How Will I Know?

Rise and Shout

2012-01-14T13:00:00.006-06:00

The cougars were out. We were fortunate to see BYU play a few times in our neck of the woods over the last several years. Lonny and Jonathan went to the Armed Forces Bowl with family friends from Tulsa. Here's Catherine and her friend with Cosmo.

And Mary Kate and Cosmo.

BYU barely pulled out the win over Tulsa. Lonny was texting me during the game about how horrible it was. Only the final score matters so all's well that ends well. Lonny thought the military honors were impressive. Jets flew overhead and a military sky diving team dropped into the stadium. Each branch of the military was honored, medals were awarded and people were sworn into military service during halftime. I don't think they were taking volunteers at that point but maybe they got a few recruits after the game.

Lonny, Jon and an old friend that we miss very much since moving to WA.

So, this is Christmas

2012-01-08T20:53:00.020-06:00

Every year I want to be obvious about what we are celebrating. I would love to have December 1st arrive with the decorating, shopping, wrapping, sending, and card writing completed. This year was different. The moving, unpacking, traveling, house selling, retiring and distance from Lonny curtailed some early holiday preparations.

We only had three weeks between our return from Thanksgiving until our departure for Christmas. Twenty one days of dance recital, The Nutcracker, Choir concert, a new calling, visiting, shopping, card making, baking, partying, cleaning, packing and Emily insisted we decorate for Christmas.

It definitely was more festive with the tree, although it stood guard over only 2 presents. The presents were under Jen and Jon's tree.

We had the traditional Christmas Eve where I am always reminded of the blood, sweat and tears that made this piano performance possible.

This year Kirsten played too. Her mom is her teacher. Emily played a guitar solo but you will have to take my word for it, no photo.

Then came matching pajamas.

For the kids too.

Colton is in this picture, it's not that Max has four feet.

Now you see him,

and then Max is done.

Emily took over,

then Colton was done.

And just so typical for Christmas morning, Santa had already come and gone. We missed him, so we went to Church. The presents waited for our return.

Max and his zoo. And his mullet.

This is some serious business.

Colton and his train attire and his train track.

Emily got a present or six as well. We didn't get to see Geoff and Alayna much since we had them for Thanksgiving and we have to share.

We sure did miss them. They were so close. At least with the other boys a visit was out of the question.

I hope you dance.

The holidays wore some people out.

But not this big guy.

We loved our Christmas with these people. It was nifty.

I think I will address the 2012 cards now.

Time Flies

2012-01-08T20:24:00.012-06:00

This scene may look eerily similar to the ice skating photo.

The tall gray building on the left (behind the crane) was Lonny's workplace for the past 16 years. It was boring looking inside and out. It may look familiar though because it was just a smaller version of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The same architect designed both.

Lonny's birthday meant more this year than just that he was one year closer to the age of a tree. Once we realized he could and should and would retire at age 55 it meant leaving work and leaving Tulsa. Emily had her heart set on being a Jenks lifer. Kiddos that attend Jenks Schools from kindergarten through graduation are honored as Jenks lifers. I think Lonny and I always knew we would not stay if he was not working. So Emily is not a Jenks lifer. We are telling her now she will graduate from Lima High but that is another story for another day.

So Colton had cake

and Lonny retired.

A former employee of the Magellan Midstream Partners.

The door to Lonny's office from the lobby.

By now his name has likely been removed.

The books with his name that he did not take.

Lonny showing off his view. This is the view of his office that was the on the front page of the business section of the Tulsa World a few years back. The article was about how the building staff turned on or off certain lights to make a picture using the lit windows at night. There use to be a photo of Deception Pass Bridge on that wall between the windows and I recognized the picture in the newspaper as Lonny's office. And then I thought what the heck, why is Lonny's office in the paper? I don't know why they chose his office to photograph. It was kind of messy at the time.

So no more Tulsa skyline out the window looking southwest

or south

or down to the plaza being renovated.

And no more sitting around the table, talking business, eating peanut butter and jelly. Actually that never happened, I am sure.

Lonny tried to slip quietly out of town without any fanfare but there was one last dinner at the Summit Club. They gave Lonny some oars for his kayak. The legal department partied as well and gave him a scooter covered in yellow caution tape.

Proof that one person's trash is another's treasure.

And a retirement wardrobe of shoes,

shirt (in the loosest sense of the word),

and shorts. Lonny would not consider trying it on. I think it was a wise decision.

I'll be home

2012-01-06T11:48:00.012-06:00

for Christmas. Or so they say. I guess it depends on where your home is.

We did go downtown to ice skate. It was a beautiful day, not too cold.

Emily showing her enthusiasm for mangled ice. The Zamboni did make a run at smoothing things over once but the results were fleeting.
Kirsten had eyes for a new partner.

But her mom said, not until you are 35 missy.

That's only 29 years to wait.

Jon was only mistaken for Russian the one time.

Colton looks all sweet and innocent but when he bolted half a block to the street corner Granny had to reenact the tortoise and the hare.

Max did not run anywhere.

Well, until his daddy tried to P90X him.

Then the running was futile.

The holidays are never complete with out the headstand contest. Emily lost. Her cartwheel though was a smidgen better than Lonny and I's but darn I can not find the pictures of that.

Then there was bowling where you take off your own shoes and store them on the table people eat from and then slide your feet into the same pair that 3000 other bowlers with smelly feet have worn. Bowling is only for the health conscious.

Max wanted to play.

He watched the technique.

He wasn't that impressed. These two still use bumpers. The two gals in the middle.

It was pathetic.

And no, Max does not have his Grandpa's eyes.

It's beginning to look a lot like

2011-12-23T10:52:00.007-06:00

Christmas!

In a ten day span Emily had her Winter Dance Recital,

The Nutcracker twice (she performed Friday and Saturday and told the directors she wasn't available on Sunday),

and her school choir concert. So why does it look like this outside?

And will I ever get use to the grass being mowed in December?

I did make these red flannel p.j.s. for my sister, Michele, though. When we were kids, Santa filled ours with gum and lifesavers in the sleeves, feet and pockets. The original Lifesaver Book. Michele wanted them for her kids but I think she just wanted to feel like a kid again!

Great Full

2011-12-04T18:17:00.020-06:00

I needed Emily to stand next to the giant cornucopia

and to back away from the crocodiles at Rainforest Cafe,

and to get up before noon

to document the day,

and stand next to the family,

and pose for posterity.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then Emily has a lot to say.

We should have told Emily we were going to Paris for Thanksgiving.   Maybe she would not have noticed.   It seems more responsible than taking a teenager to Vegas.

 But then we did participate in the normal Las Vegas activities,  you know, like going to church,

excessive snacking,

and getting all dressed up,

checking to see who you are with,

shopping,

sleeping,

drinking,

eating,

eating again,

and again,

and being inappropriately dressed when out and about,

and of course, there are the gorillas,

the lemurs,

the elephants,

and the lions (they creeped up on us)

and the ponies.

And speaking of animals, Grandpa thought it appropriate to play ball in the house.

Is someone sweeping up what is broken?

I think it is because when you play ball outside you can not so easily sit in a recliner.

At this point I was watching the minor children. Everything was under control.

Turn my back for a second and they are climbing on the furniture and somebody has a sword drawn.

It wasn't all fun and games. Miranda and the whole gang laid sod before breakfast one day. Miranda is five months pregnant and says she resembles a small planet. I offer evidence to the contrary,

and just so the previous photo is not proof that Lonny watched while the work was carried out.

He worked up a sweat but who wants to see that?

I happened to mention that Geoff had some crazy hair

and got this. Geoff, his hair and Alayna.

Justin had put sprinklers in his backyard in preparation for having a lawn. And they worked! It was impressive. Until we noticed what you could accomplish with a lot more time on your hands. I am pretty sure the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was being played when we first ventured out to this performance. Does anyone know if the Mo Tab is aware they are appearing in Vegas?

So long, until next time.

Free Shipping

2011-11-11T16:40:00.014-06:00

I know I left you hanging with the progress of this ship. If you ever find yourself rebuilding a ship I have included step by step instructions. Install new shiny propeller thingys then cover in plastic so they don't get painted accidentally. Add the things that go up top to the top.

Paint over the dingy green with less dingy green.

Install the steering thing-a-ma-bobs to the underside.

Start painting the black over the dingy green that is painted over the very dingy green.

Keep painting.  Put up some antennas for distress signals.  Remember the Titanic.

And I know an out of work pirate.  Emily, for the first time since she was Minnie Mouse, let me make her a halloween costume.  She wore it to the stake dance, the ward party and trick or treating.  She would not wear an eye patch or her scarf properly but at least she let me take a picture.

We have been here now for 2 months.  We have mostly unpacked.  There are a couple of boxes untouched in Eric's room and a drawer that has a lot of important crap but no one dares to sort through.  The garage could use a sale, sort of.  Emily likes to tell everyone WA is cold and rainy.  I like to take pictures of ships being rebuilt to show she is wrong.

Anacortes High School is not Jenks HS. The football team won a couple of games. The choir concert had 100 student participants . . . . . . . . . . in 4 different choirs. Emily's microsoft office teacher called to tell me Emily was one of two students that had passed the certification test. (Does any school outside of NW WA offer microsoft office as a class?) We are still waiting for Bill Gates to call. Emily has straight A's. She is busy with school, seminary, dance class and Nutcracker practice. I think she is happy as a clam (are clams happy?).

Church friends. School friends. Dance friends. This is a small town, they are all the same people.

Things

2011-10-16T19:58:00.007-05:00

I did not see in OK.

1. Right straight across the street from Emily's dance studio is this ship sitting at the Dakota Creek shipyards.  I guess it is a ship, I know it looks odd out of the water.  Since we have been here, the gold propellers and red smokestacks have been added and they have just started to paint the sides of the ship.  There are always people watching the progress.  I could say it is not everyday you see a ship sitting on dry land but 5 of every 7 days is. . . . . . . . . .like everyday.

We're back

2011-10-10T16:57:00.018-05:00

to the Northwest. Or blogging. Whatever.

If I never see another cardboard box again it will be too soon. I have not one photo of a mountain of boxes and it wasn't faith that moved that mountain. Moving is a workout. Sweat and heavy lifting. I can watch that on The Biggest Loser.

It all began the last day of August. We hopped a plane before the sun was up to have lunch in Seattle. Took a whirlwind tour of our former life in West Seattle.

Ahh, you can see what's in the water.
Cool and clear. Always skeptical when I can't see what's in the water. (Ever seen the snapping turtles at the Aquarium?)

The truck full of boxes was in no hurry so took an Anacortes tour too.

Summer was coming to an end but those boxes were on their way. Emily went to school and took a vacation from unpacking.

It is impossible not to think about boats while on this island. They're in the driveways, the roads, the parking lots and surprise. . . . .the water.

We should get this for our firstborn?

Lonny and I had lunch in Seattle. Again.

All the birds lined up

to wait for a french fry.

We took a trip north.

The Canada Place or Vancouver's World Trade Centre. It's a building, not a cruise ship.

And yeah, that is a Chevron sign out there. The seaplanes were refueling.

Sunset on Whidbey Island

at Deception Pass State Park.

Washington Park in Anacortes

and the San Juan Islands in the distance.

People that have never been to the Northwest always say, "doesn't it rain there all the time." The answer is no. I guess you should define all the time though. Could it rain any day? I guess. Does it rain every day? No. (The bluest sky you've ever seen is in Seattle. That would be the background music in my head when I see the blue sky in WA) Is it raining right now? No, but the day is not over.

Youth Conference

2011-08-28T10:39:00.012-05:00

in the Heartland. It happened. Emily's first youth conference was a big one. You can read about it here in the Church News. Seven stakes participated and the preparation was daunting. Emily tried out to be a featured dancer last fall. She thought she wanted to be a lyrical dancer but as it turned out she was cast as a featured 30's and 50's swing dancer. That meant dancing with a partner (definition: a boy) and boatloads of practices so when they performed they were impressive. They started practicing in March and we eventually were making weekly trips to Norman so she could get use to being jumped over, flipped over, swung around, swung under and swung over. It was intense. When her friends finally saw the dance they feared for her good health. The bruises have since faded.

Each stake performed two dances. One glimpse of the lederhosen and I am thinking they stole your pants Geoff!

Maybe Eric will come home from Mexico with a hat. Ole'.

Emily's friend Nicole is second in on the left with the blonde ponytail. They are drummers with out their drums. They played sticks, lids and buckets. It was so cool.

A scene from the show "Oklahoma."

Here is Emily's 30's dance, she is on the left side in red, partnered with the guy in Khaki.

You can not talk about Oklahoma history without mentioning the Indians. They should have rolled out a rain dance.

The Bali dancers

and their awesome backdrop.

Emily's friend Dionne was a featured lyrical dancer. She is in the back row second from the right. Marisa and Marissa from the ward were both in the orchestra and Lanae was a vocal soloist. The Jenks ward girls were an impressive bunch.

Our stake danced the 50's swing and a country line dance. Not very exotic but lots of fun. Emily was also a featured dancer for the 50's swing and is up on stage. The performance was presented at the University of Oklahoma. I imagine Emily will remember this experience for awhile.

I would add the video but it is a work in progress.

Sleeping Beauty

2011-08-15T21:42:00.003-05:00

One of the reasons we stayed in OK all summer was for Emily to perform in one last production with her dancing friends. She was Cinderella in Sleeping Beauty. In the ballet, Aurora's fairy tale friends dance at her wedding. This tattered Cinderella partners with a broom and a pumpkin.

We loved Emily's performance. It is hard to imagine someone providing so many amazing opportunities for your child as she has grown up. Thank you Ms. Farry!

Parenting 101

2011-08-15T11:07:00.005-05:00

You might as well teach your kids to play volleyball. They're going to be asked to play every time the extended family gets together. We use to play flag football until the over thirty crowd couldn't move for days after the final whistle. Volleyball is not much better. Lonny tore his achilles tendon once standing on the court. And that wasn't inconvenient at all. Try driving your husband around for 2 months.

So anyway get the kiddos out setting, spiking and serving and they won't be ducking and screaming when the ball is headed toward their face. I may or may not be referring to the girls born into the family.

So here we've got the anti can't we just all get along team break down of boys against the girls. I had only brought two sons who are not afraid of the approaching sphere, one daughter-in-law who was captain of her high school volleyball team and now coaches the sport and one daughter-in-law who was raised in a pack of boys. In fact she may have thought she was one of the boys since she played on her high school's boys soccer team. On this particular occasion she sat out.

We claim Alayna up front, the rest, my sis Michele's girls; Annie, Janelle, Melissa and Rachael are no volleyball slouches.

If anyone is interested in joining the family, we are specifically looking for volleyball players. Go team!

88.9 degrees

2011-08-11T21:23:00.012-05:00

was the average temperature in the state of Oklahoma during the month of July. That is the hottest average temperature of any state in the U S of A ever. Ever. In history. Congratulations for surviving that. I was only home for the first nine days so I probably don't qualify for the medal.

Way back at the end of May when summer still looked promising it was already 100 degrees. If we had known then how refreshing that would seem by August, I would not have felt so bad for having Emily stand on a bridge to have her photo taken during a sweat fest.

I do love these pictures taken by Andria Largent Gebhard, though.

Something smells. . . . .

2011-08-11T20:58:00.008-05:00

probably all these fish. Or maybe that summer has already ended for this little girl.

School started August 11th. I know I can't believe it either.

Thank goodness there was still time to pet the sharks and the stingrays,

and this video game. Can you see Kirsten on the screen? She's feeding the sharks.

This little guy hasn't heard of camo.

There is no way I'd go in a shark cage. I am of the "Jaws" generation.

Actual size? I am not that interested in checking it out. I'll take their word for it.

Kirsten and Emily feeding the turtles.

Emily was making friends that day.

All the turtles liked her.

I prefer the toads this way. In the tank.

This photo is so deceiving. These guys are five feet long and swim in Oklahoma lakes. Ewww. I prefer then in the tank as well.

Does Reasor's have their own fishing fleet?

I know what you're thinking. . . . . .what's for dinner?

Portraits. . . .and horses

2011-08-10T08:26:00.014-05:00

It just started out as a horseback ride. It ended with photos for hanging over the sofa.

Grandma and the cowboy.   Has someone written new Oakley's on her Christmas wish list?

Emily.

Michael.

Nathan and Allison.

Karen's fam minus the cowboys.

Jarin in a picture?  Jarin in a picture!

Jenny, Grandma, and Justin.

Michael, Scott, Geoff, Allison and Alayna.  Some of these people are not wearing official cowboy gear.

Jenny, Grandma, Justin, Emily, Jarin and Karen.

Scott, Nathan, Michael and Nancy.  

Jon and Jen.

Jon and Kirsten.

Colton.

Is he playing cowboy or Indian?

I wanna ride!

Maybe. 

Camryn, easy rider.

Look, mom, no boots!

Max needs a pony on his Christmas list.

Thanks Miranda for all the great photos.

Boats, beaches and babies

2011-08-05T20:40:00.024-05:00

We had three days on a beach at Bear Lake and I have the farmer's tan to prove it.

The weather was so awesome for sitting around on the beach

or on the boat.

I only have the photos of the wakeboarders when I was on the boat.

Geoffand Geoff trying to do a flip.

Alayna.

Nathan.

Jon. And a rainbow.

Emily.

Alayna again.

Bryce told Papa his dream of driving the boat himself.

Camryn thought you have got to be kidding.

He tried to explain it to Colton.

But Colton told Bryce "you're only four!"

So Bryce buried him.

Jon said don't try that again.

Geoff showed Bryce how to get what he wanted.

His mom tried to talk some sense into him.

Emily thought a man was down.

He was just recalculating.

Jana distracted him.

But Bryce could not just let his dream die.

Somehow Karl heard about it.

He suggested everyone should get off the boat. You know for their own safety.

and Bryce lived happily ever after.

Summer Lovin'

2011-08-04T18:19:00.033-05:00

had me a blast.

Grandma Townsend and Camryn.

Max and Jenny.

Kirsten and Camryn.

Bryce and Uncle Karl.

Kirsten and Jon.

Colton, Kirsten, Camryn, Max and Bryce.

Max, Michael, Bryce, Ashley, Camryn, Emily, and Kirsten.

Papa and Camryn.

Max.

Cousins, minus three missionaries and the Hendricks boys:(

Jenny and Colton.

Emily and Camryn. and Nathan.

Camryn and Emily.

Geoff, Emily, Jenny and Justin.
Miranda took this picture.
My pictures of my children I take myself look like this.

We were spending the week with the Townsend Family in this old Laketown store.

Lets pray it all works out.

No problem.

All is well

as long as we get our milkshakes

and matching mustaches.

Beautiful summer.

Cool people.

Fun times.

We should do it again.

Home of the brave

2011-07-08T08:18:00.008-05:00

and the chubbers.  This baby is all fluff.

 It was the 4th of July! A party in the USA!  Or the backyard anyway.

  Jenny and Jon practicing for the biannual family waterskiingfest.

Still smiling.  No problem.  He could do this all day.

Could it be?  Proof that Jen can walk on water?

Hot day. Cool pool. Emily acquired a tail.

Someone has the cutest babyface.

I wanted to shoot his photo,  he wanted to shoot my face.  Yes, that is a Disney princess life jacket.

Max crawled around the pool deck after his swim. He was ready to get in again.

Why is everything pink?

We just had to

2011-07-03T11:42:00.005-05:00

see "Oklahoma" one last time at Discoveryland.  It was hot and buggy.
And hot.

Kirsten was not confident the audience was secure with those guys and their guns.

Before the show, Kirsten rode a pony named Toby

and tried on some western formal wear.  It seemed kind of old for her.

Emily and Jen. Sisters, sisters but that is another musical for another day and another temp.

Emily is dancing with this guy she just met. Actually he asked Kirsten to dance first but boys have cooties.

She seems to have survived. She didn't know she was within the grasp of Jud. Emily will dance anytime, anywhere.

And one last picture with Emily and Jane W. who played Laurey, the belle of Claremore. Ha.

It was fun to watch her perform the part, unlike the other ten times we have seen the show. We also saw her in "High School Musical" at Jenks H.S. when she played the part of Gabriella. She is amazing.

We met Jane on a Disney Vacation four years ago. We stepped off the bus from the airport at the Disney Resort when we arrived in Florida. Her family was there and Eric recognized Jane from his social studies class at Jenks High School. They knew each other as the other Mormon in the class. They said hello to each other while the rest of us tried to figure out how they knew each other. Her family lived in the other stake so we didn't know them. This is the other odd part. If Eric hadn't known her and introduced us we would have vacationed with people from Jenks and members of the church but probably would not have talked to them and found out that odd bit of info. Later that week when we went on the cruise their room was right next to ours. Could I get a statistician on the odds of that? Each evening of the cruise we would attend the Disney show and then Eric and Jane would go to the teen club. So now you know the rest of the story.

Mayday!

2011-06-07T19:10:00.008-05:00

Is it June already? I could have used another day in May. (The ones without tornadoes anyway.) What happened to spring? We need to put a for sale sign on the house but we are having fun with Jenny and Jon so close. We watched these kids for six days while their parents were in Canada.

This little boy loves his vehicles and his little brother.

And a view from the top.

We went shopping and had a fashion show.

Just tell her not to pose.

They both fit in the same swing and it was fun let me tell you.

Max loves his pacifier.

Fireman hat at Firehouse Subs.

Fireman hat on Max.

Colton takes his movie viewing seriously. He is so worried for Lightning McQueen. How will it end?

The end of school

2011-05-22T10:00:00.004-05:00

is this Wednesday. With the end of the world imminent we managed to cram into one week, Emily's French exam award ceremony, her choir concert and a piano recital. The last piano recital with her teacher Kenda.

Emily is the third girl from left, in the back row, and Kenda is the second.
I am feeling nostalgic about all the people we are leaving behind as our move gets closer. I have been making arrangements to withdraw Emily from Jenks schools so she can enroll in her new school and register for the fall. Her eighth grade year has flown by. It feels like being on the top of a roller coaster ready to free fall, with no turning back.
But not everything is coming to an end.

There's still dance. Dance recital, dance camp, a performance of Sleeping Beauty. Emily was cast as Cinderella. Who knew Cinderella shows up in the ballet of Sleeping Beauty? But come on, who cares, what ballerina doesn't want to be Cinderella? I asked Emily what she thought when she saw her part. She said on a scale of one to ten, a twenty-five!

Emily is also a featured dancer for the 9 stake youth conference this summer. She's doing a 1930's and 1950's swing dance with lifts and flips and her personal favorite the "tootsie roll."

One performance she missed was her competition team competed last Sunday. They placed first which is so awesome just sorry it had to be on a Sunday.

Next up, the recital and the black swan.

April showers

2011-05-12T08:31:00.000-05:00

bring May weddings. Is that what they say? The Townsends are having an off year for weddings in 2011, but still best wishes to the happy couples all celebrating their anniversary this week.

May 8, 2004

May 10, 2002

May 12, 2010

And congratulations to me that they survived to wed.

I was reminded of my offspring's frequent peril on Tuesday afternoon. Emily and I were leaving the dignity of the French Exam Award Ceremony. A girl and her younger brother were running and screaming toward their car to sit shotgun. I am talking teenagers, the girl had just received an award. A high school student, you know, old enough to know better and big enough to slap her beloved sibling harder. They collided in the front seat together until the big sis ended the slugfest by surrendering.

Their dad was horrified that they might have dinged our car while flinging their car door open. They had not. I couldn't resist giving him some unsolicited advice though.

Assigned seats.

It allowed my kids to grow up and marry relatively unmaimed. The scars they carry are from other forms of abuse.

She's number one.

2011-05-01T10:25:00.003-05:00

Emily placed first in the state on the National French Exam!
I know. I am impressed as well.
I don't know why she is pouting about it.

Actually I just wanted to take a picture of her adorable self and this is what she gave me. I am thinking she is not going to place first in her cooperation skills.

Older and wiser.

2011-04-22T14:13:00.014-05:00

We have had one long continuous birthday party in the family.  Sweet baby Camryn arrived in March last year instead of April.  Thank goodness.  We didn't need more excuses to eat cake this month than we already have.  And since every little cowgirl needs a pony we sent one to the birthday girl.

Alayna starts off the official month of April birthdays in the family with the awesome birthdate of 4-4-88.  (Don't worry Alayna, only the people that can add/subtract know how old you are.)

Colton was next to blow out his birthday candles.  He is a big boy of three as of the 12th.

That's him as Woody

and playing with "Cars."

We were back four days later to celebrate Kirsten's sixth birthday.  She shook her booty while singing the song in her head, "sixy."  Her daddy recorded the rendition for future leverage.

Max at six months is a crawler and he found Maximus.  His helmet is making his cute little head round but it also keeps him out of danger from flying toys and siblings.
 

And yes, that is Jenny standing on Emily.  Don't ask because we don't know why either.

Emily's 14th birthday extravaganza lasted about three days if you include the birthday party of her friend.  Weird stories to add to your file:  Emily has a very good friend from school that she met in Pre-K.  They like telling people they have been friends since they were four years old.  Her friend was born the morning of the 22nd of April.  Emily was born the evening of the 21st.  They just realized this year that they were born in the same hospital.  They may have known each other longer than we thought.  Their friendship could date back to the hospital nursery.

And just because he was going to be thirty on the 29th, doesn't mean we can't still think of him as only eleven.  So Justin got a double shot.  Again.

We are not going to eat another bite of cake.
At least not for three weeks.

Does anybody really know

2011-04-11T14:22:00.003-05:00

what time it is? I was home from the Disney Cruise for 5 days when I was off to WA for nearly 2 weeks. I now have no idea what time it is. When we flew to Florida we changed time zones and two days later we lost an hour with daylight savings. Then five days in central time zone and 2 weeks in Pacific time zone has got me totally confused. I started teaching Seminary again this morning so I really need to decide when I should be sleeping. Six a.m. central time zone seems to be unacceptable at this point.

It rained much of the time I was in WA but I saw some blue sky too. I don't mind the rain. I know the rain is what makes the Northwest beautiful. I laughed at how many times people apologized to me for the weather, though. I mean nobody ever apologizes for the weather in Oklahoma and really somebody should. Rain in OK comes down in buckets and more often than not includes thunder, lightning and floods. And what's really fun is hail, tornadoes and straight line winds all of which are typical weather in OK. Those Northwesterners really are amateurs when it comes to the weather. When an Oklahoman asks me if it rains all the time in WA I have to say well it's not what you think.

I came home to Jenny and Jon staying at the house until they could move into their new home in Collinsville. I got to hang out with Colton one day and it was such a treat. He doesn't talk much so it is hard to tell what he is thinking but he has the cutest smile and it is so fun to get him to laugh. He recently discovered the Tarzan movie and he decided to watch it while sitting on my legs. In the scary parts he reached back to make sure I was still there. I was playing with my phone so I took a picture of his adorableness.

Cruisin'

2011-03-22T14:14:00.014-05:00

with the Cruises. We went on a harbor cruise in the Bahamas and this is Tom's house, so they say.

And this is Oprah's house, both of them. She needed not one but two mansions in the Bahamas.

But really who cares when you're staying at Walt Disney's place. This is the boat that delivered us safely back

to this beautiful Disney ship.

When Geoff left for his mission four years ago we left within the week for a Disney Land and Sea vacation. (I know it sounds heartless but at least we didn't leave him home alone.) We loved the cruise so much that we decided we would take each of our grandchildren when they are five. At the time we only had almost 2 year old Kirsten. Now we have four more grandchildren. So much fun to look forward to.

We somehow acquired a Minnie doll for Kirsten since we left her stuffed bear at home. The real Minnie was so lovely. Kirsten loved getting the autographs of all the characters.

Rapunzel and Belle.

Rapunzel and Princess Tiana.

Goofy was goofy. One day we caught him at maybe 11 a.m. walking around the ship in his jammies.

Pluto was a character.

A view of the atrium and five princesses at one time. Dreams do come true.

Kirsten went on this slide six times. Lonny called it the Aqua Mouse just because the other slide was the Aqua Duck.

Emily and Kirsten rode the Aqua Duck together but not that you can tell. We were told before the cruise that the lines were long, like hours. That was not true but it was still hard to judge when to get ready to take a picture. Lonny just happened to look up and see two girls we knew.

Kirsten could play in the Oceaneer's Club but she had to wash her hands first in this sink. It lathered and rinsed. You just had to stick your hands in the holes. I want one.

Lonny, Emily and I took a bike ride at Castaway Cay (Disney's private Island). We climbed a tower halfway through the ride and then saw how far away we were from the ship. We left Kirsten building a sand castle with Mickey. Really.

This awesome slide was also at Castaway Cay. The only way to get there was to swim. By late afternoon the day had cooled off but mostly the weather was perfect for Spring Break.

Chip and Dale. These two were crazy, one of them took off with Kirsten's autograph book but came back for the photo.

Cinderella and Kirsten.

Ariel and Kirsten.

Donald Duck and Kirsten.  She sure did make a lot of friends.

 
This  was the Sailing Away party.  Lonny and Emily were riding the Aquaduck  that goes along the top of the ship and out over the water at one point.   Sometimes this area was crowded sometimes not.  During the party  Kirsten and I were shown on the big screen just hanging out.  Mickey and  friends are on the stage dancing.

 
Kirsten  had macaroni and cheese every night for dinner.  This was the night we  ate in the Animator's Palace and the turtle on the screen was talking to  us.  He asked where we were from, we said Oklahoma, he said he had  never heard of it.  How does a video talk to you?  I have no idea  either.

 
Kirsten's parents told us not to let her fall overboard.  From our room she would have just fell on a lifeboat.  They're just lucky we brought her home at all because we had such a good time on the Disney Cruise to the Bahamas.  Can't wait until next time.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2011-03-20T18:38:00.010-05:00

was exceptionally happy. We arrived in Orlando early for our cruise so we spent one day at Magic Kingdom. It was the first Saturday of spring break but the place was deserted. I love an amusement park without hot, cranky people in long lines. But enough about me.

We went on all the kid rides for Kirsten. She informed us she didn't know the story of Dumbo

or Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh

or Alice in Wonderland.

By the end of the week she had seen Snow White but not the movie.

She did recognize two friends in the parade.

And she knew these characters although the movie Aladdin is not her favorite but she chose to watch it on the cruise after she met Aladdin and he told her a secret she did not divulge. They must have bonded.

Every girl knows Cinderella whether they have seen the movie or not.

Her ugly stepsister could not convince Kirsten to give a high five but she obviously had other friends along the parade route.

Kirsten was entertained all the same.

And Prince Eric, of course, almost like part of the family.

Disney recognizes that five year olds today know Belle and Rapunzel and Ariel and Jasmine and Tiana so they are building a whole new section. I guess we will go back. If we have to.

We were just talking about needing to trim the bushes at our house. Not positive our gardener has these skills.

Kirsten didn't want to go on the scary rides like Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain but she did anyway. She was such an agreeable girl unlike some hmmphgeeoffcoughcough and the infamous Splash Mountain incident of the 1990's.

Not sure why Emily has her mouth open. There isn't any tea in that cup. This is the official before picture of the circular torture. No children were harmed on this vacation.

Done

2011-02-27T18:04:00.002-06:00

Emily went to National History Day on Friday. She didn't win first or second or third or anything and nobody even cares. This project takes so long that your reward is mere survival. I am all for preparing school students for college but I whine when the 13 year old's homework requires more hours then there are in a day.

Second Place

2011-02-13T19:01:00.001-06:00

dancing girls.
Emily's dance company competed at Talent on Parade yesterday. They received 2nd place in their division. They were really awesome for being snowed in the last two weeks with minimal practices. I love Sarah's exceptional smile (bottom right).

I really love their dance, especially the last half where Emily dances front and center.  I wish I had a video but it wasn't allowed.
 

Family ties

2011-02-08T11:32:00.007-06:00

I met a girl about a month ago.  She moved into our ward with her family.  We sat together and talked.  She told me where she was from and some things about growing up.  I found out Saturday who her dad is.  If you go to my church you would know of him.  I told her last Sunday I have already forgiven her for leaving out that little detail. Whew,she must have been so relieved! I can understand wanting to be accepted for who you are and remaining private about all your little details.

I feel kind of guilty though.   I didn't disclose my own dad's identity either.

William Turner. That's his name.

Groundhog Day

2011-02-03T10:29:00.001-06:00

We still had the same snow on Wednesday that we had on Tuesday.

And no school again because we are snowed in still. This town only has a couple of snowplows.

What should we do tomorrow?

Snow Day

2011-02-01T17:37:00.003-06:00

It seems like just yesterday (because it was) that I was in sunny Las Vegas with this cute little girl

and this puzzle crazed boy

who also loves a good slide.

I had no particular reason to fly home yesterday except to avoid this blizzard of the century.

When we decide to sell I think we should list the backyard snow hill and throw in the house as an extra.

A Fish Story

2011-01-18T14:13:00.008-06:00

over the holidays.

While waiting for Christmas we spent one evening at Bass Pro Shop looking for Santa. The grand kids sat still and posed for this North Pole scene. They had just sat on Santa's lap so maybe they were playing "nice."

And as we always say you can never learn to shoot a moose too early.

Grandpa always gets the buffalo. Jon, too.

and then we went fishing at the Aquarium.

The turtles are always hungry.

And you can always see some crazy stuff like sharks just sitting around

and otters doing flips

and Albino turtles.

Swim Jim the otter was fast and fascinating. Colton thought he might be too close.

But then he changed his mind.

And who doesn't love an alligator ride?

Colton takes a quick look just to refute a suspicion, is this thing dead or alive?

Before anyone

2011-01-12T19:21:00.010-06:00

gets the idea that we don't celebrate Christmas here is our evidence to the contrary.

Kirsten was one festive girl in her red and green. Her necklace was made by her dad when he was a little boy. It was a gift for his mom and she had saved it all these years.

The kids all had their matching pajamas on Christmas Eve.  Colton is blurry because his Daddy had just thrown (strategically placed) him on the couch and he didn't want to pose.  I love Camryn's look of "why are we here?" and Bryce's "shhh, just one more day of playing nice."

Then all we could do is sit around and wait until morning.  This is my favorite part of Christmas.  My goal is always to be ready to enjoy the next 24 hours.  You know not so exhausted and frazzled  that you can't relax and at the same time satisfied that everyone is going to be happily surprised at the outcome.

I know families where the kids pick out their own presents so no one is surprised on Christmas morning but not at our house.  We always have more toys than clothes, maybe because we have more boys than girls or maybe because we had grandchildren while we still had children but toys are us.

Emily got Just Dance for the Wii and these four did.  Emily was really fast.

Colton got this black truck just like his daddy's. Bryce already had his license so he drove and

Colton played with his train all morning. (And Emily her phone.)

Kirsten was all tangled with the dress and the wig.

Camryn was happy with the ribbon and paper before she got to the toys.

Emily loves bacon. Jones Soda, the bacon flavored version not so much.

Geoff loves sleeping, Christmas morning wore him out.

We had such a good time having everyone (but Eric) home for Christmas. Camryn is such a cute, sweet girl.

Bryce had baseball jammies and a matching Casey at the Bat book. We miss Bryce and all the crazy things he says.

Max is not much of a cuddler but we tried not to let him know.

We will miss these silly boys

and their cute faces.

On the road again

2011-01-11T11:56:00.007-06:00

with Route 66 mini golf.

Welcome to the painted desert and our claim to the famed roadway.

Miranda was raised in California.

Bryce was born in Arizona.

Kirsten lives in Texas.

Jenny has lived, graduated from high school, has parents that reside, in Oklahoma.

Emily was born in Tulsa.

Geoff has been to Kansas.

But he was born under the space needle.

Okay, Seattle may be only

Incredible Pizza's version of Route 66.

That's Incredible

2011-01-11T10:59:00.009-06:00

that a place like Incredible Pizza has a room remarkably similar to a nursing home dining room.  The decor, the smell, the show playing on the television (I Love Lucy) , the oxygen.  Okay, I couldn't actually see the oxygen but there was evidence it was there.

We had a big group so they seated us here to eat.  If you know our family eating can be accomplished  faster than you can count how many slices everyone else ate.

We left that nursing home for the girls to play bumper cars.

  

Once when I was responsible for the baby stroller I was asked if they were twins?

I acknowledged they were cousins but I think they had definitely experienced some bonding moments.

The kid bowling alley was intense.

As Bryce lets loose with the ball he strikes a pose in anticipation.

  Colton could barely hold himself back waiting for the results.

 I needed a camera with a faster shutter speed to get photos of the motor speedway.

 Bryce loved Alayna's driving skills but it was Geoff that got the first place ribbon for this round.

Backyard Bowl

2011-01-05T12:05:00.002-06:00

Lonny thought he had enough grandkids to play a football game. Coach T gave them their assignments.

Bryce carried the ball tight to the chest as the opposition closes in.

Kirsten has the two handed grip down.

Tackling needed no explanation.

Their moms left

2011-01-05T11:22:00.003-06:00

me in charge while they did some last minute shopping. They were worried about me and whether I would survive. So I showed them. I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies.

I mixed. I baked. They frosted. They decorated. They ate. I cleaned. Emily helped. Emily photographed.

Then the moms reappear. And they wondered. Had you already made the dough? Did you make it from scratch? Where's the baby? Is this a Christmas miracle or where did you learn to entertain children, bake, and clean while chewing gum?
Um, I had some practice.

What happened to 2010?

2011-01-04T12:22:00.003-06:00

I was writing a check this morning and remembered it was 2011. I looked to see if I had written the correct date on the two checks I had written the day before. And they would have been absolutely right if it was still last year. And no one corrected me so I may not be the only one living in the past. I mean look at Jon. He's surprised it's 2011.

I did attend the New Year's Eve party in the dining room so I am not sure why I wasn't aware of what we were celebrating.

So welcome to a new year. Some things never change.

It looked good

2010-12-19T14:20:00.005-06:00

enough to eat.  So she did.  The mailbox, the satellite dish, the motorcycle, Santa and the chimney, they're gone.

Emily made this at Young Women. One of the leaders has an awesome pan. I need one.

Most wonderful time of the year . . .

2010-12-09T14:57:00.003-06:00

when Emily is once again dancing in The Nutcracker. This year she is "Spanish."

Who would not want to wear that tutu?

Last week, Emily's dance teachers told me they were trying to teach her to be sultry. I thanked them because you know that is important for a thirteen year old. So much more practical than that silly algebra 2 she has during 3rd hour.

There's no place like home

2010-12-02T19:58:00.009-06:00

after a week in the Emerald City.  The 8th grade choir has been rehearsing for The Wizard of Oz since school began.

  The week of the actual show took it up a notch with daily practice until 5 each day.  Then a performance for the 7th grade during school hours and a second performance in the evening.  The very next night Emily and her fellow Ozian went to see Wicked.

  They have the sad face because they sat in the wrong place.  (our regular seats are in the center, Emily always wants to be off center.)

Here is Emily's serious face.  I am trying to think if I have ever seen it before.
  

Emily was a pointe dancer in the Lullaby League.  She is far left in the picture.

  The costume was interesting but she was fortunate to have a part among a group of 200.  Apparently not everyone can sing as they dance on their toes.  

Then she was an Ozian, fourth from left in the picture.  The costumes were provided.  She was lucky in green.

Not everyone was so fortunate.

Thankfully

2010-11-30T18:12:00.007-06:00

we at least had the two girls together for Thanksgiving. And look how excited they are about dining with their parents. Texas was toasty warm for this cowboy.

 Baby Max has gotten chubby for the holidays.  Look at those arms. Talking about Max here.

Kirsten and Emily feeling festive, put buns on top of their heads, but kept to the no photos policy.

The blanket came off and still no peeking at the buns.

Advantage with the I-phone is photography over the shoulder made easy.

Max remains the master of sleeping.

Does not matter whose lap he lies upon.

Colton finally noticed he had a baby brother or maybe it was the big truck on his p.j.s. that distracted him.

We were back on the road to Dallas Friday.  The hotel had a view of Cowboy Stadium but no cowboys.

The old guy from Six Flags seems to have developed a thang for Emily.

Do other states have amusement park rides involving cattle?

And in the dark Emily found two friends. She had the sweatshirt, they had the tights.

Usually it is Emily with the tights.

My favorite veteran

2010-11-11T22:12:00.011-06:00

would have to be my dad. Definitely.

I grew up during the Vietnam War. I remember the draft, the protests, the nightly newscasts of casualties and devastation and prisoners of war and missing in action. It was just a part of life. Yet I know of no one my age that served in Vietnam because thankfully it was over that spring of 1975.
I was 16.

My Dad enlisted in the army when he came home from his mission. He had already entered the Salt Lake mission home when he was drafted. He was sent home while the Church and the government played tug of war with his life. The Church won with the understanding that he was only delaying his entrance into the Service. My mom and dad married while he was in the army. Two months later he was sent to Berlin, Germany for 13 months without my mother. The Korean conflict had recently ended. Dad was a clerk at the Spandau prison where the Nazi war criminals were held. Boot camp and all those rifle and survival training exercises in Yakima prepared my dad to sit facing a typewriter. He may have been through East Germany but I think the enemy was loneliness and boredom. I love that my dad served in the military. Thanks dad and servicemen everywhere who protect our freedoms and this great country.

Sleepyhead

2010-11-03T14:18:00.010-05:00

woke up. Once. When he had a firm grip on all that was left of his previous life.

Otherwise he slept in our arms.

And the carseat.

And the baby chair.

His little life was exhausting.

It all happened so fast.

Emily had fall break. We could be in Midland by Tuesday night. Riding in to town for the main event. Except Jenny woke up early Sunday morning. She thought she might have wet the bed. Thank goodness she came to her senses because Max was born in a hospital less than a hour later. All that drama wore him out. He napped for the rest of the week.

He slept if you were looking.

Or not.

With the pacifier.

Or without.

A prodigy of baby sleeping.

Papa came for the weekend.

No one asked Colton about having a baby brother. He took it like a man and ignored the thorny issue.

Their is mischief in this boy but no front teeth. Max is safe from the little vampire.

Maybe.

Kirsten got the Hollywood treatment before her debut in the ward Primary Program. The shades. The tinted windows. The mature driver. She is such a star. Get your autograph now.

Trick or Treat?

2010-10-30T21:31:00.001-05:00

You should know Emily has changed her name to Candy Corn.

Week in Review

2010-10-17T19:00:00.005-05:00

I am not sure of blogging protocol concerning chatting about General Authorities so I could be breaking some rules here. We had our stake conference last weekend. Lonny picked up Elder Zwick from his hotel to drive to Bartlesville. He asked all about the family and told Lonny about his. His wife is a relative to Ralph and Helen Lake, my stake president in Eugene when I was a child. He built the Portland Temple. He has a daughter named Jenny and married to John Eyring, son of President Eyring. He has been to Eric's mission and told a story in stake conference about the Mayan people of Tuxtla Gutierrez. He personally assured me that Eric's mission was a safe part of Mexico. On Sunday afternoon we had dinner together. Emily was the unfortunate only kid there so she got more attention than she desired. Lonny told the gathering that Emily has memorized The Living Christ. She was asked to recite her favorite part and she performed like a champ. Wednesday at dawn, I had her recite the full version to my seminary class.

Monday morning was Justin's first day in his new job as a lawyer. There were days in his reckless youth we thought he might need one. When Justin was little I suggested he drive the Keebler truck so we could eat the cookies at lunch time. A mom can dream.

This morning Jenny called and she had had the BABY!!!! Baby Max did not wait for Grandma. Or the epidural. So, yeah, that's what happened.

Something from nothing

2010-10-08T13:53:00.002-05:00

I leave for a week and now there is a practically a Quiktrip on Elm Street.  I have waited 15 years for a Quiktrip in Jenks.  Now they build one.  Fine.

I will miss you.

Or maybe this post should be titled nothing from something because the First Baptist Church sat here before I left home.  Emily and Eric went to preschool in the brick building to the right but graduation was in the missing building.  Emily still has piano lessons in that white house.
 

Here's the closeup, only the foundation remains. As if the Church was just taken up to heaven. Hmm, well they did build a big new building, so mystery solved. Probably.

When we moved to Jenks I wondered why there was nothing built along the river. That's considered prime property anywhere but here. This future restaurant wasn't there when I left town either but now it sits between the Jenks bridge and the Aquarium.

I thought we were in a recession. You can't tell around here.

Free agency and cleaning the tub

2010-10-06T21:40:00.004-05:00

We spent the weekend with the newlyweds. Geoff looks as if he has the strength and stamina to pick up his own dirty laundry but apparently not. Why isn't that a recommend question?

Lonny and I attended his 25 year law school reunion. (I don't know why they don't wait 25 years to throw the bash, 1985 wasn't that long ago.)

While Lonny and Geoff disappeared for a few hours to the Priesthood session Alayna and I hung out. We didn't realize we would see Alex Boye

or Jericho Road. That's Michael Mclean leaning against the wall.

I coerced a photo and then edited myself out, they were too cute together and I just looked third wheel cute. There were authors signing books and oh yeah, Sherrie Dew and Wendy Watson wandering around. It was like Santa's workshop when all the toys come to life. We walked through Temple Square and the visitor's center.

Sunday afternoon we all went to General Conference. The ten or so people sitting in front of us were German. Geoff was accused of speaking Bavarian. The members beside Lonny were from Australia. The traditionally dressed on the other side of Geoff didn't speak English but probably call South American the homeland. We thought we were in the international section but than remembered we were from Oklahoma which only seems like a foreign country. Our fellow Okies came to say hi and then surprisingly one confessed to being a first timer to Temple Square. We had to ask what took so long, surely crossing the plains is less cumbersome than the Atlantic.

We visited my parents and my sister. I wish I had a picture of my nieces beautiful baby boy. He was just six days on earth but had the hair of a 16 year old. Okay maybe not Justin Beiber but close. In the span of five days my cousin had a girl named Malone and my niece named her boy Stockton. The whole family gasped over what b-ball player names were left for the unborn. Not to worry.

Kareem,

Abdul,

and Jabbar (my personal favorite).

are all still available.

We ended the whirlwind visit with Lonny cleaning out the tub drain. I am confident you would want to thank me for not picturing that event.

Look, she's over the moon at the clean tub drain.

Won't you be my neighbor?

2010-10-05T13:14:00.005-05:00

I called my neighbor from the airport yesterday but I am thinking I should call more often. It won't come as much of a surprise that we are moving to WA next year. My family knows. My friends know. My neighbors know. We have talked with our neighbors about where we will live. Last night, after returning from a week in WA and a few days in UT, I listened to the messages on my answering machine. My neighbor had called while I was in WA to say that they had just returned from WA. It was their first trip and she wanted to now know exactly where we would live. Because they want to be our neighbors. Again. If only I had told her I would be their last week. I could have shown her.

That would have been so odd to just run into my OK neighbors here.

And to my WA neighbors: don't worry, we won't bring everyone.

Dance like no one is watching

2010-09-20T11:09:00.004-05:00

and you end up with a big pile of old shoes in your bedroom. I hate to think what this would look like if it included all her ballet, tap and jazz shoes past their prime. She won't discuss parting with these and I am thinking it's all down hill to being a hoarder.

Emily auditioned for The Nutcracker AND a toe tapping part in her middle school's production of The Wizard of Oz last week. She was super excited to be cast as Spanish in the Nutcracker and part of the Lullaby League (pointe shoe dancer) for Oz. We were in the car and she was dancing away like she usually does and I thought to myself, do other people's children dance in the car like mine do? Probably not.

Everything's like a dream in Kansas City

2010-09-07T16:09:00.023-05:00

It's likely only people from Oklahoma know that song. And only people from Kansas believe it. We traveled north to Kansas City for Labor Day weekend and stayed on site at Worlds of Fun Amusement Park.

The cabin was the same type accommodations (it's a trailer) as what we had at Cedar Point in Ohio, including the roller coaster out back, probably because both parks are owned by the same company. Who knew?

The park was not crowded at all so we just went on all the big roller coasters twice. We came back later and rode our favorites again. This was in the backyard.

The Mamba. At the end of the day they decided it was their favorite roller coaster.

We could hear the screamers while inside the cabin.

This was the Patriot. My favorite.

It was like Batman at Six Flags only bigger.

The Boomerang is the ride where the whole thing happens facing forward and then the whole thing happens again backward.

When we went back in the evening to ride this again for the third time those cars were stuck on the ride just like that.

In the dark. They were stuck for at least 30 minutes but as soon as the passengers were rescued they just started running the ride again. Makes you wonder about roller coaster riders, hmmm?

Lonny, decided not to ride the timber Wolf.

Emily and I rode twice than decided if we had ever wondered what shaken baby syndrome felt like, we now had some idea.

And voted world's best new attraction, the Prowler.

Not sure if they meant "Worlds of Fun" world or world world? I would vote it exceptionally entertaining.

The Spinning Dragons ride had a long line and was silly. The funniest thing about the ride was watching the mom in line in front of us try to convince her son to give it a try. I relived Disneyland with a young Geoff all over again. Ahh, the memories.

Emily rode this Finnish Fling while Lonny and I watched. We didn't know what it was so we sacrificed our daughter while we safely observed. She and the other lambs stood along the wall which began spinning.

Eventually, the floor dropped and they just clung to the wall. It was hilarious and her favorite ride.

We rode Cyclone Sam but still not sure who Sam is.

It was inside of a building so I'm thinking maybe Space Mountain junior but Lonny says he is imagining Fire in the Hole. The ride was so hilarious, think the Himalayan, only faster, darker, higher, and lower and scary. This is Emily as it ended.

We had walked and walked and walked all day. And it was dark.

The park closed so we left. They wouldn't let us stay.

Sunday we went to Church and then to Liberty Jail.

We trekked to the Richmond Cemetery where David Whitmer is buried. We drove into the cemetery with hundreds of headstones and wondered how we would find what we were looking for. Thankfully there was a sign.

Farther down the road in Richmond is the pioneer cemetery with a monument to the Three Witnesses,

and the grave of Oliver Cowdery. There were not too many marked graves but at least four Turner headstones. Pretty sure this is not our George.

We just kept going to the Far West Temple Site.

At one time Far West had over 150 houses, stores, etc. And now there is nothing. I find that so fascinating that people didn't move in to the abandoned town. It is just gone.

The site was surprisingly well taken care of. The whole area is landscaped with park like grass, picnic tables and clean restrooms. And it is out in the middle of nothing. Well except for this store that I would have shopped at if only it wasn't closed. It was Sunday.

The small town metropolis of Hamilton was between here and there. Most famous homegrown boy . . . . J.C. Penney. Must have had some angst about not being able to buy a blender and tube socks under the same roof. Now that I think of it Sam Walton matured not too far away some 200+/- miles almost straight south. Interesting.

We just kept driving farther and farther to these sites so we decided to go another 30 miles to Adam-ondi-Ahman.

I mean when are we coming back?  No, I mean really, when are we coming back?

Then it was back to Kansas City and Independence. The Church has a visitor's center. I would say it is a favorite. And the Community of Christ has a Temple across the street.

And the Church of Christ Temple Lot has . . . . well a temple lot.

Monday morning we took a tour of the Jesse James Museum.

This was the site of the first bank robbery by Jesse James and eleven of his dearest friends. Not sure why he gets the notoriety since he just stood outside. With a gun.

Money is heavy.

We thought about buying Jesse James rubber band guns for our grandsons but decided not to give them any ideas about robbing banks. They have some chaos all thought up on their own.

I don't think Emily would be a good robber. She is not very intimidating. She also does not like to be in big trouble.

Last stop was the Crown Plaza in downtown Kansas City, a mall built around the Hallmark International Headquarters. The Hallmark Visitors Center was closed over the holiday. Do people take off work to go to the Hallmark Visitors Center? It must be something. The mall smelled like chocolate. Here's why.

There were shops and restaurants for children I had never seen before, but I wished the grandkids were with us because Emily is not as young as she used to be. She didn't want to eat at the Crayola Cafe

or Fritz's Railroad Restaurant which delivers your hamburger by electric train. The kids walking out of there were wearing engineer hats. I can hardly imagine the fun she missed.

So now, unlike Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore.

Time Flies

2010-08-29T19:44:00.005-05:00

Geoff just took Alayna to see our old Seattle house. Here is the proof that it once was uglier than it is now. We bought the fixer upper before HGTV but it didn't take an expert to point out the obvious. This is the only photo I have of the unfortunate decor. (Also proof that toilet papering the bishop's house over the rainy weekend we were out of town was not that humorous.) And yes, Justin is wearing cowboy boots. I took good care of that lawn, tore out the overgrown bushes, replaced the roof and gutters and painted the house blue and cream.

Maybe it was a waste of time. We sold this house the day after we put it up for sale in 1991. The buyer had lived in this very house when he was a child. They waited a couple of days and then painted the house gray and purple. Alayna's blog has the sad to me 2010 update.

And here is Jenny's first day of kindergarten. Last week was her daughter's first day.

Back to School

2010-08-18T14:04:00.008-05:00

Emily has been in school for a week now. She was happy as a clam to go back to school on August 12th. Which makes me wonder about clams but that is a story for another day. She did say when she came home after the first day that it was like she had only been gone for a weekend not the whole summer. And oh yeah, this picture is 10 years old. It was Emily's first day of preschool. She was not thrilled then, unlike now. When I can get her to stand still I am going to take a current picture.

Emily has many of the same teachers as Geoff and Eric. There are some 900 8th graders at her school so with all those possibilities, it does seem odd to me that they have had the same team. Emily, Eric and Geoff all had Mr. Abshire for algebra 1 in 7th grade. Mr. Abshire was the national runner-up for teacher of the year several years ago. Hardly a day went by last year that Emily didn't mention something that had made her laugh in Mr. Abshire's class. He called Emily ET which is also what he called Eric. I don't remember math being that funny, but sadly after all these years he has left Jenks Middle School. We wish him well at OSU I think.

Here's Emily's home away from home.

Now this is funny, after all Jenks Middle School is not exactly youth conference. This is the cover of the school planner. Be honest and thank President Hinckley.