We Love School!

So, another school year has started and Laura showed me how to scan pictures into the computer - so I thought I'd show you the kids' school pictures from both last year and this year - because I can and because it's fun to see the growth and changes a year can make.

So, first up is Audrey.  Even though she isn't in school yet - it's fun to have pictures taken the same time the big kids do.  Last year she did not like anyone to touch her outside of our family, so there is a tear in her eye.  This year she just loves to have her picture taken - so she cooperated very well.

It's really hard to believe that these pictures are just a year apart.  More teeth, more hair, and so much growth.  She certainly is a cutie though.

and now.......Harve!

Here we see Harve sporting his shark tooth necklace that Dayle and Charnae brought back from their honeymoon for him.

Harve has had a lot of growth on the inside and on the outside.  He is more eager to share, and he helps the other children in his class and at home. 

Christian has three pictures.  Last yeaer (Kindergarten) he had his picture taken in the red shirt and when it came back it looked like chalk lines had been drawn on his forehead and so we had retakes.  In the meantime the photographer had the lines digitally removed and we ended up with two sets of pictures. 

Christian also has grown in many areas.  He is handling new situations with more ease and he eats as much as an adult and the length of his feet and legs prove it. 

Westley also had two pictures taken last year.  I only have one of them handy.  His first picture came back with peanutbutter and jam on both cheeks.  We're not sure why no one noticed it - not his teacher, the photographer, the lady that took the money nor the photographers assistant - but we did and had retakes done.  I think we have one little picture from that first one- I'll have to look for it.

In Westley's 2nd grade picture he is missing his two front teeth.  And we were surprised that they allowed him to have his picture with his hat on-but he loves wearing hats and things, so we're glad they did. Westley's teachers love that he is such a good listener.  He excels in math and enjoys reading non-fiction.

Brok gets two pictures for each year because one is a football picture and one is a school picture - although in 6th grade they look a lot alike.

Brok hurt his shoulder in preseason training so he had to sit out on their first couple of games.  He said it was alright, because he could see what the coaches were trying to tell the boys, so when he was able to play he could listen better.  His team didn't do well, only winning two games, but Brok caught an interseption on the 99 yard line and ran it for the only touchdown (his team made) of the game.

This year on the other hand, his team was undefeated and won the Super Bowl as well.  They had two very close games in the regular season and the play-offs, but they won in the end.  Brok again made a touchdown, this time with the game kick-off. 

Brok's teachers all love him and so do his home teaching families - of course we do too.

Laura is a freshman at Colorado Mesa University this year - so the above are some of her senior pictures. 

More on school later.
Bye

I Love to See the Temple We're Going There Today!

All of the activities for the summer were leading up to the biggest event of all.  On Tuesday, July 5, 2011 our family was sealed together in the Jordan River Temple.  When we sat down as a family to decide when and which temple to be sealed in - we thought of the Monticello Temple so we would be close to family and friends - we knew that we wanted the date to be after Charnae and Dayle's wedding and then when we looked over the calendar we noticed that the 5th of July was on a Tuesday and all agreed that we should go to the Jordan RiverTemple.  Charles and I were married on Tuesday, July 5, 1983 in the Jordan River Temple.  The temple was fairly new back then and we were younger too as a matter-o-fact. 

The morning of the sealing we woke up early enough that anyone that wanted to could eat breakfast downstairs at the hotel.  They had wonderful breakfasts there with waffles, fresh fruit, and all. 

Here is Audrey admiring herself in the mirror.

And what a cutie she is!

She was the first one ready

Charles fixing Christian's hair.  Just like our regular Sunday routine.

Harve putting on his tie - the finishing touch.

Westley hanging out on the bed.

Laura brought her breakfast up to the room.

Westley again.

Jaala and Harrison stayed at Harrison's Dad's house

Curtis, Holly, Dayle, and Charnae stayed at a different hotel.

We had to get to the temple earlier than the others - so we headed over and took care of the paper work.

To give a synopsis of the occasion - I'll quote Westley's talk that he gave in Primary that following Sunday (July 10th)

On Tuesday, I woke up early and ate breakfast at a hotel. Then I got my Sunday clothes on and went with my family to the temple.  We went inside and showed the people our recommends and then they took us into a room that had toys – then we got dressed in all white clothes – pants, shirts, ties, belts, and socks all white.  Then we played with the toys until it was time to go up to the sealing room. 

Brok, Laura, and I went up an elevator into a sealing room.  It was a very pretty room.  My older sisters and brother and their husbands and wife, and my grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, and cousin were already there.   Then my parents came in.  Then the sealer – he is the man that has the Priesthood power to seal families together – talked to us.  He told us things that were in the Proclamation to the Family and that Prophets have said.  Then Christian, Harve, and Audrey came in and they knelt by an alter with my parents and our family was sealed together forever and ever.

I felt happy.  Everybody else was very happy too.  We gave lots of hugs in that room. 

I am grateful that the sealing powers were restored to the earth so our family can be blessed by temple ordinances.

So, 28 years later here we are - sealed together again!

Here we all are except Charlie.  The Air Force needed him to stay at his duty station, so he wasn't able to come  - but he's sealed to us just the same.

The was a powerful moment in time. 
-Nancy

Swimming, Swimming, in my Swimming Pool....

As I've mentioned before, swimming is a highlight for every hotel trip.  This trip was no exception.  The little kids got braver - and we had more big kids since Curtis and Holly were there.  Even Noellee got into the action.  Audrey has always been pretty brave in the water - but she started jumping off the side to anyone that would catch her.  Harve was more eager to get his face wet, and Christian played a little water basketball this time.  After 2 years of coming to this same hotel - Westley finally went down the slide.  He has been to the top and come back down the stairs before, but this time he went downt he slide - more than once actually. 

We brought some water blasters and they all had a ball with them.  When our kids would put them down, other hotel guests would pick them up and the fun would just continue.

Here Westley's sneaking over to blast the kids in the other pool while Harve is urging him on.

Dayle has Audrey and Charnae helps Harve with his blaster

Brok, Audrey, Dayle, and Charnae

Christian getting back in after a bathroom break

Harve shooting someone coming down the slide

Christian in motion

Hi there Harrison!

There goes Brok to the water slide

Turn around and wave Brok!

Thanks!

Come on Westley, I'll help you go down the slide

says Jaala

Oh, this is going to be fun Westley,

I promise

Yea!  He did it!

That was GREAT!  I wanna do it again!

Christian - just wait 'til you're tall enough-your're gonna love it!

Charnae, Jaala and Harrison in the forground

Harve watching Curtis come down in the back

Christian coming to soak someone

Charnae helping Harve out of the deep pool

Christian getting a ride around the big pool

Christian again

Westley playing basketball

Harve spraying the ceiling -

this kept him busy for quite a while

Brok and Christian getting ready to play some ball

Malachi prophesied....

Reporting about our summer wouldn't be complete without the most important event.  It may take a few postings to get it all - since several different people took pictures and everyone has some memories and feelings about it - but let's get started ....

We left Grand Junction on Saturday, July 2nd making our way to Salt Lake City, UT.

Brok settling in the car

Brok, Westley, and Laura in the middle seat

Harve Lee in the back

Christian, Audrey, and Harve ready to roll!

 Here is Westley helping Audrey make some tracks.

We stopped at a historical site with a rest area connected to it.

They had history about he trains and dinosaurs related to the area.

That was so cute - we had to take another picture

Here is Christian stretching his legs - ready, set, go!

Next is Harve running a lap around the path practicing bending his arms.

and then he focused on his speed instead

Now it's Audrey's turn

and around the corner she goes

And now it's Westley's turn

He's coming in strong...

Oh, and here comes Brok

Everyone did several laps - Here is Harve skipping around

Audrey was tiring out so Laura came to the rescue -

As Brok made his last round Audrey became a spectator.

Our next stop was in American Fork where we celebrated Uncle Artie and Aunt Lupe's 45th Wedding Anniversary.  Well, first we went to In-n-Out Burger of course, but then we went to the fiesta.  They had Mexican food - and the litle boys were ready for more food already - and their grandaughter danced for us and they had kareoke, a toast/roast, and dancing and delicious cake.  We had a great time.

Westley and Brok

Audrey and Harve

Harve and Christian

Aunt Lupe

Harve and Audrey again

Harve and Audrey eating cake

Audrey joining the dancing

Laura and Audrey

One of the things the kids thought was so amazing about this party is that the water on the tables was either pink or green.  It was magical to them. 

Uncle Artie and Aunt Lupe had friends from around the corner and far away, ward members, their three children and their families and Aunt Lupe had several family members that had traveled to share this wonderful occasion.  We had trouble finding the building using the address - but we are very glad that we stuck to it and joined the party.

And then onto Salt Lake we went.

We stayed a couple of nights at Holiday Inn and a couple of nights at Staybridge which are connected with an indoor pool/water park (big for a pool, small for a water park)  We made our traditional trek to the grocery store to stock up on hotel foods like snak pack pudding, crackers with squirty cheese, popcorn, cookies, soda and licorice. 

Uncle Dan, Aunt Shawna, Patrick, Susanna and their kids Gavin, Zachary and baby Kia Sophia - Afton, and Mercedes came up to Utah too.  They rented a house and we drove over to spend time with them.  (When Grandpa and Grandma Gladden came up they stayed at that big house with them.)  The kids had a great time playing pool, exploring the back yard which was filled with plants and pathways. playing video games, and just playing in general - and of course eating snacks.

Kia needed to eat - while Susanna fed Kia Audrey fed her doll.

On Sunday we did some sight seeing.  We drove by where the hotel Charles and I stayed in when we got married 28 years ago was - and low and behold it was still there.  The name had changed, but it looks the same.  It was old when we stayed there - we laugh a lot about the state of that place and we think it's hilarious that it's still there.

It was called the Se Rancho when we stayed there

Here is the corner of rooms we stayed in back then.

I stayed there with my family the days leading to the wedding and then they went home.

We had a good chuckle about this one

Then we headed over to Temple Square and met Jaala and Harrison there.

We always have a good experience when we go to Temple Square. 

Hmmmm where should we go next?

Charnae, Dayle, Curtis, Holly, and Noelle came up Sunday afternoon.  They had a little car trouble - the last time we came up to Utah for Afton and Mercedes wedding the excursion had car trouble - it's a good thing we travel with Curtis so he can help us out. 

We went to Mike and Deanne Taylor's early in the evening and had a Wonderful time visiting.  It has been a long time since we've seen them.  After that great visit we began our search for food.  We tried several places with no luck because everything closes so early on Sunday evenings.  Then we found an Applebee's that was still open - Hooray!

Westley, Christian, Brok, Laura and Harve

deciding what to order

Dayle and Charnae

narrowing down the choices

Audrey - coloring is fun

Holly and Noelle on the end

Charles and Curtis waiting on the waitress

On Monday July 4th we went to the Zoo

Charles, Christian, and Laura bought hats when we got in - everyone else brought one along.

The weather was sensational.  It really was great for the whole trip - but for a day spent outside, we couldn't have asked for anything better.

All of the animals were out and it was fun to see them all up close.

See, they were all out

One more - say cheese!

Not pictured:  Holly, Noellee, Dayle and I

Curtis was tracking down their car part so he missed the zoo at the zoo -

Did you know that Laura likes elephants?

The other kids had fun getting a picture here too

Looking on

Be careful, that elephants been squirting water

Come on - put your face right up to it

Did I mention that Laura likes elephants?

I haven't been to this zoo since I was a young girl - pre-2nd grade at the oldest.   I can remember people tossing white bread to the polar bears - they allowed it back then.  In fact, you could buy cereal in gumball machines to feed the animals - talk about upclose and personal with the camels, elephants and so forth.  I can remember the giraffes too - they still have the giraffe exhibit set up so that you can watch them from above and below.  This is silly, but I distinctly remember this drinking fountain too.  Thank you to whoever has been in charge of the upkeep all these years!

I went into the gift shop with Laura (she wanted to buy something with an elephant on it)

When I came out - I sat down for a minute waiting for those that had gone to the restroom when Christian and Westley collided - Christian got the worst of it.  This is Charles and Christian coming back from the restroom- We opted Not to go on the little train ride.

I think it's a hilarious picture.