Thursday, October 22, 2009

END OF SUMMER AND NOW FALL

We had a great summer. We went to a few concerts and of course we had real good seats. Def Leppard, NickelBack, Hinder, Papa Roach, No Doubt, Poison, Cheap Trick, 38 Special, Grand Funk Railroad, America, Crystal Gayle,Huey Lewis, Boz Scaggs, Trace Adkins, George Strait, Montgomery and Gentry, Toby Keith, and a lot more I can't ever remember.
I am glad Shalae is back in school and she is doing very well. I talked with her teachers and they said she has changed so much from last year. But then she has to mess up and sneak out while staying with Grandma. Oops she got caught by the Malad's finest and received a curfew ticket. She wanted a shasta at Thomas Market and her friend and her got caught. Mark and I were in Yellowstone Park having fun and then she had to throw a wrench in our fun. So I have put her on house arrest. She goes to school and then grandma watches her until I pick her up after work. She is not allowed to have a friend for 30 days. I also took her phone away for 2 months maybe longer. Boy she really messed up and she admits it. I sure hope she has learned from this.
I am sure glad I gave my husband a chance with me. Thank you employees from Allen Drug for making me go with him to get a free dinner and entertainment. Our first date anniversary is coming up in November. Can you believe I have put up with him for two years. In his case me. We will be going to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert I am so excited. We have a great relationship most of the time. He makes sure there is never a dull moment and I never have time to clean my house. I did have time and Shalae to pull up the carpet in the spare bedroom. The wood floor is beautiful and was a project. Also Brian, Lyndsie, Brynn, Mark, me, and Shalae cleaned the garage. Yes we got rid of the pool table so I can park a car in there. YIPPEE I am so EXCITED I just can't hide it!!!!!
We need to roof the house before snow falls and I need to organize the basement before Christmas. We are having the children come here for Christmas so I need to get this house in order. Mark please let me have a weekend of cleaning!!!!!! I love you Mark or maybe lets hire a maid. Just kidding..
My son Elder McKinley is doing a good job and is the District Zone leader. He loves it. Jennifer and family is still in Montana wish they were closer but look forward to see them. I try to send them a package for every holiday. I sent them stuff for school. I have Halloween coming up so I need to send the kids their gift for Halloween. I feel like since we don't get to see them very much I will try and keep in touch with them through mail. And kids love to get stuff in the mail. Brian keeps busy with being a dad, his job, and also helping out with coaching football for junior high. Brynn just finished up her soccer and we really enjoyed watching her play the sport. Lyndsie and Brian also coached her soccer team. It was sad to see the season end. The kids were just getting the hang of it. And you know the scoop of Shalae trouble maker. No she is a good kid and busy with dance now and so is Brynn. Mark has been doing good and staying healthy. We do need to lose weight so we have walked the green belt but we need to stay with it. He did give me a scare. While at work he had symptoms of maybe a heart attack so work sent him by ambulance to the hospital. Thankgoodness it wasn't and is doing fine. His boss was very concerned and I am so thankful for him during that time. He was very calm but concerned about me. He is a good guy. Thanks Clair!!!!!!!!
I am enjoying life and thankful for my family. I just put this slide show on here but want to organize my blog and not sure how to do it. I would love for my nieces to help me with this blog. Chelsea, Mandy, Melissa, Jamie... someone. Until next time.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


What are these crazy kids doing?!!!! I can't wait for school to start. This is Shalae, Brook, and Bree being goof balls. Well at least they are having fun and not getting into trouble. Well except for Shalae I hope she has learned this time. We shut her phone off for awhile and surprisingly she admitted it was nice to be without a phone. It is kind of funny. Grandma Lois said that she stopped by her house to use her phone. So she can still get a hold of friends. But you know what is nice she is not constantly txting that drives me crazy.

Brynn is back and we all missed her. It is nice that she is able to go to Washington to see her mother. I really enjoy this girl she sure is fun to be around. She says the darndest things. I hope I spelled that right. We like to follow her around and watch her play baseball this summer. Now they tell us she will be playing soccer. We are so proud of her and like to support her in the activities she participates in.

This is a pict of our grandkids in Montana enjoying the summer. Wow it looks like they are having so much fun going to the Fair, mom (Jennifer)sent picts of them fishing, and also they have done good in their swimming lessons. Jessica and Nathan are in this pict with a friend (the friend is in the middle). We sure wish they were closer so we can see them a lot more than what we do.
Its been a good summer I have so much more to talk about and more picts but I will catch you up later. I would like to say Happy Birthday Elder Kody McKinley my teenager is no longer a teen he will be 20 yrs old on August 14. Time flys he will be out for a year on October 8. Also Happy Birthday to my husband I love so much he will be hum... should I lie. Well how about you just guess his age. August 20th we will be celebrating his birthday.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

4th of July FAMILY FUN FOREVER

What a summer thank goodness it is about over. It has been one of my most busiest summer I can remember. It has been awhile since I wrote in here and I have a lot to tell you but it is real late but I thought I would write a small entry to let you all know that I am still alive. We had a great 4th of July Brian and I decided to have a barbeque I was nervous because I haven't done nothing like that in a long time. We invited my parents, my sister from Nebraska Molly, her husband Tony and their daughter Tess. ( Also congtratulations Trent and Ashlee on the new baby girl borned before the 4th of July) We are all excited she arrived safe and of course a beautiful baby that looks like Aunt Amy.) LOL But anyways my sister from American Fork and her husband and daughter Cindy, Jim, and Angie. We also had Marks Dad and Lajuanna, son and daughter-in-law Brian and Lindsie and daughter Brynn, also Neil (son-in-law we are so glad he was able to be with us) and Jennifer (daughter)all the way from Montana and their children Jessica and Nathan. We are not through yet we also invited a very good friend that helps us out a lot but he forgot all about it and went to his nephews baseball game and Lindsie dad Jeff. I was so nice to be able to visit with everyone. I sure hope they all had a goodtime. It worked out just great since I STRESS about everything. I Love family and love being with them. I am so mad at myself because I did not get my husbands camera out to take pictures of us all. Oh well. Well I need to write Elder McKinley and get to bed since I have to get the store open tomorrow. But stay tuned because I need to talk about girls camp concerts and other stuff and I also have some fun picts to put on her. By the way Elder is doing exceptionally well but he wants letters he is sad because he goes to the mail box and there are no letters for him so if you thing about him write him and let him know what you have been doing.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Welsh Festivals-American Idol

So it is Friday, June 26, 2009,I am listening to Shalae sing karaoke. She is practicing for tonight for Malad Idol at the Welsh Festival activities. Well you know me I am giving her advice since I am such a pro at singing. LOL
Mark and I are really busy we need to go to Logan to get some things for family that will be arriving Saturday or Sunday. We can't wait to see them so I can write about them. Brynn stayed the night with us, it is such a joy to have her around. She comes up with the funniest things. Anyone or anything with Thomas in it she is a fan of Thomas. She is proud to be a Thomas.
The girls are finished with summer school and now they can have even more fun since they got that out of the way. But Brynn is playing softball and also involved with swimming. She can hit that ball. I love to whistle real loud when she is out there, she gets a big grin on her face.
I need to go to the store Allen Drug to have Shay perform for them to see if they have any advice for her.
SHALAE goodluck tonight sing your little heart out. You are always a winner because for one you tried out. It shows me you have faith in yourself. Have fun. Love Mom, Mark, and Brynn. And I am sure the Romo family and Brian and Lyndsie wish you luck.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Elder McKinley Email Spirit of God‏

From:Kody McKinley (elderkodymckinley@myldsmail.net)

Sent:Mon 6/15/09 6:36 PM

Sing: Lead Kindly Light Alma 40:30 ???

Reporting Week 3 of Transfer 6 (His new companion Elder Wall is from Heber he knows the Mairs. He was suprised that Micheal is serving a mission. I think we all were but he is doing good and loves it. We are all proud of him. Aunt Amy knew he would. She always told him "You would make a great missionary some day. You have the gift to talk to people and make friends with that some people can't; you have that personality like me.) In parenthesis Amy Added this, this was not in Kody's email.

So this past week was amazing: Damian & Tiffany Lee: This couple was married last January (that doesn't happen often). They haven't lived in the area long. Actually, Elder Dickson and I tracted into them last transfer and they were really cool. They were what I call "frosted flakes" (sweet but flaky) They would never set up an appointment with us. After a few times going over and nothing happening, we dropped them. Then this week I had the feeling to go visit some of the frosted flakes. As we went to the first person I thought, "why are we even visiting these people? I'm sure nothing has changed." The first guy did not answer. I thought I should not even waste my time, but for some reason I drove over to the next Frosted Flakes who were Damian & Tiffany. They have 2 girls: McKenzie(6) and Madison(4 and ADHD). We went and talked to them just like before. We found out that Damian was laid off. I bore testimony to him about the gospel and asked if they would like to come on a church tour. They accepted. That was a firstThey went on the tour and we used Michael and Kellie as fellowship. They wanted to find a good church to instill morals in their children. Tiffany started crying towards the end of the lesson and I handed Damian my scriptures and had him read Mosiah 18:10 (which is about baptism) and asked if they would be baptized on the 21st of June. With no hesitation Tiffany said, "Yes." Damian, "Yeah."It was a spiritually powerful lesson. All lessons are supposed to be like that lesson! They are the new and improved Michael and Kellie. They're married, they read the Book of Mormon chapters we give them (and actually have started from the beginning). They even are enduring despite the anti-influence of Tiffany's brother-in-law. Every time we go over they invite us right in. It amazes me how lame they used to be and out of nowhere they are into it. They love the Book of Mormon. Katie Iverson/Joey Mason: They both were confirmed on Sunday. I confirmed Joey in Adna Ward and Elder Wall confirmed Katie in Chehalis Ward. Katie is solid. Joey would be solid if his parents were. We are working on them. Juliette: She is the daughter of Arely who was baptized on May 24th. Juliette was supposed to be baptized with her mom, but Satan, thru her brother Merlin, stopped her from being baptized. We have met with her multiple times and she would say that she wanted to wait. I am not leaving this place without her being baptized. She wanted it so bad in the beginning and still does.Well Arely was baptized the last week of last transfer. Then the first week of this transfer Joey was baptized, then Katie the second week. Our baptism that was supposed to happen on the 14th Andrew fell off. I want to baptized every week of this transfer. Someone had to be baptized on the 14th. We set up an appointment with Juliette for after church. The goal: baptism that night. Patriarch Larsen was there because he is their home teacher.It was just like all the other lessons. When we brought up baptism she would go silent. We found out that she was going to fly out to Switzerland next Sunday for 5 wks. She had to be baptized before that. I can't remember what was said. The spirit spoke and she ended up saying, "Sabado." THIS SATURDAY!!! Sabado means Saturday in spanish. Brown's: UBC's baptism on for the 20th. Brianna (11) and Nathan (10) Iakopo (Jake) Tausa: Inactive Samoan guy who is way cool and has a non-member wife. We are going to start teaching her this week. We had 8 investigators at church on Sunday. These are all legite investigators. That is very good number. I have never had that many at church before. Chehalis is on fire. The spirit of God like a fire is burning.We did not baptize this last week, BUT we have 5 for this weekend! :-) Pray for Juliette's baptism that it will go through, and that Merlin will not interfere or find out. God is LOVE,ELDER MCKINLEY

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Busy Summer

I am catching onto this but I am sure there is still a lot to learn. But it's coming with the help of my daughter-in-law and also the help from my husband. So you know what is going on in everybody else's life but mine. Well when I married Mark I moved to a new ward. So I am in the Malad Fourth Ward and the Bishop is brave he gave me a calling (a job in the church) not just one but two. I am the director over girls camp and also Personal Progress advisor. WOW can you say a lot of work and I mean hard work. Packing the girls up and taking them to the mountains. Did I mention the girls are between the ages of 12 and 18 that I have to work with and one of them will be my daughter. They know everything but I sure hope I can make a fun memory they will always remember like I did with my youth advisors when iI was younger. I hope to teach them the things they need to know to survive in the wilderness or just to survive their peers and the pressure. So girls camp will be July 9th thru the 11th. Please pray for me that I will not go crazy. LOL
Also I am excited for Jennifer and her family to come and be with us for the 4th of July and also to go to Lagoon. Jennifer is Mark's daughter, her husband Neil and the two children Jessica and Nathan. It is fun to get together so I can get to know them better and its also fun for Shalae and Brynn. And Grandpa Mark gets so excited he can hardly sleep before they get here. He loves to see his daughter and the kids, he would also like to see Neil. Neil is a good guy and a very very hard worker. Well I better go I have to go to work early so I can get off early to take Mark to the Doctor. He is having a small procedure tomorrow. They are going to stretch his esophagus and go down with a small camera and view his stomach and small intestines. I am not sure what that procedure is called. K thats enough I will report later.
I would like to add more to this my sister will be coming for the 4th of July also they come from Maywood, Nebraska. It is nice to be able to see my little sis and her husband that has been so good to me while I was single. He has been very good to my children and they love him a lot. We sure miss them now they live in Nebraska. They used to live in Pocatello. Shalae loves her cousin Tess and likes it when she comes and Trent we like seeing him but he has grown up. We might not get to see them very much.