Happy Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Weekend so far has consisted of a lovely dinner, Holden & Kirk doing the dishes for me (YAY!) washing the dogs at the Wag N' Wash, and putting up the Christmas tree. As you can see from the puffy cheeks in the photo of Holden and Noelle - he's still recovering from having his wisdom teeth out. We hope everyone has a great weekend!

Holden's Home

Holden got home for Thanksgiving on Friday night. It's great having him home again. It's much louder around the home. Not because Holden is loud but because his brother and sister like playing around with him so much. Today he got his wisdom teeth out so he's a little quieter today.

As you know Brennan loves animals and wants to be a zoologist. We were at the pet store the other day and he talked me into getting a pair of ball pythons--he needs to learn to handle snakes if he's going to work in a zoo after all. So I've been spending the last few nights sleeping on the couch. Actually Lezlee was pretty cool.




This week I was featured in a ASU art magazine. You can see the on-line article and one of my paintings by clicking here.

We are very excited about seeing you all in December. Take care.

Kirk

100 pounds? That's crazy

Just to announce that I've finally lost 100 pounds. I'm still working on additional 40 or so to go - Here's my midway photo:

Thanksgiving Turkeys?

Wayne yelled in a quite voice (is that possible) to get my camera and go out onto the porch. I was surprised to see a whole line of wild turkeys parading between the fence and the river. Then one lost turkey came from the front of our yard and was trying to get to the others. Wayne said " Go open the gate and let the turkey out, so he can join the others." I did as I was told, the turkeys didn't mind Wayne. They all turned around and came through the gate into our yard. We took pictures but it was almost dark and this is the only one that turned out. To our great suprise all 15 turkeys came into the yard, flew into our trees and spent the night.

In the morning Wayne got up early to take pictures of them nesting in the trees, but the early bird gets the worm, bug or what ever they eat. Because they were out of the trees by the time he got up.

The funnest story about the turkeys was told by Wayne as he watched a big gobbler try to roosted on Adams weather vein. The turkey would land on the weather vein, then the weather vein would turn around in circles and knock the turkey off, but the turkey would try again. Finally the turkey slept the night on Adams roof.

Public Apology to Monika - Public Thanks to Jen

First off all I need to tell Monika I am really sorry. For some reason I keep forgetting to send her the photos I promised - I took some family photos while we were in Utah and somehow they never quite make it from my hard drive to the email. But I have sent them now Monika! Here's a sample (but there are more in the email):


Also to Jen: Thanks for the note you recently posted here on the blog, I found it very inspiring. A couple of weeks ago they made me the 2nd Counselor in the Stake Relief Society Presidency. I am excited about the new calling - part of my new responsibilities are that I speak with the high council quarterly. My goal for those talks is to be far LESS boring than whatever high councilman I'm assigned with. Today I had to speak and I used Jen's note as the intro to my talk, so Thanks Jen!

Fidelity Layoffs

I am sure most of you have heard of the massive layoff's in the financial sector. Today Fidelity laid-off 1300 employees. I did not loose my job but I did have several very close friends who did. Fidelity is scheduled for a second round of layoff's in Q1 2009 and the next set will be an additional 2700 employees.

As I have witnessed the tumultuous economy and the impact that it has had friends and family I see one common thread, greed. From loan brokers, energy speculators, investment brokers, and the consumer who spends beyond their means and doesn't take responsibility for their gluttonous consumption over-extending their means and depleting resources.

I have challenged my family to reverse the trend of greed. Instead of consuming more then we need we are going to donate two bags of groceries to the local food shelter each week. The local food shelter here is already low on food far before the normal time. I have also encouraged the kids to think of ways that we put our wants aside and help assist on meeting other peoples needs.

Jen

Holden @ College

Holden is enjoying his time at school. He's doing really well and seems to find time to do some pretty silly things like fishing without pants. (Apparently he decided to wade across the river with the pants on and then realized how cold he was, and removed them...in the future I think he could probably ask my dad to borrow some waders, but it was spur of the moment fishing).

He likes his roommates and his best friend Austin is right down the hall so all seems to be going well. We are looking forward to seeing him at Thanksgiving!

I went to a physical therapist and within one minute he knew what I had. It was amazing!! He had only seen it 3 times in his 18 years experience. I now wear a SI belt to keep my hips from moving all around. Once that stabalizes he will work more on my other injury. I get to shock myself 8 hours each day with a TENS UNIT. The fantastic news is that it is working. I just need to remember to take it easy. It could still take 2 years from now to heal, but we hope it will happen before that. Otherwise I will have to decide on an operation, but we hope not.
Monika

Jessica broke her leg

Jessica went back to Primary Children's hospital today to get a cast on her foot. She was inline skating in gym and fell on it. She broke it by her ankle. She also sprained her ankle. Her foot has turned purple with a bruise.

This was taken on Oct. 30th, the day she hurt it. We wouldn't let her go trick or treating. Luckily, Grandpa Hays went out for her.

We are 95% done with the landscaping, but I didn't get pictures of it until the snow came, the da after they finished.

Ashley and Michael enjoying the waterfall in our front yard.

They ere having hat races. Seeing whose hat made it down the waterfall first.

Election Day

Here's how we spent our day yesterday - Kirk took the day off to work the phones at the Obama Campaign Headquarters and I did as well. It was a great way to spend election day! Here are some photos - the response of volunteers was amazing - we spent the majority of the time calling people in New Mexico to make sure they knew where they were suppose to vote, and to encourage them to vote if they had not done so yet. I was so impressed with the positive tone of everything. I'm truly thankful for democracy.

Believe in Possibilities

Tonight is one of those moments that will live in our memories forever. A moment that we should discuss with our children about the possibilities of life and that our country has the ability to evolve, change and provide opportunities for all of us. It is THE moment that we are closet to what the architects of the constituion meant by All Men are Created Equal. Tonight I was filled with pride for our country to overcome the boundaries of race to elect a President. The fight against racisim is not over it is all of our responsibility to combat it in ourselves and others, but we should celebrate this amazing milestone.

Next glass ceiling to break...elect a competent and deserving Woman~ Because our daughters deserve to reach for the stars also...

Preschool already started for Hannah, but I wanted to share this picture of her, ready for her first day, because she looks so grown up.

Also, here's a picture of one of four baby bunnies we had early in September thanks to an unintended little get together between two of our pet rabbits. We've sold all but one of the babies so far (thank goodness!)

Here are pictures from Sarah's 8th Birthday, Halloween and her baptism.

I'm not sure why Sarah's not smiling in this next picture, but she looks the part.

And last, but not least, here's another "big fish" picture. Kyle and Nate and Grandpa Hays went fishing at Strawberry Resevoir on Halloween and Nate caught his biggest fish yet.

Halloween & ER Visits

Happy Halloween!

We had a great day yesterday. The weather here right now is absolutely perfect outside - not hot and not cold - just right. I love it when it gets like that.

The kids carved pumpkins outside yesterday - Brennan attempted a cat and Jordan said her pumpkin was suppose to be a hillbilly.

Other than Christmas, I think Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love Halloween in Arizona because it's so nice outside and when the trick-or-treaters come everyone leaves their doors open with just the screen door closed - the air smells good and lots of people have their burning jack-o-lanterns outside on their porches. I don't know, I just like Autumn I guess, but weirdly, I prefer the warm autumn we have here, even if that means that most of our leaves don't actually turn until January (I always think it's funny in January that the leaves turn and fall off the trees in a matter of a couple of week - and then by February we have blossoms again). It's a beautiful time of year.

Brennan did not trick or treat this year - instead he had some friends over and they watched some scary movies, played video games, ate me out of house and home and went tp-ing last night.

Jordan went as a housewife this year - with a lovely mu mu dress, slippers, face mask and curlers. The photo doesn't do the costume justice - I forgot to take a picture before she went to a Halloween party and danced all night - so this photo is post party after much of her hair and make-up was messed up - but you get the idea.

About a week ago I sliced my finger open while cutting lemons at the church - I sat through the baptismal service holding pressure on the cut but realized after 45 minutes it was not going to quit bleeding. We ended up in the ER and I had to get stitches in my finger. Jordan took notes the entire time, asked me more questions than the doctor or the nurse, asked the doctor a million questions and watched the entire procedure while taking more notes. We are not really sure if she'll grow up to be a doctor or a lawyer - right now she vacillates between the two ideas. When she's not all up in people's medical business she's writing contracts left and right. Maybe a Med Mal attorney?