New Moon

Heather, Sam, me and the little boys went to see the movie New Moon this afternoon!! First, we started out by having lunch at the Olive Garden (where else is there to eat if Heather is with you), then we went to the movies. Corban was so excited to see the movie because it had ware wolves in it and that's all he cared about. Well, he ended up falling asleep until just 3 minutes before the part with the wolves. He was sitting on my lap and when the wolves jump Corban jumped! It was kind of funny but then I thought I better cover his eyes so he doesn't get scared but he did not want to have them covered. He was glued to the screen the rest of the movie. There's a part in there where one of the vampires tells Bella to take his hand and Corban said out loud "don't hold his hand, don't do it!". It was funny!! I think he is hooked. Jayce slept all the way through it until about 3 minutes from the ending so we were able to watch the movie. It was sooooooo good, I can't wait until June 30th when the next one comes out. After the movie we went to the mall and did a little Christmas shopping. It was so fun to spend the afternoon with my two girls and my two little guys!!! I'm so LUCKY!!!!!

Trick or Treat

The doorbell rang.................and this is what greeted me!! At first I was scared but then I realized it was Halloween and these two cute little guys were Corban, The Vampire who wants to suck your blood and Jayce, Frankenstein who just really wanted to eat his candy right away! I love these two little boys so much!! They have been to 3 parties and now they are Trick or Treating. You can bet that I loaded them up with lots and lots of candy and pop, you know, just in case they don't have enought treats!!

I just love Halloween!!!!

Goodbye Trapper

Today was a very sad day for the Hyita household. Our family pet member Trapper who has been with us for 15 years was unexpectedly taken from us. :( We got Trapper as a puppy while we lived in Casper Wyoming and he has been our lovable, loyal pet since then. He was the best dog ever and held a special place in each of our hearts!

We have so many fun memories with our Trapper, like our trips to Lake Powell. If the kids were in the water playing and screaming Trapper thought they might be drowning so he would jump in and save them. It seems like he would always find the one dead fish on shore and be sure to roll around on it just so we could smell how pretty he was, or when we would all get in the boat and Trapper would be the last one in and then he would shake and get us all wet!! He loved going places with us and was always such a good traveler!! He loved jumping in the camper and traveling from Washington state to Utah. While Bart would be loading the camper Trapper would lay inside the doorway to make sure we wouldn't leave him behind! He even flew across country to Pennsylvania and when we got him off the plane everyone in the airport wanted to pet him

He loved playing football and baseball with the boys . The boys would hit the ball and Trapper would go fetch it and bring it back to them. He loved running and chasing the kids all over the yard playing tag, hide and go seek or even jumping on the trampoline.

He was our protector! He once cornered a possum and a few years back he even got the best of a raccoon. One day while we lived in Washington, we woke up and Trapper was at the back french doors looking in with a face full of porcupine quills.

He loved to sit, shake & speak. The little kids loved it when he would "speak" and when our nephew Dakota was little he would make his Mom call so Trapper could speak to him on the phone. I don't think there was anyone who didn't love Trapper!!

He became Corban's "boy" and you could always find the two of them in a hug or playing fetch and there were lots of times when Trapper was Peter Pan or Captain Hook, a bear or a horse. They became good buddies!!

I know that he loved each one of the kids and Bart as much as we all love him!!! He will be deeply missed and thought of often!

When we had his funeral today Matt said it best in his prayer, "we are so grateful and lucky to have had Trapper as a member of our family". We love you Trapper and miss you already!!

Heather, Jonas, Trapper & Matthew
Corban & his "boy" Trapper as Peter Pan

Trapper, our faithful and loving family member of 15 years

Happy Birthday Jonas

Happy Birthday Jonas!!

Today is Jonas' 24th birthday!! I can't believe my little boy has grown so fast into a incrediable young man! It just seems like yesterday that he was my sweet little baby that I held in my arms. I remember just holding him and watching him breathe, of course he had bronchinal pneumonia twice before he was 4 weeks old. That was such a scary time but little did I know there would be other scary times ahead. Like when he ran away and I couldn't find him (yes he was hiding in the linen closet--little stink bug!) or when he would fall and scrape his elbows and knees. When he was trying to be a dare devil and jumped from the trampoline to the tricky bars at his Grandma and Grandpa Branch's house and broke his arm. Then there was the time he broke his collar bone during a football game. When he started school. When he got his drivers license. I can't count the many times he called me and told me he was in a car accident and then say "just kidding"---again little stink bug!! I could probably go on and on........

With as many scary times we have had there have been many more times of laughter and fun. Times when we have shared secrets, proud moments of success and accomplishements and watching him grow into a awesome person.

The very best though is when I get hugs.........big hugs! Hugs that say I am still your little boy and will always be. Hugs that say I'm ok Mom don't worry or ones for no reason what so ever!!!

We are so blessed to have Jonas in our family!! He has so many qualities about him that make him stand out where ever or whoever he is with. He has the ability to make people laugh, he is a generous person, he has a very big kind heart. He LOVES his nephews Corban and Jayce. I could go on and on but I will say this..........................

Happy Bithday Jonas!! "I love you forever, I love you for always as long as I'm living my baby you'll be!" ~Mom

On Top Of The World

A few weeks ago Val called Corban and asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he said he wanted Uncle Jeff to take him up on the real mountains and hunt an elk. So, Aunt Val made Corbans birthday wish come true!! Heather, the boys and myself flew into Utah last Saturday and on Sunday morning Uncle Jeff, Aunt Val, Dakota, Delaney, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jim, Brock, Great Ramma & Rampa "Ranch", Aunt Laurie and Uncle Jonas (that was all, I hope) and us all went up above East Carbon to Bruins where Jeff has his hunting camp.

On the way up, Corban got to see several herds of antelope which made the beginning of the hunt awesome!! We then took the switch backs (lots of them) and a steep, steep climb to get to the top of Bruins. Jeff stopped at a view point so we could look down (way down) to the valley below. It was so beautiful!! Words cannot describe the beauty of God's creation!!

We arrived at "Camp Hilton" where the scenery was just as beautiful. Uncle Jeff has camp set up so nice!! We ate lunch and then Corban wanted to "hunt" so Uncle Jeff had Jonas, Brock and Dakota place a recording of a hurt bunny on the hillside and after about 5 minutes he had successfully called in a pack of coyote. We just sat, watched and listened to the coyotes try to find the bunny. Dakota forgot to put the recording on continue replay so after about 30 minutes the coyotes began to rock out on Val's ipod music!!

Then Uncle Jeff took a few "chosen hunters" which did not include me, Jayce, the Ram-parents, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jim or Aunt Laurie (something about us being noisy) out to bugle in some elk. So this is how the story I heard goes.

Uncle Jeff took the "chosen" to a "secret location" and after Jonas carried Corban up and down a hill side, Brock stepping in a fresh cow pie and sliding a bit, Heather & Delaney trying to keep up and be quiet and Dakota and Brock chit, chatting in "whispers", they arrived at a spot and Jeff began his call. It wasn't long that a big elk came in........within 30 yards. Corban was so quiet and just watched as the elk just looked at them. After a few minutes it ran off and the chosen moved to another location. Unlce Jeff worked his magic once again and bugled in lots of big elk!! Corban kept telling Uncle Jonas to go back to the truck and get his pump gun so he could shoot the elk. He was a little upset when he was told they could only watch the elk and not shoot them but he was so excited to see "real elk" in the "real forest" that it was ok.

The chosen said they could hear other elk bugling and running through the trees and some were even hitting horns. Corban was so quiet and amazed and he said that "this was the best day ever!!"

When he got back to camp he told the rest of us the whole story and showed us how each elk looked at him and how they were bugling back at Uncle Jeff!! It was so fun to see the total excitment in his eyes and hear him tell us everything!

We then started our ride back down the switch backs and off the steep, steep mountain to home where we tucked a sleeping Corban into bed where I am sure he was dreaming of "the best day ever" with elk, coyotes, antelope and Uncle Jeff!

Thanks Uncle Jeff for making his birthday wish come true!!!

On top of Bruins looking down on creation!
Corban getting ready to go find the big elk!!!

The hunting began................poor Corban was the elk that Brock & Dakota shot!!

Sweet Baby Jayce, he couldn't go out to call in the elk so he stayed back at camp and cut firewood!

Jonas & I spending quality time together in the mountains!

Fall is Here!!!

I love, love, love fall!!! I love the crisp, cool air in the evenings and mornings, the mild temptures throughout the day. I love the smells of apples and cinnamon and the baking and eating :) the pumpkin cookies and cakes, apple crisp, pumpkin pies.........!! I love the colors of the leafs as they are turning, football season!, Halloween and Thanksgiving! I really do love fall!!!
I put up some decorations around the house last Friday and I had to put most of them up high above the cupboards because Jayce loves to move things around on me!! :) This year I made the Scarecrow hat that is hanging on my front door. Not to bad for someone who is not creative. I also made the pumpkin a few years back (idea from Relief Society) and I just bought the wheat candle holders this year and added the leafs and acorns around them. When I go out to Utah Valerie is going to take me to a fun boutique to do some more fall shopping!! Yeah!!!

Hissssss

Hisssss.........car!

This past weekend Bart and I took Hissssss ......car to a car show. We had to change plans at the last minute and instead of going to the Flight 93 Memorial show (due to rain) we went to the Waynesburg car show instead. It was so nice for Bart and I to do something together and we had a lot of fun. After the car show we went for a ride and got an ice cream and then went to Mingo Park. We even took our top down for the ride home!!!