Elder HALO

We have had the missionaries living in the apartment above our garage for over a year now. We have met some pretty cool elders in that time, and we've been sad to see many of them go. Elder Orton was transferred on Monday and he was one that we will really miss! A quiet, easy going, very 'real' and down to earth kind of guy. We discovered after he had been here for awhile, that he is/was actually 'ranked' in the top 10 in the state of Utah for Halo before his mission! Well, we all know what Elder Orton did for mission prep (ha!) Needless to say, Bill was impressed :-) Elder Orton is pictured here in the middle, between Brad and Elder Nuttall, wearing th "Halo helmet' that I (mom) created out of cardstock and a gluestick. We thought it was perfect for his send-off. My plan is to eventually fiberglass it and paint it and then make the rest of the costume....just for fun--ha! Goodbye Elder Orton.... We will miss you!

ARRRGGGGHHHH!.... YE LILLY LIVERS!

Dan has gone pirate nuts! On any given day, you can find him wandering the house dressed like a pirate, using an empty playdo container for his peg leg and a plastic hook in place of one of his hands. It's pretty funny. It's just that age......the age of pirates. Ha! Next year for Dan's birthday, Beck will have to come out and do a pirate ship with me again. So, that's one flight and pirate ship for each of us, aye Beck? Although, o be fair, we didn't get all that much done on Ben's pirate ship while I was there. You finished the painting byyourself :-( So, here's to next year's pirate ship, and then we'll do one for Eli, too!

HALLOWEEN!

Brit was Bat girl and Dan was a skeleton. I went out with Brit and Dan, while Bill and Brad held down the fort, handing out candy (I think we had ONE group of trick-or-treaters). Actually they spent most of the evening playing X-Box Live. Meanwhile, Mike and a few of his 8th grade friends dressed up in goofy costumes and went out trick-or-treating by themselves. Each of the kids got a TON of candy! I have been trying to steal it and get rid of it so they don't eat so much. Mike is famous for being able to "hold his candy." At scout camp, when all the other scout campers have eaten themselves into oblivion with candy, and are puking up their guts, Mike proudly struts around noting that he doesn't feel the least bit queasy. What the heck is wrong with my children? Three years ago at Scout Camp, all the scouts came home telling tales of how Bill was able to ingest 56 "extra-large sized" Reese's peanut butter cups (the kind that come two to a large pack) in ONE sitting. I ask you,... is that something to be aspire to? Mike generally catches on to my candy disposal techniques very quickly, and he finds places to stash little pods of candy all over the house. Over the next couple of months, in moments of weakness and sugar craving, he'll pull little stashes out of the craziest spots. It's kind of a game with us :-)

Birthdays-R-Us!

The last week of October/first week of November is nuts around here! We have Dan's, Mike's, and Brit's birthdays within about a two week block, not to mention Halloween! We had a family birthday for Dan. He also got to celebrate his birthday at preschool. He loves his preschool class! We are so delighted that he made it in, after 4 months on the waiting list.


Mike had his birthday at our house and invited a truck load of his good friends (mostly guys, but a few brave girls, too). They played airsoft out in the woods, flashlight tag, played some Halo and Call of Duty, and watched "I Am Legend" (too intense for me). They had a great time! Mike is growing up quickly.... and has officially passed Bill (who is working on Pop-pops's famous body stretching exercises!) Mike is 5' 8&1/2" 170 pounds..... so, if anyone is interested in seeing Mike as a kid, now is the time for a visit. He's growing like a weed :-)

Brit and her cute bunch of girls were over earlier tonight for her birthday. We had a big treasure hunt, they made their own personal pizzas and and ate donuts, and then we watched "The Black Stallion." She has a good little group of friends :-) they had a lot of fun. Man, the girls are sooooo much louder and more rambunctious than the guys! Brad, the boys and I were all covering our ears the whole night.....as we listened to screaming and squealing and laughing, etc. It's a whole different deal with girls.

Homecoming 2009

Bill's first date was for Bainbridge High School's Homecoming. He had a really great time! I will try to scrounge up another picture with the actual "girls" that they all went with (ha!). It took him about three days to recover from the event-- he was totally wiped out. He was only up until about 1:00am, which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but he is still trying to shake this nasty post-viral crud, so he usually gets to bed really early and completely gone are the days of any physical activity (except for all the running around they tried to do at their Homecoming Shindig!) Bill's pediatrician said that sometimes these nasty virus's (like Mono, CMV, etc) just hang on and can take many months to recover from. Arghhhh! It's so frustrating for him. If he went down to do his old work-out routine from earlier in the summer, he'd probably have to be in bed for a week after that. ....Bill confided in me later that if he had to choose between going out on a big date like that again or playing "Call of Duty" with Mike on X-Box Live, that he would opt for the X-Box Live (ha!) I guess he hasn't quite arrived at the "dating scene" just yet! (ha!)

The Swiss Family Heps....

If you're planning to come and visit, you can bunk in style! The latest project in our neck of the woods is our funky treehouse, which is coming along nicely. Brad started it in 2003, and then turned the plans over to a friend to finish it last month. Brit and Dan are excited to play on it and camp up in the tall house at the top. Bill and Mike are excited to use it as a fortress for airsoft and paintball. When it's all finished, we'll stain it a nice walnut color so it will blend in a lot more with the woods.

First Day of School...

Brit began 4th grade at Blakely Elementary School. I can hardly believe it. She's the big gal on the totem pole this year, given that Blakely is K -4. She is loving having Mrs. Connelly, who Bill had for a 4th grade teacher, as well. A bit of trivia.... Brit's teacher, Mrs. Connelly also played Gidget in the movie "Gidget Goes to Rome." Brit is in class with some really good friends so she is loving her school days. She has really become a good little cook. She added quite a bit to that while at Grandma and Grandad's house, and has continued to cook up a storm while here. She has come up with her own peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe, which is more like a scone. It's pretty good, and really good with jam :-) Most of you will be delighted to know that Brit has moved beyond Rondo Alla Turca on the piano this summer (ha!) Hearing that song 45 times a day last May was starting to have a mind-altering effect, so we can all be glad for sheet music downloads on the internet. I'll put a video of her recent playing on the blog later next week. Meanwhile, she's found some pretty cool contemporary material to work with and has also mastered some other classics, too :-)

Mike is in the 8th grade this year. He's growing like a weed right now.....well, at least his feet are. Mike is about 5 foot 7 & 1/2" and he already wears a size 12&1/2 shoe! What the heck is up with that? We're hoping the feet slow down soon. I hear it's hard to find a size 14 shoe! He got a really great shake as far as teachers go this year, so he's excited about that, though he's already begun the countdown to June 15th. Ahhhhh, 8th grade..... hormones, pimples, braces.... I'll never forget when I was in the 8th grade going into the office to check the lost and found to check for a sweatshirt that I had lost and seeing about 30 retainers that kids had left laying around all piled up in a box. So typical! Mike had signed up for football this Fall and was slated to be on the senior team, which is the oldest and largest team outside of high school football, but there just weren't enough big guys to play this year. There were only 8 kids. There are about 46 kids on the varsity team, which is the team just under them, but the weight cut-off there is 140 for a guy Mike's age and Mike is 160, so no football for him this fall, but lots of time for friends and other fun :-)

Next is Bill. You'll notice there is no first day of school pic for him. No, instead there are aches, chills, high fevers, consant vomiting, congestion, a raging sore throat and HIVES! Normally I wouldn't think of strep with all these other symptoms besides just sore throat and fever, but he's got it and who knows what else. He was tested for Swine Flu and Mono, and a bunch of other stuff....but so far just strep. Poor guy. It has been a really bad case and he has been in bed seriously ill since Monday. So much for the first week of school. His throat was so sore and he was throwing up so much that Brad finally brought home a bunch of supplies from the office and turned his bedroom into a makeshift hospital, hanging an IV from a hanger on Bill's closet door. He put Bill on IV fluids, and some IV anti-nausea meds. That really helped him get re-hydrated quickly and stopped him from throwing up. He finally got a strep culture and the pediatrician started him on some big gun penicillin. But the excitement didn't end there,.... after starting on Pen, his lips swelled up so quickly that he looked like a gorilla (or Mick Jagger) and his nose and face started to swell too. Fortunately, I was able to get some benedryl in him fast, so he's still alive. Bill is having a lovely week.....

Dan is still on the waiting list for a really cool pre-school here on the island. He is sooooo ready and would love to go, but we don't know if he'll make it in. We'll see. If not, our back-up plan isn't all that great, so he may just not go to pre-school this year. He'll go for sure next year. He doesn't start Kindergarten for two more years anyway, so here is no rush. He is already missing Mike and Brit during the day though. Dan is loving Primary and loves singing time. I can tell because he practices for it all through Sacrament meeting sometimes. I am constantly telling him that he needs to stop singing in the middle of people's talks, etc. He loves to sing though. His favorite church song, as he says, is "How Firm a Dalmation." But you never know, with Dan, when he is going to break out into song with Twisted Sister, Aretha Franklin, the Raiders March or the MoTab. He's been subjected to so much already in his short little life :-) Watch out for your fourth kids guys :-)

Billie Jean...

Brian Reagan - Names

Brian Reagan - Names

I watched NICO on the Hart Blog today and had to laugh, and was immediatly reminded of this short segment from the comedy of Brian Regan! He is the best! Our family loves to listen to him :-) Enjoy.

Rock Band II

On Bill's 16th birthday, he and his crew (the "Legends of Rock") won a $300 first prize for their performance at the Rock Band II competition at the high school. It was a fundraiser for the marching band. There were 22 groups competing, lots of screaming fans and everyone had a lot of fun :-) ** IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE SHORT VERSION-- Start the video at about 5:30.

Hooray! The Valley!

We finally made it to the Salt Lake Valley! The kids were delighted! We took a look at the LDS Church History Museum, had a good lunch at Siegfried's Delicatessen (a family favorite) and then caught the new movie at the Legacy Theatre (at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building). Then we headed to provo to hang out with Grandma and Jenni for a couple of days. It was good to just "hang out!" The kids were so happy to just stay in one place for awhile :-)

Green River!

We spent some time visiting Green River, where dad grew up. We went to the cemetery and to two of dad's childhood homes, one across from the old Lincoln School (which is no longer a school) and the other along the old main strip in the older part of downtown. Mike, in particular, thought Green River was "way cool" and he said he would love to live there, referring specifically to all the wide open rocky hills, cliffs, and caves he could explore! It certainly is the place for an adventure and I shared with the kids all the stories dad has told about his adventures as a kid. We even saw a few Magpies at the cemetery, which seemed funny to us at the time, considering dad's Magpie days :-) It was still pretty cold, but it was a beautiful clear day. Green River has really grown since the days of my youth going to visit Grandma and Grandad Anderson. We had a hard time deciding where to eat! Who would have thought???

Independance Rock and Devil's Gate (Near Martin's Cove)

We were delighted to have weathered the huge snowstorm / blizzard we encountered all across Nebraska on the way to Martin's Cover, where the Martin Handcart Company met with such difficulty and had to be rescued. It was certainly an appropriate irony. We were able to read first hand journal accounts of some of those in the company while travelling to Martin's Cove. It was incomprehensible what they had to endure, and many were not able to endure. It was a powerful place to visit. One of Brad's (and Alex's) ancestors, William Burt Simmons, was one of the rescuers of the Martin Company. His name was listed on a plaque on the wall at the visitor's center.

From the written history of one of William Burt Simmons' grandchildren, "to grandpa Simmons, the plight of the handcart companies held special concern. He had experienced the open plains which provided no protection from the bitter cold and driving snow. His cattle had frozen to death as he and his family had huddled together in blankets lying in the bed of their wagon with scant protection of canvas between them and the storm as they awaited the expiration of the ferocious wind and snow.

He was urged on with the realization that he was one of the few ready to leave for the rescue. Burt had set aside funds, a new stout carriage, and the best of harnesses and horses and ample provisions necessary when the call might come from church leaders to return. He had built a special shed in which to store his carriage and provisions from the elements. Ever so often he would see that his equipment was in the best of order. he would putter, repaint and repair and do what was necessary to keep everything in top condition for an expected journey back. He always kept his best wagon stored and kept all the equipment and provisions rotated. He did this for years. He also kept his best animals in good shape so that they could make the hurried trip, if necessary. Some folks talked or even joked about Brother Simmons, his team and stored provisions, and would ask, 'is he doing this all for naught?' He always replied, 'I heard the prophets voice and I am ready!"

In response to the promptings of the spirit, and knowing he was prepared and had the ability and capacity for service, he volunteered at Brigham Young's call and was one of the first wagons to leave.

The sight that Grandpa Simmons saw at Captain Martin's camp was overwhelming. Some of the people were dead, awaiting a meager funeral from the people who were too weak to dig them even a shallow grave. Many were too starved for food and weak from exposure to rally after relief had come, many dying during the night. All were suffering from frozen limbs and were emaciated from starvation rations."

Martin's Cove was a very powerful reminder of the strong faith that the saints had and the unbelievable suffering that they experienced while trying to cross the plains.

Temple and Cemetery at Winter Quarters

Carthage Jail

NAUVOO!

Images, top to bottom: Seventies Hall, Nauvoo Temple, land and homesite of William Burt Simmons (next door to the boot shop and John Taylor home and print shop, and one block from Joseph Smith home), Heber C. Kimball home, Brigham Young home.

For the interested historians, I have nine direct line pioneer ancestors (grandparents of various generations) who joined the church in Great Britain and made the voyage across the ocean and then crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. They are: Ann (Adams) Boyd, George Alfred Boyd, Elizabeth (Hollis) Roe (died en route- either near Mormon Grove, near Atchison, Kansas or near St. Louis, MO), Isabella Jane Roe, Caroline (Richan) Fenton, John Richan, Margaret Rayne (Wardell) Richan, Elizabeth (Hutchison) Moyes (joined the church in 1840), and Margaret (Moyes) Anderson.

Brad has 21 direct line pioneer ancestors (grandparents), 10 of whom were in Kirtland, and 15 of whom were in Nauvoo, 6 of whom joined in Great Britain and made the journey across the ocean to join the saints, and some of whom died before the journey across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. They are: Catherine Martha (Eller) Stoker (died in Iowa), Barbara (Graybill) Stoker, Michael S. Graybill, Sr. (died in Iowa), Enoch King, Sr. (died at Far West, MO), Rebecca Angelina (King) O'Brien, Thomas Jefferson King (joined the church in 1830), Zibiah (McCarley) McDaniel, James McDaniel, Jane (McDaniel) Stoker, Harlon Edward Simmons, William Burt Simmons, Amanda (Chipman) Simmons, David Stoker, Michael Stoker, Sr., John Stoker, James Hepworth, Thomas Hepworth, Mary (Fletcher) Hepworth, Charles Kidgell, Sarah Ann (Cashmore) Kidgell, Sarah (Kidgell) Hepworth.

Adam-on-Diahmen

Crusing America in an RV......Not What It's Cracked Up To Be!

Well, there's something to be said for being able to keep you car from blowing off the road in high wind, and being able to drive 75, at will :-) We had the RV from H___! We picked it up on Monday afternoon about 1pm in Lawrence, Kansas, about 40 miles from the Kansas City Airport and then drove back to the airport to return our SUV. After that, we thought we were on our way! We got about an hour down the road when one of our rear tire completely exploded. Not only that, but the blow out was poerful enough to dislodge the gas tank, and tear out the generator cables and part of the generator itself! When picking up the RV in the first place, we had been told during the orientation that in the event of a flat tire, we would need to call a special number for someone to come and fix the tire. Due to the nature and size of the vehicle, they did not furnish a special jack or anything. Someone with special expertise would need to come. This NEVER happens, of course. So, needless to say, we waited by the side of the road for about 4 hours, until a guy came to change the tire. In the meantime, Brad noted that 3 of the other back tires (dualies) were nearly bald. We were disgusted. The vehicle had almost 100,000 miles on it, as well. Given the damage, we knew we couldn't continue with it, so we had to drive back to the airport, rent another SUV, and spend the night in front of the "Crusie America" place until they arrived again the next morning. We were never so glad to unload the beast and get back on our way! We later encountered so much snow and wind that we were grateful to have the little four-wheel drive SUV instead!

Tree Falls On Brad's Mower

We had a huge windstorm just before we left on our Pioneer Trail trip. Unfortuantely one of our smaller trees in the backyard came down, right onto Brad's mower. The good news is that it didn't harm the moter (just an inch away), it just destroyed the hood. So, isn't the worst case scenario :-)

Brit's Chess Habits...

Brit has become a chess expert. She plays chess with dad every evening when he gets home from work. If I knew how to play worth a darn, I'd play with her too. She is going to join the chess club at school and tries to teach all her friends how to play chess when they come over. I'm just glad I can still beat her at Speed (one of her favorite card games)....though probably not for long !

Wrestling Has Taken Over...

With Bill just finishing wrestling and Mike just beginning the season, I need a one point escape! I'm tired of sifting through dirty staph-infested singlets, t-shirts, and shorts to wash, just hoping that no one will end up with ring-worm or some other nasty skin disorder.... (which is something wrestlers have to watch out for during their season on the mat).

Bill, who has been wrestling JV this season, had his first Varsity match last week, and he won! He was delighted and is hopeful that the coach might let him continue to wrestle Varsity so that he might compete in district championships. Who knows?

Mike is way too overly confident about his very first upcoming match, having spent many a day on the trampoline wrestling Bill. I hope his first match isn't too "humbling" an experience for him (ha!)

Dan is bored out of his skull with the older kids at school all day, so we continue to fill his days with play-dates. He loves hangin' with Spencer, Isaac and the other Isaac! I'm all for it :-) Dan often says, "mom, I need some little kids over here today. I don't want big kids.....just little kids!" He has had to endure an endless stream of the smarmy teen friends of Bill and Mike, as well as giggling girls..... so it's only fair.