yearbookyourself.com

found this absolutely funny website called yearbookyourself.com where you kinda photoshop yourself in these pre-made photo outlines. We all had a turn but Lucas just seemed to have the right face shape for this. So we just wanted to share the photos... especially the one that looks like TIM! we will let you be the judge of which one.. haha!

Brady

After Spencer was born, Tim and I decided that our family was complete. A family with three children made sense. No need to upgrade our car or our house. We were devastated when I discovered that I was expecting baby #4. I know this may sound crazy but we felt sorry for our fertile selves. Brady Malia arrived on July 25th 2007. Its as if she knew she would have to win our hearts and she set about doing so with loving determination. It worked! We all adore her and can't imagine our family without this little cherub.

A MESSAGE FROM DAD

Last Sunday was Allegra's blessing. Mum, Maggie and I, Steven, Laura, Chloe and Emily, Heidi, Paul and Lola all drove up on Saturday and stayed overnight with Josh, Debora and family. Everyone fit so well into the house that it didn’t seem crowded at all. Sunday morning Joe, Ali, Reef and Lizzie drove over from Albury to Finley Chapel for the blessing. The day was sunny, calm and cool; it hardly seemed like winter at all. Josh blessed Allegra with the help of Joe, me, Richard Butler and some of the local priesthood while Debora was asked to bear her testimony which she did very sincerely and well. Allegra was very calm and didn't say anything at all. As you can see from the photos she is short, round and squishy. *

After church everyone including just about the whole Finley Branch came back to the “Wolff’s Den” for a spit roast barbecue. There was plenty of food and it was a just a great Finley feed and get together. Finley branch has always been noted for it’s hospitality and friendliness. The last person left as the sunset. Finley branch has 70+ active members and they include lawyers, wheat and sheep farmers, dairy farmers, clerks, retired people, people who fled the big city, one lady is a shire councilor. There is even an itinerant writer, who has a beard, a masters in lit. ,few possessions, rides around on a push bike with handle bars and lives alone; a bit like Henry Thoreau on Walden Pond.

Most of the family left on Sunday afternoon. Steven was feeling sick and left early; next morning the doctor told him he has swine flu.

Mum, Maggie and I stayed on Sunday night because now that I am retired I don’t have such a strict schedule. Yes! I finally applied to the superannuation fund for my life savings and we are going to move to Gordon to live in a caravan and shed (not yet built) while our dream country farmhouse is built.

Note: my life savings will last 12 months if we are careful. For the past 3 months since I stopped work I have been busy painting and fixing the house in Seaford to make it pleasant and comfortable to live in. You might appreciate that next week the roof will be insulated.

I have planted a veggie garden and built a chook house that now is home to six brown hens. I spent a lot of time standing at the chook pen studying chook family psychology – perhaps I will write a book about them in my retirement. All this is a preparation for our move to Gordon. We are looking at planting a berry orchard because the climate and soil seems to be suitable.

I must add a few words in support of the prophets’ exhortations over the years, for us to put away 12 months supply of food and other daily consumables. In the last two years Mum has been actively buying wheat, rice, spelt, all sorts of other dried foods, cans of tomatoes and fruit, beans, dates, nuts, toothpaste, toilet rolls, toothpaste, soaps, cleaning chemicals and I have been grinding flour and making bread etc. Since I was made redundant we have been drawing heavily on these supplies and yet there seems hardly any reduction in our stores. We have consequently been able to live very cheaply and we have no concerns about shortage of food – we could last for many months more on the basic foods in our store.

To prepare for retirement I have been able to get a casual teaching position, for one day a week, with the Box Hill Institute. I am going to night school to study a Cert IV subject “Training and Assessment” which is the minimum qualification required. Next Wednesday is my first teaching day and I have to tell you I am scared – but I have to try it.

Love,
Dad

*More pictures are on their way-check back later

MY FIRST SNOW TRIP

Mummy, Daddy and Aunty Lizzie took me up to the snow for the first time ever in my whole entire life. It was a whole lot of fun. We got to ride in a snow cat (that's a kind of a big van on tracks instead of wheels) up to our Lodge. We stayed at the Nelse Lodge and it was really nice. Everyone was so friendly and you can ski right from the front door, down to the chair lift that takes you up to the top of the mountain. That's where all the big people went everyday. I had to stay in the lodge most of the time because I still had a little bit of a cold from the week before but everyday I went for a walk with either Mummy or Daddy down to Falls Express to get lunch. My Daddy was snowboarding and he's getting really good. He can almost make it down to the bottom without falling over and Mummy and Aunty Lizzie must be good at skiing by now because the man who runs the park gave them free private lessons...and free beanies but they felt bad and went back and paid for those.

Mummy hurt her knee skiing so I got to spend the next whole day with her. She's ok now but it meant she couldn't ski the rest of the trip. She felt a bit sad but says that we live so close we'll just go back another day. The Lodge also had a heated pool and a hot spa and Mummy and Aunty Lizzie made the most of that on our last night. The food at the lodge was excellent...of course I wouldn't really know because I still only drink milk but that's what the big people kept saying.

So that was my first trip to the snow. I had a great time and can't wait 'til I get a bit bigger and can be one of those Milo kids skiin' around up on the mountain. I wish everyone could've been there. It was really great fun. Hopefully one day we can all go up there together and have even more fun!

Schnappi Reef

First Friday Interview: Josh

What is your favourite colour?

Although unoriginal, blue is and has always been my favourite colour.

What is your favourite city?

Being the least travelled member of the family, (MTC in Hamilton, NZ doesn't count) my world view is very limited. However, without hesitation, my favourite city in Australia is Fremantle, WA. There is something about the contrast of the bright blue Indian Ocean with the earthy sandstone buildings, shady parks, and ocean breeze every afternoon that soothe and relax me. Because of the glitz and lights of the Gold Coast (and of course the great beaches and perfect climate) I remain proudly fond of my former home city despite its undeserved reputation.

What is your favourite thing to cook?

I don't cook nor do I enjoy cooking; why should I, Debora is a great cook and she loves to cook. I admit to being a fan of Masterchef and while my cooking skills have not increased, I am great at critiquing the contestants' dishes.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Minoxidil (hair loss treatment) I choose to believe it works.

What is your favourite restaurant?

The breakfast buffet at Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast.

What is one thing you can't help but splurge on?

I don't have any discretionary money to splurge. I do, however, splurge on Debora's desserts and puddings.

What is your favourite word?

At the moment, Allegra.

What is your favourite thing to do on the weekend?

Kick the footy with Isaak and Sariah in the backyard, chop wood for the fireplace, watch Collingwood on T.V. and then maybe a DVD with Debora at night curled up in front of the fire. That pretty much describes my typical weekend.

What TV show makes you the happiest?

Seinfeld still makes me laugh.

What is your favourite sport to participate in?

Beach Cricket.

What is one trend that totally victimized you?

The whole decade of 2000, with the move to tight fitted jeans and shirts does not agree with my body shape. I still dress the same as I did in the 90's, thankfully I wear suits 6 out of 7 days of the week.

If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would you choose?

Robbie. He lives such a carefree and stress-free life; go to the gym, go to the beach, spur of the moment decision to go to Japan, and not responsible for or answerable to anyone.

What is your favourite comfort food?

Pudding.

What celebrity do you most resemble?

It has been a natural digression over the last decade or so. Before the mission, some people would tell me that I looked a bit like Brad Pitt. Later I was told I looked a bit like Shane Warne. The latest: Ethan Suplee. You know him as the overweight dimwitted brother on My Name is Earl. Thanks to Tim and Jill for that one!

What three things are your most treasured (material) possessions?

Lord of the Rings DVDs 1, 2, & 3 extended versions with additional bonus material.

What three things are your most treasured (non-material) possessions?

Of course, Isaak, Sariah, and Allegra.

What do you usually have for breakfast?

Grapefruit juice and toast. Often on saturday Debora whips up a cooked breakfast.

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Freedom at Dalmeny, the challenge of walking to Potato Point, scrounging $2 to buy chips with chicken salt from the chicken shop across the road at Dalmeny.

Thanks Josh!!

Post-script: We do not believe that Josh bears any resemblance to "Randy Hickey" this comment was taken completely out of context. On the scale of Brad Pitt being 10 and Earl's brother being 1 he is definitely a 9.

'One of the Ninety and Nine'

We all know the parable about the ninety and nine and the one lost sheep. What if your not that lost sheep?... What if your just "one of the ninety and nine"? You attend church every week, fulfill your callings and responsibilities. Of course your not perfect but your doing fine! This is a great song by Michael McLean. Didn't know how to download it from the internet so I just pasted the link for you to go to the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEy6jgfCSgI