Grateful

Something has been on my mind since I found out yesterday. I had to write a post about my friend. We had great neighbors at Camp Pendleton. One family, the Franks, moved in a few months after we arrived there. They had a newborn daughter and a great big dog that my kids loved. Allie, the mom, was super strong even though she had her baby and moved into base housing all while her husband was deployed to Iraq. Fast forward a couple of months and her husband comes home, they find out they are pregnant with Baby #2 and they are moving to Okinawa a month before we do. How fun!

Yesterday I found out that Allie's husband had been deployed to Iraq (again, like so many Marines). Unfortunately, he won't be coming home this time. He was killed by small arms fire. This is the first person that I have personally known who has been killed. They now have a one year old and a newborn. My heart is just aching for her and the girls.

My first reaction was that I am so grateful for Warren for his enthusiasm to serve and for his sacrifice to help the Iraqi people. Now I'm just filled with sadness for all Allie is going through. I'm sure she'll be leaving the island in a couple of days and that Warren's unit will pack up their belongings and send them home. She will try to go on with life with a giant hole in hers.

I just wanted my friends out there in cyberspace to know that families are paying the ultimate sacrifice. Please pause a moment when you hear that a service member has died on the news. Think about Allie and all the other families out there that will never be the same for the cause of freedom.

Tour de Okinawa

I'm so proud of Rob. He participated in a 110 mile bike ride called the Tour de Okinawa last Saturday. It was a northern loop around the island. The longest he had gone before this was 60 miles and that was about a month ago. They had to get up at 4:30am to get there in time, but they boys loved the accomplishment. I hear there were a million steep "Cottonwood Canyon" type hills, but somehow they all pulled threw. Way to go Babe!

a couple more halloween shots...

Getting our full size candy bars ready for trick-or-treaters. Rob's dad had to send them to us from Costco b/c they don't sell them here. Thanks, Todd! It was so busy they were gone within an hour.

Neighborhood parade.

Neighborhood kids.

Noah and his loot (after he "regifted" the candy he didn't like to trick-or-treaters that came to our house after he got home).

The empty wrappers along with the Sorensen's halloween card...Thanks Brookie, Claire and Addie!

Neighborhood

I love our neighborhood. Here is an impromptu bonfire night we had last week. Gotta love fun friends and neighbors and a trampoline to wear the kids out.

Family Portrait

I guess there was someone missing from our family pictures. Here is a picture Noah drew of our "expanding" family due June 2009.

Family Pics 2008

I won an opportunity to have a photo shoot with a gal in our ward. She isn't professional, but she did a good job (and she was free!) I only needed one good shot for our Christmas cards and I think we got it. Here are some of my favorites.


I love how even Isabella is giving a goofy face in this shot. The Kiser family always does a silly shot with every photo shoot and I think it's a great tradition.




Noah is my sweet boy and I love his natural smile in this shot.

Ben insists on dressing himself everyday. He always picks out shorts, a t-shirt, socks and sneakers. Of course, he has a belt and must tuck his shirt in. Ben is one of those kids that I'm sure will be the "popular" kid in school, but he sure looks like Erkle now.



This totally captures Issy's smile with her tongue.

Christmas cards

hello all. it's that time of year again when i am starting to think about doing my christmas cards. if you've moved in the last year, or if i just don't have your adddress, please leave me your snail mail address. if you don't feel comfortable posting it as a comment you can email it to me at missykiser@gmail.com. have a lovely day!