Our trip to the zoo.

Photobucket Album

Halloween 08

Click on Hyrum

to go the Nicholas nut farm halloween album

war of the worlds album

Click on Carl to go to the War of the Worlds photo album.

I recently took a trip to Chicago to attend workshops and meet friends from my internet yahoo group. I posted about my trip at http://www.threadanimals.blogspot.com/. I posted additional photos at http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii199/debbittybears/Chicago/.

there are also pictures of Ben's recent trip to cub scout campt at this link.

http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii199/debbittybears/Scout%20Camp%20Ben/.

We recently did sharing time on eternal families and temples. To help with the lesson my father sent me pictures of his parents, Lola and H.

I wish I had the opportunity to meet "H" in this life. Oh well the maybe the next. His parents sure did a good job raising their kids.

Here is my parents wedding photo and a more recent photo.

A dear friend Vale (short for Faavale) pronounced "Volleigh". Taking good care of my kids.

The three oldest kids recently participated in a Trek.

I sent a camera with each child, spent about 9 dollars each camera for developing and honestly, this is the only decent pic. This is Tayla with "her" wagon.

We recently attended a meeting celebrating the TREK and watching the DVD. I cried through the DVD. It was so beautiful to see the children experience what it was like for the pioneers.

The most beautiful moment was after they "enlisted" all the men and took them away from the men. The women were left on their own to drag their handcarts up a steep hill while the boys and men were forced to do nothing but watch. As they watched they began to sing hymns....and some cried. When those women and girls reached the top of the ridge they were swarmed by willing eager men who were desperate to help. It was very meaningful for everyone.

Tayla wrote a beautiful testimony about the TREK which I will post in our testimony blog a http://www.myldstestimony.blogspot.com/.

The picture at the top is one we took last year traveling back from Utah...which shows our family all together...where we want to be.

Please let me know you were here.

-deBBie

Family Vacation

Nicholas Family Vacation

Summer 08

and

Gibbons Family Reunion

Two days after school got out for the summer, at about 8:00 PM, Earl and I loaded up the kids (loaded up on caffeine) and headed for Utah for summer vacation. On the way there we stopped in Tremonton to pick up a few items from Earls Uncle Dale and Aunt Karen (Rohner). They originally were going to buy us breakfast at Denny's but I think they chickened out when they thought about all eight kids in a resteraunt. So they ended up bringing cereal and milk and meeting us at a park, which was great for the kids after being cooped up in the car all night.

We finally got to Grandmas. Earl made himself right at home by throwing up all over Grandma's bathroom and then sleeping for 24 hours straight. Grandpa drove him to an airport on Sunday morning and I prayed for whoever he sat by. Several of the kids got sick with strep like symptoms that week but only Bexi ended up with a positive strep test.

Mom was nice enough to let me invite a few gals from my threadanimal group over for lunch on wednesday.

On thursday morning I took Sam, Tacie, Hyrum, and Ben to Kim's. We went to the Springfield
Art Days kids fair. They had fun making sun catchers, paper "china" and other items.


That night we headed to Ogden and attended a party for Rebecca Stoner, the daughter of our good friends, Kathy and Dennis.

Monday morning we drove to Saint Anthony Idaho for our Gibbons Family Reunion. It was so great to see everyone and spend time together. We rented a lodge in Idaho called the Three Peaks Lodge and stayed for 5 days. It has 8 bedrooms, lots of bedrooms, and space galore in the kitchen. The also have a garge full of outdoor toys that my kids enjoyed.


Everyone took turns making a meal. The food was wonderful.

My kids favorite part were some mangy, fleabitten kittens they found near the woodpile. Tiffy and Tayla played nurse for the next few days, trying to clear up their eye infections.

The kids spent some quality time together, and some not so quality time.

Dad did devotionals, which was a highlight for me and also took me to the Rexburg temple which was fun. Tiffy registered for School and it was fun to visit the campus but so MUCH has changed...it was so weird.

The day after we got home several of the kids broke out in spots. In my family Ben was the worst and he still has dark marks all over his chest where the spots were. A doctor here said it was chicken pox and so did Sophie and Tallen's doctor. Some of suspected a Jacuzzi rash as it was getting pretty funky by the fourth day and some kids spots disappeared right away.... Just glad everyone is OK.


I am already looking forward to next year!

Prom, Tayla.

The saga of Princess Tayla and the Prom.

Once upon a time there was a princess who wanted to go to a ball. When the princess was asked she was very excited.
But First the princess had to work hard to make her dress. (Her grandmother was a big help)


The evening of the ball she had her hair done up in fancy ringlets and jewels.

Her prince (Nathan Lord) arrives bearing gifts. Tayla made her grand entrance.



They left the castle and exchanged gifts and flowers on the lawn.

Pictures, Pictures, and More Pictures.

She had a great time. Truly a Princess that evening, and her date behaved like a Prince.

I can't believe she is 17!! I can't believe she is going to be a Senior next year! How did that happen? She was just born last week. She is hoping to go to BYU in an art program. Yesterday she bore her testimony at church and it was beautiful. I had had a bad morning wrangling children and felt like quitting the whole church thing till they were older, her testimony reminded me why it is all worth it. I am so proud of her.

REUNION:

I will be sending out the info and assingments for the reunion soon. If you have a preference regarding room or food, please email or call me this week!

love, deBBie

Micah recently participated in a Kids Culinary Cook off. To be invited she had to submit a recipe. Three students from each elementary in the area were chosen to participate in the cook off.

Her recipe was called "Extreme Peanut Butter Balls". Anyway...the kids who sampled them absolutely loved them and came back for seconds, thirds, and 10ths. She had a great time.

We are always looking for a place to buy, but homes are so expensive. This particular home has been abandoned for years. (since the owner went nuts and disappeared). It has just come on the market. Earl is interested but the realtors aren't even taking offers yet. Earl hasn't been working much (Construction has stopped here!) so we probably can't buy anything right now...but the house is interesting.

We have a place here called Bauman's farm where the kids can go feed animals and play in a Tee Pee and Wooden Stockade. The only cost is the quarters for the pellets to feed animals. Come visit and we will take you.

This was the view from our house the other day.

If you are enjoying all these pictures you can see more at photobucket (as well as videos).

The URL is

http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii199/debbittybears/?action=view&current=2008_0217scouts0046.jpg

Please let me know you were here.

love, deBBie