ENSIGN Christmas 2009

This, we hope, will be a cherished memory for our family

More Checklist Items

8. Camera
9. Sunglasses
10. Sunblock (for those who are skiing or out in the snow)
11. Carmex or your choice of lip balm
12. Breath mints, no explanation needed! ;)
13. Elastic waist pants, we Knights know how to party and party=eat!
14. The supplies for whatever you're in charge of
15. Your children's costume for their part, contact LARON for that info!
16. A gift for each of your kids for Santa to distribute, please wrap as THIS elf won't have extra paper for you!
17. Gifts that JOlly Old St. Nick will leave for your fam to open Christmas morning
18. Flashlights or if you're me, you glow in the dark (but only when naked! ;)
19. Scriptures
20. Depends so you don't have to wake anyone up if you have a weak bladder. See Nichole, I bet she has some Walgreens coupons for these!

Ensign Checklist

Jeri Ann asked me if I would post the start of a checklist on the blog of things that you may need to take to Ensign. Please add more to the list if you can think of anything.

Nichole

1. Bedding--including a pillow.
2. Slippers or preferably flip flops
3. Games--boardgames, card games etc.
4. Snow gear
5. Sleds
6. EARPLUGS
7. A towel

You will appreciate the adventure!

After traveling to Ensign a couple of weeks ago, I've decided it won't be as primitive as the "handcart trek" (remember I said that it WON'T), but it's going to be a lot of fun. Just make sure that you bring some kind of fip flops or slippers to wear (Flip flops would be more ideal w/snow as some of the floors are not very smooth. Mattresses seem pretty thin too! If you bring any air mattresses, you might want to bring plastic to put underneath. There is 2 fireplaces in the "activity room", which also has a pool table, shuffle board, fooz ball, ect. But bring any game that you have available (labled. They had a few games in a big box, but we don't know what condition they are in! Make sure you bring bedding, pillow and snow clothes. There is heaters in each of the rooms in the lodge and each of the bunkhouses. They will have a Christmas tree for us to decorate. If you have any festive stuff that would add to the holiday--BRING IT. Also we may be able to have a horse pulled ride (if there is not too much white stuff.) Also is fishing (diehards you can bring your gear!!!). Elk watching where they feed the elk, a couple of miles away. We can not snowmobile inside park, but snopark is close, as well as skiing. Bring sleds, tubes, and whatever you choose to slide down the hills! This should be a fun experience!!

Thanksgiving

What a special time of the year to vocally give thanks. We are thankful for this great year of 2009. We added one special baby to our family! We are blessed for this event. We are grateful for our many many blessings, which includes a wonderful family who give us many joys. We thank our Heavenly Father for his patience, kindness and bounteous blessings!

We are thankful for our pilgrim fathers, who endured much, our pioneer ancestors for their diligence in giving us the opportunity to have the gospel in our lives. We will forever praise their names.

We are thankful for our children, who are striving to put the Lord's teachings into their lives, and the lives of their children. We are so blessed. You are an awesome group, who show Christ-like love to each other and those around you! May the Lord bless you and strengthen you. Love, Mom

Halloween Continues!

More Halloween fun

Such a fun day and such scary people came! Who are they????

Halloween Fun

COMPANY CAME

What a great treat to have Aunt Verda (87) & Uncle Willard (93) come with their son, Neil and wife, Pat. Such a GOING pair. I hope that I'm still that strong when I get their age! Uncle Willard is legally blind, but is able to navigate fairly well. I was able to catch up on all of the Stoker cousins and their families because the group had visited them all! We had a great dinner together (also with Dennis and Lora Jo, Jim and their spouses)--thanks to Nichole and Becky! THe food was most wonderful!

Aunt Verda coming tommorrow

Aunt Verda and Uncle Willard (only sibling left of Grandpa Stoker's family). Their son, Neil and his wife are bringing them. They will visit (While we are on our shift at the temple)Aunt Genevie and Aunt Audrey in Tri-cities. If you would like to see them you might meet up with them at Aunt Genevie's. They will come and have dinner at our house (abt 6pm)Aunt Lora Jo and Uncle Dennis and their spouses will come for dinner. If you want come by and say hello we would love to have you!

McKay's a Star, Well...err...a Sunbeam!

This was my first experience of having a child in a Primary Program. I've been on the end where I've had to be in charge of, said program, and that is stressful. This time, I just got to sit back and relax, well kind of. I was worried McKay wouldn't sit still, would't say his line, etc. Thankfully, he was one of the first ones, and his line was, "My body is a temple." He got up, and the teacher prompted a little, but he said his line, and it was clear as a bell! I just wanted to cry. He has really come along way, and I am just so grateful that he has finally begun to be more verbal. He was also very sweet trying so hard to sing the songs up there. He tried so hard. Next year I will be more diligent in playing the songs in the car and around the house. He has just started getting into singing, so I'm pretty sure, even if I'd tried earlier, he wouldn't have done it!

Also, he had to take up his Transformers with him. I tried so hard to get him to leave them on the bench, but he refused. Luckily they distracted him enough to keep him sitting more still up there.

Here he is this morning before church. He looked so handsome! He had to include Bumblebee and Optimus in the photo shoot. He even had to allow for them each to have an individual picture. He is such a funny kid.


Optimus and Bumblebee get their moment in the spotlight.


I also had to include this deer in the headlights look!

labor day

ok I know I should have posted this a long time ago! sorry! but i finally figured out how to put it onto the blog. so this video is of Nicole on labor day when we were riding the horse and its so funny!!!

~Carly~

GRANDMA'S HALLOWEEN PARTY

Just a quick note to tell you the annual party will be Oct 31 @ 3pm. If you want to come earlier that will be fine. We will do TRUNK & TREAT. It will be the usual with prizes for the best (or worst!) costumes, etc. Be creative! We will follow w/ wiener roast ect. Grandma will furnish the wieners and buns and drink. If you care you can bring salads or desserts. Plan for a fun day and if weather permits Grandpa will have the horses out!

BIG STOKER REUNION 2010

2010 Grandpa Lee & Ethel Stoker would be have been 100 years old. We are planning a 2-3 day reunion for July. It will be at Windust Park. The dates are July 15, 16, & 17. (We will not be having the usual Memorial Day Fest as this will be in lieu of it.) So mark it on your calendars. This will be Thurs, Fri, and Sat.--Camping will be the order of the day and since many of us live near--we will try to reserve "spots." Plan to make it a fun tribute!

Knight Family Album

For those who don't have one or haven't seen someone else's, I thought I'd post the link to our album from the family pictures Annette took. The book turned out amazing, and I'm sure you will all enjoy it. Plus, this way, you can send the link out to anyone else you want to view the album.

~Mikaela

http://www.olivieriportraitdesign.com/#/knight-family-intro-/

ok this video is pretty funny!!!

ok so some of the family went to grama and grampas house on labor day. and if u havnt heard yet mr. wiggles (the horse) is now trained so we can ride him or her. lol but this video i just had 2 share it is of nicole riding the horse and i think it is hilarious! i cant believe i got it recorded!!! well just see for urself! ill have to post some other pics later of other people riding mr. wiggles. well school has started and im loving it (even though it is so harder then last year) but for math and spanish i get 2 credits for my freshman year so it has been harder classes. volleyball has been fun and my first game is on the 24th against othello!!! im so excited! o and livestock show was just this last weekend and i had alot of fun and even made some new friends. i got $6.50 for my sheep and it weighed about 138lbs! well i've got to go bye!

~carly~

Old Missionary Chapel on Mackinec and lighthouse

Mackinec Island, Michigan

We were so glad Kyle told us about this Island. It is like taking a step back in time. There are no cars on the island, only horses, carriages, and bicycles. The one picture is of the ferry boat that took us accross to the island. The picture of the fort that was built by the British in 1600. There is a picture of one of the Grand Hotels and another of one of the many homes. It was very touristy but also very interesting!

Newel K. Whitney Store & Kirtland Temple

The film at the visitor's center in Kirtland was awesome! We went to the Whitney Store and I was able to look through the accounts book and find Vinson Knight's name and Reuben McBride(I would have liked to browse more into the book but the group was waiting on me!). But, the account book made them more real! We didn't find Vinson Knight's home this time--mostly because we didn't take time! The facimile of the sawmill and the ashery were most enlightening. I always had wondered where they got money to buy the needed supplies for the Temple completion and the ashery answered that question!

This visit to the Kirtland temple was in the evening and it was so beautiful sitting so magestically on the hill. The grounds were so beautiful!