Winter Fun!

This year we went to play in the snow like we do every year... We stay in Pinedale of course, and we go to the gravel pits up by Sunriseto sled. This time I wasn't pregnant so I could sled to!

Tyler used 2 sleds and skied down the hill...

William was cold...

Our little snow bunny!

Ashley wasn't into sledding, but she loves taking pictures!

We warmed up inside and passed the time playing Guitar Hero World Tour. This is probably the only time you'll ever see Kelly playing a video game! Look at that concentration!

I love playing it too! Ashley is especially into it, she's a guitar hog! The Nelson's also came up for a day, I don't have pics of them, but they did get to sled w/ us. Overall, we had lots of fun!

MONSTER TRUCKS!!

Kelly writes: Every year for the past several years I've always taken the family to see the monster truck show. In recent years only the boys have gone with me. Last year (01/08) I got seats up high (3rd tier) on purpose to be able to see the whole field at once. We got these great seats directly behind home plate on the second row. After the show tickets went on sale at midnight for the 2009 show. I picked the 3 tier best available and to my utter amazement I got the exact same seats!! It was incredible! Unfortunately this year for some reason there were no ticket sales at midnight and I can't find a listing anywhere for a 2010 show... bummer, I was wishing for a threepeate.


Christmas came early for me this year, January early, I was on a waiting list for a new Canon 5D camera with 21mp and it can shoot HD video. About a week ago I got the call and had 24hrs to pick it up or it would go to someone else. There are hundreds of photographers on the list but I got bumped up because I'm a regular customer at Tempe Camera and they only get in a few a month. You can't find this camera anywhere.

Anyway... I took it with me to the show to play with it. The pictures were great, but I'm no videographer... yet...


I was amazed I didn't even get checked at the gate, They don't allow video or professional cameras in. My camera bag can roll like luggage and I had Lynden sitting on it holding on like a stick horse to the handle. Security was checking all the ladies handbags, but let us straight on it, even let me use the handicap entrance like I had a stroller or something.

I was a little disappointed in this years show however, not a lot of destruction during the freestyle exhibition. I wonder if they were told to tone it down a bit because a young boy was killed by flying debris at a previous show in Washington. A better reason to have high seats. The video I'm trying to post is of a replay on the Jumbo tron of about the only action there. However I had to compress it so much to upload to the web that it's really jittery




This truck has the cab on backwards to make it look like he's driving in reverse all the time. You have to keep telling your mind this because it really does look like he is.


Spanky Spangler doing a stunt, I wish I was a split second later with the shutter.

The little ones did have ear plugs but they both kept their hands over their ears as well. Lynden did it even when it was only the announcer speaking.

Incredible Video

Name Game

I should be posting something important but I don't feel like it... this was kinda funny...

YOUR REAL NAME:
Joanne Lynn Jarman

YOUR GANGSTA NAME: ( first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Joaizzle

YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: ( favorite color and favorite animal)
Blue Horse

YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: ( your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number)
Lynn Bendix

YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2letters of your first name)
Jarjo

YOUR SUPER HERO/ CRIMINAL NAME: ( Your 2nd favorite color and favorite drink ).
Pink Dr Pepper Huh?

YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your lastname, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name,3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of siblings first name, and lastletter of your moms first name) .
Orjcsma Once again, huh?

YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: ( parents middle names )
Okay, my parents don't have middle names- how about Kelly's parents...
Rose Richard

YOUR GOTH NAME: ( black , and the name of one of your pets) .
Black Princess

YOUR HOOD NAME: ( first 3 of your first name and add - iqua)
Joaiqua


Okay, that was just silly... now I expect to see you all post yours!

So much has happened!

The holidays get so crazy! It's hard to find time to post during all the rush. Here's some things we did over the last several weeks...

William had his Thanksgiving program at preschool, I think that's a pinecone turkey he's holding, not bad for his first try! I wish I had some good pics of Thanksgiving, my family came over along with Grandma Anna & Grandma Jarman and it was fun! Kelly fried his first turkey and he didn't even blow anything up!

Brianna is young enough to go Christmas shopping with Mom & Dad and not spill any secrets... here she is hanging out at Toys R Us...

We went to the Electric Boat Parade at Tempe Town Lake and it was fun! We think Brent should enter his boat next year!

They had snow for the kids to play in in the park by the lake...

William's loves his preschool, they have a mini program for all major holidays... here they are "singing" at the Christmas program.

Kelly was in charge of December's Scouting activity so he took the boys with him on the caroling "hay" ride (it's cotton in the wagon). Kelly is pulling the trailor with his truck...

William went to "Jump n' Shout" for his birthday with his cousin Ayana...

It's always tough that Niels and William have their birthdays right before Christmas, here we are wishing William a Happy Birthday. For Niels Birthday this year, Kelly took the older boys out quading... they had a blast!

Santa visited our ward Christmas party! William refused to sit on his lap...

We took the little ones to my Dad & Barbara's on Christmas Eve. First we went to the Christmas Eve service at their church, had dinner there afterwards, and then went to their house to open presents...



Overall it was a fun & busy Christmas season!

The Christmas Spirit

I've been running around like a crazy person the last few weeks trying to get ready for Christmas... buying gifts for all the kids & family, filling orders for Ebay, baking, parties, deadlines, late nights... AARRGH!! So yesterday I took the 3 little ones to Walmart for last minute stuff, fighting traffic, ready to prounce on the next open parking spot... and I thought to myself "where the heck is the true meaning of Christmas in all of this?" So I finished shopping and I was walking towards the exit when I noticed an older man sitting on the bench inside the entrance with an envelope in his hand. He reached out to a younger, modestly dressed man who was walking by him and handed him something and said "Merry Christmas". It was a $20 bill. The younger man said "Are you serious", and the older man said "Yes, Merry Christmas", and the younger man thanked him and walked on smiling. I was fascinated, I pulled my cart over to the opposite side of the entry and fiddled with my purse and the kids while I watched him out of the corner of my eye, handing out bills to unsuspecting yet very grateful shoppers leaving the store. Then he got up and walked over to me and asked, smiling "Where did you get those beautiful children?" I smiled back and thanked him and he pulled a $50 bill out of his envelope and handed it to me saying, "Merry Christmas". I said "Sir, I don't need 50 dollars" in a thankful tone that suggested that he could find someone else who needed it. He said, "Well then, find someone who does, Merry Christmas", and he left smiling as I thanked him. I thought hard about it walking to the car, what a kind man he was, and how many people he helped out that day. He was discreet, you would really have to be paying attention to notice what he was doing, and you could tell he truly enjoyed meeting those people he was helping, if only for a brief moment. But why did he choose me? We were all dressed nicely to go to a party later, so I was a bit confused. As I thought about it I realized that he had possibly helped me more than he helped anyone else that day, because that was the first time I had felt the Christmas spirit all season. So I'll pay it forward, and I'll find someone who needs that $50, and meanwhile, I found time to read my scriptures, and tell my kids about love, and charity, and kindness, and about Christ, and I finally feel the peace that the Christmas season can bring. Merry Christmas everyone!

Twilight stuff

This is what Ive been up to lately... I am going crazy trying to fill orders before Christmas!