Alan's first plane ride. Destination Columbus, Ohio

My dad's brother Bob passed away a few month's before my dad, but his daughter Viki was in the hospital so they waited to have his funeral until she was better. My mom made a promise to my dad before he passed that she would try her best to go to his funeral. Since the flights were so cheap I was able to go along for support. Alan was still free so I took him along to help out Mike. Five kids is easier then six. This was Alan's first flight, and he did great. Unless you ask the man sitting in front of us. Alan was a lap child on a full flight from Phoenix to Ohio (a 3 1/2 hr flight.) For thoughs of you who have been on a plane know there's about 2 inches from you and the seat in front of you, so the gentleman in front of us got a 3 and 1/2 hr back amssage that he didn't appreciate. He said his peace and reccomended Dimatap for the next flight. We were lucky enough to get a row to ourselves for the remaining 3 connections so Alan had more legroom. That was a blessing since the flight home from Columbus to Phoenix took 5 and 1/2 hours due to weather conditions. It was a brsik 12 degree's when we left Columbus. Luckily while we were visiting it was in the 40's until the day we left. It wasbeatiful to see the snow, but I was greatful to see the sun in California.

These are my uncle Bob's 5 daughter's (Valarie back left, Viki middle back, Bobbie front left, Leslie front right, and Amy back right, and my Uncle Ronnie's son Mike.

This is me and my sister Dawn again with my cousin Beth (aunt Bonnie's daughter).>

This is me with my cousin Linda (my Aunt Shirley's daughter). >

This is me and my mom with my sister Dawn who I have not seen in 8 years. Alan with his new bear from aunt Dawn!

Samantha's Home Science project

Mike saw this on the Internet and thought it would be fun to try it out at home since Samantha had just dragged him to the school science fair and got his wheels in his head turning. So off to the store for diet coke and mento's. This is why the prophet discourages us from drinking caffeinated drinks. LOL

Just a little fizz! I was glad it didn't turn out like the one where a little boy drank the coke and mento's at the same time and his head flew off. Mike assure's me that was just special affects and that didn't really happen. Let's hope not. The experiment was fun and harmless and kept Samantha busy logging it all down in her science journal.

Family Canning!

This week we had a very productive

Family night with extended Family
We had lot's of fun canning 72 hour

Kit's the Keechler's humble 3 day supply, and then proceeding to the major canning the VanBuskirk's well

planned 3 month supply. I'm sure The VanBuskirk's would be willing to share if it came down to it, but hopefully The Keechler's will get their act together and follow the

VanBuskirk's not to mention the

Prophet's guidance.

Once canning was complete is was onto my kids favorite part of family night, Game time!! The sack races were on!

Happy Holidays!

I would like to thank Dennis and Shelly for opening their home so we could have our traditional family Christmas party. I know they've been through alot this season and it's not easy hosting 30+ people. They do have the biggest house so they usually get chosen for get together's.

Christmas with family
is always a great way to spend

the Holidays! (miss you Dad!)

Tyler was very excited to get a new game for his xbox 360 even though it broke the day before. He'll just have to share with his dad. That will proubably motivate mike to get it fixed really fast.

After down loading these picture's I'm starting to think we could have been more humble. We were blessed by the Lord right around the holidays to be able to get a few fun things for the kids. I'm sure Christmas would have been just as nice without them, but it does'nt hurt to get a gift or two.

This Holiday Season has been a little on the sad side with so many loved one's passing on. (My dad, Uncle, step father in law, and a few old friends) But the lord has blessed us in many way's. A few month's ago we weren't even sure we would have a house to live in and were planning on a very humble Christmas. Which is how we should all learn to celebrate Christmas again. It opened our eyes to seeing that Christmas should not be about how many gifts you get, but an opportunity to bring Christ into your home. I had the pleasure of meeting a very nice family who were investigating the church and were going through similar hard times, as so many are now a days. I was able to relate with her burden and was able to bear my testimony of the gospel to her. I haven't been at our ward much since, but I heard she has been to sacrament and I hope that she will find the peace and hope in the gospel that me and my family have been blessed to find. I am grateful for our trials that have helped us to be more grateful for our blessings whether big or small. My appraisal business has been come and go, and has taught us to better budget and be prepared for the good and bad. Thanks to family and friends, and of course the Lord, our testimonies have been strengthened. I Love my family and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be with them forever. May this New Year bring Hope and Happiness to you and yours. Love, The Keechler's

Love and miss you Daddy!

It's been a long couple of month's. Sorry I've been away from the blogging world for so long. As most of you have heard my Dad passed away this month and even though he's been in alot of pain for a long time, it still hurts to see him pass. Having the gospel in my life has sure made it easier to cope with though. Knowing that through the attonement we all will be together some day gives you something to look forward to. He was the last of his 5 siblings to pass away. His oldest brother passed away just a few weeks before my dad did. I can picture them all right now running around together on the farm. He always loved talking about when he was a kid in Ohio and walking through 10 feet of snow to get to school. they would have to build tunnels to walk through. He once saved his little sister's life by pulling her out of the ice once too. He always talked about spending hours in the kitchen with his mom making homemade noodles and pies, and jelly. He loved to cook. He was actually the cook in the family at my house growing up. He really enjoyed it. Everything I know about cooking I owe to him. Unfortunately he never kept a cook book, and I really havn't either. I'll have to work on that before I forget it all. He was really good at just making things up. It always tasted great. He was a great man and will be greatly missed.

Happy Thanks Giving!

It's just not Thanksgiving without Tamales and a pinata full of candy! i forgot the pictures need to be put in a different order, but you get the idea.

Mom and Uncle Jeff

The Procopio's - Donovan of course.

There's Donovan, with my little guy.





My Morgan

Uncle Jeff and Steve.

Aunt Dyana getting fed by my cousin Kimberly!








Grandma W. and Alex

Dennis, Uncle Darold, and My hubby

Jennifer, Sheldon, Dyana, and Grandpa W.












The VanBuskirk boys!

Grandpa W., Mike, and Jeff

Amanda and baby Alan!

Dylan, Luke, and Dennis

Tammy, Kimberly, Kallie, Cortney, Grandma W. and Jennifer

Cortney and my Mom

This month has been so crazy for our family. My dad has been in and out of the hospital several times, and undergone a high risk surgery because of his heart condition. He's off the breathing tube and back in a regular room being awnry as usual My nephew Dylan just got out of Loma Linda yesterday after 2 weeks, having several surgeries and fighting a horrible infection. We were so thankful he was able to come home for Thanksgiving. My brother's wife just had an emergency c-section delivering ( 2 month's early) a 4lb 1oz baby boy at 2am on Thanks giving day. He's in an incubator right now because of his size, but is doing well, and expected to go home in a few weeks His name is Jacob Daniel (J.D. for short). Welcome to the family J.D. Leah is also recovering quickly. They don't give you much of a choice in the hospital, they try to get you up and walking before they finish sewing you up it seems. I know I didn't want to walk around the same day. I've been fasting a lot this month and was so ready for a thanks giving feast. Especially since it wasn't at my house and all I had to do was show up and eat! Okay I brought a few dishes. It was at my sister's mother in laws house. I don't know how she talked her into that one. Their were about 40 people just from our family. And probably another 40 from her family. But there was plenty of food, and even leftover's to take home. Yummy! Thank you Wendal and Theresa for your hospitality it was a blast. Well I need to get some sleep now so I can wake up in a few hours to hit the crazy after thanksgiving sales! Mike and I usually go around midnight and stand in line all night, but he's working tonight, so I'm sleeping in until 3am. It gets a little crazy, but with six kids a little crazy is nothing! We are very Thankful for our friends and family, for the Gospel, for our, health, and so much more! We hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanks giving. Love, The Keechler's