Matt & Stephanie Outhier

Mammoth!

2010-08-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Matt had a great weekend in Mammoth. It's some of the most challenging and fun riding he's done. He looks forward to headed back up there again soon!

Back in Cali!

2010-08-21T23:52:00.000-07:00

Matt got to go mountain biking in Mammoth this weekend. It is good to see him so happy.

This is Matt " the Dirt Missile" and David "the Flickster" Flick doing what they love.

Another Haiti Update

2010-08-21T01:10:00.000-07:00

Here is the day's Haiti update. I have not posted all of the emails out of respect for those that they are helping. Also, we want to wait to hear some of the stories first hand and not through email. I thought that todays would be nice to share though.

Today was another amazing day in Haiti. We basically went back to visit and help all the people that Jeremy helped last time he was here. While doing that we were able to touch many peoples lives.

To start out the day we took Samuel to the embassy to work on his visa. Its such a long process, but hopefully it will work out soon. That took up the entire morning until about noon.

After we left the embassy we went and met with one of jeremys contacts that works in one of the large tent cities. She works with world vision, which distributes food to places that need it. There were people from Africa and Haiti there that we were working with. When I get back to the states I hope I can work with them; they are an incredible asset to have here. When we left there we left with jeremys friend as well. We stopped at one of our contacts house to visit. Their house happened to overlook some pretty massive destruction. There is a picture below. On the way out we ran into her mother and was able to give her some medicine she needed.

After that visit we went to the chapel for a safe place to rest. Right when we walked in we ran into judes sister! (he was the bell hop from the hotel). After sunday we figured that we would not be able to see her. I'm telling you its amazing that out of six million people that live here, we ran into the one that we needed to. We were also able to pay for an entire year of her childs schooling. These are people that are trying their hardest to get by, so when we can help them like that, it really is amazing.

After we left the chapel we went to a little babies house that Jeremy had helped. She got burnt by a motorcycle a few days ago, so we were able to bandage that up and make sure it was sterile. Again, any small help makes a huge difference in peoples lives.

After that we decided to head home in case things got ugly. The decision about weycliff did not happen today, so there was no need, but security comes first. When we got home we were able to give the laurents blessings. We found out they have been married for less then three months, and yet they are the most incredible hosts ever. I'm so so thankful to them.

Today at dinner Samuel said that the lord promises to send angels to help us in our lives. He also said that as we try to serve him, he will use us as his angels for others. Looking back at today and this week I can really see the wisdom in these words. There is no way that anybody could plan some of the things that happen here. I know it may not seem like that through the lense of an email, but experiencing it is so different.

Haiti Update

2010-08-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

The following is an update from Brent, Debbie, Ben, and Josh.

So first of all I have to do all emails from my phone, so they aren't going to be too long. Ill send out a long one to everyone when we get home.

So to start with ill tell you who we are associating with the most. Samuel is our best friend down here. He speaks fairly good English, along with perfect french and creole. He is hoping to come to pleasent grove soon, so I hope to have a lasting relationship with him. He is in the red shirt in the picture with just me and him. Carlos is our other buddy. He is just fourteen. Jeremy met him after the quake, and he said he was one of the best triage doctors there. When he grows up he wants to be a doctor. Samuel is a member of the church, but Carlos is not. We are staying with the laurent family. They are members, and the most gracios people I have ever met in my life.

So there are some huge cultural things that everyone should know about before I go into the day to day things. The first thing is that unemployment here is the inverse of what ours is; ten percent have jobs, ninety percent don't. So people will do whatever they can to get money. however I have not seen a lot of begging, most people want to do things for you, like carry your bags etc. Another thing is that there are just some things that in the states we would consider indecent, like standing naked on the street, and using the world as your restroom. Another thing is that none of the water can be trusted. You have to filter everything unless it has been boddled in the u.s. Another thing that is crazy here is the driving. Literally there are no laws. People drive on the same side we do, but you can pass whenever you want. There are no speed limits, but it is almost impossible to get over fifty. There taxis are called tap taps. They are just trucks with some covering, that people just pile into. There should be a picture attached. The joke goes, how many people can fit into a tap tap? Answer: one more lol. Another joke here is the u.n. Another bad joke is the police, can't trust them at all. I'm gonna wait until a little later to comment on how the damage and what not is, just because I want to see more of it so its more accurate. One more major thing for us is that we have to keep all the stuff on us that we need to just leave the country at any time. This includes pass ports, extras cash, etc. That's why you'll see us with vests on in some pictures.

So yesterday we arrived and had to wait through customs. Then we made it to church. That was an amazing experience. The church is true no matter where in the world you are ha. After we went to the place we are staying and unloaded all of our stuff. Then we went to take Carlos back to where he was staying. When we got back we met a bunch of 18 year old kids. Everyone here is so nice and open, even with the language barrier. That pretty much sums up yesterday.

Today we were at an orphanage called foyer de sion. It is ran by a man called Gomez. He is amazing. He is a bishop in the church too, quite an undertaking! He is building another orphanage. This one is going to be really nice, an emotional staple for the community. That's the goal at least. So today we were sanding cement walls so they can be painted. We also started to seal the roof, basically make it water proof. But in order to do that we have to move all these solar panels, paint it with the sealer, let it dry, and then reinstall them. So we'll work on that a little most days, and hope that we can finish it in time!

Anyway please email back with any questions or just with how life is going!

Look under original message at the very bottom for the pictures, they are attachments.

Our Boys Love to Bike!

2010-06-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

With 115 degree heat, we have to go out early, Matt and Toby left near dawn. Today was so beautiful. Yes, those are clouds in the background. Monsoon season is upon us and the humidity is increasing. No rain yet! Toby laid down on a cactus of some sort.
We had to pull needles out of his chest. I had flash backs to poor Peaches.

Happy Birthday Matthew!

2010-05-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Fun weekend in Cali! The Tour of California was scrubbed for us when Lance crashed, so we went to downtown Disney instead. The Jazz kitchen was wonderful. Double chocolate bread budding for dessert. Most importantly we got to see our amazing family, including Emily perform in a concert.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

Don't worry we won't keep the background for long, but I felt like being a little geeky!

After months of not being able to engage in much physical activity Stephanie went got back on the saddle! A fun day for the family at San Tan. Although her ribs still hurt it was nice to get out. Toby appreciated this little jaunt as well.

We are looking forward to Sunday. Easter and General Conference. Does that mean we have all day to work on our egg drop contraption?

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

We celebrated by taking a trip to California to see family. Sorry, I know we didn't get to see all of you, but time was short. Welcome home Stephen it was great to see you.

On Saturday we went to La Brea (the tar) Pits. It was so fun! Our friend Jason suggested a food stop in the area LaLa's and it was amazing. Then we headed to PV to see Steve and Marion. It had been too long. I was amazed at the love they still show each other. Grandma had set up cards from years past all over the house and during church they held hands and passed notes. It was so cute.

After church it was back out to Brea for homemade Valentine's day treats and family pictures. Some how we all ended up wearing black although it wasn't planned.

2009-12-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's 12:30 am. I haven't played much with Picasa, but found this cool collage tool! I made this my desktop on my laptop, and love it! Thought I would share with y'all!

Graduation!!!

2009-12-20T22:08:00.000-08:00

Thursday was Matt's Graduation. More than 5,000 ASU graduates from three campuses received their degrees. In attendance were his beautiful wife Stephanie (guess who's writing this), Scott, Chari, and Jakey, Darell and Cerise, and Brent and Debbie. Matt wishes to express his gratitude for those that took time out of their busy schedules to support him on this important day!

Friday was Matt's Convocation, the graduation ceremony for the College of Technology and Innovation. He graduated between his two good friends, Robert "Guido" Aker and Raymond Churchwell. Enjoy some pictures!

Matt, Steph, and future ASU grad - Jakey!

Robinson Family (sans Ben and Josh, who were in finals)

Son and Happy Mom!

Happy Matt!

We are the Threeeeeee.... Amigos! Ray, Matt, and Guido (left to right)

Matt and Department Chair, Dr. Roberts

How Matt really got his degree (J/K!)

One happy Grad!

Dad and Grad!

Mom's happy she's 2 for 2 in the college grad department!

Steph deserves an honorary degree! Now time to get Steph through!

Graduation Day 1

2009-12-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

Jake exemplifies what I feel inside! What a cutie!

Graduating Tomorrow!

2009-12-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here's where it all began... I still love Sesame Street!

El Tour de Tucson

2009-12-13T18:15:00.001-08:00

Sorry we are a little behind! The weekend before Thanksgiving the Outhier-Robinson Riding Team embarked on a monumental first - El Tour de Tucson. Stephanie was not given the green light to ride so she ran the support vehicle. Brent and Debbie completed the race together on a tandem and Matt had to ride solo. They finished the Metric Century before sundown! Congrats are in order!

Flashback to Chicago!

2009-10-26T10:03:00.001-07:00

I just got Brent and Debbie's pictures, and wanted to share a really fun picture we took. Enjoy!

Far West

2009-10-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

Far West was just a little chilly!

It had been prophesied that a temple would be built on this land and that the twelve apostles would leave on their missions from this spot. People considered it impossible because the saints had been driven from the area. Under the cover of night the twelve sneaked to the temple sight. They laid the cornerstones of the temple, sang the hymn Adam-ondi-Ahman, and departed for their missions. This location is now guarded by a imposing tabby, who just begged to come home with us.

Adam-ondi-Ahman

2009-10-25T13:35:00.001-07:00

We left Gallatin at the crack of dawn, and held a Sunday service at Adam-ondi-Ahman. It's a beautiful area, and it's amazing to think of the things that occured there, and the things yet to occur. We sang the hymn named after the area in the freezing morning. It was a wonderful experience!

No, it's not a scene from the old Batman series, there just wasn't anyone to take our picture!

Preacher's Rock, where Joseph taught many a sermon from this rock.

Matt and Steph, freezing their fannies off!

We beat the gatekeeper, and had to walk 500 miles to Adam-ondi_Ahman, uphill, both ways, in the freezing weather.

Hannibal, MO

2009-10-25T13:21:00.001-07:00

We stopped in Hannibal, which is the birth place of Mark Twain. The town was just finishing up a Harvest Festival. Dinner was pizza. We also received a lovely tour from Pete, a Belgian Draft Horse.

Tom and Huck.

Carthage

2009-10-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Abraham Lincoln gave a speech from this doorway!

Poor Hyrum

A view from the side entrance.

The well.

The Carthage Jail.

Carthage was an amazing place. The town was quaint. I expected to feel sadness, but I just felt peace. Willard Richards offered to hang in the place of Joseph Smith Jr. In return, Joseph Smith promised him that his friends would fall on his left and his right but that the bullets would not pierce his clothing. Because of this blessing, our family has grown and were able to make this trip!

Nauvoo Temple!

2009-10-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

Matt and Steph, after our session.

The bell tower.

The back side of the temple.

A Moonstone.

A Sunstone.

Evening view.

The high point of the trip was our time in the Nauvoo Temple. Rebuilt and dedicated in 2002, it is 99% accurate on the outside. The main difference is that it is now crowned with the Angel Moroni, versus the Nauvoo Angel in the 1800's. Enjoy the pictures!

On Friday, we spent the morning in the temple performing baptisms for the dead. It was a special experience for all of us, as it was the first time we had all been in the temple together. In Joseph Smith's journal, when he baptized one of Stephanie's relatives, he wrote, "Today I baptized Brother Robinson. The Spirit was there, and we had fun."

Saturday morning, Stephanie and I did an endowment session. The Spirit was strong, and we were uplifted.

Willard Richard's home - Nauvoo - Thursday thru Saturday

2009-10-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

The original entrance to the home, around back. You walk down a flight of stairs, then come up through the basement. What were they thinking?

A view from the back porch of the old outhouse.

Side view.

Front view.

A very old couch, looks somewhat familiar!

Nauvoo was the highlight of our trip! We arrived Thursday evening, just in time to stop into the Visitor's Center and get some quick pointers for our stay. We checked into the Willard Richards home (Stephanie's Great-great-great-great-grandfather's home!) This home was frequented by the Prophet, Joseph Smith, many of the 12, and even Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Nauvoo Charter in the home! An extra cellar was added during the civil war, and many of the stones in the cellar were original temple stones. We even found a couch that resembled W.O.'s couch that is sitting in our living room right now! Stephanie's only complaint was that if felt like we were being charged to stay at Grandpa's house! It felt just like home!

Chicago (10-14 thru 10-15)

2009-10-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

We flew into rainy Chicago late Wednesday night, and enjoyed a tour through the streets of historic Chicago in the dark! We stayed at the Raffaello Hotel, right next to the John Hancock Building, (or is that the Herbie Hancock Building?) We enjoyed luxurious accommodations, and arose bright and early Thursday morning. We enjoyed an early breakfast, and braved the wind chill factor as we walked to Navy Pier. Because it was sooooooo early, everything was closed, but we got some good pictures.

We toured the observation deck of the John Hancock Building, and learned all about Chicago from David Schwimmer. Although we left without trying a deep dish pizza (since it was so early), we all enjoyed our stay in Chicago!

Erin, Mike, and Andrew - Chicago misses you!

Phoenix Airport!

2009-10-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Matt, Stephanie, Brent, Debbie, Ben, and Josh embarked on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 for a whirlwind church history tour. Our only setback on the entire trip was that our flight was delayed. All in all, not too bad! Enjoy the next several posts as we document our trip in the midwest!

Toby's Tooth!

2009-09-14T19:10:00.001-07:00

Toby had an ouchy on his tooth and it had to be removed. The vet said that it was a miracle that it came out whole, because it had three roots, so she gave it to us for a keepsake! Toby is doing fantastic - although he never gave any indication that he was in pain.

Happy 7th Anniversary!

2009-08-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

We recently celebrated our 7th anniversary! It's been a wonderful 7 years! We've seen ups and downs, heartbreaks, and great joy. How happy I am to spend this life and beyond with a wonderful companion!

Enough gooey stuff, on to the fun! Friday we spent in the temple, an anniversary tradition. We had a wonderful dinner with Steve and Marion.

Saturday we spent Scuba diving at Catalina! Pictures of our underwater adventure still need to be developed, and will post them if they turn out!

Sunday was spent with my family. A great BBQ, fun company, and I threw the softball around with my old man! He still has an arm!

Monday we drove home and got back to reality. School starts here in a few weeks.

Finders Keepers

2009-07-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

I decided to leave the fishing pole at the bottom after all! I did find a snorkel and Amanda, my partner, found a pair of Christian Dior Sunglasses. (I'm the one with the light blue snorkel.)

More Fun Underwater

2009-07-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

Stephanie completed her advanced open water certification over the weekend. Unfortunately, Matt caught a big bug and couldn't go with her. It was a blast none the less. If anyone is looking to get certified I highly recommend Andy. He was awesome and really helped build Steph's confidence! http://www.blackdogdivers.net/

Now that's one big bass!

Yup, you really use all that gear.

I was slightly suprised at Andy's Flash! But then thought I need to get one of those cameras. The thing was honkin' but it also did underwater video!

The hardest thing in diving for me is to not use my hands to swim.

Maybe I really do have gills!

A Day Off Together

2009-07-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

We finally had a day off together (that wasn't a Sunday) so we decided to go SCUBA diving. Matt hadn't been in quiet some time so we thought this would be a nice and easy refresher. Although there is not a lot to see we did find crawdads, schools of fish, and a whopping three feet long catfish!

Afterwards we meet Scott and Chari at the mall to take Jake on the Carousel. What a fun day!

Did he pass?

2009-06-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

Whoooowhoooooo!!!!
Matt Passed the Fundementals of Engineering Exam!!!!

Mountain Biking McDowell Mountain

2009-06-07T17:58:00.001-07:00

It's rare that I get to take the twins mountain biking. Between school, tests, scouts, friends, and GIRLS, they don't have time for their favorite brother in law very often. It was a treat to take these young men on a bike ride on Saturday, and see how much they've grown in the 7 years I've known them.

Ben - striking a pose

Ben and Josh, climbing on their tiny bikes

Josh - striking a pose

My birthday present!

Birthdays

2009-06-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

Alright, we just realized that we didn't take any pictures during my birthday!
So when all else fails, here is a fun picture of Jake!

We had a group dinner at Rico's for a combined Birthday Celebration.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-31T11:22:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Matt's birthday in style, taking a trip to California over Memorial Day weekend! Friday we went to Disneyland, and enjoyed hanging out with family and friends.

Saturday we rode the Fullerton Loop, Matt got to ride his new birthday present. Matt packed a camera, but was having too much fun to stop and take pictures!

Sunday we went to Stephen's farewell. He will be missed, but we're excited for him.

Monday we went to RAT beach, and almost froze. It was overcast and pretty cold. Stephanie went waist deep, Matt didn't dare go past his ankles. We also visited with Steve and Marion and heard all about their Russia trip.

On the way home, we were dissappointed when we pulled up to Miguel Jr's and found it closed. :-( We went to Farmer Boy's instead and enjoyed a pastrami sandwich and deep fried zuchini.

It was a fun weekend!

The Egg Games

2009-04-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Each Easter brings a special time of remembrances. First for our Lord and Savior and the anniversary of his atoning sacrifice. Next for something a little less reverent.

The Egg Games!

Mom got the raw egg in the new family traditon of egg roulette!

(An egg is placed in front of each family member, but only one is raw; the egg is then smashed against the forhead.)
Toby wanted in on the festivities!

Jake was a little tired after the tough competition.

Matt and Stephanie's attemp at the egg drop.

Ben and Josh were admirable opponents with an egg suspended in a backpack.
Ben won the egg roll and I don't know if there is ever a winner of the egg toss.

Seven Years and Counting

2009-03-30T23:17:00.001-07:00

Matt and Steph met seven years ago at a murder mystery party and things have never been the same! (Awe...how sweet!)

Cool Whip

2009-02-27T20:01:00.001-08:00

Photo Tag!

2009-02-20T18:46:00.000-08:00

1. Go to: my documents/my pictures or its equivalent

2. Go to your 6th file

3. Go to your 6th picture

4. Blog about it

5. Tag 6 people. (I can hardly stand the suspense!)

So, I took this picture on a bike ride (surprised, right?) This was Steph and Matt's first bike ride with our sweet nephew Jake. Brent rode his road bike towing Jake in a trailer, and Debbie road her mountain bike (last time she does that!) Scott and Chari rode Brent and Debbie's tandem. Whenever I'm out and about, I keep a camera handy to take pictures of crazy bike racks to email my fellow rack nuts, Rick, RJ, and Flick. This one was about the coolest I've seen. I bet if you put a downhill bike on the back, you could pop a wheelie in the Smart Car!

I hereby tag Katie Robinson, Erin Featherstone, Cherie Jorgensen, Marion Robinson, Roy Padilla, and Jeff Robinson. You're it!!!

Non-traditional Valentine's Day

2009-02-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

We decided to take a different approach to Valentine's Day this year. We decided to go four wheeling and hiking in the Superstition Mountians! We had a lot of fun, and got the Jeep really muddy. We actually ran into snow! Enjoy the pictures!

Matt's Many Hats

2009-02-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

Matthew has always loved hats. From his Union Pacific hat that the conductor on a train gave him to his most recent collection of fedoras, he has more hats than you can shake a stick at! This picture was taken of our nephew, Jake, at Johnny Rockets last night. He actually wanted to wear it! Just for a couple of seconds, though!

Sunflower Mine 4-Wheeling!

2009-01-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

We decided to take the Jeep out since we both had the day off. Looking at the handy trail book we picked up a couple of months ago, we decided to explore some new territory. Sunflower Mine looked ideal. We don't have a stock SUV, so our rock clearance is HUGE!

The "Mystery Cave", kinda like the one where Luke faces Darth Vader, but it turns out to be his head in the Darth Vader mask. Did that give anyone nightmares?

Sunflower Mine - they produced Mercury here. For more pictures, visit http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/sunflower.html

Real or fake? Does our Utah Rock Art specialist want to weigh in on this?

The stream is the trail!!!

Can you spot the border collie? (Not wearing a red striped shirt)

A boy and his dog!

Now that's some impressive articulation!

A happy boy!

Dog Tired!

2008-12-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

We were all pretty tired after this boisterous Holiday!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T19:11:00.000-08:00

I think the highlight of this Christmas was our newphew Jake. At a year old, he's already got his first bike. It's a aluminum frame 2008 12" DK General Lee. He can't quite reach the pedals, but as I pushed him down hallway, he was singing at the top of his lungs! Here are some pictures:

Merry Christmas from Matt and Steph Outhier!

Stephanie Finally Graduated!!!!!

2008-12-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

Alright, not from school, but from my SCUBA class. We are still awaiting some underwater pics, but here are some Matt snapped with his phone.

Matt and Toby joined me for my final dives at Lake Pleasant. One of the divers was struggling at the surface after a particularly challenging skill test. Toby jumped in the water and swam out to meet him. I think he's a rescue dog in disguise!

Fun Ride, Happy Pooch

2008-11-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

I took Toby on a bike ride this morning. We learned some things after our last ride, including 1) Toby's paws are very tender, and 2) I can't carry enough water for both of us. So we visited one of our competitors, and got Toby outfitted with Vibram sole booties, and a dog pack so he can carry his own water. Here are some pictures!

Our cute nephew!

2008-11-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

We've got the cutest little nephew! His name is Jake, and he's a charmer! We took a couple of pictures of him tonight, and thought we would share.

Can't wait to ride with Uncle Matt!

Jake's first piano lesson from Aunt Stephie!

Happy Belated Halloween!

2008-11-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

A little clip I really enjoyed from the latest "Treehouse of Horror"

For the Troublemaker in All of Us

2008-10-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of my many favorite scenes from the Simpsons. Twenty years strong!

Architects made the Death Star blow up!

2008-09-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

Sounds like the Empire should have hired an engineer instead! Maybe I should send them my resume....

Yeah, it's really late. And I've been playing around on hulu.com. Great site! Enjoy the clip...

Rack Installation

2008-09-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Matt is a rack nut. If you've ever seen his Scion, you have a small idea of what he is capable of. He decided Steph's Jeep needed some "accessories." With some help from a friend, he racked out Steph's Jeep last weekend. Check out the process and the aftermath....

Steph's Jeep - First time we've had it "topless"

Yakima's Skull end caps. When I pulled these out the the box, Steph asked, "Who's car are those going on?" "Yours," I quickly replied.

Measure twice...

...drill once!

Toby - always willing to help out. He's our Rack-Dawg!

He's also our Quality Inspector!

Finished product - (Yeah, we bought it used!)

Matt testing his handiwork

Finished product - Doubledown 5 on the hitch, Thule's M.O.A.B. (Mother of all Baskets) on top, carrying a Hi-lift 60" jack

Front view

Jeeping

2008-08-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

Alright, maybe I told a little white lie. Here are some pictures from our first four-wheeling trip.

Matt is "Thinking Man"

The beautiful desert

Our sweet Jeep!

Our happy boy

A happy wife!

Vacation

2008-07-24T23:35:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the lack of "postage". We have been on a mini (for Matt) and a maxi (for Steph) vacation. Pictures and updates will come in the coming days. No, I really promise.

Congrats to Austin and Rachel! Happy Wedding! Rachel welcome to the Family - FINALLY!

Congrats to Roy and Emily! Happy engagement! Roy welcome to the family - FINALLY!

New Car

2008-06-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 13th we purchased a new car. Well it is used but new to us. I still can't stop smiling! The tires are 35's.

Father's Day

2008-06-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Scott and Chari and Jake joined us for an early Father's day celebration. Little Jake is growing fast. This picture is of Dad (Brent Robinson) feeding our nephew, who recently graduated to a few "solids".

Steph's Surgery

2008-05-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Mother's day. We would like to issue a thank you to our wonderful matriarchs for their years of service, sacrifice, and smiles. Thank you for your dedication to our families and the wonderful gift of life that you have given us.

We are also very blessed that Stephanie is still with us. Thank you to the multiple doctors, nurses, and corresponding staff that used their education and gifts to save her life.

In the end of February, Stephanie took a pregnancy test and it was positive. From previous experiences we decided to keep it somewhat under wraps. The doctor confirmed, but subsequent tests showed that something was not progressing properly. By the beginning of April, the doctors still couldn't locate the fetus and the pregnancy hormone stopped doubling. It was determined that it was indeed an ectopic pregnancy. Because the fetus could not be found, a dose of chemotherapy was administered. However with us, nothing could be that easy.

Several days later internal bleeding ensued. Stephanie was taken to the emergency room. After proper ER fashion she was rushed into the OR. Exploratory surgery was performed, the bleeding was stopped, but a fallopian tube had to be removed.

Stephanie is doing well and is expected to return to work on Monday. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers through this challenging time of trial.

One door was opened though. We were able to sell our home after over a year on the market!

Our boy!

2008-02-07T17:46:00.001-08:00

Mom's been bugging us for a picture for awhile, so here it is! Toby was over 26 pounds at his last vet visit. He's huge!

We go on morning rides. I've recently picked up a long board. He runs down the sidewalk, with me in tow, for a couple of miles! He loves it, and it's a free ride for me!

President Hinckley

2008-01-30T17:06:00.000-08:00

Speaks for itself...

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the Robinson tradition of hypothermia, we all jumped into the frigid pool (52 degrees) to ring in the new year. Enjoy the video!!!

Casa Grande

2007-12-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

Steph and I had a couple of days off together, so we decided to go see the Casa Grande Indian ruins. It was amazing to see such a well preserved structure in the middle of the desert! We renewed our National Park Pass as a Christmas present (to us, from us)!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-18T10:04:00.001-08:00

One week and counting! Merry Christmas from Matt, Steph, and Toby!