Summer Fun!

It is probably time to update my blog since Marshall has been in Mexico for 6 months now and the last time I blogged he had just received his call to serve in the Villahermosa Mexico Mission. We hear from him every Monday and he loves serving in Mexico. If Marshall has been out in the mission field for 6 months that means Brooke has been home from Argentina for 6 months. Hard to believe how fast time goes by.
Brooke is working as a CNA as she finishes her biology degree at Utah State.

We had a wonderful surprise when Paul told us that he had accepted a job here in ND, so they moved here about a month ago. It has been so much fun having Avery close by, and now with new baby brother Cam Grandpa and I are super happy.

We had a quick but fun trip to Utah at the end of July after Taylor finished participating in the SPA production of Sweeny Todd! What a fabulous job the kids did. While in Utah Taylor was able to work with poppy and learned how to use his lathe. He made several really nice bowls. What a great experience for him.

See you in another 6 months :) just kidding hopefully it won't be that long!

The Mission Call

Marshall received his mission call to the Villahermosa Mexico Mission.

He will be leaving on 16 February 2011 just two weeks before Brooke returns from her mission in Argentina.

I just wanted to learn how to swim!

In January I decided to swallow my pride and I started going to an adult swim class to learn how to do the front crawl better. After the first couple of times I didn't know if I could do it or not. Jeff told me that I had to go 5 times before I could decide whether I wanted to quit or not. I continued like he said and eventually started to really enjoy swimming. I think the swim instructor Jane Hudzol took me on as her summer project. After I learned how to swim she talked me into training for the base triathlon. I told her that I might try, but I knew I really wasn't going to. I have never ran in my life and I had just learned to swim.
Well, I have now been training for the base triathlon for about 8 weeks with a training group. It was a great experience, and I met a lot of new people. On Thursday 16 July we all went out to dinner to "carb" load before the big day.
I didn't sleep much last night, so I was not sure if I had it in me to finish.
We had to swim 400 M, bike 12 miles, and run a 5K. I thought I had my counting right, but my timer didn't say anything to me until I was out the door and at my bike. Apparently I still had a lap to go. I was pretty mad that they had let me get so far away from the pool. I just about gave up, but I didn't. I got back in the pool and finished. I am so glad I did!

It started to rain part way through the bake portion of the race. There was lightening so I thought they might call the race, but it started to clear up and by the end it was sunny again.

I was the oldest competitor to do the whole race. There was one guy older than me, but he was on a relay team and only ran. I definitely think I should have gotten a special award!

Your're A Good Man Charlie Brown

Taylor played Charlie Brown in the Summer Performing Arts production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. He did a fabulous job!

Who's counting?

Brooke has been on her mission almost 7 months! I miss her but the time has just flown by. She is happy and healthy and loves the people in Argentina. She has been in San Luis since she arrived, but was recently transferred to Mendoza. She fell into a 6' deep canal one day when it was raining so hard that they couldn't tell the difference between the sidewalk and the street, and a week later they were caught in another bad storm and she said they were wetter than when they fell in the canal. This is a picture of the canal they fell into.

Brittney and Paul both graduated from BYUI on 9 April 2010. Britt in Special Ed, and Paul in Mechanical Engineering. It seems like Britt has been in school for a long time, but since having Avery her class load was reduced for a few semesters. Aside from that we are so proud of her. She passed her portfolio board with no recommendations! and also her student teaching. They said she was very professional. Way to go Britt!

Jeff and I had so much fun with Avery. She is so cute and so smart. She looked at me one day and said, "Grandma, you have blue eyes." I knew she talked alot but was a bit surprised when she said that. She will be two in August. She loves reading books, and spent a good deal of time on Grandpa's lap doing that. We can't wait to see her again (Britt and Paul too) and hope they will make it home for Marshall's graduation in May.

Curb Side Drop Off

Brooke, (Hermana Deem) as she is now known, entered the MTC on Wed 23 Sept 2009 at 12:45 pm just two days after her 21st birthday.

The rules have change for dropping off missionaries. Each missionary gets one car of people to take them in. They have an assigned time to be dropped off, and you literally get as much time at the curb as it takes two Elders to unload their bags from your car. We weren't there 3 minutes.

We had of course said our goodbyes and had taken our last pictures before we drove through the gate. She was so excited and ready to finally be going on her mission that it was exciting for me as well. She will be an amazing missionary.

A few hours after I said good bye to Brooke, I had to say good bye to Brittney and baby Avery again. It was so much fun having them come to be with Brooke for her birthday and then go to the MTC with her.

Brooke will be in the MTC until the last part of November then off to Mendoza Argentina.

Mission Call

Brooke got her mission call today when she was home at lunch, went back to work, got off work and drove from Logan, Utah to Rexburg, Idaho to open it with her sister and us on Britt's web cam. She will be serving in the Argentina Mendoza Mission leaving on 23 Sep 2009. That is so soon! We are so excited for her. It is finally a reality after so many years of preparing. She will be an amazing missionary!
We love you Brooke

My Nana used to say...

When I was growing up I remember my Nana saying that time flew when you were old. I didn't think I was that old, but I don't know where this past school year went. It really did fly by. I can't believe the boys have already been out of school for 19 days. Taylor is in summer school (his choice to get ahead) taking a science class that was offered to incoming freshman so that they would be able to take more advanced science classes earlier and more of them if they choose to. Taylor is the only one in the class that is an incoming freshman all the rest of the kids are retakes from last year. He is counting down the days until it is over. Even though he chose to go it is a really long day for him. The class goes from 7:25 am until 1 pm. He has an hour break and then he is off to SPA (Summer Performing Arts) from 2:30-6:30pm. His group is performing Bye Bye Birdie this year. He also has a summer mowing job, so Taylor is keeping himself very busy this summer. When he is not going to school or SPA he is playing basketball in the driveway.

Marshall is working at JCPennys this summer, and playing soccer. He ended up having a great track season after all of the cancelled meets. He was able to vault 13'. That is a foot and a half higher than last year. He won the Gerrells meet here in town and qualified for state. He took 6th at state with a 13' jump! This is a video of his 12'6" jump, I guess I missed the 13' jump.

Summer? I hope we do get some summer weather soon. We have only hit 80 degrees one day so far and the next day the high was 57 and has not reached 60 since.

I was so excited to plant some bulbs last fall. I love tulips so I planted white tulips and purple hyacinths around the trees in our backyard. I was anticipating a beautiful garden of flowers this spring, but every time I looked at them the leaves were broken off. I kept getting mad at the boys for running over my flowers. One day I examined them more closely and come to find out the bunnies had eaten them. I was so mad, and even madder to find out that my nice neighbor feeds them. So much for my flower garden.

picture fun

I don't have time to sit around and play with pictures, but I have been having fun making some collages. These pictures are from our San Diego trip.

What a Life!

Postponed

Today is 9 April 2009. Today is suppossed to be the Central vs Red River Dual Track Meet at Cushman Field. Marshall has really been looking forward to another track meet. They don't get to vault very much, since it is so wet outside all of the spring sports are trying to share the three gyms they have at Central.
I took these pictures of the track this afternoon. I don't think the track meet is the only thing that has been postponed here in North Dakota, I think Spring has been postponed, actually I think spring has been officially cancelled this year!

This picture is looking through the fence at the track

This is the parking lot at Cushman Field

This is the field where the throwers throw

I got my day at the beach!

I was able to go with Jeff on a trip to San Diego last week. It was absolutely fabulous. Our friends on base kept Taylor since he goes to school on base, and Marshall slept over at a friends in town. He would come home from school, take care of the kitty, eat dinner, do his homework and then head to the Hollingworths.

When Jeff went to his meetings in the morning I would go on a walk along Mission Bay. It was beautiful. I love palm trees and I took a lot of pictures of them. One day on my walk I came up behind a guy who had a bright green parrot on his shoulder. Another day I walked almost to Sea World (probably about 2 miles down the bay). One day I saw a surf fisherman catch a big fish.

We ate at the In N Out one night. We love that place, and one day ate world famous fish tacos at Rubios.

We were able to go to the San Diego Temple which just happened to be about 5 minutes up the road from where we were staying. It was breath taking in and out. What a treat. One day we went down by the ocean to see an aircraft carrier. The USS Midway. We got to the ticket booth 10 minutes after it had closed for the day so we didn't get to take a tour. We took a lot of pictures though.

We ate dinner on the pier at a fish market. It was so yummy.

Well, I could go on and on about all the fun things we were able to do. It was such a fun time. The last time we went away alone was ten years ago. Jeff took me to Hawaii when he had a conference for the AF. I think I need to go on all of his business trips now :)

The last morning before we left we went back to the dock and walked along the pier. It was so beautiful that I wanted to have someone take a picture of the two of us, so we asked a gentlemen sitting on a bench if he would be willing to take one. He took the camera and since it doesn't have an optical view finder he was having a hard time. I told him to just make sure that we were on the screen. This is our picture :)

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe that Brittney is 23 today. Happy Birthday Britt! I love this picture of Britt. She is snuggled in a cute sweater and shawl that her Nanny made her :) Wow, check out the 80's couch that she is on!

I could use a day on the beach!

I want to be someplace like this background right about now! We have lived in North Dakota for 6 1/2 years now and only one other year have I felt so desperate to get out of the cold!
Why I am happy here I am not really sure. Well, maybe I do know. Let's see. The schools, UND Hockey, tortilla soup at The Red Pepper, our friends, my new house, the Summer Performing Arts program for Taylor, and there is even a mountain (if you want to call it that) for the boys to go skiing and snowboarding.
I am getting out of here. Jeff gave me my birthday present today a little bit early. A ticket to California. He is going to San Diego for some meetings and is taking me with him!!!!!!!!!!!

The Eagle has landed, finally

Sixteen months after Marshall completed his Eagle Project he was finally honored and awared his Eagle along with a Bronze Palm (I don't have enough room on this blog to go into all of the reasons why it took 16 months) The ceremony was really nice and it was exciting for him to finally receive it. We did miss all of our family who had come to be with him for this special occassion, and his leaders that have helped him along his trail to Eagle that have since moved because of school or the military.

I know some of these same picutres are on the ward blog, but I wanted to have them on our family blog as well. Thanks Dan Ward for taking the pictures :)

Marshall has worked really hard for the past nine years to get to this point. He earned 36 merit badges. We are so proud of him!

Taylor is on his way as well, I just hope it goes a bit smoother than Marshall's did :)

Predator on the loose

On 6 Dec 2008 the Predator unmanned aircraft arrived at Grand Forks AFB and will begin operations in Jan 2009 for the US Customs and Border Protection. Jeff has worked for the past year to bring the Predator to Grand Forks so this was an exciting day for him! He is an Operational Manager for the US Customs and Border Protection.

It's too quiet

As I finished off the last of Brooke's wheat flakes cereal this morning, I realized how quiet it was in the house, and how bare it looks with all of the Christmas decorations put away, and all the baby toys stowed until Avery comes again. I miss her little squeals and her huge grin.

It was so much fun having everyone home for the holidays! Ping Pong games, rubik's cubing, some serious games of Trouble, and trying to stay warm in the frigid weather of North Dakota made for some great family time! These kids make Jeff and I so happy :)

Brooke was able to be here for three weeks. I miss her so much already. She has returned to Utah State to finish her sophomore year.

Britt and Paul flew standby to Fargo, so when they didn't make the return flight last Sunday I wasn't too sad to have them for a few more days. They are gone now as well, back to Rexburg. Britt started school on Wed. She will graduate in July.

Blizzard in North Dakota

We woke up to a blizzard this morning. Wind chill near 41 below! Church and all other activities for the day are cancelled including Marshall's Eagle Court of Honor that we have been planning for a long time. Gram and Grand dad came in for the big event and are leaving now with out having witnessed it. The cake is in the freezer to be saved for a later date, the balloons are deflating and the programs are outdated--living in North Dakota is an adventure. Why are we happy here?

Two Boys Birthdays

Marshall celebrated his 17th birthday on 21 Nov 2008 and the next day he shot his first deer. YIKES, two hunters in the house!
Here he is enjoying his favorite plain angel food cake. I won't post a picture of the deer :)

Taylor celebrated his 14th birthday just one week later on 28 Nov 2008, Black Friday this year. He enjoyed his favorite cheesecake for his treat. They are both getting so tall. Marshall is 5'11", and Taylor is almost 5'6" tall.
It is so much fun having these boys around, they are such good kids, I am going to be really sad when Marshall goes off to college.

Our Friends

We invited our friends Chuck and Sharon Campbell for Thanksgiving dinner. They are both blind and live alone. Sharon is battling cancer for the 2nd time in the past couple years. They are such a strength to me and we really enjoyed having them in our home

After dinner we had our annual Thanksgiving pie/dessert night. The chocolate fountain was a big hit once again :)