March in like a Lamb

Michael got to be the lucky one to hold the baby bear, but Hyrum didn't mind the bear chewing on his arm. "I'm not food!" says Hyrum when he looks at this picture.

Or was that like a lion? Idaho Falls weather is quite interesting. Yesterday I walked to the school to get the kids and it was gorgeous weather. Today.... not so much. When I got in the van to go pick them up it was windy (dust storm from behind us) and then it started to snow/rain and the wind shield wipers had to be on the whole time. Now as I write this, the sun is shining happily through the window. I'll take whatever sun I can get.I have finally gotten some more pictures downloaded so I figured it was time for an update. We are headed off to our Spring Break trip tomorrow. We will start in Salt Lake and eventually end up in Nauvoo and other places in between and then back to Idaho Falls. I have been doing laundry like crazy today to get ready. My mom is coming with us so it should be an interesting trip.



Now on to Hyrum. He just can't seem to stay unhurt or not sick. I think there really is merit to flu shots, he is the only one in our family that didn't get one and he seems to be sick the most. Anyway, after the whole burning his hand incident in December, he fell off the bed downstairs and got stitches in his head, thanks to the neighbor who stitched that up for us. He got the stitches out about a week or so later, thanks again to the same neighbor who took them out, and then Hyrum goes and bonks his nose pretty good on our window sill. That happened about two weeks after the stitches came out. He's only three and has had more injuries than our other four children combined. Ahhh, such is life.

I am keeping busy at home with three violin students (perhaps one more soon, or she might have me teach piano.. OK, sure), and planning trips. After Nauvoo Robert and I will head out to Boise for him to take his Professional Engineering (PE) Exam. His mom is coming up to watch the kids while we are there. I am also going to Dallas this October for Time Out For Women with my mom and sisters. It should be fun. Molli and Michael love school and are looking forward to the next grade. Hannah is also excited to start Kindergarten next year.That about sums up the Esplin's. We did go to Yellowstone Bear World and we were able to hold a bear (well, Michael did) and got a picture of it. Life is good.

The kids in front of Bear World

Michael and his 'do' for Spirit Week 'Crazy hair day.' Yeah, it lasted until the picture was taken, and then it fell over.

Michael learning about the letter 'W' in class, so he got to hold live worms.

Another month has come and gone....

This is a cute 15 second video of Evan saying basically his first words. He is playing "peek a boo" and says "See You!" near the beginning and something like "boo" near the end. This is quite the step up from his high pitched screeching. Take a good look at his hair in this video. This same day Hannah cut his bangs off and some parts off the back. Here are some before and after pictures. (I promise it is the same day, he likes to play in the water and I had to change his soggy clothes.)

This is before....

And this is after....

It was quite subtle so I didn't notice it at first, but that Hannah, I tell you, just don't leave her alone with a pair of scissors and expect her to tell the truth after wards.

Not much went on in January. We decided that we are going to take a family vacation at the end of March/ beginning of April to Nauvoo with my mom. We will rent a motor home and go from there. What an adventure this will be.

I still enjoy helping over at the elementary school two or so times a week. I just got finished calling over 45 people to help with the upcoming class Valentine's parties. I am a little tired of talking on the phone. Maybe this is why I have not updated my post in a while, I don't have much to say. That is all for now. If I think of anything more exciting I will be sure to post it. Have a great day!!

Winding up 2009

A picture of the kids next to Santa at the Museum

What a wonderful Christmas season we have had. The kids have been out of school for a week and life is still good. We went down to Salt Lake for Christmas and my whole side of the family was there. It was quite the feat to have my sister and her family come in from Texas, another sister and her family drove in from California, one sister flew in from Arizona, another sister drove the five or so miles to my parents house, and we drove down from Idaho Falls.

We were there for three days, but Hyrum was sick so I only left the house once and that was for family pictures on Christmas Eve. Hyrum had burned his hand about three days before and I think he caught a bug from the doctor's office when we took him in. He was not the happiest of campers for the pictures, but over all, we had a good time.

Christmas morning was interesting in that some of the cousins had their Santa stuff there, where as others and us had to wait to get back to our houses. Molli was very upset that she didn't get to open very many things. As it was, when we got back to Idaho Falls, I drove the three oldest kids around for five hours while waiting for "Santa" to set up our stuff. We went to Blast Off and played some miniature golf, then over to Burger King for lunch ( I think I saw Santa there, but the kids wouldn't believe it was him :) ) , then over to the library (but it was closed), and we ended up over at the Museum to see the Nativity display and gingerbread houses. I was ready to go home by now. I had the kids wait in the car so I could go in the house and make sure everything was ready. Robert had been working to get things set up from the moment we left five hours earlier. It turned out just fine. The kids got a train table, a cranium fort, and a few other things.

For New Year's we had planned to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Hyde Park, but Hyrum being sick and Evan not so much a good traveler, our plans have changed that Grandma and Grandpa and Ben will visit us instead.

Hyrum is doing better with the burn on his hand and really does a good job at the Wound Care where they put stuff on it and wrap it up for him. He actually stops crying when we get in there and the person wrapping his hand always comments how good he is.

Well, have a Happy New Year and may all your goals become realities -- mine, too :)

Hyrum is not cooperating with the pictures. He is behind us with his blanket.

This is about the best one that we got, but Hyrum still wouldn't smile and Michael was acting weird, but it is still a picture.

This picture shows Hyrum's bandaged hand, but Evan sure looks cute :) as do the rest of the kids.

The Whole Kirby Clan

Merry Christmas!

Well, almost. Knowing my history of posting, I may not get around to posting anything again before Christmas. I love to say "Merry Christmas" as opposed to "Happy Holidays." I have decided that if I offend people by saying Merry Christmas, which I don't think I ever have offended anyone, then they can wish me a Happy Kwanza and I will not be any worse for the wear.

The last weekend in November Molli and I took a trip to SLC with my parents to go to Temple Square and see a concert that my cousin was the director of. It was so fun to be on Temple Square and see the lights and the Nativity. Molli really enjoyed her one-on-one mom time and the concert was great as well. We took the Salt Lake Express shuttle back to Idaho Falls and Molli loved to ride in a big bus.



We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, my parents were able to share it with us here in Idaho Falls. We are not doing much else except trying to stay warm in this crazy weather. This morning it was -8 degrees when I was taking Molli to school. Warm houses are such a blessing and I am thankful that we have one.

Here are some more pictures of some random things, but life is good and there is not much more to say besides that. Have a great Christmas season.

The kids decorated a gingerbread castle.

The kids made a fort in the front room.

Sorry this is so dark, but this is a picture of Michael and Evan playing the piano.


And Evan playing the piano by himself.

October in a nut shell

What an October we had. We headed down to SLC the first weekend to spend some time with my parents for Conference and to go to the Hogle Zoo to see the new baby elephant. I forgot to bring my camera so I decided it would be fun to let the kids use disposable cameras and take whatever pictures they wanted to. It actually turned out quite well. I did take a few pictures, but I am glad they were excited to take the rest.


This is the baby giraffe. He was cute, too. The kids had a good time and I am glad we were able to go.


I added as many pictures as I could for now, but other things in October, Evan started walking near the beginning of the month and turned one the day before Halloween. He got very in to his cake and enjoyed every bite of it.

Molli was a princess for Halloween, Michael was Captain Rex from Star Wars, Hannah was Sleeping Beauty, Hyrum was an elephant, and Evan was a giraffe.

Robert had to postpone his PE exam until April, so he will start studying again after the new year. He got a new Stake calling - stake assistant clerk over membership - or something like that, and still has his other callings except for Ward Web Master. (He still teaches in the primary and is the financial clerk.)

We also got to go to Hyde Park in the middle of October to go through the temple with Robert's youngest sister, Rebecca. Some friends of the family were able to watch all seven (5 of ours and 2 of Shennie's) kids while we were in the temple. Rebecca got her mission call to Indiana Indianapolis and entered the MTC on October 28th. It was so much fun to be all together at Robert's parents house and enjoy a few days there. They had 18 people sleeping at their house for at least two nights in a row. Kudos to my mother-in-law for staying sane with all of us there and for the delicious meals.

That is our October- busy, but rewarding. Hopefully I will be able to post some more pictures soon :)

September Already?

Wow, August zoomed by. Now Molli and Michael are in school and their first day off is tomorrow. In August we visited Robert's parents and there was a full house. All the kids/ grand kids were there and it was a good time. We hoped this would be a trip to see Rebecca (Robert's sister) go through the temple, but alas, she didn't have her mission call yet, so we will go down in October for that. However, she did get her call a few days later and she is heading to the Indiana Indianapolis Mission and she is excited. I think she enters the MTC on October 28.

Molli turned 7 and had a fun party with four of her friends. Michael is doing well on his bike. He just needs a bit more practice and he'll have it down. The kids took swim lessons this summer and Well, here are some more pictures from August. I taught my first violin lesson last week and it was so much fun and Braedyn did great. Life is good. Oh, Robert was ordained a high priest last week. I feel old, yet I am only 31. He still teaches in the primary and is still financial clerk, despite the fact that everyone thought he would get a new calling because of this ordination. We are happy.

Molli in swim class

Hannah at swim class

going down the river at Lava Hot Springs
with Celeste and Molli

Robert and Michael
Molli's birthday party
Molli. Rachel, Lydia, Kennedy, Kennedy
Michael, and Hannah

My attempt at a cute birthday cake

Hyrum helping me decorate the cake

Molli's first day of 2nd grade

Michael's first day of Kindergarten

because I didn't have a picture of Evan, yet :)

Michael learning to ride his bike

Lava Hot Springs

Yesterday we went down to Lava Hot Springs with my mom's side of the family and had a good time. We rented a double tube and ended up taking it down the river 7 times. I went with Michael, then Celeste (my sister) and Molli, and with Hannah. Robert and I went down together once as well. The hardest part is getting in and then getting out when you are supposed to. Robert went down with Hannah, and Michael twice. He tipped over on all three of those times. Michael thought it was great, and I guess Hannah didn't mind too much because she went again with me. I bruised up my behind pretty good, and Robert bruised his leg. On his last ride down, Robert was with Michael and they had two pretty good spills and unfortunately Robert lost his spare pair of glasses (luckily they were his spare) and, not realizing until this morning, he also lost his wedding ring. I know he feels bad about that. I told him now we get to go wedding ring shopping. He wasn't thrilled about that either. He said, "Well, life goes on," and I told him that is very true. They weren't in danger of losing their lives on the river, but I am glad it was only his wedding ring and not his life. (I also told him better his than my ring, his was less expensive).
I will post some pictures of us coming down the river later.

My sister, Celeste, called us when we were about half an hour from home and told us that her car broke down on the side of the freeway. There was nothing much we could do at this point but give her a few phone numbers. I felt bad for her, but I knew it would all turn out.

In another post I mentioned I would show a video of Evan learning to crawl so here it is.