October Slideshow

Enjoy the pictures! (photos of our home to come as soon as we have gotten rid of all boxes; you can see some in the background of some of these pictures)

We heart October

Fall is my absolute favorite season and I know I've said it before many times.  This has probably been the craziest one yet for us.

In September we found out we were moving; a mile away, but into a different ward.  2 weeks after that we went on the annual work retreat and had a much needed mini family vacation.  The kids really wore themselves out at the water park.  2 weeks later was the Graham County Fair (Stephen and I actually went on a date there, without kids!) and we got the keys to the new house.  We packed and cleaned all of the following week. Crazy, stressful and lots of insanity.  Moving day was that Wednesday and we are so grateful to everyone that came to help.  It went so smoothly, the easiest moving day we've ever had. 
 
We made the mistake of letting the kids hang out a lot in the house because before the move. Every night that week we took another load over so moving day wouldn't be so crazy.  The mistake was Franklin became very obsessed with his green room and every night that we didn't stay there he cried.  Still, the kids got to go visit friends, have play dates, go to grandmas and have lots of time away from home. Surprisingly I didn't get ahead with packing during that time due to LOTS of orders and loads of work from my dad.  I can't get mad at either one because we are thrilled at the success of PaciFashion and I had been challenging my dad all the previous week to give me a work load.  So I got what I asked for, a double whammy.

The following Saturday (I still don't know why I thought I could do it) I had signed up to be a vender at a local school craft/boutique fair.  My mother-in-law did it with me and it really was exciting to see her have so much success!  One woman quickly came to me and asked for a business card because she didn't want her daughter to know she was going to get a Princess Jammie for Christmas while telling her daughter, "No, you can't have one."  There were multiple moms and grandmas buying Sheila's Princess Jammies for Christmas, each purchased followed with; Now forget you saw it.
There are still boxes of various things in the house; mostly pictures waiting to be hung.  Every wall inside the house is nearly a foot wide; an older built home with plaster walls inside drywall.  This house is VERY well insulated.  My point is, I have all these Hercules Hooks and not a single one is useful, so pictures are waiting till we are sure of their placement before we put nails in the walls.

The kids really love it here and so do we.  We all had become sick during the move and for me, I only got worse after the move was complete.  Last weekend we spent a lot of time detail cleaning, mostly the floors (which seemed to almost never have been mopped; please don't quote me) and since then my health has drastically improved. 

We have a large garden, but because of my allergies I cannot pick most of it without long sleeves overlapping garden gloves.  I have yet to do that because Stephen has been so sweet taking care of that for me.  We have LOTS of chili's and peppers, which I will not allow inside due to the extreme nature of my allergy to them.  So if anyone in the area would like to come visit me and wants bags of chili's and/or peppers, feel free to stop by. 

Franklin has been loving every minute of school.  Everyday he makes a deal with me; he will do something I want and then he gets to school after.  So I'm having to create a calender with a picture or drawing of a school on the days he actually goes and have a magnet representing him so he can see if it's a day he gets to go or not.

Franklin strikes a deal for just about everything.  We've have to reason with him so often because of his obsessive nature that I think he's using it back on us.  He's also become extremely bossy to Lisette. He gets in trouble very often for this.  He thinks he won't be in trouble if he repeats anything I've said to her; i.e. Get that out of your mouth; Go to bed; Put that down; Get off the cat; etc. He's also picked up on a few phrases; Oh my gosh; What the heck; You make me sad; Gee whiz; Dagnabit (it doesn't quite sound that way); etc.  Needless to say I'm really trying hard to watch what I say.

I don't know if it's anger, fun, wanting to be bad, or a bad thing she learned in nursery, but Lisette has bitten Franklin a few times lately.  I can count on one hand how many times in the last month, but it's still really bad.  It's not just a bite because she had drawn blood and made bruises.  Now I don't think I've even been that violent, but it's freaky how much Lisette is just like me.  An example is she body slams the cat.  Poor Rizzo and he just won't run away either, so she does it several times in a row.  Honestly I think he's only bitten her once her whole life; I wish he would do it more to protect himself.  Although he has done it to Franklin when he has gone too far.

PaciFashion has been doing very well.  I hit over 1000 sales last month.  October marked my 2nd anniversary.  Keep in mind a sale is usually 3 or more straps together and is rarely 1 by its self.  Stephen and I have been enjoying it and have been staying caught up in just the past week since the move.  Luckily no one made a complaint and I've given away a few extras in some orders that took me way too long to put together as an apology. I've always hated excuses so they received a gift instead of an excuse.

Halloween was so great for the kids.  I made both their costumes.  Lisette, who was supposed to be a pink poodle, wouldn't wait till we were done trick or treating to eat candy.  She even had 2 suckers in one hand, licking them simultaneously or together.  Then when she got cotton candy those uncovered suckers went into the treat bag for later.  Franklin, for the first time in his life, was silent; not a word, no recognition to anyone.  Franklin was a Sheriff, but I think he was acting like a zombie. 6 people asked him to draw and nothing happened; one track mind, must have more candy.  The 7th person didn't even ask about his guns, but out they came anyway.  He finally reacted to someone and lit up.  All the people we went to were familiar, our last ward held Trunk or Treat.

We finished up at home with decorating cookies and when the kids had their sugar crash, it came hard and with a vengeance.  So once they were in bed, sugar washed out of hair, hands and face, they were out.  We had a few trick or treaters at that point and that was enjoyable for me.  We have never had anyone come to us for trick or treating before. We never lived in a location that kids came to, or that we were comfortable with (Tucson).

A slideshow is soon to come.  We took so many pictures last month, way too many things went on, but we had a great October this year.  Don't forget to come and get some chilies!

Summer is over?

Though summer is ending, it does and doesn't feel like it here.  It doesn't because the temperatures still threaten to go into the 3 digits and sometimes succeeds.  It does because Franklin is now in Preschool and he LOVES it.  Lisette is always sad to see him go.  She calls him "Wahwah" and though I'm not sure why because she can say words (not all of them understandable) it is very endearing.  I've had to talk to Franklin about her name for him and that he needs to respond because she gets desperate for his attention.

Franklin absolutely loves school.  He's learning so much and every time I pick him up he always says, "I'm having fun today!"  He makes friends so easily and he's just such a happy kid.  He wishes he had school everyday, but alas, he only has school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon - 2:00.  I also wish he had school more often.  It's amazing the transformation Lisette goes through when Franklin isn't around.  Don't get me wrong; she absolutely adores him, but she becomes a very calm and happy girl when she's without him.

Stephen's work has been up and down, over and over for the last few weeks.  We had a few, very late, monsoon rains and it got very cool.  But then some people noticed they had leaks and so he'd have more work.  Then the rains were gone and the temperatures were still pleasant for a few days and no one called.  Low and behold, the temperatures have risen again and the few that thought they could just wait it out realized that summer just won't end.

I've been very busy staying ahead with my church calling to have music ready, keeping up with my shop, trying to stay on top of gardening and the lawn, trying even harder to keep up with the messes the kids make and trying to find time to unwind when I can.  Lisette is still prone to her fits and we've been working very hard with her to control her dramatic tendencies.  Franklin has definitely been showing a more emotional side to him; but it could be that he's napping less because of the time he has school.

We did get to have a very fun camping trip the weekend after Labor Day with the Lewis family (my sister Heidi, her hubby Sam and their 2 kids that are the same ages as mine).  We had pouring rain that Friday night and we had not been prepared for how cold it would get.  It didn't help that I forgot anything long-sleeved for the kids.  Franklin was happy to wear daddy's flannel shirt that had to be rolled, tied and finagled to fit him, but Lisette refused to wear my sweater.  She only agreed to wear a spare coat her cousin Tanyth had because she had been wearing one too.  The next morning was clear, beautiful and warm.  We all had fun hanging out, watching the kids play and just being together.

Now for the big announcement!  We are moving... a mile away.  Last September up until this last February we had been keeping our eyes open for another place to live; an upgrade from the home (trailer) we are currently living in but still within our budget and we were very picky about where to look since we wanted to stay in Thatcher 4th ward.  Nothing came up, so we signed another lease and convinced ourselves that we wouldn't look again for another year or more.

However, a woman from 2nd ward visited my mother-in-law and told her that she wanted Stephen and our family to live in her home.  For a few weeks she had asked her what we thought of it, but we hadn't heard.  Life got busy for everyone and just last Monday, while we were picking up the kids from grandma's, this woman calls Sheila to ask a few details about our current rental.  We went to see their home and though it is very beautiful we decided no; it wasn't in our budget and it wasn't in 4th ward, so saying no was easy.  All the while, the homeowner was telling us that she's known for weeks now that we are supposed to be the ones to live in her home.

Stephen had forgotten to call them to let them know and on Wednesday, while we got to have a very special lunch out with daddy (which hardly ever happens) we get a call that they will come down in rent to an amount we could accept.  I still said no; it wasn't in 4th ward.  So we agreed to pray about it and because I had been feeling sick I had asked for a plain and simple answer that I wouldn't confuse with how I had been feeling at the time.  Of course the answer was yes and I cannot refuse for fear I might get struck by lightening because I did get a clear answer.

We will begin moving to the new home on Stadium Avenue in the second week of October.  We have begun packing up things that don't need to be out for a while so we can start cleaning the home we are in now.  We want this place to be able to have someone move in the day after we move out.  The home is literally 1 house away from still being in 4th ward, so naturally I'm pleading that they'll let us stay; I've already begun working on the Christmas program and I will finish it for 4th ward even if they kick us out.

I have loved my calling as ward choir director and this year I have made so many friends and don't like the thought of not seeing most of them anymore just because I live one house away.  I have no animosity towards 2nd ward, I just don't want to start as the new family again and it doesn't help me be convinced to switch when I know that part of the street had once been in 4th ward years ago.  There is another plus though: plants can actually grow with a little less effort at the other home so I am letting my gardens die and hopefully the bugs that have been destroying my flowers will not follow us.

We are also trying to sell my wonderful car.  There is nothing wrong with it and I'm a little sad to be giving it up, but we've been talking about being a one car family and should get something that's between my SUV and the truck.  We are also very excited to go on the work retreat that Stephen's boss has arranged for everyone in the company this weekend.  Last years was so fun and sure helped us feel like we did have somewhat of a summer vacation since it's the busiest season and it's hard to get time off.

Sorry, I know this was long so thank you for staying tuned.  I cannot promise that I will update more regularly but I will try so long entries can be avoided.

Half a year sum up.

It’s nearly July!  That means Stephen and Lisette are both a year older and Stephen and I celebrated our 7^th wedding anniversary.  That also means a lot occurred this month.  But I’ll give a summary of everything leading to this point…

January = a haze.  Honestly I don’t remember much about that month.  February: I (Lisl) began having a lot of pain in my hand (remember the story of spraining my finger back in August?) and it was causing pain in my left arm.  We battled with Lisette getting sick on and off again; her canines were cutting through all at once and it took over 2 months for them all to FINALLY poke through.  Franklin got an ear infection in March and he still talks about Daddy taking him to the doctor.

I had to finally address the issue with my arm and hand very seriously in March.  My visit to the Orthopedics office reunited me with a familiar face.  My very first roommates’ husband; Cole Bryce, who is now Dr. Cole Bryce!  

Dr. Bryce gave me a very painful, but happily accepted shot in the arm that helped with the pain while waiting 2 weeks for surgery on her sprained finger.  Surgery was quick and the anesthesia was just right.  Grandma April came for a few days to help and after she had to return to work our amazing ward jumped in to help me through the next month.  April felt long and slow and the constant wind didn’t/hasn’t helped.  Isn’t it March that’s supposed to be windy? 

Easter was very enjoyable and fun for the kids.  Our ward had a major egg hunt at the ball fields next to the Temple.  Then we had a huge (and very rewarding for the kids) hunt in our own backyard.  Earlier this Spring we decided to expand the fence for our back yard; so we more than doubled our yard from last year and had many places to put lots of candy-filled eggs.

May began with birthdays.  We tried our best to celebrate Stephen’s birthday as work had gotten busier for him.  We also took on a project for Lisette’s birthday which included building a back porch.  Stephen did just about all the work and the Elder’s came to help put the deck together.  I was very grateful since I’m not allowed to use my left hand as much.  

June has been crazy busy.  The heat came, and the wind still insisted on battling our mood.  The second weekend we went to Gilbert for a family gathering with the Randy Quinn clan.  Their youngest son, Trevor, was baptized.  Back in Christmas they had given us tickets to see Les Miserables that very same weekend.  So we left the kids still swimming in the pool (they were being watched, don’t worry) and went to see the most amazing show!  We’ve had Les Mis stuck (very happily) in our heads for weeks.

The next weekend was supposed to be Lisl’s 10 year high school reunion and the celebration of 7 years of marriage.  Alas, Stephen was on-call and because of many different factors coming to play, we decided not to go.  I was planning on seeing some old friends still, but a fire had been threatening the area.  

My parents’ neighborhood went on Pre-evacuation and just as we decided it was time to get out of the pool to pack, another fire began just west of us.  We were surrounded by smoke on 3 sides of us, with the helicopters and airplanes practically on top of us.  Officials were so busy with battling both fires that not a lot of communication was going on and we all felt the urge to evacuate immediately.  

So I never saw my friends, and as quickly as we could manage, we all got out of there; I took two of my mom’s cats to stay with us for a week.  My parents did go on mandatory evacuation 2 days later and a few days after that they were allowed to go back home.  

The following weekend (last weekend) my high school Show Band was having a reunion.  Coach (our director, we always called him Coach) had reached 40 years of directing Show Band.  So as many who could make it got together for reminiscing and putting together a concert.  I had no intention of playing, just singing.  I actually started crying when I found out I would get to sing I was so excited.  However, at the dinner on Friday night I was told that I should play and represent my years (I was a part of Show Band from fall of ’98 to spring of ’01) and ended up playing for both decades; the 90’s band and the 00’s band. 

It was so much fun and such a blast that I never wanted it to end.  Sorry to all my fellow Buena ’01 classmates that I ditched out on.  I hope you can forgive me and I hope to see you at our 20 year reunion and I truly hope it’ll be during something like Homecoming and nowhere near my anniversary.

p.s. Stephen and I didn’t get to celebrate much, so we are hoping to get a short vacation with just the two of us in the fall when Stephen isn’t so insanely busy.  And I’ll have to get back to you about how work is all going when it’s behind us and not at our throats.

The 2010 year Newsletter

We've been desperate to get newer, up-to-date pictures on the wall.  So as I was uploading pictures I got to review 2010 in photographs, looking back on the year.

2010 was a time for change and lots of growth.  The year began for us in Lehi, Utah.  It was cold and white; just how winter should be (not without the white part).  We knew our time in Utah was coming to an end and we didn't even need to pray about where our lives should go next.  Instead, Lisl fought, argued and cried for 2 weeks, the end of January into February, about how she didn't want to move back to Thatcher, Arizona.  Half way through Feb. we made a visit to Arizona to find a place to live in Thatcher.  Our search was only 3 days but felt very long, tiring and we were afraid we'd end up in the wrong home.

On our last day of searching we gave one of the homes on our list a second glance.  With the promise of a few improvements before moving in, we signed a lease.  We hurried back to Utah with just a few days to pack up everything including the two kids and two cats and began our journey to our new home.  Just as March began we settled into a new home, a familiar ward (it was Stephen's home ward growing up and Lisl knew a few from college) and Stephen began a great new job.

April was full of family and friends, between Easter (including a horrific sunburn from being out in the hills and forgetting that Lisl actually burns in Arizona: she still has a tan line from that burn - at least we were concerned enough for Lisette since she inherited her mother's fair skin and kept her shaded) and the Gila Valley Temple Open House.  We also began to do a LOT of work around here. 

There was zero landscaping on our propery.  We had a few early rains to get an idea of what was in store for us for monsoon season with all the mud. 2 different gardens were planted; flowers and vegetables, rocks were laid for a place to park our vehicles and to walk to the door, and we tried our best to make a back lawn with lots of grass.  We then discovered the gopher problem as well.  (We know exactly what to do about all the many obstacles for this coming Spring, that's for sure)

The Open House ran on through half of May so we managed to visit twice.  All the landscaping and growing various things continued into May.  At the start of the month we celebrated Stephen's birthday and at the end of the month, our little girl turned 1! 

In June we celebrated our 6th anniversary and got in a short get away before the busy season with Stephen's job took over for the rest of the summer.  July was hectic and crazy with work for Stephen.  August became even more so, but we still managed to celebrate Franklin's 3rd birthday!  We began the potty training process with him 2 weeks before his birthday.  There were many awful accidents over the next few months and lots of back and forth with progress.

In September, Stephen's employer sent everyone on a weekend getaway to the Arizona Grand Resort and fun at the Oasis park.  It was lots of fun and very much needed since we hadn't been able to do much as a family for a few months.  Lisl had been called as the ward choir director over the summer but didn't begin practices till Sept.  At first it seemed too overwhelming and seemed as if she was in over her head, but the first performance in October went very well. 

October was still incredibly hot during the day, but the nights were just right.  We decorated our home for the season and Lisl began listening to Christmas music, for her calling (She discovered at that point that she was in charge of the entire program for the Sunday before Christmas).  Stephen was gone for half of the month, on and off.  He had testing, classes, all for work, then at the end of the month he went on a hunting trip with all of the men from the Quinn family; Stephens dad and all 4 of his brothers (first and maybe even the last time that will happen, so we are all so glad he got to go).  Halloween was a bit last minute for Lisl and the kids.  We were so happy that "Mom's mom" (that is what Franklin calls Grandma Reed) got to come and spend it with us.

November was surprisingly (and truth be told a bit disappointingly) hot.  Lisl had been asked to sing for the Jazz clinics performing for some of the World of Music classes at the college.  It was so much fun and it brought back lots of memories; almost as if we never left.  The next week was Lisl's birthday followed by Thanksgiving in Sierra Vista with Heidi Lewis (Lisl's sister) and her family.  We seriously enjoy doing things with family since that didn't happen much while we lived in Utah.

As December began the pressure was on for Lisl to complete the Christmas program.  We decorated our house and tried very hard to make it feel like Christmas since the weather was still too warm for us.  It was also during this time that Franklin seemed to fully and completely grasp the concept of, and the necessity of potty training.  We haven't rewarded him for going #1 in a while but we began giving fun size candy bars for #2.

The weekend before Christmas was very busy and went very fast.  That Saturday Lisl sang with a Jazz Combo at her cousins wedding reception.  That was definitely a treat for all and an amazing opportunity for Lisl.  The very next day was Lisl's Christmas program which went very well.  She had already began ideas for next years program.

Christmas was exciting.  The Fellers (Lisl's sister Inga and her family) came over from San Diego and Stephen got a last-second day off for Christmas Eve.  We headed to Sierra Vista a day earlier than planned and really enjoyed all that time with family, especially for all the little cousins.  On Christmas day we traveled back to Thatcher to spend the afternoon with everyone on the Quinn side.  It was so much fun to spend the holiday with so much family!  That was what made it a wonderful Christmas for us.

Happy New Year everyone!  We know that this year will be even more exciting and hopefully we will see more family, more often.