A few random activities…

January 4, 2010 | Updates

The second half of August was full of school registrations and stocking up on school supplies. There were 3 different school registrations - high school, junior high school and elementary school - along with 3 different back to school nights and lots of fees. Add that to a day in Park City getting the kids school clothes since we really haven’t shopped since Christmas and I was tired and broke! At the same time, we had both of our secretaries leave at work, so there was a lot of training to do. Not my favorite end to summer, but we got by.

September brought a Labor Day camping trip, which I missed because I was so far behind on work. But Tom and the older boys had lots of fun with some good friends and family of ours. Since then, we’ve signed the 9 year old up for violin lessons, watched the oldest boy go to Homecoming and Girl’s Choice and attended a Brad Paisley concert (which was lots of fun)!

My favorite activities in September, though, were watching Tanner turn 18 and taking a trip to Lake Powell. Tanner’s birthday party was a surprise and included golfing and boating with his friends. I hope I never forget the look on his face when he realized all his friends were there to take him for the day. I had told him he would be hanging around the house all weekend babysitting his brothers and a few of his cousins. He was much happier to be going golfing! Sad thing is that I only got one picture of the day. Ah, well, at least Tanner had fun.

Our trip to Lake Powell was eventful, unfortunately. It included a blown tire on our motorhome and me freaking out that the motorhome might catch on fire if we kept driving with the remnants of the tire still around the wheel rim (it is a dually, so we’re not entirely crazy). Turns out, I wasn’t entirely right, but close enough. The tire remnant broke the propane line and disconnected the gas line, creating all kinds of fumes and, of course, friction. Luckily, we stopped before we were up in flames, yet again!

But, after the long trip there, all proved to be worth it. It was my first trip to Lake Powell and all I want to do it go back. It even got hot enough one day that I put Samuel in the water and he enjoyed the trip as well. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I don’t have many pictures. Oh, well, the memories are great!

I’ll tell you about the rest of our year over the next few posts and then we can get on with the new year!
Love,
The Jewkes

Thanksgiving Pictures

December 4, 2009 | Updates

This post is sort of just for my family (sorry), but the rest of you are welcome to browse the pictures. So, to those of you featured in the pictures below, let me know which ones you like best and we can edit them up in Photoshop so you can get copies ordered if you so desire. So far, we’ve had votes for numbers 4 (except some little person is missing from that one), 6 and 11. Let me know which ones you guys all like.

Love ya,
Teresa

P.S. There are no numbers 1 thru 3. Those were test shots. And, you can click each picture to enlarge it. The actual pictures are even bigger, but I couldn’t easily upload them to the site, so I had to make them smaller.

NUMBER 14

NUMBER 13

NUMBER 12

NUMBER 11

NUMBER 10

NUMBER 9

NUMBER 8

NUMBER 7

NUMBER 6

NUMBER 5

NUMBER 4

The wedding…

November 10, 2009 | Blogroll

I need to preface this post with a few things. First, Samuel didn’t throw up for 2 months prior to my sister’s wedding (which was at the beginning of August). Two days before the wedding, he started throwing up a couple times each day. Nothing serious, really, he seems to cycle thru these stages. But my sister, being in love with Samuel as much as I am, had asked Samuel to be her ring bearer. So, amidst all the excitement and fun of the wedding, we were all a bit worried. Worried that Samuel might throw up on his tux and scared to death that he would throw up on the bride. I mean, can you imagine it?

Luckily, we’ll have to leave that to our imagination as Samuel was a doll all day long and didn’t spit up once. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by good food and lots of dancing. We stayed late and Samuel was happy as could be. And, may I add, the most adorable thing in a tux EVER!

Samuel all dolled up and ready to go!

A kiss from the bride.

The wedding party - don’t you love the colors!

So handsome…

The proper way to pose for pictures at a formal wedding.

The bride and her nieces and nephews (minus my oldest - not sure where he was).

The littles ones dancing away.

Even Samuel got to dance with the bride.

The sisters gettin’ down!

Oh, there’s my oldest. Wait! What’s he holding? Are you kidding me? Hey Mr. Groom, can we try aiming for someone else? Anyone else??? (Just kidding…I still love you Ben…sort of :)!

Love,
The Jewkes

With all our love…to Tori - UPDATED

November 9, 2009 | Updates

One of our dearest friends, Tori Schmanski, passed away yesterday. Her website is www.pray4tori.com if you would like to learn more about her.

Honestly, I can hardly hardly see through the tears as I post this, but I wanted others who know her to know of her passing and pray for her family. Tori’s accident was exactly 1 month before Samuel’s. Their accidents were similar. And their brain damage similar. We met her and her family during our original 2-month stay in the hospital. And we have since followed her website closely - keeping in touch with her parents through email. We’ve seen them many times at the hospital and Samuel and I were even privileged to visit her at her home a year or so ago. She and her family are amazing.

I didn’t know Tori before her accident, but have heard so much good about her. And even after her accident, she was extremely beautiful and could steal your heart in an instant. The Schmanski’s have shared so much of the same pains and trials that we have experienced that Tori’s passing hits very, very close to home. I can hardly bear to imagine how difficult this is for her family.

Please keep them in your prayers. And I pray that Tori is truly dancing again - well and whole - as she was before.

Our love to the Schmanski’s,

The Jewkes

UPDATE: Many of you have asked if we know what caused Tori’s passing. All I know is that she died of a viral infection in her home last Saturday. Her website has also been updated with her funeral information if anyone needs it. KSL did a short news story on her today, I believe, and that link is on her blog as well.

Pre-wedding fun…

November 1, 2009 | Updates

Um, yea, I’m perpetually behind in these posts now. I’m hoping to catch up soon, but taking a 6 week break in posting isn’t help much. Oh, well…

This August brought a fun event for all of us. My sister, Kaylee, got married. I’ll post pictures from the wedding soon, but in the meantime, here are some cute pictures from the events a few days beforehand.

Nathan having fun with his cousin, Tali.

No worries…he’s only sneaking sparkling apple cider!

Tali and Nan…so cute!

Samuel thoroughly enjoying himself - minus the few minutes he spent throwing up in the backyard while my Dad was giving his toast to the couple. No offense to the groom, but I’m not too sure Samuel is happy about loosing “his girl”!

The happy couple!

Love,
The Jewkes