Do my best

Joseph started the Boy Scout program after he turned eight and is loving it, he can't wait for each Tuesday so he can go to scouts. It is exciting to see his enthusiasm for a program that focuses on bettering oneself, serving our country, and helping other people.

Joseph, a sentimental boy, loves that we used his father's old boy scout shirt, scarf, slide, and wolf hat. Funny thing is we would have only had to change out one number from the original pack number (Greg's was 415, Joe's is 475). There have been some changes to the uniform since his dad was in over 20 years ago. They no longer have the flag over the right pocket now it is on the right sleeve.

He looks great in his uniform.

Don't you think?

His daddy is almost excited as he is, and when we stopped at the scouting store he just had to pick up a pocket knife, because "every scout needs to be ready at all times." We are holding on to it for a little longer since they don't want them to bring knives to class YET.

Here he is asking "How do I open it?"


Here is why we are going to hold on to it for a while longer.

Family Reunion - Fisk side

Every body say "HEY," everybody say "HO!" Going to the Fisk Side!

I'm not sure which "annual" it is, we've been trying to get together every year since my brother Lachoneous passed away. I remember one of our first "Lakie Day" reunions was while I was a nanny for my brother, Dave, and his wife, Jen, back in 2000. We stayed in a few of these (like tents) riddled across the Pacific Northwest camping grounds along the coast line. Those first years we were a small band of Fisks, but look how we've grown! This year there were 13 children and 13 adults in attendance, and not all family members made it.

This year we stayed at a wonderful home in Donnelly, ID, an advertised "stones throw from the lake". I'm not sure who threw the stone they measured it by, but no one in my family could throw it that far...and yes, they tried! We had comfortable living quarters, a room for almost every family. The best room in the house was the "kids room," where I don't know how much sleeping actually took place. They had two queen bunk beds with trundles and another queen bed. It was a huge room! And I mustn't forget the HOT TUB! I think we would have had prunes for kids had we let them stay in as long as they wanted! If you were to ask any of the Porter children what their favorite part about the family reunion in Idaho was, they would unanimously proclaim the hot-tub...and maybe their Aunt Rosie...or their Uncle Calvin's raft...or the playgroud down the street...or the 4 for one Birthday party, hard to say! I proclaim it a success!



I volunteered to be the go to person for next year, hopefully I can do as well as Jessica did this year. Go Jessi!!

For those who might be interested, a break down of the "Fisks," starting with the oldest :

Von Del - "THE Grandfather," yellow shirt (hard to see, but in the back), long haired, semi-retired, dancing man, living in Ohio.

Vera Fisk - "Grandma Fisk", not in attendance. Living in West Jordan, enjoying dating and tending grandchildren. She has been a life saver, many times, for me!

Delvonna and Greg Porter - family in red (except for Greg who wants us to believe he is a rebel, but who truely didn't have a red shirt to wear). Living in Lost Wages (Las Vegas, NV) Greg is currently seeking gainful employment after serving in the military for 16 years, will re-locate willingly! Children: Joseph, 8, Brianna, 5, Kaitlynn, 3, and Elizabeth, 2.

Dave and Jennifer Fisk - family in dark blue. Dave and Jen are some of the only Fisk's still living in Portland, by way of Tigard, both successful at their jobs. Only boys! Dean, 9, and Logan, 7. Jen would like a little girl, but is happy to have nieces.

Ben Fisk, not pictured. Still living in Portland as well. Graduated from Law school and is seeking employment.

Rosetta Fisk, Stenzel, Davis - family in light blue. Working for Verizon, living in West Jordan, UT. Eamonn, 12, and Fiona, 9. Rosie thinks she has three more girls, but they belong to ME!

Zeezrom and Drea Fisk - family in brown. Zeb is working as a engineer, they live in Salt Lake City...almost down town! Their children; Gideon, 7, Thea, 5, Otto and Elliott, 2. They have their hands as full as me, and although we are tied with the "biggest families" of our little clan, Drea got there first...darn twins!

Calvin and Becca Fisk - family in white. Living in West Jordan, both working and saving for a place of their own.

Jessica and Peter Nguyen - family in green. Peter is in the ROTC and pursuing further officer training with the Army, also attending Jessica's alma mater, BYU-Idaho. Zeke, 2, is their only child currently, but baby sister will be making her debut early next year.

On a sad note:

This post is for my friend Stacey. I meant to do a blog about our first hamster when we got him, but I didn't. He died an unspeakable death at the hands of my children and the dog on the very day we got him. So sad. Greg proclaimed the children were too small to keep a small pet, I tried to talk him into another one since there was a return policy for two weeks. It took him a few days to soften. I just couldn't see throwing away all the money it takes to set up a small pet in his comfortable (but not too pricey) digs with all the little animal needs for only one day of life with the Porters. So once I got the ok, Joseph and I set out on a quest to find another tiny, fluffy, cute friend.

Stacey knowing of the un-timely death of the first hamster requested a picture of the new little guy so we would have proof of life. Thank you Stacey! We really did have a great time with Night Rider, as Greg affectionately called him due to his incessant night activities on the wheel. The kids were very careful to keep him in his ball, away from the DOG, if he was out of his cage for any length of time. We, ok I, checked on him almost every day. One day after three weeks co-existing with us, I went to take him out and clean his cage and feed him. The cage smelled something horrible. Every ounce of food was GONE! He had died (I'm thinking starvation). I asked Greg what day he remembered NOT hearing the whirl of the wheel. He thought it had been quiet for a few days. Oh sad, sad day. Good and bad news, he made it past the return policy. If there is anyone in need of a hamster cage and all the trimmings, let me know.

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I know, I know, it's been a long time.

I should say it has been a long time since I posted, trust me, I have been checking in on ALL my blogger friends and family on a regular basis! It is so nice to be able to keep updated on everyone else's lives, especially when it seems like mine is not so interesting.

Honestly, I use my blog as a way to journal, and I haven't been doing so well at it...could you tell?

Stay tuned, I will TRY and get some updates soon.

Not his first fish!

Joe's paternal grandfather (Paw Paw Porter) wanted to teach Joe to fish, and they have been out fishing twice this week with Joe's "straight A" fishing pole awarded from said grandfather. This picture is NOT his first fish, which Joe is emphatic about telling everyone. However it is the first fish I got to see. Apparently his first fish was given to someone else at the fishing spot, and the second was legally too small and was released to grow a little more to be caught another day by someone other than Joe.

Not a bad catch!

In Paradise

Yep, we found some great shark's teeth!

Just try telling her "no"

Catching a wave!!

??!!?? *

We've been having a great time here at Amelia Island, FL, in a little beach town called Fernandina Beach. We are about 2 1/2 blocks from the beach. The water is warm, the rain is too, and there have been some great lightning storms. I already want to move here.

* This is a really big grasshopper the girls found on their walk to the beach. It got it's wings wet in the early morning rainfall. Elizabeth noticed it first and got all excited, Brianna caught it in her bucket and we took it to the beach where it tried really hard to stay away from the water. It wasn't until this evening that the daddy told them no more live critters in the house...they had taken it upstairs to their room.

I think we've killed about 5 baby frogs, not intentionally of course.

I did convince them to put back the hermit crabs we found in the tide pools before heading home.

On the road

First day on our three day road trip to Florida, we are doing well!

I think I have found the trick (for my kids at least) to end the endless, every fifteen minute question, you know the ONE...
Are we there yet??

I gave the older three children five raffle tickets each. That is the allowable limit of times they can ask it today. If they ask the question in ANY form I take a ticket. Once we bed down for the night the more tickets they have left the better the prize! So far only one ticket has been taken! We are at the end of the day.

I also put together a map where they can look to see where we are at any given time. This seems to help them grasp how long it will really take.

All in all a good travel day.

Love of the Scriptures

Brianna says to me the other day:

Mom, I love to read the scriptures!

Keep in mind she is just learning her letters so she really isn't 'reading' the scriptures yet, but "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

G-ma Fisk is having her mark "God" every time they run across it in the scriptures. She is really enjoying her involvement during scripture time.

We recently went to pick her up her own scriptures at the Deseret Industries (I got a Bible, Book of Mormon/D&C/Pearl of Great Price for about $4!), and she used them for her first talk in Primary this past Sunday.

I think she is well on the way to becoming a lover of the scriptures.

Goings on

What a joy, my husband and I have been able to have two, count them...TWO, dates this month. My husband turned the whopping 35 this month. When asked as to what he might like for his birthday his response was sweet; "A date with my wife, without the kids, and without having to feel like we needed to hurry home to re-leave the babysitter." His request became my command. I put some feelers out to see if my mother would be open to coming for a visit, I was ecstatic that she said yes. Arrangements were made, and my mother came.

Not only does my husband get his birthday wish, but I get a bunch of things done that would have taken me longer by myself. One of the big things I had planned for the summer was getting my almost 5 year old ready for Kindergarten. Grandma has taught Brianna many letters using the Spaulding phonics program she used on my siblings for years now. She had been learning her alphabet here and there and practicing as well, but I didn't feel she was really going to be ready in time. Grandma has her writing as well as her 2nd grade brother (keep in mind he is a BOY, and penmanship is NOT something he feels the need to improve upon). Brianna is even reading a few words using this method. Here is a sample of her mad writing skilz:

Joseph had been working hard, or should I say finally focusing on earning straight "A"s this last quarter. Guess what, HE DID IT!! Yep, I'm a proud mom. He told me today that he got something just out of the blue at school. Luckily his teacher was right there and let me know that she had to pick out someone who had 'worked really hard' to award this "FUN" Reward Party. It allows the recipient and "5" friends of his choice to: 2 Slices of a one topping pizza, 16 oz cup of soda, 6 tokens, and 2 ride attraction tickets at the Las Vegas mini Gran Prix Family Fun Center. Pretty exciting for a little guy. I wonder who his friends will be?

Kaitlynn has been progressing with friendly competition as her sister has been writing, she thinks she should be able to do everything her sister does. I'm sure she will be more than ready for Kindergarten and might even get bored with it in the two years she has to wait. She will totally enjoy more time with momma only having to share with one sister while Brianna is off at school.

Elizabeth has been sleeping more and thus growing like a weed! While her sisters are working on their "Letters" she has been working on some sign language as well as 'new' words. She is getting pretty polite as well. We have been really working on the concept of 'sharing' which is important in a semi-large family. She also forgets to be gentle with littler folk. Not that she has much to worry about at home, but out and about she's kinda a bully. Once reminded she often can show a more gentler side by petting the victim. She never gives her momma a dull moment! If it's quiet, go look for her, Grandma has learned the hard way. She loves to play in the water and can quickly turn a carpeted (crazy, I know, but we haven't tiled yet) master bath room into a swamp land. She also is very clever and knows how to work 'child proof' anything. It's a challenge and she must conquer.

That's pretty much it for now. I'm extremely grateful my mom was "unemployed" enough to be able to come for a visit and to employ her skills on my children during this time. I should also mention she is willing to house & dog sit, cover for me in my nursery calling while we go to a family reunion in Florida. For a month! Yep, she's a GREAT mom!

It takes a village for a reason...