On Vacation

I have to get up in an hour and a half to catch a plane. This is vacation? Oh yes, Christmas Vacation.

What I've been up to:

Contributing to the delinquency of a minor?

No -- I finally went down to the big box store and bought myself some 2x4s and some drywall. Stay tuned.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

While Garrett was here for Thanksgiving (yay!) we put up the Christmas tree. You would not believe how many photos I took trying to get these guys to smile and keep their eyes open all at the same time.

Alouette

This is Turner singing in his preschool holiday program. The production value (my camera work) is awful, but I'm posting it just so I know I can.

Conversation in the Strip Mall Parking Lot

T: Mom, is that it?
A: Is what it?
T: That!
A: The store? Is the store what?
T: Is it the fixing store?
A: Is that the fix-it store?
T: NOoooo, is that the fixing store?
A: The fixing store?
T: Yeah, for dogs.

Good job brushing my teeth, Mom!

Day 10

Jesse adores archery. (One more thing for my to-do list -- find him an archery program.)


Garrett hit the deer...


but he didn't get to ride the ATVs, poor fellow.


That afternoon we took a walk up to the Emerald Pools in Zion National Park.

(That's me and Garrett waving.)

It was dry and the water was low...


but the scenery was still breathtaking.

Day 9: Reaching Zion National Park before sunset

Yes, that would be the boys climbing the rocks across the street.

Where am I?

Oops, I did it again.

Sigh. Yes, I lost my computer data without any backup. Not a clue what was originally wrong, tried to fix it myself and on the cheap and ended up making it worse.

I'm back, with a new internet security program and a stack of CDs with old data, but it's left me rather bummed.

FYI, if you have never emailed me at my gmail.com account (or received mail from me at that address) then I have lost your email address.

Picture of the Day: A Rite of Passage

He seems delighted with his new glasses, I'm not sure why. Maybe because everybody in the family needs them?

I can't remember the last time I saw my middle child this happy. It has nothing to do with the glasses -- I'm just commenting on his general state and his mom's corresponding moment of peace. Randy thinks it's a harbinger of better days ahead. I almost dare to hope that it means moving stateside was the right decision.

Day 8, Wedding Day

Father of the Bride


Mothers

Mike, the groom, escorting the mothers.

Bride

The wedding was lovely, and the reception was great fun, but very few of my photos are in focus. Turner danced with us for over an hour, and my cousin's daughter Brittany dragged both David and Garrett out on the dance floor. (Thank goodness for teenage girls.)

Day 7, SLC

Sweet

John and Megan's daughter, Rebecca.

The rehearsal dinner was at an Italian place, where I was apparently more concerned with keeping Turner in tow than taking photos. Here's one nice one of Grandma.

Day 6, SLC

No pictures from days 4 & 5.

Telling Tales

Jaz telling stories to David and Clare's girls.


Deck

So I installed a faucet. Big whoop. My brother Mike went and built a deck (shown here). I won't even mention my brother John, who renovated his whole house and installed solar panels on his roof so now the power company pays him for electricity. He's just much too together for me to even contemplate.


Earthy

The very cool couple (Mike and Carey) whose marriage we were celebrating this evening, and only two years late. Taken by Jaz, who had absconded with my camera.


Hangers-on

Something tells me I did not take most of these pictures.


Which explains why there is a picture of me!

Practicing his Lines

T: Mommy, can I swim in your eyes?
A: What?
T: Can I swim in your eyes, and hunt for sharks in them?

Where does he get these things?

Pictures of the Day: Day 3, Idaho

We picnicked by the Payette River on the way back to Boise.

Here I told Jesse to look serious in an effort to forestall the inevitable tongue sticking out.


Thirteen


Water's Edge



We somehow managed to stay dry and mostly clean for the ride home -- hey! DROP THAT SANDBALL!



We got to stay with Grandma Patricia for the night.