Judging by the blog traffic, everyone's lives have either gotten really boring or really busy.

The Lockers

Belly Buttons and Veins

Ivan's belly button fell off yesterday and his little button underneath was pulsing.
I can see the veins in my feet again.
My wedding rings fit once more.
Now if only my nursing parts would heal.

My day...

Just so you know what you are missing Dad-

7:00 am Arrive at Church, shovel sidewalks
8:15 am Quick Bishopric meeting
9:00-12:00 Block Meetings
12:00-1:30pm Food Orders, Set Aparts, Count Tithing
2:00-3:30pm Directory of Members review
4:00- 5:15pm Summer Youth Pioneer Trek meeting
5:30-6:00pm HT visits our family
6:00-6:15pm Dinner
6:30-8:00pm Stake Fireside- Cell Phones, Morality
8:30-9:00pm DRC radio net

It wasn't as bad as looks. We got a lot accomplished today. We were asked to be a Ma and Pa for the stake handcart trek this summer, hence the extra meeting in the middle. We are a little worried about housing our kids for the five days during the trek but excited to spend time with the youth. We had a really good time 6 years ago on our trip to Nauvoo. Another lady said that being a Ma and Pa is like having a baby. After a few years you forget the pain and your ready to have another. Our stake will be creating our own adventure near Walden CO. They did it four years ago and said that it was a good experience. Time to start getting my feet in shape.

Brant

Porcelain Week

Slow Week Ahead

I'm sitting at the computer Googling; Attractions, Museums, Points of Interest, Etc., on the Southwest Washington coast. Mom and I have wanted to go back since we visited the Oregon coast a few years ago. We think we may go again during Spring Break in late March.

The weather is beautiful but still a little chilly. Naturally, the Jazz Festival starts on Wednesday so the weather report is sunny skies until Tuesday and then rain the rest of the week. Why should this year be any different than all the other years.

Friday night about 9:00 pm I got a call from the Moscow Institute that there was water in one of the mechanical rooms. I went up there and determined that it was coming up out of the floor drain. I also learned that they had had a dinner earlier that night. I guesses that the sewer was plugged somewhere. I called Roto-Rooter and together we "snaked" the line out about 120' and couldn't clear it. At 11:00 pm we decided to quit and try it again Saturday morning. I went in to clean up the mechanical room at 8:00 am and then he arrived about 9:30 am. We again snaked it about to about 130' with no results. So, he attached another 130' and away we went again. At about 230' the backed up water suddenly disappeared. At 230', that put the plug northwest across the institute lawn, across Deakin Street, then north up the sidewalk toward the SUB. For all I know it might just dump into Paradise Creek along 6th Street. Anyway, we got done at about noon. Great way to spend Friday evening and Saturday.

Enjoy the week.

Ivan Seth Jones

Just thought you might like a picture of the new arrival

Report to the State

Uniform inspection 1 week before. He had to be in full uniform...they even told him to wear blue socks.

Denver Area Council delegates.

Up in the dome.

They rode the light rail up and back, met some senators, listened to 3 bills get passed and had a special ceremony to recognize scouting. Then they had lunch. Highlight of the trip...Trent said it was getting 1 dollar coins as change from the light rail.

New Callings

Well, we are starting to feel like real people again. This was our second Sunday in the old ward and I am realizing how many people I don't know. There are a bunch that I do know too - today I visited with Chris Walker, Tracey Windley, Scott Secrist, and a bunch of oldies. It is actually kind of fun. The high priest quorum was rather interesting, with lots of comments. I may start to like this situation.

Bishop Walker was back in the ward today. He was in Weiser last week tending to the funeral of his father. Today he warned me that they had a calling for me and were rushing before the stake got involved. So, between sacrament meeting and sunday school, the high priest group leader leaned over the pew and called me to be the high priest's secretary. I'm excited about it.

The bishop also called Mom to be the Young Women to Relief Society Transition Leader (it is a Relief Society calling). How's that for a mouth full. This is something Mom and I have talked a lot about and I think Mom is a good person to tackle the job. It seems that many young women are lost right at this stage.

We are going to take naps and then take Weston and Koper back to their house. All seems to be well with Lacey and Ivan.

Have a good day.

New Temple

I read in the Church News that the temple site for the Payson, Utah temple is in a field just off the freeway at Payson. Then yesterday, one of my friends sent me a artists rendering of the proposed temple. I guess it wasn't what I expected.

Have a nice day.

Off to the races...

We're just about ready to head over to Mom and Dad's to check in with the boys and then we're off to the hospital!!! I had an appointment with Uncle Chuck this afternoon and I will start the whole inducing process in about an hour and a half. So, wish us luck!!!!

Do You Remember??

Moscow's Chevy Dealership. It closed about 6 months ago and now they are tearing it down.

Not much left. I am standing in what used to be the parking lot of the Husky Sport Shop.

Just thought I'd bring you up to date on life around Moscow. This dealership closed about 6 months ago and then about a month ago they started tearing it down. They tore down the Husky Sport Shop about a year ago. Just this week the word "leaked" out that they might build a Hilton Gardens Hotel (that is the smaller, less expensive version of a Hilton Hotel). Maybe Paris Hilton will come to Moscow to open the new facility. There is also rumor that it will have a Internation House of Pancakes with it. That part I like. We'll keep you posted.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

We have drywall, and the tile is purchased. It's getting there.

Our question of the week is what to do with airplane tickets to Washington D.C. if we no longer have a reason to go there next weekend. Kelly's brother was supposed to be getting married in Richmond, VA next weekend and then we were going to spend 2 days in the D.C. area before we came home. Adam in still in the Marines and the day after the earthquake in Haiti they told him that his unit was going to Haiti to help with the cleanup, security, etc. Since then, he's been on "hurry up and wait" status and he has been told that he is for sure leaving at least 3 different times, but he is still here. The wedding has been called off and back on at least twice, but as of now we're pretty sure it's off. It's not a really big deal for everyone else, but we now have tickets for a 5 day trip to Washington. Do we go anyway and just make a vacation out of it or do we pay the $150 fee per ticket and reschedule? I guess we should decide soon.

In other news Kelly had another Irish Dance competion yesterday and brought home some more loot. She is now in the Novice level for all of her dances. Next step....prizewinner level! That somehow sounds more exciting than "orange belt" or level 3.

Clean Sweep!

Well I did it. I talked to everyone today. Mom was a little brief and Matt took several tries, but you all got to hear the "sultry sound of my voice." Good to visit with y'all!

Brant

Cuts and Competition

We can now check off "stitches" on our parenting checklist. In case you haven't already read Lisa's blog, the above picture is of Kanyon. Look real close and you'll see two blue threads in the back of his noggin. The witnesses testimonies don't correspond, some say he fell off the slide at school, others say he was pushed, Kanyon says he hit his head on the "wood chips." He doesn't remember much of it. His scalp is wet because they put some grease on it to keep the hair out of the wound.

Braxton waiting for his pinewood derby race. We still don't have a picture of him holding his car.

Braxton's is the car in the middle lane. He learned some life lessons about winning and losing and competition. Next year he wants to paint his car yellow and blue so he can contend for the "Best Use of Scout Colors" trophy. He must be like his dad: if you can't win by speed, go for looks.

Our First Sunday as Regular People

Is it just me or does this look like Weston and Koper?

Eugene and Kent at Mescalaro, New Mexico

Well, we got up, wandered around the house, got ready, drove to church in one car, arrive a few minutes before 10:00 am, visited with friends, sat down, and enjoyed church. It really was nice to see all the "old" people again. Sister Charla Windley just got her mission call to Frankfurt, Germany. She leaves in April. She will probably run into Uncle Joe and Aunt Linda.

After church a young husband came up to me and asked if I have any family in Colorado. His wife's uncle keeps asking him if he has met the Zirkers yet and he had never heard of us. It took a second and then I remember meeting Bishop Last at Brant and Leslie's house and he said his niece and her husband were coming to Moscow to attend law school. So, Brant, tell him we finally met now that we are back in our home ward.

The weather is great. It was in the low 50's yesterday. The TV says mid to upper 40's all next week. I love winters like this. All the neighbors have thanked us for buying a new snow blower. It really seems to have worked (although I did use it once on about 2" of snow).

For those of you keeping the Sabbath Day holy - I heard that the Saints just won the Super Bowl. Hurray!!!!!

Sorry for the delay, I had to check in with my Ham radio "net". Sundays at 7:00 pm.

We are all anxiously awaiting Seth and Lacey's new arrival - none more so than Mom. We can't be more that 5 minutes away from the hospital at any one time.

Hope you all have a nice week. Keep on Blogging - I enjoy hearing and seeing what your families are doing.

What I've been doing lately...

Remember earlier this year when Kevin and I did some drainage work along a lady's foundation. These are some shots from the other side of the wall. I've been repairing the damage caused by 30 years of basement floods.

The water came in along the wall from the bookcase towards the camera.
While I was at it, Kevin helped me square up her duct work. It used to be slanted out at a 45 degree angle and covered in wooden shake shingles. Notice I removed the wood paneling along the bottom of the wall. This basement was a rockin' place in the 70's!

This was a piece of the sill plate. Yep, things are growing on the board!

This was me trying to put Kori to sleep last night, while she wanted to play dress up.

Brant

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