California Christmas

We made a stop at the Scharffenberger factory and here is Travis enjoying the CD you made him Brooke...I think it was his favorite present. Also, noteworthy is that Mom helped me post this video. We're trying to teach her how to use a computer and she's getting better... We miss you guys!

I just realized it's hard to hear the videos with the music, sorry about that. But if you go down to the bottom of the page click on a quiet song, like Last of the Mohicans and then you can hear the videos.

Whittle Christmas Day

Audrey was so excited to open her dress up box from mom! All day she'd come out with something new on and ask us "Do I look boo-tiful?" The video quality isn't very good, it's from Troy's phone, but you can hear how excited she is.

We miss you all! Thank you everyone for your thoughtful gifts, we're a little spoiled I think....

more...

what? you want me to post more pictures....well, okay. The first picture is me and my friend Eric at his work party at the Governor's mansion. He works for the Leiutenent Governor, who is on the right with his wife. The Governor and his wife are on the left. The Governor told me that my husband does great work for them.

The next picture is at my friend Amanda's wedding reception a few weeks ago. She is Scottish, so there were kilts and all.

the weather outside is frightful....

I feel like I haven't posted anything in a while...here's a picture of me and my friend Jessica at our ward Christmas party and check out this video of Emily getting dominated at family four square (there's no sound). Salt Lake is good...I just have one final left that I need to finish today. I'm kinda procrastinating right now....

Some pictures

Rod and I got a little dressed up and went to his work party. You can't see my boots, but they looked way cute with my outfit. Anyway, Brooke, here's also some Thanksgiving pics...

Grandma helping Caitlin spell her name...

Caitlin's "Wassup Homeslice?" and Dad's classic photogenic expression...

Indian headresses....

Our Princess Party! All we were missing was you and Audrey! We popped popcorn and watched a Barbie movie!! Basically, Caitlin's perfect evening... Note Lizzie's expression of death towards Emily, apparently she wanted to wear the green grass thing...

I almost forgot!! Rod's new Robo-arms are great contraptions to help him do stuff he can't do otherwise. Pretty cool, huh? Also a little creepy...

Check out my Slide Show!

My little monkeys

So Audrey has decided that she likes being a girl (FINALLY!), and one day I heard her in the bathroom talking to herself.."Oh Prince Eric, do you like my dress (giggle) I'm so beautiful, let's get married!" She had been on a steady diet of watching The Little Mermaid that week and wanted to be Ariel I guess. Forgive her immodesty....
We got our tree up last Monday and the kids had fun decorating. Only 3 ornaments were broken!
My boys.

You MUST read these!!

If anyone is looking for a really good book-look no further! They are known as the Twilight series. There are 3 so far in this series and I could not put them down. My friends and I can't get enough! The author is LDS, her name is Stephenie Meyer and she is working on the 4th book now. It is also being made into a movie. I didn't think I'd like them as much as I did when I heard they were about vampires (yes, vampires) BUT they have been the most entertaining books I've ever read!! So someone please read them so I can talk about it with you!

The Importance of Good Medical Insurance

Here's some food for thought. We recently got Rod's medical bills in the mail. Well, they weren't bills, they were statements on what our insurance has paid for (which has been 100%, thank goodness). So I thought I'd demonstrate how important good medical insurance is!

Rod's week in the hospital, including 2 surgeries: $97,812.12
Rod's outpatient surgery on his wrist (this was in in the morning, out at night, no hospital stay): $75,696.31
Our 3-hour stint at the ER after a doctor appt, to make sure he didn't have blood clots in his legs: $1,486.00

Keep in mind this doesn't include the ambulance ride (which was about $800, also paid for by insurance), or the custom-made prostetics Rod's gotten for his arm (there were 2), or the many doctor appointments, X-rays, etc., he's received at his almost-weekly doctor appointments, or his physical therapy that he goes to 4 times a week. Wow. The bills detail how much everything was. $1200 per night in the hospital. Plate in wrist: $1,049.00. Incredible. Good medical insurance is essential!! And to think we were grumbling about our measly $10 copay every doctor or physical therapist visit!!!

Turn up the volume!

I added some music to make blog viewing even more exciting-can it get any better?!! :) Let me know if anyone has any special requests!

please....

This is me so far.

A Holiday Tradition....

It's time for everyone to start preparing for our holiday tradition....arm wrestling!! Now, i know everyone is still upset from last years competition; when I (Emily) embarrassed all my older sisters and won the tournament, but i can't help it--i'm like the hulk...soooo if anyone wants to try and give me a little competition this year i suggest you start pumping some iron soon!! (p.s. Rod is excluded from this years competition; he is on too many drugs to be coherent enough for such an activity)

- if anyone wants to look at my itinerary for Europe and be jealous than follow this link!
http://www.byui.edu/TravelPrograms/Humanities_European_Tour_files/2008Itinerary.pdf

Franken-arms

Brooke, these are for the benefit of Devon and Cameron. If they don't throw up, they might really like seeing these pictures of Uncle Rod's Franken-arms!!!

Weekend at Party Pier

Emily is down from Idaho since she has all next week off, so we're just hanging out for a few days. We went to Karen's for dinner tonight and had a lot of fun...we looked at some old family pictures and saw lots of interesting 80's outfits and fem-mullets (mom)

So here's the narrative to the pics. The first is in Pompeii, or sin city. That is Mt. Vesuvius in the background. The next in at the colliseum in Rome. Amazing. Then the next is a picture of Dad in Lucca. Then Florence, the Ponte Vecchio bridge, the only bridge in Florence Hitler didn't bomb in WWII. The last is in Venice, a beautiful city.

ITALY

YOUR MOTHER STILL THINKS SHE SPEAKS FLUENT ITALIAN BECAUSE SHE CAN COUNT TO TEN IN ITALIAN

Whittle Happenings

Here's some recent pics of what we've been up too....Alex has discovered that he LOVES looking at himself in the mirror. He cracks himself up! Audrey still spend most of the day with the cats. Here is our latest stray-apparently one of kids named him Freckles-and he was actually quite content to be pushed around in her stroller. Cameron came up with this Rocket Man costume one day. It's amazing how entertaining a paper bag and milk jug can be! And here's Troy and I at our "Night of Enchantment" enrichment night. So, have mom and dad adjusted to being back yet? How is Carrie holding up? Hope everyone is doing well. Love you!

Okay, okay, I'm learning, as Devon would say! We had a great trip. We got home around 7:00pm last night and came home a crashed. We both dreamed we were in Italy - so re-entry may take a while. Sounds like everyone had a good Halloween. The pictures are all so cute! Girls, you make your mom proud with those great costumes. (Kate, I believe that was an authentic peace sign on your cheek.) Those videos are darling!
So sorry Rod, about the crash. And I thought one broken are was tough!
Well, my favorites on the trip were the Venice canals, the raviolis in Florence, the colloseum and forum in Rome. We took the train to Lucca (Dad's roots). It is a beautiful village with a 2.5 mile wall all around it - we walked on. Then the trip to Pompeii was incredible. If I ever figure this out, I'll post some pics - okay not all 400 of them.

We're Back

This is a test. Are you impressed I finally found this by myself? Mom

Update

Rod came home from the hospital Saturday night. Rod's dad is here, too. Here's just a few pictures. The girls are happy to have daddy home (at least for a few days!) even if it means no hugs and having to help him eat (which I think Caitlin really liked). Here's some pictures...

Caitlin's confidence soars after feeding her daddy apples and carrots.

This picture of Lizzie is her "Rumplestiltskin" picture. Remember that book and Rumplestiltskin had those pants or whatever that were long?

Rod's current condition...

This is Rod in the hospital; he's still not home yet (we don't know exactly when that'll happen). He's doing alright, he can't move his arms hardly at all, but he can make a "hang ten" sign!

peace

Okay, so I don't have any cute kids to post pictures of, so here's me and my roommate Ashliegh. I'm pretty sure I have a Mercedes sign on my face and not a peace sign, but whatever...
And this second picture is not from halloween, but I thought Troy should see it.

Halloween Hi to Audrey

I don't know why the video didn't work on my last post. Here it is...

Halloween!!

So, I need to remember that I can't rotate videos like photos! Sorry, I would have retaken it but it's so cute! Just turn your heads sideways..

This is us on Saturday night at a halloween party...

Aren't they adorable?

And this is us at the ward trunk or treat (Caitlin insisted on ditching the angel costume and being Cinderella). And Rod ditched the pirate costume for scary-beanie-with-hair-attached-to-the-hat guy.

Anyhoo, we had a great halloween and the kids had a lot of fun. 2 days later was my great birthday and then the next day Rod had his mountain biking accident and now he's in the hospital. Eventually he'll be alright, he shattered his right wrist and his left elbow. He's had a surgery and will have more, I'll keep you posted on things. He's down, but not out!!

Trick or Treat!

Here' s the kiddos, we had a vampire, an angel and Flash. Cameron wants me to spray his hair black and have blood drip from his mouth every day now. He though that was pretty sweet.
So I went as a 50's Elvis fan, and Troy went as Elvis. But Troy ditched his costume after 5 minutes.......So here I am! I want to see some Halloween pics!!

I'm going to Europe!

Well i just found out that i got into the Humanities Tour program for next April! Life is great! We travel to London, Athens, Berlin, Rome, Florence, Vienna, and Paris!!! I will keep everyone updated on that! But, as for this weekend i am spending it in Provo with sadey and jamie, we went to the BYU game and watched the kick Colorado state's trash! I also got sunburned at the game which was nice to see that kind of sun again!!

Alex Chatting

Here's Alex cooing at his mobile. My camera is cheap and skips around a lot, but isn't his little voice cute?! He also rips one at the end, just FYI.......

speed racer for real