It is Sunday afternoon on a gorgeous Spring Day in Bakersfield, CA.  It has been a long time since I posted anything.  I am going to do my best to post something each week.  It will not always be easy but, going to give it my best.

This has been a very busy week.  Our stake is performing "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".  Emily is a dancer in the play, Haley is in the children choir, and I am a hairy Ishmaelite with the rest of the Stake Presidency. (I have the prime spot, the tail end of the camel.) 

We had the final dress rehersals Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with performances Friday, Saturday matinee and Saturday night.  The performance is amazing.  So many people have worked so hard and so well.  This is creating a life long memory for the girls.  We are blessed to have such talent and commitment to provide this experience for our girls and the rest of the stake.

My parents, sister Stacy and her daughter Abby came from Utah to see the play.  Allison and Tyler rode down with them.  It was nice to have them here for a very short 2 days.

There are many important things in life. However, nothing is as important as family.  We will all be involved in many activities, will work to accomplish very important goals, will work very hard to make a difference in this world, yet, nothing we do will bring us more happiness and contentment than working towards building a lasting relationship with our family.  Today spend time with your family.  Do something that will make a member of your family feel special.  

2009 Update

Here is our latest family picture.  We took this picture in the fall of 2008.  It is a bit dated but is our most current and my personal favorite.

This is all of us in our back yard at Hannah's baptism on February 28, 2009.  We forgot to check Ben's shoes.  You have to love the oldest pair of tennis shoes he owns with the suit.

This is Hannah on her baptism day.  She is a beautiful young girl.  The day was wonderful.