Simplify

I just want to explain the caption on my blog. As some of you know, I had a different blogspot name. However, somehow Google deleted it. Whether by their choice or by my incompetence on a computer, it is gone forever. That was very frustrating for me for I had spent hours upon hours on it. But I'm not a quitter so here I am again with another blog, just a simpler version of what I had before.

Our Christmas Photo

Since we weren't able to gather everyone together to get a group photo, we did the next best thing. We knew we could gather together our Mii family from the Wii. Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

Mark:

Diane:

Becki:

John, Becki's husband:

Dan:Adam:

Aaron: Jordan:

Early Christmas Gifts

The first early Christmas gift I got was in the first week of December. A very nice letter from the Illinois Tollway came telling me that when I was back there last fall, I missed 2 tolls in Chicago and I'd better pay them and the fine that goes with it. I knew I accidentally missed one, but two?! Well, they got their $42. Wow, I'm sure glad I could contribute my part to the state of Illinois. Merry Christmas.

The 2nd early Christmas gift was this:

This is about our 5th snowstorm since December 1. From the past years it seems that we have snow 50% of the time for Christmas day. We're supposed to get more snow over the weekend and the 1st part of next week. I believe we have a good chance of having a White Christmas, which I like.

Today was Jordan's Christmas Chorus program. I wanted to share one of the songs they did but it wouldn't load. So instead I just posted a picture. It was a very good performance. The music teacher does a fine job of working with these kids.

YEAR IN REVIEW--November 2008

November 21 was a very important date. The Twilight movie came out. Becki & I and her friend, Tasha and Tasha's mom went to the 11:30 a.m. showing. We are big Twilight fans (team Edward, as a matter of fact) and had a great Girls' Day Out by doing lunch after the movie. Yes indeed, a super way to spend the day!

Thanksgiving was held at our house. We had 33 in attendance, including little ones. I'm so glad everyone complied with my request for a group picture. That is quite a feat to accomplish--getting 33 people to all look at the camera, with smiles on their faces, at the same time.

YEAR IN REVIEW--October 2008

What do you do with about 72 glow sticks and 4 boys? Turn them into glowing stick men for Halloween. Watch the video and see how cool they looked.

YEAR IN REVIEW--September 2008

Mark got his toy in September--a small motorhome, despite admitting we'd never get another RV. What else is a dad to do when you want to go on scout camps with your boy and can't unless you have someplace to hook up your C-PAP machine? Mark & a few of the boys took it out for an overnighter. They seemed to think it worked out fine for them.

YEAR IN REVIEW--September 2008

September is one of my favorite months. The weather is perfect, the trees begin their bright display of autumn colors and it's soccer season. Jordan earned some extra cash by making goals for his team. We told him we'd give him $1 for each goal. There were a couple games where he came home a couple of dollars richer!

At the end of September Becki & I took a week's trip to Illinois and Wisconsin for a Girls Road Trip. We landed in Chicago, drove first to Nauvoo to visit LDS church historical sites.

Then we drove north to visit family up in Wisconsin. It was a fantastic trip.

YEAR IN REVIEW--August 2008

We needed a break from the summer heat so we rented a cabin for a couple days in the mountains. Becki and Cohen accompanied us, as did Maisey. It was lovely to sit on the deck and listen to only the wind whistling throught the trees or hearing the bees buzzing among the brush.

Also, our fruit trees were.........fruitful! We got to enjoy the bounty of peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, and apples. My freezer is full of fruit and my pantry has lots of peach jam, apricot jam, raspberry jam, plum jam, raspberry-peach jam; mmmm.

YEAR IN REVIEW--July 2008

This was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning in July. We hiked to Waterfall Canyon, which was about 1-1/2 mile jaunt to the base of the waterfall. Jordan got so thirsty on the way! He just flew up the trail as Mark & I were the tortoises and made the climb slowly but surely.

We took a trip to Kennecott Copper Mine. Dan periodically does some electrical subcontracting jobs there so we decided to check out their visitor center. It's actually quite interesting. Can you believe they really use these big tires on their dump trucks?

YEAR IN REVIEW--June 2008

Becki got an addition to her family. His name is Cohen and he's 1/2 Jack Russell Terrier and 1/2 Chihuahua. Now Maisey has a little friend to play with. Let me tell you, Cohen is one busy boy!

We are certain Cohen has ADHD. If he were made of rubber, he'd bounce off the walls. Maisey can tolerate him for a while but after an hour or so of antagonizing, she's had her limit. Our boys have given Cohen some new names to go by--"Bonster", "Monster", or "Get Out Of There!"

Jordan likes him because he's a little cuddle bug. Jordan spent the night at John & Becki's and Cohen cuddled with him all night long. Now how can he be a cuddle bug and a monster? Split personality.

YEAR IN REVIEW--May 2008

We spent the first few days in May at one of our favorite vacation spots--Oceanside, CA. Ah, the sun and the surf. No one ever refuses to soak up the sun and play at the beach.

Mark & Adam catching some rays.

Aaron looking the part of a typical surfer dude.

Dan and little homie (Jordan).

YEAR IN REVIEW--March & April 2008

Saturdays were spent going to Jordan's basketball games. Here he is (front and center) waiting for a rebound to fall into his hands. He did pretty good. Most games he would score 25% of the baskets for his team!

Celebration time as Jordan and his friends went bowling for his birthday. He had a great day with all his buds. I had my chance to win big but guess I didn't use "the secret" well enough! Jordan always encourages me to enter every contest the Jazz put on. Amazingly, I was chosen to participate in a challenge for the chance to win an outdoor sports court for our back yard. Five of us (on the jumbotron) played musical chairs as half time entertainment. It came down to me and another gentleman. At that point we had to answer a trivia question. I was 1 point away from winning it all. At least my consolation prizes weren't so bad. I got a year's supply of Coca-Cola products, a signed jersey & basketball and other Sprite freebees.

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW - January & February 2008

Jordan got 2nd place in the Geography Bee at his school. He was thrilled and actually surprised. Who knew he was so good at geography? We got a lot of snow. We actually had to shovel a path for Maisey to use the backyard (AKA--restroom).

We worked diligently on the home improvement project in the basement by installing a ventless gas fireplace to warm up the family room. Mark did the carpentry work; I did the design aspect. We thought it turned out pretty well.