Timber!!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the "ground breaking" of Gramma and Grampa's new home!

Wish you could all be there!

I just liked this picture.

The Binghams

Collections of the Black Family Halloween

Halloween was such a blast this year. From school parades, trick or treating and having a party at Jake and Melissa's it was a day to remember. Pictured above are: my kids transformed into a Barbie fairytopia, Batman and Indiana Jones. The rest of the pictures are of the Smith, Bingham and Black kids showing off their costumes. If you notice the last picture, we had a surprise visit from Sarah Palin and John McCain. We were very honored to have them at our party. Melissa and Jacob put on another great Halloween party with: mummy dogs, chowder, eating donuts without our hands dangling from a string, playing Canasta, watching "Monster House" and Jacob scaring all the kids with his hunchback, pig-faced, black wigged creature. We also enjoyed meeting Marissa's friends and boyfriend! Uncle Matthew was sure fun with all the kids. They all love having him around. Thank you for all the fun memories everyone in Utah. We would love to hear and see everyone elses Halloween memories! Love you all!

Happy Halloween- the Millars

Jacob Smith Family Update

Well, unemployment is over and I am now working my tail off during a week of budget cutting for the current and next fiscal year. I got a job as the Commerce and Revenue Analyst in the Governor's Office. What I basically do is review the current and proposed actions and requests of several Utah agencies and provide recommendations based on the Governor's policies to the Governor. Sounds boring, it is, but everyone who works for Utah are extremely nice and well-mannered.

We are currently closing on a home in Centerville which will be nice as it is only 20 minutes from the Capitol Building (where I work), 20 from the airport, and right between the Binghams and the Blacks right now. Also, the school that the kids will be going to is the best elementary school in the state as far as test scores are concerned.

Melissa is rocking and rolling with her Xango distribution. A lot of people are seeing the benefits of drinking this mangosteen botanical. I have been surrounded by sick people and have been perfectly healthy by supplementing my diet with the drink. I don't know how it works, but it does. You should all try it. It's a little tart, but tasty.

Rebekah started kindergarten and we feel bad that she has to change schools, but she was not being challenged at all in Malad and it worried us. We know that Centerville will be a good thing for her.

Sapphira is Sapphira. She is becoming more and more articulate, independent, and a show-off. She is definitely our physically able child and will excel at anything she does.

Zachariah is still growing and getting teeth. He holds his own and has learned how to take the girls down if they bother him. He is beginning to communicate with us very well.

Hope all is well with all of you. I will send an email out as soon as we have our new contact information.

Steve's Stripling Warriors!

Hey guys... just a reminder to sign up to walk or virtually walk. I know we plan to wear our red, black, and white (we plan to make bands, head and/or arm ones, that say "Steve's Stripling Warriors" if any one wants to join us) on Saturday. I better see you all on the list to walk by Friday!!!

Join the Team Now!

Click that link above and then click join team and sign the fam up...

Love you all.... LOVE YOU DAD!!!!

Family Pictures

So here are the pictures we took at the reunion:

http://picasaweb.google.com/maeganmillar

There are 2 albums of it. One is just of random pics we took and the other is the family pictures we took. If there are some favorites you'd like high resolution versions of let me know the # of the pic (you can also click "more info" on the pic menu on the left side and give me the filename too) and we'll send it too ya.

We're also working on some polished photoshop versions of some of the best pics, more on the that when we get there :). ENJOY!

Just think, this is where we will be in a few days. I'm excited to see all of you!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM and JOSH!

Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday mom/gramma and Josh!!! Hope it is pleasant for both of you and we love you!
- From the Millars

Changes and Additions to Blog

YAY!!!!!! People are actually using the blog. I'm really, really excited guys, THANKS. So since its actually beginning to be used I made some changes, which are as follows:

-Title: Since it includes more than just the reunion stuff I changed the title... um so the creative literacy juices aren't flowing right now I'd love some suggestions for our blog title (leave some suggestions and maybe I'll set up a poll or something)

-Labels: I added labels to the existing posts and there is a side bar for them now. That way we can easily sort the posts we are looking for. We can add whatever labels as we go along, but for now I just gave the reunion stuff a "2008 Reunion" label, and each family that has made a post has a label for their family (add additional labels if you'd like- you put labels in at the bottom of the text box on your post)

-Template: I just thought the other template wasn't very readable, so I changed it! :)

The Black Fantastic 5 Remarks

Hey Family!

We will get our blog going once we can sit down and do it! This is great. I love seeing and hearing all about your families. We are in Portland right now enjoying the Wieland's home and the beautiful weather and scenery. It is absolutely beautiful. I think I have found my dream location to settle down someday. We are having so much fun being here in the Northwest. It smells so good and feels so good. I am excited to see everyone here soon. Jennie and I have decided to do a Mexican Fiesta on Thursday for dinner. Oh, and girls bring a pair of flip flops to do the craft if you want for girls night. I would love suggestions on how to do the Amazing Race if you have any. Elisa wasn't this your idea? Jacob you have first hand experience! Amy does not want to drive anywhere for the race. I have to agree with Amy if we can just do it by foot. Anyway, love you all and our BIG SMITH CLAN ROCKS!

Elisa Says Hi!

This is great! I love the blog Maegan, such an awesome idea! We are excited to see all of you! Melissa and I were thinking of doing a weenie roast if no one else has planned it. See you soon.

Jacob Smith Family Update

So all of you know, I am currently unemployed. I was laid off in June due to a "budget deficit" of about 3.5 million dollars at the City of Saratoga Springs. The real reason I was laid off was because they did not like the Assistant City Manager and in an attempt to get rid of him, they asked the City Manager to choose either his position or my position as well as one other. The City Manager chose the Assistant out of loyalty and my position became unfunded. Saratoga Springs' city council were the most radical I've ever seen in their approach to balancing the budget. In most cases, this job is done by city staff and the council approves it, in this case we had a BYU MBA student on the council who decided to tackle the problem and his solution was slashing staff (similar to the private sector model - very unethical). I lost my job as well as 16 others (out of 60 employees including police and fire).

Enough about that, fortunately and unfortunately we were building a house and had saved up enough money for the downpayment and closing costs, so we are living off of that as well as unemployment for the next little while. We are living in Malad with Melissa's parents until we can find a rental here in town. At first, the small town was an annoyance to me, but after being here for a couple of weeks, it is kind of refreshing and stress-free. I enjoy it.

In the meantime while I look for a job, Melissa is doing odd-jobs and I have accelerated by writing career. If any of you ever have any ideas for a novel, let me know. I am always open to ideas. Right now I am working on a piece dealing with Constantine (has never been done).

We look forward to seeing all of you, especially the ones we have not seen in a long time. See all of you at the end of July!

Meal Assignments

In progress...

All: Bring plastic ware, a large package of paper plates, cups, napkins, etc.

All Breakfast: individual houses

Thursday
Dinner: Black and Wieland
- Mexican Fiesta

Friday
Lunch: Mo's Chowder House/ Dutch Treat
Dinner: Bingham and J. Smith
-Weenie Roast

Saturday
Lunch: Millar and Silver
-Wraps
Dinner: Crook and S. Smith
-Chicken Parmesan
-Pasta bar (spaghetti and alfredo, etc)

Agenda

THURSDAY

Morning : Travel

Afternoon: Check in

Evening: Smith Tool Time Exchange (no crying allowed :))

Snacks and Games

FRIDAY

Morning : Kids Kraft (Elisa, Jennie and Maegan)

Afternoon: Amazing Race-Family Edition (Steph and Rachel)

Beach activities/ Hiking

Evening: GUYS- Wii (+ come with ideas)

GIRLS- Flip Flop boutique + other crafts & ideas (Rachel, Amy, Melissa, and any others welcome)

SATURDAY

Morning : Family Portraits (bring cameras)

Wielands- ?

Silvers- Gray

Black- Black

J. Smith- White

Crook- Green

Binghams- Blue

Millar- Brown

S. Smith- Yellow

Afternoon: Beach activities/ Hiking

Evening: Whatever we want

SUNDAY

Morning : Check out and Church

Afternoon: Travel

Evening: Travel

Accommodations

CHECK IN- 4:00 PM, THURSDAY, JULY 31

CHECKOUT- 11:00 AM, SUNDAY, AUGUST 3

BEDDING AND TOWELS, ETC ARE PROVIDED AT THE RENTALS, BUT EXTRA TOWELS FOR THE BEACH AND BEDDING FOR BABIES WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. There aren’t cribs for little ones, so if you have a portable bed, bring it.

Five corners cottage

Grampa and Gramma
Crook family

Free spirit

Matt and Marissa

Silver family
Millar family
Bingham family

Josh’s uncle’s place

Wieland family
Black family

Camp site

Jacob smith family

The beginnings of converting my family to blogs :)

Will anyone make posts???... we shall see...