March 7, 2010
We have been kept pretty busy this year so far. Karl has had a lot of work which isn’t a bad thing in this economy. Lori is has been going to physical therapy twice a week and her back is getting much stronger and doing better. We have our taxes done early this year which is nice. It has been one of the cloudiest years any of us has ever seen in Arizona. Temperatures have been pretty nice.
Valentine’s DayFor Valentine’s Day, Lori got a bike. Karl and Christian picked out a red and white beach cruiser with a basket on the front. When Lori got home from work, there was a trial of rose pedals leading to the garage where the bike was parked under a spot light with a dozen roses and a card in the basket.
Lori’s Upcoming Indiana Trip
Lori is excited about her upcoming visit to Indiana. She has been making plans for weeks. Vayden will be accompanying her while Christian and Karl have a backpacking trip planned among other things for Christian’s spring break.
Mark’s Miracle
We have made mention of Karl’s brother Mark and his battle with brain cancer. We have wonderful news to report. On February 23rd, Mark went in for a MRI which showed that the tumor is gone and there is no sign of disease. We want to thank everyone for your prayers and faith. Thank you for all the support with positive thoughts and actions. Mark truly did BEAT BEN THOMAS. Keep him in your prayers as he still has to be checked every few months to make sure the tumor does not return.
Renaissance Festival
We decided to go to the Renaissance Festival this year. The Festival is only about half an hour from our house. Everyone loved it. They have great food and entertainment. Christian was so excited to go he said he had butterflies in his stomach on the trip there. I wish we had brought the video camera. You would have to see it to appreciate Vayden watching the belly dancers and then imitating them.
Very Vayden
Vayden is such a character! There is no way to describe what a happy little blessing she is. She makes everyone laugh contstantly and she is such an affectionate little being that she melts your heart 20 times a day.
Vayden has a baby, a doll and several monkeys that she now takes care of feeding them pretend cheese and bottles and changing their diapers. She is mastering the use of a spork when she is feeding herself some ‘cheese’. She likes to tease her Dad about ears being eyes. She knows that they are really ears but calls them eyes to get a reaction out of her Dad.
Vayden loves animals. She also loves beef jerky. The kid is a little beef jerky monster. She goes nuts whenever she sees a bag or someone has some. Karl loves to turn her into a little suck-up. When he has beef jerky Vayden will come up to him and rub her cheek against his and shower him with kisses, Anything to get her teeth on that beef jerky. It is pretty entertaining to watch.Completely Christian
Christian comes home from school all the time these days complaining about how rough it is to go to a school where all the girls like him.
Spoiled Dog
One morning Vayden, Christian and Karl are down stairs eating breakfast and Karl notices Christian going outside with two bottles of drinking water. Karl asks Christian what he is doing and Christian replies “Giving Roxy some water.”
It is amazing how the generations have changed. Lori and Karl grew up drinking unfiltered tap water. If Karl or Lori had asked their parents for a bottle of water, their parents would have responded, “If the facet is broken, go use the hose outside.”
Kids now days take one sip of bottled water and leave the rest laying around deemed ‘stale’ because it has been open for more than five minutes. Now we are feeding the dog bottled water. Christian looked shocked when Karl told him not to use the bottled water on the dog. Christian did not see the contradiction of pouring bottled water into the dog’s dish which had various dirt sediments, floating insects and leaves in it. The thought of washing out the dog’s dish did not occur to him, but bottled water for an animal that drinking out of toilets seemed like he right thing to do.
Christian’s New Bike
Christian got a new mountain bike the same day as Lori. After all what good is a new bike if you don’t have someone to ride with who can keep up with you.
Sooooo Shelby
Shelby did very well in Poms this year and individually placed third over-all in their routine. Shelby says she is sad that poms is over now.
All Alyssa
We haven't heard much from Alyssa lately. We do know she did go to winter formal. Here is a photo we snagged off the internet:
Being Brittney
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRITTNEY !!Can you believe it? Our Brittney is no longer a teenager. She is now a beautiful young woman in her twenties.
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS
Be sure to check out the Volume 35 Addendum of Photos of the Reniassance Festival.
