Updated Family Photos...

I love pictures...taking pictures that is...but...I hate being in them. Here are a few of the hundreds where my eyes aren't closed.

This is my favorite.

Veggies beware!!!

Mace can down an enormous amount of veggies! He loves practically every veggie and fruit out there.

Last Costco trip I bought the 6 pack of peppers... When I finally got around to making dinner the pepper bag was missing 4!

Mace ate them all just like apples.

Yes... "the runs" the whole next day.

On one of our Lake Powell trips we stopped in at a marina to get some more fuel... in the store I told the kids they could all choose a snack... Mason's snack... of course, a red pepper!

"We just wanted to play "hair cut"."

I went to get my hair cut and highlighted and Ireland went to a friend's house.
When she got home she was missing a huge chunk of hair!!!

Not in the back, not at the ends, no, right at the scalp in the front... ahhh!

I think she understands now that "Hair Cut" isn't a game you play with your friends!

Sun, Pool, Sand and Volleyball...

...really does it get better than this?

ok, throw in a lake and a boat and that is perfection!

Mark had a VB tournament in St. George.

Super Fun... I love watching my man play... he did awesome!!

I know he was disappointed but I thought he did great for his first tournament in the sand. Sand is a completely different game!!!

Both Mark and I are "indoor players" trying to make the transition to the sand... I hear it is a lot more forgiving on the body. It is going to take a lot of hard work this summer for both of us. We are going to be an old wrinkly couple that never gives up the game, just you wait and see... I love it!

Pool Time!!

We really wanted to swim after the tournament so Heather and I came up with a plan... I figure it wasn't too bad... I still do feel a little guilty... so I guess it was bad... ugh!

We had already checked out of our hotel because we were driving home after the tournament. We were hot, sweaty, sticky, sandy and stinky... so... we went back to the hotel and Heather slyly convinced a lady to open the pool door for her... then she let us all in one by one.

I know this is stupid but... I was so worried we were going to get caught I couldn't even enjoy the swim... I am not very good at NOT following the rules!!! I swear the lady that let Heather in kept giving us the "evil eye" and at one point she left and went in the front doors by the front desk... I thought for sure we were caught! She came back with a coke and started reading her book again. I am sure she didn't even notice us!!! but my conscience kept me on my toes!!!

I think I am too old for that kind of thrill... I will leave it to someone else.

At least we all got cooled off, clean and kids in thier jammies before the drive home.

After getting a quick meal at Panda we picked up 2 boxes (12 ) dilly bars from Dairy Queen...I thought for sure they would go to waist... nope... gone!!! Yes we are piggies!

Road trips are getting better... no pee break at all both ways... amazing!

An additional 5!

We had the Kirby kids for the night. I love being able to spend time with all my nieces and nephews... We always have a good time. Mace was especially excited to have Lasca around. She goes out of her way to play with him and he loves it!!

Horse back rides... all smiles.

Coloring easter eggs...

Jacob and Joecee's stache.

They wanted to hide them in the house for a hunt... That's all i need rotten eggs hiding under the couches or closets.

Lasca of course helped Mace decorate his eggs... his were all green.

Brogan dunking her masterpiece.

After we got the younger kids set up watching a movie in their pj's, Heather and I took the older girls to a movie. "The Last Song" just came out, I had read the book a little while ago and really liked the book. About 5 minutes into the movie I remembered how the book ended and I panicked. Nothing more uplifting then taking these two girls to a movie where the girl's dad dies !!!! I bawled through the last 20 minutes of the movie. So Sad!!! After the show I told them I was sorry, I really didn't think about the details, I just liked the book. They both liked the movie. They both amaze me!!! I need to realize I don't have to tip-toe around their situation... they are tough and handle life without their dad better than I ever would have.

The next morning we headed to the City Easter Egg Hunt/Candy Scramble.

Stryder and Iree waiting for the Fire Truck to give the go.

Where's Iree?

The Whole group.

After breakfast we headed to the playground and froze!!!

I loved having 5 extra kids for the night... I'll take you all anytime.

Making the most of our

"Utah" Spring Break!!

So I woke up this morning a little depressed!!!
After all... just over a week ago we pulled out the shorts and got sunburns playing at the park.

I looked out the window and saw a snow covered world. I wanted to stay in my pj's read a book and keep the blinds closed.

Oh wait, I forgot, my kids are on Spring Break, they are ALL home, inside...

we should be doing something fun!

... lets make it a good day.

I got moving so I could fit in the morning "Power Pump" at Golds.

When we got home Mace wanted to go sledding so we pulled out all the snow stuff and headed out to the hill.

Iree and Mace had a blast making the first path through the snow.

Jacob and Mace started on a fort...

Iree made a few snow angels...

Iree also wanted a fort so I jumped in to help... oh wow... the perfect snow!!!! It isn't often that you get that great packing snow... I rolled and rolled and stacked...Iree, Mace and the little neighbor kids filled in the holes. It got taller and taller...

And taller...

And taller...

Until it was over their heads.

They were in heaven... they thought it was the coolest thing ever, they started making chairs and talking about sleeping and eating in there new home.

I remember I constantly made huts as a kid I always wanted a little snack to make it feel like home.

I went in to see what I could round up for like 20 neighbor kids.

I ended up dumping 3 different flavors of Hot Cocoa in a cooler and grabbing some graham crackers. Everyone loved it!

Then of course the boys wrecked it... 2 hours up, 2 seconds down!

Could I expect any less?

It really has turned out to be a fun "Spring" day.

I am glad I didn't decide to stay in my pj's and just read a book!

Awe... so nice!



Those of you who know us "Kirby girls" know that this is truly a luxury!

We had a two hour time slot to fit in dinner and a pedicure...ready, set, go!

We first went to a Gourmet Chinese Restaurant (Panda) and then sat in massage chairs, soaked our callused feet, got a sugar rub, and a nice little paint job.

My sisters are hilarious, we laughed the whole time, I am sure the ladies thought we were crazy... wait a second, we are crazy!

It is sure fun to be crazy once in a while.

Just A Little Competitive!

I am competitive... I try to hold back at the appropriate times but I can't help smile when my team, my husband, my son, my daughter or I win! I know church and school are all about having no winners, no mvp's, and no special treatment.

I understand the reasons, not wanting kids to feel left out or disappointed or sad.

I do get that.

But...

Without competition it is a little hard to succeed... to pull ahead in life... to reach all my goals or to cheer how I want to for my little boy.

As mark would say... "No competition just breeds mediocrity!"

Last night as Jacob took first place in the Rocket Derby for Cub Scouts I was a little torn... I wanted to start jumping, giving high 5's, and booyahing (if that is even a word) because he crushed the competition!!! But being Primary Pres... I didn't think that was appropriate in the church gym with all my little primary kids around so I held out and simply said, "good job buddy."

I feel like I let him down a little...

I am so proud of everything he does, how hard he works to be # 1 in everything and most of all how competitive he is...

So this is my blog... my family memories.... I guess that gives me the right to brag, and cheer my kids on like I know I should.

Good Job Buddy!!! "BOOYAH" "High 5"

I am your #1 fan always.

A Little Adventure!!!

Mark had his Championship Hockey game tonight at The Olympic Oval. The kids and I went as usual... we love his games. Heather luckily decided to tag along.

After last game when I missed 2 of Mark's goals I decided to make the kids go to the bathroom before we go up to the bleachers so I wouldn't hear cheering and stick banging while waiting for Iree and Mace to choose a stall.

We got all that business taken care of and made the trek back to the bleachers. Mace's legs were tired and he asked me to hold him as we climbed the last set of stairs. As we got up to the bleacher, Mark's team was still warming up... One of the guys took a slap shot at the wall and lifted the puck a little too much. It hit Mace in the head, through the net, while I was holding him. He started screaming so I sat down with him... then I noticed the blood... tons of blood!

We found the first aid lady... I just wanted to grab some gauze and head to an Instacare but there policy is to call the paramedics...

They ended up having to give Jacob more attention than Mace because the sight of blood made him a little queasy! In his words "I see swirling light and stars" He was so pale...Poor kid! We got him some Gatorade and he started to feel better.

The paramedics rolled in the gurney... I was thinking "Please don't make Mace ride on that... It will scare him to death." They asked me if I would like the Ambulance to take him to the ER or did I feel comfortable taking him myself as long as I had someone to drive... Wahoo, good thing Heather came... Mark was still in the middle of his game. I gladly signed the waver saying I would take him to an Instacare or ER on my own. I am so glad he didn't have to get strapped down.

At the Instacare they put some numbing cream on the cut and had us wait 20 min. He started to feel better. He looked up at me and said, "Mom, my head is all better, we can go now."

When we got called back the doctor took one look and said stitches aren't going to work... we need to do staples!

Mace repeated, "STAPLES!" poor kid, he was listening to every word intently.

Here is the final product!!! 1 week and we go in to have them taken out. I love adventures but not ones that involve cuts and ambulances.

One of those Tough Days!

So it has been 2 years since my big brother Dave died. This weekend I was hit extra hard with that fact! I think of him often, most days really... but as I attended Joecee's baptism I just missed him a ton. I wanted to see him with his red sunburned nose, goatee, blue shirt, and a outdoorsy vest, baptizing and confirming his daughter.

It doesn't seem very fair! Why? He is missing so much!

I try not to do this often but I am allowed my moment to whine every now and then...

After all, I do know we will all be together again!!!
I do feel extra comfort knowing that his death did save so many others.
He always helped others!

I just miss him today!!

Our only Kirby Family Photo with just us all grown up... I noticed Dave in the background when I was editing. This is at his Celebration of Life. We will treasure this one.

Today I read through some of my old blog posts... I thought this one hit the spot... I wrote this about a month after he died.

My thoughts and memories of my big brother...

At the hospital the Sunday Dave died we met together in a ICU room and had family prayer. Our family is huge, and includes many close friends. We filled the room to capacity and beyond. We smashed into the corners to allow the continuous flow of people to enter. As the 5 kids entered the room I couldn't keep the tears from flowing. As I looked around the room, I could see that most everyone was feeling the same feelings I was at that moment. Heidi was amazingly strong and offered the prayer. It was wonderful, comforting, and perfect. I remember thinking afterward, "We should be comforting Heidi not her comforting us." Afterward, she asked all of us to please write down our memories of Dave so her children would know what kind of person, friend, brother, and son he was.

So... This is for Lasca, Brogan, Joecee, Stryder, and Kaymin. I do admit it is for me also. I need to express my feelings and memories of him... it seems to be my way of healing. I want them to know the kind of big brother he was to me.

Dave was 9 years older than me. To him I am sure I was a little pest. On the other hand I do think that as a 10 year old he liked me a little...I have evidence to prove it. On our family home movies he is the one spotting me as I take my first steps. He helps me up with a big smile and encourages me to keep trying.

My earliest memories of Dave are those of a normal brother sister relationship... he teased me and I tattled on him. He would do various things like spear peanut butter on my nose, wipe mayonnaise on my glasses, and give me buttercups! He was a pro at those! Even though at the time I screamed and tattled I think I was secretly happy he was giving me attention.

Dave and I were always at war. When I was about 13 or 14 I went through a "tree-hugger", "animal-rights-activist" kind of phase. At the time I wanted to be a National Geographic Photographer and help save the planet! To Dave... this put a big red target on my chest that said TEASE ME. I have so many examples of our wars but I will only describe a few.

Each fall Dave would go hunting... I was appalled! I just didn't understand why someone would want to shoot one of God's creations. Dave would go out of his way to remind me that he was going to track and bring home the biggest buck. I would usually respond with some statistic I read from National Geographic on how he was a big reason for all the animals going extinct. (I pretended to know what I was talking about.) I remember one day after the hunt he said, "Jenny I have something to show you... come here. " I followed him, being my gullible self, he led me to the garage. My jaw dropped... there hanging from the rafters in the garage was a dead deer. He thought it was the funniest thing ever... I stormed out determined to never forgive him!

In the spring every year we would prune the trees. We would pile all the branches in the middle of the garden and have a big bonfire. Remember again... my "save the earth" mind frame at this time. I remember Dave putting Harts' cups on the end of a stick and burning them. Again, my jaw dropped. How could he? Look at that black smoke going into the atmosphere! I watched as the cup melted and changed shape until little dripping fireballs of plastic dropped to the ground. I remember arguing over the blazing fire. How could my brother be the one person single handedly destroying the world?!

I think it was about a year later I discovered I could never be a National Geographic Photographer because I would have to sleep alone in a tent in the wilderness for days. The thought of that life was too frightening. So I changed my career choice to teaching. Also, burning cups on the bonfire was just too much fun so my "save the earth" years passed. I still have never gone hunting with Dave but... I was willing to. He invited my husband Mark to go with him and I would have loved to go along.

Dave would often ask me to tag along with his dates (I still can't figure out why) I would always say yes because it meant at least a snickers and a soda from Harts and if I was really lucky maybe even fast food. One time a girl in a bright red sports car pulled up to our house. Dave asked if me and my friend Katie if we would like to come along. Heck yes!! Look at that car. We stopped at Harts and as this girl went in to the store Dave looked back at me and Katie and said, "She's cute huh? Guess what, I 'm going to marry her!" I remember thinking what a crazy lovestruck brother I had. Dave and Heidi were engaged a few days later.

The summer after I graduated from high school I worked construction with Dave. At the time he was running the blade (road grater) . He was so good at it. I don't say that just because I am his sister... everyone in the construction business knew Dave and his skills on any of the equipment, especially the blade. I would walk along side the blade and tell him to lift the blade up one notch or down a few as I followed the marking stakes the surveyors left. We would stay late in the hot summer night until he got it perfect. He always finished. He would never leave anything undone. At this time we were building the taxi way at the Salt Lake City Airport. We had a long commute home and we would eat star burst candy and usually grab a soda for the ride home. He would ask me about volleyball and tell me about the new things Lasca had just learned to do.

Dave guarded me around the rough construction crowd. He was so respectful of me. Sometimes he had to take care of some lazy workers... he would tell me to go work on something and I could hear him cussing them out from a distance. He never used the "construction man language" around me. One day I was helping one of the other workers pick up these metal stakes. We had to use the forklift to gather them all. The kid would drive and I would put the stakes on the forks. I was bending down to pick up a stake and this kid drove over my ankle. The first words out of his mouth was, "Man I'm dead!" Here came Dave... (can you imagine!) he practically fired the kid... he was yelling at him saying, "you idiot you probably ruined her volleyball career." I assured Dave I was fine... he made me go to the doctor even though I didn't think I needed to. It felt nice to have someone stand up for me like Dave did.

Mark and I moved to California to go to school and play volleyball for Cal State Northridge. After being in Northridge for 5 months Mark decided to be baptized. Dave and his family were there for one of the most special days in our lives. After the baptism we had a great time at the beach helping Lasca and Brogan collect shells.

Three years ago Mark and I moved back to Utah. Dave was building his home at the time and Heidi had just had Kaymin the day before. We didn't expect Dave to help us move in but at 7:00 a.m. in the morning he called and said, " I have an hour or two so I am on my way up with the trailer to get you guys moved." I quickly woke Mark up and we went to work. That same day Dave, Mark and my dad poured the basement floor of his house. He always found a way to help us all.

This past Christmas Dave and I both had a different idea about what we should do as a family for a gift exchange. We were both a little stubborn with our opinions. A few weeks before Christmas he called me and we had a heated conversation about the subject. I started to cry and told him I wished I still lived in California so I wouldn't have to worry about these kind of family problems. We ended our conversation and I went about my evening a little disgruntled. About an hour later (10:00 p.m. ) I heard a knock at the door. Dave and Heidi were standing on my porch. I opened the door and let them in. He handed me a treat he had picked up at the gas station and said, " I'm sorry I made you sad. I would never mean to do that." He gave me a big hug (a Kirby No No) and we had a great conversation and came to a resolution. I was so touched how he drove clear up to my house at night just to say sorry. He always had to make things right.

I can't begin to explain my feelings about him while we sat at the hospital those two dreadful days. It was a roller coaster of not knowing what was happening, the realization of his condition, the choice for him to be a donor and then his death. The hardest part was riding with the smiling kids up the elevator on there way to say bye to their daddy. As I left them in the room with Heidi I walked outside into the hall and crumbled.

The week following was exhausting and wonderful. We gathered as family and reflected on our memories of Dave. We laughed, cried and pondered about what his experience might have been like. We spent many late, late, late nights working on the celebration of his life and funeral. I felt closer to my siblings than ever before. We bonded and it was a great feeling.

Lasca, Brogan, Joecee, Styder and Kaymin I want you to know that your dad was a great brother to me. He teased me a lot... he stood up for me when i needed someone to, he apologized to me, he cared about me, and he made me laugh. I will always remember him when I look at any of you. I love you all. Remember his legacy.

A New Hobby

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I took Jacob skiing for the first time. I hadn't been since I was 16.

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He had an absolute BLAST! So did I.

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I don't know why I haven't taken advantage of these awesome ski resorts in our back yard!

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Those days are over!

I think I found a new hobby, oh man, like I really need anything else to like.

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Kendra and I smashing Jacob on the lift ride up.

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Pure Beauty... I love pine trees covered with snow.

I wanted to let Jacob practice on the bunny hill for a while. I started to explain how to zig-zag and snow plow... He just took off, went straight down and snowplowed to stop... no more bunny hill so we headed up the lift.

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Standing in line for the lift (the first run), Jacob started doing the "Pee Dance"...we were almost to the front of the line and I wasn't willing to get out so I told him to hold it... I know, Mean right? Well I forgot and he held it the whole time.

As we were about to leave to go home he told me he still had to go... I felt a little bad... there is nothing worse than having to go pee really bad when you have layers of snow clothes on...

Next time we will make that stop at the beginning.

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I was super proud of him today.

He did great for his first time.
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Here is a little clip of Jacob... I am following him down the mountain.

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When we were getting ready to leave he said, "Mom, can we please, please, please, come tomorrow with Dad?" He loved it and we will have to KSL some skis so we can go anytime.

An attempt to lift the booty!!

Hopefully with my new combo of Gold's Gym, better foods and Insanity workouts I will be able to tone up a little.

We joined the gym a few weeks ago... so far I love it, they have a Cardio Cinema where I can be in a movie theater sweating my guts out and watching "Tommy Boy" at the same time.

Cardio has always been my enemy...

I don't see the point of exercise when there isn't a ball involved.

I guess I can justify it while I am watching a movie.

Mace and Iree have fun in the kids play center while I do my workouts.

The endless weights and machines make it easy for me to leave with a killer full body workout every day...

I have been feeling it, did you notice that waddle the other day? Yep I killed my inner thighs and waddled for a week.

Mark goes with a friend after the kids go to bed and he is getting huge!!!! I love the new look and I can tell he is super proud of the results after all the hard work he has been putting in. He is going to need all new shirts if this goes any further... They have been looking a little tight, and he loves it!

Chicken Breast, Asparagus and Quinoa

(all whole ingredients and tasted awesome)

Food

I love food!

I was raised that really anything goes as long as it tastes good...

I never, never, want to end up with a grandma pooch (sorry but this is one of my biggest fears) so I think I need to be a little more thoughtful in my choices of food.

Our goal is to eat whole foods, no more quick processed meals, fast food, and cutting back on the desserts. This is hard for my sweet tooth but best for my body and my kids.

Both my of my older sisters do this well so I guess I just need to be a little more like them.

Heather and Chuck got "Insanity" an insane workout program. The kids loved doing "Insane Abs" with Heather and I.

I hope I can report that all of this combined with 1 night of high level volleyball with keep my body happy... stay tuned.

Blue and Gold

We had a fun dinner with the scouts. A few funny skits, jokes, awards and food. I like that these boys have a fun, educational program to direct all of that energy. We all know how much they need that. :)