Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas to all!!!  I"m so grateful for this opportunity to celebrate our Savior's birth!  It has certainly been a different holiday being in Arizona!!!  Here are some photos to show what we did today.

Jared, Ronan and Isabeau inspect the contents of their stockings

Jonah found lots of candy!

Ronan and Jonah got to pass out all the gifts.

Let the opening begin!!  Brandon had his video camera going.

Ronan was very excited about his new Lego helicopter!!

Aunt Judy gave Brandon an IronMan hoodie.

Isabeau received a new Barbie and horse.

Brandon still rolling with his camera and his new hat.

Jared had quite a pile of gifts!!!!

Isabeau's new cowgirl hat!!

Ronan's face after trying a gum he found in his stocking.  It's called "Toxic Waste".  hehehe

4 satisfied boys!

Aunt Judy got to experience the challenge of trying to get toys out of the packaging.  It's not easy!!!!!

After gift opening and breakfast, we took the kids out to swim in the pool.  They stayed out there for about 3 hours!!  I made them come out of the water to have some lunch but then they went right back in!  The pool was in the shade for the entire morning but by the time lunch was done, the sun was shinning right on it.  I took them inside before they got too burned!  

The afternoon was spent fairly quietly inside.  Judy made homemade rolls and lasagna for dinner.  It was fabulous!  Then the kids wanted to go back out to the pool!!  I got in with them for awhile this evening.  It was really  nice!!!  

Two episodes of "MythBusters" on tv ended the evening and now they're in bed fast asleep!  It's been a wonderful Christmas Day!!  The only thing that could have possibly made it better would have been Brian being home.  But we'll have another Christmas when he gets home in January!!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Party Videos

Yeah, there's 3 posts just for the birthday parties.  Oh well, you looked!!!  haha

Jonah's Party

Here are photos from Jonah's party.  This first one shows the tumble track better.  I'm not sure how long it is- 20 feet, 30 feet?

The rope is for climbing but swinging on it and dropping into the pit is fun, too!

Coach Kira got the parachute out.  They are playing Sharks and Minnows.  One child is under the parachute and tries to pull the others under.  There is a "Lifeguard" running around the outside trying to keep the "shark" from pulling the "minnows" under.

I took this picture and then couldn't help myself.  I jumped off the beam I was standing on, put the camera down and crawled into the middle of the parachute.  The kids were all screaming and didn't know what was going on.  It was fun!!!  hehehe

Jonah's cake.  13??  Already??

And this last photo needs some explaining.  I love gymnastics.  I haven't been able to really do anything in a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time.  So I took the opportunity and had fun doing it!!  I even did a 1 1/2 flip into the foam pit!  I didn't get brave enough to try a back handspring, though.  I know my back isn't flexible enough yet.  Someday.  :-)    When the parachute came out, I thought getting to a higher vantage point would be fun to get some photos from.  I had been goofing around on the lower beams and found I still have really great balance.  So I thought, no problem, just jump up on the high beam and shoot photos from there.  Yeah, I'm not 16 anymore.  I straddled the beam, promptly lost my balance, rolled to one side, wrapped my leg around to try and stop myself and ended up flat on the floor anyway.  It was HILARIOUS!!!!!!  The resulting bruise- not so much.  It covers about half of my calf.  There's a smaller one higher up but you can't really see it in the photo.  The colors are even prettier now that it's been a week!!!  I did succeed the 2nd time I tried getting up.  Lessons learned are great!!

Party Time!!!

Every couple of years, we let the kids have birthday parties with friends.  This year it was Jonah and Ronan's turn.  Because their birthdays are so close to Christmas, we let them choose any day in December to have their party.  They both wanted to do a party at the gymnastics center so we scheduled it for December 11th.   Ronan's at 2pm and Jonah's at 4pm.
We all had a blast!!!!!!!  At a gym party, you get 1 hour of free time out on the gymnastics equipment and one hour for presents and cake and stuff in the other room.  I have always loved gymnastics and have missed being able to participate.  Well, Saturday was my day!!!!  And being 40 pounds lighter helped a LOT!
These photos are from Ronan's party.  He had several friends come and his brothers and sister.

Ronan flipping off the tumble track, into the foam pit.

Isabeau going into the foam pit

Jared jumping off the springboard onto the mat. With a full flip.

Jonah coaching 2 friends how to hit the springboard just right

Jonah lost in the foam pit.  He was there quite a bit all day.

Ronan was the only one allowed on the Russian trampoline due to insurance limits.  Coach Kira is right there with him.

Yeah, I bought a store-made cake.  It happens.

Everybody is having fun!!!

One Nerf dart gun.

Two Nerf dart guns.  And they didn't plan it that way!!

Money!!!!!

Take 2 Nerf dart guns and rowdy, sugared children and you have quite a game!!

Moms And Marine Corp Coronels

Posted by Brian


I get a few Moms emailing me to tell me that their boy is at Camp Leatherneck and could we find him and take him to church. I love doing that. Picture me walking in to a large tent were a commander might be sitting at his desk with his staff around. I ask to see Sergeant Smith and one of the staff asks in what regard do I want Sergeant Smith. I reply I am his Chaplain (the Marine Corp calls every religious leader Chaplin). Anyway the Commander immediately introduces himself with a big smile while someone goes to get Sergeant Smith. The Commander asks me if everything is OK at home with Sgt. Smiths family, and I reply “oh just fine. His Mom just wants him to go to church.”  And so there is Sgt. Smith standing by the side of the road as appointed by myself and his Commander waiting for me to give him a ride to church this morning. 

You got to love the power of Moms and Marine Corp Coronels.

Blazing down Main Street

No, there's not a huge emergency in little old Rexburg!  This morning was the annual Shop With A Cop.  The children all got to ride in police cars and play with the lights and sirens.  The video is of the cavalcade coming down Main Street on their way to breakfast and shopping.  

No parents were allowed in the store so I took these as they were coming out.

Jared could barely see over the cart!!  He was the first one done out of about 90 children!

Kelly Turman, Jared and Police Chief Shane Turman.  Jared got to shop with the Chief!!!

Isabeau was just tall enough to see over the cart, too!

Isabeau shopped with Gracie Ferguson from dispatch!!

Ronan was so excited he left his shopping partner behind!!

Then he wanted to show me what he bought.

Ronan got to shop with Mayor Richard Woodland!!

And then there's the tree before and after photos!

And you can't really see a whole lot.  The floor is completely covered under the tree and there are presents stacked around the sides.

I'm so grateful for people who make this program possible through donations of time, money and gifts!!

New Photo

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted anything!! Things are going well here on the home front.  Just our normal, school-time routine!
Brian has continued to work with the men and women of the Camp Leatherneck Military Branch.  He's had the opportunity to visit men in the Wounded Warrior Battalion (those injured in the line of duty and recovering).

Here is a photo of the Branch Presidency, Clerk and Elder's Quorum President (not in that order in the photo).  Brian fits right in!  All he needs is his camo!!!

Time is going by fairly quickly for all of us.  Brian's been gone 8 weeks already.  It's been difficult, I'll not sugar-coat it.  But we still have no doubt that this is where the Lord wants us.  Through some of Brian's experiences, we are getting a clearer picture of why.  I'll let him write about it if he feels it appropriate to share here in public.
I know he would love to hear from family and friends, especially for Christmas.  His email is briansheetz@gmail.com

The Deep End of the Pool

Posted by Brian


Last week I was called to be the Second Counselor in the Branch Presidency. This morning the Branch was to meet in a new Chapel a ways from the old one. I thought it would be nice if I waited at the old Chapel until just before services and drive anyone who may not have heard about the change to the new chapel. When I and one other Brother arrived at the new meeting house I found the meeting not started yet and no other of the Branch Presidency present. Also I was informed that one brother had to deploy in a few minutes on a convoy to Lashgagar or somewhere and could we do the Sacrament quickly so he could participate. Went like this: I gave the opening prayer and then we had the Sacrament song followed by the Sacrament. All in about 5 min. I then proceeded introduce myself. Luckily Brother Firsdon had a talk prepared. 
I got back to my email this evening to find emails from Pres. Snipes and First Counsellor Brother Smidt saying they would not be there today as they were on forward ops in Greshk. 
Sink or swim Brian, sink or swim.

The Things You Meet on Back Roads

Posted by Brian


As I and Emerson, the office administrator, were speeding along at 24 kph (about 12 mph for us Americans) down the back roads of Camp Bastion looking for an easier route to Camp Leatherneck, we happened upon a large dust cloud.  Oh this would be the perfect time to tell you about my conversation yesterday with Mark Cawood, the country director for Prolog. We were on our way to lunch and I was telling him about a ticket I had received from the MPs for driving while using a cell phone. I has going on about how bored they must be to be bothering people about using a cell phone while driving at break neck speeds like 24 kph. So back to the original story. 
This large cloud of dust moving toward us from the side had a large canon sticking out the front of it. It was an M1 A1 Abrams tank which cut me off and sped past me looking like Pig Pen from the Charlie Brown cartoons. Good thing I wasn't talking on my cell phone, not paying attention, cause at 24 kph a car is little more than a speed bump to an Abrams. I looked over at Emerson who was splayed out on the seat, eyes wide, and I said " well ya don't see that everyday."

New Callings- Far, Far Away

Brian forwarded this email to me.  He was interviewed last week by the Branch President who then talked to the District President.  The Dist. Pres. was not able to conduct an interview in person so did it through email.  It's so different how things work in that far away land.  And yet, the Gospel remains the same.  The leadership and the protocols are exactly the same.  Brian is looking forward to this new challenge!!

Brother Sheetz,

On behalf of the district presidency I am extending to you the call to serve as the second counselor in the Leatherneck Military Branch presidency. Please acknowledge receipt of this message and your acceptance to serve in this calling. You will be sustained at the next sacrament meeting. You will receive an official Church letter of appointment for this calling and additional information that will assist you with your calling. The district presidency looks forward to serving with you.

Best regards and stay safe,

President Wikle

Family Portraits

We had family portraits done before Brian left a few weeks ago.  The gal who did them (Brianne Serrano) did a fabulous job, made us look far better than we actually do and dropped off the cd with a rights release yesterday so we can go get prints made!!!!!  I'm only going to post a few here.  I've posted all of them on my Facebook page.  I'm so glad we did this before Brian left!!!!