Fall Fun

Trip to the Dallas Arboretum- Pumpkin Patch

Katelyn and I took the kids to play with the pumpkins while Emily was busy moving this past week!

It was sorta like herding (black) cats!

Even though only two of them can walk, they kept us busy busy busy!

We had a good time, but this may be the best photo we got.

Check out Katies blog to see if she posts a better one.

Ryan playing the pumpkin bongo!


Just a little squeeze!

Today Katelyn had a Halloween Party for Delaney and her friends.

She wore a hot pink flamingo costume.

She greeted each guest with a big bearhug!


Satch greeted Ryan with a full body smile and a kiss too!

Katie and I made the
"baby Mingo" costume for Reese

A good time was had by all!

Road to Recovery

Brent and I just returned to Provo after his osteochondral allograft transplant surgery. It was a success and according to Dr. Bugbee, a perfect match. As we expected, the rest of his knee was in perfect condition and the graft fit perfectly, so his chances of recovery are good. He has a 5 inch incision down the front of his knee. He is moving his knee some, up to 50 degrees non- weight-bearing, and bearing weight on it with his brace on (peg-legged). He will have home health care nurses come and take care of him and Physical therapy at home for the next 3 weeks. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers we are very grateful. I will stay here with Brent and Janeese for a week or so until he is feeling better. All we know about the donor is that he was 19. We were given a little card with an identifying donor number so we can write the donors family anonymously and share our gratitude.

Rockin' the Kasbah

We used the last of Dave's frequent flyer miles and our timeshare to visit Costa del Sol Spain, Tangiers, Morocco, and Gibraltar last week. It was remarkable how much like Southern and Central California this whole region is. The wealthy areas of Tangiers looked like Montecito with its walled estates and ocean views...

Our Amazing Tour guide Aziz took us all over the city. We went to the northern most tip of Africa, to where the Med and the Atlantic meet, to Hurcules Cave, the Kasbah, the Medina, past the mosques and villages, past the palaces of the rich and famous and last but not least, to ride the camels in Tangiers-

One of the "carney, ride operators" handed Dave the fez as he got on the camel, and then made him buy it! He thought it was part of the camel ride! Contrary to what this photo depicts, we were not ambushed and robbed on our little ride overlooking the Med.

The Kasbah

the market in the Medina.

This is a resort that celebrity types visit for

the beautiful and completely abandoned beaches.

Aziz took us home to his parents home for the traditional post- sunset breaking of the Ramadan fast. We had missed the boat he intended us to go back to Tarifa on, so he took us to his mom and dad's where his family was celebrating and served us soup, lamb and potatoes and home made cookies.

The home was beautiful and the food tasty.

The mosiac behind us on the living room wall was all tiny pieces the size of a pinkie fingernail, (not just big squares of tile) and above that, is carved plaster that adorns the walls and ceiling. The floors are beautiful rugs and the sofa, which runs along the entire perimiter of the room is hand embroidered. Amazing workmanship, and a fabulous tour guide.

Right out of the Wizard of Oz!

I was more than a little surprized when this "Barbary Ape" who was perched up on our car hood, jumped into my lap while I was photographing him! I beaned him on the top of the head with my big zoom lens and he jumped out of the window, and onto the ground. I don't know who was more shocked, the monkey or me! Dave would have loved to have his camera on me when it happened. Our little side trip into Gibraltar was rainy but lots of fun.

Portrait of the would be camera thief!
Alhambra, Granada, Spain

We visited the Alhambra, a gorgeous fort, palaces, gardens and village in Granada, Spain. It is also the most visited place in Spain. The thing that is so cool about the Alhambra is that with ordinary materials, the creators of this palace were able to do extrordinary things with great artistry.

The allegory of what the Lord can do with our simple lives if we let Him inspired me here.

This view from across the gorge, was the result of an adventurous drive over cobblestone village streets, so narrow, we had to pull the side mirrors in to avoid hitting the walls of the buildings we were passing. And we were in a little Saab, not an SUV! More than once, we wondered if we had gotten ourselves into a fix and would have to back up to the next cross street, or ride down the stairs! Simple turns were three point manuvers! It was wild but the view from the other side rewarding. When we got there, we were seranaded by a couple of gypsies playing guitars and singing.

Unforgettable!

Isn't She Precious!

Reese is sure getting cute! Despite what this photo shows,

she is waking up and making eye contact. Her pretty eyes look right into your soul.

She is wearing a cute outfit that Janeese and her mom gave her as a Birth Day Present.

On a Wing and a Prayer

Hello Dear Family and Friends,

We got notification Wednesday evening that they are processing a potential donor for Brent's patella transplant this week. (fresh osteochondral allograft transplant)

The news is bittersweet. Some family somewhere, has lost a child in the prime of life.

That family's generosity in their time of deep unexplainable grief is overwhelming.

Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to them in sorrow and

we hope that the healing balm of the Lords hand will be upon them,

that He will encircle them about in the arms of His love.

We will not know if it is a good match and the tissue is healthy until the week of October 6-10, with Brent's surgery either the end of that week or the beginning of the next week.

but we ask you, our friends and family to keep the family of our potential donor in your

hearts and minds and prayers.

We don't know who he is, but he is someones son,

and God knows where and who this family is.

I can not imagine their pain.

Love, Lisa

Plano Balloon Festival 2008

Saturday was a beautiful day. Dave and I went over to the 29th annual Plano Ballon Fest. 40,000 to 50,000 of our dearest friends were there. It was a huge, very well behaved crowd.

It was lots of fun to see the balloons up close and personal and watch them fly just overhead.

I do mean JUST OVERHEAD. You could hear the conversations in the basket!

It was fun to watch the crews unroll the balloon, attach the basket and fire up the gas.

Before long, they were sailing in the beautiful blue.

We heard there were over 70 balloons participating.
We watched the balloons inflate and fly away.
There were balloons of every shape and size.
As it got dark, twenty two balloons remained on the field and the darker it got

the prettier it was when they filled their balloons with hot air. The flames illuminated the balloons in the clear night sky, creating quite a spectacle.

Every few minutes, they would count down from ten and all the balloons would fire up the gas at once, and all the balloons lit up. It was neat- the darker the night got, the prettier the show. This was about the last photo I got before my camera battery died. Not quite dark, but you get the idea.

You will need to stand on your head to appreciate this photo, but it was fun to see them all so close up as they took off.


A fireworks display capped off the evening perfectly.

Ft Worth Zoo

We loaded up the twin stroller and took the kids to the zoo.

It was a gorgeous day in Ft. Worth, the perfect day for a picnic and walk thru the zoo.

D and Ryan are so affectionate towards each other. Sharing a big Smooch!
I have never seen a gorilla this up close and personal, but

we were just a pane of glass away. Eyeball to eyeball.

I was kind of suprized that neither of the kids were scared.

Meeting Mr. Sloth & Mr. Crocodile...quiet as can be....

Last week we got to the Dallas World Aquarium in time to see the Sloth in the tree
up close and personal. I think he is smiling at us!


Mr. Sloth moves sooooo slooooowwww.

He moved so slowly he wasn't even scary even though he
was so close.

The aquarium has two gigantic crocodiles. The mating variety.
There are always young'ins there to watch too. Today we saw
five or six babies. As Delaney watched the Croc's closely, Emily said
"watch out Delaney or the crocodile will get you"
Totally deadpan, Delaney looks at Emily, glances at the Croc's
and looks back at Emily and says totally unruffled....... "Or Not"
...............I wonder where she has heard that. She has such a good sense
of humor for such a little girl.

At the Aquarium

My birthday celebration

On my birthday, my dear daughters tooke me out to lunch to our favorite Thai
place just down the road from Katies house. The place is nothing fancy, just great food
and lots of it. It started out pretty good. Everyone was in a great
mood. Three adults, three kids. no problem. Almost as if she had a plate delivery sensor for her
mom, Reese, started squawking the instant her moms food was delivered. After a few moments of
soothing the squawking, Katie moved outside with her plate of food and the baby while the rest of us
quickly tried to finish the meal inside with two active toddlers wondering why Kate and the babe were
outside and they weren't. We wolfed down what we already had on our plates and packed
the rest to go, and decided as we drove away, that maybe our days of a nice lunch out together with the
kids, may be a thing of the past..... We took a solemn vow.... of TAKEOUT!

After the lunch, Em and I took the big kids to the nifty aquarium in Dallas. We had a great time.

On My Birthday Emily, Ryan, Delaney and I went to the Dallas World Aquarium



Needless to say, Ryan had a great time at the Aquarium....
Ryan ALWAYS has a great time....



The DWA has a wonderful glass tunnel that you can walk through
with the sharks and lots of other Hugely Interesting Creatures swimming
by so close you can almost touch them.

Isn't She Lovely?

Reese Kelly has arrived

6lbs 14oz

8-22-8

2:04 pm

Perfect in Every Way!

Delaney was excited to meet her new baby sister and even offered her prized "white beb beb" (blanket) when she started to fuss! What a gift of generosity and love!

First Impressions

Katie made it look so easy! 5 minutes from the time the nurse told her to push, Reese arrived! Amazing and Beautiful

Gramps was so excited to come to the hospital and see his new grandbaby that he ended up at the hospital with two different black dress shoes! I'm tellin' you, the guy was a (wonderful) mess when I was having babies! Having grandbabies brings back all those wonderful memories for us!

Our Family

A huge thank- you to everyone who made the time and took the effort to come

celebrate with us! A great time was had by all.

Our lives are richer because of your love and friendship. We love you!

Lisa & Dave

The Newest Stiles Family Photo (we miss you Scott)

Katelyn Brent, Janeese and Emily

Emily, Ryan and Jared

Katie, Matt and Delaney

Lisa's Mom- Eileen, Janeese, Brent and Bertha, -Dave's Mom

My sister Laurie, Rich, Tommy, Rob and Chrissy

My sister Kelly her husband Bob and Eric Ray and Lindsay, plus baby Ryan

Dave's sister Susan and her husband Dick

Our dear friends Jennie, Hannah and Brad Smith we claim them as family

The Stiles and the Lovelands