MOVING to AZ

Okay...so leaving PA was not nearly as 'all wonderful' as I thought it could be because I left my best friend so far behind. It was much more difficult to actually drive away than I had anticipated and inspite of music and kids I felt alone.

Once we were on the road we did have a good time taking pictures, listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on cd, traveling in comfort (our new van) and surprisingly being together wasn't so bad. We tried to take pictures of all the 'welcome' to this state signs and did a pretty good job of it. Some are blurry because we nearly missed the sign as we were zooming down the interstate and others I asked all that were willing to disembark and smile prettily. You will see that some were more enthusiastic than others...

Within the first few hours of travel Claire began to throw up but we quickly learned that she should not read at all or color and that was the end of that problem. The second and only other misadventure was Samantha falling out of the van and nearly breaking her foot. Ike helped her hobble about much of the rest of the trip and her foot healed. Other than that we managed to remain illness and injury free! Good job girls!!!

The trip was 5 day and 4 nights and we spent one of those days in Omaha, NE were we had previously lived for 6 years. The time in the van was honestly nice and the space within our new van allowed us to bring TONS of stuff!

At long last we did make it to our new home...Queen Creek, AZ. In Kansas the kids decorated the van and it was quite entertaining and a bit fun to drive such a van for the rest of the trip. Within the first 36 hours of our arrival 10-12 of our LDS neighbors had come to welcome us to the neighborhood and ward. We were given 2 loaves of homemade bread, dinner, 3 dozen cookies, and zuchinni bread. It was wonderful to see the kids faces each time someone came by and to watch as the awareness sunk in that they were indeed not going to be the only members in their school. This has been a good move for our family just hard because of those that we love and left behind...

Ike's Eagle Project

In the middle of all our crazy moving and job search chaos Ike began and completed his Eagle Project. At this moment, on 8/12/2010, our plan is to have Ike fly back (in October) and finish up with his board of review and then presentation of his Eagle. I am completely aware that this is not what Ike really wanted to do in his life but I couldn't be happier with him for sticking it out and seeing this through to the end.

His project consisted of painting 4 bedrooms in a local Homeless Shelter called, Liberty House for Men. It was a challenging job that we had 2 days to complete. With the help of many friends and ward members we accomplished an impressive amount of work in that short time. Whew! nice to have that done...now to finish up the paperwork.

I will post more pictures soon...I think Dave might have some on his 'card'?

Apology Gift

Today our family was blessed to learn that a mistake had been made and that we were the unfortunate victims of poor communication or perhaps some kind of clerical error. The relief that filled my world was tremendous. I could breathe easy again, Dave was going to find gainful employment, we were still going to Arizona...

Unfortunately, our good news means that someone else will now be the recipient of the same bad news that we were accidentally told just a couple of days ago. The woman who called Dave and told him that they were not going to be able to hire him at Banner sent us an edible bouquet with a note expressing her 'deepest apology'.

I am so grateful to her for her simple words and touched by this kind gesture. Thank goodness everything has worked out!

Claire's 1st science fair

At Chestnut Hill Elementary the idea of recycling is very important--I am pretty sure that it is everywhere but this elementary school shares a property line with a middle school that is one of the few 'green' middle schools in the country. A few of the things that go on at the middle school are...rain water is used to flush toilets and a windmill is used to power something...I can't remember, skylights and solar panels are used to power the lights...you get the idea.

So this year for Claire's science fair project the 1st graders had to make a something that represented the ocean using nothing new but instead they had adhere to the idea of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". It was fun because we forgot until the last minute and it became a small family affair. Ike came up with the idea and possible means of construction, others hunted for the items needed, Claire went outside and dug up rocks with one of her brothers, and I raided all the craft supplies that I have saved (because of course nothing could be new), and we found a box that had been headed for the trash--then construction began. This picture is the result...A clown fish living in a sea anemone

"Indoor Wrestling!"--Happy Mother's Day

I cannot count the number of times I have told Nate to stop the play 'wrestling', goofy horse play, or the running inside...so today we have proof of why it might not be the best of ideas. Nate and Brigham were running and playing and Brigham fell face first on the kitchen floor slicing the inside of his mouth in two places--one cut is about 1/2 inch long and went all the way through his skin.

Only one stitch (thank goodness!)--these photos are hours old and it all looks much better than at the moment of injury. Now after everyone (all the kids) mopped A LOT of Brighams's blood off the kitchen floor the general mood in our home has become much more subdued by the mere idea of someone they love getting hurt. The trip to the emergency room was fast and we are now feasting on a diet of posicles this Happy Mother's Day.

Miss you Dave

Soccer-Nate

Nate is so much fun to watch playing soccer this year (8th grade). He is a starter on his team and definitely one of the more dynamic players. His enthusiam is contageous and makes those freezing cold Pennsylvania soccer games fun to be a part of--even if you are just a spectator.

In this photo he is the tiny player waiting for a ball to decend so that he might complete one of his frequent 'headers'.

These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.
Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/

Usher?

DAVE...
I turned on my computer today and there on my profile was a small photo of Usher...this is what happens when your daughter uses the computer! Not that Usher isn't a beautiful speciman of manhood but it feels a little strange so he is now gone.
BUT...
for the sake of knowing who our daughter once thought was the man to see, even if she saved it for Ariel, I have saved it here!

good morning spring time!

Never before has this tree looked so pretty. It is turning into a beautiful springtime...after such a long snowy winter this rebirth of God's world is the best of all blessings.

Senior "itis"

This is not the kind of senior that refers to age but instead it is the kind of senior that refers to the final stage of education. Samantha has just weeks left of her senior year in High School and SENIORITIS is in full swing. At least twice a week she barely drags her body out of bed to catch the bus. She is late to seminary everyday and she reminds me frequently that she is practically an adult.


Dave, on the other hand, has months left in his residency so I think he must be experiencing 'early onset Senioritis'. Of course the challenges that his particular residency program present are reason enough for him to have felt the full effects of senioritis for the past several years--since mid-2005 maybe!


The thing is, living with two individuals that are 'done' with what is required puts ME in the mood for a "Ferris Bueller day off"!

Brigham John

It's your birthday! 9 wonderful years you have been a part of our family. We love you, your smile, your good heart, your curly hair, your constant energy, your voracious appetite, your kind big brotherly ways, the fact that you never give up when no one is watching, how you always play to win except with Claire, with whom you go easy, and many many more wonderful qualities! You are a good son, brother, friend, and person.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!