Cindy's M&M's

AUSTRALIA COUNTDOWN!!,

2009-08-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, according to Elder Moyes he has started his 'D&C Countdown'. Apparently in his mission when you have 138 days let, you begin reading the D&C. It has 138 sections and you read one section a day until it's done and then your time is over. Gosh! When you say it that way it sure seems closer. We've made our plane reservations, rented a house in Melbourne, reserved a van, made hotel reservations for two nights in Sydney and have our passports and visas. Guess we should be reading and counting down too. Even with all the plans that are made, it still doesn't seem real.

MEL'S ENGAGED

2009-06-18T17:47:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Melanie! She's engaged to Nick Hemingway. He's the son of David and Wendy Hemingway, formerly of Bakersfield. No date has been set yet but we're still excited!! Will keep you posted.

AUSTRALIA BOUND!!

2009-06-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

Well, Elder Moyes has been gone almost 18 months. Yes, really! And what is even more surprising - and exciting - is that we are going to go and get him at the end of his mission. Brad, Matthew, Marsha and Scott, Melanie and I have airline reservations to fly over on 12/26. We will arrive there on Monday, the 28th and his mission president has approved his release to us. We're going to stay about 12 days and see the sights before returning home on January 6th. Don't have any concrete plans yet, but anything we do all together will be fun!! (And just so you know that we aren't leaving Mark and Andrea out....they are planning on spending NY Eve at Disney World with their kids.)

BFFs - REALLY!!!

2009-06-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Whoever came up with the acronym, BFF (Best Friends Forever) must have looked into a crystal ball and seen the "Laurels". The year was 1973. Six young women came together - from different paths, different family situations, different personalities - and yet created a bond that would last forever. These six were my Laurels. Debbie, Susan, Jill, Diana, Shelly and me. We led our own lives and yet, were always together. The church may have brought us together, but the bond of sisterhood we share, has kept us together. Through the years, we've married (and some divorced), moved and moved back home, seen each other all the times, sometimes and hardly ever - but last Saturday night - you would never have believed that it wasn't 1973 again. OK - so there were a few gray hairs here and there, maybe a few (or more) pounds here and there, and yes.....menopause was part of our discussion - but the laughter and love were still there. IT ALWAYS WILL BE.

Disney's Annual Pass = Getting Our Money's Worth

2009-06-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

Yep! we made another trip to "The Happiest Place On Earth". On the spur of the moment, Heidi called one Monday night and asked if I wanted to join her, Ethan and Andrea at Disneyland the next day. Well, I did have to work....but what are sick days for anyway??!! So, called in and we all headed to Anaheim for a great day. Believe it or not, for a nice, warm May day, it was relatively empty. There were a few lines here and there, but we had a blast. The kids rode everything they wanted to - at least once. Heidi has decided she is a roller coaster person and absolutely loved Big Thunder Railroad. Ethan, however, didn't. In fact, if not for Grandma's quick hands, I think we would have lost him on that ride. He was tall enough to ride....but I'm sure he won't be going back for a while. I think the kids were asleep before we got to the freeway. But oh! what fun. As soon as summer is over, I'm getting a new annual pass.

HEIDI'S GRADUATION

2009-06-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought it would be a few more years til I attended a grandchild's graduation but it was May. OK - it was only a preschool graduation, but I was still proud. Believe it or not, they marched in to "Pomp and Circumstance". Of course, there were a lot more wiggles amongst the graduates and laughter from the audience.

Happy New Year

2009-01-10T14:07:00.000-08:00

I hope your holidays were happy ones. Our were! Christmas was wonderful with almost all the kids home. Of course, Michael was in Australia but we enjoyed a lengthy conversation with him on Christmas day. (He said he bought a calling card with 10,000 minutes and I think he did his best to try and use them all.) Mark fixed a delicious prime rib (Cindy's favorite)! Santa was good to everyone! New Year's Day was equally nice too. Mark made another prime rib and it was just as good. Everyone seemed to relax and enjoy just hanging together. Yesterday was Michael's one year anniversary- boy! has it gone fast. I hope you all are well and the Moyes Family wishes you all the best in 2009!!

Grandma's Birthday

2008-11-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year, Mark, Andrea, Heidi, Ethan and I went to Disneyland. It was a beautiful October day - meaning good weather and small crowds. The kids had a blast and the adults didn't poop out. The little kids rode everything they wanted at least once, sometimes twice, and the "big" kids (Mark & Andrea) even got to go off a few times and ride an adult ride. All in all, we had a blast. Ethan loves to tell how Brer Fox tried to take his shoes off. His favorite ride is the Teacups - and he loves to spin. Heidi loves Big Thunder Railroad. She got to ride that with her dad.

Mel Nell

2008-10-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

Melanie is currently back at her home away from home - BYU. In addition to a full load of classes, she works at Victoria's Secret and Los Hermanos Restaurant. How she works two jobs and keeps up her studies, I'll never understand - but she does. She enjoys hanging with friends, watching and quoting movies (test her sometime) and cooking for friends. She makes awesome desserts and enjoys going the extra mile for her friends. I love her being there but miss her terribly.

Marsha-Marsha-Marsha

2008-10-15T10:16:00.001-07:00

Nursing was always Marsha's dream. She graduated from Bakersfield College last May and then passed her state boards. She is a Registered Nurse and loves it. She and Scott moved to Fresno so Scott could complete his engineering degree. Marsha was hired at Kaweah Delta hospital and just recently completed her initial orientation. She has been assigned to ICU and has a couple more weeks of orientation there and will soon be on her own. Go Marsha!

Matthew Update

2008-10-15T10:10:00.001-07:00

Matt has followed in Brad's footsteps and works for the Department of Corrections. He seems to enjoy it, although his current assignment is "VR". That is vacation relief and from week to week his hours and days off change. It is a duty everyone must endure for about 9 months. Although he works at Wasco with Brad, he had made his own name there and is well respected. He's already accumulated his own stories! We love him and Jackson, his dog.

Mark & Andrea Update

2008-10-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on them. Mark is currently employed by the State of CA at No Kern prison. He works in same industry as Matt and Brad, but instead is using his MIS Degree and works in the computer support department. Andrea works full-time, goes to school and is applying for the nursing program next semester. In addition to being great parents to Heidi and Ethan, they have a bearded dragon lizard named Jackie Chan and Dulce, their dog and her three puppies. Anyone interested in a cute puppy?

Grandma's Pride and Joy

2008-10-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Every grandmother knows their grandkids are the best - and obviously I am no exception. Heidi and Ethan are precious. Heidi is now almost five and just started to preschool. She is rapidly learning her A,B,C's and writing things all the time. Soon she'll learn to put them together to actually spell words. Ethan is a joy! Such a sweetheart. He enjoys swimming lessons - which I got a chance to watch last Saturday. After each task, he looked back over his shoulder, gave me a big grin and swam on. Heidi is enrolled in beginning gymnastics this year. They are truly the apples of my eyes. It makes you wonder what you really did before grandkids??!!

My Little Sweeties

2008-10-15T09:46:00.001-07:00

Since it is almost Halloween time, everyone starts thinking about costumes and candy.... well, here is my most favorite picture of both combined. Although my children probably won't speak to me after posting this, it will always have a soft spot in my heart. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Missionary Update

2008-10-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, Michael headed to the "land down under" in January of this year to serve his mission in Melbourne East Mission. He has been out now over 9 months and doing very well. He was just made a senior companion this week and is serving in the bush area of Benella. Members there, just like here, need a push now and then to get the work going and he is there to motivate them. If you are interested in writing him the address is Elder Michael Moyes, Australia Melbourne East, 628 Canterbury Road, Vermont, VIC 3133 AUSTRALIA. He loves mail - what missionary doesn't?!

Wait til my kids see this!!

2008-10-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

Yep! About now my kids have either fainted from shock or are still reading to see what in the world I am about to write.....stay tuned. This should prove interesting!