Basement view

We can see windows now.

Foundation Stones

Something cool is happening every day.  The foundation walls were placed today, and the great big pumper truck was filling it all up!  So fun to watch.  Quinn says now he wants to be that guy that runs the cement truck.

There was a great little story in the October 2012 Friend that we read for Family Night.  It was called Abby's Scripture Rock.  The children received rocks, and then wrote the reference for their favorite scripture.  The rocks were then included in the foundation for the Newport Beach Temple.  Since we are at the foundation stage for our house, we decided it was a perfect activity for us to think about what scriptures we want for the foundation for our home.  We each came up with a scripture or two, and even got the kids away at college involved.  We wrote them on our rocks and dropped them down with the foundation before they backfilled.

Footings

We have footings.

Hooray they finally started digging today!!!

The construction of our new home has finally begun.  Digging started Nov 2.  Our builder says 90 days from the time they begin digging, maybe sooner.  It has taken so long to finally get to this point.  It was a long summer of ups and downs trying to get our house sold - it only took 4 different contracts, but it finally worked out. We originally had a lot in American Fork that we loved, but had to back out when our sale failed and then we lost it.  Somehow, through a series of interesting events, we ended up with this lot in Orem.  We are delighted with our builder so far and are excited to be able to watch the construction - waiting for the permit was torture.

Here is the lot before:

Here is the beginning of the digging (Quinn says he wants to be that guy using the big digging machine when he grows up)

Here is the big hole - can you believe all of those rocks?

Halloween

Here is our little buckaroo.  He has been sooooo excited about the handcuffs.  Don't you love our little flip flop wearing cowboy?

The older girls got to wear costumes to school for the first time in their lives.  Isn't it sad that they never got to celebrate Halloween at school in elementary school?  It was a Tooele thing - no costumes.  Here they are accompanying their brother trick-or-treating.  The warmest Halloween I remember.

Graduation Day is finally here

We had two graduates this past week.  Wesley graduated from high school.  He thought it would never come to an end, but it finally happened.  He just missed Valedictorian and Salutatorian being ranked third in his class. He was however quite decked out with a lot of "bling" for all his accomplishments.  The silver gown is for earning an honor's diploma (only 6 in his class completed these requirements), the silver sash for being Math Sterling Scholar, and the cords are gold - high honor roll, sage - two diploma enrichments in math and science, maroon - completing the engineering tech pathway, red - donating blood at least 3 times.  He also had a medal for being academic all-state for tennis and a medal for being a regents scholar.  We are of course very proud. He has worked so hard.  He will attend BYU this coming fall and has 4 small scholarships to help out.

When Wes was all dressed up, Quinton had to get his graduation cap on and pose too.  He graduated from preschool.  He was not exactly what you would consider the top of the class being the youngest.  He pretty much embarrassed Mom and Dad by rolling around on the floor the whole time.  Oh well, we hope twelve more years of school will work out well for him.

Hyer Family update

We did get Christmas cards mailed this year, but didn't include a traditional Christmas letter.  No one wanted to write it and all claimed to have nothing to say.  So here's a brief update about what our family has been up to.

TROY - still working hard, still the Gospel Doctrine teacher, finally retired his PALM and upgraded to an IPOD touch
PAM - still teaching (preschool☺, AND now teaching in the computer lab once a week at the elementary), still YW President, still trying to find extra time in the day
AMANDA - still at college, still studying hard, just 2 semesters to go
WESLEY - severe case of senioritis, Math Sterling Scholar, still trying to choose a college
HEATHER - still learning to drive, still counting down the days 'till age 16, FINALLY got her braces off (picture was taken just before this eventful milestone)
HAYLEE - still playing the flute and the piano, loving Junior High, FINALLY joined the teenage ranks and coming to YW
QUINTON - still superhero obsessed, still keeping us on our toes, loving attending preschool (he thinks it's fun to call his mom "Miss Pam")