increases in socioeconomic status, he buys a bicycle. A little more money means an Indian buys a motorcycle. Only those in the upper class can afford cars. Camels, like this one here, are used for hauling items.

On the Hot Spot in Chennai

In the busy city of Chennai in southern India, we visited the offices of one of our publishing vendors, C&M Digital. After taking our pictures and giving us a tour, the employees gathered in a meeting room and put us on the spot. All of us had to stand up and give an impromtu speech about how we felt. I did my best. I don't recall a thing I said.

Chennai Hospitality

True to Indian form, the employees of C&M welcomed us in style. These are C&M employees dancing for us in a dance they choreographed specially for our visit. The girl in the front is the daughter of the C&M president. The women apologized after the fact that their dance was not rehearsed or professional enough for their liking. To us, they looked like pros.

Goa Scooters

While in the tourist town of Goa, the four of us rented motorized scooters and rode around the countryside. I don't hesitate to say that that scooter ride was one of the most dangerous and insane things I have ever done. I had never driven any sort of motorcycle or scooter before, we didn't wear helmets, we drove on the opposite side of the street (as they do in India), and my co-workers left me in the dust as I struggled to keep up. My scooter did not idle well, and twice the engine died as I waited at an intersection. Reaching our hotel after a 2-hour ride was welcome relief. "There is NO way that riding a motorcyle in the States is more difficult than that!" I said as I parked my scooter. On the left is our coworker from the Sage India office, Shalini Singh. In the center is my boss, Steve Martin, the director of production. I'm in the white shirt.