Great News--Ana's Family is Coming!

Ana received a very exciting phone call from her mother today: her family is coming! Nelly, Ana's mother, told her that the final interviews have been scheduled for the middle of January and that her stepdad and her two sisters should arrive by the end of the same month. They all will come her to Utah and stay with us until they find a place for themselves. We look forward to their arrival and spending some time with them. Please feel free to come over and welcome them.

Special Stake Conference with Elder Ballard

I'm sure everyone will be shocked. "Come one, come all! The Fishers have a new post on their blog!" Yes, over a year has passed since the last time I bothered to write. Luckily, a won't do a year-in-review type post but just start anew. You all probably just let loose a huge sigh of relief.
Today was quite an exceptional day. We were lucky enough to host a special stake conference in which Elder Ballard came to speak. Evidently, our stake has gone over 30 years without a visit from one of the Quorum of The Twelve and Elder Ballard determined that was too long. Although conference was to start at 10:00, I woke up at 8:00, grabbed a sweater, and took off to the Stake Center. Vanessa and the others were to get ready and come and remove me from my post at 9:00 so Ana and I could get ready. We were very lucky to get seats on the 4th row. Our stake president opened the meeting with an excellent talk and was followed by Pres. Bishop, who I believe is the president of the Timpanogos Temple. Elder Ballard followed and shared some excellent stories, shared some words of wisdom, and ended by blessing all with an apostalic blessing. After the closing prayer, I hurried the children up onto the stage so each could meet Elder Ballard and shake his hand. I then grabbed Ana and scurried over to the other side of the stake center, knowing that he would be led to the stake president's office. We were able to stop him as he walked by, shake his hand, and thank him for the wonderful talk and blessing. I must say that the most penetrating statement he made was when he spoke directly to the children in attendance (but looked directly at us) and said that at no time should a child ever be disrespectful towards his/her parents. He also said that children should be heard and that parents need to listen to the children with open hearts full of love. He then told us all to go home and discuss this today. I just found it amazing that he looked right in my eyes when he gave this counsel as this has been a major problem in our home, a problem that has led me to high levels of frustration. Just kind of cool. Another thing that may be of some interest to you is that he told us to act upon our promptings. He told stories of how he has been able to bless the lives of others because he has followed the promptings of the Spirit. Overall, the conference was a spiritually uplifting experience which I very much needed.

A long, long time

Wow--time flies! Six months have past since my last blog and many happy experiences have occurred in our lives. The kids have obviously finished their school year and are enjoying summer break. We decided to have them tryout for the city swim team and I think it was the best decision we could have made. Today I decided to sneak away from work and go and watch the kids and I must say that each one greatly impressed me. Frisco and Kenny have an awesome swim instructor and in just a short time each has gone from barely being able to swim a lap to having nearly perfect form in freestyle and backstroke. Because their class starts so early, I have been able to go and watch them a couple of times a week and been able to watch them progress. Today, however, I was also able to go and watch Vanessa. This was the first time in a month that I have seen her and I was shocked. First of all, she has learned all four major strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. While she is definitely not the fastest, her ability to do all the strokes amazed me. I am very proud of all of them.
Frisco has continued his karate and is now an orange belt. He still enjoys it, especially now that they spar a little bit. Nessa has been in serious training for the high school soccer team. She had a great summer camp and has continued to run and workout on her own. Tryouts are in two weeks so I will be sure to let everyone know how she does. She also has been working out with her club team, so needless to say she has kept busy. Aside from swimming, Kenny has been taking it pretty easy--up until now. His soccer practice starts next week, although he has been working out for the past couple of weeks. He has prepared himself to have a good season. Even Ana and I have gotten into the exercise craze. Ana has started to jog/walk a few miles every other day and I have joined a friendly co-ed soccer league.
As far as future plans go, we look forward to the family reunion at the end of this month as well as Sheryl's wedding in August. We hope to see as many of you as possible.

New Year

I have to admit that ever since I got on Facebook I can't seem to really sit down and blog. Maybe I'll make that one of my resolutions: a weekly blog entry. But that will be one of a few--and probably the least important--of those that I would like to achieve during this New Year. As a matter of fact, here are a few of the goals I have set for myself this year:



1. Make my home happy

2. Write and publish a short novel

3. Receive a promotion at work

4. Help complete at least two of our ward's temple assignments (sad to say that I have never helped with that)

5. Take the family to Yellowstone



I'm sure that I will come up with others throughout the year, but these are on the top of my list right now.



While I'm at this, I guess I'll write a little Fisher family year-in-review.


Ana now enters her junior year at Utah Valley. She currently is an accounting major and enjoys every minute of it while making the Dean's List. I admire her for her dedication and effort; most nights she spends 6-8 hours studying. With that said, we haven't had much time for anything else, but luckily we've had our four kids and we have passed that stage-haha!

Vanessa turned 13 and is in the 8th grade. One of her greatest accomplishments was achieving honor roll 3 of a possible 4 semesters--great job Ness (as if she would ever read her dad's blog!) She made the Celtic Storm Select, which is the second division of the state traveling soccer team and starts at forward. She netted three goals on the year while missing all three PK attempts--aghhhhhhhhhhh! She also ran track for Canyon View, competing in the 800 meters.

Frisco's schedule was nearly as hectic, even though he is only 10 and in the 5th grade. He made me very proud by making high honor roll every semester except for the very last when I forgot to sign his reading log two weeks in a row. I coached his soccer team this past year and we are hoping to enter the district competition level this upcoming year. For years he has asked me to enroll him in Karate and this past fall he finally convinced me. He goes for his first belt advancement next month.

Kenny entered the 3rd grade. In May he was baptised and confirmed. He, like his brother and sister, has done well in school but for some reason they don't give letter grades to 3rd graders--go figure. He started his first year of competition soccer last fall and is playing indoor throughout the winter. Like Frisco, he wanted to try something new this year and convinced me to sign him up for baseball. Kenny and his team, the Nationals, did really well. Kenny ended up hitting around .500 and played mostly 3rd, SS, and left field. The team won the regular season and finished 3rd in the tournament. One of the biggest surprises for me was that he sang in the school choir and actually sang--ha opened his mouth and everything--at the Winter concert.

Finally, we have Abi. I've been sitting here for a while trying to think of major accomplishments, but when you're only 3 years old I guess eating without getting anything on your clothes is a pretty momentous occasion. Heck, I'm nearly 40 and I have a hard time doing that. Let me just say that she is a happy "big" girl (she'll get mad if I call her little) who believes she is a princess with dreams of one day finding her Prince Charming and making that poor sucker dance ALL night long.

And then there was one--me. Admittedly, I was disappointed with myself last year. In retrospect, I feel that I didn't accomplish anything out of the ordinary. But last year I chose not to have any resolutions. I didn't dream, and a life without dreams is a sad life to live. So this year I resolve to be different. I'm looking to be happier, to shoot for the stars and, if I fall short, hopefully land in the trees.

Happy New Year to everyone and know that we love and care about all of you.

100 Things

Copy the list and highlight the ones (mine are in red) that are true about you!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band - all the way through 8th grade
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch--ya, thats why I suck.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21.Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language--some ASL
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater--and have snuck in w/o paying
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating--a chicken
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life--not only that but their eternal life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous--Landon Donovan, L.Tom Perry, Steve Young, Valerie Bertaneli and more
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby--was there at the birth
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Talked your way out of a ticket--never and it pisses me off.

Family Reunion

I don't have a lot of time to write about the wedding, but let me say that it was great to see everyone. Who knows, now that all the children are getting older, we might have a few more of these weddings, but I don't know how much longer we'll be able to watch Troy do this:

News Post from the President

Attention All White People:
Please report to the cotton fields tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. for orientation.

Thank you,

Barack Obama