just trying it out to see if this works 

Last night the girsl fell asleep holding hands, very cute.

Well, I wish I could say these pictures were from the A's in Tampa, but the truth is the rain-out never came and my plans to drive 6 hours to see the A's were spoiled by Military Appreciation Night. Still, it was a fun night. And Zito won this time, probably because we were not there.
Brooke gets her surgery this week, Thusrday. Mom flies in on Wednesday to help watch Ellyn and "Baloo Tast" Sadie. (Blue Cast) My life gets busier and busier this time of the cycle. I get to go next week to my first appointment toward getting laser eye surgery. I hope to go up to D.C. in February and finally get them fixed.
We are still planning on doing everything we can to get to Fort Lewis next year. It is going to be very hard to say goodbye to these nice quarters, but I am sure we will find something to like up in Washington. And it will be so nice to be close to home!
The only movie we watched this week was Hidalgo, which I liked a lot more than I thought I would. As far as gametime goes, I am mostly still messing around with Doom 3 and my football games. Oh, and flight simulator of course. But there is just less and less time for that stuff. The Olympics are pretty much on all the time here. Anne, we watched the Volleyball girls play Cuba today, it was a sweet win and we thought of you.

We love you all!

mike, brooke, jane, sadie, ellyn

Jane and Sadie at the Columbus Catfish game

Had to take the soldiers to Military Appreciation Night at the ballpark. Hey, at least we could take the family!

Hey everyone!
I just completed my very last day at the Beverly Hills store and on Monday I begin my next new adventure at my OWN store in Palmdale. I am really excited to get in there and make some changes. The store has only been opened for three years so it is ready to go thru the roof in sales.Plus the Manager that is leaving was supposedly a real jerk and no one liked him. It is not like I need everyone to like me , but it makes my job that much easier. Buffy starts school again on Monday, going into her second year of three. I am sure she will do just as well as she did the first year (3.8 something, I am really proud of her). We purchase a new car on Thursday. It was a deal we (I) could not pass up on. I ofoto'ed some pictures and I would put it on here but I can not figure it out. Anyhow, I am going to try to make it out the Georgia in October to visit Mike and maybe do some golf or something. MArnie is coming up to go to Magic Mountain with Me on Friday then Buffy and I are going to "The Cure" concert that night. I can't wait. Kim let us know if you are planning on coning down this fall and when. Everyone else we love you and PLEASE be careful. We DO NOT want to see anymore pics of people in casts.
Love Brent

Who's next? 
That's right...another Stinchfield has been doomed to live in a cast for the next few weeks. Parker fell from the monkey bars during my Primary Presidency meeting this afternoon - our local Branch President bestowed that one on me this last Sunday. Anyway - he tried to catch himself and ended up with a buckle fracture of his left radius. Today was quite an adventure...
It started out with Bible School, which I am volunteering for and the kids are attending each morning from 9-12. Aside from sending Parker and Morgan into their classes kicking and screaming, it went well. Went straight from bible songs and "Praise Jesus" to the Primary Presidency meeting - at a park near the library. That went well aside from the fact that I don't know what I am doing, and the kids kept squirting me and my binders with the out-of-control water fountain that shoots water up like 12 feet into the air. Toward the end of the meeting, we were wet and tired, and Parker had just fallen, so we hit the road. It was obvious that Parker was in pretty serious pain, so we drove directly to emergency. (No, we did not make him hobble around for a day before seeking medical attention :) Upon arriving at Emergency, it became clear that the stress was too much for little Parker and he wet his pants. Soooo - we changed amid screams in the radiology department. Then Morgan sauntered with a serious case of Montezuma's revenge...so basically, we were wet, tired, smelly, and in pain. I put her in some spare cargo pants of Parker's. An hour and a half later, when they determined it was a fracture, they decided to train someone in casting. And all they had was purple fiberglass - not very manly in Parker's eyes. But - another hour and a half later, it was on - and we were exhausted. But all is well. Parker asked me to take it off as soon as we got home and had a fit when I told him I couldn't. My only hope is that he adapts to his new limb as quickly as Sadie did to hers.
Thus leaving the question for the rest of you....WHO'S NEXT?
Adina

Mom and I have thoroughly enjoyed our visit this year to the Education Week. It has been full of new areas of interest and recreation. We've spent the first three days with Anne and Peter and will finish our last two days with Peter, as Anne took off to a retreat in Park City with the VB team from UVSC. We had a PF Chang's lunch with the two of them and Peter's parents. After lunch, we went to the Provo Town Center to see "Saints and Soldiers"...great LDS movie, well done and exciting. Saw a musician/commedian tonight at the HFAC. Last night, did Oklahoma with Peter and Anne. Tomorrow evening we're planning a musical presentation in the HFAC again. Class-wise, we have been taking a lot of financial planning and real estate investment courses. The financial planning includes how to get out of debt and stay that way. Interesting that paying the min payment on a credit card takes 43 years to pay off if you don't add anything new to it. Hooray for the US women's relay swim team and to Paul Hamm for his HUGE comeback...wow! Congratulations to Mike for being rated 1st of 31 Company Commanders in the Brigade by the outgoing Brigade Commander(Edited by Mike for correct terminology, I will probably never be a Brigade Commander) on his most recent OER (like a Navy fitness report). Man, that is good news. Sounds like our two sons are front-runners in two of the 5 US forces. You guys are awesome...and, let me add...all of you 7 and spouses are awesome. We couldn't be prouder of all of you. Here, the P word works.
We are headed home on Friday. Pick up Kim in Idaho Falls and escort her home. Visited the Jessie Knight Bldg, room 2015, row 7 again, much to your mother's dismay, to revisit where she and I met some 38 years ago. That's where you all began, in a sense. Oh well, take care and keep this Blog going.

Marnie resting in a teepee at the San Diego Zoo

For those of you who have seen Napoleon Dynamite, this is Derek's impression of Napoleon with his llama Tina.

Marnie riding a turtle at the zoo on Monday

Brooke and I at the zoo

I just wanted to let you all know that Sadie is doing really well. She has adapted to being a floor dweller without complaint. She now has the nickname of "Scooter" because that's what she does- everywhere. She doesn't even try to walk and she doesn't get frustrated. Kids are amazing. She is crying right now though. She doesn't want to go to bed. I had better go get her calmed down so Jane can sleep.

These entries are so much more fun with pictures so I figured I would add one that most of you have probably not seen.

Today I got a calling in my ward. I am going to be on the Activities committee. Something I have done before so I am not too worried about it. Mom, now I will definitely be going to more activities!

Got your pictures Dad but I don't understand the ones with the rounded frame around them..is it supposed to look like that? it is with your new attachment right? Anyway looks like fun with all the Schicky's.

I registered on Friday and got all of my classes so I am stoked and I don't have too many books to buy so that is good to. But it is a bummer because two of the books that i have to buy I have already owned before but I sold them back! :( Oh well.

I am working like a hound for these next two weeks then school starts. I am going to take a break between shifts though to go to Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, and Magic Mountain. Hopefully they will all work out.

Well I love you all. Happy Birthday Brooke, Jane, and Isaac. And Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! and to Dave and Adina too in case I don't right in again before that! It is so good to know what is going on with everyone. Now I don't have to call Mom and Dad and pester them with questions about everyone that they usually don't know the answers too!

Well, Happy Olympics! I hope you are all watching. Michael Phelps won his first gold yesterday and hopefully the USA will win many more!

See ya!
Marnie

Okay, this is for Dave and Adina and anyone else who cares. I am having back surgery on Aug. 26th. I have a herniated disk that is pinching a nerve that runs all the way down the back of my right leg into my heel. I have had this since the end of March. At first I thought it was a tight hamstring (I had just started running again after Ellyn was born) but it wouldn't get better. I was trying to be as active as possible trying to work my way through it (running, doing Mike's PT program etc...). That just made it worse. i went in to see a Dr. He referred me to a DO (doctor of obstetrics I believe). Luckily it was our very good friend Mark. His wife is my best friend here and we used to run together. Also, we had kind of talked about my leg a few times (I was worried it could be blood clots, it runs in my family). So, by now it is the end of May. Mark tries to have me do a few different things, tries to give me a few chiropractic adjustments and at the end of my appt. he tells me that it might be tight hamstrings but he thinks I have a herniated disk. He puts in the referrals for the MRI and wants me to start on physical therapy. What had started as just a pain that came and went behind the back of my knee finally became the very constant pain that went down my whole leg. There were a few weeks while all the referrals were getting lost in the mail and being typically Army slow that it was so painful I thought I should just cut my leg off. I started physical therapy in July. At first it wasn't helping but they upped the weight on my traction and I actually started obeying the advice about doing as little as possible. That is not an easy thing to do as a mother of three. If I do my housework slowly and carefully without alot of twisting and lifting I can do most things but I can't lift anything more than the weight of my kids and technically I'm not supposed to lift them. I'm not supposed to be doing any housework either-Ha. The trick with this is that many times it will heal itself. However, if it hasn't within 6 weeks it probably won't-and-if you wait more than 3-6 mos. you risk permanent nerve damage. So, while the pain has become much more manageable I do not want to risk permanent nerve damage nor do I want to live as a semi-invalid. I had a consolt with a neurosurgeon and he says that I will not heal without surgery. So... I will have a microdiscectomy. That is where they make an inch to two inch insicion at the base of my back, cut away a piece of the bone move the muscle and nerve bundle aside, remove the portion of my disk that is pinching the nerves and then stitch me back up. There are parts that will never heal and since he thinks that this was brought on by sudden weight gain during pregnancy he says I can pretty much guarantee I will have to do this after every kid-birth control. I should be able to lift my girls again after the first week and return to a careful normal routine after the second week. It will be 4 more months before I can start lifting and running again. So there is my drama. I'm excited to have the pain gone, I'm not excited about all the little risks. I am very grateful to have Barb coming to help. We will have a good time-well, she might not, but I will. Alright, love you all and in case I don't get back on here in time I want to wish my sweet nephew a happy birthday. Unlike your highly organized and thoughtful mother I do not have a package in the mail for you but I do love you and hope you have a great birthday. Brooke

Last night, in the game where the Colts faced the Chiefs, the officiating was deplorable. Twice the Chiefs were threatening in the Red Zone and the old yellow hankies start popping out left and right. Holding??!! Give me a freakin' break! Then it is 14-8 and Trent Green has orchestrated an awesome drive in the last 30 seconds. 7 seconds left, from the 20, there is no question what will win the game. The Offensive Coordinator calls for a post route that will clearly defeat the tight Nickel coverage of the Knucklhead on the other side of the ball. Green hikes the ball, Morton is moving to the end zone triple teamed but the slant inside throws them off and he gets the jump on all of them...until one of them cheats and trips him OUTRIGHT TRIPS HIM! Oh? So your not fast enough? Go ahead and trip him, I know that will work! Well it did. And the Free Safety took the opening for the interception in the end zone, ending the debacle. The replay camera would not function and the booth pretended not to see it. All that was left was a still digital photo of Morton eating the turf with 3 guys standing around. Hmmmmmmmm, wonder what happened there? I am filing a complaint with the NFL. Brent, I got your number, that won't happen again! For those that do not know what the heck I am talking about, our XBOX Live sessions of NFL2K5 are getting pretty intense. Like Dave said, technology is great.

Hello all!
Sorry I have taken a while to get back on here and write. My summer term is almost to an end. I have 5 school days left but 8 days until I leave for home... which I am really excited about. I have had a tough couple of weeks due to roommate problems and I really just want to get home! Not that I don't love it here because I do, just stuff going on. My classes are still going good. Child Development is tough, but I am trying. I absolutely love my book of mormon class. It is something I look forward to everyday and math is just math. Really nothing has been going on here. My RA just got her mission call and I find out in about 25 minutes where she is going. I am excited to find out. I will have to tell you all when I find out.
Tomorrow night I have to start on White Glove which is the end cleaning of the dorms and it is like a toothbrush clean thing. My roommate Alli said when she did it in Winter they started at 5 pm on Friday and finshed at 6 am the next day. Yeah, I will definitely be sleeping all day saturday.
Anne, that is awesome about the scholarship... I might be coming down with Kathryn sometime in September. She has to look at a beauty school there so I think I am going to drive down with her. I will keep you updated.
Please tell Sadie I love her and I hope she gets better soon! Brooke, Jane, and Isaac.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am going to be really busy with finals and packing so I thought I would just put that on right now.
Mom and Dad! I miss you guys! I can't wait to be home with you! I love you lots!!!! See you next Saturday!
I love that I can get on here and see what is going on with people! I would post some pictures, but I don't know how to yet! I downloaded that program.. but yeah! please explain how!
Love you all!
Kim

Yes, our 2 year old has a broken tibia. For those that did not hear, Jane leaned the electric driver's seat in the Honda back and hyperextended Sadie's knee in the car seat behind. Yes, nasty in a Joe Theisman kind of way. So our most active child is relegated to this look for the next month. Great.

Ann, I'm so happy for you and Peter. Free money is ALWAYS a good thing. Good luck with Volleyball.
Buffy

Hey Guys. Could everyone email me with your email addresses? I don't have most of your personal emails in my address book and would love to be able to email you as well as blog. I'm counting down the days left of my internship... 2!!! Last week I worked with the cutest woman who was 100 years old. I swear she had the voice of granny in the Tweetie and Sylvester cartoon!! Anyways, here's my email address:
stinchpt@yahoo.com
I'll be looking forward to getting your addresses!
Buffy

It's been great to read all of your postings and keep up on what you're all up to. Anne is now in Utah and started volleyball today after an early morning episode with some kind of flu or bad food. I'm still in California working until this Friday when I leave for good ol' Provo. We had a fun time this last weekend at a family reunion for my family near Santa Barbara. They say the tar that gets all over the place is natural, but it's hard to believe when you can see 8 or so oil drilling platforms from the shore. It comes off your skin fine with baby oil if you ever run across that problem. Anyways, here goes the great news that Anne got today at Volleyball. Sam, her coach, pulled her aside today and let her know that there was some extra scholarship money and they decided to give her a part scholarship that will cover all of tuition and books for the next year!! Yea, we're pretty excited about that. Well, I gotta get back to work. I really like this blog spot thing although me and Anne have a debate going on how to pronounce the "Sundry" of The Sundry Seven.

Peter