I love my kids.....

I've grown up with my kids. Preston was the first try at motherhood. Being "old" and kind of set in my ways it was hard being told what to do by a BABY - but he did a good job! After the first few months, he was pretty easy. The hardest part was finding a daycare provider that I trusted. He was watched by a variety of people from his Aunt Jackie and Judy to a Brazilian woman named Santina Smith. He has always been an early to bed kid - often times just going by himself when he was tired. Now he is ready to "leave the nest" and start a life of his own with Katie.......

Meranda came along next - my little cabbage patch doll - she was totally opposite of Preston - didn't like to go to bed - which is true to this day. She literally followed in her big brother's footsteps and was not about to be left behind. She walked at 9 months and was toilet trained at 18 months! She played with Preston and his friends all summer long - basketball, baseball, fishing - you name it she was right there! Now she is ready to "leave the nest" and move to Logan and become an Aggie......

Parker was the total surprise - always wanted 4 kids - was lucky to get 3 and had totally given up on that. Then we decided to build a new house - and Parker decided to join the family! I dreamed about the dark haired baby boy I was going to have - yeah right - the first two had very little red hair. Much to my surprise - he was my dark haired baby - with beautiful brown eyes. He has yet to decide what his passion is - but he is a good boy, a good student and is very social (i.e. a chick magnet)! He is "not ready" to be the only child at home......

So yes I have grown up with my kids - they have taught me patience and unconditional love. I would do anything for them. I'm happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad!

Evan calls me the "MOMMA BEAR" - not a bad thing to be!!!!!

Sorry MK...Happy Birthday

I can't believe I forgot to post HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MERANDA KAY WOOD - my favorite daughter. She turned 20 on the 20th!!!!!

We are so blessed to have her in our family. She is the creme in the oreo! She is the icing on the cake! She is fun, beautiful, smart, faithful, patient, helpful, competitive, dedicated, spiritual, athletic and committed!

She has a plan for the future and will be off to USU in August!

Happy Birthday Meranda! You're the best!

Technology is a wonderful thing.....

I sent my nephew, Peter, a text message wishing him a Happy Birthday yesterday (one day late) and received one back from him this morning. You might wonder why it took him so long - well he is in Paris, France!!!!! We "instant messaged" each other for a few minutes - quite AMAZING.

Back in the olden days, if you went out of the country, or even to California, the only way to communicate was by regular telephone, postcard or letter. Pictures were taken and hopefully developed when you returned home. Peter is posting to his blog - pictures and things he is doing - as they happen!

On Saturday, I am presenting a workshop at our Stake RS conference - titled "Digital Detachment" - focusing on not becoming so dependent on digital devices that we become detached from our families, God, etc. Annie helped me with a power point presentation for the class - we did it at her house - she emailed it to me at home and work - and it is now ready for Saturday - which will be shown via a laptop/projector to the women of the stake. I don't own a laptop - so I am borrowing Judy's.

When I was in Public Accounting, I bought the latest and greatest Compaq "portable" computer. It was the size of a medium sized suitcase and probably weighed about 25 pounds - the screen was smaller than an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. I lugged it everywhere I went - I think it cost about $4,500 - and I was able to recoup my cost by billing the hourly usage to clients.

Annie found a picture of me with a "walkman" on my head - quite different than an IPOD!
I remember the first time I used the Internet - I couldn't live without it today.
The first cell phone I had was the size of a regular home phone.
When I started work at PYG in 2002 - they were still using a dot matrix printer.
In 1975, the mortgage company I worked for had a computer - which filled an entire room and read information from little paper cards.

Yes Technology is a wonderful thing - it's hard to keep up - but it is worth the try - and yes I guess I need the workshop - because I am guilty of "Digital Attachment"!

Current Events

Feel like I need to update the blog world with the recent "Woods in the Hood" current events.....

April 15th - Tax Deadline Day - oh and Preston and Katie got engaged - August 12th is the big day.
April 30 - May 1st - Trip to Rangely, Colorado - mark that off the list as a place we don't need to visit again.
May 7th - MKW graduated from SLCC with an Associates Degree in General Studies - cumulative GPA at SLCC was 3.77. Received her NJCAA Academic All-American Award at the SB game - actually she received two awards - one for a GPA of 3.6 and over and another for 3.8 and over.
May 15th - SLCC softball won the SWAC/Region 18 tournament and are off to St. George for Nationals.
May 16th - Parker was set apart as Deacon's Quorum President - he will do an awesome job!

Happy Birthday Preston!

Preston James Wood was born April 29, 1988 at approximately 7:00 p.m. Today, 22 years later, he has become a wonderful young man.

He loves sports of all kinds - as a participant, spectator or coach. He honors his Priesthood. He loves his family and is a good example. He was once a "thumb sucker". He has beautiful blue eyes. He loved John Wayne movies when he was young. He is an Eagle Scout. He is a "good" eater. He has a contagious laugh. He is stubborn. He has a bit of a temper at times. He was a great missionary. We are blessed to have him as our son!

Happy Birthday Preston!

The Traveling Wood Family

Last weekend was spent in Ephraim, Utah. We took a field trip to Spring City - a nice little town over the hill from Ephraim. You can't see it unless you drive to it. The story according to Evan is that when the saints settled in Manti/Ephraim, and were practicing polygamy, Spring City was settled as a place to hide their polygamist lifestyle from the "feds". Now it's an "artsy fartsy" little town.

This weekend we are off to the booming metropolis of Rangely, Colorado, which is about 50 miles east and south of Vernal. The Bruins will be taking on the Spartens of CNCC (Colorado Northwest Community College). It should be a sweep for the #1 Bruins who currenlty have a 48-3 record and CNCC is just the opposite at 4-35.

Next weekend, we will be in town!! The team hasn't played on their home field since March 26th. It will be a great weekend. On Friday, Meranda will be recognized as a NJCAA Academic All-American and it is the "Swing-for-Life" game. Saturday is Sophomore Day and the sophomores will be honored at the game. Oh - and Meranda will be getting her Associates Degree on Friday. The coach "strongly"encouraged them to walk - so there are 8 softball players that followed her advice.

The next weekend is the Region Tournament at SLCC and if they win it's off to St. George for Nationals the next weekend!!

It's been a while.....

It's been a while for a post. I don't know if it's because we are busy or boring or something else.

This weekend we are off to our last "softball" trip to Las Vegas/Henderson! We have discovered places to stay that make you feel like you really aren't there. We have been there many times and have stayed in some pretty yucky places! We have been there in the heat of the summer and in the dead of the winter. This weekend it is supposed to be 80 degrees - can't wait. Last weekend we were in Twin Falls in freezing/windy/snowy weather - frostbite to heatstroke.

Life doesn't get much better!