One Year Later

We've just returned from Disneyland...you?

 

2012

I could not let April 2012 approach without updating the family blog. Not sure if this is really a family blog after so much time of nothing...it would be a wonder if someone came back to check for an update.

Adam has been released from the bishopric. Lise was called to be the Relief Society president. Adam is now the 2nd counselor in the YM program - yes, that means he is the Scout Master (hold back your chuckles).

I will post a few pictures below to add to the update.

October trip to Las Vegas to visit Janet and Jeffrey:

Lise and the boys at the Botanical Gardens during Christmas (excuse the bright flash):Lise and her excellent friend Naomi made scarecrows for the ward Harvest party:Last year we had new lawn and a shed built in the backyard:

Highlights of the past 47 days

Dirt is one of the more exciting things happening right now. Reed was concerned that we ruined the back yard. We are adding more dirt to the backyard (leveling it and covering tree roots) and reseeding the grass. I tell the kids we will have grass like Grandma and Grandpa and they are very excited... or they will be until I tell them they also get to mow it!

For some time now the boys have used scrap wood and other items to make 'forts'. They tend to get changed or moved every week or so. One day the boys thought it would be great to move it the front yard (where was their mother?)! The front yard is where the dirt pit is and they want to dig a tunnel into their fort... Logical, but not good for the curb appeal. The fort stuff unfortunately was dumped due to the above the project.

Dean was part of a 7 person reading team - the gummy bears. The teams read 7 different books and then competed with answering questions from those books. My favorite questions was "on page 63 of this book what paragraph decribes the cave?" And the kids knew it! The gummy bears did so well they got up to the grand challenge! There were 4 teams - 28 kids out of the 1700 that started!

Seattle Monorail - a first time for all. It is nice to say we have done it... It reminded me why I often question those tourist books!

A few more details

Adam has had a lot of meetings. He has gotten a little philosophical lately too... coincidence?

Adam took the boys down to Portland to visit his dad and grandpa. The boys weekend was exciting – but I’m not sure if I got all of the details so not much to report.

We went to Cougar Mountain. In general it is very disappointing. Nice trails that aren’t too steep however they over promise and undelivered. Last time we went we took a trail that promised a mine shaft. All we found was a drain lid in the middle of the trail. This time we took a different trail – this time to find an old train car used to haul coal. We got on the wrong trail, however that trail promised a cave! We found several holes in the ground. Luckily this time it was snowing and that was really fun. Snowball fight and all.

The boys and I also hiked Wallace Falls – we only made it to the lower falls but it so beautiful! I think sunshine adds a lot to the beauty status. I hope to return in the summer and hike to the top.

And last of all, today (Wednesday) they canceled school because of snow. Please refer to the picture. Only in western Washington. Way over-hyped but nothing to show for it. At last count school gets out June 21st!

No New Picture(s)

I was sitting here looking at this blog and thought...blah.

Perhaps I am only posting so I don't stare at the date that this blog was last updated. Really, I would love to post a picture of Lise and the boys on a recent hike (which they've done) or me standing next to a pen and paper tablet as I listen at a meeting (I've had more of those lately - meetings).

There are no pictures...just internal images that God can see as we push through life on Earth. I am in love with my family and look forward to what there is in store.

Time for me to go and do some more pushing.

2010 Memory List

Dad here...

I sat down with the family long enough to get some thoughts from the boys and Lise about 2010 before our "Air-benders" started getting restless. Here is a list I gathered when I asked what was remembered about 2010. Not too bad of a list and one that I will add to on my computer when I get that moment of recollection. Perhaps you might have a few things for me to add?

Here's the list so far:

Lego Land
Sea World
Hilton Family Reunion
Ten days with John & Lani’s children
Baja Cruise with Hilton’s
Reed’s Baptism
Reed turned 8
Church calling changes
Halloween
o Pirates
Mom hikes with the boys
o Wallace Falls
o Franklin Falls
o Cougar Mountain
o “Y” in Utah
o Twin Falls
o Bridle Vile Falls
o Haybrook
Reindeer Zoo
Christmas 2010
o Webkins
o Air Hockey
o Kinect
o Gift Cards
o Lego’s
o Candy
o Rocks
o Betta bowl
Dean’ s broken wrist
Roller skating
Ice Skating
Knights of the multiplication table
Robot Camp
Dean’s sport camp
Book reports for pizza
Aunt Rosie’s memorial
24 hour trip to Tennessee and back
Reagan’s birth
Crown molding, new doors and such
Ape Caves with Whitmore’s
Father/Son camp-out (oh the rain)
Webelo’s and Wolf
Dad graduated from WSU

Dean's webelos project

Hey I'm in webelos now . I'm working on my showman badge for this play . In webelos we did a play called mutant puppies. In mutant puppies I was a mutant puppy. While Larry was trying to steal cookies we ran away from him so he wouldn't steal the cookies. Then Norman helps Larry heal the mutant puppies. Norman teaches Larry to get on a diet of high fiber. My favorite part of the mutant puppies was preparing for the props because it was fun deciding who will be who. Please click on the link below to see it.
Sincerely Dean Powell

Puppies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrffIdzhyg4

An unusual thanksgiving

But still very thankful for all our blessings!

A moment brought to you by Dean

We are in the car tonight driving to scouts and I had just picked up free tacos (Totally gross!!! That was why they were free I suppose. We threw them away and had nachos at home instead).

Dean says: You know that phrase "born of goodly parents" mom? I think that describes you and Dad... I have goodly parents.

**We will now pause the conversation and bask in all the glory of this statement and the feeling of success**

Dean: Yeah, its really good you guys take us out to eat even if it's only free tacos.

We're moving to San Diego...

Just kidding. But at 70 degrees and sunny I thought about it.

Here is a few of the highlights from Legoland and Sea World.

1. The patience it must have taken whomever to make these lego creation is incredible! Darth Vader and R2D2 is a great example.

2. This may be the closest the kids get to the real thing.

3. We loved all of Seaworld! What an amazing place. The whale show and the dolphin show were fantastic. Despite the smell I always love the penguins. The otter and sea lions were really fun. The sharks were really cool because you were taken underneath their tank and so we could view them from above and both sides. Below are Dean with a white whale and Reed with Shamu.

A Red Letter Day

Reed got 100% on his first spelling test! Hooray!

(you can't see Reed but he is there and is very excited).

It's official! After years of hard work Adam has received the piece of paper proving that he has received his Bachelor of Arts in business administration! Hooray!

In the beginning

Today was the first day of school! I love the excitement, the fear that sends you under the covers, the newly sharpened pencils, the chaotic crowds at school, and the hope of a new beginning. The beginning of a schedule, planned dinners, put away laundry, clean bathrooms, organized homework, lunches made ahead of time, chore charts...

Today Dean had his first homework assignment. It is called silly homework. Everything from drinking water to push ups to wearing his PJ's inside out! He reports that besides organizing his binder and his desk he did nothing else for the remaining 6 hours.

Dean has a pet hamster in his class.

The best part of Reed's day was when he discovered there was no homework for the whole week! He went to library class and can now check out 4 books as a 3rd grader. He also organized his desk, and spent a lot of time at recess. He gets to sit next to his best friend too. Reed will get a turn this year being a V.I.P for a week.

And what about mom?

After 2 1/2 hours at work, 2 hours canning pears, 45 minutes finishing a scrap-booking project (deadline was today) and going on a walk with a friend, mom realizes how little time there can be in all of the 'free time' now available.

Summertime... the living is easy

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, here is a very wordy post...

(several teeth have been reported missing)

Questionable stuff

I am/was trying to stay on top of the clutter in our wonderful home (a losing battle) and had to wonder why we (me) hold on to stuff... WHY?

Adam's management books. This is quite the investment! Fact: we now have so many that Adam grabbed the wrong one during his mid-term -he still got a 92%! Do we sell them for pennies on the dollar? After he graduates do we light a bonfire and dance around it?

Yes, this is a couch tipped on its side in the middle of the hallway. It doesn't really go anywhere. I took it out of Reed's bedroom because it seemed to add to the clutter of that room. And now it is a hallway decoration (no room there either). Its one of the first pieces of furniture we bought... after we moved into our first house - we needed couches for the living room and the family room. Exciting. Its Ikea though and its not really safe to seat upon anymore. But how do you chop a memory like that into firewood?

This is Justin. He is a R.O.U.S (Princess Bride). I like to think of him simply as a rat. He was made for a Halloween party 3 years ago. His tail has fallen off and his legs are very loose but he is a work of art. I worry if I stuff him back into the attic that he will completely fall apart. But how long can Dean have a giant rat in his room? Mom- would you like him?

Theres more - lots more. But perhaps, now that I have posted these pictures I can get up enough courage to say good-bye.

Addition to the last post...

Pictures of Reed after losing his front tooth... I did ask him to smile and this what I got.

Minor Details

This will be non-eventful...
This will be boring...
This will hold little value...
I thought I might include some family updates:
- Reed has lost his first upper tooth - little boy smile is gone.
- Dean had his cast removed - time to get back in the neighbor's tree house.
- Lise is taking care of us all.
- Adam is a work in progress - we are working with him daily.

Beware the ides of March...

The ides of March is technically the 15th but for Dean it's a few weeks earlier than expected.

Feb. 29 2008 -- broke femur when climbing (falling out of) a tree http://itsusthepowells.blogspot.com/2008/04/deans-femur.html
March 1 2009 -- split head open while wrestling (smacking into the corner of a wall)
March 3 2010 -- hairline arm fracture while climbing (falling off) a tree house ladder



A week earlier we were joking about the 2 year leg anniversary and then the head injury but for some reason it didn't come to mind when I agreed to take Dean to the neighbor's tree house... perhaps next year I will remember to beware the ides of March!