Out on the Blacktop

Two weeks ago Jake started his first season of basketball in the Laie sports league. Here in Hawaii they play an unusual style, where they combine the protocol of basketball with the full contact of rugby. Jake is still adjusting to the new format.

Jake likes to get out in front on the fast break and wait for someone to feed him the ball.





...still waiting....




He's decided to concentrate on defense, since it seems easier to take the ball away from the other team than to convince his own teamates to pass to him.

I'm Mack Strate and I approved this message

I read an ad in last month's Ensign asking members to submit video ideas for commercials that the Church could use to promote the family. So, Jake and I put together this little sketch and sent it in to Salt Lake. The winners will be announced during General Conference week in April.

I think we've got an excellent shot.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Is he still under warranty?

Meg has been looking forward to having a new baby for some time now. She is extremely excited to have Chubber Chalong in our family and always offers to hold him or help in other ways. But it's becoming increasingly apparent that she is disappointed by his performance so far. After all, usually a toy is at its best when its brand new. It's only after we've played with it for months that it starts to show signs of wear and tear and become less effective. But babies are a littile different. They start out with some quirks, then get more interesting as they have time to grow. Andyway, whenever we introduce the baby to friends or colleagues she takes it upon herself to point out all his defects. Here's an example of a recent conversation.

SHANE: Say hello to our little guy, Luke.

FRIEND: What a big boy - how much did he weigh when he was born?

KADDI: He was eight pounds, twelve ounces.

MEG: He grunts all the time because he has gas.

FRIEND: Was it a hard labor?

SHANE: I did pretty well, actually. I thought I would be nervous, but...

KADDI: (interrupting) I was induced on the Monday, and after they broke my water it was only a few hours until l'il Lukey arrived.

MEG: And he had acne all over his cheeks.

FRIEND: I think he's a handsome boy. I'm surprised he doesn't have red hair like your other two.

KADDI: It was a surprise to all of us. I think eventually his hair will turn blonde.

MEG: Then maybe he won't be cross-eyed anymore.

long silence

SHANE: Well, we better get this little guy home....

Getting the Star Treatment

Maybe it's because we've been anxiously waiting for this baby for so long, but I think we may have lavished a bit too much attention on l'il Chubber-Chalong. Everywhere we go, people makes a fuss over him, and this has caused him to be a little too full of himself. I blame the nurses in the hospital for always telling him how handsome he is - it didn't take long for him to believe it. Now he thinks the entire household should revolve around him. It's always...Chalong needs to eat. Chalong needs his diaper changed. Dad needs to sleep on the razor-thin edge of the mattress so Chalong can have the middle. What a primadonna.

The kid really lives in a dreamworld. The other day he was talking about what an incredible athlete he is. I tried to point out that just because his pajamas said 'MVP' on the front didn't really make him the Most Valuable Player. I knew I was right, but have you ever tried arguing with a newborn? He doesn't listen to anyone.

So far we've been cutting him a lot of slack because he's the new guy, but things had better start to change - and soon. He needs to understand that he's not the only member of this family. His needs shouldn't always have to come first. Heaven forbid he should do something to help around the house - maybe make dinner for Kaddi once in awhile.

I just think it's a little early for him to be acting like a teenager.

He thinks he's soooo cool in just because all the newborn chicks in Gospel Doctrine dig his Sunday threads.

To celebrate a successful nap, Chalong makes me carry him out of the bedroom on my shoulders.

We're all getting a little tired of him constantly asking us to 'check out my guns!'

Living by bread alone

I think this is why missionaries aren't allowed to tract in Thailand.

The rolling stone gathers some moss

Last night was a new experience for our family. Ever since Jakob was born we've lived a nomadic existence. Utah, California, Wisconsin, Thailand, and now Hawaii. We've never lived in one place for very long - we were meant to wander. As such, our kids have become accustomed to making friends and then saying goodbye when it's time to roll their belongings up in a hankerchief at the end of a stick and head on down that lonesome highway.

But this time we met a family even slightly more transient than ourselves - a family here in Laie for only four months doing an internship at the university. Their kids have been Meg and Jake's best friends since we arrived here in Hawaii. Since we all arrived in TVA at the same time we've been acclimating together. Yesterday we experienced the strange sensation of saying good-bye to them as they headed back to the mainland. For once, we were left behind.

The Pecks were nice enough to come over and visit even though there was usually nowhere for them to sit.


Meg and her friend were in each other's live - same class at school, same class at primary, even the same Christmas choir.


Sure, you're losing your best friend - but that's no reason to block the TV.


Chalong was exhausted by the emotional outpouring.