Hey, John Rubin!

Ann and I had a great (quick) trip to Chicago. As always, Abe & Dez were great hosts, and the star of the show was their wonderful son, John Rubin. We've discussed what to call him -- "John John,"(JFK?) "JR." (Larry Hagman?) "Peanut," (too late now?), "J. Rubin" (a bit too corporate?), "Ruby" (tough in grade school?) "Jack Ruby" (JFK?) "Little John," (it seems to fit) "John Rubin" (maybe the best fit). I like John John, but I'm just a voice in the wind. This will take some sorting out. I will report, though, he is an even-tempered infant -- alert, thriving, absorbing the world around him, and still quite non-verbal. We found that he's quite capable of soiling Abe's office with one simple explosion. Here's just one photo of many, depicting three generations of Moores -- eyes closed, oblivious to the world around them.

Here's another shot. (Sorry for excluding the mom and grandma from this post; it's just too much fun for the guys.)

TX Buyske Christmas List

Our list is pretty simple this year.  We would love a donation made to the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton, South Dakota.  Their mailing address and phone number is

Benedictine Sisters

Sacred Heart Monastery

1005 W. 8th Street

Yankton, SD 57078

605-668-6000

We hope everyone has an awesome holiday season.  We are pumped to be having a contingent of the Buyske Clan coming our way for Christmas.

Marc and Jan's list

Well, since no one seems to be following our fearless leader's wish of putting Christmas lists up - except Joey - so I thought I would put another push out there and say COME ON PEOPLE!!!  Our couple is going to get Griz gear if they don't get something up here pronto!!

My list consists of:  fun potholders with coffee/latte stuff on them.  No fruit or old lady stuff like that, please.  A contribution to the Angel Fund in Helena.  That is it for me.

Marc:  Gift card to Cabelas or Land's End; contribution to Helena Food Share; good paying acting job for Molly

I hope the rest of you will really try to get things up here.  If we aren't going to use the blog and let others know what we would like to do or get lists out somehow then maybe we ought to quit trading names.  It just stresses some people out to not know what to get others.  I don't mean to sound rude during this beautiful season because this is my favorite time of year.  It is so much fun to prepare hearts and minds for the special day of Christmas.  And it is alas fun to buy for others!  There is my post-surgery preaching!  :):):)

Update

Hello wonderful family of mine!!! I hope that everyone is doing well this holiday season. I am enjoying life in Guam.  I spent my Thanksgiving weekend in Chuuk.  It is a small island that is part of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).  This island has a lot of WWII history.  It was a dive trip, so I spent 4 days going on 11 dives and saw 9 different wrecks.  We explored all aspects of these ships---inside and out. It was an awesome experience and something that I don't think I will forget too soon.  I have included some pictures to give a taste of what I saw.

We dove the Fujikawa, Heian, Yamigiri, Shinkoku, Rio, Sankisan, Nippo, Gosei, and Kansho.  The lagoon holds over 60 wrecks that range in depths from snorkeling to well over 200 feet.  These ships were Japanese ships and were anchored inside the lagoon when Allied forces bombed them in February of 1944 in what is known as Hailstorm.  Some of these ships were still anchored at the time they sank.  All of them hold a variety of artifacts, some bones, and awesome interior engine rooms, machine rooms, and a variety of other parts of the ship are still well intact, especially for being close to 70 years old.  A large part in why the ships are still in the shape they are in is because they are protected.  If a diver comes up with any artifact from the ship, they face major reprecussions.  Unfortunately, that is not the same here in Guam, so a lot of the wrecks here have been stripped of their artifacts.  It was awesome to be able to see the variety between the wrecks and the different things each wreck is known for.  I was very impressed, and had an amazing time with a pretty cool group of people.  People fly from all over the world to come to this place.  I ran across a group of people that were from Texas, Colorado, Oregon, as well as from Germany, England and Australia.  It was so cool to see that so many people spend thousands of dollars to come to this small island, and it is just an hour away from Guam.  There are many more pictures, but these are just a few fun shots.  One is of me sitting on an old car inside one of the wrecks, one is an operating table with some femurs, one is of me free diving through one of the wrecks, and the other is my roommate and I attempting a handstand on one of the smoke stacks.

As far as everything else. Things here in Guam are going well. I am staying pretty busy with work, but also finding time to have plenty of fun.  I am slated to move this coming June. I will be heading to Mayport, Florida to do some defense work.  I will hate leaving this island behind, but I am excited about the fact that I will be back in the States and closer (at least closer than Guam) to family. 

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays in their own special way.  Can't wait to see pictures and hear stories of everyones' Christmas adventures.

Love to you all.
Jen

Joey's List

My list (per John's request) is pretty simple this year:

iTunes Gift Card
Target Gift Card
Donation to Carroll College

That's about it.  Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and that this holiday season is blessed and full of cheer.

Frankenturkey

Post Script

Okay ... not a lot of response so far. Here's an important p.s. -- when posting your Christmas wish list, please make it a main post, NOT a comment to an existing post. Putting up a main post makes it a lot easier for folks to see it and to find it later. And above all, post it!

Posting post Thanksgiving

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. And you definitely should have, because everyone who's part of this blog has so much to be thankful for. First of all -- family. Second -- each of you has made the effort to find your way in life for the betterment of self and others. Not only family, but your local communities and the world at large. There's a lot of good in that, and the world needs all the good we can give it. Being able to do that is grounds for gratitude. Ann and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Maurika and family. Everyone else in in the immediate family (by accounts over the phone) also had a helluva holiday. Even Abe and Dez with the Frankenturkey. We (and that includes you) are blessed. Now ... as we move on with a song in our hearts, a couple of action items. Number one, post your Christmas lists. Your grandparents and siblings and cousins want to know what you know you want -- even if it's a golden leaf. Number two, post more on this blog. Be part of the Four F Club -- Forget Facebook and Focus on Family. Or another Four F -- Family, Fun, Fotos, and Future. Happy holidays!

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY, WILL!

A very happy birthday to our wonderful first born.  Seven years ago Kelly and I were blessed with a healthy, happy (albeit slightly late) 8lb 14 oz boy.  Now we are still blessed with a wonderful soccer player,

big cousin,

and big brother!

That you for being such a wonderful blessing to us, Willboy!  We love you!

Love,
Mom and Dad

John Rubin update...

CLICK HERE for a few pictures of his first week.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mikey!

Well, I dropped the ball as the mother of the birthday boy!!  I got lots of grief for not posting something for Michael's birthday!  I am sorry, son!  It sounds like you had a great birthday!  Next year maybe you will get a cake on your actual birthday!  This is Mike celebrating last summer with a banana cream pie - his favorite!!  Mama Knows made him a special one and it was good!  Love your laid back attitude and your loving older brother ways!!  You are special!!

John Rubin Moore

 

Yesterday, on Halloween and Mike Buyske's birthday, John Rubin joined our family.  He was born at about 6:30 p.m., weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz, and is 20 inches long.  He is named John after my grandfather and father and Rubin after Desiree's grandfather.  His state is Maryland, which he shares with Jim. Desiree and John are doing very well and we are both quite overwhelmed with emotion.

 

Happy Anniversary!

Sorry to post over Ben's birthday. I think it'll be an annual collision. Abe and Desiree celebrate their fourth anniversary today -- and their first as parents. Just a few more days until their parenthood hits full bloom. Love you two and hope you've been having a great day!

Happy 31st Birthday, Benjamin James!

 

Benjamin James is 31 years old today!  The weekend that Ben was born was opening day of hunting season.  His grandpa Leo and a bunch of friends stopped in Bozeman on their way to their hunting camp.  Grandpa did his best to get Jim to join them...it is really a good thing he didn't go because there might not have been Jake, Nick, Sam or Maddie!

 

So this is Ben's life right now...living in Hawaii, working at a hospital on Maui and seeing sunsets like this~it's tough for sure! 
Enjoy your day Jamin!  I wish I could be there to help you celebrate.  We will have a good glass of wine next time I see you.

Love you tons!
MOM

Christmas Exchange

Hi all!!  I was going to put this up last night but couldn't post over Hannah's beautiful post!  Meg drove me crazy and did the drawing a while ago, and I forgot to post on the blog.  It is done and here is how it goes (Giver is first - receiver is second):

Rika & Family - Maddie
Abe, Des & Bitty - Jake
Hannah & Family - Nick
Bri & Family - Shannon & Birch
Mike - Randa & Family
Matt & Family - Ben
Joey - Hannah and Family
Meg & Family - Rika and Family
Jen - Sam
Molly - Bri and Family
Nate - Mike
Shannon & Birch - Jen
Randa & Family - Matt & Family
Ben - Molly
Jake - Meg and Family
Nick - Joey
Sam - Abe, Des and Bitty
Maddie - Nate


Connie  -  Tom
Bill  -  Jeanine
Jan  -  Mary
Marc  -  Jim W
Johnny  -  Connie
Annie  -  Jimmy
Tommy  -  Johnny
Jeanine  -  Jan
Mary  -  Billy Boy
Jim W.  -  Annie Belle
Jimmy  -  Marc

So there you have it!!  Now everyone needs to get lists, wants, etc. on the blog.  Let's get this Christmas 2012 going!!!

Just a Philpot update

"

Was nice to see those of you that I did for that brief trip up for Grampa O's funeral. While there, Tom mentioned that the blog is getting a little bit slow in recent days. So to motivate people to start doing some posts, I think we should do our "Blog Christmas Cards" with updates and pictures of everyone. I know it is early but maybe we can actually get it done if we start in October. To be a good example of this great idea, here ya go! :) Let's see, Kayla won student body officer with John's great slogan,"Mikayla Philpot; Hard to spell, Easy to vote for!" Was a tight race with all the drama and mudslinging of the presidential one going on (I am barely kidding). But it was a great experience for her - middle school is proving to be pretty fun. Carter's football team made it to the playoffs!! They are currently undefeated and playing the other undefeated team this Saturday. You wouldn't believe how stressful a ten year old football game can be. Well, maybe you sporty families actually can - or maybe you just never let it stress you out. (I could use some tips.) By the way, that picture above of Happy Carter and crying Kaitlyn was because he had just thrown her stick and yet pulls this innocent picture smile as she bawls. Just a funny true to life moment caught on camera. :) Kesiah is loving third grade, she has the best teacher in the school. I am her room mom so we are planning out her lavish Halloween party, it is going to be the best!! She is taking some time off before volleyball to just chill, which is a nice break after 6 months of softball! :) Kaitlyn is doing fabulous in Kindergarten. She is a prompt gal who hates to be late and is tidy and efficient - very unlike her mother. She is also in a great ballet class and they are practicing for their Christmas Carol Ballet in December. Oh, and last week the kids had a couple days off school so I took them to a sports clinic where they take x-rays of your hand and they can predict (quite accurately) the height you will be when you are full grown. It said Mikayla was going to be six feet tall and Carter should be 6'5" or 6'6"!! Crazy tall!! You cousins out there, how tall are you? Does this run in my family and I just never realized? Katie and Kesiah were technically too young to have an accurate assessment, I guess ten years old is the most accurate age to start. No, but really, how tall are ya'll? And Jerry and I are just trucking along. Jerry and Carter just got home from the deer hunt today Buck-less and kinda' bummed but at least they got a cool hike up in the misty mountains. I have been taking lots of pictures lately - pictures for families and school pictures and the like. It is my favorite hobby, if only I had more time. But overall, life is really good. Super busy but good. I don't know how you six kid families managed to get it all done! Again, perhaps you could post some tips! :) Love ya'll!!

City of Trees Marathon-Boise

Well, I wasn't sure if I would run another marathon after Boston.  After my surgery (a month and half ago) I could barely run 4 miles.  But as Tom mentioned it will come back.  I was in Chicago three weeks ago and did a long run and ran the stairs in their condo unit and Desiree asked me what I was training for.  I said "nothing", little did I know.  Found about this race on Friday, registered Saturday and ran a 3:46 Sunday.  I'll take it!

Iceland!

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting some photos from our trip to Iceland. You'll notice a lot of waterfalls, 'cause there's a bunch of 'em. You can often see people in the pics to give you a sense of scale. We really enjoyed the trip and hope you enjoy this small slice of it.

Happy 49th Birthday, Jimmy and 26th Birthday, Nick!

Happy birthday to two of my favorite guys!  I hope you both enjoy your special day.  Jim and Nick were the first in this family to share a birthday...I think Jim jinxed me when I was pregnant with Nick!  I also realize that I need to take many more photos of Jimmy cuz I didn't have many to choose from~
Happy birthday you two.  Love you!

Orvis Goetz

Orvis Goetz, grandfather to my sisters and me and close friend of Grampa John, died peacefully today at his home surrounded by his family. He was born the youngest of six children in a small town in South Dakota, where he grew up speaking German. Because he couldn't speak English when he started school, he earned the nickname "Sputter," which stuck for many years. Always entrepreneurial, he had a paper route as a boy, then delivered groceries with his bicycle, then sold sporting goods, then Fuller brushes door to door. Then, of course, life insurance. He officed with Grampa John in a space that was attached to Mel's Doughnut Shop (Mel took a trip to Mexico, discovered tacos, and his doughnut shop became the first Taco Treat). He and John would drive John's VW bug all around Montana to call on ranchers in their homes - where they would often be invited to sit for dinner and John would sometimes play the piano. Orvis had a magnetic personality and a sharp humor that will be missed greatly by all of us who love him. I'll post when we have funeral details, but it looks like it will be Wednesday.

Happy Birthday, Shannon

Today is Shannon's 25th birthday and her first as Mrs. Haraden.  It was a big last year for her and I'm sure this next year will be just as exciting and fun.  To an amazingly awesome sister: Happy Birthday!

Beautiful Ireland

What a trip!!!  We can't thank our eight beautiful children enough for the trip of a lifetime!!  The first picture is in our suite in Dublin before the Notre Dame/Navy game!!  The second is on top of a mountain that I climbed on the Dingle Peninsula.  The view was absolutely breath taking!  The next two are pictures taken from the hike up.  It is hard to imagine that a place could be so green!!!  Next is the ocean which was just feet away from our third cottage.  The wind could whip it right up!!  The next two are Marc and I - first in Ballintoy and second in front of a Neolithic tomb which was AMAZING!  Look at those round rocks.  They built this pre-Christ!!  Something to see!  The last one is some cliffs by our cottage in Bushmills.  We saw cliffs that would put the Cliffs of Mohr to shame and we didn't even have to pay for them!  We just want to praise our children to the skies for sending us on this trip!  We are planning on going again in two years and I am scoping out nursing homes for them to put us in!!

Happy 15th birthday, Maddie Jo!

Happy birthday to my sweet, wonderful 15 year old!  We celebrated her birthday a few days early with a dinner with Gramma Jeanne.  The puppy's name is Oscar and he was Maddie's birthday wish.  She thought it was too quiet around here without Sam.  Oscar does add a bit of chaos.  Maddie is loving her freshman year at Central.  She was voted a co-president of the freshman class and is a starting outside hitter on the varsity volleyball team! 
Happy birthday sweet girl!  We love you very much and are so very proud of the young woman you have become!

Mom and Dad