Gardner Villa

One Fall Day

2011-12-01T00:40:00.001-08:00

One thing I love about Fall is my tree.
Japanese Maple to be exact.
It doesn't hurt that there's a cute boy standing in front of it.

And and now a handsome man who is on his way to work.

It even looks good in front of my green door.

And it looks good as you come out of the green door and see it paired with it's complimentary color.

Any way you look at it, it IS a pretty amazing tree:)

One of Apollo's favorite things to do when he goes outside to play is jumping on the trampoline. On occasion I'll hop on there with him and am amazed at what childbirth has done to me. No, I'm not leaking, but feel as if something could fall out (if you've had a child or two or three or more, you know what I'm talking about). Yikes! But I always have fun with him and it makes me feel like a kid again. Apollo's very good at giving me boosts up into the air. Hard to believe since I weigh much more than he does. He's also good at being a shock absorber for when I accidentally boost him. I'm glad there's somewhat of a net around the trampoline.

Another thing he loves is sidewalk chalk.

And lastly...
I thought it was over but it's not.
The case of the random underwear.
Surely with the weather being chilly out there shouldn't be any reason to be leaving undies outside (even in warm weather there shouldn't be). That would mean: chilled hiney = no fun.
BUT weather change apparently doesn't matter.
Evidence shows...

Take a closer look....

So don't be alarmed if you stop by and see random undies laying around in our front yard.

Hopefully you don't see a bare hiney too.

Chances are, it'll be this little guy...

Giving Thanks

2011-11-23T15:26:00.001-08:00

I have so much to be grateful for and being Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought I'd name a few of my blessings (in no particular order):

*healthy, able body
*3 beautiful, talented & healthy children
*handsome Honeybob who is my best friend and supports me in all I do
*loving parents who taught me how to work hard and give service
*10 amazing siblings along with their spouses and children
*extended family
*good friends (Some of which who are like family. You know who you are.)
*ward family who provide so much love and service
*my Savior
*God
*talents
*warm house in beautiful neighborhood
*awesome neighbors
*good schools
*working vehicles
*treadmill, exercise bike
*computer
*good books
*food
*free Country
*running

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
May your future be filled with abundance, good health, love and joy!

Iron Girl Seattle 2011

2011-10-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

About 15 months ago my friend LaRee challenged me to run the Iron Girl Seattle 5k with her.

Neither of us were runners but I felt up to the challenge and we had a blast running it last September 2010.

So this year I payed the challenge to my friend Monica who agreed and asked if we could have our daughters join us.

We did some training runs together and come race day we were all ready to go!

Click on any photos to view larger.

At packet pickup we bumped into the Holcombs who decided to run it at the last minute.

That was Sydney's request for her birthday.

Silly girls...
after the race they ended up LOVING it and talked about doing another one.

We grabbed a group shot of us all with our Iron Girl shirts on. Cute design but more of a manly color.

3 tin grins...

The race took place at Greenlake Park in Seattle which is a block away from my favorite running store:
Road Runner Sports!

We had our girls do the free running analysis to see what type of shoe they should be in.

Courtney didn't think the dog was too friendly :)

Monica ended up getting the same running shoes that I have.

The ones she had ordered previously were a little on the snug side.

After we were done we grabbed some grub at Southcenter Mall before heading to our hotel.

We couldn't quite figure out what these were... they were in our packets.
Okay, we do know what they are but sh'ant reveal ;)

We decided to use up the tattoos they handed out at packet pickup.
Courtney helped everyone adhere theirs.

The next morning we were ready to go!

And the race begins....

Finish line just in the distance...

Hooray! Finished! You girls rocked it! During our training runs our daughters had never been able to keep up with the running after 1.5 miles. During this race they ran all the way to the end. Proud Momma's!

Post race pose feeling strong!

Oh yeah!

We were able to snag a group pic with LaRee and Sydney after the race.

LOVED the medals!

Hunter Farms 2011

2011-10-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

The A's invited us to Hunter Farms on Columbus Day since there was no school. 'Twas a very rainy day!

We let the kids play in the hay maze which was indoors. Some huge pigs and little ponies along with emu's were in stalls eating and snorting.

By the time we hopped on for a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch it stopped raining and the sun broke through. Hallelujah!

Later we found 2' long zuchhinis for $1! Bargain of the day.

Good times were had by all.

Thanks for the invite A's!!!

Monica was the fab photographer of the day. Thanks so much!!

l-r: Noah (Sascha's buddy), Sascha, Apollo, me, Bri-Fri, Ashlyn, Courtney, Sarah, Baylee and her cute little friend (can't remember her name).

We had Apollo scrunch down close to his pumpkin to hide the evidence. Poor guy... we were out in the middle of the pumpkin patch when nature called. We tried to make it to the end where there was a forest but he couldn't hold it any longer. Luckily I had an extra pair of pants in the car since I knew he'd probably be muddy anyway.

Monica actually got somewhat of a smile out of Sascha!

Sarah found a new friend...ladybug.

Snagged this cute pic of Monica on my phone :)

Noah was proud to where his "I got my pumpkin from Hunter Farms" sticker planted on his chest...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T00:57:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Haystack

2011-07-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

And you thought this post was about Cannon Beach didn't you?
We've allowed Sascha to keep his hair long for the past 2.5 years.
Every haircut (or rather, trim) has been like pulling hair.
He never wanted one.
Always hated it.
We demanded it.
Every single time.
Lately though it's gotten a little out of control.
Like unto a haystack.
With some bribing involved,
And a big sister's words of encouragement,
Alas, here's the new spiffed up 'do!

Handsome fella...

The kids were cracking up at something. Can you guess what?

I guess his hair was smiling because it could now see Sascha's eyes!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

Pops is Eighty One!

2011-07-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Back in April (yes, still behind) Pops (Steve's dad) turned 81!

I made him a strawberry pie to celebrate and he got to open a few gifts.

Jim was visiting from Hawaii which made it even funner.

Sorry about the discolored and blurry pics.

I had to revert to an older camera.

We love you Pops!

Teenager Alert!

2011-07-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

Still a bit behind with my blog. This was a March event.

Sarah's Birthday Celebration...

Click on any images to view larger

Instead of a cake Sarah chose blueberry muffins as her dessert. Made 'em from scratch.

Some great gifts: eyebrow tweezers, eyelash curler, green olives (her fave), gift card for kindle books, gift card for clothing, iTunes gift card, jewelry, etc... (Thank you Fyffe's, Anderson's and Holcombs!)

But even cooler was her brand new cell phone that she had no idea she was getting. Priceless! I think Apollo was just as excited as she was.

LG Cosmos...

Tradition...

I am so blessed to have Sarah in my life. She's always had a heart of gold and always makes me proud. Such a beautiful, talented and smart girl! Love you Sarah!!!!

Apollo's Four!

2011-05-30T01:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm a little behind. This would have been a March event ;-)

Click on any images to view larger...

Teesha was my right hand man in creating this cake. She had never made a fondant cake before so I took her through the steps and once we finished assembling the cake she cut out the mountains and tracks and painted on the trees. Not too shabby eh?

We had celebrated Apollo's birthday earlier on his actual birthday so when the Holcomb's and Anderson's brought gifts, he was thrilled! He got an awesome button up hoody shirt and an amazing binder full of Thomas the Tank Engine trading cards, tattoos and stickers. Thanks A's and H's!!! His Uncle Duncan and Aunt Kaitlyn spoiled him by taking him to his favorite places: Casa Luna in Poulsbo and Coldstone. Then he got to pick out a train at Target. So fun!!! Thanks Nunk & Kait!!!

There's never a dull moment with my little guy around (don't let him know I said that). Thus, his very own blog: http://buddygardner.blogspot.com/. We are so grateful we were blessed with such an amazing, fun, smart and loving little guy four years ago. It was a doozie getting him here (18 hrs of labor then came 12 lb Apollo by c-section) but I wouldn't change anything 'cause I love my buddy. It's hard seeing him grow up so fast. Before I know it he'll be trotting off to Kindergarten. I know the tears are definitely going to flow out of my faucet. Cherish those moments you have with your little ones. They don't last forever.

It's tradition that we take each of our kids out seperately on their birthday to dinner. Instead of going to Red Robin (which is usually the first choice)...

...

2011-05-30T01:36:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T14:38:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T22:03:00.001-07:00

12 Miles Down 1 to Go!

2011-04-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

This time last year (or at any point in my life) I would never have believed you if you told me that I would be running a 5k.
Or a 10k.
Or a half marathon.
I would have said to you, "you're off your rocker!"

Things have changed BIG TIME and I have grown to love running and the benefits it brings.

Starting in June 2010 I trained for my first 5k using this amazing 9 week program called "Get Running" (click here for the link to the app). There was a point about 3/4 of the way through that I started doubting myself and wondered why people love running so much. Glad I got over that hump. Now I'm addicted.

After running my first 5k in September I used another app called "Bridge to 10k" (click here for app link) which is a 6 week training program for graduates of a 5k.

From there the next goal: half marathon! It's been surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. I'm using the Jeff Galloway (Olympic marathoner) RUN-WALK-RUN method. Using this method allows you to run injury free, have a quicker recovery and finish your race with a smile on your face. He has you calculate your "magic mile" to determine your pace and provides the correct run/walk ratio according to your "magic mile." The ratio I'm using right now is a run 4min/walk 1min (faster runners could be using an 8/1 ratio) while slower runners could be using a 2/1). With that little 1 minute walk break it allows me to run faster than if I ran the whole thing straight through. Then if you choose, you can run the last 1-3 miles of your run without any walk breaks. Something I've noticed with training this way is that it has improved my speed on my short runs during the week. A little added benefit. I also want to add that I have a little arthritis in my knees which makes them snap, crackle and pop. Using this training plan gives me hope that I'll be able to keep running even with my knee issues.

If you're interested, you can purchase his book on Amazon: "Half Marathon: You Can Do It." I don't own the book but have checked it out from the library and highly recommend. Lots of tips and tricks on good running form, what to eat, what to wear according to the temperature outside, etc... He has training plans for all levels of runners. The schedule I'm using is this:

If you're starting from scratch you would use this one and start according to how many miles you're up to:

I hope I've inspired somebody to "catch the fever" because it really has made my life better. Who knows... maybe one day I'll run a MARATHON!!! Hmmmm.....

After my 12 miles on Saturday I was relaxing in the sun on the waterfront as regatta practice was going on in the background:

Deadly

2011-04-07T23:19:00.000-07:00

One evening our tummies had a fever.
And the only prescription was....

Wheat Thins dipped in Cream Cheese
with Sweet Chili Sauce!!!

I'm warning you! There will be not a crumb or a swipe of the
creamy/sweet/spicy goodness left if you turn your back.

And there wasn't.

Sorry. Cell pic does not do it justice. You'll have to try it for yourself.
Mae Ploy is the brand of choice for sweet chili sauce goodness...

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2011-03-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

We've had the privilage of having my niece stay with us for the past month.
She's like a daughter to me.
She is beautiful with a heart of gold.
We're always sad to see her go.

Apollo, lying on the top of the couch, watched Teesha walk up the driveway to get in the car to leave.
With tears in his eyes and his voice he said, "Mom, I think we need to adopt Teesha!"
It broke my heart.

We miss you already sweet girl...

Projects

2011-03-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

Some posters I designed and had printed for some recent birthdays:

Honeybob's Old!!!

2011-02-28T01:26:00.000-08:00

Honeybob has one more year until he starts counting backwards.

His request for a good party:
good peeps
balloons
hot fudge brownie sundaes
and a whole lotta sass!

Happy Birthday Honeybob! You da bomb!

My Lifesaver

2011-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

I have a 12, almost 13 year old lifesaver.
She's smart.
She's beautiful.
She's kind and giving.
AND
She's always willing to help me out with Apollo.

This week I've had something going on every night.
Sarah has been quick to step right in and take care of things.

I feel bad because she hasn't had much of a break.
And she hasn't complained.

If you happen to see her, let her know how amazing she is.

I couldn't be more blessed to have such a special daughter.
I always know Apollo's in good hands.
Apollo really loves her.
And I do too!

(don't mind the dirty mirror.)

My New Babies

2011-02-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Remember this post: "Patiently Waiting for Me."

Well, I have new babies.
But they aren't what I was hoping for from my previous post.
In fact, they aren't even Asics!
They're Brooks!
I never thought I'd veer from Asics but the professionals gave me the best options for my foot type and from those three particular styles (one from Asics, Nike and Brooks), I chose these:

They felt the best over the other two.
I have 90 days if I decide they're not working out.

They have "Shoe Dog" which is a free service where they find the perfect-fitting running or walking shoes for you, reducing injuries, eliminating blisters and running in total comfort (can you tell I pulled that from their ad).

They have you run or walk barefoot on a treadmill while they videotape your feet so they're able to analyze your foot placement. They then show you the footage on a big screen and watch in slow-motion how you run/walk. They also have you stand on a pad that is heat/weight sensitive and measures the amount of weight that is distributed throughout your feet. I found that my left foot carries 45% of my weight, while my right is 55%.

For my feet, they suggested custom insoles which they mold to your feet while there and you take home immediately. They're good for 1 1/2 years and have a 30 day money back guarantee. They also have pre-made insoles that might be a better fit for some people.

I felt the custom insoles were definitely worth it since I'm training for a 1/2 marathon and I had a sore foot after my last 6.5 mile run.

So with doing the analysis, the shoes I had my heart set on would have been "over-supporting" for my feet and could have caused problems. My friends' analysis revealed that they would have been a good match for her though.

If you've never been to Road Runner, they have two locations here in Washington:

Kent Station
444 Ramsay Way, Ste 114
Kent, WA 98032
(253) 850-6200

Seattle
7020 Woodlawn Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 517-5100

Make sure you try out "Shoe Dog." It's definitely worth it.

Your feet will thank you.

School Valentine

2011-02-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

If you're in Sascha's class at school expect to get one of these with a lollipop poked through his hand.

I uploaded the pic and he designed the rest in Photoshop.
So he likes Daft Punk and Tron....
I did have him remove the tomatoes he had over his eyes.
And the Mexican hat.
I thought the mustache was cute.

Here's the pic I got the idea from.
Can't remember the site though...

Braggin' Because I Can

2011-01-29T20:57:00.000-08:00

Sarah brought this home from school the other day.
Makes for a proud parent moment.
Way to go Sarah!!!
You Rock!

Visitors!

2011-01-19T23:03:00.000-08:00

So what if this was back in December.
And toward the beginning.
I still LOVED it!
And I'm going to post it.

My S.I.L. came to visit!
Short and sweet, but better than nothing.
She lives in Utah.
LOVE YOU EM!!!
Kaitlyn got to stop by as well (another FAB S.I.L. whom I adore).
She was their (Emilee and her brother) tour guide for the day.

Feel Good Drug

2011-01-12T23:43:00.000-08:00

Another thing that emulates therapy for me is running.
It's a natural "feel good" drug.
I need my running.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I track my workouts through dailymile.
They just sent me my 2010 year end report.

It's a great motivator.
My goal for this year is to run a 1/2 marathon.
Looking for different options.
I'm open to suggestions.

My latest running gig was at Olympic High with my running buddy LaRee.
Apollo tagged along.
I made sure to bundle him in snow pants and two jackets.
Hat and mittens ended up coming off.
Little stinker.
It was only 38 degrees out!
These pics were taken after our run.
While running I was two jackets lighter.

Makeover

2011-01-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

Since I don't update my blog header monthly like I used to I thought it was time for a makeover.
It is a new year after all.
Not that I had the extra time to do it, but doing things such as these are therapeutic for me.
And I NEEDED THE THERAPY!

My Friends are Cooler Than Yours

2011-01-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

Some of us have little 3 year olds that do things like this with a Sharpie:

But not everyone has friends as cool as mine that bring their Magic Eraser's and scrub it off the walls and door for you.

AND on New Years Eve!

You guys are AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

Patiently Waiting For Me

2010-12-31T01:11:00.000-08:00

I've been keeping track of all the mileage I've put on my shoes since I started running back in June.

I started out using Map My Run which has great tools to do just what it's called, since I don't have a GPS
(I still use their maps on occasion).
Then a friend told me about Daily Mile.
It has a wall kinda like facebook to post your workouts and see everyone else's workouts too.
You can request/deny friends (like facebook).
You can post comments, pics, etc... (like facebook).
It's fun to log on to see what type of workouts (running, walking, elliptical, basketball, etc...) everyone's up to.

To get to the point.
As soon as I hit a certain mileage on these babies:

then I'll be treating myself to these babies:

Women's ASICS GEL-Kayano 16, to be exact.

So far I've put about 235 miles (at least) on my present ones.

It's recommended to replace them between 350-500 miles.

We'll see how long before I get too impatient.

If you end up going to Daily Mile, don't forget to add me as a friend ;-)

Another Milestone...Bittersweet

2010-12-27T14:04:00.000-08:00

Can't believe how fast time flies.
I have two babies.
One is 80 years old.
One is 3 years old.
Both need constant care.
(The reason why we probably won't be having anymore babies.)
My 3 year old baby had a milestone yesterday.
He GRADUATED FROM NURSERY!!!
So happy!
And sad :-(

He will miss playing with the trains in Nursery (in the background).

He will LOVE his new teacher, Sister Wilkins. Sarah had Sister Wilkins several years ago.

Oh Rufus...

2010-12-01T19:38:00.001-08:00

Can't stop listening to this song. LOVE IT!!!
"The One You Love" by Rufus Wainright

The Wind Doth Blow!

2010-11-28T00:29:00.000-08:00

Monday brought oodles of snow.
The kids were in heaven!
A little before 6pm the power went out.
We bundled up and lit some candles.
Bedtime came earlier than normal that evening.
It was an obvious way to stay warmer.
Hubby got home at 11pm.
Daylight came and we made the choice to escape.
By then the house was a frigid 41 degrees.
Our good friends, the Anderson's, took us in.
They provided us shelter.
They fed us.
They gave us a warm bed to sleep in.
They gave us a warm shower.
They gave us great company to forget our worries.
And even a little morning entertainment (you know who you are).
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
Some of the most selfless people that I know.
School was cancelled for the rest of the week.
Power outage and icy roads were the cause.
The kids didn't mind.
We returned home Wednesday afternoon.
We found a good buddy had died.
Harry.
Sarah's African dwarf frog of 4.5 years.
Froze to death.
So sad.
Completely my fault.
I should have brought him along.
We also ended up having to throw out food.
$50 worth, including a big Thanksgiving ham.
Next time I'll be smarter and figure something out.
Hopefully there won't be a next time.
It's just part of living amongst the trees that lean on power lines while the wind doth blow.
Trees that topple over and block roads.
Trees that cause transformers to explode.
We are so grateful for a warm house again.
So grateful for good health.
So grateful for our safety.
So grateful for good friends and family who care for us.
So grateful for my Savior who gives me strength in times of need.

All these pictures were taken with my cell phone.
Somebody took the batteries out of my camera when I needed them. Stinkers!

No Bribing Necessary

2010-11-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of Sascha who needed no poking or prodding in joining his school orchestra (I had to bribe him to play a piano piece in sacrament meeting while the Primary kids sang, which he did amazing with.). I haven't had to bug him once to practice his viola. I actually think he does most of it at school. It's pretty easy for him. I'm sure next year will be more challenging. Or not.

On our way out the door Apollo grabbed his camping chair stating that he needed to bring it. Yes, he's still wearing flip flops even though it's in the forties.

This was the back half of the gym. The front half is where all the chairs for the audience were set up.

Sarah grumbled when I told her she was coming (what is it with kids these days?) So she grabbed her book and this is what she did the whole time.

Sinful!

2010-11-04T00:18:00.000-07:00

As I was going through some e mails, I came across this sinfully sweet temptation that if I could get my hands on it right now, I'd be doomed for the rest of the week. Good thing it's too late and they're closed. Enjoy some eye candy:

Ski the Beav or Rent Out the Whole Stinkin' Lodge!

2010-10-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

What better place to have a family reunion than at Beaver Mountain Lodge up Logan Canyon.
This was our first Fyffe family reunion with just the siblings and our families + Mom, of course!
That's 10 Fyffe kids (all married), 24 grandkids (+ 1 hubby) and 1 great grandbaby = 47!
There were a few absent for reasons beyond their control. Grand total = 41!
Would have been even funner had those six family members been able to come.
Next time!
Beaver Mountain Lodge is a ski resort come winter.
Come summer, it's a RENTAL!!! And quite affordable when splitting it 10 ways.
Three days, two nights (which we later decided wasn't long enough) was $41.60/day.
That included the WHOLE stinkin' lodge! Definitely a steal!
Okay, so we all had to bring our own blow up mattresses and food. But STILL.

Click to view larger:

Sad panoramic I took from up above. My camera wasn't being hayv (as Sarah used to say):

And here are some shots from what the lodge looks like in full swing (from their website):

Yo Pokey, Vacay Begins

2010-10-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Back in August we were able to take a trip to Utah for a family reunion.
First stop. Pocatello, Idaho.
A nice stop along the way only leaving a two hour drive for the next day.
Kids were happy there was a big pool with a deep end.
I was happy there was a gym with a treadmill.
Steve was happy there was internet access.
We ate dinner at Five Guys Burger and Fries.
The kids swam.
We slept.
The kids swam again.
I ran.
We packed up and left.

Click to view larger:

A few pics directly from the Holiday Inn, Pocatello site:

Oh, and the best part was that I scored the room off Priceline for a sweet deal of $50!

B.A.D. is Good

2010-10-04T01:11:00.000-07:00

click to view larger:

The kids thought Jazz Band was over back in June.
Little did they know that they would be performing again at B.A.D.
(Brownsville Appreciation Days).
No rehearsal.
We packed up their music stands, music and plexi glass (so the music wouldn't blow away) and headed off to Brownsville Marina.
There was lots of entertainment, inexpensive food, free rubber dingy rides, free kayak demonstrations, kids activites and craft booths.
It was our first year going and we live right around the corner.
Next year we'll definitely go again.
Weather for the day = HOT!

Iron Girl Seattle

2010-09-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of summer a good friend of mine twisted my arm off and said she wouldn't give it back unless I agreed to run the Iron Girl Seattle 5k race with her. Realizing how useless I would be without my arm, I agreed.

So we both started our training using an amazing app called C25K (couch to 5k). I would HIGHLY recommend it. Yes, I have been a couch potato as far as exercising goes, for who knows how long. With that, the only running I can vouch for is the 7th grade track team, running the 100 meter. I was a sprinter, not a long distance runner AT ALL! Whenever we HAD to run the mile for fitness in junior high, I would always have to stop and walk for parts of it because of side aches. I hated it! In fact, I think I faked being sick more than once on the days I knew we had to run the mile.

Well, the summer training payed off and I was able to run my very first 5k race in record time! For some of you, this record time of mine may be slow, but for me it was cause for celebration. Here are the stats:

Out of 1,367 finishers for the 5k race, I was the 341st finisher.
In my age bracket I came in 67th out of 238 finishers.
My finishing time was 32:19.

It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Thanks LaRee, for lighting that fire under me.
Now into my second week of training for a 10k.
Wish me luck!

Click on picture to view larger:

The day before the race, LaRee and I checked into a hotel a couple of blocks away from the Space Needle and only about a 10 minute drive to the race at Greenlake Park. We were able to pick up our packets that day as well and even enjoyed a nice dinner at a Thai restaurant.

The morning of the race our boys drove Lindsay over (she couldn't come with us, the day before, because she had other plans) and helped with being camera men, videotographers, lockers and valet parkers. Thanks guys!!! We couldn't have done it without you.

Story Generated

2010-09-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

***this pic was not the actual pic from that day.

Last week as Scott and I took his last ferry ride over to Seattle before hopping on his plane to go back home, we spotted something curious. We saw a ferry that was stopped dead out in the middle of the Puget Sound. It looked like the Coast Guard was attached to it. I then proceeded to text my hubby about the curiousness of it all. Later on he texted me back saying thank you and that I just generated a story for the Kitsap Sun. That was a first for me! To read the story at the Kitsap Sun website CLICK HERE. You may notice they don't list my name as a credit to the story. I guess I'll live. Big sigh!

Dry Spell

2010-09-07T23:47:00.000-07:00

So there's been a little bit of a dry spell here at Gardner Villa.

That's what happens when you go on vacation and bring back

one of your favorite nephews for a few weeks of phun!

So, since Scott is still here and I'm ready to hit the sack, I'll

share with you a few morsels until I have more time to

post away all the amazingly fun memories from our summer.

Tin Grin

2010-08-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Nothing like an

ooey, gooey, stuff your face

with sweet stickiness party.

That's what Sarah chose to do

the night before she got her braces on.

So she called up her best friend from Poulsbo.

I made caramel popcorn.

Sprite was the fizzy drink of choice.

And you gotta have Sour Patch Kids.

Show me how pleased you were Sarah!

The morning fog greeted us

on our way to the orthodontist.

Killing time before Sarah's turn.

Couldn't be happier than doing puzzles.

Okay, maybe playing with his Thomas trains.

Before

Still beautiful even with braces!

Happy August!

2010-08-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

First Race Ever!

2010-07-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

I've been training to run a 5k for the past eight weeks.

I'm a total beginner at this.

The key word here is "baby steps."

I've been able to run two miles on the treadmill so far.

Since Whaling Days was last weekend,

I thought I'd take advantage of their 1-miler

before jumping right into a 5k.

Mind you, I'm very slow!

But for me, I did very well.

I cut about 1.5 minutes off my time.

Yay!

My girlfriend Monica had her camera in tow so she took a pic of me with her hubby and girls.

I loved the fact that the number they gave me was the exact time I was born: 7:09.

Not the most graceful picture of me, but thought it was cool that Monica got a pic of my time
right as I crossed the finish line. Cute Ashlyn was right behind me. She was my little running buddy.

Father's Day

2010-07-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

The kids and I made breakfast for the guys (Steve and Pops).

It consisted of hash browns, buttered english muffin, sausage, red pepper, onion

and cheese omelet, fresh strawberries and O.J.

Steve got a picture frame with his kids to proudly display on his desk at work.

We also filled some Jones' soda bottles with goodies and reasons why the kids

think their dad is so great.

The kids and I also picked some fun iPod accessories out for him.

Love you Honeybob/Dad!

It's always a little harder to pick things out for the man who says

he doesn't need/want anything. So for Pops (Steve's dad) we got a bunch

of goodies (his fav Spumoni ice cream, giant Hershey's bar, Twizzlers and Mike & Ikes)

and a card and threw in some fun gift certificates (3 of each):

Love you Pops!

I blocked out our address which used to be where the black boxes are.
Also, the round steak dinner and hamburger & onions dinners
are some of his faves. I don't buy a lot of red meat so these will
be a nice treat for him.

Happy July!

2010-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Elementary School

2010-06-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

Bittersweet.

It seems like yesterday that I was walking Sarah to the bus stop to start her first day of Kindergarten.

Where did all the time go?

She finished up her last day of elementary school on June 16th.

She's grown into such a beautiful young woman.

Much smarter than I was at her age.

More sure of herself than I was back then.

Proud parent moment witnessing such an amazing transformation.

I'm so proud of my girl.

I can't wait to see what the future holds.

I also want time to slow down so I can hold onto these moments longer.

Thank you Sarah for all the hard work you put into your elementary education.

You've made us proud!

We love you!

Mrs. Hemmersbach was Sarah's 6th grade teacher (on left). The principal was handing Sarah her graduation certificate.

Sarah was on the back row second from the left.

Monica came for the first half and left some beautiful flowers for Sarah. Thanks Mon!

Sarah biggest fan also came:

Killing Time...

2010-06-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Last week Sarah was able to attend basketball camp at Klahowya middle school. It was two hours each day so the boys and I had some time to kill.

Four out of the five days we hung out at Silverdale Elementary which has a nice blacktop with activities (basketball, hopscotch, etc...), a playground and walking track. I took advantage of the track on one of the days and did my run. We even packed a little lunch each day.

Click on pics to view larger

Don't mind that my boys are due for haircuts.

A little pink and purple never hurt anyone...

A couple of the days we scouted out Scenic Beach in Seabeck. Loved it!

On our way there we had to stop and say hi to Mr. Deer who greeted us.

Cool tree stump that resembles a....

May Day, May Day! Part 1

2010-06-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few things we tackled in the days of May:

Batting Cages at The Zone Sportsplex in Poulsbo.

Daddy and Apollo

aye, batter-batter, sah-weenga!

Sascha was an amazing hitter! Hardly missed a ball.

Honeybob wasn't too bad himself. This IS his favorite sport after all.

I've been known to put down a few m'self.

What was Sarah doing? Being observant.

The Holcombs (minus Errol and Lindsay) joined in the fun.

pictured below: Sydney and LaRee:

Afterwards Steve and the kids kicked around the soccer ball for some exercise while LaRee and I exercised our voice boxes.

Trip to Canada.

My nephews Talon & Takoda got baptized by their brother Keenan.

My sister and her handsome family (minus Hayden who was off to college).

The twins actually got baptized on their birthday. My sis and I made them cakes.

Earlier in the day we went to the Temple Youth Celebration in Langley, BC. The following day we would be attending the dedication for the Vancouver LDS Temple. Here's the nice box seats we had which were directly across from President Monson.

Me, Sarah, Malachi and Sascha.

My sis, her hubby and the twins had tickets for down below. They're circled on the right. My niece was in the performance. She's circled down below. Click on pic to view larger.

Bevin, Takoda, Talon and Dolly.

Here's the best I could get of my niece, Montana:

Here's President Monson and President Uchtdorf. They were looking up at the big screen.

Here they are sitting up in their balcony, directly across from us:

Here's the replica of the Vancouver Temple that they hoisted up at the end of the performances. Pres. Monson up top and Montana, down below are circled:

May Day, May Day! Part 2

2010-06-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

May events part 2:

Jazz band at Olympic High.

Sarah and Sascha are circled.

The Anderson's came to show their support. Thanks guys!

Jazz Band at the Poulsbo and Kingston Farmer's Markets.

It was a little chilly and wet. Sarah woke up sick so only Sascha was performing. (click to view larger)

We had some lovely guests. Duncan and Kaitlyn were so kind to wake up early and brave the chill. Thanks guys! Don't mind that Apollo's ear is cut off. It's a panoramic and it didn't get aligned especially well. I do love panormics though. You can get everyone in the pic.

You can have a little fun with panoramics too:

Thought this looked yummy. I resisted though.

Apollo spent a good part of the time climbing up and down the rocks. Sometimes with Daddy's help.

And here they are in Kingston down by the ferry terminal. Afterwards we grabbed some lunch at Teriyaki Delight with Duncan and Kaitlyn. It was great being with them again.

My Birthday

These are the only pics I have from my birthday. This is the beautiful cake my hubby made me. And boy was it DELISH!!! He and the kids spoiled me. We went out to dinner the day before (adults only) with some friends and family at Fujiyama. So yum! Thanks everyone! I was treated like a queen.

Other pic from my bday. Not sure why these didn't turn out so great. hmmmm.

May Day, May Day! Part 3

2010-06-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

May events part 3

Cubs

Sascha got to lead his pack in the flag ceremony at pack meeting.

Sarah's school project: IOG (Image of Greatness)

This is a big project involving lots of research and writing up reports, followed by several oral presentations to fellow classmates, students from other classes and finally, parents. They even got to dress as the character they chose and brought in a favorite food of that character for a grand feast. It was a huge deal and all the kids were glad when it was over. Presentations lasted a week long. Sarah chose a famous artist. I can't think of her name.

I got to help out with setting up the food in the library. Mostly desserts as you can imagine. I didn't mind ;-) Especially since we go to eat as well.

click to view larger

A picture I took before going in for the presentations to the parents.

Apollo Super Boy!

Yes! He was super in May.

Happy June!

2010-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Love You, Dad

2010-05-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

The headstone reads: We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction. That we may all sit down in heaven together.

~Lucy Mack Smith.

Today is a special day where we remember those who've passed before us.

Especially those who have died while protecting our freedoms.

I'm so grateful for the unselfish service of those men and women who have given me the abundant life that I have today. And for their families who've supported and loved them. My heart goes out to you.

I've lost a few close family members, but the closest is my Dad. He died at the young age of 54 when I was just 19 years old and my younger brothers were 15, 13 and 8. We were the only ones left at home when he passed away. My 6 older siblings were off and married.

A few favorite memories of my dad are:

He was an amazing accomplished pianist. While growing up he would practice for 4 hours each day! His piano teacher was the famous Reid N. Nibley (brother of Hugh Nibley), who wrote the LDS song, "I Know My Father Lives." I loved hearing my dad play the piano each morning before he left for work. He would start with his scales and move onto several different pieces he was working on at the time. My mom was an accomplished vocalist and together my parents would create beautiful music, sometimes even holding their own concerts in our home. My parents taught us to love music. And I did. My dad would play piano pieces from Rogers and Hammerstein while I stood next to him singing tunes from The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, Cinderella, etc... My parents always encouraged me to try out for musicals, but I was always too shy. They were in several of them.

My dad was a very knowledgeable man. He was always devouring books. He also loved going on long drives, usually up in the canyon to the Uintah's or Park City or the Alpine Loop. I had a few nice long drives alone with my dad. I'll never forget the time just he and I drove to California from SLC without any air conditioner, in the SUMMER in my brother's little Honda Civic. THE WORST!!! But those times were also the best. It was a chance for my dad and I to really talk. And oh boy did he have some pretty deep thoughts. For example, did people really live longer way back when (you know, people who lived to be 400+ years old), or was it that the earth was rotating faster, causing the days to be much shorter?
Deep thoughts.

My dad wasn't a very warm and fuzzy guy. I did see him kiss and hug my mom on occasion, and he would give us hugs after family prayer. But he wasn't one to go out of his way to be affectionate. He liked to tease occasionally. Some of our friends growing up were even afraid of him. He just wasn't a very approachable guy, even as talented and smart as he was. Something I find peculiar is that he was raised as an only child and then he later ended up having 10 kids!!! With that, I was blessed to have a very special experience with my dad in his last days.

I'll try to be brief:

My Mom had been in the hospital (1st time ever, except for childbirth) for about a week with fluid around her heart. On the evening he brought her back home he pulled me into their bedroom and we had a heart to heart. Just my dad and I. He shared with me how much he loved my mom and how grateful he was that they were sealed in the temple so they could be together for eternity. He told me how much he loved me and everyone in our family. I felt very touched by his kind words. Little did I know that I would be checking my mom back into the hospital the very next day with blood clots in her legs, and then later that evening my dad would come straight to the hospital from work after we phoned him that my mom was back in. And somewhere along his journey down he would suffer a stroke, but would still be able to walk all the way up to my mom's hospital room, dip his finger into my mom's cream pie and smear it onto his cheek, almost making it into his mouth. He would then slouch into the chair next to my mom's hospital bed. I would then call the nurses in and follow them down to the ER with my dad strapped into a wheelchair. I would then check my dad into the hospital.

And he would end up dying the next day in the ICU.

I'm so grateful for my dad and the lessons that he taught me. For loving music. For keeping my mind constantly learning. But most of all, for his testimony of eternal families. I look forward to the time when I will get to wrap my arms around him again.

I LOVE YOU, DAD!

This is an actual signature from my dad. He always signed his letters to my mom like this. Je t'aime means I love you in French. And yes, that is where he served his mission:

Here are a few fun pictures from way back when:

The whole Fyffe fam minus Duncan who was still up in heaven:

Dad holding David. Memo (grandma) holding the twins Dolly and Dorie. Donnie and Debbie.

Dad with everyone from above, minus Memo. Just thought this was a cute one:

Dad with the three oldest, Donnie, Debbie and David:

Amazing pic of my folks with the three oldest. Unfortunately it's a little damaged. You get the picture:

My parents with the five oldest. The two dark haired girls are cousins:

Dad starting David at a young age:

The whole Fyffe fam. And yes, sportin' some sweet pastels. It was the '80's. We were IN!

If you're interested, here's a video I made a while back of some old family photos. But more importantly, the background music is a piano piece played by my dad at my grandma's funeral.
It was her favorite piece he used to play.

Etude in E Major.

It starts out slow, then picks up about halfway through.

May Projects

2010-05-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Projects galore in May!

On a recent visit up to Canada, I gave each of the McMullin's a mug with their name on it, using my vinyl cutter:

A certain few got t-shirts I'd been meaning to make:

From a recent visit to Washington, Bevin clued me in that I needed to make my sis a shirt that says, "Dolly Mama." So I found this pic:

And created this one:

My cute nephews LOVE soccer and are champion players! Here are Takoda and Talon's shirts using this original:

And coming up with these:

Here's the original I used for Malachi's:

And my creation. Notice the sweet verbiage at the bottom:

For Mother's Day I made up a schlew of cards for my momma using my QuicKutz Sillhouette SD machine, which I LOVE. A little more time consuming considering the volume (62 total), but they turned out quite nicely. If you're a Fyffe or married to one or even a child of one, expect to see one of these in the mail around your birthday:

My good friend Monica's birthday falls one week before mine. We were even born the same year! She loves Carrie Underwood. So I took this album cover:

And made Monica into a ravishing blonde (on her own t-shirt):

A while back I came across this quote and immediately thought of Monica. It fits her to the tee. So I also made this for her:

A special person in Monica's (and all the Anderson's) life is Johnny boy. He recently turned 30 and she asked that I make a shirt for him that they could give to him on their trip to Vegas (click here to view her blog of the Vegas trip). He had never been so that was their gift. He is in LOVE with Nascar and Jeff Gordon, so this is what I started with:

And this is what came of it:

And finally, Monica's daughter Baylee was also born in May. She LOVES the Princess and the Frog. I used this pic:

and created this one, putting it on a t-shirt:

I also made her a cake. You must give credit to Sascha for making the amazing frog on the cake. He's got great skilz! FYI, the bib on the frog reads: YUM. Pardon the Happy Birthday sign. I'd never painted on dried gum paste (very rough surface) and it wasn't a pretty sight. I couldn't waste it though. Maybe next time I'll try an edible marker or something...Click here to view pics from Baylee's celebration at Anderson Clan.

Viola:

How Could You!

2010-05-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

For the past 5 1/2 months I've been doing the

Biggest Loser Challenge that was spearheaded

by my good friend Tristalene.

I've done well, but could do better.

Maybe if I exercised?

Maybe if I really payed

attention before stuffing my face full of

junk food thinking I'll do better tomorrow.

I will give myself a pat on the back for coming

in 3rd place overall last season (season 3).

My sis Debbie came in 1st!!!! She's AWESOME!

Steve was supposed to be in the top three with us.

Season 4, right honey?

Season 4 started on May 3rd and since then, I've

gained 1 pound each week.
It didn't help that I recently celebrated my
Birthday

and

Mother's Day.

Excuses, excuses....

So now is the time to get back on the saddle.

To say enough is enough!

Get my big lazy booty on that treadmill and watch

everything I stuff into my mouth.

Look out people!
I just may be the next

BIGGEST LOSER of Season 4!!!!

A Well Deserved Award

2010-05-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I received a

text,

an e mail

and then a phone call.

It was Honeybob with some great news!

His story took first place in a Scripps Howard journalism contest!

Here's what was said:

FEATURE WRITING: Resolutions are broken as easily as they're made. People vow to exercise, then don't. They pledge to save, but spend. They promise to be more modest, yet boast. Writer Steven Gardner of the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton, Wash., examined the phenomenon of conversion, but did it through local residents who told their stories of transformation. Beyond recounting their fascinating individual experiences, he also included experts in theology, spirituality and mental health to help explain the key elements of conversion. Gardner's feature was beautifully reported and written. It was touching, but also smart and informative. For all these reasons, he wins the Feature Writing award for small newspapers.

Click Here to view his winning story at the Kitsap Sun website.

Congratulations on a very well-deserved award Honeybob!

I suppose I can now forgive you

for

going out of the spelling bee

the word...

Labyrinth.

Happy May!

2010-05-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

All That Jazz

2010-04-29T02:23:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Sascha had their very first jazz band performance on Tuesday evening at Klahowya Secondary School. They're in a 5th/6th grade jazz band. There were five other performances from different junior high bands from the area.

Getting ready to perform:

Sarah is walking to the piano on the left. Sascha is in the middle back on the keyboard (he played the bass sound).

Click on any of the pictures to view larger.

Sarah fixing her hair before showtime:

Sascha was a little nervous, but did amazing:

Nice, big crowd:

And action:

And now for some footage.

"Switcherooni" part 1

Listen for Sarah on the piano and Sascha on the bass in all the videos:

"Switcherooni" part 2

Zoomed in so you can actually see them:

Their jazz band instructor, Jeremy Faxon, introducing "Homework Blues."

"Homework Blues"

Mr. Faxon using some sweet arm signals (it's really an art...lol!)and then about halfway through the video the song starts:

We're so proud of you Sarah and Sascha! Way to go!!!

Can't wait to hear your next performance!

Catsup

2010-04-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

I decided that as I get farther and farther behind in blog posts, I'll start naming these particular ones "catsup." Yes, it is also the name of a condiment, and it's also spelled "ketchup." Since I'm a Fyffe, I'm sticking to the goofier spelling.

With that, here is the latest "catsup,"

which is filed in January 2010.

CLICK HERE to view

"January Projects"

A Beautifully Written Piece

2010-04-14T00:37:00.000-07:00

My wonderful Honeybob wrote a beautiful piece that has touched many people's hearts as they're dealing with the loss of a great friend, Michael Pitcher.

Here is the link to his blog post on the Kitsap Sun site:

http://pugetsoundblogs.com/south-kitsap/2010/04/13/mourning-healing-and-remembering/

Michael Pitcher's Obituary

2010-04-13T01:02:00.000-07:00

Michael Summerhays Pitcher

of Bremerton

July 14, 1979

to April 5, 2010

Bremerton resident and local business owner Michael Summerhays Pitcher, loving husband and father, returned home to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father on April 5, 2010. He suffered fatal injuries as the result of a fall from a tree he had just limbed. Gratefully, his passing was brief and pain-free.

He was born July 14, 1979 in Bremerton, Washington, to Frank Lee and Sandra Summerhays Pitcher. Michael loved animals, once aspiring to be a veterinarian. On one occasion he surprised his mother by bringing home a lost parrot. As a youth he enjoyed playing soccer, t-ball, basketball, baseball, and eventually played for the Olympic High School soccer team. He graduated from Olympic High School in 1997 as a Trojan Scholar and was an Eagle Scout. Following his graduation he faithfully served a two-year proselyting and service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Antofagasta, Chile. He married his high school sweetheart, Tabitha Hill, daughter of Charles and Penny Hill on May 26th, 2001, in the Seattle Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had one son, Matthew Frank Hill Pitcher. Tabitha preceded Michael in death on December 1st, 2002.

Michael was blessed to find love once again and married Michelle Claire Hoyle of Kingston, daughter of Gary and Jolayne Kearns Hoyle currently of Santaquin, UT on August 9th, 2003 in the Seattle Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Michael enjoyed playing the piano and singing with his wife Michelle. He served as his church’s congregational organist, as the primary children’s pianist, and was an active participant in the choir. He also played the trumpet and loved to dance.

He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Management, even representing the university at national arborist competitions. He was a Certified Arborist, Aqua Certified, Certified Applicator, was a member of the International Society of Arboriculture. He owned Allstar Landscape Services LLC also known as Allstar Tree and Landscape. Michael was a member of the Silverdale BNI business networking group which association brought a great deal of encouragement and camaraderie. He loved his work and enjoyed the beauties of nature. He was at home with trees. He was grateful that the community appreciated his hard work in all types of weather.

His eternal perspective and faith in families being forever guided him in all he did. For these reasons he made eternal covenants in the LDS temple which bind families together for time and all eternity and he kept his covenants. Michael was always concerned about others more than himself and loved to be of service. The three biggest priorities of Michael’s life were family, faith, and his profession. He was successful in all. He had an engaging personality, a happy heart, and a bright smile which lit up the room. He accomplished much in such a short time and will be missed by many. He was well loved by all members of his extended family and numerous friends.

He is survived by his wife Michelle Claire Hoyle Pitcher and children Matthew, 7, Cayden, 5, Ashlynn, 4, and Wesley, 1; parents Frank Lee and Sandy Pitcher of Bremerton; sisters Allison (David) Norman of Clearfield UT, Marianne (Steve) Asay of Quincy WA, Emilee (Nathan) Cleaver of Poulsbo WA Sarah (Joseph) Keyes of Oak Harbor WA and brother Mark (Jessica) Pitcher of Provo UT. Preceding him in death were his wife Tabitha Hill Pitcher and brother Frank Summerhays Pitcher.

There will be a public viewing held at 12 noon Saturday April 17 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Silverdale Stake Center, 9256 Nels Nelson Road NW (north of the Kitsap County Fairgrounds) with a memorial service at 1 p.m. The public is invited. Interment will be at Miller-Woodlawn Cemetery in Bremerton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made on behalf of Michelle and the children to the Michael Pitcher Memorial Fund at any branch of Wells Fargo or Wachovia. Please e-mail any memories of Michael to aimers23@yahoo.com or mail them to Amy Allen at 3822 S 8140 W Magna, UT 84044 by April 30th to be compiled into a memory book for the children.

Never Without a Smile---Michael Pitcher

2010-04-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

Our thoughts and prayers have been/are with the beloved Pitcher family, here in our own Brownsville Ward, who lost their husband/father/son/brother last week in a tragic accident. He has touched the lives of many, including ours, and will continue to do so through his loving family.

I don't think I ever saw him without a huge smile on his face. We were blessed to have him as our home teacher for a while. He was such a kind-hearted and tender person. My favorite memory of Mike was watching him play the piano in Primary and how passionate he was about it. He was so animated and entertaining as he played. I could totally feel of his love for his calling and for the children. I remember him expressing to me how he so wanted to quit piano when he was younger. He said he was forever thankful to his parents who made him stick with it. With that, I can see why. The whole Pitcher family, including Mike's wife Michelle, are very musically talented.

Below is a piece pulled directly from the Kitsap Sun from last weeks newspaper:

BREMERTON —
Michael Pitcher, the landscaper who died Monday after falling from a tree he was limbing, cherished his work and family.

The 30-year-old Bremerton man was the son of longtime Bremerton dentist Frank Lee Pitcher and his wife Sandy, and the middle of seven children.

Pitcher started a landscaping business right after his 1997 graduation from Olympic High School, where he was an Eagle Scout and Trojan Scholar. He served a two-year mission in Chile for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in landscape management. A certified arborist, Pitcher owned Allstar Landscape Services in Silverdale.

“He loved his landscaping company,” Michael’s mother, Sandy, said in a phone interview Tuesday. “He died doing what he loved, and that was working with trees.”

In 2001, Pitcher married Tabitha Hill, and they had a son Matthew. Tabitha was killed in a car accident near Yakima on Dec. 1, 2002. Michael married Michelle Hoyle in 2003 and they had three more children. Matthew is 7, Cayden 5, Ashlynn 4 and Wesley 1 1/2.

“The most important thing to him was his family,” Sandy Pitcher said. “He worked very hard to be a good father and husband.”

Pitcher loved to play the piano. He especially enjoyed teaming with wife Michelle, who sings beautifully, Sandy Pitcher said.

Michael’s mother described him as a “tenderhearted and compassionate” man.

“He accomplished a lot in his short life,” she said.

Grief and The Atonement

2010-04-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

While listening to the Sunday morning session of General Conference one of the talks that really impressed me was "Turn to the Lord," by Elder Donald L. Halstrom.

Click here to view the whole talk. You'll be glad you did!

He spoke about tragedy and how making one mere choice about how we deal with it can turn our life onto a whole different path. Below are some stories and points that stood out to me:

"Many years ago, I observed a heartbreak—which became a tragedy. A young couple was nearing the delivery of their first child. Their lives were filled with the anticipation and excitement of this monumental experience. During the delivery, complications arose and the baby died. Heartbreak turned to grief, grief turned to anger, anger turned to blame, and blame turned to revenge toward the doctor, whom they held fully responsible. Parents and other family members became heavily involved, together seeking to ruin the reputation and the career of the physician. As weeks and then months of acrimony consumed the family, their bitterness was extended to the Lord. “How could He allow this horrible thing to occur?” They rejected the repeated efforts of Church leaders and members to spiritually and emotionally comfort them and, in time, disassociated themselves from the Church. Four generations of the family have now been affected. Where once there were faith and devotion to the Lord and His Church, there has been no spiritual activity by any family member for decades."

He then went on and told another story on the opposite end of the spectrum:

"My paternal grandparents had two children, a son (my father) and a daughter. After serving a mission and military service in Hawaii, my father returned to the islands in 1946 to establish himself professionally and raise his family. His parents lived in Salt Lake City, as did his sister. She married in 1946 and four years later was expecting a child. There is something very special for parents to anticipate a daughter (in this instance an only daughter) giving birth for the first time. No one knew that she was carrying twins. Sadly, she and the twins all died during childbirth."

"My grandparents were heartbroken. Their grief, however, immediately turned them to the Lord and His Atonement. Without dwelling on why this could happen and who might be to blame, they focused on living a righteous life. My grandparents never had wealth; they were never among the socially elite; they never held high position in the Church—they were simply devoted Latter-day Saints."

"After retiring professionally in 1956, they moved to Hawaii to be with their only posterity. The ensuing decades found them loving their family, serving in the Church, and mostly, they just enjoyed being together. They never liked being apart and even spoke of whoever died first finding a way to help them reunite soon. Nearing their 90th birthdays and after 65 years of marriage, they passed away within hours of each other by natural causes. As their bishop, I conducted their double funeral."

"The faithfulness of Grandpa Art and Grandma Lou, especially when faced with difficulty, has now influenced four generations that have followed. Directly and profoundly, it affected their son (my father) and my mother when my parents’ own daughter, their youngest child, died due to complications caused by giving birth. At 34 years of age, she passed away 10 days after childbirth, leaving 4 children, 10 days to 8 years old. With the example that they had seen in the previous generation, my parents—without hesitation—turned to the Lord for solace."

"Throughout the world and among the membership of the Church, there is great joy and great pain. Both are part of the plan. Without one, we cannot know the other. “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25) and “for it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11) are not contradictory; they are complementary. In describing how he felt when he turned to the Lord, Alma the Younger said, “My soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain” (Alma 36:20)."

"If you feel you have been wronged—by anyone (a family member, a friend, another member of the Church, a Church leader, a business associate) or by anything (the death of a loved one, health problems, a financial reversal, abuse, addictions)—deal with the matter directly and with all the strength you have. “Hold on thy way” (D&C 122:9); giving up is not an option. And, without delay, turn to the Lord. Exercise all of the faith you have in Him. Let Him share your burden. Allow His grace to lighten your load. We are promised that we will “suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ” (Alma 31:38). Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually."

"His most exemplary act, the Atonement, required Jesus to descend “below all things” (D&C 88:6) and suffer “the pains of all men” (2 Nephi 9:21). Thus we understand the Atonement has broader purpose than providing a means to overcome sin. This greatest of all earthly accomplishments gives the Savior the power to fulfill this promise: “If ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence . . . , if ye do this, he will . . . deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 7:33)."

"As we commemorate this Easter morning, let us turn to the Lord, our “bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16). I testify He will forever light our way, our truth, and our life (see John 14:6), in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

AMEN!

Nice Dye Job

2010-04-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon between General Conference sessions the eggs were calling for their dye:

The Gardner children came to their rescue:

Every year I make my:

Just as General Conference was starting for the Sunday morning session, the boys found Easter goodies to be had. Sarah, still recovering from health issues, was sleepily, slumbering away.

This handsome couple watched General Conference with us:

Later on we had an early Easter dinner with more family and friends (including Steve's brother Jim from Hawaii and LaRee's Dad, brother and nephew from Oregon). We had a fabulous time and it was so great seeing everyone.

Click on the pic below to view larger (for some reason LaRee's nephew Logan didn't get in this pic. hmmmmm....):

I didn't take many pics during the day so here are a few random ones I did take:

To view a few extra pics taken by Kaitlyn, click here.

Thanks everyone for a great day!!!

There's Sickness in the Air, People Dying Everywhere...

2010-04-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago illness began to ravage our home.

It all started with Sarah waking up one morning in tears because of ear pain. I gave her some Tylenol and a heating pad to ease her pain. Within an hour both of her eardrums ruptured. Nothing I wasn't versed in already since she's gone through this before as a wee young lassie. Later on we ended up taking her into Prompt Care from the pain being so great, only to find that both of her ears were infected. I also noticed her right eye was starting to swell. They paid no attention.

The following morning Sarah awoke to her eye being swollen completely shut. Back to the doctor we went, but this time to her own pediatrician. The diagnosis: periorbital cellulitis. He let us know how serious of an infection this was and said that had we not come in as quickly as we did, she probably would have been hospitalized with orbital cellulitis. ***I have to add how caring and sweet her doctor was. He reached over and gave her a hug and kissed her forehead after explaining what was going to happen. After realizing how serious this was, Sarah had no complaints about getting the injections (in her rear...ouch!) she would endure for three days in a row. Although she did express how the medication actually going into her bloodstream stung much more than the needle poking into her skin. On that first day she had to get blood cultures done as well. THAT was difficult for her since she was very weak to begin with and they had to draw large amounts of blood.

Pictures taken each day at the doctors office:

It wasn't until day 4 that she was able to open her eye a little bit. It took a few more days after that for her to completely open her eye.

Watching Sarah go through this has been heart-wrenching for me, from all the pain and suffering she has endured. A parent never wants to see their child have to go through ANY pain. I would have much rather gone through it for her. I know there's a reason for everything. Lessons to learn. With that, I feel as though this experience has drawn me closer to Sarah and my love for her has grown even more than it was before. I was also reminded of how much my Heavenly Father loves me and how much it must have pained him to see His son, Jesus Christ suffer as He did in the Garden of Gethsemane.

It was all part of the plan and He knew it had to be done.

I'm so grateful for all of my blessings.

For the returning health of Sarah.

For my three healthy children.

For my husband.

For

ALL

that

have.

Life is good.

Happy April!

2010-04-03T00:04:00.000-07:00

With a new month comes a new blog title.

Verily:

These Fingers

2010-03-15T00:46:00.000-07:00

You know what's so cool about these 4th grade fingers?

They auditioned for a 5th/6th grade jazz band with only a moments notice (1 hour of practicing through all the pieces).

What became of it?

Check out the boy in the bottom left corner at the piano:

Proud parent moment.

Way to go Sascha!!!

***disclaimer: one of his best buddies (also in the 4th grade) also made it, making them the only two 4th graders in a class of about 50 students. They are alternating playing the piano and bass (which is actually a keyboard with the bass sound).

Stay tuned for performance updates.

Apollo's Three!

2010-03-08T23:59:00.000-08:00

Three years ago today history was made.

I gave birth to a toddler!

Bragging rights are always in order for me in this department.
My double Whopper (no single here) weighed in at 12 pounds.
I'm sure you've heard it all before, but read the previous sentence.
Yeah, braggin' rights... 8-)

So... I don't want to make anybody jealous, but this is what I looked like the day before I went into labor (taken by my momma just after I hopped out of the shower).
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful...

What's that you say? I looked like I was having twins?
Yes, I know... braggin' rights.
Please pay no attention to the sloppily doctored photo though.
I was only wearing a tank top and it was showing m'G's. Geez!

End result: Very healthy baby boy:

The picture below was my first meeting with my sweet little guy.

It was a whole day later before I got to meet him because I was so sick from being in labor for about 18 hours and then having a c-section and then him being so big and all the drugs they pumped through me, etc...

Sarah was so excited to meet her new brother:

This is what happens when you have tons of fluids pumped through you.

I know, you're jealous again:

The nurse below requested to carry Apollo out.

She wanted that special privilege of escorting "The toddler" out to the car.

He was a big hit in the maternity ward.

Notice how they made me walk myself out.

At least they gave me a wheel chair to hold onto.

After we got home Sascha very carefully gave him a try...

Happy Birthday Apollo!

We love you so much and couldn't be more pleased with who you are and the sweet spirit you bring into our home.
Thanks for keeping us laughing and in awe at all that you do.

Here's to many more happy and healthy birthdays!!!

To view an awesome post of Duncan and Kaitlyn spoiling Apollo for his birthday, click here.

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-03-06T01:22:00.000-08:00

In case you can't tell from my new blog header, Spring has sprung! I'm in heaven with seeing all the blossoms and flowers and foliage.

This is my favorite season (along with Summer and Fall...lol) here in the Northwest for the sheer fact that after a long, gray winter my days are now being painted full of color and sunshine.

No complaints here.

This is actually very unusual that we've sprung so early. Must be El Niño (a climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean on average every five years, but over a period which varies from three to seven years, and is therefore, widely and significantly, known as "quasi-periodic).

So along with the photos that are in my new header for March, I took all of these pictures in my yard today (minus the one of Apollo and his chalk & unless otherwise specified).

ENJOY!

Special surprise for me today. My camelia is in bloom!!! These have always reminded me of painting the roses red in Alice in Wonderland.

Camelia close-up:

Not sure what this is called, but they're beautiful:

Our native fern. Green year-round, but thought it was pretty:

Grape hyacinth from a Gnomes viewpoint:

Sarah's favorite flower when she was a wee young lassie. These things pop up year round unfortunately. At least they're a nice cheery color:

Yay! My rhododendron! One of my favorites:

Cute Apollo standing in front of our big azaela bush we transplanted a few years ago. It's doing quite nicely don't you think? This particular pic was taken with my cell phone. I ended up texting it to some of my peeps:

That same azaela bush up close:

I wish I knew the name of this, but I don't. It's highly fragrant though and in a good way:

These are not in our yard, but a few houses down. Popcorn popping!

Our tulips are on their way. Don't mind the weeds. Somehow I missed these when I weeded a couple of weeks ago:

These daffodils aren't ours, but pretty darn close to our property line:

Gaeng Masaman (Curry Masaman)

2010-03-02T01:21:00.000-08:00

My younger brother Dallin, who went on his mission to Thailand, gave me this recipe for Thai Curry. He made it for us once when he came up for a visit and I fell in love instantly. He noticed the affection I had for it and sent a little care package to us for Christmas with all the ingredients (minus the perishables). I will add pictures of some of the ingredients in case you're wondering exactly what to look for when you head out tomorrow (or later today) to go buy them.

Now, prepare to be blown away with utter heaven-in-your-mouth yumminess ...

Gaeng Masaman (Curry Masaman)

Ingredients:

1- 19 oz. can coconut milk (see pic below)
1/2 can water
1/4 cup Masman paste (add more if you like it more spicy)
1/2 cup peanuts (I tried it with dry-roasted too and it was yum)
1/4 cup fish sauce (see pic below)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of Knorr chicken broth powder mix (I used McCormick chicken base from Costco instead since it was already open in my fridge)(see pic below)
4-5 potatoes (cubed into about 1" pieces)
1 yellow onion (I used white, since that's what I prefer) (cut into about 1" squares or however you prefer)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chunks of soft beef)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I didn't add any and it was perfect!)

Pour coconut milk and water into a pot and bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Mix in curry paste. ***tip: you can take some of the coconut milk mixture and mix it into the Masman paste to ensure it is all dissolved.
Add the peanuts to soften them up a bit.
Add fish sauce, sugar and chicken broth powder to mixture.
At this point, taste the curry and if it's too milky, put a little more water in it. Add more sugar to soften the taste a bit if needed (you'll know what I mean), but not too much (you don't want it to taste like candy now!). If you need it more salty, add a little more fish sauce to taste. If it's not spicy enough, add more Masman paste.
Once you have the taste how you like it, add the potatoes and onions to the mix (I added carrots too)
Bring the heat up to medium/high.
Slice the chicken into about 1/4" thick slices and about 1 1/2" long. Add to mixture and let simmer on medium/high until the chicken pieces are cooked through (I think it took about 10 minutes).
Turn heat to medium/low and keep cooking until your vegetables are to your desired tenderness.

Gin Hai Dee-Dee! (bon appetite!)

Do I have "FOOL" written on my forehead?

2010-03-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

I just came across this e mail a few minutes ago.

I HAD to post it.

Does this person honestly think that someone would fall for such a bogus business proposal?!?

Okay, maybe the VERY naive.

I guess they have an ounce of hope for swindling money.

But seriously...

Business Proposal,

My name is Sgt.David Brock I am an American soldier with Swiss background, serving in the military with the army's 3rd infantry division based in Iraq/Baghdad. With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of($ 25 Million U.S. Dollars ) Twenty Five Million United State Dollars to you, as far as I can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there are no danger involved.

Source Of Money: Some money in various currencies was discovered in barrels at a farmhouse near one of Saddam's old palaces in Ticket-Iraq during a rescue operation, and it was agreed by staff Sgt Kenneth buff and I that some part of this money be shared among both of us before informing anybody about it since both of us saw the money first. No Compensation can make up for the risk we have taken with our lives in this hell hole. Of which my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there are no danger involved. Kindly indicate your interest in assisting me as well as

Providing the following information to facilitate the smooth conclusion of the consignment fund delivery to your door step.

1) Your Full Name:
2) Your Address:
3) Your Age And Occupation:
4) Your Mobile Telephone Number:
5) Your Direct Email Address:
6) Your Fax Number:
7) The Name of the Closest Airport to your City of Residence:
8) Your country and your present location:

One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this misinformation to facilitate the smooth conclusion of the consignment fund delivery to your door step. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with anybody, should you have reasons to reject this offer, please and please destroy this message as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us soldier? here in Iraq. I do not know how long we will remain here, and I have been shot, wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help, I honestly want this matter to be resolved immediately, please contact me as soon as possible my only way of communication email.I Also want you to tell me how much you will take from this money for the assistance you will give to me. God Bless You As You Help Out In This Transaction.

Sgt.David Brock.

Go Crushers!

2010-02-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

These are warm-up shots that were taken before a game a couple of weeks ago on my cell phone, thus the quality, or lack of.

This is Sarah’s first year of playing organized basketball and she’s playing on a team of girls who've all played before. Over the weeks she has continued to improve.

Tonight the substitute coach (her coach is out of town on business) walked up to her before the game and told her she was going to be playing a lot that night (she usually only gets to play for a few minutes each game).

Sure enough, within about five minutes into the game Sarah went in as a substitute. Shortly after she went in a teammate passed her the ball near the baseline. Sarah turned around, shot and scored her first basket of the season! She also got a steal, which was really awesome because you could see she was watching where the other player was going to pass it. Sarah moved into place and snagged the ball and passed it right away to the team’s point guard, Elena.

Of course, the most important part is her team won 40-22. They all played really well. The Crushers, Sarah’s team, were incredibly aggressive on defense and tonight a ref said there seemed to be a jump ball every 30 seconds. All the girls are doing really well and improving. They lost their first two games, the first one by one point and the second one by two. They’ve won four since, by pretty big margins and lost a pretty lopsided one, too (every one of those girls were strong players and amazing shooters).

They’re great kids and it was fun to see Sarah’s teammates so excited for her tonight, going out of their way to congratulate her on her game. One of her teammates scored 16 points. Another one was her usual dervish self on the floor stealing the ball every instant and throwing up an impressive frozen rope. All but one player scored (that player almost did though).

Way to make your parents proud Sarah!!!

These are pics taken a few weeks ago at Olympic High where Sarah's team got to scrimmage with another team during half-time of the Oly girls senior varsity team.

We were pleasantly surprised to see Lindsay there (her jr. varsity team played just before the senior varsity) rootin' on the Olympic Trojans!

After Sarah's scrimmage she got to come sit with us and enjoy watching the much older girls play.

Lindsay painted Apollo's face to show team spirit for the Trojans. She even took him over to play on some of the snare drums of the band members. Apollo was in HEAVEN! Peek-a-boo Honeybob... 8-)

Happy Birthday Honeybob!

2010-02-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

48 years ago today, history was made...

Some words to describe Honeybob:

caring, loving, loyal, trusting, funny, handsome,
patient, kind, helpful, thoughtful, honest, intelligent,
witty, passionate, down to earth, kind, creative,
easy going, fair, and compassionate,
just to name a few.

Here's to YOU Honeybob!!!
Hope you have an amazing day!
I LOVE YOU!!!

Nobody can say it better than Stevie:

Oh Rufus....

2010-02-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

I got my hopes up.

I was informed that Rufus Wainright was coming to the Seattle Symphony this November.

Not so.

It was last November of 2009.

Oh Rufus...

Wish you were coming THIS year.

If you are, I'll BE there!

But since you probably aren't, I'll just watch your amazing vids on YouTube.

Here's one I'd like to share.

"Across the Universe"

A Beatles song.
And yes, that is Dakota Fanning:

Am I Real?

2010-02-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

It was fun seeing some of my nieces and nephews in this music video made by my brother, David.

"Am I Real?"

Love Is Light Master

2010-02-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

My brother David has all sorts of amazing talents.
To name a few: music, art, cooking, Mr. fix-anything and everything, etc....

So without further adieu, here's his latest music project...
"Love Is Light Master"

Live, Love, Cruise... Part 2

2010-02-04T00:11:00.000-08:00

Part 2 of the cruise pics. For Part 1 click here.

Again, click on any of the mosaics and panoramics to get a better view 8-)

Fun day in Ensanada:

This store we went into was amazing with palm trees growing out of the glass roof. There were also some pretty amazing sculptures made out of mud. I liked the mother's womb showing the baby growing inside (sorry 'bout the peep show....lol)

If you look hard you can see Dolly by the guy selling the bracelets on the right hand side.

Some pretty amazing cacti:

The Mayan calendar to the left was actually a huge piece on the side of a building. I should have taken a pic of it with someone standing close. I actually bought a smaller version for my bro and his wife in the middle pic.

In case you would like to rent a junior suite for just 4 hours...

On our walk back to the ship we passed by this area with a bunch of teenagers breakdancing. There was one guy in purple skinny jeans riding his skateboard. Sarah LOVES purple skinny jeans (and guys too, probably), so I tried to get a pic without him noticing:

Didn't turn out so well. My sister stopped him and asked if we could take his pic (not that he understood), and he posed for us. Yay! Love the shirt with the "F" on it. For Fyffe, I'm sure 8-)

We also passed by these little boys that were selling neclaces for their mom or grandma. Couldn't tell. They were totally trained and wanted top dollar. Dolly ended up buying one neclace and gave each boy a dollar. Notice their poor little dirty toes...

Mexican sushi anyone? I didn't think so... They actually tell you on the cruise not to drink any of the water in Mexico (unless it's bottled) or you could become seriously ill. We ended up just eating a protein bar until we got back on the ship around 5pm.

If you chance to meet a crack, do not look away, quickly grab your camera for a snappy pic today (you know the tune...)!

Steph and I couldn't resist and had to embrace the Nacho in us. Could the towel creature be a crab perhaps? Last evening on the ship. We docked back in San Diego around 6am. We grabbed some breakfast and were off the ship by 9:30-ish.

Once off the ship we had some time to kill until our flight left at almost 5pm. So, we hopped on a buggy pulled by this nice fellow and he gave us a 30 minute tour of the San Diego waterfront. It was great! Poor guy though... he had to pull all three of us and ALL of our luggage.

Steph payed for the tour including a huge tip to our very sweaty driver. Thanks Steph!!!

I will forever remember this amazing girls getaway!

Thanks again Stephanie and Dolly!!!

You guys ROCK!!!

Happy February and New Blog Design!

2010-02-01T23:34:00.000-08:00

Happy February everyone! This is the beginning of the 14 days of Valentines, with Honeybob being the recipient. Each year we take turns and this year it's mine. We've been doing this for about 10 years now ever since I went to an enrichment class giving us ideas on how to do it. Each year we have to be a little more creative (or not) figuring out what fun things to give/do. Maybe one of these times he'll surprise me with some sort of a getaway???? hmmm....

Also, Happy New Blog Design to me!!! I've been getting so tired of my old blog design. I surely appreciated the nice visual effect she provided, but it was definitely time to say farewell. Especially since I still had the header decorated with Christmas decor. Hello?!? I've been itching for a plain and simple blog that I can design new headers for as I see fit. Thus, Blanche. Okay, I didn't really name her that, but I did give that name to my beloved Honda Accord after I purchased her way back when. Yes, she was white.

Anyway, hope you like the new design as much as I do!