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Family Vacation on Coronado Island & San Diego

double click on the slideshow for better viewing)

This is one of the best vacations we have ever had. We can't stop talking about it!We went to Legoland, Seaworld, the beach, shopping, parks and stayed in the Marriot resort on Coronada Island. We felt like this trip really brought us closer together as a family. Other major highlights of our trip was visiting grandma bobby, Lisa & Danny and Grandpa Fred! There was a 5.9 earthquake in San Diego during our stay there. Unfortunately the kids and I didn't feel a thing while we were in our room but Shane was at the laundromat at the time and said he felt it. He saw the van sway from side to side and we also heard later that it shook the kitchen in the hotel.

Addies 1st birthday!

It's hard to believe Addie is already 1! She's advanced so quickly in many respects. She's walking, and saying the words "hi, baba, don't, hot and want." She has already learned the art of sneaking things behind our backs(no doubt she learned this from her siblings). She likes to put her doll in the baby stroller and take her for rides. She also enjoys watching her brothers and sisters play. We can't get enough of her cute little personality!


Aleah was all smiles on our way to addie's birthday lunch!

Memorial Day

We went to a Memorial Park close to home and Shane explained to the kids the importance of this holiday. At the park there were pictures of those who served in Iraq and explanations of how they died. It was touching to see their faces and think of what they gave up so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today.

After the park we went over to the Adam's family for a great time swimming & barbeque!

Addie got sick

Got to spend Mothers Day in Washington with my mom and we think Addie might have picked up something on the airplane because by Monday she had a mid grade fever for 1-2 days until finally my dad gave her a blessing. In the blessing he said that her fever would brake that night and sure enough at 10:15 her fever rose to about 104 and by 11:15pm her fever broke. I was relieved but the next day she broke out into an unfamiliar rash and had tiny sores all over her body. I took her immediately in to see a doctor that morning and she diagnosed her with staff infection & put her on 2 different antibiotics. She wasn't eating and drinking very well and by thursday morning she hadn't had a wet diaper for 3-4 days even though I had spent all day and stayed up all through the night administering fluids every hour using a straw. I took her to the hospital to check her hydration and make sure she was okay. The nurse told me she looked well enough to go to her scheduled doctors appointment. The doctor told me he thought she was probably ill from all the antibiotics and to cut the dose in half. I figured that was the problem but wanted to be sure it was okay to let up on the meds. After i cut her dose down she started feeling so much better. She is now back to full health and strength again. We are so thankful that she is well. I have to admit that for a minute there I panicked and thought I was going to lose her.

She is an intelligent little thing and very aware of her surroundings. She has been walking now for over a month. She is our little monkey face!

Mother's Day!

1995
My sister found this picture of my mother in an old photo album and sent it to me. She looks so young and pretty! I moved the Mother's Day tribute over to my live journal account(http://palmdessa.livejournal.com/). Happy Mothers Day to the best mom in the world!

Frederick J. Fishman

...Oherwise known as Grandpa Beard. My dear grandpa passed away at 2am Wednesday morning on Cinco de Mayo at the rest home where he's been living for the past 4-5 years. My mother was down to see him a couple weeks before he passed and made her peace with him. We however, could not get over to see him in time but were able to be on the telephone three-way and talk with him over the course of several hours while he struggled to take in his last breaths. We assured him it was okay to let it go and sang several hymns to him. Grandpa was agnostic and fought hard to stay alive. We think he may have been afraid to die because he was so unsure of what would become of him next. My mom says she can see in her minds eye grandpa's passing--she can picture that a family member or angel greeted him and sweetly explained where he was and what had just taken place, then took him into the Spirit world where he will hopefully have a chance to hear the gospel. Grandpa was a wonderful person and of course I will mourn his loss but I am excited that he is with other loved ones and finally in a whole state of rest and beauty. Grandpa was an exceptional person and accomplished a lot in his life. He fought in World War II and was honored with medals. He loved grandma with all of his heart and always treated her with great respect. Whenever we visited he was always doing little acts of service for her. He really spoiled us grandchildren! He will truly be missed by all of us!

First t-ball game

The boys had their very first t-ball game yesterday. The boys seem to really enjoy it. In one of the innings Kyle played 2nd base and in the middle of the round got down on his knees and started digging a hole in the ground to look for bugs :)

These are all boys in their primary class:
Braden, Kyle, Cemlyn, Daxton and Andrew


Kyle on 3rd base

Shane had a birthday!

Hawaii Vacation

Here are some pictures of our trip! (Double click anywhere in the box to start to start slideshow)

Happy Easter!

Between General Conference sessions the whole family colored easter eggs and after Conference was over we enjoyed a savory easter celebration dinner(Ham & Funeral potatoes, etc). Afterwards we had an easter egg hunt. Pictured below, Dad is preparing the kids for the hunt, explaining to them that since they have been good that the Easter bunny had probably come and to keep their eyes peeled for something special...

Aleah on the hunt...




The Easter bunny's special eggs are above, top right. Each of the kids received an egg addressed to them, from the Easter Bunny with a hand-drawn portrait of the bunny himself!

Addie's first piece of chocolate. She loves it!

Happy Birthday Kyle

Kyle turned 5!

We went to Chuckie Cheese and Kyle finally got a brand new Spiderman costume!

Celebrating 2009!

Last weekend we attended the Farm Bureau Banquet in Albuquerque at Embassy Suites. Shane's Agency broke New Mexico records and Shane received seven awards! Congratulations on an outstanding year!
And a side note, nothing takes the place of family, so thank you Daddy for your wonderful ability to balance work & family so well!
We love you! Keep up the great work in 2010!




Shane was in charge of running a contest during the banquet. 7 or 8 agents came up to a computer and typed in a 6 digit number. If they guess the number they get $25,000. Unfortunately, nobody won, but Shane was cracking jokes and gave us all a good laugh. I thought it was the funnest part of the whole thing.

"I'm a big girl now!"

Aleah is no longer wearing diapers!
And she calls her throne a "potty train."

100 days!

Braden has been in school for 100 days! His teacher asked that each child bring a quart size bag of one hundred items to share. Bradens items were 15 bottle caps, 15 pieces assorted candy, 20 pennies, 10 legos, 10 paperclips, 10 puzzle pieces and his most favorite item of all - 20 tiny pieces of waded color paper.

Addison is standing up!

Addy has been crawling since she was 6 months old and is now standing up. She's already cutting teeth as well. I am so enamored with this little baby girl!

We've decided to go private

I have most of your emails but if you don't think I have it, let me know by next friday so we can keep in touch. Hope you all have a happy new year!

Shane's Agency Christmas Luncheon

I must say, Shane did a terrific job organizing a Christmas luncheon for his Agency without any help from me. All I had to do was show up! He had a caterer provide the lunch which was delicious and then we did a White Elephant gift exchange. A few of his agents were not able to make the luncheon but here's a picture of his incredibly talented organization:

Bradens School Christmas Program

Braden is in the middle wearing a brown sweater vest. He knew all the words and gestures to the songs!

This cracks me up. The girl in the middle wearing a red dress is Bradens girlfriend, Leah. Well she has a few boyfriends and Braden is one of them. She's extremely bubbly, friendly and outgoing.

Should I be concerned?

A Very Merry Christmas!

Braden made us a sweet card with a picture and a note that says "ho ho ho, merry christmas and a happy new year!" He did such a nice job!




Our gifts to each other this year: painting of the SLC temple/one of Savior & 2 boys, a few pieces of furniture, statue of the Christus and a clock with the words "Families can be together forever" written on it.

We are really glad my parents were able to come for Christmas! Just them being here has been super fun and comforting! We are going to miss them. They bring a wonderful spirit to our home and the kids love being with them. Braden doesn't leave grandpa's side. :)

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we sat by the lit tree and thought of the dear Saviors birth and of His sacrifice and example to us. He lived a flawless life! He is the perfect example of kindness, charity, sacrifice, bravery and love. It was a special moment as we expressed gratitude for our blessings and for the little things that made Christmas special this year. Grandma K. read us a story called, "A Christmas Dress For Ellen" by President Thomas S. Monson.

The message of the story reflected many of the thoughts and inspiration we've received this holiday season. We took a moment to think about those families and people everywhere whose Christmases might be 'far from merry'...a blind and wounded homeless man we met on the street, a single mother of three with scarcely enough to feed her children and many many others.

Then we received a surprise knock on the door. There was a beautifully decorated basket full of oranges and a bottle of sparkling apple cider! It came from the family who was doing the twelve days of Christmas for us. They truly made our Christmas season bright! It was neat of them to deliver another gift on that cold and windy Christmas Eve!

We listened to Christmas music and the kids picked one gift to open...

Snow!

School closed so Braden worked on his own project

it says "I lvoe braden(over the top of moms shirt), Muchelle, Braden, Shane"