Christmast Vote

I vote we go to the Holbrooks home for Christmas.

It will be cheaper and funner and closer and funner :)


Go Jazz!

Christmas Day

Family, its time to decide what the heck we are doing for Christmas.

I have a proposal. So you can comment and we'll decide what is going on for the Holidays.

Also here is a list of things we have...please add to this as we go along.

December 13 1p - 7p Ryan's Open House - Raymond James
December 14 8:30 pm Bryn's Graduation Celebration
December 16 5:00pm Marler Party
December 22 6:00 Poll Party South Weber
December 24 - Christmas Eve

Come celebrate at the Holbrook Lodge
We will have warm hot chocolate for every guest and great food, games and movies for the night. The lodge sleeps 10, but there is one bed for the Mother and Father and then couches for the rest. And trust me...we have a plethora of couches boss.
In the morning there will be sticky buns and presents and perhaps some snowshoeing up the mountain.
You can stay as long as you want. We have looked at several places and its expensive to get a large place...We could keep looking but our home is available and you are all welcome.

Please add any other dates I missed and comment of Christmas Day. Love you all
Jodi

"Gobble, Gobble, Giggle...I wish turkey only cost a Nickle..."

Matt

I agree with Jodi...there really aren't any holidays that I look forward to any more than Thanksgiving. You might not already know this about me, but I really get a kick out of yummy food...and there will be no shortage of comida deliciosa this week!

I also share Dad's excitement for the big football game this Saturday...I'm hoping for another Thanksgiving Miracle---that we will be able to find a tv channel that is broadcasting the game at Gma's. I nearly had a massive heart attack during last year's contest...I'm not sure why I even like watching the rivalry game--it really does thoroughly stress me out each year...honestly, it's a physically taxing experience for me each time I see my Utes play the "team down south". Oh that I could be "luke warm" like RP and claim to have no ties to either team...it must be nice to sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice little game of football like he does each year.

Well, I'm sitting here at work w/ a long list of things to get done before our departure to Mesa, so I better go be productive now. Looking forward to seeing most of you down in sunny Arizona!

Love,

MPH

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, we officially have a hole for our house. I took Abby and Spencer out yesterday and we were able to watch the digger move all the dirt around. As you can imagine Spencer thought it was the coolest thing ever. He kept saying over and over, "Mpom, look digger". They think they might even be doing foundations today. So we might make another trip out there to see what we can watch today.
So, I have been thinking that I would like to set the tradition with my kids of doing a sub for santa or twelve days of Christmas or something for somebody else. If anyone knows of anyone that could use a little help this year, please let me know.
The only thing that I know of for schedules right now is Ryan's Holiday Open House is on Dec. 13th.
I hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe trip down.
Love ya,
Katherine

The Eve of Thanksgiving Eve

It is Tuesday Morning. The Eve of Thanksgiving Eve. Today we are going to roll 800 Tennis Balls down the sidewalk at the UofU and some lucky student is going to win a 1/2 price tuitition and books for next Semester and I am going to win a t-shirt or some other valuable prize. Later on my wife and two sons and I are going to brave the roads and go over the river and through the woods. I am looking forward to spending time with the family. I am also looking forward to the Big Football game this Saturday, a little shopping on Wednesday and Friday and the end of the Semester and Brynley's party. Here's a couple of things;
1. The Poll party will be on December 22nd at the South Weber Church at 6 PM. It is the Church across the street from Grandma and Grandpas. I have no other details.
2. Give us some feedback on the Sherwood Hills trip. Does it work for you? Jodi, have you checked to see about a condo somewhere else? Another alternative would be the Poinsetta Bowl in San Diego on December 20th, or maybe St. George.
3. They are framing our new house. It looks really cool. I hear they dug the hole at Spencer and Abby's new home yesterday.
4. I had better get going, it is almost 7 AM-Mom's been gone for 2 hours and I haven't showered yet.

Love
Dad

December Schedule- Keep Checking for Additions

Hi Everyone,
Well as usual, Jodi got me on the ball and so this will be our official place for us to ALL see what is going on from now til end of the year.

Dec. 14th- Friday- BBB- Brynley's Big Bash- 8:00 pm at Mom and Dad's Church Building- 700 S. 500 E. SLC- Food and Activity assignments TBD- Invite everyone you know that wants to come.

Dec 16- Marler Family Party- 6:00 pm- Cory & Ronda's House possibly- Food Assignments TBD

Poll Party- Dec 23rd? No details known but will update

Dec. 27th-29th- Sherwood Hills possibility- Pool, hot tub, (no courts, but now a day spa), snow showing and cross country ski equipment rental, we could possibly use the courts on campus,
Rooms have 2 queens, frig, microwave, TV/Cable and seperate VCRs- $79/ night- skiing at Beaver Mountain possibly-

Thanksgiving Week!!!

Jodi -
I love this week, it is my favorite of the year. I love the time we get to spend in AZ, I love seeing my family all weekend, I love spending so much time with Gma and Pa and I love haveing no obligations for one whole long weekend. So why am I still here at work at 6pm? I don't know...Want to be all caught up for the long weeekend I guess, or just not that productive with so much fun a-waiting.
We went to Barbara's for dinner on Sunday and then went to the Angie's for cake and icecream. Everyone seems to be doing well there...they are all looking forward to Thanksgiving too.
We got Tivo back, so now we have the Ute games back too and I can watch the 10:00 news any time I want!
See you all on Wed. night!!!! Oh yeah...I can't wait.

60K and 3.66 weeks

This was a great week for those in South Salt Lake. I hit 60,000 miles on my little car, I got a new roommate, I worked a lot of hours. I went to a quarter of the U football game, I had a coaches meeting, and today is our big auction for the service committee at church. MMM, I can't hardly wait for Wednesday night. We're going to have so much fun, and it appears that our hostess' are getting everything ready. We had our coaches meeting for Jr. Jazz on Saturday, and I'm feeling good about the coaches that we do have, and I think they're excited too. Life is good, and after today, I only have to sit in this chair two more times. Now that is exciting! I love you all and am anxious to spend the weekend with you. Til then.

Count Down by ibmom and gma

Dear Friends of mine,

We're waiting for the carpet cleaners. They said between 7 a.m. and noon. Then Linda and I are going shopping for stuff. Tomorrow, the cleaning lady willl come and clean my refrigerator and other things. Wed., I get my hair and nails done and then you guys start popping in Yipee. We've got our vcr cabinet about half way cleared up. Got a lot of good movies. The cards are ready any time. Thing have got to get did and so we'll all do them. Love ibmom and gma

Boys Like Girls

I am on short time, but I wanted to say that it was fun to be with some of you this last Sunday at M&D's. Love spending time with the family whenever our schedules allow it. Tomorrow the band, "Boys Like Girls" will be coming to the Dee Events Center for a big concert. We have over $30,000 put into this and so I am hoping we will come close to breaking even on the whole deal. If we don't, I will have some fingers pointed at me, but as of our last ticket count, we are right on pace to sell out. Friday morning I will be going to San Fran for the weekend for a Student Government Conference. Should be good. My stress is eased by trips to the gym and rigorous workouts. Am I looking different to anyone?

-Troy

We're winding down

Well this week was a very good week, and i think a lot of it had to do with a lack of school work that was done. I have had a lot of fun, but didn't get much homework done, and now I will pay for it this week. However, I did present my project to my committee on Thursday morning, and it looks like I may be able to graduate. That is if I can sit in this classroom for three more weeks totalling 9 hours. Oh I have two other classes too, but if i can buckle down these last couple weeks, I will live, and then be oh so happy to be free! I got to go to the Jazz game last Wednesday night, and sit next to Troy in the 4th quarter. However, I left Troy and Labron James with 30 seconds left in the game, and apparently missed an exciting 30 seconds. I also did my best to enjoy the beautiful weather on Saturday, and got on my bike with mom. I also played some racquetball, let mom beat me, played some volleyball, and didn't let anybody beat me, then in the mountain, I think the mountain won. I was tired, but no wreck to report. I went to a game night on Saturday night, and I realized I hadn't been to a social event for some time, it was fun to get out again. I had most of the day off today for veteran's day, and got up hiking with some high school friends. It's great to be alive, and I'm really enjoying the extended fall season. Class is just ending so...4.66 weeks to go, and I'll really be done!!!! Love you all, can't wait to be with you for the holiday

Consistency

Like Matt, I'm happy to be back for the past couple of weeks. It was really nice seeing most of the family last week. Besides Brynley, I was able to see everybody. And Bryn, hopefully, I'll get to see you soon as well.

Last week, I was able to go to 2 college football games and one great college basketball game. That college basketball game was between Weber State and Utah State. I had so much fun, I think I'm going to go more often, especially because our home is so close to the Dee Events Center.

We're supposed to dig a hole tomorrow and we're excited to have that happen. Hopefully we can move quickly on this before the weather gets too bad.

The stock market has had a couple of tough weeks which makes my life a little more interesting. Fortunately, I'm a little consersavative with even my most aggressive investors, which means that we're not hit has hard around here. But it still makes things a little more tense around here.

Kath and I spoke in church yesterday. She was great and I was just average. But that's usually the way it is for us, so nothing too new there.

Have a great week to all,
rp

Three weeks in a row!

--Matt

I know that pride is a sin, but I feel pretty cool for having made a blog three weeks in a row. And, this is the first time that I've ever had two blogs posted in a time span that GMA only had one post... :)

I liked Jodi's blog...I'm happy to see that she posted our Halloween photo. I can't believe she made me where that costume to our Ward Party...I must love her a lot!

It was fun last night to go to dinner at Mom and Dad's...we missed KP and Bryn, but I'm sure we'll see them down in Mesa. Thanks to Ryan and Kath for picking us up and driving us to and from SLC. It was fun to sit back and relax, and playing w/ Abbey and Spencer in the back seat was above average too.

Things at work are going well. I like my job, and I feel fortunate to have my own business. I'm in the process of looking for a new secretary...she's having a baby in January, so I need to start looking for a replacement...so, if any of you have any good referrals, send them on my way...I'm a pretty decent guy to work for...

I guess the only thing I'm not excited about this week is my dental appointment on Thurs. morning. I have to go get a crown put on one of my teeth...guess I should have flossed more.

Love you all!

Next Week

Jodi -

It seems we are all counting down till Thanksgiving, and I have to say this is my favorite holiday. Grandma thanks for being so organized, we all know exactly what to do on Thanksgiving...I love it...However, I'll make pumpkin muffins for everyone if you let me set real plates out for dinner. So I'm a traditionalist, but its Thanksgiving, and I only get to eat off a pewter plate once a year!

Well last week I flew home from Kansas City...my last trip of the year. It was fun, I was able to take my friend Kristie with me, so we had a nice girls weekend eating well, getting massages and well scrapbooking.

I leave you this week with pictures from Halloween. We had a great Halloween this year, with some fun party's and such...so thought I would share the costumes...funny...matt showed up at the ward party...minus that jeans...yup, It was funny.

5.66 weeks

That's right ladies and gentlemen, we are almost onto the one hand countdown. This week was a good week because for the first time I saw a true bright light at the end of the tunnel. I bound my final project/paper and dad turned it in for me this morning. I will defend it on Thursday. Then 1 grant to write, and a couple small projects here and there. This too shall pass. Work is going well. I enjoy everyone I work with and I my assistant started today. There was so much to get done and not a lot of time to train him, but he seems like a go getter and doesn't need constant reminders and is willing to share his insights and work hard. It's going to be great! We'll be going to some elementary schools tomorrow and teaching their p.e. classes, mmmm, I think I can handle that. I went to my ward's FHE tonight, and am going to try harder to get involved there. I looked around the room today and at least knew a couple of people, I guess it just takes 17 months to get to know people. The service committee is doing well, we're having an auction in a couple of weeks and people seem excited. If anyone has anything they want to auction off, let me know, it'll go to a good cause. Anyway, life is good, still looking for a roommate, but I'm in no hurry. Well I love you all. Happy November

Manic Monday

Good Monday afternoon to all,

Life is good for the Ryan/Katherine Poll's. We still haven't dug a hole yet....still waiting for final permits. However, I'd be really suprised if my next blog doesn't have news about the ground breaking.... Of course, it might be another 3 or 4 weeks before I do another blog.

Spencer and Abby are doing well. Spencer's new favorite word is "funny". He'll be watching a show or be drivinging in the car and point to something and say "funny". He then laughs and everybody else laughs because watching him laugh is funny. Got all of that??

Abby loves Pre-school and is quite bright. She likes to play card games with me. Last night, we were going through the numbers with face cards. This was good exercise with her numbers. She's really good but mixes up her 6's and 9's. When we got a face card, she was say "A (Ace)is for Abby, K (king) is for Kyle, and J (Jack) is for Jodi. Sorry mom, we weren't trying to exclude Jill, but for now, all she knows you as is Grandma. However, that soon will change. She knows she's funny, but she'll call Katherine, "Kath", "Muffins", and "Katherine". She'll call me "Ryan" or just "Ry" for short. She'll also talk to Spencer as if Katherine is talking herself. "Are you OK honey?" It's a good reminder for us to watch our P's and Q's as she picks up on just about everything.

Well, I'm pretty excited for the football this week. On Thursday, I get to go to the BYU-TCU game and on Saturday, I get to go to the UTAH/WY game.

Bye for now....
rp

Beautiful Monday!

As Phil Holbrook used to always say on a day like today, "it sure is a beautiful day outside!" Sounds like it's also great weather in Mesa...I hope that keeps up the rest of the month down in sunny Arizona.

I was invited to go to a Jazz game last Saturday night. The Jazz played the Golden State Warriors, and the Jazz beat them convincingly. It was a very entertaining game, and I was feeling pretty good about myself until I got a text message from Jodi that informed me to look for Kyle sitting on the 2nd row. I really have great eye sight, but since we were on row 13 of the upper bowl, I couldn't spot KP. I'm sure that he's jealous that I was able to see the entire court during the game with much more ease...

As Dad mentioned in his blog, I received a new calling last week. I've been called to be the executive secretary in my ward. I had no idea how many "behind the scenes" things that go on in a ward. We have a great Bishopric--they all have a great sense of humor, so that makes the work even more fun. For now, they have left me in as the Priest's Quorum advisor...Bishop said he'll release me in a couple months...And, the last executive secretary had the assistant clerk that was doing half of his job for him (they called the assistant clerk to be the new Wark Clerk, so we now have one less memeber of the bishopric than we did two weeks ago)...so, I kind of have three callings right now. I like them all a lot though, so that makes it easier.

Just two more weeks now till we leave for Mesa! Sometimes my family...mostly my mom...have a hard time understanding why Jodi and I are never around during Thanksgiving. We just tell them that we just have a lot more fun w/ GMA and GPA Marler in Arizon....and, if they want us to stay home in Utah for Turkey day--they need to work on their overall "fun level".

I'd say that our annual trip to Mesa during Thanksgiving is our most treasured Holbrook family tradition. We haven't established very many traditions in our small family, but we always know where we will find ourselves on Thanksgiving....as long and GMA and GPA will let us keep coming :)

Go Jazz!

Another Monday

Happy November 5th family
Here's this weeks top 10!
1) Mom was set apart as the President of the YW in our ward yesterday. She is going to be great.
2) I heard from Ryan today and the little monkey and the little chicken are coming to grandma and grandpa's house at 6 PM today. We are really excited about that. Mom is going to fix the macarroni and cheese. I am furnishing the yesterdays jello salad.
3) They have poured our basement floor in our house in Centerville. It looks smooth, but I can't see the drain for the basement kitchen. I am sure they have it figured out.
4) My tentative plans, (subject to Jill, Troy and Kyle approval) for Thanksgiving weekend is to leave on Tuesday afternoon as soon as everyone can tear themselves away and drive south until we arrive in sunny Mesa. I plan to return in time to be at the UofU-BYU football game at noon on Saturday with Troy and Kyle. Mom will stay in Mesa until Tuesday.
5) I would like to make an appearance at Last Chance on Wednesday and then go looking for suits with Matt and whoever else would like to go on Friday morning.
6) Mom and I went to a play at the Hale Theatre on Friday evening with a really nice and interesting couple who moved to SLC just a couple of months ago. I hope that we can continue our friendship with them. I think we're going to go to another play in Decemgber with them.
7) Grandma Poll's headaches seem to have gone away and her blood pressure is much better. Grandpa was able to attend Sacrament Meeting. I still have hopes that we will be able to go to the temple with him sometime this year.
8) I hit a personal high of 34 on Kyle's "Bopit" game this morning. I was going to get to 100 before I bragged, but I couldn't wait.
9) Mom and I are really enjoying our living downtown lifestyle. It is so nice to not have to worry about I-15 and the commute. We also love our ward. It is so much in need ob able bodies. We are even considering buying a Town House across the street from our current location instead of the Centerville place. (Just considering it)
10) Welcome home to Jodi, congrats to Bryn on having her paper finished on her BIG project, looking forward to hearing from Kyle on his Jazz game on Saturday, anxious to hear about Troy's application for student government for next Semester, anxious to hear how Matt's new Church calling is going, looking forward to Ryan teaching me how to do my Family History, hope Mom's 3 day headache gets better, appreciate Kath's hanging out with her BYU friends this evening so we can play with the world's cutest kids.
Love you all
DAD

ibmom & gma

Hello everyone,

Oh dear, only Troy has posted since I did last, but here I am again. Troy, it's so good hearing about your life at WSU. Keep it up! I too am looking forward to Thanksgiving. In fact last night, I made another list. Here's a revised list of things to do for the meal. Gma furnish the food. Joel, cook turkey and make gravy; Zack will help Joel as well as Stuart in getting table & Christmas things out. Kyle, dressing; Dale, cut the turkey, Ronda and Cory, make the layered jello (at home and bring it up carefully); Matt and Jodi bring in table from outside and chairs, put leafs in both tables (if needed) and set tables. We will use place mats and paper plates and cups unless otherwise voted down. It will be much easier on the clean up and we can get on to games and vcr's etc. (No golf on Thurs.) Brynley on mashed potatoes; Gary, Jill, Troy on vegetable (frozen corn or peas) fruit tray; and organize the cleanup (bomb or whatever you call it); Linda, rolls; GMA cranberries and cranberry sauce and butter paper products etc.; Stuart help Matt & Jodi set table; and bring in table from fr. b.r. after the meal for setting the Christmas tree on; Then everyone help bring in and place the Christmas things. And Jodi will help me get my Christmas Card out. It will be a busy but a fun day and we will appreciate it so so so so much. Anyone left out or you think of things I don't, just remind me. Everyone is coming and going at different times, so the rest is up to you, I have a few things on a list that could take an extra hour or two. Today is a beautiful day out. I have the front door open. It's just about 60 degrees. We haven't had any heat on. In fact the air conditioning will come on later when it gets up to 82 degrees. They are out there in shorts golfing. We love it. It may be different in 2 1/2 weeks, but we will enjoy. You're off daylight savings time, so we are the same time as you for a few months. I go to the dentist at 10: a.m. Things are pretty well finished with my teeth. Just hurts a little, but I can chew pretty well now. Got to go. I will mail a copy of this to those that don't get or dont read the blog. Allison will just bring herself and family including Jocelyn Iris Kerby. Love you all much, ibmom & gma