Family Olympics

Ok, So I am way late posting this information, but that seems to be how my life is amymore! Anyway a couple of weeks ago Sam planned a family home evening for us. It was FAMILY OLYMPICS. She made obstacle courses, games, and a object lesson for us. She started by having us all stand on a small piece of wood. That was to show us how we all had to hold on together to be able to stay on the wood. OBJECT: How to support everyone in the family. Good job Sam, now if we could all take it to heart! Anyhoo......then we did the relay races. We had teams. Each team had to run to a scooter, hop on the scooter, and ride in one way then the other way, then drop the scooter and run to the trailer and back to your team member so they could do it.

Then came Volley Ball. Me and Steph lost! I was not the most cordinated player!

Then we played some Tennis. Once again, I was very uncordinated!

Then we ate the Chocolate pudding that Sam prepared for us for our family home eveining treat.

After that Sam made us awards for different things that we did well at throughout the olympics. Of course I didn't win the most cordinated award.

Thanks Sam we had a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been my Dads birthday if he were still alive. He died in 1992 of a massive stroke. He was 50 years old. To young if you ask me! I miss him greatly! Here is a picture that me and mom found tonight. This was a picture of his 50th birthday. Little did we know it would be his last.

We found a couple of other pics of him. This one was of him out on his project for the State Road. He worked for the State Road for as long as I can remember. Growing up he worked in design. I remember always going to his office and watching him draft plans up. He'd always buy me a pop from the pop machine. He later moved up to a Project Engineer. I think this was a very stressfull job for him. But he did it well!
This one was of him in his office at home most likely doing somekind of studying. He was always doing somekind of learning for work. It didn't come easy to him, but he worked at it till he could figure it out.
I just wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday. I miss you Dad!

Flash Back!

When we went shooting guns last week, it brought back memories of when I used to sit on our back deck when I was younger and shoot at targets in the back yard with my dad. (Sorry, sometimes the targets were birds on the wire.) But it got me thinking........I have a pellet gun somewhere at my moms house. Hopefully somewhere in the safe. So I went searching for the picture to show my mom what the gun looked like. She has been looking for it for me. While looking for it, she came across some old inventory papers of records that my dad had kept on all his guns. He was such a record keeper! He had a list of all the guns he bought, how much he paid for them, what condition they were in, and any work that was done on them, even when he had sold them and who he had sold them to. He also had all the receipts of the guns and any kind of maintenance done on them. That was so my dad keeping records on everything. But needless to say we still haven't found my gun yet. But I did find the picture....so mom....here is the pic for you to look at to see if you can find my gun. No laughing anyone! You have to consider this was over 20 years ago! (Probably closer to 25!)

Happy Birthday

Saturday would have been my neice McKell's 23rd birthday. About 7 years ago she was killed in a car accident when she was 16. We want to wish her a Happy Birthday in Heaven. We miss you 'Kell!

Primary Talent Show

On Thursday our primary did a talent show for the kids. Steph and her friend Megan signed up to show their art work that they worked on together. It was a cute program. Here is Megan and Steph (notice the popcorn in Stephs mouth that the primary provided for their treat).



Here is Steph and Megan with their wonderful creation.



It was fun to watch all the kids as their talents are starting to grow.

Mikes School Picture

Well, because I am such a cheapo....I wouldn't pay for school pictures for the kids. The price on them have sky rocketed just like everything else. So I always figure why pay that price when I can do the pictures myself and 1/4th the cost and we have more fun! So at the High School there pictures came out on Friday. So we decided we better get Mike's photos done. Mike and I had a fun time taking pictures. She is always a good little poser. Here are a few of my favorite.

When ever we do pictures she always has to throw in some guitar ones.

Check out her reflection in the guitar in these photos.

And we have done this pose 1000 times, but it is still one of Mikes favorites to do. She gets a kick out of the old truck with the broken window. So, to make it more interesting she likes to look like she shattered the window.

This one cracked me up! I made her crawl out onto a log across the river. The river was a little deep underneath it. (Not to bad though, maybe 3 feet deep). Poor Mike had the hardest time getting across. She thought she was going to fall, then she thought she was going to lose a shoe. So I just kept taking pictures as she was trying to get to the middle of it. She eventually made it, but coming back was another story...hahahaha. So here she is crawling across the log.

We did this one at the shooting range. This was her idea. She wanted to look like a bond girl.

So anyway, I think she now has enough to choose from to use for her school picture. I'm voting for the first or third one posted. I think she likes the 2nd.

We're on a shooting spree

It was such a nice day today that Kurtis decided that we were going to go to the shooting range today and shoot our guns. So me, Kurtis, Mike, & Steph headed on up. Sam went shopping at the mall today with a friend so she didn't get to go with us.

We had a lot of fun shooting. Steph was having fun just climbing on the rocks and such. Thank goodness Kurtis remembered the ear plugs. It can get a little noisy. We all took turns shooting at the target. Here we are shooting the 22. Steph was getting a kick out of the ricochet noises.

Here is the 38 Special.

It was Stephs job to see if we hit the target or not. Like our target? I think it is time to buy some new laundry softener.

I also got a chance to shoot my gun. A 32 Automatic. Yes Kurtis bought this for me way back in the yonder years when I worked in Orem. We were newly married then. Wow...now that's an old gun!

Mike pretended to shoot my gun when in all seriousness she was scared of it.

Now here are two of the most awesome BOND GIRLS. Ha ha ha.

But all in all we had a good time shooting. I hadn't gone and done that for awhile. I mean really, I guess I should go shoot my gun once in a while. Maybe next time I can take the Tide bottle. What can I say...We're all just a bunch of red necks.

Settled Back into School

Yes, I think the girls/women in this family have finally got the school routine down. This has been a different year for us. I now have one in Juab High School, one in Juab Jr. High, and one in Nebo View Elementary School. And then there is me, working as a Computer Tech in the Nebo View Elementary School. I think we finally have our system down and working. Like I said, Mike is in high school this year as a Freshman. It was a rocky start for her. She had a hard time adjusting to the environment there, but I think things are getting better. She is on the Spirit Team this year and is required to attend certain games. She likes it though. Along with her high school activities she is again taking on her dance classes including Dance, Technique, and joining a Dance Company where she will be able to compete. She is still continuing with her guitar both taking lessons and teaching lessons. Here is a pic of Mike walking into the high school. She was to embarrassed to turn around and smile.

Sam Is loving Jr. High. She loves having different classes with different people. She says it is so nice not to be in the same class with the same girls for 8 hours a day. (catty girls might I add.) It has been great for her and she has grown so much.........in spirit and size. Sam loves art at school. She has really enjoyed that class. She is looking forward to any sporting event that she can join. She is hoping to make the basketball team this year. And again she will also be continuing her piano lessons with my Aunt Darlene who is an awesome piano teacher! You can't get better than her. Sam will again be pairing up with her partner Madason. Here is a picture of Sam at the Jr. High. She let me take her picture, but it was a "hurry mom this is so embarrassing".

Steph is in the 4th grade now and loving her class and her teacher Mrs. Hoaldridge. She has a huge class this year. In fact when they come to computers they leave only 3 computers empty. If they happen to pick up more than 3 students this year.....well we are out of computers for them. She is doing so good in school and has been so good to come home and do her homework and read and also study her spelling words. She is really trying so hard this year. She is very excited to be able this year to take tumbling. Last year she didn't want to do anything like dance, tumbling, and such. We tried her doing guitar last year with Mike, but Mike and Steph together was not a good combo. Here is Stephs pic in front of the elementary school. Notice, she is more than willing still to have her pic taken. She wasn't even embarrassed.

Then there is me. I am working still in the compute lab. I love this job. This year they finally got my name above my classroom. Last year I was Mrs. Laird all year. It's probably a good thing that the kids don't pay attention to that. I share the lab with Ruth Knowlton. I work Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday and she takes Tuesday and Thursday and every other Friday. We have 16 classes coming in twice a week. Next week we start our NWEA testing. This is a testing system that our district along with 2 other districts in Utah are piloting. Nebo View Elementary was able to start this testing out last year. So we have a head start on it. They are hoping that this will replace alot of the odds and end testing they the schools are required to do all year. One of the test that we do not have to do this year is the core testing. It is a neat test. So I hope it will be a keeper. Here is me at my desk in the lab. Mike got to get even with me. She took that picture.

Hey look it's my name! I'm not Mrs. Laird anymore!

Here is my classroom.

So yes, we are back to school full swing My hope is that it will continue to be a good year and get better each day.