Hi everyone! Now that school has started I thought it would be a good time to introduce you to all of my kids. I'm like Jenni though and I'm not going to give you their names. Sorry! This is Cutie(4) who really, really, really wants to go to school but for now he goes to Mom's Preschool at our kitchen table. Next year he'll be in kindergarten.

Here's Superstar(almost 8). He's in 2nd grade. A couple of months ago he had some blood drawn for a test and he was told he was as brave as a super hero. Ever since then he has adopted the identity of Superstar the super hero.

This is Silly Guy(9). He just started 4th grade. He really is a silly guy, always trying to trick someone. He always wants to be at the center of all the action(although he's very very shy!)

Here's Sonny Pie(15) who we are so glad to report has returned home to us after spending the summer at Camp Loll as a merit badge teacher. He's not sure he's glad to come home. He'd rather have us come live at Camp Loll with him. He's a sophomore this year which will keep him really busy with choir, band(percussion), swim team and drama, as well as all the not so fun stuff that he's required to do.

And last but certainly not least is Juice(17) who is a senior----can you believe it? Wasn't it only about a week ago that I was a senior? She is even more busy with orchestra, swim team, lots of clubs and friends. (She took this picture herself! I'm amazed.) She really keeps us on our toes as parents!

So there you have it. We're very proud of all of them and often wonder how we got here. We don't feel old enough to be where we are right now!

i hope no one is lost!

Hi everyone. Seems like there's been a lul on the blog, so I'll fill it up.

There's really not a lot to report. We've just finished the first week of school-- John taking classes and me, TRYING to make faculty happy with late requests to update their online courses.

I'm actually quite proud of my last two projects, and wish I could show you the work I've done on them. Fitness for Life, and Foundations of Nutrition both got new text books this summer, so they also got a website make over. Not only did we revamp the content, but I've learned a new way to lay it out that makes it flow a little bit better (I hope) and a new way to put images in a background to make the interface a little more friendly, and energizing. They were HUGE projects... I got the Fitness for Life course done in about 3 weeks, but the Nutrition course didn't get done until the second day of school. My favorite motto at this time of year is..

"There are No Educational Emergencies"

Students will NOT die if their coursework is not available on the first day of class. There's plenty of time to make it up, or adjust things to be the way they need to be.
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John finished up his summer math class with a B+. He wanted his A sooooo badly, but I'd say that a B+ on a condensed summer course is nothing to turn our noses up on. He's taking 15 credits this semester, including General Chem, General Biology, Trigonometry, Intro to Writing, and labs for the two science courses. Our home as been a beehive of activity as he gets organized and settled into a homework routine. It is satisfying some of my "back to school" jealousy as I listen to him do his homework and help him get all of his school supplies in order.

I'm very proud of him and his dedication to his school work... only six more years!! :D

I hope all is well with everyone, and that you are just as busy as we are living and loving life! We are excited for all of the happenings coming up-- Zach's mission farewell, Peter's Baby blessing, etc. etc....

love to all!!

Becca and John

Visitor's Center at Salt Lake Temple

This last Saturday, Kiara and I got to go to Salt Lake with a bunch of the girls in Eric's family - we get together usually once a year and do some shopping and whatever else sounds fun. Anyway, Saturday, we met at Temple Square and went to the visitor's center - Kiara has never been there and I haven't been there for many years. Anyway, for those of you who haven't been there for a few years, you need to go. They have a little video segment on the Proclamation to the Family and you move from room to room and each room is decorated to portrait that part of the video, starting from birth till death, it is soooo amazingly awesome. It only lasted about 20 minutes, so the video clips in each room are about 3-4 minutes long. I found it amazing that something so short can affect a person so deeply. You find yourself pretty much getting tears with every segment. I'm not usually a very emotional person (maybe the older we get the more we cry). But it was very touching and absolutely wonderful. I'm sure everybody out there has seen it, but if you haven't, you really must take a few minutes to go there and enjoy it. It definitely started our day out on the right foot!!

TWIN FALLS TEMPLE

KARLI TOOK THIS PICTURE LAST SATURDAY AT THE TWIN FALLS TEMPLE WHEN WE ALL WENT TO THE OPEN HOUSE. WE HAD A VERY NICE TIME AND ENJOYABLE VISIT WITH AARON AND KARLI AND THEIR KIDS AND MOM AND DAD - WE ALSO GOT TO SEE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA HYMAS WHICH WAS ALSO NICE.

I REALIZED WHAT BAD PARENTS WE WERE WHEN TYSON SAW THE BAPTISMAL FONT AND SAID "COOL, THEY HAVE A HOT TUB!" AND I ASKED KIARA WAS THE 12 OXEN MEANT AND SHE SAID " THAT'S HOW OLD YOU HAVE TO BE TO GO DO BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD." I GUESS WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN A LITTLE BETTER!! OOPS!!

Idaho Visit

I enjoyed a few days in Idaho this past week. It was so good seeing Mom and Dad. Mom is doing better each day, it seems. Her speech is coming and she gets along with daily living skills really well. Mom, Dad, Cathy, Bill, Richard, and I went through the temple open house. What a beautiful temple! It was Mom's first outing since the hopsital, and she really seemed to enjoy it. We went to dinner, as well, and she seemed to enjoy it, but she was really tired by the time we left. Richard was there on Wednesday, so that was fun talking with him for awhile.

I enjoyed being there to see the PT and ST, as well as the nurse and dietitian. Mom was describing our outfits with the ST, as well as reciting back four miscellaneous words given by the therapist. She did great! The therapist kept saying, this is hard stuff, I know, but if it was easy, you wouldn't need to be doing it! Mom was a real trooper.

Dad had mom ready to go see the assisted living center Thursday evening, but in the morning, when asked if she wanted to go see the center, said, after a couple of minutes of silence, "I want to stay right here in my own home." The longest statement I've heard her say! Dad and I were both so proud of her for letting her wants be known!

Dad/Grandpa does an amazing job with helping her! He is so good to her and is able to keep up with all the different meals, meds, appointments, etc. she is needing right now.

Too long, I know, but one more thing for you American Idol fans . . . Remember the guy with the white feathered hat and white cape, singing the song he created, "I am your brother, your best friend forever" etc. - well, Reed baptized him over in the Philippines! Cool, huh?

Enough already . . . hope to hear from more of the "older" generation soon . . . I've been hinting to Cathy and Richard . . .