Famous Last Words "Don't try this at home, Landon"

Sad ending to our fun weekend with the Jeff family. B & Jeff took the five little kids skiing on Monday. On the last run, Ari located a "cool jump" that she pointed out to the King of Daredevils Wyatt (they are two peas in a pod). He wiped out the first try - so B told him "he got the best wipe out of the day" but "it's time to go." He decided to try it again and headed up the lift with Landon, as he went to take the jump again he says to Landon "Don't try this at home" and from the single eye witness report he tried to do some kind of twist flip but his board stuck into the snow and his leg kept going. He has a PAINFUL spiral fracture in his right femur bone, had surgery up at Primary Children's later that night ending up with a plate in his leg that will need to come out in a year. He's a tough little guy taking it all pretty well, considering. Bummer of an ending to a great visit. Although I have no doubt, he'll be up and running quicker than you can say "Football Season".

Where's Waldo?

On Sunday we headed into Arches and let the kids run wild around the rocks while being blown to and fro with gusts of dust filling our eyes, ears, noses and cars! We had this great plan to eat a picnic but by lunch time a storm blew in and I mean BLEW in! So we just ate in the car. Not nearly as fun! Can you find Jeff, Michelle, D, Ari, Mr. T, Lelu & Landon?

A Beautiful Running Day in Moab

Lelu took 1st place for her age group again, beating her time by a minute and a half. She ran 5 miles in 40:07! B thinks she would have been faster but she was waiting for him and he was struggling to keep up. He hasn't been running as much as he used to. D finished in 39:00, limping in at the end with a hurt foot, still making a great time in 9th place for the 16 to 19 yr olds. He hardly trained at all this year starting only 2 weeks ago. Think what he could do with more training! This year the weather was perfect 75 degrees. We usually freeze, so I was thrilled with the warmth. Also we had a bunch of supporters come watch! Mom & Dad happened to be coming back from Blanding Saturday morning and timed it to come watch. Michelle T. came with us and Jeff & Christina and the boys came over from CA. It was so much fun to have them with us. We've been going down there for 5 years and this year was my favorite year. Maybe next year Jeff, Christina, Landon, Michelle and I will run?? If I can heal my foot........(plantar fascitis) I will register to run too, maybe..........

My Uplifting Views!

Not having lived here through a spring - I had no idea what is planted but I am so excited because I have crocus coming up everywhere and bunches of bulbs that I assume to be tulips because daffodils have already bloomed. It doesn't matter that we are getting 4 more inches of snow today!

When we moved I was sad that I would lose my excellent view of the Temple off my back deck - but when the lights came on I realized that I have THIS VIEW out of my living room windows and my bedroom window. Isn't it awesome?

A Second Trip to the Temple

About a month ago we went up to the open house. It was a Friday, it was packed with crowds, the kids were hungry and worried they were going to miss their sleepover party with Aunt Michelle. Needless to say, the experience was not very peaceful & it took us 3 hours.

On Friday B signed up to do security for the open house. He felt like we needed to go re-experience it, so he woke us up Saturday morning & we all got ready and went again. It wasn't nearly as crowded (yet) & the feeling was much more peaceful & unhurried. We were all so glad he suggested a return trip. A good friend of mine & her family are getting sealed there in a couple weeks, their son is leaving on a mission next month. I'm excited to witness it, esp at our new temple. (We did take a photo outside but the WIND was blowing us off the mountainside & you can see in our faces that we WERE FREEZING so I'm not posting it)

A beautiful smile is worth ?? Time & Cash?? Pain & Embarassment??

Poor Lelu had to get 5 baby teeth pulled on Friday. Last week we went to see Dr. Orthodontist who said her permanent teeth were having trouble loosening 4 on top & 1 on the bottom & were intending to go crooked. So my good friend Amy's husband is an oral surgeon & THE nicest guy to take care of my "needle/pain phobic" child. And then the toothfairy had to cough up a bloody fortune for those bloody teeth (no pun intended:). She was put on the laughing gas that according to the notes she was writing to me on the way home "Laughing gas really makes you laugh! Everything they said to me made me laugh." According to Dr. Dave, they were all laughing back there with her. Now she's laughing all the way to the bank.

Dr. Ortho also said D needed braces BACK ON for a few months. He's not very happy either. Out of sympathy for the newly dating sixteen year old- they put on clear braces, so he just looks like he has a retainer in - which ironically had he worn when he was supposed to, he would NOT have had to put the braces back on.

A blog just to blog...

I just thought the cartoon was funny................


Also while in Cancun - they finally split our ward. We went from 650 to 420 people. So far it seems so much more manageable to start to recognize faces in the crowd. We also got new callings. Team teachers for the 10-11 yr olds. My first thought is "Why do they always stick me in primary?!?" I think I've had a primary calling for at least 17 years of adulthood. I do recognize how if I hadn't moved I would still be in Young Women's - but come on - Am I just typecast?? We've taught a couple weeks now & these kids are SO MUCH smarter than us. I guess I'll stay in primary until they aren't so much smarter than us?





I went to parent/teacher conferences last week for all the kids. The kids are all doing really well. D's drama teacher says he has amazing potential. Ari helps the other kids who struggle with reading. Mr. T asks deep questions & writes about how funny he thinks his dad is. Lelu was voted onto a committe to help stop gossip & bullying. She's nice to everyone. I did however embarass her because I asked the teachers if they had any recommendations for a mystery for her to read for her book report that wasn't scary in any way. Even Nancy Drew gives nightmares and then I told them I have to turn down the TV when watching Lost, Heroes or Medium because even the music gives her nightmares. She was none too happy with me, because one of her teachers is a big tease. My kids are so different - Aub LOVED Goosebumps in the 3rd grade. I can't see Lelu loving anything like that EVER! As long as she never likes rap.....

D's First Dance! (belated post)

The dance was the night I returned from Cancun so I missed seeing D & his date and all the cute little couples dressed & ready to go. B managed to get D to the suit rental place so he could look SO DAPER & D did manage to get Emilie's corsage ordered, all without me. I'm so proud of them!

The report I got was all of these kids met up at Emilie's house for dinner - What great sports her parents were for having all these kids over & feeding them, huh?! I guess the dances themselves don't ever vary from playing a bunch of stupid rap & hip hop music. D along with his group of friends don't really appreciate that genre of music. (THANK HEAVENS) Cherie's boys also agree that the music sucks. They don't ever play Coldplay, so therefore, the music must truly suck!