Sorina

THE FABULOUS FOUR

This has been an interesting month for the four of us.

Erin is doing very well in school and get fantastics on all her papers.

Donovin just keeps getting smarter and smarter and bigger.

David's working very hard and putting in lots of time with his job and even more time with his family.

And Arbree just sold 1,400 homes to FEMA and made over 20 years salary in less then 2 weeks. Who says that working hard does'nt pay off? 

I have not been able to go to my meetings as much and have been putting a lot of overtime at work but when I'm not at work Im at the pool, (which recently got done at our apartment, just in time for winter I might add) with the kids. 

My company is paying for me and David to fly down to Encenada Mexico for the New Year as a bonus and the whole family will be 
going to Disney World, Courtsey of Quality Wholesale Homes the end of January. All expenses paid. We will be staying in a 4 star resort two blocks from Disney World enterance. The kids will have their own suite filled with Disney movies and goodies. They will not find out about this till they read this in the family news letter.

I am not good writing so I will allow Myrna to edit this letter with her 
extensive knowledge in writing.

Brandon and Ann Marie have been graciuos enough to help us find a tax specialist that will help in deciding what to do with all this earned money and hopefully Brandon will be helping us spend it on bills and getting us out of debt. We plan on building a house and getting gifts and paying back the people that have so graciously helped us out of the financial strain that we were and have been in for so long. We have a lot of thanks to give to the family and friends that have stuck by us and given us the help and understanding in the many things that we have needed guidence and help on. We look forward to spending more time with the family and getting Erin in Ballet and Donovin in Karate and taking 
the long needed time to spend with the people that we love. We will be enjoying visiting and family camping trips that we have been unable to attend but will now be able to.

I told David that he can know quit his job and stay at home and take care of the kids that long ago he told me that if I found a job he would do, but he seems to have forgotten all of a sudden that he said that.

Anyway I count on you Myrna to help me clean this up and make it printable. I love you and will talk with you soon.

Arbree, David, Erin, and Donovin

© 2013 Mic

It's newsletter time again!‏

This is the deadline week for all of your news items. I have Melanie's.

Remember the photos.

Thanks Melanie, Kimberly and Siovhan for the photos of Grandpa Pitt's  funeral!

 Love, M

My New Story! Cassie Pitts

Cassie Pitts wrote this story for us to share.

My name is Maya, and this is my story. When I was four and a half years old, 
a great war broke out , idt was almost impossible to be safe. But my mom 
found a way to be safer then most people. My mom sighed my dad, herself, me, 
my dad's friend john, and our colored friend Sam up to privitly murder the 
"deranged evil soldiers." I rember my father telling my mother that if the 
soldiers found us, to go hide in my room under the bed.

Two years later the army found us. I remember all of the men armed and 
ready to keep us safe. "Careline" dad shouted "you remember our plan". "No" 
she yelled "we will stay here." Yeah, mom turned us in we were all aressted, 
But Sam had a much worse punishment. Mom held me close as the soldiers put a 
sword to his throat, mama told me not to look and that sam was lucky to be 
able to leave before us. sam said goodbye, yelled in pain and then he left 
this world behind.

Julie's News

Dear Family, 

 It is once again Fall--one of the busiest times of the year for a beekeeper. Jim has been busy jerking honey, extracting honey, selling and delivering honey, and treating the bees for all types of mites and diseases. I wish we could get a prescription card for those bees, it would save us a ton of money. 
The honey is turning out pretty tastey this year. Jim has a hard time keeping from tasting it as he extracts. He says, "It is sooo good!"  

This last month we have had time to spend with both sides of the family. My family all came in for my Grandfather's funeral. It was the first time all of us siblings have been together since Jim and I got married. Then last week, we got to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Jones, Jessica, and Rebekah while they whipped Great-Grandma Steve's house into shape. Mary sure does enjoy her grandparents.

We are thankful for Jessica and all of her hard work last week. She became a beekeeping assistant and helped Jim for three days extract honey. She is a quick learner and an even quicker worker. 

It was nice to have time to spend with each of you this past month. We got to have Siovhan, Melanie, Tyler, and Emily stay overnight at our house. We also went with Michael, Tyler, Emily, AnnMarie, Matthew, and Rachel to the Dinosaur museum and the Bean Museum. Afterwards, we went to the BYU Creamery for some yummy ice cream. 

We also got to spend three fun-filled days in Delta last week since Grandpa and Grandma Jones and Aunt Jessica came down from Twin Falls to whip Great-Grandma Steve's house into shape. They are going to rent it out until someone from the family decides to move back to Delta and live in it. Any takers? Now stop that sniggering. Jim informs me that Delta is an oasis in the desert.

Mary is still growing fast. She had her 18-month check-up last week. The doctor was impressed with how many words she has learned. She talks up quite a storm and if you are good at quick translations, you can cary on a little conversation. Mary has also started going to Nursery, this after a potentially shocking experience during gospel doctrine class. She stole away to the front of the classroom behind the teacher, while her Dad and I were trying to figure out how to get her without interrupting the class, she began trying to insert her fingers into the outlet behind the teacher. She was quickly gathered up and walked to Nursery where the outlets are a lot less appealing. 

 Elder's Quorum is still taking up a lot of Jim's time. He is busy running from work to church activities, but he enjoys it. Mary and I are still scouting up a storm.  

 We hope you are all doing well.

Love, 
The Tres Nephites

Why we live in Colorado‏

SNOW!!!!!

 

This was yesterday.  It's mostly melted now.  This is about half-way melted from two days ago.  Ain't it great!!!!

Photos from Siovhan of Grandpa Pitts' Funeral

I'm sorry, I thought I had sent these a long time ago. But i guess I hadn't. Grandpa Howard Pitts' Funeral.

 

Love,

Siovhan

Newsletter for Kirsten

Mom, 

Will you change our heading from the Late Waites to 'Rocky Mountain "Hi!"?'  Here's the rest:

   We made it!  We're alive and well in Colorado after our multiple trips from and to Utah this past month and a half.  Thanks for all of your prayers; I'm sure that is why we made it home "safe and sane."  I didn't even have to threaten to pull the car over; I thought that was pretty amazing in and of itself. 

   Despite the circumstances, it was wonderful to be reunited with all the siblings and most of your families (we missed Howard and kids, of course); you know, that's a once in every three year occurrence.  That means, Siovhan, you're not allowed to get married for three more years, at least (I know, such a hard deal), and no one else is allowed to "go to the other side."  Mark your calendars.

   After being home for so long, it has taken some minor adjustments to come back to our Waite family home and settle back in to life and routines. 

    We do love being in Colorado!  As you can tell from the pictures, we're already enjoying our first snowfall.  It should all be melted within the next 24 hours (another benefit of Colorado: we get to see and enjoy the wonderful snow and just as it starts to look ugly and get in the way, it melts and we're left anticipating the next storm.)  Jared has learned not to appreciate snow days as much as he did while in school; it seems no one wants to brave the weather to see the dentist, though they do take advantage of the time for great shopping.  Oh well. 

    We have started the official process of looking for a house (the race is on, Ams -- just kidding).  We are a little frustrated; it is a very strong seller's market in The Springs right now.  We're trying to stay in an area that will have a strong resale in five years, but then so is everyone else looking for homes right now.  I am amazed at how much lumber, a little carpet, drywall, cement and what have you can differentiate in price across the country.  I never did like economics and the whole "supply and demand" thing.  I always seem to be on the wrong of the equation whether buying or selling.

    Emma is now in a playgroup with four girls in nursery.  She loves having her friends come over and going to school.  We, as moms, rotate the group at our different houses.  I love it!  It actually has brought back many memories of mom doing the same thing (though, I'm sure some of you remember it even better than I).  I've tried to copy some of the same structure: snack, activity, play time, learning activity, lunch (really, it's like being a nursery leader for an extended time period).  I enjoy even more the times I get to drop off.  Whitney is at school the same time Emma is at playgroup, so I get a couple hours to myself.  So far that has been used to run errands, etc.  But I hope to fill that time with some hobbies (reading, anything else besides cleaning, etc.).

    Whitney is in full swing at preschool!  She loves it and loves having some of her new friends come over to play.  She loves her teacher, Miss Deb (who also doubles as one of our realtors -- she's leaving the preschool world after 20+ years to selling real estate full time after the end of this school year) and loves feeling so grown up.  I'm constantly told what a good example she is and how well behaved she is (most of the time).  It makes me wonder, why are our own kids always better for other people?!  She is starting to become a great helper at home.  She loves to "clean" her bathroom (thank heavens for Clorox wipes and Windex wipes), and even helps with dishes (clearing them, that is) and wiping the table.  There are days, but we all have those don't we?  She's still determined to save up for a Barbie car (one of those kinds kids can ride in, not Barbies).  She is becoming very much like Alyssa (a good thing) and not spending her money on anything she doesn't deem more worthwhile than her final goal (in this case, the car).  I guess she is very determined (one of those positive traits you use as your "negative" traits in a job interview).

   Jared is glad to have us back for good.  Life is still the same for him: get up and run on the treadmill, go to work, come home from work, eat, get kids ready for bed, fall dead asleep and start again the next day.  We feel sorry for him, but are grateful he has such a wonderful job he enjoys (most of the time).  Work is going well.  He still loves the practice, the patients, his fellow workers and the dentist who owns the practice.  His most exciting news is that he recently became the proud owner of a Copper Mountain Four Pass, which means he has four, all-day passes to Copper Mountain which he can use throughout the season.  And, as you all know Jared, it was purchased at a very extremely "sweet" deal.  He's happy and his brother is happy, because he, too, bought one.  I think it will be a great thing.  He didn't get to go at all last year and that was one of the reasons we moved back to the west (besides being closer to family, of course).

   As for me, I'm in the heat of preparing for Young Women in Excellence and enjoying life.  I'm a little behind on our assignment from President Hinckley and I have set the goal to catch up and finish reading the Book of Mormon with the rest of you by the end of the year.  It's amazing how a simple book can be so profound and so amazingly influential in our lives.   I have loved reading the stories over again (though I'm still stuck in the Isaiah chapters).  I love how every time I read it, I learn something new or a different verse strikes me and causes me to reflect and change.  It has helped me calm down quite a bit lately and really focus on being a better mom and spouse and having the strength to overcome some not-so-good habits.  No other book has that power!  I'm so grateful for the miracle of the Book of Mormon, for parents who know of its power and truth and who taught all of us to walk in the light.  All we have to do is read it.  It's worth the little effort it takes on my part.  I know it's true.

   Thanks for being my family!  I love you all and am so grateful we get to be together forever!  I pray for each of you and hope all finds you well.

Love,

The Waite Family 

O! Hi! O!

How the time has passed.  We enjoyed seeing everyone, even though it was for the funeral.  We made one mistake while there; we should have had a family photo with Mom, Dad and all the siblings.  It has been a long time since we were all together like that.

We only have a few weeks left until the baby is here.  By the time you read this, there will be about 6 weeks left (December 8^th).  I don’t know what all to tell you in this newsletter, because we have only been back here in Ohio for about 1.5 weeks.  So, not much has changed since then. 

We did come home to find all seven kittens still alive (dang it).  Both of the other cats were here as well.  However, I decided I do like cats.  With the right seasoning, they taste like chicken!

I sent a whole bunch of photos.  If you see them, then that means that Mom was able to successfully download the mega-email I sent. 

Thank you to all for your help with Tyler’s baptism and thank you for making it a special day for him.  I am glad we got to move it earlier, so we had some time to talk and to play.  I am happy I decided not to go the BYU game, because it was a good day for us and I would have hated to ruin it.  J

Well, we love you all.  The kids are doing great.  We are going to take them to a Johnstown-Johnnie football game tomorrow night (10/14).  Tyler’s 2^nd grade teacher is the head coach for the team and we have failed to get him to one yet.  I’ll have to let you know how it all turns out.  They have a 6-1 record and this year’s senior class has about 120 students, so it makes me feel a little like home.

Written by LHT

Dear Else, Erling and Family.

It is Sunday afternoon and one week since general conference. As usual, it was one of the best conferences. We have some amazing general authorities. President Hinckley is truly a man of God. I can see how the Lord has molded him from birth to do the work that he is doing. Did you get to see all the conference?

I always remember President David O. McKay. He was the president of the church most of my growing-up years. My mission call came from him. I had the good fortune to go to the English Temple Dedication and be in the same room that he was in, on one of the dedicatory sessions. 

We have had a busy summer. In April, I had some surgery done on my right foot. They did a bone graft, or fused two bones together. Myrna said I acted like a wimp. I had to keep my leg elevated for two weeks and I about went bananas. Then when I could get up and use the crutches, I could not put any pressure on that foot. I was that way for about another month. I had to miss going to the temple for about three months. It is doing pretty good now.

Three weeks ago today, Myrna’s dad passed away in his living room. When they checked on him, he had sat down in his chair and just died there. So, for about two weeks we spent a lot of time over in Price. Two weeks ago, on Thursday he was buried. Then on Saturday, I baptized my grandson Tyler Trauntvein. He is my son Todd’s boy. They live in Ohio and flew out here for the baptism and the confirmation and then they got to attend a funeral On Sunday, we blessed our newest granddaughter. She is AnnMarie’s daughter, we had a full week. That gives us twenty five grandchildren. We knew that Todd’s wife was expecting the first part of December and then, last Sunday, we found out from Julie and Jim that she will be having another baby in May. We will have twenty-seven grandchildren. W-O-O-O-W!

Kirsten and her two daughters where here from Colorado for about three weeks helping Myrna and AnnMarie when the baby was born. Then she and the kids drove back for the funeral, baptism and blessing. Melanie flew in from Boston to be here. So! All in all we have had a busy summer.

Enough about us. How are you doing. How is your newest grandchild? How is the family doing. Is your son still living with you? Does Jana like living where she is now compared to Aarhus? How are her children doing? Do you hear from the Odense Knudsens or Sister Jensen? What project has Erling got going now. How are you doing on your sewing projects and genealogy? How is your work going? I guess those are enough questions for now.

Venligest Hilsens Fra De

Trauntveins