Leaves, paint and noodles

Yes, I know, it has been a few weeks and I apologize. It has been two weeks because of pictures two and three. We have also been very busy in general--the club season has begun and that means two practices a week. Work has also been busy for both Heath and I, so we are very THANKFUL for the next few days off. It is much needed.

I will begin with a cute photo of Heath and Layne--we did a little yard clean up and I like this photo of the two of them.

Then, of course, the reason for my two week disappearance. We decided to start painting the main level of our house. As you can see, in this stupid modern layout, we have some vaulted ceilings. They required a very tall ladder. All I can say is that it looks great and I am SOOO happy to be done. I am still tired!! I will get some before and after photos up soon.

Heath has finally gotten tired of our unwillingness to go on a hike everyday. Well, I guess he doesn't want to go everyday but it feels like it. Last Sunday he got up early and took Sully on a hike. There was a moment, according to Heath, that he thought Sully was a goner. They came up on a cliff and there were deer at the bottom and Sully just went over the edge. I am happy to say that Sully only had a small cut on his lip. He sure was tired when they got home.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and tonight we are doing some cooking. We are having about 4 others over tomorrow and have a lot to do. All I know is that I really appreciate my grandma and mom for all the dinners they prepared. I do enjoy all of it but it is exhausting. I plan to document the entire day for you. You can hardly tell, but I am showing off my noodles!!! They were delicious

I want to wish all of you a wonderful day and I hope you are all able to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. Don't forget to eat lots of Turkey.

I am so tired and I just hope most of this makes sense when I reread it tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

No More Expander

Last Friday was a very happy day for Layne. She was able to have her expander removed. If you go back to one of my first blogs, I have photos of the contraption they put in her mouth to move things around and make room. It really was a long year of crazy slurping sounds when she ate and hours after. We are all happier. And, once again she is so happy with me for posting these photos!!

Besides the removal of the expander, she got two more brakes on her eye teeth. They are hoping to pull them down a little faster. I hope it works--they have been sitting there for three years (the eye teeth).

A few other family updates. My grandpa was able to go home from the hospital last Friday. He is doing great and starting to walk without assistance. I have talked to him on the phone several times and he does sound great. Jessica (my sister) had this photo on facebook and I thought I would use it for this update. I think he looks great and like trouble--that is a good sign. Love you gramps!!


Jessica also had a few pictures that I just wanted to share. This is Hayes (my nephew) and his Halloween pumpkin. Too funny!!

Hayes celebrated his 3rd birthday last Sunday and he got this cool Jeep. I just hope he doesn't run it into the pond and Scotty has to go in after him--it would be cold!! Anyway, this is Hayes with his baby sister Camrin and it is just adorable.

I have no deep thoughts to end today's blog--just have a fabulous day. Oh, wait.... I did see this quote in a magazine last night and I really liked it--I will end with it. :)

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Mermaids and Monsters

Like I mentioned in my last blog, we did make a trip to Iowa over the weekend. Not a pleasure trip for sure, it was very hard and emotional. I am happy to say that I talked to Gordon on the phone today and he sounds great. I have full confidence that he will make a full recovery--he is tough and stubborn. I am not going to go into the details, but you are more than welcome to email me to talk about it. tori.hoke@gmail.com or better yet (if you know Gordon) send him an email, my grandma would gladly print it and take it to him. jghayes@mchsi.com



So, when things like this happen we all probably go through the same emotions--why?, it's not fair!, I should do more!, why didn't I call more?, why don't I say more?, etc.... When someone dies we wish we had one more moment with them or when something like a stoke or serious illness happens we wish for this or that. Well, I urge you to take the time you have right now and use it. Don't wait for something to happen to make you realize what you need to do or what you should be doing already. Make the call, send the email, make the drive--we all have those people in our lives. Don't wait. The dirty laundry will be there when you get back, the messy house doesn't care how long it is messy........... Sometimes (or most of the time) we get so caught up in LIFE and all the things that we think we need to do--the non important things that mean absolutely nothing in the end. People mean the most to us and too often they are the things we neglect most.

I challenge you to do it--drop what you are doing and make that call you have been saying you would. You won't regret it, that is for sure, and it might even make the rest of your day better. I would love to hear how it goes.



The focus of the trip was grandpa, but we did get to see some family and that was nice. We also got to spend Beggar's Night with Hayes and Camrin. We also had a nice surprise and got to see Kim and Kendra Higginbotham and the kids--that was wonderful.



Below is me with my niece, Camrin the mermaid--look at those cheeks. She may end up beating Layne for the most chub?!!

Hayes was Sully from Monster's Inc--unfortunately is was unseasonably warm that night.

He looks like he might have just gotten caught doing something he shouldn't?!

Layne was invited to a Halloween party with some of her friends from Iowa. She had a plan to go as Glenda the good witch from The Wizard of Oz--in the end, she decided against it. I did have to take a photo because this may be the only time I get to see her in a pink dress.

Hayes was very entertaining at the hospital (although this particular shot wasn't all Hayes' doing)--he kept the mood light. He is also just as ornery as his grandpa Gordon and the name sure does fit.

We also had a wonderful visit with Dana, Erica, Jeff and Lori. Here, it seems, the girls are getting kinda silly. Dana kind of looks like her dad in this photo.


The drive is terribly brutal, not too much to look at across Nebraska or Kansas (we try to mix it up and go different ways). So, when we hit some windmill farms, it was exciting. Really, it is cool and it is actually exciting to see that we really might find great clean ways to produce energy. And they are huge!!

Remember your challenge and if you don't make a call, at least tell someone you love them or just give a hug!!

Tori :)

Life just isn't fair.

So--this is not going to be a fun blog with pictures of what we did this weekend. How we spent Halloween, etc... We got in the car Wednesday evening to drive to Iowa. I know, some of you are like, "WHAT, they came to Iowa?" Yes, my grandpa Gordan had a stroke on Tuesday at his home and so we left Wednesday to come see him. Although there were many of you we would have loved to call and see, it was just purely a visit for him. I will give a more detailed account of what has happened at a later time.

Please keep him in your thoughts.

Tori