It's been a long time since I posted anything on our blog. But summer was a blast, another trip to Disneyland and Southern CA in general. I've been there 7 times in the past 18 months, maybe a I should just move there, but if I did, I'd probably just vacation in Utah.

I have two seniors this year, actually 3 as my other nephew Zack came to live with us this year too. So three seniors in the house, one Freshman and one 7th grader. Where does time go? It seems like yesterday they were all little babes in my arms, now today they are grown adults.

Life is good, challenging, but as they say what doesn't kill you can only make you stonger. I've finally decided to take better care of myself and have drop almost 30 lbs since August. I've got another 15-20 I want to drop, and I know I can do it with the help of ACG! LOL, but hey it works.

Zion's Trip 2009

The Graff family (Janae's side) went down to Zion's National Park once again. We had a great time. The weather was perfect. We stayed in at fun little ranch which made the girls happy that the had showers.

I use to hike Angels Landing from time to time when I was younger and decided to take Parker (11) and Kacie (17) on it. I had forgotten how dangerous that hike was. I was petrified as was Parker that we were going to fall off the cliff. We didn't make it all the way but was proud my boy made it as far as he did. Feel free to take a look at the pictures on Facebook. The one where we are looking down the cliff face only had about 12 inch path between us and 800 feet.

Spring Break Vacation April 2009

We enjoyed a nice vacation over Spring Break this past April. We went down to San Diego, CA and boarded the Carnival Elation for a 4 day cruise to Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico. The kids had a great time on the ship, the girls basked in the sun most of the time, and they boys play basketball a lot. Alex enjoyed the endless buffets and food bars that cruises dish out. But poor Alex felt humiliated as he was out eaten by his little 12 year old cousin Brock.

Catalina was great, the kids spent most of the day on the beach while some of us rented a golf cart and drove around the city of Avalon. There were lots of fun little shops and places to eat. We had a great time there.

Mexico, was well.....Mexico, I swore I would never go to that hole again, but I did. And though we were in of course a good area of Ensenada, it was still pretty bad and most of the kids realized that they were no longer in America and really wanted to get back to the ship where they felt safe. Nothing bad happened; it is just a dirty, filthy, gross place. It is no wonder those poor people want to get across the boarder, I don't blame them one bit.

After the cruise we went up to Anaheim, CA and went to my second home for 3 days (Disneyland). I can never get enough of that place it is such a wonderful place to play and have a good time. Nothing compares to it, in my opinion.

I went by the old house and saw Darryl Nichols (an old neighbor and friend) He looked good and we caught up on what has happened the last 15 years or so since I saw him last.

From there we went up to St. George, UT and spent Easter (and Zach's Birthday) up there. (Well actually Leesa continued on her way home) But on our way there we stopped off at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, NV and road the Desperado (a 225 foot high roller coaster). Parker road it too and had a blast, he has never been on a roller coaster so high before.

Overall we had a good time. Feel free to go to my Facebook page to see our pictures

Bathing Suit Pervert

Since this all new to me I'm not sure if I am doing this right, as I wanted to create a link from my first post to this, but this will have to do.

In my first post I made a comment about how a great story went with the story about Parker and me going swimming. Well here it is!!!

First off you need to know that Janae and I went bathing suit shopping for me at JC Penny's. Janae found a nice blue suit for me, and I admit it looks awesome. The sides of the suit have blue Hawaiian type flowers on it and the front and back are this real cool looking blue solid pattern. (In other words it is a nice looking bathing suit)

So while I was off work last November Parker and I went to an indoor family swimming pool, it wasn't very crowded but there were a number of mothers there with their small children. So Parker and I were having a great time swimming around. Well, Parker and I go and stand underneath the waterfalls and toys and start playing around squirting each other, running through the waterfalls, just having a great time. When Parker looks at me with this real bizarre looking expression and says to me, "Dad, why are there naked ladies all over your bathing suit"? I looked at him all confused and said something like, "I don't have naked ladies on my bathing suit” He tells me to look at my suit. I look down at my new bathing suit and it is covered with silhouettes of naked ladies like you see on the mud flap on some trucks. I about died, I quickly sat down in the pool and we both look at each other and he starts laughing and calling me a pervert (I suspect these mothers with their small kids were thinking the same).

I got out and quickly put a towel around me and start wondering how in heaven's name Janae and I didn't see all these naked ladies on the suit. I had my suspicion and dried off my suit and as I did the silhouettes slowly disappeared, and as I got back in the pool……………………"TADA" naked ladies all over my suit.

I’m just glad I decided to go swimming and found this out before going down to Janae’s family reunion in St. George. I could just see it now, I’m in the pool with all her cousins, aunts, uncles, ECT, and then I show up with a naked lady swimming suit. However, I’m sure everyone would have had a good laugh though.

(You know the suit wouldn’t have been so bad on an ‘in shape 25 year old walking along Miami Beach, but definitely not on a 30 lb overweight, bald man at a family pool)

Well the Holiday Seasons have come and gone, and it is back to the normal routine of life.

The kids are back in school and doing well, with the quarter ending, we hope to see all 5 of them with A's and B's. (Always better grades than their father).

I am still working my new shift but taking in as much O.T. as possible which is usually a graveyard shift. Janae says things are getting a little busier at work now that people need teeth pulled after eating all their holiday candy.

Kacie is starting to apply to a couple of different colleges around the state soon she has to make a decision on where she will be going (hopefully BYU).

Tiffany and Alex are getting ready to take drivers ed. and get their permits. (There goes my car insurance rates, AHAHAHAHAHA)

Parker participated in the School Science Fair and was one of 8 finalist to continue on to the district where he'll go up against other schools in the district, (like I said much smarter than his father).

Payton is still doing well in school, and did I mention she is playing the violin and took part in a school concert where she was the best one there (I'm a little bias though).

Tuesday we look forward to going through the Draper Temple Open House. This will be a new experience for some of the kids. Parker especially is looking forward to it.

Sadly Aunt Betty passed away on Christmas morning. She fell asleep in her favorite chair and peacefully went home to her Father in Heaven. I am so glad I had the opportunity to sit down with her and talk about her early days at Disney Studios. Something new I learned about her that I thought was really neat was that Walt Disney asked her to check out computers in the 50's/60's to see how they would work in the animation business. However, back then they were so new that they didn't do the work needed. However, it is kind of neat to think that today companies like Pixar got thier idea from Aunt Betty (well not really but I like to think so).

We need to get with the times!

We finally decided to start a blog to keep friends and family updated (only if we update the blog of course). So here are our beginnings with this.

I am working a new shift and I LOVE it I work from 4am to 2pm Mon-Thur. Work is as busy as ever. I never seem to be able to catch up (especially on sleep now, but at least there is no traffic on the freeway at 3:30 in the morning).

Janae still likes working for her father as an office manager/surgical assistant.

Kacie (wow where do I begin with Kacie) I have a senior in High School and she is looking to attend Utah State next year. I have no idea where time went, I swore she was just born. She does a lot with her friends but is a big help for Janae and I as a chauffer driving kids around.

Tiffany, for a while now has surpassed her older sister in height and looks and everyone thinks she is the older one, which is to Kacie's dismay. But still Tiffany will have her license in the few months. (There is no way I can be this old).

Parker is still my little man in which we still do a lot together like last week he was off track and I took the week off work and we went swimming (a great story goes with this) we went on picnics, out to lunch almost everyday. We visited family, and Aunt Betty filled my mind and heart with all kinds of Disney stories from the past. Aunt Betty worked as a ink and paint girl and then as a final inspector for their films. She painted most of Tinker Bell that you see in the original Peter Pan. Needless to say this Disney Junkie couldn't get enough.

Alex and Payton are doing great, and have adjusted better than to be expected into our family. They sure have shown us courage and strength in dealing with their mothers death a year and half ago. Janae sure misses her sister but I am sure is happy to raise her children as her own.

Alex plays football for Bingham High and stands about 6"4' and weighs in around 235. Luckily I can still take him, but I'm afraid that won't be the case in about a year. His strength will finally out weigh my experience of being older.

Payton loves school, if it wasn't for some stupid math teacher who gave her an A- she would have had a 4.0 this quarter. (I told her she got her brains from her uncle, but then she said something like, Yeah Uncle Mike is quite smart huh?)

Payton and Tiffany are more than just cousins, more than just friends, they are more like true sisters than I've never seen before. They play, fight, work, share clothes, and makeup like I've never seen the likes of before. Luckily there is such an age difference that I don't need to worry about them taking each others boy friends at this time of their life. By the time that can happen (in their late teens/20's they should be out of the house)

Well we try to keep this blog updated as much as possible, but enjoy what little bit there is.