THE VALENTINES BOX

When Jase brought his note home from Kindergarten asking that we send a Valentine's box any time from the 9th to the 14th, I felt chills of excitement run up and down my spine :) I absolutely loved that time of year in elementary school, and my mom was pretty much the bomb at making the best boxes. We're talking TVs, barbie cars, robots...whatever we could dream up! So, yes, I had big shoes to fill, but when Jase asked for a monster, I grabbed an old shoe box in the closet, and we got straight to work.

He was so excited as we pulled out our supplies and so nervous when he realized we were down to our last hot glue stick at the end of the project. And when I pulled out two wooden kitchen utensils to use for the monster's arms, his mouth practically dropped. He couldn't believe I had made such a sacrifice for "the box." I'm pretty sure it brought a tear to his eye :) Okay, that could have been an exaggeration, but the box turned out fantastic, and my Jaybird deemed it the best box in his class. The best part, though, was the perma-smile as we drove to Kindergarten, and the way he puffed out his chest a little as he walked into the classroom with his Valentine's LOVE monster.

Oh, but don't tell him I called it the love monster. That's officially embarassing to a five year old!

Christmas Card 2010

Retro Snowflake Bursts Christmas

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Oh, Mrs. Ludlow :)

Praying to the Bunco Gods???
Eating, again!

Laughing at my jokes (I'm sure)

Have you ever known someone that is ALWAYS behind the camera, but is never really in any pictures. Okay, so we all know someone like that. But is that person as gorgeous as Mrs. Ludlow (AKA Blogger Police). So when Bunco was at my house (last March), I took it upon myself to get as many snapshots of Nat without being annoying. Well, I could have come across a little annoying ;) Anyway, blogging world, here ya go. Some beautiful pictures of the ever-evasive, Natalie Dawn Ludlow! You can thank me in your comments...he, he

PS--Some of you may be wondering why I didn't blog this in March. Come on now, haven't we already established my serious lack of blogging commitment?

JUST THINKING...

So today I was sitting at the computer thinking about things in my life. I have been truly blessed. I cannot argue or deny that the Lord's hand has been in my life, even as a young child. Yet, I still question why my prayers aren't answered immediately. I still struggle with the small trials that I am asked to bear. I still struggle.

Funny how even when I'm questioning why my Father in Heaven hasn't answered my prayers that He is still willing to direct me, to help me find peace. So there I was, sitting at the computer when the Spirit guides me to these words.

But eventually I learned that God's promises are not always fulfilled as quickly or in the way we might hope. Patience means staying with something until the end. It means delaying immediate gratification for future blessings. The work of patience boils down to this--Keep the commandments, trust in God our Heavenly Father, serve Him with meekness and Christ-like love, exercise faith and hope in the Savior, and NEVER GIVE UP!

(President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

MY 30TH BIRTHDAY PARTAY!

Dustin went above and beyond the call of duty to deliver this magical birthday party that was themed around the move, "Grease." Everyone dressed up and enjoyed some hula hoop competition. We devoured catered burgers, fries, mozzerella sticks, and shakes. We enjoyed the DJ and karaoke, and I was delighted at being spoiled by my honey, my family, and my friends. My baby sister, Crystal, and me singing some Spice Girls (Wannabe)!
The party helpers. The AWESOME Hillyards (Kyle & Ashley) were pretty much Dustin's right hand man and woman. Thanks :)

Dustin trying to hula hoop. Isn't he one sexy "Danny!?"

The birthday gal with her man :)

The CAKE!

Dear Lynette,

It seems like yesterday that we were begging for a roller racer during Christmas in the 80s and then waiting for our first kiss during the summer of '95. And remember when we couldn't wait to be 16. It seemed like the time would never come to drive a car, officially date, and eventually graduate high school. Now here we are staring thirty in the face. Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined up this life--this life that is bliss.

In fact, we had this dream of becoming a corporate lawyer and living anywhere but Utah. It sounds a little bland now. Instead we count our blessings that our true love is our husband of ten years and that our resume boasts over five years experience in motherhood! Yup, this dream we are living is much better.

So many people want to know if we wish we were younger. Friends and family ask if we're sad that the big birthday has brought on age. Of course, we smile because we know we wouldn't trade this time in our life for the awkward teenage years of high school or the struggling days of college.

But we have learned that the older we get the faster time slips away from us, so we are begging the person we become at the age of 40 and 50 and 60 to remember that this very instant is the best time of our life!

All my love,

Me

Lagoon, Birthdays, & Work!

I've missed too many "blogging" moments this summer. I wish I was as ambitious as the rest of my fellow bloggers. Maybe then I would catch ya'll up on some Wild Whitt adventures. Since that isn't the case (the ambitious part), I'm just gonna throw in a few pictures of what we've been up to these last few months.

Is anyone else shocked that Dustin is actually on an amusement ride?!

Jaxon's big 3rd birthday party! He was all about Handy Manny, hence the construction hats and tool belts. What else is Jax up to lately? Well, let's just say he loves preschool, he loves to tease his big brother, and he LOVES girls. Watch out world :)

Many of you may be wondering where in the world are the Wild Whitts. Well, look no further. We are usually in Milford. Dustin has been re-landscaping the new hospital. This is a before picture. It actually looks pretty fantastic now that he is almost done. And when I say almost done, I mean that if he finished within the next few minutes, it wouldn't be soon enough. We miss our Lawn Ranger!

There ya go. Now that I'm finished with this blog, maybe I could post the first day of school pics. Natalie, remember that I said maybe.....