Easter

This morning we were ready for church 1/2 hour early so I snapped a few pictures.

After church we went down to my mom's in Mapleton. The whole Kirby clan were all getting together along with My Uncle John, Aunt Sue, Becky and her family, Taylor and Patrick. These last two week since Dave died have been crazy. I have been down to Mapleton many, many, many times and the kids have been great. It is an hour drive and they usually catch a nap. Yesterday was no different.

Mason happened to catch a nap in church so he kept himself busy dumping noodles on his head.

She is so peaceful in sleep

I was a little worried about a stiff neck but he popped right up and played with the cousins.

Yes, Sad I Know
My First Concert

Todd had extra tickets for his Novell party at the Energy Solutions Arena in SLC. Todd, Anna, Heather, Chuck, Me, Michelle and Heidi all came. I think we all needed a night out. The comedian was Frank Caliendo the guy who impersonates Pres. Bush and John Madden. Collective Soul a group that became popular when I was in high school (10 years ago!!!) was putting on a concert after Frank.
The comedian was hilarious... we all needed a good laugh. The music was loud!!! I know it is kind of lame but after they played the two songs I know I text Anna and said "do you want to stay or go." 5 minutes later we were at Crown Burger Eating onion rings and milkshakes. Over all it was a fun night out.

The Farnworth's House

Mason and Sawyer at the Farnworth's
Sad but true... Mason is 8 months older and they are the same size. Actually Sawyer outweighs him by a few pounds.

My sister Julie lives in Mapleton near my parents. They have a party house!! The house is an older farmhouse that Ryan and Julie have remodeled and done a very nice job. They added this amazing porch outside that we have spent many hours relaxing on. The yard is huge with large shade trees, a tree house, swing set, fire pit, chickens and of course a nice area to set up a volleyball net or have a baseball game. The Farnworth's house is the kids favorite place to be.

When ever the family congregates we seem to end up at Julie's house. She and Ryan always are so open and throw together a nice BBQ for our rather large family.

Thanks Ryan and Julie

Here are a few more pictures of the fun stuff we do at the Farnworth's.

Anna trying out Kirby's new 2 wheeled skateboard.

Mom riding the scooter... she loved it. They do go fast.. . but mom has always like to go a little fast.
Julie helping Mason ride a scooter... He can do it pretty good the problem is the scooter weighs more than him... Please ignore the purple Dora helmet... the third child gets all the hand-me-downs .
Julie testing Kirby's skateboard.

Me taking my turn.

I Have a Climber!

So I came down the other day and found Mason climbing on the banister. I placed him in a little safer position and then snapped a picture. Lately he drags a stool everywhere and climbs up on everything. I have found him in his bathroom sink... he piled Iree's little chair on his stool and climbed on up. He is a little guy but he has an amazing amount of energy and climbing skills!!

Gotta Love Lasik

To make a long story short... Mark had Lasik about 2 months ago. When he went in he planned on having both eyes done at the same time. The first eye went well but the second eye gave the doctor a "little" trouble. I am going to spare you the gory details but the doctor told him it is the first time in 18,000 procedures that this has happened (lets just say "machine malfunction")!!! Of course it happens to Mark! He had to wait 1 month for the eye to heal before he could have the Lasik completed. He is very happy with the results now. Last night he was telling me, for the first time how beautiful the Utah mountains are. He could see the layers, details and the jaggedness of the peaks. Before, he only notice the outline and not the depth. I am trying to get up my courage to have it done. Sometime soon!

In Memory of Dave


My 37 year old brother Dave has gone to heaven!!!
I can't believe this has happened. He left his wife Heidi and his five kids Lasca-11, Brogan-10, Joecee-6, Stryder-4, Kaymin-2. I am hurting so bad. I think I can deal with Dave's death but I am having a hard time every time I think of the wonderful family he left behind.
Heidi was so strong yesterday. I know I would have crumbled but she held strong for those kids as they each said good bye to their dad. She made the hard decisions to be made in this horrible life event.

Dave's spirit is now in heaven... his body is going to save so many people today!!!
our family has been granted 3 amazing miracles... My brother Todd recovered from a broken back. He is still in a wheelchair but he has a sound mind and a wonderful family. My sister-in-law Wanda was in a car accident and suffered severe head trauma, the doctors said she would never function. She now has 4 children and you would never guess she had any type of accident. My mom had a heart attack and was gone... she came back to us. We prayed so hard for Dave but we didn't get the miracle this time. But... so many families are going to have miracles happen today because of him.

Today I am numb... I have so many thoughts about my brother Dave. From the mayonnaise he used to spear on my glasses to the heart felt apology he made to me recently...

My goal now is to make sure these 5 kids and Heidi are loved, cared for, and return to as normal life as possible. I know this trial is going to be the most difficult thing we have been through but we will make it through. Heidi is one of the strongest people I know. She has made her kids strong. From the day Lasca was born Heidi has been so honest with her kids. I admit at times I thought she would tell them too much... She has given them the gift. The gift to be able to express them selves. This will help them through the years. My heart was torn out as Lasca laid on her dads chest and talked to him and said goodbye. She told him that she didn't want him to go!!! She loved him!! But if this had to happen she told Dave that they would be OK. What an amazing 11 year old.

At work Wednesday Dave was pulling a trailer it came loose and hit the back of his truck. We are not sure exactly what happened... we are assuming he had some whiplash. He was complaining of a severe headache on Thursday and Friday. But no one thought much of it because he had Bronchitis. This trauma to his neck caused a dissection (a small cut in the basil artery in the back of his neck.) As it was healing itself it was forming a clot in the artery.
Saturday morning Heidi heard him stumble out of bed and scream. He was dizzy and couldn't walk. Heidi helped him to the bathroom, he fell and Heidi dragged him to the bed. Brogan had come up because of the fall and called 911. The ambulance came and took him to American Fork Hospital were they did a CAT scan. In the CAT scan we think the clot came loose and caused the most severe stroke. They transfered him to a bigger hospital at Utah Valley. They found a large clot in the worst spot possible, the basil artery. It was cutting of blood flow to his brain stem and both hemispheres of the cerebrum (the lower back part of the brain). The doctors were able to remove the clot but the damage was too severe. Sunday evening his fight was over and he was declared brain dead.

I loved my brother Dave. He was real, genuine, fun, and a big tease. He loved his wife and kids and they loved him. I will miss him so much. I can't believe that our gatherings will be missing one of its greatest entertainers. We will make sure his legacy lives on through these 5 wonderful kids. Heidi is strong... there are going to be huge struggles ahead but we will face them day by day.


I Love You Dave!! I will Miss You!! Until we meet again in Heaven...

I just completed The Kite Runner yesterday. I loved the book, hated the book, and was a little disturbed by the book. As I finished, I didn't know if I could recommend it to anyone. I was a little angry with the main character and how selfish he was though most of the book.
I thought more of all the questions and thoughts the book stirred in me and decided The Kite Runner does teach some great lessons. I was reminded of how cruel young children can be to each other at times. How I need to be aware of what my children might be facing and to help them understand the appropriate way to treat people and defend people. Selfless, honest people will receive the greater reward in the end!
I also learned a great deal about the Afghani people and their horrific struggles over the last 30 years. I have a greater compassion for the people of that society (especially the women.)
Over all I have decided I will recommend the book to those who like to learn of other cultures and like to dig deep for some meaningful life lessons.

Awe...
Iree was not feeling well today. It takes a lot to slow this girl down. Some of you see the shy, sweet little girl who wont leave her mom's side. Well, that is just an artificial Iree. She is unstoppable, constantly on the move, from one game to the next, get my drift. I spend most of my day keeping up with her. Today she laid on the couch and watched cartoons (which she never does) and she helped me pick pictures to put on the blog. In between reading her a few stories and doing only one puzzle today I was able to clean the house, do most of my laundry and catch up on blogging. So when I usually complain about a day with sick kids... this one was pretty nice.

And No... I don't have a leopard print couch... it's a blanket.

Tubing
Heather and Chuck built a jump for Jacob and his friends to go off. I love getting shots of the distorted faces as they hit the jump.

Jacob at the top of the hill.

Heather testing out her fine work.

Alexi going for a ride.

Spencer Upside Down.

And Chuck with a graceful landing

Spencer taking out Alexi.

Scott's Baptism
Last Weekend we took a little trip to Idaho for Scott's baptism. I only have one picture of the whole excursion because I snapped one shot and then the battery was dead.
We left early Saturday morning and made it to his basketball game. I was a little stunned by the crowd... 4 whole sets of bleachers were full and plenty of people standing around. I have to tease Michelle a little about living in the boonies. Not much going on in Idaho... funny thing is... plenty of people say the same thing about Utah.
After the basketball game we went to lunch at a hamburger joint with horse saddles as the chairs. Everyone thought that was pretty cool.
Then we made our way to the church for the baptism. Grandpa Kirby baptized Scott and it was wonderful as it always is. Kevin made me get all teary eyed as he talked to Scott about his special day. Afterward Michelle had great treats.

We went to Kevin and Michelle's house and the kids played in the snow and had a blast. We were planning on leaving after dinner to drive home. We were having such a good time we ended up spending the night and Me, Heather, Michelle and My Dad stayed up until 2:00 a.m. talking. I love doing that. We headed home after one of Michelle's awesome breakfasts. It was such a good trip I need to make it happen more often.

Snow, Snow and more Snow
On Super bowl Sunday we woke up to a lot of snow that the wind had blown into large drifts. We didn't have church until 1:00 p.m. So the kids headed out to help Mark shovel the walks. Mark would move a few shovel fulls and then have to leave to help dig out neighbors cars stuck in the snow. That morning he dug out at least 4 cars, shoveled all of our walks and driveway and all of the sidewalks at the church. We figured he was out shoveling for about 3 hours that day. Church ended up getting canceled because most people couldn't get out of their driveways. It ended up being a nice relaxing day. And to top it off a great Super bowl... exciting up until the last second.

Guitar Hero
So, I am (or was) 100% against video games. I didn't really like them as a kid and the thought of Jacob sitting on the couch hours at a time frying his brain wasn't too appealing. Mark and I debated this issue many times.

Well, The Wii made its way into our home... I LOVE IT!!! The Tennis, bowling and even Guitar Hero are so fun. We can play as a family and have a blast. Don't worry... we still have limits.

I am a little scared that I am creating a punk rocker out of Jacob but time will only tell. When I was his age the only music I ever listened to was primary songs, The Music Machine record and the Sound of Music 8track. Occasionally Jacob breaks out singing "Fire and Flames" by Dragonforce. He is getting pretty good and has come close to completing his first song.

Paint... I love paint
Iree and Jacob love to paint... I usually have them do it when Mason is napping but this night I let them paint while I was making dinner to avoid stepping on them. Iree asked me why Mason couldn't paint... I thought "Why not?" So I gave him a few splotches of paint and a brush and he went to town... He loved it. I got busy fixing dinner... Iree said, "Mom look!!" Mason was sucking on his paintbrush, dipping it back in the paint and then sucking on the brush again. I soon remembered why I don't let him paint.

Music

So I wanted to explain my taste when it comes to music... It is a little hard because I like every kind of music. Anything that makes me think, feel or get the chills.

The first CD I owned was Alanis Morissette. I soon joined the Columbia CD music club and ordered anything from Areo Smith to Chicago with Yaz in between. I have always loved good country music for the sappy stories they tell (I often get teary eyed) but until recently I didn't claim to like it. I love U2 and certain songs from Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, etc... My first year of college I went to a few local Skaw concerts and I liked the raw sound.

I had a friend who was obsessed with music and opened my eyes to my now favorite music. Acoustic Guitar... Dave Mathews, Grant Lee Buffalo, and Shawn Mullins and recently Mark has me hooked on Jack Johnson. When I listen to his music I remember that I need to slow down... It really doesn't matter if I don't get the house spotless each day or if Iree's hair is out of place. What matters is that I notice the things around me and enjoy them... My kids, nature and life...

Christmas Morning

Jacob and Iree went to bed shaking they were so excited. (I remember that feeling) They decided to camp out in Iree's little tent in her room. They had strict instructions for the morning... they were to come and get us, then we would walk downstairs as a family to see what Santa brought. At 5:00 in the morning my "mothering ears" were alerted!! I quietly walked out into the hall only to catch Jacob coaxing Iree to go and see what Santa brought. She was on the third step! I couldn't believe it. I can remember wanting to go take a look so bad but I never got up the guts to do it. Mark says he snuck down almost every Christmas to see... only Santa wrapped his presents as a child so there wasn't much harm done. Anyway, after a little scolding... Mark made them sit in there room until 6:00. I was laying awake in bed that whole hour just thinking how long this hour was for Jacob and Iree. At 6:00 we went downstairs youngest to oldest to see what Santa brought.

Jacob got an electric scooter. Didn't Santa know he is only 6! Maybe next year Santa can help pay some medical bills that might result from his gift.

Santa brought Iree some baby furniture and a baby that pees in a toilet. Yippie! Mason got a xylophone and a dog you pull with a string.

Christmas Eve

Mason is handing out pajamas to everyone. We all got in our pajamas, played games, sang Christmas songs and read the Christmas Story.

Body Sledding

At this point we didn't have a sled so we went sledding anyway. This is a hill about 30 yards from our front door.
Ready, Set, Go...

Mason is loving it.
He smiled and laughed every time. He only started to cry when we were walking home.

I love close ups.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Penguin!

Historical Moment:

Mark is pretty much good at everything. And I mean everything. Sports, singing, video games, being smart... get my drift. If he tries it; he is good at it. Well, Jacob challenged him to try his snowboard, so Mark took the challenge and fell right on his butt! Jacob and I couldn't stop laughing... like i said, "historical moment." I have a feeling this isn't going to make any sense to most of you but at least Me, Jacob, and Uncle Chuck understand.

Santa Came 2 Days Early

Mark's Mom (Grandma Brink) drove a stormy many hour trip from Denver in a Uhaul pulling a trailer with her car. She and John arrived at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Mark was singing in the choir for the Christmas Program at church so they joined us for an hour of singing. Afterward we unloaded the Uhaul which contained many goodies!
We spent some time opening gifts and playing with the kids. By 4:00 p.m. They were driving away in her car back to Denver.
What a thoughtful trip.

This is us beginning with the Giant Stocking of fun little gifts from Grandma.

Jacob is beyond a Bronco Fan these days. There is never a day when he isn't wearing some form of bronco clothing. Now he has a coat to top it all off. He loves it ! Often someone says, "Go Broncos" ... He confidently smiles back.

We are all helping to open Mason's Tomas the Train. We can't get it out fast enough.

Our little princess has her own vanity. She loves being a girl. Like most of you know I have never been much of a fingernail painting, make-up wearing, dressing up kind of girl But... I am learning now. Ireland loves all of these things and we spend most of the time during Mason's naps playing babies, doing hair, painting nails or dressing up.
She is painting Grandma's fingernails so nice.

Linda also made Mark's day. She brought us her piano. We backed the U haul right up to the front door and rolled the piano in. Mark has been wanting to take piano lessons for a while now. I had been looking at pianos for over a year. This was the best gift ever. Mark and I sat up late that night trying to recall anything from the lessons I took as an ungrateful child. Not much was there!! We did manage to play some simple hymns. Mark picks up on things so fast... he will be playing great shortly.

Ireland's Preschool Christmas Program

The class sang "Santa Claus is coming to Town." Most of the kids mumbled until the part where they got to shake their finger at us and scream "SO BE GOOD FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"

Showing some dancing moves singing "Frosty the Snowman."

Of course... "Rudolf"
She was singing this song around the house for weeks. She knew every word and action, but she started out softly singing with her little voice. I could barely pick her voice out from the rest. Then, out of the blue I could hear her over everyone. I had to smile.

No party is a party without brownies!