My Super Heros

After taking their favorite bubble bath, they decided that they felt like being super heros tonight...so here they are. Thanks to their thoughtful uncle Peter and aunt Lindsay, they both got their own favorite costumes on. Well, you can tell that they had fun.

As we all know, Taiki has his favorite uncle and aunt. Sorry everyone else, but it just came out naturally tonight as a matter of truth. He was singing his favorite song about family that Spencer taught. He usually includes just his immediate family members, but he recently learned that all relatives are also his families. So here he added some more favorite people. ( Honestly I didn't teach him to sing this way!)

4 days has passed since Spencer left for El Paso to work on 3 month-long border fense project for his work. He will try to fly home every weekend, but we will see.

Taiki is little upset about Spencer's absence, so he refuses to talk to his daddy on the phone during day. But he can't keep such attitude all day. He is missing his daddy so much and has to talk to daddy the end of each day.

Kenta loves talking and mostly listening to daddy on the phone. He even recognizes the daddy's ringtone. He thinks Spencer is inside the phone or something, so he kisses and hugs it. It's so sweet and I wish Spencer could actually see it.

I know my boys are missing Spencer very much, but they, especially Taiki, have taken the promise to be helpful to his mommy while daddy is away seriously. They still have moments but they are doing their best. They are truely my little heros.

Happy 6th Birthday Eleanor!

Eleanor and cousin Jency.
She spends most of her time jumping and diving while in the pool.
During this ballet performance she never smiled once.
The most commonly seen Eleanor. Even when mad she is cute.

This morning she had six different breakfast choices for her six years. She chose the strawberries and whip cream, bluberry muffins and of course chocolate donuts.

Eleanor is our unique child. We love her for all that she is both the good and the unusual and the challenging. Her main loves in life are of course number one- Art. She says she is definitely going to be an artist when she grows up. Her mediums of choice these days are markers and trash. Everytime I go to throw away a wrapper or container of any type she stops me and says she wants that for her art. She still sits at the table for hours and colors and creates. Thankfully she produces much less these days because of the hours she is in all day kindergarten. I was constantly having to try and throw things away without her watching. The one thing I had to put a stop to lately was water color painting toilet paper. Way too messy and she wanted to keep every square. When she does art it is in mass production. Eleanor does not do things half way or small. She also loves to swim and play in the sand in the back yard. She became a great swimmer this summer and showed us her brave side. The older boys were on dive team and when they learned a back dive she watched them do it once and immediately pronounced that she could do that too and did an almost perfect back dive. She really loves her gymnastics and does it constantly. I am always getting to watch her latest routine or this new back bend. We are having a contest who can get all the way down in the middle splits first. I was ahead but she is pulling ahead now. She also loves playing with Darren and making him smile and make faces and sounds. She of course loves to play with all her friends and cousins. They love to dress up, play outside, make forts, watch t.v, tell jokes and be really silly. Notice nothing about dolls. Like mother like daughter. She absolutely loves Kindergarten. She is made for school. She loves to obey the rules and to sit for long periods of time and work on things and she loves to be social. Her teacher adores her. When I go to the school I usually run into another adult that works there and they are all telling me how wonderful and cute Eleanor is. I'm glad she saves all her sass and attitude for home. There are a few things she does not like at all. She hates having to stop an activity and do something other than her idea. She does not like taking showers. She hates having people touch her unless you are scratching her back very softly and just the right way and in just the right places. She is very particular about most things like that. She hates eating dinner. No matter if you put a tablespoon of food or a cup of food on her plate she immediately says that is too much and she cannot possibly eat it all. She does not like to smile and laugh at things when Mom and Dad are watching. She usually laughs and then quickly covers her mouth or pulls the corners of her mouth down so that the smile goes away. She only likes to display emotions on her terms. She hates her art to be messed with or thrown away. She really wants to have a sister but does not want to have to share her room. Most of all she just does not want to be told what to do, when to do it or how to do anything. I think she is a type A personality. She continues to get more beautiful all the time. That is fine except that I worry that she will define herself by that and not by kindness and compassion and sweetness. Every where we go people tell her how pretty her eyes are and never how kind she is. I wish we could look at a person and tell imediately how loving or compassionate someone is as much as their outside appearance. She is kind when she wants to be and very sweet at moments, but she also knows how to work it and milk people for what she wants. If you wonder if I am afraid for her to be a teenager that is a definite YES! Her toddler years were hard enough I can't imagine what the natural inclination for more independence and freedom combined with hormones is going to do to her. We love our Eleanor and wouldn't trade her for anything. She has definitely taught us many valuable lessons. She is our very girly, beautiful, and sweet when she wants to be SIX year old!

Our Adopted Brother

So I was shown this web page. Just in case any of you are interested in what some of Weston's non-religious works look like.

Payton loves chocolate cake!

We're sorry we missed everyone this weekend, here's our latest news. Tabi has started playing soccer again and loves it. Andrew felt like she wasn't being aggressive enough so her made a deal with her that every ball she took away from an opposing team member he'd give her a dollar. By the end of the game we had to pay her $16. I'm not sure I can afford this little deal but it did help Tabi be a better player. Matt has gotten his drivers license! He gets to drive a pretty sweet 1988 Hyundai that will get up to 35 mph in like 4 minutes. He's working at Taco Time after school and is looking forward to taking a date to Homecoming in a few weeks. Payton is getting bigger every day. She's got 3 teeth and has about 3 more that are working their way through. She has discovered her voice and likes to squeal an inhuman sound that could shatter glass. Kim and Spencer are doing great. Spencer has started working at Target on the early morning shift so that he can be done by 9:oo am and head to class. Andrew had to have a minor surgery on Friday but is feeling pretty good today. I hope everyone had a good time at the Grand Canyon. We look forward to seeing you in December. Love, Andrew, Shannon & family

Zane Rowell Gets Baptised

Some exciting news. Over the last few months Jonathan found out that one of his Webelo scouts was not baptised. He notified the bishop and the missionaries and this is the result. The boys name is Zane Rowell and he is our next door neighbor. The missionaries were pretty green but work well together.

When explaining to Zane that anyone with the priesthood could baptise him so it should be someone you look up to. He instantly said Jon. Jon has become like a fater figure to Zane. Jon was thrilled but a little nervous since his last baptism was in 2001.

This is the whole crew. From Left to Right we have the missionaries, Zane's friend Lane (who is now taking the discussions(they also have a friend named Dane)), Asher, Zane's little brother Seth (1 year older than Asher), Debbie (the mom), Alex, Jonathan and Kari. After three comments on this picture....no I am not pregnant. At least I better not be.
So....news. I hate that I am the only one who seems to post on this blog anymore. I feel so all alone and.....well, how do you feel when everyone has left. Just as I figure this thing out and bring it up to date every starts their own blog or doesn't post anymore. What is that all about.
I just picked Colin and Paige up from the airport after Colin's trip to California. Both are tired and both will be camping with us. There is all sorts of news about Asher. A bit complicated but there is a part of his brain that forgets to tell his body he is full so he keeps eating. In the same area of the brain are some other signals that are getting crossed and he is have quite a difficult time being nice. He shows all but 5 symptoms of ADHD and some sort of defience disorder. They are all very long words that I got in a very short amount of time and we are being sent to specialist (pediatric neuro) to pinpoint it and get hormones or chemicals back in check. This could also explain his height and growth beyone his age. He is now in youth size 1 shoes and size 8 shirts and pants. He is 3. Look at the picture. Zane is 10.
Well, we should see everyone at the Canyon but if we don't, sad to have missed ya.
Kari

A Few Quick Updats on Stuff

Alex was looking out the window to that back yard where we were working. He is chanting to himself ma, ma ma ma ma ma da da da da ma ma.
Neighbor boys spent the night here and this is the guys attempt at clean up Sunday morning. Notice it looks an awful lot like them falling asleep.
Working on the fence, my job is mortar. I guess I had a little wound because the lye got in there and it started eating my skin. I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. a 3rd degree chemical burn. It isn't just a scab, it is a divit. I have some on my other hand but not as bad. It took me a day or so to find somebody to tell me how to stop it. My Dad suggested vinegar. It stoped the progression but everytime I do anything with my hand, it gets bumped and you can see the perimeter of my finger is very irritated.
So I was in a funky mood the other day and this is the result. I'm back to my orignal naked baby born hair color and the length is about 4 inches shorter. What do ya think?

Just so everyone can remember...my mother's mother passed away this last week. Please keep the Fisher family and the Granger sisters in your prayers.

So my best friend, Becca's parent came into town for a lot of reasons and I was able to go with them to the Salt Lake Temple for a live session. My very first one. Wow. I guess you gotta do it once. That temple is beautiful. I highly reccomend going.

PS. is it just me or has most of the family ditched this blog to create their own. Now, we have to check multiple blogs to see what is going on with everybody but without an invitation to any of them, we can't comment. I vote everybody who has their own blog, post here also or ditches their blog and come back here. All in favor.....blog here.

Why all the entries from Kari? (read to the end...there is a pretty funny story)

For some reason insomnia has set in and I can't sleep at night. With nothing to do, I started scrapbooking. I had printed off all of the entries we have made on the family blog since it started with pictures and everything and am including them in my scrapbook.
Just One Problem.....
The most current entry is first, so when they print out the are backwards and my scrapbook is chronilogical (I stink at spelling). I have to pay careful attention not to switch things around if they happen to print on two different pages. As a result, I have been reading the family blog for the last two years. Go back and read some. They are pretty funny.
For the first little while, I had not idea how to post anything. I would even e-mail picture to Matt and Mindi to post for me. There were quite a few of you that made the comment "has anybody heard from Jonathan and Kari?"
I even asked how to post a picture and Dawn answered. I still couldn't figure it out, but when I printed them out and read thru them, I followed her instructions again and .....tada (sp).

Jon is working (duh) at work and at home. This fence is quite the task. It takes up so much of our time. Our goal is to have our yard be the one that our kids bring their friends to, hence the ferris wheel. Perrys got to try it out while they were passing thru town and Colin uses it as entertainment for his friends.

Asher is board. Seth, his only friend in the neighborhood is sent to daycare until after 5:30pm. As a result, he finds anything and everything to destroy. Two days ago he took scissors to the inside of my tall jewlery box. Not just any scissors. Metal cutters he found on his exploration of the garage. He also got an entire deck of phase 10 cards, toys, a shirt, my couch, etc. I think I am going to find him a pre-school.

Alex is doing his best to walk and is now unhappy with baby food if we have a plate of food withing eye sight.

As for me, I have gotten a hair cut and am now back to my original dark brown hair color. I can't sleep. I have had larengitis and have a lingering cough. But here is the kicker....

The other day, we were playing fetch with our two dogs (using a whip-it) over in a neighbors very long side yard. A whip-it throws a tennis ball very far so the dog gets tired faster. We decided to give the dogs a break so Asher picks up the Whip-it and throws it at me. As I am turning, not having any time to close my eyes, a dog slobbered tennis ball with grass, hair and dirt hits my wide open (not blinking) eyeball.

Poor Jonathan is carying Alex, the whip-it, hollering at two dogs and Asher with me holding onto his shoulder unable to open my eye. At home, I rinse my eye and by the time I can open it I am completely blind. Dark. Black. Jonathan was shining a flash light into my eye and I couldn't see a thing. By the next morning I could see shards of light. By the afternoon, on my way to the Optomotrist, I could see very dark colors. But here is the kick. I could see normal with my left eye and darker of the same color with my right. I felt like I had done acid or something. The optomotrist sent me to a retna specialist.

I have bruising and trauma inside and outside of my eye. So...moral of the story is, when playing fetch with a dog, when the dog is tired.....GO HOME!

The Colin That Paige Can See

This is where Colin spend a lot of his time. This is the view from my computer out.
Hi Mom!

4th of July Balloon Rally

Isn't this the coolest picture. That is Y Mountain at BYU
Oh yeah...Alex is everywhere. Little speed demon is now climbing stairs.
I'm not sure if Asher knew someone was behind him....
Smokey the bear flying near Y Mountain. This will come into play for one of the blog entries I have alreay posted...below. Hey...it is 3:30 in the morning. What else do I have to do but catch up on what we have been up to.

Colin's Birthday Party

So, everybody know that I am the nosy sister-in-law. I got on Colin's facebook page and e-mailed all of his friends that were listed as attending BYU or living in the Utah Valley. Andrew and Shannon and Kim and Spencer were there also. The first order of business. Get on the Ferris Wheel. (notice the wall in the background...it is coming along).
Burn Dinner (set the house smoke detectors off upstairs). Got get more meat. Eat dinner.
Get back on the Ferris Wheel to see if you could make yourself sick (that was litterally their intention). Once again...notice the wall and the gates.
Then, open presents. Shannon gave him a book "The Last Lecture". The author had died the previous Friday.

Hellgate Jetboats

So, back to the vacation to Oregon. One night we went on the Hellgate Jetboats.
Jonathan had a blast. Guess why....
The driver would gun it, hit the brakes and send the nose of the boat into a dive and it would submerge the front of the boat down into the river, effectively getting anyone in the boat soaking wet. This wouldn't be so bad, but it was at 7:00pm...the Dinner Tour.
This is the site of where they filmed "The River Wild". To make it look like Montana, they covered the hill with fake trees and shrubs. We also saw the site of the big river jump at the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. If you ever find yourself in Southern Oregon...I highly reccomend this trip.

Seven Oaks Farm (Part of an Oregon Vacation)

At the end of June, before Jonathan had to return to work from his unscheduled vacation, we took a vacation to Oregon to visit my family. One problem. I was to watch my neighbors boy that week. Solution. Take my neighbor on the vacation with us. Three adults, one infant, two three year olds and one 10 year old packed in the mini van for 13 hours each way. Yep...we are crazy. Anyway, on our last day there my mom called Seven Oaks Farm in Central Point. They hold petting zoo and farm education for all elementary kids once a year and the FFA Students at the high school help. I went there as a child and helped in high school.

So, even though they had postponed the zoo due to drought and slow crops, the owner allowed us to come and see the animals. This was Asher's first time on any horse alone. Come to think of it, same with Alex (my mom is holding him). We saw goats and cows and ducks and dogs....you get the picture. But the horse was the highlight of the day.
The third picture is of a lady who insisted on doing all the jobs on the farm. I couldn't figure out her problem. Anyway, we took a group picture, got in the mini van and drove 13 hours home.

Playing in the Provo River

This is a low spot in the Provo river and we decided to load everybody that was at the house (except Jon and Alex) and take the dogs to the river. Lexi (yellow lab) actually taught Mug (chocolate lab) how to swim. He was scared of being in water where he couldn't touch bottom and now, after seeing her swim, loves it. The have now graduated to fetching duck decoys.