Fam-O-Rama

A Karford-Christmas-card preview.

To Press

We put the fall issue "to bed." Huzzah for being done with the nursing feature!

Lake Powell

We had the whole fam minus Niels (and Amanda) at Lake Powell, including the newest Karford, Miss Brynne.


Few babies are cuter or cheekier. We had fun holding this one, when she'd allow it.


Look at those bad parents—tubing with an infant. J

We love it when JJ comes out in the ski boat. We all try to impress him, the family "natural." Dad made him water ski, snow ski, play (insert every sport here), etc., etc., all by age 3. He can beat you at anything. Even math. Even Boggle. Slalom crashes are more frequent and more severe when he's in the boat.


Boxer wasn't thrown overboard once. I don't think he even got wet. He burried all of his treats on the beach—in case we left him there.


And Janie dug up every last one.

I don't know when or how it happened, but Jace has arrived at Aunt Debi status in terms of extended family. He's the cool uncle, if you will—the skydiving, firefighting uncle who buys stuffed pink poodles at the marina for his nieces even though he never had to buy toys or candy to them to get them to adore him.


Watching Jace and Holly, wearing Evergreen Fire and Rescue crap, strap their kayak to their Volkswagen wagaon with the Colorado plates and two dogs in the back made me get that homesick twinge in my stomach, like, "Oh, look at the cute Coloradans!" I love it.

Also tender: when Jace, as he was leaving, gave Madison her own Evergreen Fire and Rescue T-shirt, 10 sizes too big, and she insisted on wearing it to bed that night.


The aforementioned trophy winners. We finally beat JJ at something!

Spencer left early to make it home for class and ended up spending a night stranded in Hanksville (where he also dropped his phone in the urinal. Had to tear his phone to pieces, dry it out, and rebuild it.). Maybe he'll share more on his misfortunes later. But I got to ride home with Jage, Jenn, and the babies. Wish they still lived in Provo! I love you guys.

Speaking of Birthdays

We got to celebrate Jenn's at our house with Kory and Shaylin. Doesn't she make 29 look good?

And Brynne read the paper.

Why did this tradition die out after first grade?

Spence took cupcakes to school on his birthday to share with all the other kids.

Spencer's Birthday Wish

Can you make his dreams come true? This is what he wants most in the world on his birthday, and our local Harbor Freight is sold out. Of all things, these knives are on back order online too.

Primary Specialists

We have callings: Spencer and I, together, are Primary specialists, which means we hang out in Primary with an autistic 6-year-old. His name is Taylor, and he likes poofing my hair. He's also a runner. Which means we have to catch him every now and then.

Then I got called to spotlight three Relief Society sisters a week in the RS bulletin. Fine, but three a week is a bit much, no?

Triumph

Six Saturdays later, Spencer has fixed the motorcycle, A MANLY THING TO DO. We are out on electric blue again.

Bringing Home the Hardware

Like the U.S. Olympic men's gymnastics team, we brought home the hardware from Lake Powell, undefeated in Karford badminton. At stake: Coco's 1976 Dillon, Mont., badminton championship trophy.

Back to Work

Saying Italian artist Raffaello Gambogi's last name is fun. I may not have read the book I wrote about (which features this art on the cover), but does it count if researching it made me want to read it?

A Nephew

Spence's sister Emily had her baby last night—a boy! No name yet, but we hear Seanald, Jace, and Bellybutton are all in the running.

More than a Quarter of a Century

I had a great 26th, complete with a fulfilled request for this stunning photo of the 197? BYU Rugby team. It's strange what you remember from childhood, but I remember this picture was displayed in the living room. Among the fantasticly fluffed hair and staches is Jeff Karford. Can you pick him out? Niels looks so much like him it's scary. What a perfect addition to my BYU office.

Let Freedom Ring

BYU is going independent. I am no football fanatic, but you can get the skinny by tuning into BYUTV online for the live press conference today at noon or at 6 p.m. MST for True Blue sports' report.