Family Stories 2011

I know, I know two posts in one day is too much, but this is the 2nd half of Karen's homework.  I thought the kids stories were fun, and needed to be included in our family blog for the year.  Enjoy, or skip it, it's up to you!!

Logan and Kim Family Stories 2011

This July, Ian hurt his head in a wreck.  While he was in the hospital, Caleb and Jacob came to stay at our house, and that night we watched Looney Tunes and Little Rascals.  The hilarious parts in Looney Tunes weren’t as hilarious without E-bird.  Caleb, Madi and I stayed up until Midnight watching movies and visiting.  The next day, I begged my mom to let me go with her to the hospital.  I was disappointed when I learned I couldn’t, and I had to go to Alysha’s.  On Sunday, I was really happy when Ian came home.  Mom and Aunt Karen made snow-cones for all the kids to celebrate!                                                                                                                                         Charlotte Jean Wilde

This year we went to the Ocean.  My Uncle Jeff lives there in Santa Cruz, CA.  I taught myself how to boogie board.  Most people wait in the water then swim away in the wave.  I tried that and went under.  So I made a new way to boogie board.   Then we walked down the beach to a cave.  Charlotte and I jumped off some rocks into the water below.  Charlotte was hesitating, but I jumped right in.  When I went down, my feet touched the sand and I pushed up.  I did this a couple of times before Charlotte was brave enough to come over and try.  She landed on the rock and wouldn’t try anymore, but I thought it was fun and didn’t want to stop!              Madison Anne Wilde

This year we went to California to visit Uncle Jeff.  While we were there, we went to Monterrey.  We had lunch at the COOLEST PARK I’ve ever seen, Dennis the Menace Park.  There was a hedge maze you can walk through.  I ran through the maze and jumped on my Dad’s back.  There was a rock climbing wall, and a slide made of rollers. It was REALLY BUMPY.  I tried to walk down it and fell onto my back.  That was no fun!  Next, I went down on my stomach, and my laugh sounded funny.  I had TONS of FUN in California!!                                                              Reed Paul Wilde

This year, we had the chance to go visit Uncle Jeff, Aunt Dawn, Alex and Anna Belle in California.  We got up REALLY EARLY in the morning and loaded in a BIG VAN with Grandpa Paul and Grandma Julie.  We drove all day long and stopped in “Rhino” to sleep.  The next morning, we woke up, ate breakfast and loaded back in the van.  In a few hours, we got to CALIFORNIA!!
We had so much fun swimming in the Ocean, going on a train through the Redwood Forest, and riding the rides on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.  I fell down and hurt my arm, but Mom kissed me better.  We saw a pier full of seals and sea lions and they were STINKY!!  I had so much fun in California, that I wish we could go there EVERY YEAR!!  Next time, I hope we go to DISNEYLAND!!                                                                                                                                                 Emma Loucille Wilde

It has been such fun to watch our little Joseph grow and change over the past year.  He loves his brother and sisters, and is such a good-natured baby.  He truly is a blessing in our home.  He loves to roll all over the house, and picks up everything he can manage to get in his mouth.  He is just a TINY bit spoiled, but is so very sweet that nobody seems to mind too much.  It has been so much fun to watch his personality develop and to hear him giggle and laugh at his siblings.  We are truly grateful to be blessed with this happy, healthy, strong boy in our home.  He is a miracle in our home, and an answer to many prayers.                                                                                Joseph Richard Wilde

What a year!! I can’t believe that 2011 is almost over.  It has been such fun to watch my children grow and change and become more than they were before.  I have felt so very blessed as I have held my children close and watched them grow.  What a blessing it is to be a mother of joyful children.  I never pictured my life quite like this, but I can’t imagine it being any better!  As I try to think of one memory to share, I can’t think of just one that stands out, they are all simple, but just right for me. 
However, I have had the chance to stretch and grow this year, so I will share one of the many learning experiences that I have been blessed with this year.  In September, I was asked (more like ordered) to speak at the SUNDAY SESSION of our Stake Conference the next week.  Did I mention that I have a huge fear of Public Speaking?  Pretty much the WORST thing you could ask of me.  So I was very scared and spent the entire week worrying about what I would say, what I would wear, and how I would manage to not throw up in front of the entire stake.   I bought a new dress (at the DI, thanks to my thrifty fashionista, Karen).  I went to the temple.  I (Logan) invited my parents to come on SUNDAY, if you are wondering Logan invited them instead of me, it wasn’t because I didn’t want them there.  It was because I figured the less people that saw me throw up at Stake Conference, the better.  I stayed up til the wee small hours of Saturday morning writing a talk that I was terrified to give.  I went to the SATURDAY NIGHT adult session of conference and heard these oh so scary words:  “Next we will hear from Sister Kim Wilde.”    At that point, I panicked!  I didn’t have my talk, my parents weren’t there, and worst of all, my cute DI dress was at home, hanging in my closet!!   Luckily, I was singing in the choir, so I was already on the stand.  With as much calm as I could muster, I, oh so casually, leaned down to President Walker and said, “President Porter asked me to speak on SUNDAY!!”   To which he replied, “Are you SURE?”  Ummm…YES!!!!  Fortunately, we were able to work it out.  I offered to give up my spot on Sunday, but they wouldn’t let me off that easy, and I ended up giving my talk in my cute dress, with Mom and Dad there to see.  Although I never want to do that again, I am thankful that I had the chance to share my testimony and the love I have felt from my Heavenly Father with the members of our stake.                                                          Kimberly Wilde

Logan says that not much has happened in his life this year, but I disagree, so I am writing his story for him.  If I don’t, Albert will make something up that will be complete baloney, so I am beating him to the punch so you can get my spin on things instead of Albert’s. 
This year, our Anniversary fell on a Sunday, and we wanted to do something as a family.  We decided to take the kids up Pine Canyon in the Ranger.  So we cleared out the back, taking out the ROPE and spreading a blanket for the kids to sit on.  We loaded up the BOBBLEHEADS (what my kids look like in their helmets), and strapped Joseph’s carseat in the front with us.  Away we went.  We were having a grand old time “making memories”, and everything was going great.  That is, until we came to the fallen tree across the road.  I said that we should turn around, but Logan said that it would be fine.  “We can make it over that tree, EASY.”   Famous last words.  So I load all the kiddos out of the Ranger and wait on the side of the mountain to watch Logan go up, up and ALMOST over the fallen tree.  Instead, the Ranger is high-centered on the tree.  Then he says if he had a ROPE, he could have just pulled the tree off the road and out of the way.  We worked for at least 45 minutes to get that stinkin’  Ranger off the tree and headed back up the mountain!!  We ended up pulling the tree (tree, not LOG, mind you) completely off the road, Logan, Madi, Charly and I, while Reed and Emma watched the baby.  When we finished, Logan said how good it was for our family to have to work together!!  How I love that man!
I did learn a few OTHER lessons from that experience as well:  If you are taking a Ranger ride with all your kiddos in tow, you should bring a rope, a cell phone with a signal, and more snacks than two water bottles and a bag of Twizzlers.  Oh, one more, NO FOUR WHEELING ON SUNDAY!!                                                                                                                                                            Logan Wilde