UPdates

We are getting lots of guesses for the "Where in the World is Aria Going?"contest.
 Ken encourages EVERYONE who wants to, to enter. Deadline 1/4/2013.

This email just in from Aria: 

I am super excited! I can't wait to see where people are sending me. My papers are being reviewed in Salt Lake. My bishop can track its progress. I may get it this week!

And now for the 2013 Contest:

I'm getting lots of goals sent in. Almost everyone is sending in 1 -3 goals. It seems that it is harder to set all the goals at one time and I certainly agree.  I'm doing mine one or two at a time also.

I'm making up a 3 x 5 card for everyone who enters with the Mickey Pie Mouse on one side and the goals on the other. I'll color in the monthly goals as you report them completed.

Like I said, most everyone has sent in about 1 -3 goals, but "Penelope" was very ambitious.

Primarily it should be your responsibility to remember to send in the rest of your monthly goals in a timely manner but I'll do my best to remind you.

If you haven't sent in your 2013 goal yet, what's keeping you?

It's a WIN-WIN contest. .

CONTESTS, CONTESTS

We're back from our jaunt up to Utah and we had a wonderful time. Lots of pictures to share plus one's that YOU have sent in. Keep them coming. I'll be posting them in the coming weeks.

Guess what?

As most of you know, Aria is planning to go on a mission. She has had her interviews and has sent her papers in. Where will she be serving? That’s the big question and Ken thought it would be fun for anyone who wants to, to guess where she might be sent and when she would report to the Mission Home. To make it even more interesting, there are two prizes to be given. One for guessing the place and the other for when she reports to the Mission Home.  Tip: New missionaries report on Wednesdays.

If you choose stateside, you must name the state. If Canada, you must name the Province. Otherwise the country is all that is needed, i.e., Spain, England, China, etc.

Ken hopes this will create a lot of interest and that Aria will hear from many of you while she is serving.  Missionaries love letters (and care packages)!

Here is what Ken wrote for the prizes:

For the prize, we'll do $25 (for a movie for two) for picking the date (and going on one) hee-hee and $50 (for a dinner for two) yummy  for picking the right place or closest to it. If no one picks the country (it will be the closest as the crow flies from the name of the mission). I like contests with a prize, but that is just me. Besides it will make for more fun for the blog. 

Deadline for the above 1/4/2013 since that is the earliest her mission papers could be received. 

 

Open to all who want to participate.

 

So email me (Mom/Grandma/G-Grandma) with your two guesses, 1 for the area and 1 for the mission reporting date. In case of a tie, we'll draw for the winner.

I’ll try and post all the entries by 1.5.2013

 

NEXT

I know you all have been very busy with the BIG DAY, but you need to hurry and submit your 2013 goal(s) for the Reunion/Disneyland Contest. If you can't think of all 6 goals, just submit the one for January but remember:I need them now to get it set up. Don't forget, Meaningful & Measureable.

 BTW No one took me up on another rendering of the Disney Pie!  How can that be with all the artists in our family??????

Mayra Returns

Old home week.  Mayra is back in Utah and plans to attend UVU in January.

We need a better "Disney Pie"

Let's face it. My rendering of the Disney Pie is pretty lame. Anybody out there willing to submit a "cuter" version it would be much appreciated.

Now, about submitting your goals.

It's true, all you have to do to earn your $20 Disney credits is to join the contest and BAM you've earned your December credits. However, by December 31, I will also need your goal(s) for the next 7 months. You can submit them monthly, but it would certainly make it easier on me if you sent in all 7 at once. Of course you can make adjustments during the months if need be.  Just remember: MEANINGFUL & MEASURABLE and SPECIFIC to each month.

I would like to suggest that you might submit them as follows:

January's goal___________________

February's goal __________________

March's goal____________________

April's goal_____________________

May's goal_____________________

June's goal_____________________

July's goal _____________________

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA SANDERS

And many happy returns of the day. Check out those beautiful blue eyes.

HOLIDAY DINNER AT ERIK & KRISTIN'S HOME

A couple of Saturdays ago, we went over the hill to Erik & Kristin's and had a wonderful holiday dinner. So much good food and enjoyable company as the following pictures show.

 

Table all set waiting for Ryan to return from an overnight Scout hike.

 A little Ukulele lesson.

 He's a natural.

 Fixing a drink for Grandma & Grandpa.

 No one loves deviled eggs more than Travis. So instead of handing him a "fish" they taught him to fish.

 I think you can see that Nathan is sampling the eggs.

 Kristin prepared wonderful hors d'oeuvres for our afternoon snacks and now is preparing the turkey for our dinner.It was all so yummy. That woman can cook!!!

 Dishwasher extraordinaire. Never complains. Just does it.

 A little lesson on how to play "chopsticks".

Christmas Quilt

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEANINE SANDERS

A happy birthday to Jeanine. She's finished her RN schooling, and passed her boards. She is officially a RN. She's a happy lady. They celebrated by taking a winter vacation to Europe.

After spending several days traveling Europe. I guess this pictures shows how bonkers they are from all the sight-seeing.

THE MAPLETON MEDIA ROOM

Ken reports it's almost done. Here's the pictures to prove it. There are 3 tiers in the room, so unobstructed viewing and looks like really comfortable seating.

 

As I recall, I believe that is an 80" screen! WOW! All they need now is the popcorn machine.

 

The Big One! 12 in 12 End of Year Results + Plans for 2013

Here it is family. The final and BIG drawing. Thanks to all who participated and especially to Ken for making this event fun and profitable (for some) but helpful to all.



Dad/Grandpa pointed out to me something I need to clarify. For the December 2013 contest goal, all you have to do to earn your $20 Disney credit is to say you are going to participate. That's it. How easy can that be to earn your first month's credit. Just let me know before December 31 that you want to participate and you'll get your first "slice of the pie". THE NEW 2013 CONTEST. It’s all about family fun or as Ken & Dennis (our sponsors for this contest) says; “Success WILL compensate for fun at Disneyland!” Ken loves to go to Disneyland and wanted to help make our next family reunion possible and so he came up with this idea that would make it possible for everyone to be able to attend. Two vacation homes have been rented and with ours as well, it will provide the housing for the reunion. (More about the accommodations later) The next thing makes it possible for everyone to be able to attend Disneyland. GET YOUR DISNEY PIE!

There are 8 slices to “your” pie. For each slice completed you may receive a $20 Disney credit. Here’s how it works. To complete the first slice, submit a MEANINGFUL and MEASURABLE goal (s) anytime before December 31, 2012. Your first goal for December 2012 is just that you want to participate in the contest. That will earn you your first $20 Disney credit. The monthly goals should be something that “stretches” you a bit. They should be something that challenges you to be better, and/or do better. It should not be something that you would/should ordinarily do anyway. If it is approved by the Approval Committee, (Dad & Mom) you are good to go. You may submit all 8 goals at once or do it monthly but if you do it monthly you must allow enough time for the committee to accept or reject your monthly goal. Each monthly goal should be self contained. For example, if it is a weight goal it can’t be lose 30 pounds by 7/31/13. It must be specific for each month, and no carryovers. If you complete your goal each month, you could earn up to $160 Disney credits. A one day park hopper for ages 3-9 is $119, 10 and up it is $125. A two-day park hopper for ages 3-9 is $188, ages 10 and up it is $200. Caveat: The Disneyland earned credits will be redeemed on 7/30/13. You must be present and they can only be used for entrance to Disneyland. If you have questions, please feel free to call me and I’ll see if I can clarify. It’s a learning process for me as well. About the Reunion: We have rented two houses that along with our place we feel we can accommodate everyone during the reunion. We have the housing assignments made and the schedule of events basically planned. Further fine tuning will be done, but basically it will be: Sunday: July28. Arrive. Get reacquainted and dinner at the ranch house. Monday: July 29. Breakfast at individual houses. Meet at beach for a fun day in the sun. That evening: Dinner and Talent show at ranch house. Tuesday: July 30. Disneyland all day and night if you want. Wednesday: Beach during day. Evening swimming, visiting, games, etc., at ranch house. (Some adjustment to the schedule may need to be made according to the weather). Thursday: (Reunion officially ends after breakfast). Disneyland (for the 2 day park hopper people) or shopping, or whatever. Ranch house available through Saturday. Check out 9:30 a.m. Dana Point house available through Sunday. Check out, 10:00 a.m. Our house available for as long as you want, (if there is room)!

A BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN

Ryan turned 14 on December 9th. He's a fine young man who is growing (in many ways) by leaps and bounds.

 Happy Birthday Ryan Chadwick Payan.

Ryan has a few inches on his Grandma!

He had just returned from a strenous Scouting overnight hike.

EDDY'S SMASHING DAY!

News from the Carltons.

 

Finally something I can cross off my bucket list...I was involved in a crash yesterday. I've been moonlighting as a handyman this last summer and on some weekend days during the school year. I was on my way to work when a car dashed out in front of me. I tried to swerve as best I could and I slammed on the brakes but the car was simply too close to make any difference. The other driver had to be taken to the hospital with shoulder pains and although I was very groggy and probably suffered a concussion I had Rhiannon drive me home for rest and pampering. The other driver was at fault and received a ticket and I received a pretty good welt on my noggin and a stiff neck as well. Already feeling better today but I'll be visiting the Chiropractor tomorrow. Not sure what the insurance adjuster will say but looks like there is more damage to car than it is worth :(

 

FROM HAWAII TO MAPLETON

Ken had a few hours on Saturday to go to Hukilau Beach before returning to Utah.

He went from this. . .

to this

Tomorrow he will hit the in-between as he heads to California for a few days.  He'll spend the night at Mom and Dad's.

ROYALITY

This in from Coppelia.

Just saw this article about Mary Queen of Scots. My geneolgy file says we (John, Dad and me) are direct desendents of her half brother and thier joint Father through Edith's family. Is it just me or is this picture of her kind of creepy? We sort of look alike. She has red hair, long nose and deep set eyes. But, I still have my head.

WOW! There is a STRONG family resemblance. We're also glad your head is in tact as well. 

 

WORK RELATED TRIP TO HAWAII

Ken snaged a job in Hawaii this week and of course was able to pay a visit to Aria.

Aria writes:  My Daddy has come to visit me! I even got to make him his first lei :) #sohappy. 

It's not a lei, but it is one of my FAVORITE pictures. Kenny, age 3.

ANOTHER PROJECT

Yes, there is another project going on in the house in Mapleton! This time it is a new media room.
Why? Because the light from the windows somewhat interferred with the quality of the TV. I think it was Dennis (according to Ken) who suggested why don't you move it downstairs..That got Ken to thnking that it would be nice not to have the TV upstairs afterall and the germ began to germinate.

When they moved into the house, the room at the bottom of the stairs and immediately to the right was not finished. Eventually it got finished and became a office room with a smaller room for storing things and wrapping presents, etc. Then it became a room Mayra and when Aria left Mayra moved into Aria's room and it was turned into a computer room. Then it became Aria's bedroom and now it will be the media room.

 That's the door you enter from at the bottom of the stairs.

 That's the smaller room that they disassembled.

 

 All the rubbish went into a heap on the gravel in front of their house.

These three loaded it up and took it to the dump!

We'll look forward to the finished pictures next time.

PICTURES

Here's some recent and not so recent Ken sent from a camera he hasn't used for awhile. They are fun.

 Mayra has graduated and is living with her Mom in Kansas (?) and hopes to enter UVU this January. Congratulations, Mayra.

And now back to the Pirate Party!

 Who is that pirate?

 She has an accomplice!

 

WOW! There's a lot of them.

 

 

Looks like someone has to walk the plank!

Family group last Autumn.  (Ken couldn't remember how to use the timer) but it's a great shot, isn't it?

 

Just can't get enough of JP

 

 

Last day in the islands.

 

Oahu was the last island they visited and of course, the best. They were excited to head out to Laie to take their niece to lunch.

 

Of course you have to eat at the Hukilau Cafe.

Then it was off to the Hukilau Beach to spend the afternoon.

They practically had the beach to themselves. 

Goodbye to Honolulu. Diamond Head in the background.

Now that's the way to watch a movie (Spiderman) with the moon in the background!