Just wanted to post this picture of the last time our family was together in our first home. This house has seen a lot of change in our little family in 4 years. I have a feeling that we will be talking about the Meadowdale house for many years. The sad part is that my pregnant wife wasn't the one getting a little teary eyed as we got ready to leave last week.

So as you all know it has been a very interesting few days here in Irvine. We came down on Thursday morning. We have had soo much fun hanging out with the Anselmo's (friends from Santa Clarita). Thursday was very interesting though. After we arrived we had plans to go to Disneyland. Noah was feeling hot but we took his temperature with a thermometer that I am not used to and got a reading of 98.5 degrees. So we thought it was nothing. Anyhow we went to Disneyland and had a ball. Noah was not very perky like he normally is, but we had fun. I was able to go to Club 33 with Chad which was an adventure in it's own right. It is an exclusive club that is above Pirates and overlooks the park. Very plush!!
Anyhow, we left Disneyland at about 6:30 pm and went by In N Out for dinner (of course). We got home and put Noah in his high chair to eat. He took about 2 bits then as Buffy put it he stiffen up and his eyes got really big. He started a seizure. I picked him up out of the chair trying to hold him tight and get out to the car. As we got to the garage he was seizing harder and starting to turn blue and foam at the mouth. VERY SCARY!!!! We called 911 and I am sure not by accident the ambulance was right around the corner and her in about 20 seconds. VERY BLESSED!! The 911 operator in the meantime had walked us through how to help him and he was breathing and back with us. On a side note, I do have to say that I am a very lucky man to have Buffy as a wife, she (and this is a quote from the ambulance driver) is the calmest mother EVER in that situation. Anyhow the hospital is really close and we were able to get him there and the doctors were very nice. Of course the tests had to be done. Blood drawn, Urinalysis (by cath), X-ray, IV, poor Noah was poked every which way. Not to mention that the temperature was taken through the rectum. His temperature when we got to the hospital was 103.5 which is could have been there all day for all we know.
So the final diagnosis was that he had a febrile seizure which is caused by having a high temperature and apparently is common. Noah has since been like himself other then a few fever episodes at night. I would definitely like to say that ALL of the prayers that were given on Noah's behalf were felt and we thank you very much.
We will be home tonight and can't wait to see everyone.
Love you All.

I will admit, I have been a little busy lately but now that I have a minute to sit down I thought I might write something (being nudged by Tracey helped :) ).

The move went well. We are now getting settled in here at mom and dad's and are having fun being around everyone. Andrew still has to learn to come to the realization that we won't see the Washugal Stinchfields all the time. It is nice to be near family for the first time in our marriage. Thanks again to Mom and Dad for letting us doing this and putting up with my children screaming and crying every night because they are still adjusting and tired from all the activity going on.

Peter headed back last night to Boise and he will definitely be missed here with our family. It is nice to know he will be back next weekend. I am glad that he is willing to do so much for me and the family at this time. He is working hard and helping to keep the company growing out here. Like Mom said to me the other day, they definitely picked the right guy for the job because Peter is so good at it.

The boys are loving the closeness to family and seeing everyone a lot. He was so excited to be able to go to Sunbeams with Melia yesterday, he could have cared less that I was there. (that was for you Dave and Tom)

The pregnancy is going well and I will be 8 months (32 weeks) this week. I go to meet and have appts. with the new doctor this week also. Exciting but nervous at the same time due to having such an awesome doctor in Boise. I will definitely miss Dr. Hodges. Peter jokingly suggested that we have Dr. Hodges call this new doctor and tell him to do everything like he does so that we are comfortable this birth. Funny Funny.

Anyways, I should probably get to unpacking one of these days and continue the rearrangement of the bonus room. We love you all and love have the family we do!

Love,
Anne

post something.... this blog is dead... I know you are all together but some of us are all alone!!! Tom is en-route from Tokyo, should be home in a few hours and we can't wait!!! Kids are in bed and I'm off to eat a cinnamon roll and watch Chuck while I wait... I could clean the house but that doesn't sound as enticing, besides, he'll be home soon and he can help me right?

Kim,

Have a great birthday. We love you and your family. It has been great to see you this week.

TNT, kids

We wanted to write this post today because it's the 16th at our house but we decided we had to wait until it was your birthday there!!! Tom we hope you have a fantastic day! I'm so excited for you to go do karaoke tonight and hope that it's great and everyone really gets into it! The kids and I are glad we got to have a fun birthday party with you at Round One before you left. I wish we had taken pictures! I asked the kids their favorite things about you and we came up with this list, they could have gone on and on but I had to put them to bed!:

My Favorite Thing About Dad/Tom Is:
"That I LOVE him!" Danica
"The presents that he gave to us" D & H
"How nice he is!" Hayden
"Hanging out watching TV and folding laundry together."
"I like him because I like to drink milk like him." Danica
"...'cuz" Alyssa
"Training for the marathon together."
"I like that he always plays with me." Hayden
"Bless that daddy can come home safely" Danica, yes, I know it makes no sense is response to my question
"Constantly striving to find a way to beat you at a strategy game!"
"Playing monster catch." Danica
"Riding bikes together!" Hayden
"daddy at Papa's" Alyssa (she was a little confused by the question but at least she knows where you are!)
"Playing at the park, going on the slides" H, D & A
"Reading me bedtime stories every night." Hayden

The kids made you these cards for your birthday: (notice you have a football in your hand in Hayden's card, Alyssa just kept declaring "purple" and you'll have to ask Dani about her's because I don't know what you're holding or why sharks are swimming around you!)



Just know how much you're loved and missed! We hope you have a fantastic birthday!!!

I am so proud of Treven and his hard work is starting to pay off at work.

Just got back to Miami this morning and am waiting in the MIA for our flight to Charlotte, NC. Then, the Chicago, then home. Back about 2200 tonight. Larry and Keri have to go via Atlanta and those flights have been getting cancelled about 3/5 of the time. Currently, they are scheduled to go but will have to wait and see. I think we're ok but Chicago worries me a bit. NC may not be good, either. Enclosing some photos but will have more when we get home, hopefully tonight.

Yes, I do watch Lost and yes, I do feel like the island doesn't want me to leave! I have never felt so far from home and so isolated. Tom is back in San Diego at a dental training and then heading up to Washington on Thursday to spend about 10 days. The kids and I were hoping to catch a free military flight, Space A, so that we could go to Utah for a week and then meet up with Tom in Washington. Supposedly this is a great time of year to catch those free flights because there aren’t many people traveling. I spent all week packing, prepping and doing everything that goes into trying to leave the country for a few weeks. Apparently, lots of available seats isn’t the case anymore and they didn’t end up taking any extra people on the flights throughout the weekend. It made for a really long, emotionally charge weekend with showing up at the airport and waiting around for hours only to find out we weren’t getting on the flight and then more attempts the next day and the next... So needless to say, I am really sad to miss seeing family and sad to be stuck here alone with the kids for two weeks after thinking I was going to be on vacation. Tonight Danica asked when Tom is coming home and I said two more Sundays and she said "I'm really going to miss daddy" and then she interrupted my family prayer and said "make sure to say "bless daddy to come home safely." She is such a sweat heart!

However, I luckily don’t have much time to stay depressed with tons to do and the knowledge that I am truly blessed in so many ways. I had a friend point out there are certainly worse place to be stuck...it is true. Today was great, sunny in the 70’s. This afternoon I hooked the bike trailer to my bike and towed the girls while I went on a nice ride with Hayden. Then a friend had us over for dinner and we had great food and company. Lately we’ve had a lot of fun around here, here are some highlights:

Karaoke! We found a great place, really close and reasonably priced and you just rent a big room for your group to sing it up. However, I think they would have made more sound proof doors if they were expecting such loud groups of crazy Americans! I don’t have video of any of the really good songs, hopefully I’ll get them next time!I actually don't sing when we go to karaoke but I enjoy the fun and food. This new place had some real genuine Japanese cuisine including pizza with mayonaise and octupus, lots of squid and raw ham salad...I stuck to basic curry and rice!

Wago Family Land- it’s like a version of Chuck E. Cheese but way better! Things are crazy and fun, there are no worries about safety or litigation. We had a blast! This video of the balloon room would be a dream come true for most kids!
He just rolled around and around!
Awesome zipline that took itself back up to the top to the next kid waiting!
The kids just hung on as the tree swung around!

At the end of January, Sesame Street Live came and did free show. We had a great time once Alyssa got over being terrified! Alyssa has her hair in a pony tail because for a week straight she insisted on it every day! She was obsessed with having her hair in a pony tail!

Off the ship this morning and out on a catamaran to sail into oblivion, around a few islands then drop anchor to snokel for about 1.5 hrs. Then, back aboard for some more sailing and then to a small beach with lunch and some relaxing before heading back to the ship. Spent the evening at a stage show, dinner (Italian), and then walked around the ship until about 2300. Ready to hit the sack then up for a 0930 debarkation at Tortola. No tours planned; just wandering. That is it for today. KnB

So we get in the car after church yesterday and I asked Andrew as I always do ""What did you learn about in sunbeams today?"

Andrew: "Jesus and Tooting and Laughing"

Needless to say we had the talk on the way home that tooting and burping in Primary are not reverent and you don't do it. Meanwhile Peter is chuckling and so proud.

-Anne

Got up this morning and rowed 3000 meters. Mom ran 2 miles around deck 13. I had a sports massage/deep massage that found every ounce of lactic acid in my muscles. Later today had a trip to a Beijing trained acupuncturist who placed 5 needles on each ankle, on each leg one at mid calf, at head of tibia and two to knee. Two near umbilical, one between naval and sternum, one at sternum, one at bridge of nose between the eyes, two on dorsum of left hand and five on dorsum of right hand. Fun. Left me alone for 30 mins and, hip is currently pain free and has been so all day. ??? I just don't get it. Wanted to put me on herbals but my one a day aspirin stopped that prescription. The four of us got a couch in a cocktail lounge to watch the entire Super Bowl game. Very good game. Then up for quick dinner and "dog" before bed. Now, it is midnight and we're off to bed to get ready to go into Samana, Dominican Republic, on the same island as Haiti at the Northeast corner of the island. Go to St. Thomas on the next day. Moderately rough seas but having a wonderful time with Keri and Larry Krout. More to follow. KnB

So, as we got to our hotel (Inn) in Miami last night (Friday), we were greeted by two young men at the front desk. And, I do mean young. Their vocabulary was that of what I would refer to as "gangland" diction. Dressed nicely in black suites, white shirts and ties..but, their activity and discussions were what I'd expect to hear from down in the back streets of some LA hood. What added to the dimension was the constant influx of very young teenagers who approached these two young men and got their welcome of, "just take the elevator to room 223. That is where the party is". And, this wasn't just two or three scantly dressed teens, but at least a couple of dozen. The young men freely bragged that this was a party set up by one of them at the desk. I overheard comments like, "thanks, Enrique, for setting this thing up for us, man", etc. Larry Krout and I sat in bewilderment at the "living room" watching an NBA game, looking at each other like, "is this really happening?". We felt like we were in the den of iniquity.

Then, when we left to go upstairs, we got in an elevator and as we headed for the third floor, suddenly it stopped at the second and two young women (15-17) got on the elevator with us, giggling in their other language and smelling extremely strong in the Essense of Alfalfa, I think...or that could have been the dreaded, Mary Jane?

Anyway, we slept well, no noise during the night and are up and readying ourselves for some time in Miami then off to our ship at the terminal.

More to follow as the time goes on. Love you all, Dad

It's been a while so here's the update. School has begun and I am slowly getting into the groove of having classes again (need to get into that groove faster!). This semester I am taking four classes, three of which are Marketing classes and the last is fulfilling a corporate responsibility requirement that the program has. I like all of my classes so far although one could be questionable based on the first two lectures but I'll survive regardless. The subjects are New Product Management, Internet and e-Marketing (my favorite so far), Sales Management (the questionable one) and Corporate Governance. I'm sure those all sound so fabulous to you all. :)

It is interesting to be back at SDSU after all the CA budget cuts have been put into place. There are furlough days that are mandatory in each class and a lot less classes being offered. I definitely notice the pressure on students and professors. I'm just glad that I only have this semester and my one "culminating experience"/"thesis equivalent" class this summer, which I am definitely going to be enrolled in and then I'm out!

I also am happy to report that I interviewed and was placed in a paid internship for this semester. I'll be working with a local small business that is a sort of marketing agency (like an advertising agency that does all marketing functions for a variety of clients). I will mostly be working with their clients to help them gain a presence on the internet, specifically in social media like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. So the work is up my alley and I think the company should be really fun to work with. I just found out that I got the position a couple days ago so I'll probably start up with some work sometime next week.

Other than school and job searching, I have been finishing up organizing my life in SD, enjoying time with my friends and catching up with people I haven't seen since I've been back. I am having so much fun living with Michelle. She is such a good friend and a great roommate. Only problem is that it is affecting my sleep patterns since we end up staying up till all hours of the night hanging out and talking!

Random stuff - LOST is back and it is bittersweet. I've decided that I'm not going to be critical about it and I'm just going to enjoy what is left, which is probably pretty frustrating to my friends that want to analyze everything but there is so little left that I want to soak it all in.  And also, random, but at the end of this month I am going to Palm Springs with Kristy to see a concert that Adam is giving. Her mom got us both tickets as a surprise gift so I am really stoked to get to see him doing his own music and not just American Idol stuff.

Ok, enough of that. Well, I'm really excited to see Tom in a couple days for the little while that he'll be in San Diego and I'm trying to get a jump start on the reading I have to do for class this week before he comes so I will have time to hang out without getting behind on everything. Guess I should get on that...

As you were.

Yah! It is finally Friday and I'm so glad the weekend is here. I just hope Noah will see the end of his health issues soon. He had yet another puking incident today after Brent fed him some french fries... he had not eaten anything all day which should have been a clue.

Just to let everyone know. I officially am a store manager again. I was promoted today to take over our Hillsboro store. It is kind of ironic as I was at the Hillsboro Sports Authority. We have been having a great week (other then the last few days of Noah puking. For know we have settled on a name for our baby as Avery Madison. Of course this could always change, but that is what it is right now. Love you all and cant wait to see everyone.

Just a quick update since I have a moment to sit down...

Love my new job. Absolutely love it so far. Love who I work with, love meeting new people, love the work itself. The only thing I don't love is the early mornings. We've always stayed up at night until midnight or later - now I have to try to get to bed earlier (Right now, somewhere, Dave is reading this and laughing because he has been trying to tell me this forever). I am having to get up at 5:00 some days to run before work. I know, I know - some of you have been doing this forever - and hats off to you - you are all amazing. I actually caught myself yawning during a run last week - I was so tired - never had that happen before.

I am anxious for more fair weather so Dave and I can get out more on our bikes. We've had one good ride together, but schedules and weather are making it tough. Last week we went out, only to have it start raining pretty hard a few miles in. When we stopped at one point, I tipped my head forward and a waterfall came off my helmet. But - I love the bike - it's just not as easy or convenient as running. And I'm a little afraid of dying at the hands of a careless driver.

Things at the practice are changing on a daily basis. We just had the interior painted and it looks so much different - more open and bright. We are in the process of replacing the furnishings in the waiting area, which is proving to be a challenge with our busy schedules. Fortunately, we are both excited about the improvements and don't mind spending a lot of spare time at the office. The exterior is going to be painted in the next week or two. Couple all that with the new landscaper we have, and things are looking good. Dr. Davis is making his exodus, which leaves Dave as the sole provider until Tom arrives. More hours, but more control and more harmony in the office.

Kids are great - totally adapted to my new schedule. They don't need me as much as I like to think they do. Isaac & Taylor are participating in the Dance Festival for our stake and seem to be having a good time. Isaac has a cute partner, apparently, and Taylor is just relieved he doesn't have to dance with any girls, since he'll only be a deacon. Parker is still the most forgetful and scatter-brained child I have ever encountered. The phrase, "He would lose his head if it weren't attached" was made for him. But he's adorable and hilarious, so it's okay. Took Morgan to the doctor today for her recurrent stye on her eye. Not only did we get some antibiotic ointment, but I think she took a fancy to her doctor. All the way home: Mom, Dr. Miller was so nice. Dr. Miller is so smart. I liked Dr. Miller, Mom.

Looking forward to Tom & Tracey's visit - and to Anne's move up here - and to summer. I am having sunshine withdrawals.

Adina

Yes I actually work for a living. But I am not late. Thanks for being a wonderful father who has taught me a lot and a even better papa to Noah. We love you.

Brent, Buffy, Noah and TBA

P.S. We will have an announcement later today on the baby.