Antelope Island

Weird how there are some things that you just don't get around to until there is a class field trip.

We saw lizards, antelope and bison. We participated in a play on the life-cycle of brine shrimp (aka sea-monkeys). We walked hundreds of yards into the Great Salt Lake to get the water above our knees (at which point Kate floated). We ate our peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches and flew a kite.

As Kate put it... "it was the best day ever".

Hey Grandma !

One of the kids decided to take a bunch of pictures of grandma. They all looked kind of like this one... go figure.

I'm not sure if we're seeing an up and coming artist or comedian.

New Addtion

Here's our new puppy. He's a 15-week old cocker poodle. We feel like we have a new baby again... but without diapers. (The cat we had a few years ago was soooo much easier.)

We're still working on the name. The kids have a list of about 30 name possibilities.

He sleeps fine through the night and is very quiet. There are times that he gets so excited he pees a little ... but I'm sure we can all relate to that.

Sundance

"Taking Chance" - Worth seeing. True story about a general who volunteers to escort home the body of a young soldier killed in Iraq. The story stayed away from being pro/anti war but focused on the reactions that everyone has to this general as he escorts the body home to Wyoming. (I haven't had a sob-fest like that since Brian's Song.) The film-making was a little strong-handed at times and they could have backed off on the music - but the story was important and eye-opening.

After the movie, the director, the general (who's experience we had just watched), and Kevin Bacon (who played the general) all answered questions. [So if you play "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" - I'm now one degree from Bacon.]

That was the best part of Sundance... being able to hear real commentary on what the experience was like creating a project like this.

Most touching part was the final question from the audience when a lady explained how grateful she was to see the process of bringing a fallen soldier home. Her son was killed in Iraq and until she saw the film she had no idea that this process existed... that each soldier killed is handled with such respect and dignity.

What's Burning?

So there I was... Christmas eve in Allison's grandmothers kitchen. The party for 60 was about to begin and the house was in controlled chaos.

Someone hands me a hot casserole to take to the second kitchen. As I'm walking out holding the pan, I mention that something is burning. (This is not very unusual at grandma's... but I thought still worth mentioning.)

I get into the second kitchen and let them know that "something in here is burning also!" After I set down the pan, I realize what was burning ... the hot pad they handed me to hold the pan was on fire.

Christmas Tree Debate

I'm sure we're not ready for the real vs fake discussion.

We spent our debate time discussing where the tree will be located. We also had a difficult time convincing the kids that Christmas would still come even if our tree didn't look exactly like the same tree that we get every year.

(By "kids", I mean "Rob's inner child".)

Beach Trip

Beach Trip - October

We went to Newport for our idea of a perfect vacation ... and the empty beaches made an awesome trip even more "awesomer".

We stayed on Balboa Island which is a tradition Rob's great grandparents started.

Here's our routine everyday.....

......go to the beach to enjoy waves

..........and practice / invent some sports

......... try to catch any kind of wildlife

....... and continue until the sun went down