Spring break 2009

Kim, Drew, Tara, Tacy & Matt spent a week in Colorado with Kim's parents.

They spent 2 days skiing at Ski Cooper - a resort in Leadville, CO. This was Matt's first time skiing and he learned how to turn and stop! He even bombed the lower part of the "big hill"!!










This was Tacy's 2nd time skiing and she learned alot. She skiied the whole way down the big hill - and got on and off the chair lift with just a little help from Kim.










Kim enjoyed 2 days skiing on pretty good snow!













Tara took lessons the first day but skiied with Kim and Grandma Sherwood the 2nd day. She went down blue and green slopes and did a great job!











Drew skiied only Tuesday as he flew home Tuesday even to attend our BSA district Mt. Man Rendesvous. He followed Kim down black runs and enjoyed his day of skiing.










On Monday, Kim and the kids went to see Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It is a bunch of rock formations and was featured on PBS "Ruff". Pretty cool.
This is balancing rock.
















Hope your spring break was fun! Scott stayed in Mesa because his spring break was the week before. Tanna stayed home to take a Water Safety Instructor Class with the hopes of getting a life guard job this summer.

Thanks for coming!

The kids got back from DC....oops, that is not them ;)

Here they are...they had a wonderful time...I hope they will write about it :)

We really appreciate all the efforts that were made to share the day with us at the Temple. We certainly understand why some could not make it, we missed you. I should have taken pictures at the restaurant so we would have a photo memory of all who came, but we will have to write that in our journal!

The experience, taking Josh to the Temple, was a bit surreal. The day Derek and I were sealed in the Mesa Temple we prayed and talked to our children, we felt like they were there. We showed Josh the room where that took place, it seemed just like yesterday! It gives new meaning to the phrase spoken to Joseph Smith " thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;". In the big picture of my life, certain vignettes are such small moments yet VERY significant, and all consuming at the time.

I am enjoying this time in my life. It is busy, but in a very different way than when I had babies. I am very proud of the people my children are becoming! Thank you all for the positive influence you have had in my children's lives. Family is what makes life worth living! We are glad we have each of you :)

This is the hike that we went on yesterday. It is called Devils Bridge. There is a canyon between the ground Courtney is standing on and the rocks where those other people are standing. I think the next picture shows it a little better. I would show you the picture of us standing on the bridge but I look really bad and like a very fat amazon woman in the angle it was taken. Can you tell that this is not Courtney's idea of a great place to be she doesn't like heights or drop offs. They all did really well. I was really impressed with Tristen and Logan they were one of the firsts to get to the top and get back down. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I will say that Wyatt is not a light kid and my shoulders were very sore.

Well, the crew that went to DC has landed in Tucson. They stay the night there. Tomorrow Russell has an appt. with the neurologist, in Tucson. After the appt. we will send Russell, Tayler, and Kendall home and Derek, Josh, and I will head to the Phoenix valley. We will stay the night at Becky's brother Jay's house on Thursday night, and then do some missionary shopping on Friday. Friday night we will stay with Scott, we will miss most his family as they are headed up to Colorado.

Saturday morning we have the privilege of going through the temple with Josh. We are so very excited. I believe we invited those who we thought could come if you didn't get invited, consider this a short notice invite! The session he will be going through will be the 9:30 session. They say to be at the Temple at 9 probably ready at 9 to be sure to get into the 9:30 session. It is on a first come first serve basis.

I have always looked forward to the time when I would have my children in the Temple with me. We will be fasting tomorrow for Jamie and my dad who will be having surgery he has been having chronic nose bleeds. Love You All! Becky

Please keep us in your prayers

I just wanted to let you know that Bob lost his job yesterday. We are in a real tough position right now and would appreciate your prayers. We were also wondering if you might be willing to participate in a family fast in our behalf on this Thursday. We were also wondering if you could keep your ears out for any jobs that Bob might be qualified for that would have a good group benefit plan. At this point we can't afford to be choosy. We keep you all informed on what is going on as we go. Thanks
Jamie

Swank Family

We just got new pictures from Sarah's family and I decided to share since they are all so darling! Left to right we have Adam, Anna (3 years and 4 months), Sarah, and Mariah (17 months).

SPRING BREAK

Kids are on break. Derek and my 3 oldest are in DC. Tomorrow is Kinsley's 6th birthday, and Monday is Derek's birthday. I don't have anything planned for my at home crew except for letting Kinsley invite a couple of friends over to play for her birthday.

Stake Conference is this weekend, and a counselor in the Stake Presidency thought it would be funny to ask me (last night) to give a talk in conference. I was a bit caught off guard as I had just fallen asleep at the computer...and strangely enough Derek had asked me to give a talk just a few hours earlier. I said NO, and he laughed, he was just joking, not so funny! He was calling on another matter, and thought he would see if he could give me a heart attack.

Conference will be strange, I have 3 kids gone, and 2 others will be on the stand singing in a primary choir. That leaves me with 3 kids and no dh. I asked a friend who is working toward divorce to sit with me at the Saturday night session.

I wish I had thought a little faster and planned something for Derek for his birthday. But I suppose it is birthday enough to be with his 3 kids instead of alone :) It was kind of cool, they flew to Chicago and had a 2 hour layover there. I so wished they could drive to Josh's mission and meet the President and his wife, just for fun. Of course there was really no time, but the thought of him being there was so cool! LOL

Anyway, I am thinking I should be a cool mom and come up with something fun to do that costs no money and makes no messes. Any ideas? When do you have spring break?

Tacy's Baptism

I will be baptised on Saturday, March 28th at 10 am in our stake center (just south of Southern on 32nd Street in Mesa). You are all invited to attend and my mom will have lunch for everyone afterwards at our home. Love Tacy

Ragnar Relay 2009

Last weekend Kim ran in the Ragnar relay. It was a race from Prescott to Mesa - 204 miles and it took our team 33 1/3 hours! There were 12 people on our team and we started on Friday morning at 7 and we finished Saturday afternoon just after 4. I ran 3 times - about 14 miles total. It was so much fun and so hard! Scott and the kids came out to cheer me on Saturday morning when I ran in North Scottsdale. I've included a few pictures so you could see the fun!

Kim (in the blue); my sister Kris (in the black) came down from Seattle to be on our team - she is a great runner; Julie (in the pink - Kris's friend came down from Seattle - she was amazing - ran x-country for BYU)

I am finishing my first leg (in the blue) - it was cold - about 32 degrees - Kris is running the last few yards to show me where the transitition is.

Here is team 188! Run, eat, rest?, repeat, repeat!

Believe it or not - I didn't sleep much those 2 days and even managed to run with sleep deprivation! Can't wait until next year!!