The Ladybug and her Company

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Maggie was the cutest little ladybug for Halloween this year. Gigi couldn't resist not seeing the ladybug in person and flew out for a long weekend to see Maggie. After Gigi finally got here (one emergency landing later) the ladybug made her debut at our church's fall festival, Kings Faire.

The weekend continued with Christmas shopping, playing at the park and and a long attempt at taking a family picture for Christmas cards. We will let you decide on if it was successful or not.

Sadly, Gigi had to leave this morning and Maggie cried when Gigi got out of the car at the airport. To lift Maggie's spirits, we took her to a Halloween party with some of her friends from playgroup. She was so tired by the time we got her home that it was all she could do to not fall asleep while climbing the stairs.

We hope everyone enjoys all of their candy. I know Andy will.

Katie


We didn't know if she would sit still long enough to take this picture. No, it's not the Christmas card picture. 


Gigi and Maggie playing after dinner. 


Maggie at the park. 


So tired after trick-or-treating... 


Daddy and Maggie trick-or-treating 


Our little ladybug 

The Grand Canyon

We did it. We saw the Grand Canyon, and it was impressive. I saw the Grand Canyon about 11 years ago but don't remember much about it. This was a first for Andy and Maggie.

We hadn't been in the Grand Canyon ten minutes and we started to see all kinds of animals. We saw a fourteen point elk, lots of deer and lots of mules.

We had a nice dinner with our friends, Julie and Andrew, on Wednesday night at the Maswik Lodge. On Thursday morning, bright and early (and freezing cold- 20), Andrew and Andy left for their hike down to the floor of the Grand Canyon. While the guys hiked, Julie, Maggie and I took the shuttle bus tour of the Grand Canyon that is accessible by car and enjoyed the beauty of the Grand Canyon.

We took a scenic drive (in our own car) on Friday morning while the guys hiked back up the Grand Canyon. We decided to go to the trail where Andrew and Andy would be coming up about 1:30 so we could see them finish. We only had to wait about an hour and then we saw them. Julie and I were very excited that the guys were still walking but when they finished, they were sore. There's nothing like carrying a 25 lbs plus backpack up 5000 feet of the Grand Canyon. Oh, and the guys got to see some wild turkeys during their hike.

Andy was very sore for the rest of the weekend but is back to normal now. We had a great time in the Grand Canyon and enjoyed the cold weather.

Here are some pictures. We have a lot of pictures and if you would like to see all of them just email me and I will be happy to send you a link to view all of them.

Katie


Andrew, Andy and Julie before leaving to go down the trail. 


Andy somewhere on the way down to the floor of the Grand Canyon. 


The Colorado River 


Andy and Andrew after they finished their two-day hike. 


Almost finished. 


Maggie sits on a rock somewhere along the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. 


Sunset in the Grand Canyon as seen from Yavapai Point. 


Sunset 


The Grand Canyon 


Maggie and I with an elk in the background. 

Life in the Fast Lane

What a week it has been for the Kennedys. Our friends, Jeff and Amanda, arrived for a visit last Thursday and went back to Mississippi this morning. We had a blast with them here and Maggie loved double the attention.

We stayed very busy while Jeff and Amanda were here- a trip to Hoover Dam, a night on the town (Maggie stayed at home with a babysitter), a show (Mamma Mia) and Jeff and Amanda even got to see rain. It actually flooded in parts of Las Vegas on Saturday and snowed on Mt. Charleston.

Jeff and Amanda- We loved having you here and appreciate you taking time off and flying out to see us in the desert.

We aren't even slowing down now that our house has two less people. We are headed to the Grand Canyon in a couple of hours. Andy will be hiking down to the floor of the Grand Canyon tomorrow and hiking back out on Friday. I just checked the weather for the Grand Canyon and the low tonight will be 19!!!!!! Much different than Las Vegas, so I have packed us all some warm clothes.

Here are some pictures from our visit with Jeff and Amanda.


Maggie is excited to see Jeff and Amanda. 


Our Anniversary picture outside Red Rock Casino. 


Katie and Amanda 


Jeff, Amanda, Maggie and Andy before dinner on Tuesday night. 


Jeff and Amanda at the Venetian 


Maggie loves having company! 


Katie and Amanda before going to see Mamma Mia! 

October 13th

It was about 7 o'clock in the morning and I sat straight up in the bed, startled from the loud clap of thunder. I turned on The Weather Channel to see how bad it was really going to be.

About the same time a few miles away, my soon-to-be-husband, starts getting phone calls from friends and relatives saying that the weather was just too bad to make the drive to Jackson.

As I sit in the salon chair, one of my bridesmaids- Melanie, tries to rest my fears of the weather for my day. Then we hear tornado sirens. I didn't go anywhere. My hair still had to get fixed.

Fast forward a few hours. The weather has calmed down a bit, just a little rain now, and the clock strikes 4 o'clock. Showtime.

The wedding was beautiful and we couldn't have asked for a better day, despite the rain. They say rain is good luck, right?

Fast forward five years. We never thought we would live in Las Vegas (ha ha). We never imagined that our daughter would be as beautiful and special to us as she is. We never imagined we could be this happy.

Happy Five Year Anniversary Andy! I love you.

A scorpion, a tent, a little girl and a dog

Katie has the night off tonight, so I'm filling in as webmaster! Big excitement this weekend. As some of you already know, I had an encounter with a scorpion on Friday night. Katie had gone to the grocery store while I put Maggie to bed. When she returned, being the good husband I am, I was helping unload the groceries. I had gone out to the garage for the last load when I saw him. Well, I almost jumped through the ceiling. I ran upstairs to do some research on how to take care of him. I first searched for "killing scorpions". Don't do this. When you search for how to kill stuff, you'd be amazed at what you would find. One website then suggest I search for "extermination." This was closer, but mainly brought me several ads from pest companies. However, I did find one resourceful article that suggested I get 3 or 4 chickens to roam around the affected area. Apparently chickens consider the scorpion a delicacy.



Once I realized that we didn't have any chickens here at the house, I found some spider, roach and ant spray. I jumped up on my car--complete with my steel-toe boots in case it got ugly--and sprayed him. He ran and I wasn't about to start moving boxes to find him. So, the next day, he was lying on his back suffering from my dose of spray, and I used a broom to finish him off. See the before and after pictures.



Despite the entertainment with the above-mentioned creature on Friday night, we still continued to have a full weekend. On Saturday morning, Katie walked in the Las Vegas breast cancer awareness walk. Maggie and I didn't venture out, but we did watch the news coverage of the event while enjoying a fried egg and cartoons.

Later on Saturday we went to REI to find a backpack for me. I will be hiking/camping the southern rim of the Grand Canyon in two weeks, so it's time to get the gear ready. After an hour and a half of fitting me, the salespeople (I had three at this point) told me that they just didn't have a pack that would fit me, and that I should consider renting. So I did. (Apparently, I have an "odd-shaped torso".) Today the gear prep continued with me setting up the tent in the living room. Maggie did a thorough inspection and everything passed. She loved going in and out.



A good weekend leads into a busy week for the Kennedys. I am taking a vacation week beginning on the 16th, thus a lot to do at work to get ready. After being in a visitor drought for a while, the planes are about to start landing again. Jeff and Amanda Covington are coming on Thursday and staying until the middle of the following week. After their visit, on Wednesday, Katie, Maggie and I will drive to the Grand Canyon to meet Julie and Andrew Battaile for our hiking expedition. Actually, only Andrew and I will be doing the Grand Canyon. The girls will stay at a lodge, but may be able to do some hiking. And then Gigi is coming in town at the end of the month for Halloween.

That's about it. Oh, and you'll notice from the pictures that I think we have a piano prodigy on our hands.

~Andy