SLC Temple Visit

After we went to the Chalk Art Festival (see the post below), Bryan wanted to take the kids to the SLC Temple.  They hadn't been there before, and it was only mid afternoon, so we went.  It was fun, and the kids really liked the Christus at the visitor's center and the waterfalls at the Conference Center.  We were there for about two hours walking around and showing stuff to the kids, but then the kids were hot and tired, so we went home.  All in all, it was a good day.

The kids waving SO enthusiastically!  They were tired.

The waterfall at the Conference Center was without a doubt the kids' favorite part.  They loved watching it and running to the different levels to see the different parts.  They also thought it was really loud!

The Chalk Art Festival at the Gateway

For Father's day, Bryan wanted to go to the Utah Foster Care Foundation's Chalk Art Festival at the Gateway in Salt Lake, so we gathered up all the kids and went the Saturday before Father's day.  The art was AWESOME!  It was amazing to see what some people can do with a little chalk and a flat surface.  We took some pictures of the ones that we liked best.  You can click on any of the pictures to see them in better detail.

This is the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Amazing isn't it?

The kids liked this unicorn/dragon/fish one.

This one looked like a poster or a photo!

My girls are really into mermaids right now, so they liked this one.

This one was so life-like that it seemed like she was looking at you and was crawling toward you!  

Our family is really into faeries and dragons and such, so this one was a hit.

This one of the Taj Mahal was so cool looking.  The kids say "Look!  It's the Temple!"

This one was the kids' favorite, of course!

Here's the kids at the festival.  They were back-lit, so it's not the best picture.

The kids enjoyed all of the beautiful flowers as much as (or more than) the art!

And The Calling Is.....

Primary teachers.  We're not sure which class, but it will probably be the CTR 8 class.  We said that we were fine with being primary teachers, as long as it is in Senior Primary, because the twins are having a little bit of a hard time staying in Sunbeams, and if we were in the same room as them during singing time there is no way they would sit with their own class.  Bro. Leavitt said that was no problem, so we'll be sustained on Sunday and start teaching the week after that.   We haven't been primary teachers for a while, about 5 years, so this will be an adventure!

Who Are You?

Take the Quiz here!

You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a bit too brutally honest. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.

The Dreaded "Phone Call"!!

We have been in this neighborhood for about 4 months now, and this morning we got the dreaded phone call!  We are meeting with the bishopric tonight at 7:30.  I guess we have flown under the radar for long enough in the callings department!

Gavin's Self Portraits

Last time we were down visiting my parents in Hurricane, Gavin took over my mom's digital camera and started taking pictures of himself (along with everything else in sight).  I thought I would share his work.

He was trying out all sorts of faces for the camera!  He's a cutie!

Ouch

I took the kids to the park yesterday.  It was only going to be for a little bit, so I didn't put on sunblock.  Big Mistake!  I got a really bad sunburn, my first in a really long time.  The kids were totally fine.  Thank goodness they got enough of their dad's skin genes that they don't burn nearly so easily as I do, and they can actually tan!  So now I have my  trusty bottle of Ocean Potion close by at all times, and I think I'll be staying indoors for a few days!

All I Can Say Is Wow...

I saw this story on a local news site today.  I, personally, think that this is going too far, but tell me what you guys think.

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) - Authorities say seven people attending high school graduations in Rock Hill are facing charges after police say they cheered while students' names were being called. 

Authorities say six people at Fort Mill High School's graduation were charged Saturday and a seventh at the graduation for York Comprehensive High School was charged Friday with disorderly conduct. 

Police say those arrested yelled after students' names were called while diplomas were handed out. 

A police spokesman says school officials request police patrols to prevent graduation disruptions that include standing, hollering and clapping. 

He says those attending the commencements are told their behavior can be prosecuted. 

Rock Hill is about 70 miles north of Columbia, South Carolina.

I mean, come on!!  I know that it is sort of annoying for people to clap and cheer while everyone is trying to get through the line and get their diplomas, but really, CRIMINAL CHARGES?

Mini Tour of Our Home

I thought that since no one has really seen the house that we are going to be calling home for the next little while that I would post some pictures of it...

This is the front of the house.  The yard is kind of small, but hey, less to mow!  We really like the rock work.

This is the entry way.  It is big enough that we can keep the toy box here and some of the bigger toys without taking up too much room.

This is the small hallway from the entry to the living room.  There is a half-bath to the left, a large closet (that we keep the rest of the toys in) and the door to the unfinished basement that we use for storage.

This is the living room.  The area over the fireplace is kind of cool!

Here's the kitchen (I'm standing in the dining room) which is right off of the living room.  It's a really nice size.  By the way, you may think that you see dirty dishes on the counter, but it's just a figment of your imagination. =)

So, that's the main level of our house.  The 4 bedrooms, 2 more bathrooms, and the laundry room are upstairs.  We really like it, and hopefully we will be able to stay here for a while until we get everything stabilized and figured out.  The landlord said that he wanted a long-term renter, so hopefully that means that we can stay for a while and not have to move around a lot and up-root the kids every year or so.  But, I guess I'll leave that to Heavenly Father, and we'll go where we are supposed to go.  That's one more thing that I have learned in the last little while - There IS a plan, it's just not mine!  LOL!

Trip to the Park

Today we decided to go to the park after lunch.  We have a neighborhood park that is just a block away from our house, so it is really easy to just walk there, and walk back quickly when the inevitable potty emergency happens.  Today, the kids played mostly on the sand volleyball court because it was like a little beach!  It has been raining for the last couple of days so there were little pools of water in the sand that the kids could mess around with.  That coupled with the sand, 70 degree weather, and light breeze, it felt just like mid-morning on the California coast!  I didn't bring my digital camera, but I snapped a few pictures with my cell phone...

This is Gavin playing on the edge of the water.  From here it really looks like we are at a beach!

Ashley is pushing her luck and getting really dirty in the sand. =)

Another little kid had brought some goldfish crackers and dropped a few in the water, so the kids got sticks and went "fishing" for goldfish crackers!

Cierra actually caught one!!!!!

The kids found some purple flowers and gave them to me as a present.  Aren't they sweet?

Where's A Good Rogue When You Need One.....

First off, since we are going to be foster parents, we have a keyed lock on our laundry room door because that is where we keep all of the cleaners, medications, etc.  This morning, Ashley comes in our room and says her toe is bleeding and she needs a band-aid.  I look at the clock with blurry eyes and see that it is 6 a.m., so I don't even question her need for the band-aid, and just get up to get her one so that I can go back to sleep.  Now back to the laundry room door,  which stays locked all the time with the keys high on the wall by the door, and which I need to go through to be able to get the band-aid, and the keys?  Nope, they aren't on the wall.  I vaguely remember Ashley taking them out of the lock last night while I was getting her some Dimetapp for her allergies and handing them to me, and me putting them on the counter inside the laundry room.  GRRRRRRR!  So, I try the credit card break-in method.  No dice.  I tell Bryan what has happened, and we decide that in lieu of breaking down the door, we will call a locksmith (since we don't know any rogues).  So, I go about my business of the morning, since I'm now frustrated and completely awake, and wait until I can call for a locksmith.  About a half-hour later, Bryan asks me where the credit card is that I was using to try to open the door, and he takes a stab at it.  What do you know?  Bryan gets the door open!  I guess I do know a rogue!

Gavin Dancing

Even though I haven't found the cable for our video camera (see post below), I can post this video of Gavin dancing that I took with my cell phone a couple of months ago.  Enjoy!

Moving Sucks

So, this last weekend we did a volcano for the kids, the kind with the baking soda and vinegar.  I filmed it with our video camera so that I could post it on here.  Well, this morning I go to download it to our mac, and I can't find the dv firewire cable that we have to use to download it.  ARGGHH!!  It looks like this will be just one more casualty of when we had to move twice in less than a month last Spring.  Moving sucks.