Go COUGARS!!!!!!!

So in our family we are HUGE BYU COUGARS fans.  Perhaps because Mike and I both attended BYU and have a tremendous love for the school itself.  Perhaps because all of our children have expressed an interest to attend there.  Perhaps because of what the school stands for.  Perhaps it is because they do have good sports teams.  Whatever the reason we LOVE BYU.  I especially love BYU basketball!!!

We knew we would be attending the BYU vs. CSU game as soon as we saw the schedule.  We managed to buy our tickets just in time as it was  a sold out croud for the first time since 2005.  That's amazing since the stadium only holds a little over 8000 fans.  That seems so small when compared to the 23000 the Marriott Center holds and sells out regularly.

This has been a great year for BYU basketball.  Jimmer Fredette is the leading scoreer in the NCAA and he is backed up by an outstanding team of starters and bench players.  The team is ranked #9 in the NCAA and #2 in the Mountain West Conference. (only outdone in the MWC by SDSU ranked #6 and undefeated)  BYU lost one game this season to UCLA which was a bummer, but we are hoping they can hold the losses to that one.  A win over SDSU this next week would be awesome, but is going to be tough.

Anyway this past Saturday we took the whole family up to Ft. Collins to watch our amazing Cougars play against the Rams.  Sorry Rams the Cougars will always have my heart.   Kyle was so cute before the game, he was so excited for it to start he was practically shaking!  He kept saying "when is it going to start, I can't wait!"  Of course Mike and I were also quite anxious.  We knew it would be a good game with two fairly evenly matched teams and we were a little nervous about how it would go.  It was a great game.  The Rams played them well, but the Cougars were on top the whole game.  Jimmer had an amazing 42 points.  Other players had great games too and it was so much fun to watch this team play LIVE!!!  They won 94-85 keeping alive a 9 game winning streak!  I have to admit there for a little bit in the second half I was a little nervous about whether they would hold on to their lead.  Thank goodness they did!!!!

  Afterwards we wated around to see if we could meet some of the players.  Freshman, Kyle Collinsworth came back into the stadium to do an interview.  I overheard them talking to him about the mission he is planning after this season for the church.  It is so great to see these players that are willing to sacrifice those 2 years of playing sports to go on missions for the church.  I think that in many cases they are blessed for that sacrifice once they return.  The girls had their picture taken with Kyle and the boys all got his autograph.

We waited even longer, then the coach came in and said the players were heading to the bus, so we headed outside to wait in the cold.  The wait paid off as we were able to meet several of the players.

Jackson Emery just broke the BYU record set by Danny Ainge in the 80's for steals.  He is an awesome defender and his 3 point shots are usually dead on!!!



Charles Abouo comes off the bench and plays a great game. 



Jimmer signing Jacob's shirt



Jimmer signing Kyle's shirt





Jimmer signing Ryan's shirt

Jimmer with our whole family.  It was so cool to be able to meet him.

The kids and I with Brandon Davies.  Look at that smile!!

Kaylee and KEnsie were able to snag Jimmer right after he finished his media interview before leaving the court.  Look how kaylee is snuggling into him.  She says she is in love!!  hah hah  :)

What a great night.  I hope the kids will remember this one forever!!!!



January update...

It's been a couple of weeks, so I thought I would spend a few minutes and update the blog. 

Early this month I took the kids in for their 6 month dental check-ups and cleanings.  I am always scared as we head int to theses appointments because it seems that our boys have really bad teeth.  As much we try to make sure they brush twice a day, we have over time between Ryan and Jacob had to do several crowns, a few extractions, and lots of fillings.  This time however was a really good trip: only one small cavity for Jacob.  Hooray!!!  When you figure how many teeth that is between all five of the kids, having only one small cavity is a huge sucess.

 Also the beginning of the month I got a new neice.  Finally a baby girl born to one of my brothers.  This is actually the first baby girl born in our family who will have the name Pierce in like 25 years.  Including with Uncle Keith's family.  I really didn't think it was going to ever happen.  Cousin John and Lindsey have 4 boys, Kevin has 4 boys, Steve has 1 boy, I really thought there was a curse or something on the boys of our family.  Somehow, Jeff broke it though, and maybe others will benefit later on and get girls too.  Anyway, Hailey Shirlene Pierce (middle name of course after our mom) was born on January 3rd at 12:16 pm.  She wighed 7 pounds 15 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. 

She is sooooooo BEAUTIFUL!!!!  Congrats again to Jeff and Erika!

On the 11th, we finally had Jacob's birthday party that had to be resceduled when we got stranded in the snow storm in Utah after the funeral.  He was so excited to have so many of his friends come over to our house for a movie on the big screen in the basement.  They watched Despicable Me which is a really cute animated film.  I had made some really cute invites for the party (shown on left).  I also bought them all movie theatre sized candy and some popcorn that I put in popcorn bags and each of them got a water bottle.  It was a huge success.  We also had pizza and cupcakes. The kids had a blast and Jacob really enjoyed the day.

The kids, and Mike had a day off on the 17th for Martin Luther King Junior day.  It was so nice to have Mike home again for a holiday.  He and I started the day by going to Home Depot (one of my favorite places) and buying wood to do a bit more framing in the basement.  We came home and framed the doorway into the storage room at the bottom of the stairs and completed the wall under the stairs.  Now all the framing for the Theatre Room except the exterior wall is done.  Hopefully soon we will be able to do that exterior wall, get the electrical wired and finish off that room.  That would be so awesome.

After the work was done, we took the kids out to lunch and then we went bowling.  It was so much fun.  I wish I would have thought to take photos of the kids bowling.  I seem to forget that a lot these days.   I did catch a couple photos of our scores though.  Mike ended the second game with 5 strikes in a row.  unfortunately, I didn't get that score photographed before they turned off our monitors.  We all had a great time, we will have to do that again soon. 

 This past week, Ryan broke one of his fillings.  I don't knowh ow, probably grinding his teeth at night, but it was a good size piece that came out leaving a gaping whole in his tooth.  I took him back to the dentist and they elected to just extract it.  Apparently it wouldn't have been there too much longer anyway.  I was frustrated to be back at the dentist already after having such a good visit just a week and a half earlier, but what could we do.  They pulled his tooth and he is fine.

Kyle decided this month that he is going to exercise every day.  He made a list of the things he was going to do and has done it nearly every day since.  Here is his list and a couple of pics of him doing his "backward Sit-ups" as he calls them.  All I can say is this kids has a very strong back!!!

The other evening as I went to get Tiffany from school, I was backing out of the driveway and this is what I saw.  I had to stop and take a picture to send to my dad.

I have to tell you how many fond memories are associated with a scene like this.  Not only is it a beautiful site and evidence in my mind that there is a God and creator of this world, (for how else can something so beautiful come to be), but it brings back many memories of my father from my childhood.  You see if ever you asked my dad what his favorite color was, he always responded "sky blue orange."  To me that will always be a real color because my dad made it so.  When he saw a beautiful sunset, or even a sunrise, he would point it out to us and say, "look kids, sky blue orange".  I think of that everytime I blessed to see such a beautiful sight as the one above.  Thank you dad!!

So, things are going well.  We are all fairly healthy (though Kaylee and TIffany each missed a day of school recently for various reasons).  It has been a much healthier year for us this year than last year was. (knock on wood)  I sure hope it stays that way.

New Year, New Me

So here it is, a new year. Many of us start the new year off with New Year's resolutions. So I have been thinking aout what things I want to do differently this next year and I sit down here and now to put those things on paper (or screen) and to make a record of what I plan to work on this year. (in no particular order)

1) Family History. I need to be a better and more frequent blogger. This is my family history and I need to do my best to keep it up to date and current. I was really bad last year about blogging. I feel terrible about all that I have missed blogging about. It is my hope that I can somehow catch up. In addition I want to get up to date on family scrapbooks. I am up to about 2007 right now, but really would like to get all the books up to date so all I have to work on in the future is the current year.

2) Excercise. What list of resolutions could ever be complete without this one. I want to get back into a regular exercise routine. I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds while I am at it, but the primary purpose I will be pursuing is fitness and health. I will set up a schedule for daily exercise and stick to it.

3) Family Home Evening and Family Scripture Study. I want to be better about maintaining consistency with both of these important family activities. We will incorporate a regular time for family scripture study to make it easier to remember to do it every day. We will also include Mike when he is out of town via phone call or web cam in both.

4) Personal devotions and church calling. I need to be better about my own prayers, scripture study and spending better time on my calling. I will set aside time every Sunday to work on my calling and send out the Relief Society recaps. I will begin and end each day with prayer and remember personal scripture study as well. I also will look for more opportunities to serve others in and out of the church. In addition, I will make a greater effort to go to the Temple more often.

5) Home organization. I need to set up a regular schedule for my own household responsibilites to aid in organizing the home and keeping it clean on a daily basis. I will divide household chores so that I do a portion of the cleaning each day of the week and make sure that I do all I need to. I will work on dejunking the basement and anything else that needs dejunking.

6) Chidren. I will work more with the children on their own personal chores and keeping their rooms clean. I will do better with follow up and making sure that they actually do what they are supposed to do before they are allowed to do the fun things they want to do. I will also work with them on better behavior and manners as well as being accountable for their actions. This will involve a family meeting to establish a new set of house rules and the consequences for breaking the rules to be agreed on by all members of the family.

7) Household Budget. Ugh I hate this, but it is very necessary. I need to do better about maintaining and following the household budget. I will set up the budget and keep it up to date by accounting for spending and working within the set budgets. As well as finding ways to cut the budget so that we can save more money and pay off the few loans we have.

8) Family Meals. I will get back into the habbit of preparing evening meals on a daily basis. I have been lazy this past year, doing quick, easy, (frozen and pre-packaged) meals for the kids when Mike has been away. But I know the importance of good home cooking and pledge to do more of it this year for the health of my family. This may include getting back on my Once a Month Cooking plan. I will also work on providing healthy snacks for the children and encouraging good eating habbits for them as well as for Mike and I.

9) I will continue to explore my creative side by hosting classes and workshops, creating new T-shirt designs for my cafe press shop, working on new scrapbook kits and designs, designing for Cherry Lime Boutique, and whatever else I can come up with this year.

Wow, that seems like a lot to do, but I know that if I set my mind to it, many of these goals can be accomplished very easily. I just have to set my priorities and schedule my time accordingly .

I am looking forward to a great new year and hope that by setting down these goals for myself, I can work towards bettering myself and my family in each category in some way. Now off I go towards a new year and a new me. May 2011 be the best year yet!!!

Another grandpa's funeral

Today was a tough day. It was a day that I have known was coming for some time, but it doesn't matter how long you have to prepare, you are never really adequately prepared for the funeral of someone you love.

Several years ago, about 12 I think, my grandpa Thornock had a heart attack. He ended up having surgery and though we weren't sure if he would or not, he pulled through. He was pretty healthy for a few years after that until he had a stroke. The stroke took a lot from him. He became weak on one side and didn't get around quite as easily as he had before. Slowly he weakened, and eventually his body gave out. This past August, he was hospitalized for a pulmonary embelism (I think that's what it was). He was put on blood thinners to break up the clots in his blood. His blood was too thin though and his heart was having trouble. We knew it really was a matter of time.

This all happened about the same time grandpa Pierce was having troubles. He too had become very feeble. He was no longer eating much and the end of September I made the trip to Hawaii to join my family for his funeral. At that time I expected to return home only to have to head to Utah for a funeral for grandpa Thornock. But grandpa surprised us and for some unknown reason, he held on. My family and I were able to visit with him at the VA hospital for a brief time in October on our way to Las Vegas for Steve's wedding. He looked pretty good,though thin, and was in pretty good spirits. I was happy to have been able to visit with him for what I knew then would most likely be the last time I would see him alive. I was right.

In late November, I received a call saying that grandpa had become so weak they would no longer be able to do his physical therapy with him. This meant he would no longer get any exercise and spent all of his time in bed.

On December 21st I got the call that said he was doing quite poorly and was going to be going on hospice. I knew the end was close. On the 22nd I spoke to my dad and he said it hd been a particularly tough day for grandpa. He had been yelling and screaming for help. The help he wanted was from those on the other side. The hospice crew said that he may not make it through the night.

All of this was happening while my grandmother was in a hospital recovering from her own surgery. She had a hip replacement 2 weeks prior that was not healing so the doctor had to go in again, clean out the wound and stitch it shut. I have no idea why it wasn't stitched closed in the first place, but that is a whole different story. Anyway, grandma was in one hospital, grandpa in another. Grandma's doctors would not release her so she could go be with him on Wednesday night, so I prayed over and over again that night that grandpa would be able to hang on just a bit longer and that grandma would be well enough to be released the next morning and be able to spend some time with grandpa before he passed on. The next morning, I waited for a call. Every time the phone rang, I was afraid to answer. I was afraid it would be the call.

The call did come in about 2:25 that afternoon. My dad called to tell me that grandpa had passed from this life just a few minutes prior. He passed peacefully while he was sleeping with family, including grandma who had been realeased from the hospital an hour earlier, at his side.

I knew that prayers had been answered. Grandma was with him before he passed. He was waiting just for her so that they could have that last little bit of time together before he was gone.

So I prepared my family and the following Monday we came to Utah for the Funeral. The drive was great. We were able to visit with grandma and Tami on Monday shortly after our arrival. Grandma is such a strong woman. She is doing so well. She is healing from her surgery and handling the loss of her husband as well as anyone could expect.

Tuesady evening was the viewing. Grandpa looked great. The mortician did a great job with him. He looked so peaceful as if he was sleeping. It was a great teaching opportunity with my children and we discussed that his spirit was now in heaven and the shell of his body is left behind here on the earth. While we were looking at his body, his spirit was no longer inside it. He is in heaven. He is with my mother, and my sister, his parents and several of his siblings who have already passed on.

During the viewing, we visited with many family members and reminisced about grandpa. It was nice to have so many people who loved him there.

Today was the funeral. It was a beautiful service. The room was full of family and friends who knew and loved him. The opening prayer was given by uncle Doug, Talks were given by 4 of the grandchildren, one from each family. I spoke for my family. It was a difficult thing in many ways, but a blessing in others. My Aunt Georgine read the obituary, and aunt Tami gave a talk. Uncle George gave the family prayer, all present great grandchildren sang I am a Child of God, and Families Can Be Together Forever, cousin Mike sang two hymns, O My Father, and How Great Thou Art, and Tiffany closed the service by singing the hymn God Be With You Til We Meet Again (I had a proud mommy moment there, she did a great job),and my dad gave the closing prayer.

The talks reflected on memories we each had of grandpa, the kind of man he was, and the life he led. He is a great man and he will be missed.

One of the things that gives me comfort in dealing with this loss is that I know that my grandpa, my mother, and my sister are all together in heaven along with my grandma and grandpa Pierce and many other family members who have gone on before. Families are forever. What joy and peace these words bring. I know it to be true and will live everyday of my life that I can be worthy to return so that I too can be with them all in heaven.

As a side note, it has been said that now grandpa is strong, healthy, and he can eat whatever he wants as he will no longer be limited by celiac disease. That in itself is a wonderful thing.

So today we celebrated a great man and a life lived well. After the funeral service we went to the graveside service. The weather was terrible and to say that it was wet and muddy is an understatement. It was snowing a very wet snow, nearly rain and it was soooooo cold. But we listened to the 21 gun salute and watched as grandma was presented a flag as grandpa was laid to rest with full military honors. It was really cool. The prayer to dedicate his grave was given by my uncle Ken and then we all headed back to the church for a lunch provided by the wonderful sisters of the church. We visited more with family and shared stories and memories as we ate.

After all this we headed out into the snow to our hotel, changed clothes and then went back to grandma's house to visit with her some more. We had such a nice visit, and it was really hard to leave her when the time came. It felt so weird to be leaving her all alone in her house. She is a strong woman. She is a great example, and I love her so much.

Here is a link to grandpa's obituary.

MIKE

Mike has been traveling like crazy. He has flown enough this year to earn enough miles to fly the whole family to Orlando, Florida to go to Disney World for spring break next year, so that should tell you how much he is traveling. He has been gone most weeks from Monday through Thursday or Friday. He gave up his apartment in Oklahoma in October and brought his stuff back home when he was promoted to a new position. He is now a Regional Manager managing 10 construction sites on Army bases in the western US including Alaska and Hawaii. He loves his job, the only thing that would make it better would be if he could be home more. That could happen with this new position once the projects all get going. He enjoyed camping with the family a couple times this year in the Colorado Mountains and wishes we could have gone more. In May he had a great opportunity to buy a new motorcycle. It is a Big Dog Mastiff (a custom motorcycle). He has thoroughly enjoyed riding his bike on the weekends when he has been home and the weather has been nice. Michelle is also enjoying riding with him on occasion. He loves movie nights with the kids, date nights with his wife and BYU sports. He is enjoying the beginning of the BYU Basketball season and cheering on a winning team. GO COUGARS!!!

 

MICHELLE

Michelle has had a busy year. She has traveled to Utah twice, Chicago, Nashville and Hawaii. Not all of the trips were fun and exciting as two were for funerals, but the opportunity to see family was still great. We were saddened by the loss of Michelle’s paternal grandfather in September but relieved that his suffering was finally over and Michelle enjoyed a quick trip with her dad and all her siblings to Hawaii for grandpa’s funeral. As a family we also made 2 trips to Las Vegas for two of Michelle’s brother’s weddings. Those trips were all about celebration and spending time with family. They were great. Michelle and Mike had the wonderful opportunity to go on the Stake Pioneer Trek in July. They were called to be a Ma & Pa and lead a family over the 3 day, 36 mile hike pushing a handcart full of their gear. They had 9 children assigned to them and though the experience was physically demanding, it was amazing. The kids in their family were wonderful and it made it all so much fun. Michelle still enjoys digital scrapbooking and scrapbook design. She has taught two sessions of beginning digital scrapbooking classes and will be starting another session soon. Her T-shirt shop remains active (cafepress.com/mlsdesigns) and she sells an average of about 250 shirts per month. In addition, she has recently teamed up with a friend to help with a new business venture...Cherry Lime Boutique making and selling hair accessories. She is loving the creative aspects of this new business and is having tons of fun with it. You can check it out at cherrylimeboutique.com. Michelle has decided to step down from the PTA after 6 years as the Vice President and will do so in February. That will be a big change for her. She plans to stay involved in the kids’ school, but on a different level. So it’s been a busy year with kid’s sports and activities, church, kids’ school stuff, and just keeping up with the family, but she is loving life and happy as can be.

Here are some pics of our TREK family.

KYLE

 KYLE

Kyle is 6½ years old. He will turn 7 in May. He is currently in first grade and absolutely loves it. He is thriving right now as he is excelling in spelling, reading, and math. He truly enjoys learning and is having so much fun with his teacher. Kyle tried out wrestling in the beginning of the year, but he didn’t really like it. Maybe next year. During the summer, Kyle was able to play T-Ball. I don’t think he enjoyed it in the beginning, but by the end of the season, he was doing pretty well. He prefers to hit a ball that is thrown to him rather than hitting it off a T. I guess he will be ready for coach pitch this next year. We found out early this year that Kyle has vocal chord nodules. This is the reason for his husky, rough voice. While it is cute to listen to, we decided to see if we could get him some help to relieve those nodules. We went to a speech therapist and there found out that Kyle doesn’t use his diaphragm when he breathes or talks. Therefore he is unable to push air through his vocal chords with enough pressure to open them all the way. So for the last few months Kyle has been seeing a speech therapist to practice breathing and speaking using his diaphragm. We are hoping that over time this will relieve the irritation that is causing the nodules and that there will be no further damage. Aside from that, he is a healthy and happy little boy. He loves to play the Wii, watch TV, and do whatever his brothers are doing.