First Day of School 2008-2009

Emily, Freshman at Lindbergh High School

She is very studious and takes all Honors Classes. She also is learning to speak Spanish, and enjoys singing in Women's Choir.

Payten, 5th Grade Long Elementary --  Mrs. Judd

He is very creative and enjoys art, music and class plays. He is a great student and we are pleased that he is taking initiative to complete his homework every night. He enjoys scouts and plays soccer.

Summer Activities 2008

Youth Conference  

Working with the youth at church, my summers are booked with youth camps and conferences. This year the conference was held at MIZZOU and Girls Camp was help at Quivre River State Park. Both activities were very successful and all involved had a great time. It's fun to be with Emily on these events. Famous photo with Alex Boye and his band. He performed at the conference and is a Christian Singer/Songwriter from England. 

Girls Camp 

This year's theme at camp was SUPER HERO's and the leaders were the Wonder Women. Our costumes are fabulous, but do you think the headband makes me look fat? (Oh the slow metabolism after 35 -- at least that's my excuse!)

Payten's 10th Birthday

Happy Birthday!!

Payten is 10 years old. His friend party included lunch at the Pasta House followed by a swim party with four friends from church. The boys were really cute and had so much fun playing in the pool. He specifically requested an ice cream cake for the family celebration.

Payten's life revolves around LEGOs, Indiana Jones, the Police Station, Star Wars and Agents. The pool table downstairs is filled with all the sets... actually, any clean table surface downstairs becomes loaded with Legos. Payten is very good at putting the sets together, as well as engineering prototypes for all sorts of creations.

Emily Graduates from Middle School

Emily's Spring Concert

Emily performed with the Show Choir "Syncronicity" and mixed choir. It was fun to watch her perform.

Emily successfully completed middle school and now is officially going to high school -- class or 2012. Does that make me old?

Blast from the Past

Tucked away in a closet deep within my parents basement my high school dresses were found. I enjoyed making Emily try on all my precious gowns -- she couldn't get past the big sleeves -- what can I say it was the 80's. However, she didn't grumble putting the wedding dress on. Don't we always want to be princess. It was a great blast from the past -- validating that I really was skinny once!

Other Utah Activities 2008

Paul and Payten went fishing a couple of times in four days. One day was beautiful, the next day was freezing. 

Emily and Payten enjoying the Jarvis' cousins. 

Dad's 80th Birthday 2008

Nyle T. Harris

celebrated his double 40 birthday this year. It was great to be apart of the celebration. Altogether there are 108 in the family -- parents, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren -- not bad for two people!!

98 of us were able to attend the party.

Mom and Dad were paraded to the park in a convertible, crowns and all, waving to the neighbors as they went by. We enjoyed a barbecue, classic country music -- my dad's favorite, clogging, and a skit depicting my dad's distinctive qualities that we all have come to expect and love!

My family really enjoyed being there to celebrate, creating many cherished memories. 

The Grand Marshals

 

The Full Backs

 

The Cloggers

 

The Skit Makers

 

The Inspired Fashion Sense

May 2008

Pastry Chef Wannabe!

Once again it is fundraising time -- this time girls camp and scout camp -- the Ward Dessert Auction. It is a process of collecting ideas, selecting the winning designs, gathering the supplies, baking the goods, and decorating. Paul is vital in the decorating process and produced all the yummy vegetables.

April 2008

Note ... Viewer Discretion is Advised! 

April was a month of stitches, gum slicing and teeth pulling. I received wonderful new sharp knives for Christmas, and well I sliced my left thumb cutting cold rotisserie chicken. I received two stitches as well as cutting a nerve. It took forever to stop throbbing. I still have numbness now, but at least the swelling is finally down and I can use it.

Payten is having many issues with his mouth and teeth. He has an under-bite and is under orthodontic care to help correct that problem, but to continue his therapy he needs his teeth to come out. Out of the 8 teeth Payten has lost, he has had 5 of them pulled. At this dentist appointment, he was lucky to get two teeth pulled and his gums split so that his two front teeth could come down. He gets really nervous about these procedures and is very vocal while in the chair. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the "gas". While sitting out in the office I could hear Payten's loud anxious exclamations. I was surprised by his outburst and had to stifle several giggles as I watched the other people in the office wondering what was happening behind the door. 

March 2008

Activities

This month included an all day white fluffy snowstorm. The kids were out of school, so they enjoyed playing in the snow. Easter was celebrated as well as preparing baked goods for the annual Cub Scout fundraiser. 

February 2008

New York

Paul and I had the opportunity to go to New York for a couple of days. Paul was working on a photo shoot and I went to meet him later in the week. It was during Fashion Week, so I was secretly hoping to see someone from Project Runway. Our hotel was very chic, and we had a great time eating delicious food, shopping, being tourists, and of course seeing a broadway play -- WICKED. I hope this becomes a yearly tradition!

Utah 

I also was able to go and visit with my parents in February. My mom suffered a stroke and it was good to see her and lend support for a few short days. She continues to do well. My father is a wonderful farm boy. He has a knack with animals and gardening. He named these two lambs Payten and Emily. 

School Music Programs

This is a snippet of Payten's bug program at school. He is standing by his best friend Taylor and they have taken their own choreographic license and added some moves of their own. I remembered the day before that Payten needed a bug costume, so he became a cockroach out of the fabric bargin bin. Dad, had a stroke of genius, enabling the antennas to stay up in the air. 

January - 2008

The Pinewood Derby 

Family Traditions requires vigilance and skill to win the race. It is no small endeavor to design a winning car. Payten now has been inducted into the Jarvis Pinewood Derby Fellowship.

However, no one could tell us any rules or regulations before the actually race, so upon placing the car on the track it was "officially" not accepted for the Missouri Standard, it still won first place.

Emily's Musical Play-in

For the past two years Emily has participated in a "Play- in". This is where the students get to perform with a string quartet -- making great music.