Poster Child at UVSC 

At Schick Eden 

Ready for Pan American 

ola' familia: arrived on Friday about 1000 am. Visited the LDS conference center..wow! It is huge. We went into the visitor's entrance and the greeter asked where we were from. We told her and she went into hysterics. She moved to Utah 3 years ago from Vancouver and was a member of Salmon Creek Ward (our's). Knew many of the people we knew. Anyway, it was like a home coming for her. Then, she passed us off to the tour guide and mom immediately recognized her beehive teacher from Berkeley...Charlene Jensen. That was another reunion.
Took the tour; marvelled at the beauty of the place and the architecture...again, wow! And, to top it off, an organist was rehearsing as we walked through the conference hall. After that, lunch across the street and found ourselves in a foodcourt with hundreds of Japanese Nu-skin Conference attendees. You could not get in the line for Panda Express unless you wanted to wait for an hour for lunch. Nu-skin has to be a big hit in Japan.

Off to the Church History Museum to see Rembrandt etchings. So they were etchings...copies...I want to see the copper plates. Now, that is history.

Okay...then, onto Eden. To Dick and Martha's home. Again, a wonderful time spent there amidst family and the beauty of the valley. Using my "valley boy" talk...I'm so, like taken by the beauty of the place. It is always a joy to spend time with the Schicks of Eden. Great time there; delicious food, beautiful home and surrounding mountains, and of course Dick and Martha make you feel like your are VERY welcome in their home.

On Saturday, we got up and headed up above Huntsville about 20 minutes away from Wolf Creek to some land and two homes for sale. I am going to try to include photos in the blog. If that doesn't work, I'm going to try to use Ofoto or Kodak.com. The setting is beautiful. 2 acres of yellow, red, orange and green trees; a lot of land; hills; must be especially beautiful in winter. A small creek runs through the property. There are two homes there. Need some work but livable. Decks need replacing. Small walk-bridge, over the creek, needs replacing. There is a basketball court (3/4 size), an old playground centrifuge-like spinner ride that you seldom see anymore, and it works; small elevated tower with slide (like the fancy ones seen on playgrounds now); 2-car garage; cabin of about 2400 sq ft and one of about 900 sq feet. Scenery is very nice.

Anyway, we are going to see if it is feasible to consider purchasing this for family recreation, both summer and winter (wonderful snow mobile country).

So, if the HELLO feature works for me, you may see photos today; if not, then it may be after I get back to Vancouver.

Yesterday on the way back from Eden, I dragged mom into a Chevy dealer in Jordan where I found a yellow Z06 2002 Corvette. She was cordial. Took her for a quick drive, which we both found very comfortable. Going there on Monday to try to work out a deal by trading in my Z.

Then, on to Anne's game against Univ of Texas Pan American. They won in 4. Anne had an excellent night.

Somewhere around here is Marnie. She is up here with friends going to a reception for a friend from San Diego. We meet up with her today. Looking forward to seeing here face agian.

We have church today; tomorrow is a game against Utah State Univ. Then, home on Tuesday.

Whew...was that long enough? Great to read all the blogs. Nice to hear about Mike's ventures and great future. We love all of you. Like my mother keeps reminding me, "Don't Quit". Love, Dad.

I think that's how you spell it! Anyway - congratulations to Mike and Brooke and family! We are so excited for you and will keep our fingers crossed that the 93.3333333% pulls through for you! Italy was way up there on our list when we were looking overseas - what an awesome experience! You know - I am putting together our Japan scrapbook - and I am just amazed at all that we experienced there - all that we saw - all that we did. All thanks to the Navy.

Anyway - just wanted to say congrats. We love you guys. Off to another soccer game.

Adina

Yes, my turn. I don't know how much Brooke has shared with you. Breaking news is that we are going to Italy next September for a 3-year tour. My assignment officer is cutting the RFO (Request for Orders) next week. The one obligation I have is to serve as a battalion or brigade personnel officer (S-1) for one year before I would be eligible to take command of a company. Of course, when I get there the boss (read: BDE or BN Commander) could say no to the S-1 and stick me straight into command. We will see. But, as far as going to Italy, that is as locked into stone as you can get in the Army (Which means 93.33333 percent chance by the way). Vicenza, Italy is between Venice and Milan and is the home of the Army's 173d Airborne Brigade. So I will get to be a paratrooper company commander. They do jumps in Tunisia, Morocco, Czech and many other places in the region, not to mention the annual Normandy jumps. So we are pretty dang excited.

It is funny that the day I heard that I was locked in to Italia, 8th US Army e-mailed me to tell me I had been nominated to compete for the UN Honor Guard Company Command slot in Seoul based on my record. So... that was also good news and I felt honored to be considered but Brooke and I are much too excited about the Italy thing. The one nice thing about the Honor Guard Command is that it is a Command Sponsored assignment, so the family would have been able to come over in December to live in Seoul. That is, if I were to beat out the other 4-5 guys competing from the region for the job. So... not a lock, and Italy pretty much is; Winner=Italy. I am telling the 8th Army guy Wednesday to take me out of consideration.(93.33333 percent chance)

Life is getting better on the job here. It is a true desk job, I ain't gonna lie to you all. And, I really am not fond of it. Shootin' guuunnns is way more fun;) But, after having received no initial counseling as to what I was supposed to do (crappy leadership behavior, that), I am finally figuring it out on my own. And I have started to assert myself a lot this week (Not easy for a Captain in a division headquarters because Captain is pretty low on the totem pole at this level, just a bunch of Majors and LT Colonels that think they are geniuses)...BTW, for the less military literate, Divisions are very big, tens of thousands of soldiers...Anyway, it is going better.

More good news is that after 30 days of committing myself to 2-a-days and a moderate diet, I am finally losing some significant weight. I read an article in Runner's World on the plane over here on how to lose weight and keep it off and I just said "Dangn't, it is time to do it right!" so I am doing it and I feel great. My goal is 210 by the end of October and 190 by the end of the year. I will be happy to stay at 190. I am 218 right now, and left SEATAC around 235 so yes, it is working.

It is a simple diet for those that care: Cardio MTWF with an emphasis on sprints/ intervals/ fast runs....Heavy weight, low reps, alternating push and pull muscles every other night M-Sat...and eat three scheduled, moderate meals a day with no meal after 7:00PM and I have added in a bike ride on Saturday now. I also do some Cardio every night on the elliptical or stationary bike, just to get my heart rate up before lifting.

Did my first bike ride today. Rode to Seoul along the river. They have a really nice path built all the way from Uejongbu, where I live, to Seoul. It was 20 miles to the gate of Yongsan. I was pretty proud of myself, because using Google Earth as planning, I was able to navigate to Yongsan garrison in the middle of Seoul without a wrong turn. Patting myself on the back right now:) Korean bikers are hilarious. They must spend hundreds of dollars on looking like Lance Armstrong and then they bike about 5 miles per hour. So many people everywhere, so it was an interesting ride. Only ran into one guy. I took the bus back to here. I wasn't up to the whole 40 mile trip yet. Maybe next week. It isn't the physical strain as much as the mental stress of dodging everyone on the path, not to mention the part where I have to cut through downtown Seoul and dodge everything moving. To give you an idea of traffic here, I rode my bike to Yongsan 30 minutes faster than the bus made the same trip back.

I am very excited for Brooke to visit in 26 days (not counting:-) ) I picked up a webcam while I was in Seoul, so I was going to try to get that working with the girls tomorrow. Thanks for doing the DVD Dave.

It is tough being away, that doesn't need to be said. We were actually seriously debating getting out of the Army, as some of you know. But we prayed about it, and received an answer which I will share sometime, or Brooke can. So we will drive on in the Army. The Lord will bless us.

By the way, they have a Korean ward in this city with a nice bulding, so although the English branch is small, we get to meet in nice circumstances.

One more story on that topic...the Military District rep (same as High Council I think) the first Sunday I attended looked very familiar. Long story short: He is an MD in the Air Force at Osan Airbase, he served in the Nagoya Mission and I was his Zone Leader when he was just getting to Japan as a "greeny", and he grew up with Brooke's friend Lisa from Fort Benning in Maryland and went to Medical School with her husband, as did another guy in the branch attending the same Sunday. I guess when you are military and LDS, the world gets very small.

Sorry about the Indians Tom, but I am still sad about the A's. Kind of messed up what they did to Macha, huh.

Anyways, that is all the news fit to print. I miss you guys.

Mike

So I started my post this morning while I was waiting for water to boil and then while I was making hot cereal for the girls Adam wrote half my blog and inserted his own comments. It is true, I am freezing all the time and Ellyn is going to discover the port a crib tonight. She has been up for two nights now for about half the night. She doesn't try to nurse anymore but she is still not grandma ready. Less than a month from now I'll be in Korea for 11 days. I'm very excited, it's a little sick though that this will be our first time alone for more than two days since Jane was born. Crazy, I guess that's what happens when you live so far from family aka babysitters. So I am doing my best to get Ellyn ready. Barb, I'm trying, I really am.

Tracey, our address is 21915 NE 150th Ave Battle Ground Wa 98604. However,if this has anything to do with Christmas you should send everything coming to the state of Washington to Kenn and Barb's. I'm sure they won't mind:)

Well, it is time to go. I love you all. Love, Brooke

It's true. The Mike Stinchfield clan still exists. We are just doing the same-o, same-o. I'm freezing all the time. Jane's schedule keeps us busy after school. During the day I basically get the kids dressed, feed them two meals, work out, read stories, lay kids down for a nap and go pick up Jane from school. Plus talk to Mike, of course. I have monkey toes. That is my life. I play with my sister and mom when she's home. I've weaned Ellyn, she is still not a fan of that idea. I think I'm going to have to break out the port a crib and create her own bed for at night. She wakes up in the night.

love your guts
Brooke Stinchfield

I thought this was appropriate because I am going to be driving past this sign today on my way to Salt Lake City! Forecast says rain tomorrow and Sunday! I hope not! well, bon voyage!

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M

Here is a good one. I originally saw it in the San Diego Union Tribune. This is a Burmese Python that decided to eat a crocodile WHOLE. Not a good idea, turns out. The crocodile burst through the Python's stomach and both animals died! Crazy, I know!

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M

This has been a frustrated week with two offers on the durango and one guy being a flake and the other still interested, but taking like a week to tell us if he really is going to buy it or not. We have a 2000 Jetta ready for us to buy. The guy who we are buying it from bought it for his mom, but she didn't get used to the stick shift so he bought her a new car. SO they just have the Jetta hanging around. We went and looked at it and Love it! So he is keeping it for us until we sell the durango. Nice thing to do I think... BTW I did learn FINALLY how to drive stick everybody! Treven kinda pushed me into it. But I like it a lot!

Umm... two and a half more months of being in Vancouver and then off to school. Treven is thinking of going into Marketing/Economics now. It really interests him and he thinks he would be good at it. I am going to be changing my major to Art Education and minor in something... I don't know yet, of course.

That is really the only exciting news here! Brooke, Dave and Adina... Treven and I would like to come watch some soccer games. I will give you guys a call to get times so that we can come watch! Miss you all and love you!

Tracey, I will give you our address but like packages or anything we just like being sent to Mom and Dad's house just for safety reasons. Don't really trust people at our apartment complex. Thanks alot!
7217 Ne 13th Ave. #a-20
Vancouver, WA 98665

Love you all. Sorry... no computer and boring lifes.
Kim and Treven

Sorry so late...it actually isn't even Wednesday anymore! But the internet was down ALL day at work today and then it was Lost night so I was busy. Anyway, there is some ridiculous news from this picture that I am sure you can figure out...just in case you hadn't heard...:)

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M

Alright, I agree, it has been way to long since the last time that I posted on this thing. I have been enjoying the posts, I just always feel like I do not have time to compose a worthy blog. So, here it is. We just got done with our midterms today. It is a little different this year because we only have a each class once a week so you do not end up looking at the info until right before the test. So, needless to say, there has been some serious cramming being done. Clinic has still been a bit to slow for my taste. Finally today I was able to remove an old bridge that was much too big. The women had wanted to have it done for years but i was the lucky one that convinced her to do it at the clinic. The teeth were not even prepared under the bridge, which is wierd, but of course explains the reason why it was so overcontoured. Anyway, there were a lot of firsts today, at least firsts on a real patient and it did not turn out half bad. Anyway, other than that there is the disappointment I suffered with the Indians choking and missing the playoffs. Next year, we were close. Tracey and I got some tickets to go to the Michigan State vs. Ohio State game in a week and a half. I have wanted to go down to a game while we are here because I hear that it is an amazing experience. So, we will let you guys know how it is. Would have been even better if they would not have lost to Michigan last week. Well, things are coming little by little at school so I will let you guys know how busy I am in a few weeks. Love you guys. Tom

More pictures later!!!! 

Cooking dinner in the farmhouse! From right to left standing, Linda, Alice, Martha, Molly. Sitting is Janice. 

Your dear mother in front of a 12th century Templar castle 

Pont du Gard, old Roman aqueduct built at the time of Christ 

Old Roman Coliseum in Arles 

House where we stayed near Figeac