Party (POTTY)Time!

We have been working on two things lately with our Nathan---getting him to go to school and getting him potty trained! Both are quite challenging to say the least!

First off, he has missed 17 days this year so far since January, yeah, that's bad, and it's not like you can drag that kid out of bed because he is way to strong for either one of us. So we try lots of incentives to try to get him to go. The latest is we leave the house around 7:20 and drop off Ashley at Highland High and then go to Sugarhouse Park. Nathan then proceeds to gather the ducks by our car(while we 3 remain inside warm)and calls them with Joe's duck call. He then starts feeding the ducks, geese, pidgeons, and seagulls.

It is THE BEST way to start out the day! Joe and I are together, we get to see our sweet son smiling, and then at the very end he'll throw out a few cheetos that only the seagulls will take. They fly up and catch them in the air and Nathan yells,"Touchdown!"

He has been doing great the past month with potty training. Never thought I'd be potty training a 12 year old but hey, life is full of surprises, right? He just hasn't gotten the whole number 2 thing down, unfortunately. I will spare you any details though considering he is 12 and all, let's just say that I will be VERY GLAD when he is completely house trained!

His teacher at school has been SUPER at helping with this, in fact, the first day that he went number 2 at school she went and got him a kid's meal at McDonald's, and she bought the other kids in his class fries! Right now he is working toward a sandbox (course we don't want him to be like a kitty and go in it either).

As I mentioned earlier, Nathan did indeed turn 12 a couple of weeks ago. What an amazing kid he is. We talked with our Bishop and decided that it was right to have him advance to Young Mens despite him not being baptized yet. He was so excited and that day he called it "his priesthood" and "my boys". It's amazing how the men and young men in our ward have taken to him and have shown him so much love. It really brought us to tears that first Sunday, you could barely see Nathan in the circle of boys because he is so short and then he had to hug EVERY one of them after.

One of the leaders (the guy that set up him being honorary football captain in the fall) shared his testimony a few weeks ago and said that a hug from Nathan is as close to heaven as he can get here.

Nathan definitely has his days, let me tell you. Like when he pours a whole bottle of bleach in the washing machine and half lands on the clothes, or he steals my debit card out of my wallet so when I go to pay for my groceries at the store I can't...

But his name means Gift from God and that is just what he has been for us these past 12 years and will be for eternity. I wasn't sure if this was something I could handle but Heavenly Father knew I could. I am grateful for challenges that turn out to be such blessings.

Our Wee Lass

On Wednesday, January 19th, one day after her Aunt Ashley's 15th birthday, Eleanor
Fawn McArthur made her first appearance into this world!
Her mom, Alisa, was a tough cookie as she braved most of the labor at home taking a shower and then a bath and then finally heading into the hospital arriving there fully dilated. She wanted a totally natural experience and that is what she got so we are so happy for her and Euan. Eleanor is healthy and considering that Alisa never really measured very big, she came in at 8 lbs. 10 oz! Of course Alisa was 8 lbs. 6 oz and Euan was 10 lbs so watch out for the next one!
I will head over to Scotland a week from tomorrow-Yay! Joe will stay home and hold the fort down with the younger kids and I will be there until the 9th of February. It will be hard to leave but I have my own little darlings to come back to!
I am truly blessed to have 7 wonderful kids and now a beautiful granddaughter-LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, always see the cup half full!

THE END OF AN ERA

On Friday, December 31st 2010, Joe and I, Ashley and Nathan had the great opportunity to go and
 meet with my Dad up at the Museum of Natural History for its last day of operations at its current location.
  Nathan had never had the chance to go the museum before and so I wanted to make sure he went while it was still "Grandpa's Museum". 
I wasn't prepared for the feelings that came over me that day.  As I walked around that museum, that at times became our second home on the weekends, I was overcome with emotion, just as I am now writing this down.  This was my Father's life's work,  he had always called it his 6th child, and I had no idea that I would be so moved this day in knowing that this was the last time I would ever see it again.  It was like a piece of me was dying or something with it that day.  My dad however, didn't seem sad  .In fact, he seemed quite excited about the new one being built and that would be ready this November. 
The media was there and needed someone to talk to about the history of the museum, well, who better than my dad?  I remember growing up and going there on field trips in school and being so proud to say "This is my Dad's museum" and then later with my own kids on their field trips saying "This is Grandpa's museum".  I guess I can't really say that anymore even though he has such a big hand in the making of this new one.
But life goes on.  Things change.  High schools get turned into community colleges and museums get built to be bigger and better. 
The exhibit that was always my favorite was was the one upstairs of the four deer in the mountains.  My brothers-Kevin,Steven, and Bryan and I posed for it up in the mountains for my Dad a long time ago.  This exhibit is now gone, just like many of them that won't be taken to the new museum.  But the memories of being with my brothers (including Alan) and my Dad and my Mom will live on long after those exhibits close, they'll be forever in my heart.

A Plethora Of Christmas Parties

Well, tomorrow is the Hague Family Christmas party and on Sunday is the Post Caroling party.  We are hosting the Hague one and somewhat hosting the Post one since it is at Joe's newest property.  I guess when it rains it pours!
We are however "party people" and love to go all out!  WE decided that for this year for the Hague party we wanted to do something really FUN and last year was a hard one for everyone.  It was our first year without our Judy, and sweet little Saige ended up in the hospital with seizures.  Christmas is for KIDS and we know that Judy would approve of us having a jolly good time for all the great grandkids so we are having a Christmas Carnival!

Our Number 21

 

On Saturday, October 18, 

Nathan became the

          honorary captain of the 13 yr old's football team for Olympus High School---Yay! Nathan!

                        He was able to go out and even call the coin toss!

                                                               He is so proud of himself!

                                                                     and his teammates!

                                                                       cheering them on!

                                                         deep in thought ( and getting a little tired)

                                                   This is Mica Moseley who made it all happen...

                                                                        Father and son...

                                                 Even the flag guys and refs called him by name

                                                                       What a face!

                                                  When they'd break they'd say "1,2,3 NATHAN"!

                                                         Adam Sandler better watch out!

                                             One of the boys said " I've never met anyone as
                                                neat as you Nathan"

                                             At the end of the game, pictures for everyone.  The coach didn't
                                    know it but the #21 is significant because Down Syndrome is Trisomy 21,
                                     and then the score ended up being 21 to nothing ---for our team!
                                           The whole team including coaches signed a football for Nathan
                                                and he has made a lot of new,cool friends now!

For more pictures of our number 21 check out :  Oly vs Herriman

OH BABY!

Well, we can finally make the news official---Alisa and Euan are to have a wee one!
Joe's desire to become a grandpa are finally coming to pass! We are so excited for them and so happy to become GRANDPARENTS!
Nathan already talked to the baby on the phone the other day and said "Hi Baby" so we know that the baby is doing well. I will be off to Scotland in January to assist mom and dad and the wee one in any way I can ( January is such a" lovely" time there---brrr!)
CONGRATS!

30 YEARS GOES BY FAST...OR DOES IT?

Hello Blog Readers! This is Joe at the keyboard with my first entry to our "family" blog. I only say it that way as you are all well aware that Karen has done all of the entries to this point. So since there was a milestone in our lives this last week, and I had no where else to express some feelings about it, I thought I would give this a try.
Last week on the 25th of May, it was the 30th anniversary of our brother John's death. Not a very fun thing to remember, but it is something I will never forget.
He was on a boating trip down the Green River with a large group of other boaters on what is called the "friendship cruise", which is an annual event that takes place over the memorial day weekend. A large group of boats, many are the kind you would consider ski boats like the ones on the local lakes in Utah, start at Green River, Utah and head down river to the confluence where the mighty Colorado river meets up with it. They then turn up the Colorado and head to Moab to complete the trip.
Well, at the confluence the boat that John was in capsized. All four in the boat went in the water, 3 were saved by rescue boats, John went under in a rapid and never came back up. His body wasn't found for 13 days, some 10+ miles downriver in cataract canyon.
Sucks, eh?
The emotions of that experience seem to flood back in to my soul each year at this time. He was almost 25 years old and left behind his wife and toddler son, John Adam. I pray for John Adam constantly that he can feel of the love that his dad had/has for him. It is eternal!
So, as the title of this post reads, 30 years has gone by fast, but each of those years have been filled with days that seem to go in slow motion. It's a strange combination, to be sure. But I don't know how else to describe it.
I am confident of my Bro's success in the life he is living now. He always was one to stop and help the injured or anyone in need. I know he comforts those on the other side who need him. He will always be our brother and I find strength in his example.
I just miss him.