Wait for it . . .

But to tide you over, here's a little story:

(snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez off the beaches of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)

WHITNEY: "Holy crap Elliot! Did you just see that stingray jump out of the water?!!!"
ELLIOT: "Whit, you didn't see a stingray. They don't jump out of the water."
WHITNEY: "I SWEAR it was a stingray! I just saw it jump out of the water. I'm getting back in the boat."
ELLIOT: "You didn't see a stingray. Look at the fish."
WHITNEY: "Those are sharks. I'm getting back in the boat."
ELLIOT: "They aren't sharks."

I WAS RIGHT. This was exactly what I saw, only it was just one stingray.

AND I WAS RIGHT AGAIN because I just talked to our friend at church who DIVES in the Sea of Cortez to see the SHARKS!

What?

WHAT? I'm confused! I almost wanted to do a teleconference for the Book Club that I missed while I was in Mexico just so I could be enlightened on what just happened in this book! We need to talk girls.

What I do know is that I need to add Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights to my list of books to read. They are mentioned in almost every book I've read!

Frank Kush 5K and 1-Mile Family Run

I'm a 5K runner!

I ran my first 5K race on Saturday! I'm not fast, but I feel awesome!

Elliot and Stella ran (Stella rode on Elliot's shoulders for 1/2 of it) the 1-mile while they waited for me to run the 3 miles around Tempe Town Lake. Stella got a medal for participating!

I didn't run the whole thing, but I gave myself a good challenge. I was so happy to see Elliot and Stella several yards before the finish line cheering me on!

I finished in 43 minutes and 10 seconds, giving myself ample room to improve.

I'd like to thank in no particular order: Terrell Jensen, my high school P.E. coach for making us run around the farms of Weiser; Amy, my high school BFF who kept me laughing during the P.E. runs and simply making those years bearable (also, for introducing me to Little Debbies); my sister Natalie, my brother Adam, my brother-in-law Ian, and my friend Anne for participating in races and being my inspiration; my gym buddies Myra and Liz for making me increase the speed on the treadmill; my BFF Emily for taking me on my first run post-high school; Michael Jackson and Elphaba (from Wicked) for getting me through my first incline of the race and Bonnie Tyler ("I Need A Hero") for bringing me to the finish line; and my sweet husband Elliot and daughter Stella who know how important it is to support Mommy while I try to get healthy!

Dear Hurricane Rick,

Hi Ricky. May I call you Ricky? My name is Whitney. My husband is Elliot. We will be celebrating our #10 wedding anniversary on October 22 of this week. In case you're wondering, that is the day after you've planned on destroying the shores Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with your Category 5 hurricane-ness. I mention this because Elliot and I too will be in the vicinity during your arrival. I realize that we didn't really discuss our anniversary cruise plans with you, but I do have to say that I believe we've been around longer and kind of have dibs on the Baja Peninsula this week.

May I be frank? My dear mother-in-law is watching our sweet daughter Stella while we are cruising all week. I need her to be on top of her game while she has charge of our little one and your very presence is seriously damaging her calm. Keep that in mind.

Also, we have no official legal paperwork regarding the matter of our child if, heaven forbid, we pass away. I can, however, mention that in the process of filling out our adoption paperwork, we've chosen the good doctors Keith and Lindsay Bangart to raise our child lest we be removed from this mortal existence. She's the one I'm apparently in a fight with if you'll refer to the previous post's comments. And though I love my sister and brother-in-law dearly and quite frankly I'm sure Stella would be super happy to have immediate sisters, I'm still not done raising her.

I'm running low on time and still need to pack, but I think that the previously mentioned reasons should be sufficient in getting you to just stay away for another week or to decide simply to disappear. I'm sure the residents of Cabo San Lucas will thank you every bit as much as we will. I've been asking to go on a cruise for 10 years . . . DON'T YOU RUIN THIS FOR ME!

Everlasting Love,

Whitney

The Sleepover

Stella's cousins, Anabelle and Claire, came for a sleepover! It was so fun just to watch them play and listen to them laugh nearly all night long! I kept smiling as I remembered the great friendship that my sister and I had with our cousin Stacy. The spaces in our ages almost coordinate exactly with Stella, Anabelle, and Claire.

So let me post some pictures that I thought of when I took this picture of the girls:
Only difference is that we should have been a little more mature than these 6, 5, and 3 year olds. We weren't. And yes, I'm holding Stacy's rear. None of us have space issues.

On with the sleepover! Claire fell asleep around 9:30 despite the fact that Anabelle and Stella were using their outside voices until 11:00 p.m.! YES, you heard me (read me) 11:00!!!! And then they all woke up at 6:30 in the morning.

After a delicious homemade waffle breakfast, we headed to the park to feed the ducks with the bread butts I've been saving for the last 3 weeks.

Stella was sad that I told her I wouldn't do anymore underdogs. Whaa.



Stella can't be bothered to hold still very long for a picture when there is something to climb instead.

On the way to take the girls home, I told them we could stop to get McDonalds first. I didn't know where a McDonalds was in their neighborhood, but I thought that if I drove around for a minute, I'd find one.

After a minute, I rhetorically asked the children, "Where is a McDonalds around here?" to which Anabelle quickly replied, "On a big road, you just have to be patient!" And then turning to Stella, she added in a near whisper, "Moms don't know how to be patient." She may very well be right.

We met Xan and the other kids (Ray, George, and Lucy) at McDonalds and then Xan offered to take Stella for a bit while I ran some errands and went to the gym. THANK YOU! Stella was exhausted on the way home.

Unfortunately, she looks a lot like me when I sleep.

I miss my sister and cousin, our adult sleepovers, and my jawline.

Phoenix Children's Museum

My friend Lynnae invited us to go to Phoenix Children's Museum with her and her kids on Wednesday. We had a great time!

Emma gave Reagan and a stranger a ride on her 3-seater trike.

Reagan was holding up traffic, but it wasn't because she's so gosh darn cute!

We lost the kids a time or two in the noodle forest and they kept running in to find each other . . . and then getting lost again.

Side-by-side in the kitchen with Tyler, working on my omlette.

My salad pizza, as requested.

I love this super interactive museum. There is so much to do and, thankfully, places to sit. I don't know what it is about watching kids play, but I was EXHAUSTED afterwards!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

(because we all had goldilocks blonde hair at the time . . . and we're pretty cute . . . nice pose Lindz)

What in the world is the ending to Goldilocks and the Three Bears? I've told the story to Stella several times, but I change the ending each time. I think we've even read the story from a library book, but that's when Elliot said at the end, "She should have been devoured," and now I can't get the real ending in my head.

So does she scream and run all the way home safely, does she apologize while Mama Bear stirs up some more delicious porridge to share with the unruly girl, or does she get devoured as Elliot suggested?

Elliot's Birthday!

Elliot only had 3 requests for his birthday: 1) Famous Dave's BBQ ribs, 2) his favorite M&M cookies, and 3) Chick-fil-A vanilla milkshake (the man likes food). How low-maintenance is he? Still, I only accomplished 2 out of 3 and I made him go get his own BBQ. Maybe tomorrow I'll surprise him with the milkshake.

We invited Elliot's family over to help us celebrate his #32 birthday with BBQ and a stack of M&M cookies!

George in Grandma's crazy glasses (Elliot calls them "terrble" like Charles Barkley says it).

All 6 of the Dibble grandchildren: Raymond, Claire, Lucy, George, Anabelle, and Stella.

Happy Birthday Elliot! We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you!

Pancake Party at Kindergarten

Last week Stella's Kindergarten class and the other 2 classes read a series of books by Laura Numeroff ("If You Give a Moose a Muffin," "If You Take a Mouse to School," "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies," "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," "If You Give a Pig a Pancake").

Their snacks for the day coordinated with the book they read, and on Thursday we had a pancake party. Did you know that they sell frozen pancakes at the store? I had no idea.

(Stella & Harmonee)

I got to help during the party and did my share of cutting pancakes for the sticky little tikes. I still feel like a little kid and not a responsible adult of a Kindergartener even though I'm older than some of the mom's of the other kids!

I LOVE helping in Stella's class. I helped some of the other kids finish their projects so that they could do the free-time activities. Stella can do hers on her own accurately, but it takes her so long because she has to be in everyone's business knowing what they're doing and starting conversations! That was actually the ONLY concern her teacher had during our parent/teacher conference that week. Other than that, she says that Stella is great! But I already knew that.

Back Seat Driver

Stella is totally a back seat driver! She's always telling me what I should and should not be doing. I have to assure her all the time that I know how to drive, I know the rules, and I obey them (for the most part).

Perhaps the only thing she is right about is that I shouldn't take pictures en route.

Hide-N-Seek

There are advantages to me NOT finishing the ironing. Best hiding place EVER! Dad could NOT find her!

Ball Challenge - 09/25/09

Several weeks ago we had some friends over for a yummy dinner and, of course, the Ball Challenge!

Ken Johnson went straight for the stomach, and though the picture captures his moment of successful balance, he was completely unsuccessful.

Myra (my gym buddy) tried several positions and, as per the rules, had a great fall!

CAUTION: Flailing appendages, you're likely to be kicked in the neck by Justin Lee.

Carli (8 months pregnant) wasn't able to participate, but their daughter Emery was having a great time tossing herself around the room.

I believe Tim Johnson was rendered unconscious right after I took this picture.

Melissa gave it a good go. I believe she balanced the longest.

I think my strained relationship with Hannah got a little better with this occasion. My plan to get her to like me before she entered Nursery completely backfired a year ago, and she became seriously terrified of me. I've been replaced by Ken Johnson and his deep bass voice and terrorizing teasing. Hannah even tossed the ball around with me in Nursery today at church.

I don't even think Elliot looks before he falls anymore. There could be a small child underneath him. I don't know.

I don't fall. Perhaps it's because I'm afraid of the rule of not falling gracefully.

Stella falls all the time.

Family Home Evening

Stella chose to go to the temple for our Family Home Evening several weeks ago.

We love to visit the temple and talk to our little girl about eternal families even if she does just want to play in the reflection pools!

Photo by Stella

Lucy Lou!

We got to hang out with cousin Lucy for a couple of days earlier last month! Stella LOVED being a big sister for those days! We've got to get a baby in our family. Stella is a pretty well-behaved kid anyway, but she just blossoms into such a little first-time-I-ask helper when there is someone else to take care of.

One night after I put Lucy to bed (in Stella's room), we did our usual night routine (prayers, scriptures, read books). After this, I usually sing Stella a few songs in her room as she tries to go to sleep, but when Lucy was here, Stella actually said, "I'm just going to go in my room and close my eyes and go to sleep." And she did. God bless Lucy.

Lucy sticks her tongue out when she's happy and Stella thinks it's the funniest thing she's ever seen in her 5 years of life! We LOVE Lucy!

Happy Birthday Elliot!

I sure love these two crazy kids . . .

. . . because they produced my favorite person in the whole world 32 years ago today!

Happy Birthday Elliot! I love you!