Jared Thanksgiving Pictures

Need I Say More....

These are the people I am related to. Need I say more?

Jared Wednesday Update - 11/26/08

"We washed Anthony's car last pday. It was pretty fun. Yea, that tractor in the back ground, we had to use it to pull the car out of the barn because he lost the key and it doesn't start. It was intense."

Jared continues to enjoy his mission. He is excited about several of their investigators. We are all hoping and praying that those that are close to commitment will be baptized before Jared is transferred from the area. He said that they had a sweet multi-zone conference (I think sweet is the new awesome). I remember that I really enjoyed the zone conferences. You were able to see all your friends again and talk with other missionaries. It is hard for me to believe that he has been out for more than 6 months now (28% complete). I am really proud of Jared for his commitment and attitude.

I'm Ready for Thanksgiving

I'm sitting here watching Dancing with the Stars with my family wishing that tomorrow was Thanksgiving so that I wouldn't have to get up and go to work. We enjoy watching dance competitions (even if they aren't real). Sarah was sick on Sunday and now Sherrie and I feel as if we are coming down with it. I was tired this morning and my office was 80 degrees (again). That combination made for an extra long day. I was going to put the snow tires that my dad gave me on my car this evening, but fortunately it got dark too early. I worked on staining the quilt rack, but I'm not happy with how the whitewash stain is looking. I think that tomorrow I am going to get a different stain that is more opaque (white). I really want to have the quilt rack up for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I was able to get all the Christmas lights up on Saturday. I turned them on tonight and they look really nice, even if I say so myself. I still have a few Christmas gifts to get so I may still end up going out on Black Friday. If I can find the specials online then I won't have to go to the store. I would really like to get to the point that I could do all my shopping online and not have to go to any stores except the grocery store. I found out today that I "won" tickets to the Motab Christmas Concert. This is the first year that I was able to obtain tickets to the concert. I saw the guest performer at Motabs Gift of Music concert a couple of months ago. I am really excited to be able to go to the concert. I got the Sunday morning tickets so it will be part of the Spoken Word broadcast. The show is over and it is time for Family Home Evening. I think it will be an early bedtime tonight. Adieu...

The Dance

Jordan went to the SUU Institute Dance on Saturday. He and his roommate, Matt, asked some young ladies from their ward on a double date. We talked to him last night and he said they had a really good time. We are excited for Jordan to come home on Tuesday night for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Jared Wednesday Update - 11/19/08

From Desktop

From Desktop

I managed to post Jared's pictures this afternoon, but I haven't had any time to write until now. It has been one of those very busy days. After work I put the second coat of green in the bathroom. I then had to hurry and get ready for the TREK fireside. The youth will be going on a TREK next summer for youth conference. Both Sarah and Jonathan will be able to participate. They will be going on their TREK at Woodruff, Utah. I told them this is exciting because they will be going on the TREK where their family is from.

Well, Jared had another positive letter. He is finding a lot of people and teaching them. He and his companion continue to work hard hoping and praying for those ready to accept the gospel and be baptized. The South is a hard mission. He is learning that most people don't follow through on their commitments. He is thinking that he might get transferred on December 23. That would be a real bummer to be transferred just a couple of days before Christmas.

Think Snow

I am sitting at my desk in the sweltering heat. The air-conditioning system for my hallway in the building went on the fritz. It is now 82 F in my office. The repair crew came a few days ago and replaced a blower. However, the new blower failed immediately (maybe there is an electrical problem). They haven't been back again (I guess we only get one repair a month). I feel tired today, likely attributable to the warm temperature and the paint fumes that a breathed all night. I decided to try and finish more of our master bedroom and bathroom last night. I completed the first coat of paint in the bathroom. The fumes were still fairly potent when we went to bed. It is going to look really nice when it is finished. I may try and do the tile work this Saturday. I would like to have it done before we have company for Thanksgiving. Well, break time is over, sorry there isn't any more than this to blog....

Monday Again

It seems at times that I spend a disproportionate amount of my life on Monday. Maybe in the space-time continuum there is a time warp and Monday actually lasts longer than the other days. That would lend itself to an unscientific substantiation since Saturday seems to be much shorter than the other days of the week. If we could just resynchronize the calendar then Monday would be the shortest day of the week and Wednesday would be the longest day of the week (well, maybe that isn't such a good idea).

I had a fairly uneventful weekend. Sherrie and I went to the Chinese Buffet (only place to get sushi in Tooele). We took Jonathan and Sarah with us since it costs just as much to go get them fast food before we go out to eat. We had a nice family dinner. I noted that I have finally arrived at the point in life that I couldn't read my fortune because I didn't have my reading glasses with me. After dinner we enjoyed a nice quiet evening at home with Jonathan. On Saturday I worked on completing the quilt rack while Sherrie and Sarah went into SLC to clothes shop. I actually took the opportunity to sleep in (which I hadn't done for quite a while) and didn't get up until noon (probably a contributing cause to the day feeling so short). I finished the drawers and attaching the mounting brackets. Now all I have to do is stain it and mount it on the wall. Sherrie will finally be able to display her quilts.

On Sunday evening we received a call from Sister Frye in Alabama. Jared is living with the Frye's and she wanted to call Sherrie and let her know that Jared and his companion were moved into their house and doing great. She even turned the speaker phone on so that Jared could hear his mother's voice. It was nice to hear that he is doing well from somebody else.

Jordan continues to enjoy SUU. He went into the campus radio station (Power 91) and recorded a track. They have been playing it on the radio so he has become a campus celebrity. He also let Sherrie know that he is now the Priesthood pianist. All those years of lessons did teach him to play the piano(even though he tried to convince us otherwise). He is going to the Institute Dance. He asked a young lady from Beaver (she is a student at SUU). She is from an apartment that is referred to as "The Beaver Barbies" so she is apparently quite cute (Jordan always does have good taste). We are anxiously awaiting a picture.

I was able to watch Kung Fu Panda and Get Smart over the weekend. They were both good movies. I also watched one of my favorites, Phantom of the Opera, again. I would love to go to Las Vegas and see that in the theatre there again.

It's only about a month now until the Gold's Gym opens in Tooele, so that leaves me just about a month of enjoying donuts and icecream. Once I re-start my workout regiment I have vowed to give up the good foods in exchange for healthy foods. Since enjoy watching movies, I should be able to run for a long time in the theater room - I will get my exercise and relaxation time in at the same time. Well, as you can tell by reading this, I am running out of things to say. Winter is setting in and I don't have as many places to go and can't work in my yard (although we did clean it up on Saturday) so I don't have much to write about. The last big, exciting event in the yard until spring will be the hanging of the Christmas lights that I hope to accomplish this week. Then it will be bunkering down through the holidays and emerging sometime in February when the snow melts.

Jared relocates but isn't transfered

Jared was moved to another church member's home this week, but stayed in the same area.
His new address is:

Elder Jared Gibby
2325 County Road 438
Cullman, AL 35057

I'm sure he would appreciate, Christmas cards, family Christmas letters, care packages, small Christmas gifts...

Sarah's Monster Mash

Sarah went to the Monster Mash at the High School on Halloween. She asked a very nice young man (cross country star) to accompany her. She went in a large group with her friends. They all dressed as Ninjas with different color bands. They had a great time and she just received the group picture they took at the dance. What fun. It brings back good memories for me. I am grateful that Sarah has such a good group of friends and is able to truly enjoy her time in high school here.

Guitars Unplugged

Here is the article on Jordan's win at the Southern Utah University Guitar's Unplugged competition.

Jordan Wins Another Competition

Jordan called his mother tonight to let her know that he just won the guitar competition at SUU. He told me about the competition about a week ago. I knew that he would do well, however, Jordan wasn't so sure. He thought there would be a number of accomplished guitar players. Jordan is so good that very few guitarists come close to his ability, but he doesn't always recognize that. He was really pumped about winning. The prize is a $1000 guitar and a recording session for the SUU radio station. He is really excited to have the nice guitar. Again, I am the proud father. Way to go Jordan!

Jared Wednesday Update - 11/05/08

Jared's doing great and still having fun in Alabama. He will be moving to a new home next week. We are sad to see him leave the Hann's. They have been so good to the missionaries. He even thinks that he might get transferred. I guess I will hold off sending Christmas presents until I know where he is going to be. Fall has arrived in Alabama and it is cooler now and the leaves are changing.

When it snows ... It really dumps

Last night before after work and before assuming my couch potato position to watch the election coverage, I ran to Wal-Mart (actually drove the car, I haven't been to the gym for several months so I probably couldn't run to the end of the driveway) with Sherrie. On the way home the front tire began to make a strange (flat sounding) noise. It looks as if somebody put a gash in my tire and it gave out a mile down the road (I would have preferred it completely slashed rather than it giving out part way home). It was dark and snowing so I decided that I wouldn't try and put the spare on, but would drive the Suburban to work. I tried starting the Suburban and it had been left in the driveway with an empty tank (wouldn't start). I had to run with the gas can to the gas station so I could put a little in the tank. After I put the gas in and successfully started the car, I realized that I still hadn't unhooked the back water hose. So in the freezing drizzle, I worked on getting the hose reel blown out and winterized. By the time I got back in the house Obama was already over 200 electoral votes (and with California, Oregon and Washington I knew he had enough - so I missed any excitement leading up to the announcement). So tonight I get to go home and hopefully find a tire in Tooele and change the tire on my car before it gets too dark.

Now that I have all my whining out (the blog is cheap therapy) I can focus on what's going on in my head. Now that I am ready to write something profound, I find my mind essentially empty (kind of like Testimony meeting when there are those long, long uncomfortable pauses between participants). I feel compelled to write something, anything, to squelch the silence. I feel happy and relieved that winter seems to have finally arrived. I have to admit that I was tired of caring for the yard and would like to settle in for several months of movie watching in front of the glow of the electric fireplace. I'm really not ready for Christmas yet. Usually I feel a surge of joyful anticipation when I hear the first Christmas songs on the radio. I turned the radio on the day after Halloween and was greeted by Christmas classics. Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper. I really wanted to hear Celine Dion and the Pet Shop Boys, not Amy Grant singing a dreary carol. I went to Walmart last night (I'm getting old and find myself stating the same facts multiple times - I must think it important that any ready know that last night I went to Walmart - yikes!). Anyway, they had all the Christmas stuff up. Sherrie wanted to buy Christmas hot chocolate mugs. I'm okay with getting Christmas presents early (as a matter of fact I am almost done - it has to be done every year before Thanksgiving), but I can't buy the rest of the Christmas paraphernalia before Thanksgiving (the Hallmark ornament open house was always after Thanksgiving - I think- but it is probably in August now). So I've changed my radio station until after Thanksgiving (so now I have to listen to Linkin Park rather that Elton John). I've purposely left my Halloween lights on the house until I put up the Christmas ones (which may be before Thanksgiving depending on the weather - don't want to fall off the roof and break my neck). So I'm going to continue to enjoy the end of fall and first of winter, watch my flowers die and look forward to a nice Thanksgiving dinner.

Time to Celebrate!!!!!

I am sitting here watching history being made. I actually feel much more emotional that I ever have with an election. I am proud to be an American. I am proud that my country has entered a new era, one where the capabilities and talents of the candidate are looked at and not the ethnic background. I feel that President Elect Obama will be an honorable man that will be able to lead this country and restore our position in the international community. I also find it telling that the electoral count is so heavy in favor of Barak Obama. This is a strong message being sent to the various arms of government in this country that we want a change of direction. We want to promote peace in the world. We want to help our own. We want change ... and not just a little. I am so excited. Even though I am a small blue island in a great red sea, I feel that I was able to contribute.

I was proud of Jonathan today. He initiated a discussion in his class about the presidential race. He found that while his teacher supported John McCain, the class almost overwhelmingly were for Barak Obama (7th graders). He supported his position with his teacher by citing flaws he saw with the McCain health program. He said the discussion lasted over 30 minutes. Way to go Jonathan - it's not about positions or parties, but that there was a discussion and that children at such a young age were so engaged. I can see Jonathan as a future Senator from Utah.