New Year's Reunion

This blog entry is to start planning for our family's reunion on New Year's. Obviously the most important part of it will be Jenny's wedding on New Year's Eve. We've also discussed doing some things together as a family. In planning things though we need to be very careful not to intrude on Jenny's big day or her need to prepare for that day.

We have not finalized our plans but will probably arrive in Salt Lake a day or two before the wedding. We will then be heading out on New Years to go to Yellowstone to get in some snowmobiling and to drop Holden off for his second semester of school.

So this is an invitation for people to make suggestions about what they want to do for the couple of days when we're all there. Possible ideas are going sledding, having a dinner, going to the movies or Chucky Cheeses, etc. Please leave comments to this posting with ideas you have and timing issues. Jenny, your imput is especially important so that we don't interfere with your plans.

We are heading up to Salt Lake this weekend. Friday we'll be in Flagstaff. Saturday we'll be in Salt Lake and would love to get together with Kyle and Moni. Sunday we are going to Rexburg. Monday through Wednesday we'll be in Yellowstone. Thursday and Friday we'll be in Rexburg and Saturday and Sunday we'll be traveling back to Phoenix.

A few weeks back Rafael wrote me an email and said he was coming to the USA and would be going to Chicago, Louisville and Moulton Alabama. We were delighted that he would spend his
valuable time in America seeing us when he could be with his girl friend.

We took him to the Huntsville Space Center and he enjoyed the museum and the space rides.

When he got out of his rented sports car he had a smile on his face and flowers in his hand. It was wonderful to see him again.

LOVE

We took the kids to Las Vegas this weekend to see the Cirque De Soleil production of LOVE, which is all set to Beatles songs. It was awesome. They had amazing dancers and acrobats flying through the air, incredible music and the most amazing sets I've ever seen. If you get a chance you should really go.

On the way we stopped at our favorite hot dog place in the middle of no where--Wikieup Arizona.

While there we stayed at Treasure Island.

Here are some photos that Holden took around the hotel.


We also went to Madame Tousoud's Wax Museum. Here are some photos of us with famous people. Lezlee wouldn't let me put the one of me with the Playboy bunny.

Lezlee with her movie crush Johnny Dep (John Cusack wasn't there).


Brennan taking it to Shaq.


Jordan would love Simon Cowell's job!


Brennan hanging with Stevie Wonder.

The real Rumble Down Under!


Holden doing his impression of George W.

And here is us hanging out at the pool.

It was a fun trip. Our next trip is to Rexburg and Yellowstone the beginning of next month.

Here's me working on a painting I finished this week and the final painting.



Nobody said anything about the location of our next family reunion. Does that mean you're too lazy to comment or too lazy to have an opinion? Unless I hear an objection by next week, I'll start planning for house boats on Lake Powell.

Hi From Kirk

I haven't written for awhile because every free moment right now is spent in the studio or doing things with the kids before Holden goes off to college. But Lezlee has done a great job of keeping you apprised of what is going on with our family.

Painting for the show is going well. I like every one of the paintings I've done so far and think this is my best work yet. Taking ten months to get ready instead of half that time has let me be more selective about what I'm going to show and take more time on each piece.


The thought that Holden will be leaving home to go to college in a few weeks is a little surreal. How could that little baby we brought home from the hospital be striking out on his own? I'll really miss him; he's so much fun to be around. But Lezlee and I are trying to focus on what a great milestone this is in his life and be happy for him.

Holden's show at the art gallery went well. He's sold one piece so far but more importantly it sparked a really creative side of him. He's spending most nights working on his clothing business. And the stuff he's doing is really cool. I keep trying to get him to make me some t-shirts but he's always so busy doing shirts for other people that mine always seem to get pushed to the back burner.



Meanwhile Brennan is growing into an amazing young man--so he'll be my new buddy. Yesterday he spent a big chunk of the day cleaning the pool so he could earn enough money to buy the newest Stephanie Meyer book. He'd read the entire thing within 24 hours.

Jordan continues to work on her shoe business. She's sold dozens so far and always seems to be working on them. But if she's not, she's doing a fashion show, pestering me to go on a bike ride, inventing a new filing system or writing a multi-media presentation for her latest project.



We need to start thinking about what we want to do for the next Hays family reunion, which should be next year. If we can do it before summer Holden will be able to attend before he goes on his mission.

Ideas we've discussed include West Yellowstone and house boats on Lake Powell. If anyone has any other ideas, speak now or forever hold your piece. I like the idea of house boats on Lake Powell. That would be fun. Unless anyone has any objections I'll start (read I'll have Lezlee start) gathering information on renting boats and other things we could do there.

Love you all. I'm really looking forward to Jenny's wedding so we can all see each other again.

Kirk

Sorry no pics

Without pictures I doubt anyone will read this but I hope that's not the case because otherwise it might be difficult to contact me. As of 8/6 THE #208.312.0789 WILL NO LONGER WORK. AT LEAST FOR NOW YOU CAN STILL REACH ME AT 801.913.2521. That might change as well soon, but I'll keep you updated. ALSO MY NEW EMAIL IS hays.troy@live.com

All of Kristi's info will remain the same.

HAPPY B-DAY CHASE!!!!