Fowkes5

A.S.U. vs University of Illinois

2011-09-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

(taken with cell phone...blurry)

Kevin and I decided to take a trip together....without kids!

We went to the ASU/Uof I football game. It's a 5 hour drive from Cedar Falls, Iowa to Champagine, Illinois. I was amazed at how many ASU fans made it to the game. There must be alot of alumni in the midwest.

We got into town about 3pm. Checked into the hotel, ate some dinner and went to the game. We were on the visitors side, section 107 rows 7. We were right at the front. There was only 1 row of people in front of us. So the view was good.

Kevin scanned the group of ASU fans and was able to find 3 guys he used to play ball with at the ASU Rec Center!!! He played in some leagues with them YEARS ago. So to see them in Illinois at an ASU game was a one in a million chance. Those 3, pick an ASU away game every year, and they get together for a weekend. This happened to be the weekend. So Kevin enjoyed talking to them to see what they've been up to since the old days. Next year they are hitting the ASU/Missouri game...the same one we are planning on going to next year.

So as the game was starting...who comes walking in front of us? ASU Alumi, Phil Mickelson...

the Pro Golfer!!! He had his daughter and son with him. They stayed on the field for the 1st half. The ended up sitting in the ASU fan section. I think more people were watching him than the game. Which wasn't surprising since ASU wasn't doing all that great.

They ended up losing 17 to 14. It was a sad game. ASU quaterback kept getting sacked, the offense could not hold their defense. Our defense did a little better, but it wasn't enough.

I decided I didn't like being the visitor at the game. I miss rooting for the home team on the home teams turf.

2011-09-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2011

Life is CRAZY busy!

It's been forever since I have posted. Life got really crazy this summer. I figured with Facebook, at least most have been keeping up with what we've been up to.

We are doing well in Iowa. It was a REALLY humid summer this year. We are cooling down now, in fact I have had to get out the sweaters.

The summer started out we me as the Ward Camp Leader for our ward. We drove south of Cedar Rapids and stayed at a beautiful campground. In tents. It's been a long time since I have camped in a tent. It was hot and humid when we got there and set up our tents. The next 3 days it rained. So atleast we got relief from the heat and humidity. Our tents stayed dry so that was all that mattered. We won best banner and best dutch oven dessert!!!

The boys went to scout camp. I was hoping for a week away from them (yes...i do love them), but one day I had to go be a leader. It wasn't too bad, I sat and read a book.

Hunter decided to detassel this summer. It's hard work, but he enjoyed the pay when it was over. He thinks it awesome to have money....why yes, son...it is.

Hayden and Hunter played in a football camp. It's the time they weed out the weak players. My boys did ok. They are both playing football for their class..9th for Hunter and 7th for Hayden.

Towards the end of school last May, I really noticed how Hayden was squinting alot. So I finally took him in...yep...near sighted. He wears glasses now. And when I brought the glasses home for the first time, we were in the kitchen. He looked out the window toward my car which is about 20 feet away and he said "mom, I can read your license plate now". I about cried. I didn't realize how bad he really was. He could see each blade of grass instead of a mess of green. I was really shocked that none of his teachers ever said anything to me about it. He looks so grown up now.

Lindsey is still cute charming Lindsey! She still has her dad wrapped around her finger. Spoiled is more like it! She is getting so good at violin. She is participating in the early morning orchestra rehersals with the other schools again.

Speaking of early morning.......yep....early morning Seminary has begun! Hunter has to be there at 6am. The first 2 weeks were hard. I brought a blanket and a pillow and slept in the car while I waited for him. We live 20 mins away, so it wasn't good for me to go back home only to turn around to come back. Now, I am getting used to getting up. I drop him off and go workout at the gym. Sometimes some of the other moms come, so that makes it easier! It's starting to get cold in the mornings, so as the winter aproaches, we will see how motivated I will be to get out of a warm car. I need to ask Santa for a remote starter!

Kevin has been working like crazy. He was able to attend a conference in San Diego this summer. He planned his flight to stop in Arizona. He was able to stay a night on the way there and on the way back. So he was able to see his family. It was also nice for him to be able to hang out with a childhood friend in San Diego. Lance Varney was at the same conference.

I have been working all summer. I work at Kevin's work, but in a different department than him. He is on the digital photo side, I am on the film side. The spring and summer are their busy months for film. So the extra money was nice. It was also nice that I have a wonderful friend, who all summer, would come get my kids and take them to the pool. They weren't stuck at home. It's wonderful having someone care that much! Now I am back at the Jr High doing "Food Catering"....that's what I am calling it. It's so much fun this year. I kow so many kids and I see both my boys, and all their friends from church. Luckily the job at Kevin's work is slowing down so I am home more.

It's been fun watching the boys play football for the school. Hayden's first game was last Thursday. Holmes (the boys school) was beating the visitors. Hayden was able to make a catch and scored a touchdown!!!! I was soooo proud of him!!! The coaches say he is doing really good and they enjoy him on the team.

(Hayden is the one on his hands and knees...the ref has his hands in the air!!!

Hunter is doing well on his team. He has been making good tackles. He has also introduced our family to air soft guns. Holy cow!!! Now the boys and Kevin have guns and we call about 9 other kids over and have a war. They LOVE the yard here. They got to get it in before the snow comes.

This winter Hayden will be doing school basketball and a tournament basketball league. That will keep us busy!!

During the summer, our only vacation was for a weekend to Valley Fair in Minnesota. SO MUCH FUN!!!! It's so much fun having kids that are not afraid of coasters...and they are willing to sit in the front seat with me on the scary rides.

Waterloo airport which is about 10 mins from our house, had their first air show. I absolutely LOVE air shows. My fun story happened 2 days before the show. The Air Force Thunderbirds came to the show and one day after work, they were practicing. They kept flying over my house. So I went outside to watch them. I sat on the grass wearing a red shirt next to the corn field. So after awhile of flying, two of the planes were gearing up to fly over the house together. As they were approaching side by side, one moved over to fly over my head and as he did he "waved" his plane at me. He was waving hello!!! I was so stunned. It was such an awesome sight. And the fact that there are not other houses near mine, I know it was for me. So I was geared up when Saturday came and we went to the air show. They even had a stealth bomber fly over 3 times. That plane is amazing!!! I couldn't believe how quiet it is. So we had a wonderful time at the show.

So here we are into the school year. Lindsey loves being in 5th grade. Her teacher is the same 5th grade teacher Hayden had. She has her best friend Sydney in her class...oh...and the cute boy she likes is in there too. Hayden is happy he is finally in Jr High. He doesn't have the boyish look anymore...he is a handsome young man. Hunter loves being the big 9th grader. He gives Hayden pointers on what not to do. I can't believe we have already started planning for the college he wants to apply to. He is one dedicated kid!!!

So that's our family doings wrapped up in a tight little blog. We hope everyone is doing well and pray often for you!!

2010-12-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

Every year we get a real tree for Christmas. This year we decided to get our first fake tree. While it doesn't smell like a real pine tree, I won't have to vacuum the needles nearly as much.

Twilight decided that the tree box makes a great sleeping spot!

2010-12-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

2010 THANKSGIVING IN ARIZONA

We were fortunante to travel to AZ for Thanksgiving this year. This is the first time in 2 years that Kevin has been able to go. We decided to bring our toy hauler trailer and buggy to sell in AZ. So our trip there went alot slower than it would have had we not brought them. We traveled thru Oklahoma and Texas. We finally stopped for the night at a truck stop. This truck stop had around 30 truckers and their trailers. It was rather funny to see our truck and trailer parked in the middle of these large trucks. So we spent the night in our trailer....without blankets!! It was really cold. The kids were smart and brought theirs.

We stayed at my parents house (the Kings). We were also fortunante to spend time with both families.

Holly King and her kids

Marilyn King and Karen Rawls

Janis Wilkins and her kids

Grandpa and Grandma West

Brian and Kristy Fowkes family

Roger and Kathy Fowkes Family

David and Leilani and Trevor

Gary and Ann Fowkes Family

The Fowkes Family

We were able to spend time with some good friends of ours. This is Hope and Lindsey.

Hunter, Hayden and Jacob

We enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Hunter...Holmes Jr. High Football

2010-09-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hunter is playing for the Holmes Jr High 8th grade football team.....GO TIGERS!!!!!

Drawing

2010-09-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

This is a drawing Lindsey did. She is 9 years old. She loves to draw and is getting very good.

Yeah....I'm bad at blogging!

2010-09-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

I figured out why.

We have satellite internet. It is a hair faster than dial-up....(the joys of living in farm country :) )

So uploading pictures takes FOREVER! and just words are boring.....(see...isn't this a boring blog?)

So, my goal is to get better.....

School has started!!!!

2010-09-01T06:41:00.001-07:00

Finally!!!

The kiddos have been in school for a week now. Lindsey is in 4th grade, Hayden in 6th grade and Hunter in 8th.

This year Hunter decided to forgo Cross Country and go for football.....Hayden is playing flag football through a city run program and Lindsey decided to try her hand at the violin.

Kevin's work is keeping him busy, as usual. I am working at the Junior High in the cafeteria.

That is our life in a nutshell.....for now......

Our storm chasing expeditions.....

2010-06-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Lately there have been some AMAZING storms building up in South West Minnestoa/South Dakota area. So we have been driving to meet these storms.

We headed out last Friday towards Southern Minnesota. It took us about 3 hours to get to where the storms were. We were needing gas, so we pulled into a little town with a gas station. I could see as I pulled in there were 4 cars with weather insturments on top....meaning they were chasing the storms too. As I pulled next to the pump, the guy on the other side looked waaaaay familiar. I turned to the backseat where Hunter was sitting and I said "Hunter, isn't that the guy on that show we watch?" He said "Yeah...it's Tony!!!!" So I got out of the car and said.."Aren't you the guy with the show?" He said "Yeah." I said "We watch it all the time!! It's our favorite!" So I asked him if he wouldn't mind getting a picture with Hunter and I told him that Hunter is going into Meteorology so we are out chasing as well. Now, during this time, the tornado siren is going off....and nobody seemed to care!

So we got a picture and as they were leaving he came over and shook our hands and told us it was nice to meet us and good luck.
Did we see any tornadoes? No....too much rain...so seeing Tony made the trip worth it!!!

So here is Tony Laubach from the Discovery Channels "Storm Chasers"

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!

2010-06-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

I want to wish my Dad, my husband and everyone else in a father role a happy father's day! I miss my dad and wish I could be near him. I remember times when I would go to work with him, even though it was blazing hot, just so I could be with him. I remember wonderful times at our Daddy Daughter campouts (do they do those any more?) and I will NEVER forget his favorite saying "it'll put hair on your chest"...said anytime we wouldn't eat something. My dad has taken us fishing and even his grandkids fishing. My kids love doing that with grandpa. I love you Dad!!

I also am married the wonderful father of my kids! He really enjoys being with the kiddos and doing what they want to do. Hayden and Kevin have been going on LONG bike rides together, and playing sports. Kevin and Hunter have been storm chasing together all over Iowa and parts of Minnesota. Lindsey just has his heart wrapped around her finger! He loves that little girl! I love you Kevin!!

So I am very lucky to have wonderful men in my life who are great examples of what a father should be!

What we are up to now....

2010-06-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

So here we are....June 6th and the kiddos are STILL in school! Woot Woot!!!
We are finishing up the end of this week...thanks in part to all the snow closures we had.

We have finally reached our 1 year anniversary here in Iowa!!!! So far so good!

Lindsey will be starting tennis next week and will continue thru most of the summer. Hayden will be starting baseball that will end 1st week in August. Hunter will be perfecting his score on whatever video game is holding his intrest at the moment. He will be going to scout camp for a week. Kevin will be busy working and staying employed! And I will be trying to hold the fort down and get everyone where they need to be and playing cop to all the arguing that will ensue.

The kiddos and I will be heading to AZ at the end of July to about mid August! We can't wait to see everyone we have missed. I will be going to VEGAS with my parents to see my neice married...so that's my vacation within my vacation (the kiddos won't be going :) ) .

We are still chasing storms when we can. We headed out yesteday to SouthEastern Iowa/Illinois. Nothing was really happening until later in the afternoon when huge clouds started building up over Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. Kevin knew exactly what was going to happen with those storms....tornadoes. So we stayed parallel to the storm to get ahead of it and over to the other side. The rain finally caught up to us so we were not able to see the tornaodes that touched down about 5 miles from us. That storm was moving FAST and ended up producing 48 tornadoes across parts of Iowa into Illinois and Ohio. A few deaths were reported.

So while we didn't see these tornadoes, just seeing the energy these clouds build up to produce such a thing is nothing short of amazing. So more and more, we are able to read the clouds and know what it is we are looking for. And yet we still remember how lucky we were to catch our first tornado last year only after living here 2 weeks. Being in the right place at the right time is very unusual.

So that's about what we are up to....still enjoying the farm!!

Cinderella looks good in Purple and Gold....

2010-03-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Every state we have lived in, we dig our heels into the sports programs. We become fans of the home team.

Moving to Iowa, wasn't any different. Our local team is the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. It's a small university compared to the likes of USC, ASU and such.

We have been to a couple of the men's basketball games and were VERY impressed with their players. They have an outstanding record for their season. They are the Missouri Valley Conference Division Champs.

So we have been following them on their run in the NCAA Tournaments. And WOW! Really impressive.

Today they played the number 1 team in the NCAA...Kansas. UNI is ranked #9. Everyone went into this game thinking.."well, it's been a great run". But those Panthers surprised EVERYONE!!!

They took out the #1 team! They beat them 69-67! It was such an awesome fight! They were up in the game by 10 points and kept that lead for most of the 1st half. The second half they came out and were sluggish. They couldn't get a 3 point shot for nothing! And Kansas was really pressing them when they were inbounding the ball. But good ole Farokhmanesh's 3 pointer made it a win!

So now we wait to see what happens at the Sweet-Sixteen dance later this week!

GO UNI PANTHERS!!!!!

Cedar River Flooding

2010-03-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

This Winter, from everyone tells me, has had the most snow....REALLY? I thought Iowa had tons of snow every year. I guess not.

So with that snow comes a lot of melting snow which in turns makes the rivers flow faster and higher. Two years ago, Cedar Falls had a massive flood in June. A month before that, an EF5 tornado ripped thru Parkersburg, which is about 10 miles East of Cedar Falls. Parkersburg was also affected by the flood. This little community was in shambles. Some people sold their house to the city and moved away, some people still live in their house and others raised their houses so they are about 8 feet or so off the ground.

This year, the flooding has begun. It hasn't gotten as bad as 2 years ago, but if the Spring rains come crashing down, it will be.

We do have homes that are flooded right now. I believe most of them are abandoned from 2 years ago and the city hasn't torn them down yet.

Main St. in Cedar Falls has not been affected yet so it is staying in the river area.

Here are some pictures of the flooding:

A train bridge:

Park with the bike trail submerged...the lights for the trail are the green things poking out of the water...they are about 4 feet high. The trail runs along side the lights:

1st Street across the river:

Grandma Pearl Tolley

2010-02-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

1913-2010

Grandma Tolley passed away yesterday February 21, 2010. God be with you til we meet again!

HE'S 13 YEARS OLD!!!!

2010-02-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Hunter is officially 13....WOW! Where does time go?

He is definently a teenager....TO A TEE!!! He comes equipt with attitude and all.

He still has a passion for weather and is VERY excited (understatement) for the Spring to come and bring with it a furry of storms.

In March, he along with Kevin and I, will be going to a storm watcher class.

He is doing well in school and is still keeping up his grades to be able to get into a great college. He is aiming for University of Oklahoma. It's nice to know that at 7th grade, he has his life figured out.

We love Hunter very much, and yes...so does his brother and sister!

We hope you have an awesome year, Hunter!!!!

NEW YEAR!!!

2010-01-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

So here we are in 2010. We are hoping that this year will be better than the last 2 combined. Fingers are crossed.

So...Iowa is still a fun place to be. Even though there is snow and the high is low 30's, it still has amazing beauty. Lately there have been thick fog in the area, so in the morning all the trees have frost on them and they are white.

Around Thanksgiving I got a craving for sewing. Which is sooo not like me. But I wanted to make some rag quilts for people. Rag quilts are made with the seams on the outside, so when you wash it...it frays. If you use flannel, it makes a nice warm, soft quilt. I made one for Lindsey for Christmas. I didn't want her to know it was for her, so I told her it was for some little girl who would be cold this Christmas. She was so surprised when she opened it up Christmas morning. I have since made one for the cartaker here at the farm. He, Harold, has been really good to us. He answers all our many questions about Iowa and weather and farming. So I wanted to do something special for him and his family. I made his quilt with horses. I put it in a box with popcorn, and the LDS movie "Legacy". Legacy was filmed in Nauvoo, Ill. Harold was an extra in the film and he once told me he never has seen it. So I got him the movie and I also included a Book of Mormon with my testimony. I hope he reads it someday.

This last Saturday we did something we have never done before. We went ice fishing! Kevin's boss is part of a club called "Cedar Valley Walleye Club". They sponser fishing a couple times a year. So he invited to the lake in town to fish. They had a truck come in and stock the lake. We got there as the pipe the fish were coming down opened up and fish spewed everywhere on the ice. So what do my kids do....start fishing with their hands! There was a reporter from the local paper standing next to us. So she put us in her article. Now, you have to understand that I was in such an awe state watching these people put these fish in this lake through a hole in the ice, and fish spewing everywhere and kids going crazy. It was such a site to see. So some of my quotes may not be the best english in the world. Here is the article:

CEDAR FALLS - No reel was needed for the first catch of the day Saturday.
Families gathered around for this year's trout stocking as a crew dragged a hose from a Department of Natural Resources truck.
The Cedar Valley Walleye Club, along with the Iowa DNR, Cedar Falls Parks Department and City Council, was set to pump 1,650 trout through a hole carved into 15 inches of ice sealing North Prairie Lake.
The walleye club was hosting its sixth annual fishing day at the lake.
"The fish will come right down this tube and swim right over to your hook," club secretary Darrell Kinkade told anxious youngsters inching their way closer to the action. "That's the plan, anyway."
Then it happened.
First, a squirt near the middle of the hose. Seconds later, a clamp broke, spraying water and trout across the snow.
"We have a breach!" someone yelled.
But the accident quickly became the day's highlight as bundled-up kids scrambled to herd the fish toward the water.
"I got one," said Hunter Fowkes, 12, grinning with a fish sandwiched between his gloves.
"That's how we fish," his mom, Laura, said, laughing. "We don't need no fishing poles. We grab with our hands."
Hunter's younger brother, Hayden, 10, and sister, Lindsey, 8, followed his lead.
"She's not afraid of bugs, fish and whatever else," Laura Fowkes said, snapping pictures with her camera. "She's my boy with a pink twist. This is a crack up."
This was the first time Kevin and Laura Fowkes brought their kids to the event.
As trout continued to pump into the lake, kids grabbed their reels and ran to their fishing holes.
"They're here, they're here," squealed Brandon Eberhard, 4, of Waterloo as the water bubbled below. "Mom! Fishies!"
His mom, Lori Eberhard, park manager at George Wyth Memorial State Park in Waterloo, hardly had time to bait the hook.
A giddy Brandon clapped his hands and peered down into the water. The two had had a couple of nibbles and barely reeled one out of the water before it fell back in. Matt Vlasak offered his fish finder and tips on how to jiggle the line.
"We need to catch some," Brandon said. "Watch out. They're going to come in a minute."
Lori Eberhard said this was their first time ice fishing. Her dad had taken her fishing as a kid, and she was loving the chance to share the experience with her son.
"They get so excited over the littlest things," she said.
A little while later, they finally got a bite. Lori flung the line out of the water, and the fish landed on the seat of Brandon's Spongebob folding chair.
"Yes, we got one!" Brandon cheered. "Put him in the bucket! Put him in the bucket!"
Brandon talked to the fish on his way to the club tent to claim his prize: a new ice fishing rod. Participants could choose from hats, rods and reels, tackle boxes and lures donated by area businesses.
More than 100 kids attended this year's event, up from 63 in 2009, according to club member Milo Gadow. About 64 tents dotted the lake. The nearly 30-degree temperature topped last year's wind chill of 30 degrees below zero with whiteout conditions.
"This is going to be our biggest turnout we've ever had," he said. "It seems to grow every year."
"This is just a great start for the kids to learn how to fish," added club president Doug Bonwell. "It's an easy opportunity for them to catch fish and just to get them outside."
Another fishing day is planned for April.

Lindsey was the first one of us to catch a fish....but she was so excited that the fish fell back into the ice. Hayden caught one too...but his did the same thing. So I told them they could make the fish in their story really big as it was the "one who got away." It was cold and finally their wet gloves got to be too much and we packed it up without a fish. Which in all honesty is fine by me...as I wasn't going to be the one to gut it and clean them and cook them.

So life on the farm continues. Hayden is starting city league basketball this week. So that should keep us busy for awhile.

We hope your New Year has started off well and pray it continues to be a good one!

Our Christmas Card

2009-12-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone. We decided to save the trees this year. So I am doing a blog Christmas card. Feel free to print out and hang up on your mantle.

A quick run down from this year....that way you won't have to read my past blogs:

January:

We were still unemployed in Colorado. Kevin went to Dallas for a job opening and got the job.

February:

Moved to The Colony, Texas. Our wonderful friends Brandt and Kristi Nukala took our kids for the weekend so we could move our stuff in. We celebrated Hunter's 12th birthday.

March:

Getting adjusted to Texas and trying to navigate their freeways....pretty crazy!!!

April:

Celebrated Lindsey's 8th birthday. Grandma and Grandpa King and part of the Nukala clan came to celebrate Hunter's ordination and Lindsey's baptism. I (Laura) had to give a talk at Lindsey's baptism. I don't suggest that parents do that...too emotional. Kevin wasn't happy in his position at his job. He started looking for employment elsewhere. He received a phone call from a company in Iowa, Aerial Services Inc. So we flew Grandma King back out to Texas to watch the kids. The company flew Kevin and I out to Iowa during Hayden's 10th birthday. Don't worry...he got a party when we got back! Kevin got the job.

May:

We make arrangements to move to Iowa. Packed the house up....AGAIN!!!!

June:

We drive13 hours from Dallas, TX to Cedar Falls, Iowa. We move into a home with farm land and a preschool. The preschool has goats, chickens, cats, a pony, a horse and 2 bunnies. There is corn planted in the field. I am amazed how beautiful Iowa really is. Of course it's summer...not the dead of winter.

July:

The kids and I did a lot of traveling in the state. Some ladies from the ward took us to different state parks. We would spend the day hiking or playing in the water of the lakes, or just eat a picnic.

August:

I was able to go back to Dallas, Texas and meet my sister Nancy there. She took me to the Depeche Mode concert. We spent the weekend reconnecting. It was so much fun!!! Kevin was called to be the activities commitee chairman and the 1st Counselor in the Sunday School.

September:

Hunter decided he wanted to run cross country for the Cedar Falls Junior High team. That consists of the 2 junior highs in the city. He practiced hard. Grandma and Grandpa King came to visit the Farmstead. They were able to see a couple of Hunter's races. I was set called and set apart as the 1st Counselor in the Relief Society. That was neat to have my father in the circle. We decided to take a day drive down to Nauvoo and Carthage, Illinois. What a neat place that is. Nauvoo has so much history there, and the temple is BEAUTIFUL! Carthage was such an amazing and spiritual place to be. It was heart-renching to be in the same room where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed. What a testimony builder. A few days later Grandma, Grandpa King and I drove to Dubuque, Iowa. It borders the Mississippi River. We drove around and visited a few places. The best place was the 4th street elevator. A small tram that takes you to the bottom or the top of a steep mountain. It's for those who don't want to walk down the mountain...they can ride. Kevin celebrated his 39th birthday. Yep...he's getting old! After many days of rain, Grandma and Grandpa had to leave and finish their traveling. We were happy they came to visit!

October:

For Halloween we went to Minnapolis, Minnesota. We spent Halloween at the Mall of America riding rollercoasters. The kids loved it way more than trick-or-treating. Of course we stopped and bought them whatever candy bar they wanted.

November:

We wpent Thanksgiving in Chicago, Illinois. What a city!!! They had it decorated for Christmas, so the night skyline was beautiful. We did a LOT of walking. We saw the Planetarium, Willis Tower (formally known as Sears Tower), Navy Pier (where Oprah lives), and rode the train and city buses. There was still so much more we didn't get to see. Another time maybe!

December:

Here we are in December. I celebrated my 38th birthday. Yep...I too am old! We have already had a blizzard that dumped 3 to 4 foot drifts in our yard. Which made it very difficult to leave in a car without it being plowed. After 2 days, they finally came to plow. The snow is still on the ground and more is expected to come. And from what I hear, the high 20's temperature is a warming trend. Oye! It will be a long.....cold.....winter. One we are prepared for. We are staying in Iowa for Christmas. It's our first Christmas without family.

We want to wish our family and friends a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! We love you and miss you all so much. We are grateful for our Saviors birth and his impact in our lives. He lived and died so we can return to our loving Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the Lord's plan. I am grateful for my membership in His church.

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!!!!

Thanksgiving in Chicago

2009-12-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

Since we are not near any family, we have made it our Thanksgiving tradition to be different. In Colorado, we went to the Aquarium to eat and see the museum two years in a row. This year, we decided since we are only 4 hours away, we would go see Chicago! The Windy City!!!

We were not disappointed. We drove up Thursday day. The first thing you notice as you drive in is the ginormous Sears Tower. We drove around the city and looked up at ALL the huge buildings. Luckily there wasn't very many people out and about so traffic wasn't horrible.

We drove to the North side of Navy Pier. We let the kids play on the beach for awhile. Keep in mind it was about 35 degrees. They didn't care...they still got their feet wet.

We decided to go find a hotel. We ended up staying over by O'Hare airport in Rosemont.

The next day we took the "L" train into town. "L" is a short version for the word elevated as in the trains are elevated above the street. The kids thought that was the coolest thing to do. We also took some bus rides around town so we didn't have to walk far. I am glad we did it this way, because being Black Friday, the streets down Michigan Avenue were PACKED!!!

We went to the Planetarium. It's ok to see, but nothing spactacular. The kids enjoyed the movie they are playing called "Cosmic Collisions". It talked about how stars are constantly slamming into each other and how the solar system came to be.

We decided we needed to try Chicago pizza. We went to Gino's East. This was about 2pm, and there was a LINE around the building. Aparently we picked the "IT" place for pizza. We got in after a 20 minute wait. We were seated on the 3rd floor....yes..this establishment has 3 floors. Everything in Chicago is built up...not out. The pizza? TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT!!! It was the best tasting pizza I have ever had! I don't think I want to eat Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Papa Johns again. Oh, and for you Arizona people....my favorite place in AZ for pizza is Barros. This place BLOWS Barros away...and Barros isn't true Chicago pizza.

The waitress gave us a marker and let us write on the walls. So we signed our names.

We decided to walk around at night since everything was lit up for Christmas. It is beautiful! We went to Navy Pier. The only thing opened was a fun house. So we went in and had some fun. Those mirror rooms are absolutely CRAZY!!

After about 2 1/2 hours of walking, we headed back to the train. We got the car and decided to go find the Chicago Temple.

Then we went back to the hotel to crash. We were tired of walking all day!

The next morning, Saturday, we went straight to the Sears Tower. Actually it is now called the Willis Tower. We waited FOREVER in line to go to the skydeck. They shoved as many as they could into an elevator and it only took 60 seconds to go to the 103 floor.

They have built these plexi-glass boxes that let you stand over the city below. That was wild!

We went to a place called the North Shore. It is a park outside of Chicago. The kids wanted to play on the beach of Lake Michigan. There was a dog park and my kids can't resist playing with dogs, so we went and petted the dogs. One lady was kind enough to let my kids throw the ball in the water for her dog. And he went after it in the freezing water.

While we would have loved to have been with family....we enjoyed our time in Chicago!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!

2009-06-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

TORNADO!!!!

So for Father's Day, we decided to take a drive. We drove over to the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin - Iowa border. We went and visited some Indian effigies. I'll post about that later.

What was REALLY fun was we heard there were storms in our area. So what do we do? We drive to find these tornadoes we are hearing about.

South of us in a small town called Dike, Iowa, we came upon a huge storm. It was so awesome to see the churning of the clouds. There were quite a few funnels...but they never touched down. UNTIL.....1 finally touched down. We got it on video.

Unfortunately, it touched down over a farmers hog barn. It completely destroyed part of the barn. No one in the family was hurt. We drove by and got pictures of the barn. Here is the video.

Here the kids and I are in front of the tornado.

Here is a picture of the tornado touching down

A picture of the barn after the tornado had passed.

Our House in Cedar Falls, Iowa

2009-05-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

This has been quite an adventure. Or a huge trial...however you want to look at it.

But getting this house has made it all worth it.

The house is on 80 acres. We have access to a barn that houses a
horse, a pony, rabbits, cats, chickens and goats. There is a preschool next to the house and the kids learn about the animals. There is a cabin on the far end of the land that the kids can use as a playhouse. The owner takes care of mowing the lawn and he also plants corn once a year. And best of all, the city plows our long driveway because of the preschool!!!

We know we have been blessed. We know that we were meant to
find this. The way everything fell into place when it did, we know
Heavenly Father had a hand in it. If the events happened any other day, we would not have found this place.

So next week we are off to our new home in Iowa. Time to go pack!!

Happy 15 years!!!!

2009-05-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

WOW!! 15 YEARS MARRIED!
Where has the time gone!

Kevin and I met through mutual friends. We always were hanging out together. A bunch of us went to Mesa, Community College Thursday night dances (do they still have those?) Growing up I always heard "you'll know when you meet Mr./Mrs. Right". When Kevin asked me to dance for the very first time and he took my hand.....I knew something was different about him.

We started dating on January 1st, he proposed on Valentines Day, and we were married
May 20, 1994.

These last 2 years have been the hardest on us. With Kevin losing 2 jobs and moving to 4 states in 18 months, it has been interesting to say the least. We always enjoyed traveling. But this is something else!

We have learned so much from each other. We have 3 wonderful children who challenge us and love us. Kevin is a great dad and his children love him dearly!

I am very blessed!

To the Meanest Mom's Everywhere.....

2009-05-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Meanest Mother

I had the meanest mother in the whole wide world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. And you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also. But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less -- not one hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends? The worst is yet to come.

We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept, my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking of mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us - and it nearly did. By the time we were teenagers, she was much wiser and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I was really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old-fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed "sick", like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.

As the years rolled by, first one and the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did.

She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean.

Because, you see, I thank God He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

Written By:
Bobbie Pingaro
© 1967

Happy Mother's Day!

Lindsey turns 8 years old....

2009-04-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

My baby turns 8 years old today. Lindsey is such a wonderful girl! She has been a joy in our home. She is a tough little girl due to her older brothers. She knows how to get what she wants.

She was a good baby. She was in such a hurry to get here, that as soon as my water broke, she was coming. The doctor wasn't quite ready for her. She has been very spoiled because she is the only girl. She is my "shopping buddy". She enjoys playing tennis and wrestling with her brothers and dad. She is very smart and does really well in school. She is very talented at drawing and coming up with stories. She makes story books with illustrations all the time. If you don't hear her, she is usually coming up with another story to share.

She is a sweet spirit that the Lord blessed us with. She is a breath of fresh air after having boys (sorry guys).

We love her and we are so happy she is wanting to be baptized. So on April 11th she will be able to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

We love you Lindsey and are so proud of you and we are grateful for you!

Hunter and Hayden with Lindsey who is 1 week old

Lindsey at 2 months old

Lindsey at 1 year old

Hunter receives the Aaronic Priesthood

2009-03-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

My oldest baby turned 12 and today he received the Aaronic Priesthood.

We are very lucky that Grandma and Grandpa King came from Arizona to be with us.

The Nukala family, who lives around the Ft. Worth area, also came.

We are so blessed to have good friends and family near and far.

Happy Belated Birthday Hunter!!!!!

2009-02-26T07:24:00.000-08:00

I know I won't win mommie of the year award!!

I feel horrible because I have not been able to blog about Hunter turning 12 2 weeks ago. Poor kid!! We moved into our home in Texas 2 days before his birthday. We were able to take him to his favorite restaurant TEXAS ROADHOUSE. Our friends, the Nukala's, who live around the Fort Worth area, were able to join us.

So Hunter, my oldest, turned 12. Hunter is such a wonderful person! He is CONSTANTLY learning. His favorite show to watch at the age of 2 wasn't Sesame Street or any Disney show. He loved to watch the Weather Channel. He has been fascinated by tornado's for forever!! He is so excited that he has a possibility to see some here in Texas. He enjoys watching footage of the destruction it leaves.
He also enjoys science. He loves to learn how things react to each other. Which could be why he enjoys teasing his brother and sister.
He likes to teach us about the world and learn about things.
I am grateful that he has a desire to get the priesthood and attend mutual. He was so excited when he found out it is a tradition in our ward to have the Young Men in a suit. He looks so handsome and grown up.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY (belated :) ) HUNTER!! We love you!!!

Matthew, Hunter, Marina, Hayden, Lindsey, Kaden, Karsen

2009-01-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

TEXAS!!! The Lone Star State

Yep, we are hitching up the wagons and moving to Texas! Yeehawww!

So Kevin got a job in Dallas. He is there starting work and finding us a rental home. He is very excited to be EMPLOYED!!! What a bummer it is to be laid off. We have been very lucky to find a job. So we go where we have to. Our first choice was to stay in Colorado. We love it here and wanted to see more of this beautiful state, but unfortunately there were no jobs to be had here.

So we are leaving in about 3 weeks. So I have begun to pack...AGAIN. Maybe I won't unpack for awhile just to be safe!

So on to our next destination!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, I will finally get Christmas pictures up since I have a few moments that I'm not packing! For that story, check out my next blog.

We spent Christmas in Arizona. Colorado didn't get any snow for Christmas so we didn't miss a white Christmas. We did, however get a rainy Christmas. Oh well, it was better than 70 degrees and sunny.

Anyhoo....here are some pics!

Santa was very kind to the kids. They all wanted Nintendo DS and they received them.

So they spent all day playing with them. Hunter got the Transformer Decepticons, and Hayden got the Autobots. They can battle each other. It also has WiFi ability. Lindsey got a Pet Vet game. It was really quite around the house.

Kiddos with Grandma and Grandpa King

Great Grandma West and Uncle Wade came for Christmas lunch. Grandpa West was not feeling well.

After opening presents and eating some turkey, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Fowkes. The Fowkes cousins were there and the boys played some football.

Hunter made a GREAT catch!!!

Kiddos with Grandma and grandpa Fowkes

We are very fortunate to have our Great Grandma Tolley still with us!

So that was our Christmas for 2008. It was a bummer month for us but the end was wonderful! It was so good to see family and friends. We miss Arizona and we will miss Colorado. We look forward to our new life in Texas and PRAY that we will stay in one state for awhile!

2009-01-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

I really should get better at blogging.

With Christmas over, life is back to normal with us. Well, almost normal! My house is the cleanest it's ever been ....EVERYDAY....due to the fact it is up on the market. So that really isn't my normal life.

So we have a good shot at moving to Texas. Dallas area to be exact! Kevin goes for his interview next Monday so we will see when she wants him to start. I on the other hand have been packing and cleaning like crazy! I've now become the cleaning nazi! I jump on the kids if their shoes or socks are not in their place and backpacks are not hung up and dirty clothes on the floor and garbage not in the trash. Can we say OCD??? I am hoping that someone will come see the house and we will be rewarded with a contract. There must be an end to this madness.

So with that, I am grateful that we have a job lined up, and I am very sad that we will not be staying in "Colorful Colorado". I have really grown to love my home away from home.

So hopeful soon I will get Christmas pictures up (gotta find the camera).

2008-12-13T09:10:00.001-08:00

BATHROOM RENOVATION

So for the last MONTH..ugh I have been working on redoing my basement bathroom. It was the only part of the house that wasn't redone earlier. So I decided to go cheap and re purpose things we already have. So painting the counter was what I did. I faux painted the top and painted the sides. The walls got a new coat as well. Now all that's left is to decorate. I think it turned out pretty good. There was a LOT of tears and cussing, but I have learned alot from this project....GO OUT AND BUY A DANG CABINET AND NEW SINK!!!! j/k

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-29T15:06:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! I enjoy eating turkey. My family isn't big on it, so when we decided to go out for Thanksgiving, I was ok with that. We went to the Denver Aquarium. We went there last year as well. They serve a wonderful buffet that even has breakfast foods! My kids were in heaven! We didn't tour the museum, instead we took a drive to the mountains, it was snowing. We stopped by Buffalo Bills grave and caught some elk grazing. Then we took in a movie. We saw Bolt in 3D! Very cute movie...we enjoyed the hamster.

Lindsey Ice Skating

2008-11-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

Lindsey went to a birthday party at an Ice Skating Rink. This was her first time. she did really well. A few bruises and bumps, but nothing cake and ice cream couldn't fix.

2008-11-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

I am a little late in posting this....but we have been in Colorado exactly 1 year! November 11, 2007 was our first day. So this post is my thoughts about being here and whatnot.

When everything happened last year, it was a whirlwind of emotions. I was born and raised in AZ. It was all I ever knew. When Kevin and I were first married, we used to talk about moving out of state. But it never happened. We were very comfortable with where we were. Then when he lost his job, it forced us out of our comfort zone and we had to move.

I was amazed how well the Lord had my family in His hands. We found renters for the house so we didn't have to sell. We found a home in CO in an area that we liked. Kevin found employment in a time when employment was getting scarce. It amazed me and STILL amazes me how my Father in Heaven guided my family. We were blessed.

We moved here and started life. In the Winter I am not sure was the best time, but it is so wonderful to look to the West and see the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Especially with snow on them! It really makes me grateful for the beauty of this earth.

So life moved on for us. We have adjusted and adapted. Things are still rough, but we are managing. I miss my friends and family. It is weird not being able to just stop by Grandmas to say hi. Or walk the stores with friends when I need to run away from home.

I have learned that I have to work harder at my testimony. The church here is spread out. My subdivision is not my ward boundaries. In fact the closet member is over 2 miles away. Very different from what I am used too. I've taken for granted having a church building a block away. I've taken for granted having my Visiting Teachers live around the block. I've taken for grated how the temple was only a 15 minute drive where now it's 30 to 45 mins. I realize how spoiled I was and how I really didn't see how others live when things are not as easy as I had it.

I love my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have had to lean on them so much this last year and with all my worries and stresses, I feel comforted by their love for me. And for that I will be FOREVER grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving! I miss and love you all in AZ!

OUR FIRST SNOW FOR WINTER 2008

2008-11-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it's not much snow....but it is still snow. It has been snowing in the mountains, but it fizzled when it came here. So it was alot of fun to look out the window and see a white backyard. By 11:00am, the sun came out and the snow melted. It should be 60 degrees tomorrow so no more snow for a little while.

2nd Grade All American Sing A Long

2008-11-14T14:32:00.000-08:00

Lindsey had a performance at the school to honor our Veterans. She was so cute singing.

Halloween

2008-10-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

So here we are...finished with trick-or-treating. The weather was GREAT!!! We have heard that past Halloweens were cold, windy, sometimes with snow. Tonight was clear, calm and not chilly.

Here is Hayden and Lindsey. Hunter took off with friends before I could get a picture of him. Lindsey is a Leopard and Hayden is.....well...scream man. Hunter is a zombie of sorts.

One house had a graveyard, so Hayden and Lindsey took turns with a headstone.

Here is Hunter with 2 of his friends! Hunter is the far left, green thing.

Here is a "man" who was sitting at the far end of a cul-de-sac in the dark. He was with the candy bowl at his feet holding an ax. Hayden and Lindsey didn't want to go up to him, afraid of him. They kept pushing Kevin and I to get the bowl from him. He wasn't moving. And we kept telling the kids he wasn't real or he would have moved. I even stood by him to get a picture. While Hayden was taking my picture, Lindsey grabbed the bowl. Then they started to dive into the bowl, and the guy gets up and walks towards the kids and they jump up and scream and run!!! It was the funniest thing. He never said one thing...kept the character going. The kids loved it! It was so much fun!

Fall Festivities

2008-10-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

So now that fall is here, my kids have gotten creative. Instead of raking the leaves and jumping in them....(risk getting injured, and anyone who knows us, knows it will be Hayden that gets injured)...they decided to put the leaves on the trampoline and jump in them that way.

But what stuns me, is that Hunter and Hayden decided if they work TOGETHER they can get more leaves on the the trampoline. So I HAD to get a picture of them working together.

Then there is Lindsey, who recently got her haircut. I think this is her 3rd haircut in her LIFE!!!! We gotta figure out how to get her hair to grow. But she is still a cutie!

And then there are the cats! Roxie (above) and Scampy (below). They are enjoying all the critters Colorado has to offer. I think they have even become friends with the neighborhood Skunk and Fox. As long as they leave them dead mouse and bunnies, the Skunk and Fox leave them alone.

Grand Junction, CO

2008-10-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

AIR SHOW GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
September 27, 2008

So to drive to Grand Junction you head West on I-70. If you have ever driven that, you know you climb in altitude, about 10,000ft in altitude. So the trees are changing color which makes the drive that much better. These are the Aspens. The picture really doesn't do it much justice. They are a BRIGHT gold.

On a sad note, alot of the trees are turning red due to the bark beetle, but it makes a neat contrast with the green pines and gold Aspens.

I really get why the people of Colorado call this state "God's Country". It is such a beautiful state.

This is the city of Vail.

Sitting and getting sunburned, waiting for the air show to start.

The MIG is one of my boys favorite planes. It must be from the video games they play.

This is the "Heritage Flight". It is a P-51, an F-16 and an F-18. This is such a moving part of the air show. I feel so much emotion when I see these. That is the reason I love air shows!

This was such a fun thing to watch. This is a semi truck with 3 jet engines on back. He rolled right in front of us and fired the thing up. Then he pulled away into the smoke and right after I shut the camera off, and with his back end facing us....he fired it up again. It blew the hat off of a guys head who was standing next to me and the heat was so intense! I wish it was on video. It later raced again a plane...and won. Amazing!

And then of course are the Blue Angels! They are so amazing to watch. They fly so close together and are always in sync! One mess up could cause a HUGE crash. We were hoping for a sonic boom, but it didn't happen. They came very close.

I guess after being in the sun for 8 hours with your head looking towards the sky can make you tired. Lindsey fell asleep DURING the Blue Angels flight. How anyone can sleep with them screaming overhead is beyond me!

Some misc. pictures of our day

FALL IS HERE!!!!!

2008-09-24T19:03:00.001-07:00

Oh, my heavens....as if this state couldn't get any better...fall is BEAUTIFUL!!!! The leaves changing are such a site. My kids can't wait to rake them up and jump in them. I am enjoying the cooler nights and warm days.

We are heading this weekend to Grand Junction to see an air show. The Blue Angels are coming and we will hang out there for the weekend. The leaves changing in the mountains should be beautiful. I'll post pics when I get them.

Kevin turned 38 on Tuesday. He celebrated by going to work! YEA! We did treat him to a dinner wherever he wanted. So we drove for 30 mins to Longmont for some REALLY AWESOME BBQ ribs! Worth the drive! He also got a Denver Broncos t-shirt. He tried really hard to be a Cardinal fan in AZ, but they kept disappointing him. So now we try the Broncos.

Kids are keeping busy. Lindsey has taken piano lessons. So hopefully she will be able to play something that resembles a song instead of planking away. It's so weird to think that my baby is growing up. She found her blessing dress and a few dresses I loved from when she was a baby. She dressed her build-a-bear in those clothes and I hated to take them away. But after explaining that those are special clothes to me, she now likes to just look at them and hold them up to her and compare how much she has grown.

What are we doing now?

2008-09-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

So school started August 11th. The kids go to Semper Elementary. Hunter is in 6th grade, Hayden is in 4th grade, and Lindsey is in 2nd grade.

Hunter has an awesome teacher. He has been teaching for YEARS and he really loves this job. He makes it fun and the kids want to be there. I am so excited because of this teacher and his love of teaching. Hunter will get to go to Outdoor Camp later this year. They spend a week in the mountains learning about Science and other subjects. Hunter has also passed off his requirements for his Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class Scouting. He is now starting to work on his merit badges. It is ALOT of work.

Hayden is still a sports fanatic! He is signing up for whatever basketball camp he can. Needless to say....his daddy is proud! He is a Bear in Scouting and recently won 1st place at his Space Derby.

Lindsey is still Lindsey. Her best friends are the potato bugs (rolly pollys). She keep a box of dirt in the backyard and will put those bugs in there. She gives them water and food. She will stay outside for hours playing with them.

Kevin is still enjoying his job here. He has moved up to being "Operations Manager". He is now over all the projects (and problems) that Pixxures does. He is still playing basketball when he can. His last ankle sprain left him a little slower as the doctor found out almost all his ligaments are torn or sprained bad. The doctor wants him to have surgery, but Kevin is holding off for as long as he can.

I am working in the cafeteria at Mandalay Middle School. It has 7th and 8th graders there. It is next to the kids elementary school and they will go to Mandalay when they finish Semper. I enjoy being there. It is only 4 hours a day so I am home with the kids. I am keeping busy with the callings they keep giving me at church. When we first moved here, I was called to be Enrichment Leader. Then they added on Ward Camp Director. With camp over, I went back to worrying about enrichment. Then they called me to be an assistant Cub Scout Leader for Bear Den. Hayden is currently a bear. (I guess they needed help with him). We have 10 boys so it is an adventure. But, they did release me from enrichment leader so know I can focus on Cub Scouts. So with Hunter and his merit badges and working with Hayden in Cubs....I think I'll be pro at scouting when I am done. They need to have a HUGE award for the moms!

So we are moving along in our lives. We enjoy camping in this beautiful state! The Rockies are so breath taking!! We are looking forward to more skiing in the winter.

Girls Camp 2008

2008-07-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

So I went to girls camp as the ward leader. We went to Camp Firewalker by Wellington Lake. GORGEOUS!!!! It was a lot of fun to be challenged. There was some high rope walking, repelling, tree swinging, swimming, canoeing, and rain! The girls got right up and walked on the ropes, and I thought I should be able to do it too. It's easier to be at the bottom to tell the girls what and how to do it, but when you are 40 feet off the ground and hooked to a cable, it's pretty intimidating. For a second you get the nerves going because you are so high up, but once you get moving it isn't so bad. It challenged my muscles, as you have to climb trees and hold yourself up and maneuver. Take a look at the pictures, although they don't do it justice.

The area up there is beautiful. It rained during the night 2 times and rained most of the day one day. The girls were fun to be with and were patient with us "old" leaders.

I am grateful for the opportunity to attend this year!

2008-07-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

So I am back from Arizona.

I was happy to go and see everyone. My house there is still standing, and the neighborhood is still intact.

So I kept busy with kids and running around seeing everyone on different days. I was able to work on my tan...which was so desperately needed. I miss lounging by a pool and sweating..ok, well not the sweating part. I am glad everyone took time to see me and my kiddos.

I was happy to come home. I didn't think I would make the 14 hour drive all in one day, but I did it!!!! YEA!!! Kids kept the fighting to a minimum.

Today the weather is 75 degrees with overcast and a breeze.....in other words....BEAUTIFUL!!!! This is what I missed in Arizona. I decided that 110 degrees, really isn't for me. But I will visit it for my family and friends.

Although....those family and friends could get out of that heat and come visit me...hint...hint!!

2008-06-17T13:25:00.001-07:00

Ok, so here I am blogging. Why? Cause I have nothing better to do right now.

We moved to Colorado from Arizona November of 2007. We love it here. It is beautiful and the weather is great!!

We are still adjusting to life here. There are only a few kids in our neighborhood, so the kids have been bored. And home... ALOT!!! We are all getting anxious to visit AZ this weekend. The kids can't wait to see their friends. And SWIM!!! Not alot of swimming here.

So there is my first blog.