November News

Grandpa & Grandma:


Dear family members,
We arrived back in St George today. The weather is great. It was also great in Draper. Our Thanksgiving will be different this year. We hope all of you have a good Thanksgiving. We are going to Gary and Bev's for Thanksgiving. We are looking forward to seeing their new house and visiting with them. We appreciate their invitation. We are seeing exciting things happening in your homes. We congratulate John and Elizabeth on their new son today. We wish them well. We met Brent an Melissa'a new little foster child. He is a Cutie. We look forward to seeing Jeremy and Britany's new little child when it arrives.We now have 30 great grand children. We are both doing fine and invite you to come and visit with us.Here is a closing thought. "We often assume that the people around us know how much we love them. We should never assume, but let them know we love them. we will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown.

Lots of love to all of you from Grandma and Grandpa











Ron & Maud Mary:





Our family is doing pretty good this month. Ron finally got a real job and has been working there for a week. He is back to playing on the computer for his job so he is happy. Brent and Melissa have a new foster child. His name is Travis and he is a very very active almost 1 year old. He has only part of his heart working so he is on constant oxygen. We have already grown attached to him. In Eric and Shannon’s house there has been a few things going on. Last week Niki cut their hair and a few days later Lizzy decided to try to cut her own hair. She is now the proud owner of a cute little bob haircut. Also Eric's car died so they are looking to get a new one (a used new one). We will miss seeing all of you this Thanksgiving and hope that everyone has a great holiday. )This year we all have to go by ourselves to the Friday morning sales...Good luck and happy hunting). Have a great Thanksgiving!















Brent, Melissa & Boys





Hi everyone! Things are well with us! We have a new addition, as I am sure most of you know by now. Travis came to us last month (on Jordan’s birthday in fact!) He will be one on Nov 18! He is a very active, curious and fun little guy and has blended well into our family! First term SEPs went well! We are proud of the boys. Jordan turned 7 and had a GREAT birthday. Braden is adjusting to being a big brother again and sharing mommy. Sometimes he struggles and sometimes he does great! He’s 2 what can we expect? Kolby is doing well! We are looking forward to spending the week of Thanksgiving in Park City with Melissa’s family. It will be nice to get away! We hope everyone has a GREAT Thanksgiving! If you want to read more on our family send me your email and I will invite you to our family blog! brownie109@comcast.net






Dan & Verna:



We had an awesome Halloween, lots of treats no tricks just fun, fun. It wasn't until a few days later on November 4 that the real fun began. Liz began to have labor pains at around 7. They came quickly and hard. At around 9 John, yes, my son the OBGYN, delivered a cute 10 lb 5 oz and 23 inch baby boy on the floor of their bathroom. They named him Zachary James Higbee. About five minutes after the delivery, the midwife arrived and finished up the work she, John and Liz had started. Friday night, Liz was up and around, looking chipper and feeling great. What a story to tell their grandchildren!


In other news, we have had our share of the sick and icky flu and colds. Faith and Kara both have had the strep. Tanya and Miguel have had colds.


Dan and Robert took a quick trip to California. Dan's mom broke her hip and had to have a hip replacement. Then she took a turn for the worse and Dan and Robert went to California over the weekend. She is doing better as of now, despite the fact she is still in the hospital and will need a blood transfusion. So, life is good.


Other news of interest, we go to court in January hopefully to terminate the parental rights of Miguel's bio mother and to open up the way for our adoption of him.


Thanksgiving plans include staying home and enjoying a turkey dinner.





Brandon & Suzanne:



Dear Family,


Brandt is now almost 7months old and has started to scoot his body to get places. Picture a snail and that might give you a good idea of how it looks. It works nicely with his rolling. Keaton has been enjoying Preschool and Joy-school. Suzanne loves that both schools are very close to home. Keaton and a classmate named Ada have become quite inseparable. For Halloween, Keaton went as Super Why. Suzanne and his Grandma Stemmons did a great job on the costume. Suzanne also enjoys taking the boys to discovery gateway on the off days. September, Brandon dusted off his coaching whistle and made the tiny-tots into a championship team. Keaton loved kicking the soccer ball around with his team and can't wait for the spring season. Brandon still works for Wells Fargo as an Analyst in their Life Insurance & Annuities group.Suzanne now holds the highly sought after calling of Visiting teaching supervisor. Brandon continues to be the ward employment specialist. Let him know if you know of anyone hiring. Just today, our ward became a part of a brand new Stake and we are excited for the change. We hope that everyone will have a great thanksgiving and say congrats to those with new babies.





Gary & Bev:

Exciting changes have been happening in our family! Britany and Jeremy have a new baby boy! See their blog for more info on that! We are all really happy for them and are looking forward to meeting him!

Riley, Tricia and kids vacationed in Arizona over Halloween, they ended up staying longer then planned, but the kids could not have been happier about it! There was a whole lot of swimming going on during the visit, it was a lot of fun!

Kellen, Camille and Liv are all surviving while Kellen is in school! Lots of hard hours are being put in so he can argue with the best of them!!!!

Now, we are all looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Dwayne & Patty:

We spent October going to the U of Utah football games. We went to Las Vegas for a weekend to visit Todd, Jade and Ryder. They are in their new home and doing well. We went to watch the Utes play UNLV while we were there, and we also saw Gary and Bev there. Ryder is walking around like crazy, even trying to escape through the doggie door. Jacob was Darth Vader for Halloween much to his father's delight. He is consumed with all Star Wars stuff. We are all looking for the holidays because we will all be here together.

Hal & Diana:

All is well in Richfield. We just wanted to wish Dad a very happy Birthday. We love you Dad and appreciate all you do.Some of the members of our family were in a little accident yesterday Tonight, everyone is safe and sound and at home. Our family was really protected yesterday.Life is good. We love the Holidays. Hope the rest of you are all well.


Jeremy & Laura:

We really don't have much to share with everyone. We had a good Halloween in Richfield. Paul was very excited to go trick-or-treating. The kids looked really cute in their costumes. Pictures are on our blog. Our landlady painted our house. So, instead of a pale peach color, it can now be best described as Wendy's chocolate frosty. Other than that, we have raked leaves, done laundry, washed dishes and children, winterized our windows, and watched Bob the Builder about a hundred times. Katie has a new tooth on bottom bringing her total teeth count to 5.
We are excited for the upcoming holidays.
David Archuleta, we really like your Christmas album.

October News

First, I apologize, I had this all posted on Sunday, it was kind of having a bad day, then I logged back on today to see something, and nothing was posted. So, here it is, in all its glory! (hopefully)

Grandpa & Grandma:

Hi Family, We just got back from St George where we saw the shows. We saw Annie and Adida. we had to wear coats. It wasn't as cold as the Nativity but it was cold for St George. We also had snow and rain for the first time this year.
Does anyone know if they are coming to St George for Thanksgiving? It is time to make plans. We will go along with your plans.
We hope everything is going well with all of you out there.
How about writing to the newsletter and letting us know how you are doing. I am impressed with The communications going on with My Space and blogs. This keeps us in touch.
I want you to know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Is Heavenly Fathers church on the earth today. It is by these ordinances we can be a "forever family" We don't want any empty seats when we get back to Heavenly Father.
We are interested in your lives and what is going on.
We love each of you and pray for you each day.

Grandma and Grandpa

Ron & Maud Mary family:

Hi everyone!
Summer is over and now we are settling into fall and winter. We had a greatsummer up at the Ranch. We got a lot accomplished and had fun too.Everyone is back to work and back to school. We've all been busy canning.We got all the peaches we wanted for free so we bottled 157 bottles ofpeaches, about 40 jars of jam, and we froze 9 extra large bags of peaches.They make great smoothies. We wish you all a very Spooky Halloween.


Brent, Melissa & Boys,

Things are going well in our home! Perci and Harley went home in August; we miss them, but are happy for their family! Kolby started 4th grade and Jordan started 1st grade in August. They are both LOVING school! Braden loves having mommy to himself during the day, but is also excited when the boys come home! We are enjoying the cooler weather and getting excited for upcoming holidays! Kolby is still enjoying scouts; he recently received his Bear badge and is now working towards more arrow points. Jordan is count downing the days until his birthday later this month, he is VERY excited, and he wanted to make sure I got him a size 7 Halloween costume as he will be 7 by Halloween, not 6! Braden turned 2 in August and keeps us on our toes! He thinks he is just as big as his brothers and tries daily to prove it! He is sure a fun little guy! As for Brent and I not much has changed! Work is going well for Brent and I am trying to get caught up after Perci and Harley and get prepared for the next little one(s) to come! Life is good!



Dan & Verna Family:

Hello,
Things in Ferron, Utah are going well. Kara started dance lessons, Faith is playing socceer, Tanya is just finishing up with Tennis, Courtney is working to pay for a car, Cammie is anxious to get her birth certificate so she can get her learners permit and Miguel has just learned to spell his name. Life can't get any better than that!! John and Liz are due to have a baby this month. She looks like she is going to pop, so we hope it doesn't go too much longer. Verna went to St George a couple of weeks ago to watch Tanya play tennis and let KaRanda visit her family in ST. George and then last week went to a baby shower for Liz. While I was there, I got to see my newest grandchild, Brandt, who is absolutely adorable. In fact, I just bought him a Christmas present. My other cute grandson was off on outing so I didn't get to see him, so I will just assume he is doing well. So, busy busy. Dan is doing really well in school. Robert and Jamie are doing school online and Tristan had a birthday Saturday; he turned 7. Will played football for the Ferron League. He is quite a remarkable player. Davey seems to pick up every illness that comes around, but he is doing so much better than before. Life is good.

Gary & Bev Family:

Gary and Bev had a good month of September but a great start to the month of October. On labor day we had friends come and visit from San Diego so we spent time in the pool and visited with friends. Later in the week we went to San Diego for a day to say goodby to our old friend Lulu. She is a friend of ours that works for the same company as Gary. With her mother in her 90's they spend many holidays with us when we lived in California. Lulu had decided to return to the Philipines to spend her retirement years with her family. The rest of the month we spent planning for our vacation to the north eastern US. Saturday the 3rd we flew to Cleveland and traveled to the Kirtland area. We had the experience of listening to the first session of conference sunday morning in the Kirtland stake center. Then for two hours we toured with two sister missionaries the Historic Kirtland area that the church has restored. This day and for the whole week the crowds were not so we had private tours with the missionary workers. After the tour we heard the sunday second session at the Visitors center. What a wonderful day. On monday we went to Palmyra and for the next two days had a wonderful and spiritual feast at the Sacred Grove, Hill Cumorah, Palmyra Temple and all the historic sites of the area. Next it was off to the Peter Whitmore farm and again a one on one tour with the current missionaries then to Sharon Vermont the birthplace of the prophet. For most the trip and especially on our way to Boston the trees were turning and the area was in full color. We got lost and spend many extra hours in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Totally worth being lost and seeing the old towns and landscapes. Finally we are in Boston and toured the American History sites along the Freedom Trail with more fresh fish than was healthy. So what a month and we recommend it to anyone.

Jeremy & Britany Family:

We have an announcement! No, we are not pregnant, but are expecting another child in our family. Kenyon's birthmom is pregnant and has contacted us to adopt her baby due the first of December. I know what you are all thinking - will it work out this time or turn into the legal battle of last time? We are moving forward with faith knowing that she has the right to choose, but are very hopeful that we will have this sweet baby boy/girl in our home very soon. She is getting an ultrasound soon and we will know the gender. Until then, we still have baby Jasmine (our foster baby) in our home and it looks like she will stay for a while. She is a sweet baby and the kids adore her to pieces. Maya is loving preschool and soccer. Kenyon had a successful eye surgery to correct his drifting eyes. We are all loving the cooler weather - only in the 80s! Come visit!

Happy October!



Dwayne & Patty Family:

Not much is going on for our family this month. Just the same routine work, school and so forth. Todd and Jade have been getting settled in their new home. Heather is busy with school and work, and also coming home to visit a couple times. Steph started a new job this week. Ben and Alissa are doing well. We are looking forward to the Christmas holidays when hopefully all our kids and grandkids will be here!



Hal & Diana Family:

Not much to say. Hal was released from the Bishopric, Fall has come to Richfield, School is busy and crazy, My family seems to be doing great. No one is pregnant, not one died, no one is getting married and no one has the swine flu. What else can I say?

Jeremy & Laura Family:

We have been sick. The whole family had sniffles, and clogged noses, and yuckie coughes. We missed the opportunity to go to Saint George and watch the play Aida. We heard the rest of the family had a good time. I am continuing in school. Between figuring out Validity Coefficients and why most theorists were frustrated with Freud, I have been busy. Only a year left, yeah. I need to get an internship site next summer and we are good to go.
Laura has been picking apples and on monday will be making apple sauce.
The kids are growing well. We are planning on visiting the pumpkin patch soon and Paul is so excited.
We had a great conference weekend. It rained. It was perfect to stay inside and drink hot chocolate.
We had the oil changed in our car.
We turned on our heater for the first time.
Laura continues to go to the Gym, losing six pounds since the beginning of August. She has started a great new fad called eat better and exercise more.
We have put up our Halloween decorations. Laura sewed them this year. Paul is going to be a scary pumpkin and Kathryn is going to be a pumpkin, but not a nerdy kind of pumpkin. You can check it out on our blog after Halloween.
Life is a good. Have a nice month.

Summer Fun!!

As I read all the posts, it sounds like Shannon and Patty need to have a chat about a pan!!

Grandma & Grandpa:

Dear Family members,

It has been a little over a month since our reunion. We again thank Patty for her work on the reunion. We enjoyed visiting with each of you. Verna said her family would do it next year. we want these reunions to continue. Our life has been very routine since our last newsletter. We do the normal activities. We do indexing, etc. We enjoy your blogs and learning of your activities. It appears our Thanksgiving Party will be small. We can understand your situations. we welcome whoever wants to come. We are enjoying our new Temple in Draper. We enjoy anyone who comes to visit. We did take a trip to Chicago during the summer . Most of you knew about that. That was the only trip we took accept for the Rexburg reunion. When one gets older one takes fewer trips. We are both fine and do stay busy doing our thing. I guess I don't have much to write about tonight. I'll do better next time. We pray for the ill and unemployed in our family.
Keep up the good work! Love
Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad etc

Ron & Maud Mary Family:


Eric & Shannon Family:

First of all, I left a glass pan at the family party in July. Did anyone happen to pick it up for me? Let me know! Thanks!
Our family had a very fun, eventful summer. Eric enjoyed a youth conference trip to Rexburg, and while there was called to be the Young Men's President. He is so excited about it! He loves being in the Young Men's program. The kids met up with him for the Westover family reunion, while I stayed home with Jessica. So we all had a vacation of sorts -- just not all together! Emma broke her wrist by falling of her bunk bed early in the morning. Her first cast was pink, and her current one glows in the dark. She has begun 1st grade and loves it. Emma, Dallin, and Liz all have their own bunnies. Emma's had babies, but the mom ate/didn't care for them, and they all died. It was sad. Liz's bunny should have babies soon. Hopefully her bunny will take care of her babies! We also had 3 lambs born this summer, so we've had lots of growth in our family.

Dan & Verna Family:

We had a really quick summer. We didn't do anything really out of the ordinary. We just sort of relaxed at home. We are now all back in school and are looking forward to Christmas break. Miguel is in all day kindergarten so the house is quiet. Both Courtney and Tanya have jobs now, Kara is in Young Womens, and Faith is getting really good on her skateboard. KaRanda did visit with her brother and sister during the month of July and enjoyed herself. Otherwise, we are all doing fine.


Robert & Jamie Family:

We had a great summer. We got to go camping a few times and enjoyed each others company. We spent most of June at the Dr with Davey. We are very blessed to have things turn out the way they did. July was spent mostly working and growing our giant garden. I have no idea how August flew by and what we did. Summer went by way too fast and now the kids are back in school. They all like their teachers and are trying to get back to the school routine. We have all five kids in school this year. Davey is in eighth grade and disappointed that he could not play football this year because of Dr's orders but he will next year. Becca is in sixth grade and is very happy to have her class with most of her friends. Will is in fifth grade and is ready to start playing football on the little league team. Tristen is in first grade he has two different teachers and likes both of them. Tyrel is in all day kindergarten he is loving the fact that he can finally go to school with the big kids. Robert is now working with John and is enjoying his job. Jamie has been getting more hours at the bank and is trying to adjust to having all of the kids in school. It is a little strange to have some alone time and be able to clean the house and have it stay that way for a few hours.

Gary & Bev Family:

July was a little crazy for Gary and Bev. On Jul 2 they left Arizona and Bev got back on the 20, with Gary flying back and forth for work. In time we visited Cokeville to help build a new greenhouse for Bev's dad, We celebrated the 4th in Wyoming.yes the few people there had activities and even fireworks. Then we went to a cabin on Bear Lake with Bev's family celebrate her dad's 80th Birthday. Everyone was there but Morgan's son on a mission in Alaska. It was a good thing it was a large cabin with 42 of us there. It was so fun to be in a cooler place to swim, boat, golf, and hike Menitacka Cave, visit and just relax for 5 days.

Then back to Salt Lake to visit friends and Gary to golf. Then it was great to see all of you at the Wilkinson Reunion picnic. It is so fun to see everyone that could be there. By that time I was tired and ready to heard home. Vacations are wonderful and visiting relatives but it was great to be home. August started out quiet but like most months changed quickly.

Riley and Tricia's Chelsey and Corbin started school. Chelsey is in 3rd grade and Corbin in 2nd. they are growing so fast. Keegan will be 3 in Sept and he started pre-school 2 days a week. Kaylix turned 2 in August his hand is still healing from the burn from the iron. Riley is still working at UPS and Tricia is busy with 4 very active kids and helping with the PTA again this year.

Britany and Jeremy have had a busy summer with Utah and California trips visiting both of their families and friends. Jeremy's niece Olivia is no longer with them. She is back in UT with her parents. Maya is 4 and is so ready to go back to pre-school after Labor day (mom is really ready). Kenyon is 2 and has turned in to quite a chatter box. He loves to play with his trains and boats at grandma's house. Both of the kids loves to swim all the time. Britany and Jeremy have a 7 month old foster girl. Jasmine has fit into their family really well. They will probably have her for a few months. She is a cutie and everyone really likes her.

Kellen and Camille traveled this summer like all of us. We have to get away from the heat for a while. They went to UT and California also. Camille's brother left on his mission for Moscrow Russia in July. So they had a lot of family activities to enjoy with him and her family. Kellen worked at the law school this summer in the admission office so that kept him busy. School started for him again the middle of August. So it is back to the books for him. He has 2 more years. Camille is busy with a active 2 year old. Olivia has such an imagination. She loves being a princess or a mermaid. She also loves to swim and has just given up her floaties and is swimming on her own the length of the pool "just like Maya", as she says.

Bev attended Education Week the middle of August. It was the first time. She went with her sister Roxzann and her niece. Loved it, got to see Maud Mary and group. Visited for a lunch break. Will go again next year! Maud Mary I know that is a shocker! After going to ed week then Bev went with her parents, sister, and brother up to northern Idaho to Kamia for her dad's sister and husbands 50th wedding anniversary party. I have now been in Grangeville, Kamia, and all the other little towns in the hills that mom and dad talk about from their mission in the Spokane Mission. It was great to see the beautiful country and visit with cousins that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Hope things will quiet down after Labor Day (we will see).

Dwayne & Patty Family:

We can't believe that summer is gone already, where did it go. Anyways here is our summer. Todd was offered a job in Las Vegas, so they moved there, bought a house and are scheduled to move in in about three weeks. Heather enjoyed her break from school, and worked during the day and socialized at night. Ben and Alissa went to New York for a week, so I was able to go and be with Jacob while they were gone. We had the best time. Steph and Heather took a road trip together to San Francisco while I was there also. Jacob loved having us all there. He kept us going in the right direction, whether it was to the park or to get ice cream. He knows his directions! Ben and Alissa took us into the city when they got back. I loved the chocolate factory!!! We had the Wilkinson family reunion in July and it was good to see those who were able to come. A big thank you to all who brought food to help out . Stephanie moved back home to go to school up here. We love having her here! We hope that everyone else had a fantastic summer!!!!

** At the family reunion someone brought a dessert in a glass 13x9 pan. Please let me know who it belongs to and I will get it back to you.

Hal & Diana Family:


Jeremy & Laura Family:

Jeremy has started this semester. This is his last year. Applying for jobs all over Utah. Bleh. For a very accurate picture of what the kids and I are doing, check my latest blog post (seriously, check it, :) www.jensenjamboree.blogspot.com


Kelly and Stephanee :

We have had a busy summer so far...we bought a beagle puppy on Kelly's birthday in June. We named him Oakley and he has kept us VERY busy! From potty training the little guy to teaching him how to play fetch, it has all been an adventure! He follows us around the house and taught himself how to drive us crazy. Other than work, we have been keeping busy with helping my parents move and remodel their house, continue to decorate the house, starting school, and learning how to cook new meals.