tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487487175107043542024-02-20T11:35:28.281-08:00The Collins FamilyStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-12021596105654785892012-04-03T05:53:00.000-07:002012-04-03T05:53:02.958-07:00Random<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm playing a little bit of catch up right now cause I noticed I haven't posted since right after Clay arrived in Utah. I had a wonderful time with my husband in town, we played a lot, did a lot of shopping, a lot of eating out and well a lot of other stuff too that I wont mention in this blog!! The only thing I didn't like was how thrown off I was with my normal routine. I didn't work out the entire time he was here, which I paid for dearly on my very first work out back! It felt like I hadn't worked out in months! The other thing I struggled with was what I called the "divorced dad" complex Clay has. He spoiled the kids terribly while he was here and when I would try to stop him he would only say "I'm only here for two weeks". One example of this was one Saturday night, after a few hours of trying to get the boys to bed he announced he was taking them to McDonald's for a shamrock shake, it was 11:00 pm and we have 8:00 am church. Needless to say getting the boys up for church was not fun and then Clay again says to me "why don't you just let them sleep in this once!" I explained if I do this once they will expect it from now on. We did eventually get them up but they were 30 minutes late to church!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now Clay is back in Australia and I'm hating my life! I'm trying to be strong cause I know there are worse trials out there and I wouldn't trade this one for some of the ones my friends are going through right now, but it still sucks and I just want my husband back!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On a lighter note, it's 6:00 am right now and the reason I'm up is because Brittany's friends just came over and kidnapped her for her birthday. No, it isn't Brittany's birthday today, it's next week but we are going to California next week for spring break, so they did it early. When her friend called me yesterday to plan this she asked that I not turn any lights on cause they wanted to pretend like this was a real kidnapping. I have to admit, when I was watching them wrap her up in duck tape, it was pretty freaky! There were four of them and they all dressed in black and had masks on their faces. They put duck tape on her hands and feet and then put a mask on her face so she couldn't see what was going on. Of course the mother in me wanted to preserve this memory, so as they were walking out the door I whispered to one of the girls to stop so I could take a picture. It was all I could do to not laugh, but I didn't want to ruin it for them so I held it in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2o2aEKCoz5Svc8nKq_ljNBm7l3Se4vIEINMFYFVLwKEmgc0Iil2sxdueJb1y0OLbwWDwwCFUFGR4Mdk0ouJ_bEED-e47eAC5sJRfgNlHi3_yRlM-HcJqJo15Poj5L6J2miFoBoGpFuV/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2o2aEKCoz5Svc8nKq_ljNBm7l3Se4vIEINMFYFVLwKEmgc0Iil2sxdueJb1y0OLbwWDwwCFUFGR4Mdk0ouJ_bEED-e47eAC5sJRfgNlHi3_yRlM-HcJqJo15Poj5L6J2miFoBoGpFuV/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This was the best picture I could get! I couldn't turn on the lights because they wanted to keep it like a real kidnapping. Brittany is the one on the ground with the orange ski mask on her head, Jesse (Brittany's boyfriend) is on the left and I'm so mad he took off his mask for the picture! Then the other girls were Addie, Nicki and I don't know who the last girl is! So after this picture they carried her out like a stuffed pig because her limbs were all taped together. I was nervous a neighbor would see them and actually call the police because they thought it was a real kidnapping. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm going to be all over the map during this post. So I apologize! Back to when Clay was here. Clay moved out of the house we lived in after we left Australia cause the house was just too big for him. Plus he didn't need all that land to try to maintain on his own! So he says to me that he wants to show me his new house key and I'm thinking "what's the bid deal about a house key", then he whips out this baby...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_rri_zugPwcxHVKO85UXRC2Cz8tUY322qUm1QyOhrDU1OS0mU98otLHErt9NGR1eKUWq3qFjaxjdlFLvOYxSNRVqgAyYMMIQzks7LLSKAgzJVnUwP_URbS3Dj_GJEyZYLF2Ubrov-JKw/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_rri_zugPwcxHVKO85UXRC2Cz8tUY322qUm1QyOhrDU1OS0mU98otLHErt9NGR1eKUWq3qFjaxjdlFLvOYxSNRVqgAyYMMIQzks7LLSKAgzJVnUwP_URbS3Dj_GJEyZYLF2Ubrov-JKw/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Yes, Clay has moved back to the 1800's!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> I couldn't' believe that this was actually someone's house key! I wish you could see the size of this key compared to other regular keys! It's so long! I ask him if his door creeks open when he opens it, like a old haunted house! That's what I expect with a key like this!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So I said earlier how we did a lot of shopping while Clay was here, well that was not an exaggeration! I think we hit three no four, wait it was five different malls in the two weeks he was here! One of them was the new City Creek mall, which is awesome by the way! If you haven't been downtown to this new mall, get there soon. We went opening weekend so it was crazy crowded! Luke said he felt like we were at Disneyland! But, they had all sorts of different kids of entertainment every where you turned. From boy bands, to magic acts to these women dressed as flower pots!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ70lZ-g1YQzgiUAUJLBJIajN8qsIMdlJrDv2JIdcC9K9-55q1KF9m2lNe1d2KVaqTEwZsVom-LS004jY13-nlQR7H8-qKIDq2xPUvoSAEmUJo4ejN77uQBsMt2MBMBVmREXJLBvLHVt1X/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ70lZ-g1YQzgiUAUJLBJIajN8qsIMdlJrDv2JIdcC9K9-55q1KF9m2lNe1d2KVaqTEwZsVom-LS004jY13-nlQR7H8-qKIDq2xPUvoSAEmUJo4ejN77uQBsMt2MBMBVmREXJLBvLHVt1X/s320/photo+(8).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Luke was fascinated by these so I had to get a shot of him with one! The funny thing was later on we went across the street to eat at the Garden room in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and on or way back to the mall one of these statues was crossing the street with us. I guess she was just getting one duty, but Luke thought it was so fun to watch her hold up her pot and walk around! </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">So I explained earlier that my whole routine was messed up while Clay was here and that included my volunteer time too! I work in both Cody's and Luke's classes once a week, but missed it the first week Clay was here. So the next week I told Clay that he should just come with me that way he gets to spend time with Cody and he can see what Cody does in his classroom. Cody's teacher Mrs Vent was so excited that Clay came cause she never gets a father to come and help out in her class room. This week she needed us to help her glue the stuff the kids have been making during their "dark ages" lessons. So Clay and I spent the next hour hot gluing all this stuff up outside Cody's room. Can I tell you how happy I was to have Clay there helping me do this! It would of taken me hours with out his help! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKQ8rmTctldkYpfKCwX08Vu0JfqyPX5tTeiIDP8Hec7NI3XOv9wCbLG8Jo0gl9oce_Q93Ec36cBWsu8TGyaLcoR75X-A0KzpEb9FldJ78LwXBI6ky93NB-MuTvRS_RTUpa1JVXbNcKWMN/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKQ8rmTctldkYpfKCwX08Vu0JfqyPX5tTeiIDP8Hec7NI3XOv9wCbLG8Jo0gl9oce_Q93Ec36cBWsu8TGyaLcoR75X-A0KzpEb9FldJ78LwXBI6ky93NB-MuTvRS_RTUpa1JVXbNcKWMN/s320/photo+(9).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cody's is the one with the checker board print on his shield. </div><div style="text-align: center;">All the kids had to pick a saying to put on the front of their display. All the other kids put saying that had to do with the period and Cody choose, "Champion's are not born they are made". A sports theme, of course! You can't see it very clearly in the picture but one of the things on his shield is a football! I love this kid!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-30442630125698452582012-03-20T15:16:00.000-07:002012-03-20T15:16:33.531-07:00Mason's blessing and sealing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This past Saturday, March 17th, Clay and I were privileged to be able to attend our first grandsons sealing to his wonderful adoptive parents. Six months ago Jessica decided to place Mason with Nick and Erin cause she wasn't ready to be a mother just yet. Clay and I were torn with the idea of adopting Mason ourselves, but knew that if we did, we would always be battling with Mason's birth father. Even though we wanted to keep this precious little boy, we knew it would be better for him to be as far away from his father as possible. In our eyes this boy was and still is pure evil! Jessica also knew this and this is what helped her in making the decision to place Mason. Even though we miss this little boy every hour of every day, we know that he is in a great family and is protected from his birth father. He also has an amazing mother and father who we know will raise him right and will protect him from all the evil in this world! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nick and Erin have been so amazing to our family! They let us visit Mason when ever we want and includes us in all the important events in his life! It's especially nice that they only live a few miles away from us!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu85OK3q8sWpvIN2fpR8qalTgyNdu-gu6GRlb5Q8vyNmznt-0pYN27mQRBuv4YhbhaRDwzvibHIrV5ODCgpn821-oRbwB-T_q4y5phrzqyYj9dL-R6oejZx7FkoXoct7xYIYVWJPAwgkoR/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu85OK3q8sWpvIN2fpR8qalTgyNdu-gu6GRlb5Q8vyNmznt-0pYN27mQRBuv4YhbhaRDwzvibHIrV5ODCgpn821-oRbwB-T_q4y5phrzqyYj9dL-R6oejZx7FkoXoct7xYIYVWJPAwgkoR/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the blessing, in front of the Temple</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had never been to a sealing of a parent to a child before so I didn't know what exactly to expect. The sealer started by speaking about his own experience of adopting two or his four children. His story was beautiful and had us all in tears before the sealing even began. Then they brought in Mason and all I can say is I lost it! He was glowing in his white outfit and was all smiles when he saw his parents! Nick and Erin sat on opposite sides of the alter and they placed Mason in the middle. The sealing only took a few moments, but was such an amazing experience. Afterwards we were able to hug and kiss on Mason and hug Nick and Erin too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggs_eQVPr853dQpVTt03mD7Q5wGKWRP-ir05TRIKvbMt6zAha5tiFaqoeu-ZzZpsLw3G2U5nEw6Yx97rgycY5Gz1eB8PNl6B7G75eu8KzQWJdyGdqIojRWaqwhAnF3ilQ1w5r-6_EUz9Fm/s1600/Mason_Sealing(Colored).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggs_eQVPr853dQpVTt03mD7Q5wGKWRP-ir05TRIKvbMt6zAha5tiFaqoeu-ZzZpsLw3G2U5nEw6Yx97rgycY5Gz1eB8PNl6B7G75eu8KzQWJdyGdqIojRWaqwhAnF3ilQ1w5r-6_EUz9Fm/s320/Mason_Sealing(Colored).jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mason in his blessing and sealing outfit</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The next morning we attended Mason's blessing. Clay was invited to stand in the circle, which of course he was thrilled to do! Afterwards, we went to Nick and Erin's house to have lunch and to get a chance to get to know Nick and Erin's families. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OQdMLIJqEwnUD40Rqjl39PUdK2WQI-dx75WmiDIyBx2EWvTLGqA4Mczo9wicHSwTxOv9BrFIFWCDvvsVzuuJLXds7QJpScG5s6KpoqxjsZW5cDRAzByOvHaoB-t2_M1ZcXByXCyq-eu5/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OQdMLIJqEwnUD40Rqjl39PUdK2WQI-dx75WmiDIyBx2EWvTLGqA4Mczo9wicHSwTxOv9BrFIFWCDvvsVzuuJLXds7QJpScG5s6KpoqxjsZW5cDRAzByOvHaoB-t2_M1ZcXByXCyq-eu5/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jessica after the blessing with Austin and Mason</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2a4XHIOV8RfyFzMSVBoe-X8KCcB5AAFmDxKZy8wMF6UXPU7mALoJpstxT5vkyJvO4e3Y23advPVmSrV-H_D4k8LZRHpQQ3jDcG56avhuw9NdLG-MVyk586jOQTBdwIc2avPVYTFYvJLJ/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2a4XHIOV8RfyFzMSVBoe-X8KCcB5AAFmDxKZy8wMF6UXPU7mALoJpstxT5vkyJvO4e3Y23advPVmSrV-H_D4k8LZRHpQQ3jDcG56avhuw9NdLG-MVyk586jOQTBdwIc2avPVYTFYvJLJ/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are all the men that stood in the circle of the blessing of Mason</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmZhHo0lbOZFlmnuELQeClxNblR18TfULqHxr4PjPrSZxtax18Txe8DE5Lilsn_unst8YKTo8FifQlg-x9B_GQ78CZ47lZH_b1Ti3ZjFOOncggMvnFEAql2WHlnGDXwtUOIYZ-P2WnSds/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmZhHo0lbOZFlmnuELQeClxNblR18TfULqHxr4PjPrSZxtax18Txe8DE5Lilsn_unst8YKTo8FifQlg-x9B_GQ78CZ47lZH_b1Ti3ZjFOOncggMvnFEAql2WHlnGDXwtUOIYZ-P2WnSds/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This was actually taken after the sealing. Mason crashed and looked like an angel!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLp4EjjEZB0H1vDVXTjnQylH2wCAEAILBMynynFgLm7AyQRIc0ubb_nuk5n1hk3nR20rSCu3K_8Cy9MYV9IUXAFjPT7YR3UbJRoPlHJKojVJcm0jyJDkPRTPlPtrUwdkkQ4pOXZ2uzseS3/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLp4EjjEZB0H1vDVXTjnQylH2wCAEAILBMynynFgLm7AyQRIc0ubb_nuk5n1hk3nR20rSCu3K_8Cy9MYV9IUXAFjPT7YR3UbJRoPlHJKojVJcm0jyJDkPRTPlPtrUwdkkQ4pOXZ2uzseS3/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mason definitely got a lot of Collins in him! Clay couldn't get enough time with this sweet boy! But then how can you resist that smile! And he smiles all the time! </div><span id="goog_798376084"></span><span id="goog_798376085"></span>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-12582825208179058782012-03-12T15:45:00.000-07:002012-03-12T15:45:07.567-07:00I'm so glad when daddy comes home!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last week for family home evening I took the kids up to Soldier Hollow for some night sledding. There is this lady in our ward that books it every year and then invites families from our ward to join her. It's a complete blast and if you've never done it, make sure you plan on it cause it really is a great family activity! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpKmgssQl1gFIzo9KeVZI_Dg-16vJtHvU3OKvMS4-m43kPwv6yrah_FaPVd4lQn4ty1PS-sjFKMO6sVgpWPEDo9dw2suXj7_bWNHiDB5DKgi_MCwBXN5ls9J_y-kpjYTUC-QkcFt-Xi86/s1600/valentines+dance+and+Clay's+homecoming+104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpKmgssQl1gFIzo9KeVZI_Dg-16vJtHvU3OKvMS4-m43kPwv6yrah_FaPVd4lQn4ty1PS-sjFKMO6sVgpWPEDo9dw2suXj7_bWNHiDB5DKgi_MCwBXN5ls9J_y-kpjYTUC-QkcFt-Xi86/s320/valentines+dance+and+Clay's+homecoming+104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Savannah was the only one that didn't come with us. She couldn't get any of her friends to come so she decided it wouldn't be fun with just the family! The boy next to Brittany is Jesse, yes they like each other! And the boy next to Cody is Parker, one of his best friends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This last Saturday Clay returned home for a two week visit. This was us at the airport, very very happy to have our dad and husband back on this side of the world! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK9RrC56EqrxxthM8dt7WjSP1VFS48yAm5-T_MQr4q2UNBQJSBqrFU8h6mWbt4Z_09xVaCiVzt_qQ_U1dxr_nQlKAGquMf39e7fNC5DHBnlTOi1gcCo2AehhWidIQKWNW5OKGccNhly2D/s1600/valentines+dance+and+Clay's+homecoming+112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK9RrC56EqrxxthM8dt7WjSP1VFS48yAm5-T_MQr4q2UNBQJSBqrFU8h6mWbt4Z_09xVaCiVzt_qQ_U1dxr_nQlKAGquMf39e7fNC5DHBnlTOi1gcCo2AehhWidIQKWNW5OKGccNhly2D/s320/valentines+dance+and+Clay's+homecoming+112.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's only been three days since Clay arrived in Utah and he is extremely jet lagged. To make things even more wonderful we found out that Brittany has mono and Jessica just got back from the doctors and has the flu! That means all three of my drivers are out of commission and now I'm going to be spending even more time behind the wheel! One more piece of good news, Jessica's car broke down and it's going to cost more to fix it than it's worth so we are now car hunting! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-57038344644058094462012-02-22T13:21:00.000-08:002012-02-22T13:21:04.988-08:00Mason time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Six months ago this guy came into our lives, and it's never been the same since! Mason or Big Mac as we like to call him has brought us so much happiness, I can't imagine our lives without him in it! We also love that Nick and Erin, his parents are part of our family now too! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMRZ4YYrlga0eaWevlWqM4avUVSm80l49wGgdsecThIt7uNQEr4DhJovYZeDU3yUFsu_YqacpL7FP2KaORyM_c1OnWu5n_dMhs7k88ShkyzSxKhwhyrRyG-Kt60WaIJw01PrKRoarw2WO/s1600/monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMRZ4YYrlga0eaWevlWqM4avUVSm80l49wGgdsecThIt7uNQEr4DhJovYZeDU3yUFsu_YqacpL7FP2KaORyM_c1OnWu5n_dMhs7k88ShkyzSxKhwhyrRyG-Kt60WaIJw01PrKRoarw2WO/s320/monkey.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We got to spend some time with Mason last night! I find myself so excited all day long on the days we get to go and see him! Even the kids get so excited, it's all they talk about until we get to his home!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRcI0dB1MedGEPo9K19GINKqpD0h_EGQfzP0Qzk8JuiF5O77H_thcOYA6trG9-XhNpjdTpcwN5DdCXn9QnGxMTyOyu8p6yq37-p2WeAsvDei0Gs66S1xEzYYDG-veCxlAm6T71X0EyQlw/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRcI0dB1MedGEPo9K19GINKqpD0h_EGQfzP0Qzk8JuiF5O77H_thcOYA6trG9-XhNpjdTpcwN5DdCXn9QnGxMTyOyu8p6yq37-p2WeAsvDei0Gs66S1xEzYYDG-veCxlAm6T71X0EyQlw/s320/DSC_0054.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We get pictures almost weekly from Erin and I can't believe how much he changes ever week! A few weeks ago he was looking like he was thinning out and growing so long, then just the very next week he was chunky again and then this week.....well you can see from the pictures, he is huge! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2vTDmm2JdN6rUl0tebhEDIiod36HoZi0EFwMANyu8ysp5ejCdJBzIZ3R4HryalLb4-m3DGqiujXKT3XoOJy6rTGYTAUNatG4H8ktnVm80VSsNsL5mA4ktD0Q2D-gqLmY4c8AQt5Q2kVW/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2vTDmm2JdN6rUl0tebhEDIiod36HoZi0EFwMANyu8ysp5ejCdJBzIZ3R4HryalLb4-m3DGqiujXKT3XoOJy6rTGYTAUNatG4H8ktnVm80VSsNsL5mA4ktD0Q2D-gqLmY4c8AQt5Q2kVW/s320/DSC_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cody really can't get enough time with this boy! And look how much he looks more like a brother than a nephew to Cody and Luke, especially Luke!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARfehYI4Gh4N00ThpVvMV5BJ-5BpHzRcmecfSLMjE8IqD1bvn1tSJvE7cFjAJLsQ1-QT84RPlj9jmsZnKt09rJwoh9MlRpYr6jee7tngm_UTMth2a6vZnI8aEfEOY9iXHi4JLXowcBf25/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARfehYI4Gh4N00ThpVvMV5BJ-5BpHzRcmecfSLMjE8IqD1bvn1tSJvE7cFjAJLsQ1-QT84RPlj9jmsZnKt09rJwoh9MlRpYr6jee7tngm_UTMth2a6vZnI8aEfEOY9iXHi4JLXowcBf25/s320/DSC_0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> He has a pretty serious disposition, but he also loves to break out the smiles! He is even laughing and cooing so much now! It even sounds like he is trying to talk!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg4r5uKba4bpOz2xuPLZuIMEeMGfG4h1hDkjwFodVgplu8SpWQY1SMYUoXnFbpV0wB1YJbhEwoH9fdWDprKiFGrIA61A5HwX30qY7kRh2bQuVhXk2Djca2jHqIN1criqZa_rKB6wJ2DAs/s1600/DSC_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg4r5uKba4bpOz2xuPLZuIMEeMGfG4h1hDkjwFodVgplu8SpWQY1SMYUoXnFbpV0wB1YJbhEwoH9fdWDprKiFGrIA61A5HwX30qY7kRh2bQuVhXk2Djca2jHqIN1criqZa_rKB6wJ2DAs/s320/DSC_0075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I have this little problem that I want to buy him everything I see! We showed up last night with this toy and two outfits! I just can't resist! But, it did make me so happy that he loved the toy! I just hope it doesn't drive Nick and Erin crazy with all it's sounds! </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm sad I didn't get a picture with Savannah and Mason. She loves this guy and I'm hitting myself for not getting one! Oh well, next visit! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-82894323736400023492012-02-22T13:03:00.000-08:002012-02-22T13:03:55.220-08:00Sweethearts Dance and Valentines Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm so happy that Brittany is back in Utah and able to go to all her school dances, but I'm especially happy that she is able to date! She went a few weeks ago (I know, that is how behind I am), to the Sweethearts dance with her cute friend Jesse. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHqYJYJEhMV7uLzMkAx73GZXCS7mUYkeje7qNZdMPRQkaQ6FI0Gt6zIf3FwsQdunnrxEjMfQv-ohKAZjd91v5gpyCHFybT4_q9aQmv0I38IAu9UzEJwBvB55UnU7RXMv1eC3lZjheLlWM/s1600/brittany+and+jesse+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHqYJYJEhMV7uLzMkAx73GZXCS7mUYkeje7qNZdMPRQkaQ6FI0Gt6zIf3FwsQdunnrxEjMfQv-ohKAZjd91v5gpyCHFybT4_q9aQmv0I38IAu9UzEJwBvB55UnU7RXMv1eC3lZjheLlWM/s320/brittany+and+jesse+2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I especially loved that this dance was casual and I didn't need to go and buy another dress!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDlfRHW2UqNL-fq2owXCsDSbwHCuh8YSjniiAKd3ugKQn8fBIOE0K-IBuOr109_sdvAFN_nPR-2Su74A-nmHo_idwiyzuiHsJZAxJY9E8cY0MP4FsqGJhhm_L6U3bqQSmkLOGaqJeKwiy/s1600/brittany+and+jesse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDlfRHW2UqNL-fq2owXCsDSbwHCuh8YSjniiAKd3ugKQn8fBIOE0K-IBuOr109_sdvAFN_nPR-2Su74A-nmHo_idwiyzuiHsJZAxJY9E8cY0MP4FsqGJhhm_L6U3bqQSmkLOGaqJeKwiy/s320/brittany+and+jesse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">For their day date they went bowling, which I don't have a picture of, but thought I would throw this one in of them on another date 4 wheeling. I like this guy cause he actually asks Brittany out on dates and comes up with fun ones for them to do! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">On Valentines day Cody's 6th grade class had a Valentines dance at his school. For months they have been teaching the kids different dances like the cha cha, the waltz and many other ones. They had to ask a different girl to dance each dance and then had some fun group ones. Parents were invited to come and there was even a dance for the boys to ask their mothers, unfortunately I was home with the stomach flu that afternoon and couldn't make it. Thankfully, Jessica didn't have to work that day and she went and supported Cody!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzI-81jyS5_k4ta5xTh7BWBaOZWcI0YjBQ1cWFEeIZP5GItHctNx7uTbUFMvYFhoJk47Z1wR2_YmoedAhNrsNcXi6VNa24V8sx50dpNIBsz4qIEBiIHtGqsSsPVefU2aOwimg1ueHPAwa/s1600/Valentines+dance+2012+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzI-81jyS5_k4ta5xTh7BWBaOZWcI0YjBQ1cWFEeIZP5GItHctNx7uTbUFMvYFhoJk47Z1wR2_YmoedAhNrsNcXi6VNa24V8sx50dpNIBsz4qIEBiIHtGqsSsPVefU2aOwimg1ueHPAwa/s320/Valentines+dance+2012+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div><div style="text-align: center;">This is Cody with his group of girl/guy friends. He currently has a crush on the two, yes two girls on the left end!</div></div><div><br />
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</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-20302028913020408022012-02-08T18:19:00.000-08:002012-02-08T18:19:10.481-08:00Elle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This last week has been an extremely heartbreaking week in our neighborhood. Let me start back a little before I explain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Cody and Luke are good friends with two boys in our neighborhood named Getty and Sy. It's always been such a great thing because they are both the same age as my boys, they are brothers and they have a lot of the same interests, which means they spend a lot of time with each other! When they first started hanging out, Getty's little sister Elle would follow the boys around every where they went. See, Elle had a huge crush on Cody, even though there was a 10 year age gap between them! I loved to hear from Elle's mom and dad how much she loved being around Cody. And Cody being a kid with the sweetest heart, especially for little kids loved the attention he got from Elle. She even made up a song just for Cody titled "The Cody song". In fact when we moved back from Australia I asked Cody how Elle was and if she was still crushing on him. He of course turned red and said "yes, she still sings me my song"! This crush started a few years ago and sadly ended today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Saturday afternoon Elle was walking home from a friends house, who lived only two houses up from hers. She was walking on the sidewalk, but when she got into the neighbors driveway, the owner of the home happened to be backing up at the same time. He never even saw Elle until he was completely back up and in the street. She had been run over twice. They lifeflighted her to Primary Children Hospital where she was put on life support. By Sunday morning we received word at church that she wasn't doing well and had taken a turn for the worse. It was of course an emotional day at church, but it was comforting to be with our friends who knew Elle and loved her family. Only a few hours later we received word that she was starting to get function back in a kidney and the test were coming back in a positive turn. They were so many of us fasting and praying for little Elle that we had hope that we would see a miracle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday at school, Cody and Getty spent the entire lunch time talking about Elle. I arrived at the school after lunch and Getty begged me to let Cody come over after school to play. I was hesitate but then conceited because I knew getting things back to normal would be good for the boys. I dropped Cody off at their house and even talked to the teenage girls and received good news about Elle. It wasn't ten minutes later that Cody called and asked me to come back and get him. The kids had heard from their parents that Elle had had a stroke and they wanted them to come to the hospital as soon as possible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today we heard from Loreene, Elle's mom that they had decided to take Elle off life support. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cody and Luke have really taken Elle's death hard. But we have had some really good discussions about death, the Lord's will and forgiveness. See, the person who hit Elle was their next door neighbor. Luke at first was angry with him and it's been good to explain forgiveness to him and have him actually know what it's like to forgive someone. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next few days will still be heartbreaking as we attend the funeral for this sweet girl. Luke asked if we would receive an invitation so that we would be able to go to it. I explained that we didn't need an invitation and that we would of course be going! My heart breaks when I see how sad this has made them and how they have to deal with something like this when they are so young. But I'm also so impressed with how they handled this situation. They were so eager to pray for her and all the time. Luke has asked me if we can go get them a present to make them happy! It's also been a great time to talk more about our Savior and the gospel with my kids and they understand how important and our grateful they have it in their lives especially during these hard times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, hug your kids a little tighter tonight, because you can! Tell them often how much you love them! We will miss you Elle!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo_z2FDUOWSdRsuIqWVGmnWvVmJ5mFMcX0ikuLIgVbMJFVVtCUp1-mh1bdPHtNQX9CUBKOtU76ylygjmYK9aQRKFLiESoVcMhrq2_3e01HZuZTsAj6fC4SlGU709gIL8_kPKk517zcxoB/s1600/DSC00346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo_z2FDUOWSdRsuIqWVGmnWvVmJ5mFMcX0ikuLIgVbMJFVVtCUp1-mh1bdPHtNQX9CUBKOtU76ylygjmYK9aQRKFLiESoVcMhrq2_3e01HZuZTsAj6fC4SlGU709gIL8_kPKk517zcxoB/s320/DSC00346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This is a picture Elle's dad sent us in the fall of 2010. He wanted us to see how much Elle loved Cody and how she always wanted him to hold her! The other boys in the picture are Getty (on the left) and Sy (on the right). When he sent the picture he put in the subject line "Elle's crush".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GcnIWHaDp1iN914w6STEvV5_HLf-AVwtTTR55p2CktlNUbhSK5ncaqZUTEZiCipp2SKqK6gSGZK-VlNs-Tava9vWRX9BBPRYZTMX0veYUlj4QEg1wzwSy05fUZ7HVPjwYNvdBruBMvlO/s1600/Elle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GcnIWHaDp1iN914w6STEvV5_HLf-AVwtTTR55p2CktlNUbhSK5ncaqZUTEZiCipp2SKqK6gSGZK-VlNs-Tava9vWRX9BBPRYZTMX0veYUlj4QEg1wzwSy05fUZ7HVPjwYNvdBruBMvlO/s320/Elle.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A recent picture of Elle</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-40278687767235867262012-02-04T12:04:00.000-08:002012-02-04T12:04:51.444-08:00Getting back into the swing of things!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When Clay first approached me with the idea of the family staying in Utah after Christmas without him it lead to a lot of sleepless nights for me, wondering if I was capable of parenting by myself. We have all heard that it takes a village to raise a child and I totally believe it! I really feel like we were lead to the neighborhood in Highland four years ago because it is the only place I feel like I could be a single parent and succeed at it! I really have the BEST neighbors and friends ever! There hasn't been a week that has gone by that one of my neighbors hasn't called me or text me to see how I'm doing. They plan lunch dates, invite us over for Sunday dinner, include my kids in activities that they know they would like. On top of great neighbors, we have the best school I could ask for. Luke was diagnosed with some developmental delays when he was young and his school has the BEST teachers, that know him just as well as I know him. They understand how he works and use that to help him in all the areas that he needs! I really could not do any of this without all these incredible people helping me! My sister in law Lacy will laugh at this, because we joke about it, but the Lord has really blessed me with so many tender mercies since we have been back! I'm more than humbled everyday when I see the Lords hand in some many areas of my families lives. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It hasn't taken us long to get right back into the swing of things. The girls are doing great in High school and even have made new friends too. Savannah started Lacrosse, which she has never played before, but jumped right in and is loving it! Brittany is looking for employment everyday and on the weekends is taking a ACT prep class. To our surprise there are about 6 kids from our ward in that class too, so Brittany carpools down to BYU with them every Saturday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Cody jumped right back into his life in our ward and school. He was behind in Math because of our move to Australia, but not by much, and since he picks it up so quickly, his teacher has requested that he take the exam to get into the accelerated class next year in 7th grade. He told us how none of his friends played football at recess any more since he left, but it only took one day to get that one back up and running! He even got a spot on the ski bus that our neighborhood puts together ever winter. My kids always did the ski bus every year before our move, which starts in January and runs through March and takes the kids up every Saturday morning to Park City to snowboard, then brings them back. It really is an awesome thing, mostly cause we don't have to take them up and they love it and it's great exercise and something they will do for the rest of their lives! Plus, it's just our neighborhood that does it, so they get to go up with all their friends!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_BU_E6wz1Yz7gEByOmfJGG-kvNqK0qEIQyDKE9G-TGpN4axGVdsQVESCj0FHlKIfsBixDLqG1tmmDJFgiS6nZAVAiCS9TEQ4npe2A1DCeZWxr5EJt1FVMUysyqz5EWfvskDAsw3CzYrk/s1600/IMAG0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_BU_E6wz1Yz7gEByOmfJGG-kvNqK0qEIQyDKE9G-TGpN4axGVdsQVESCj0FHlKIfsBixDLqG1tmmDJFgiS6nZAVAiCS9TEQ4npe2A1DCeZWxr5EJt1FVMUysyqz5EWfvskDAsw3CzYrk/s320/IMAG0024.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div align="center">Cody's ski bus </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">On top of getting the kids back and busy with their friends and school, we are quickly filling up our entire summer with activities already! The girls have both been signed up for EFY, Cody and Luke will do football camp at BYU. Luke is also doing some cooking classes at Thanksgiving point. For those of you that haven't heard, Luke wants to be a chef when he grows up. He is always the one next to me in the kitchen when I'm cooking and is eager to help me. He really just enjoys eating what ever is cooked! I think that is the main reason why he wants to learn to cook, so he wont starve to death! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm just so thankful and feel so blessed to be back in Utah. Also, to be in the area that we are in! To be given all the opportunities we have been given! I really took these things for granted before our move, but now can't be more than thankfully for every single one of them! Even though I'm not living with my husband right now, and somedays I completely fall apart, I really am so happy and thankful for the life I have been given! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-75023216575985400262012-02-02T10:25:00.000-08:002012-02-02T10:25:47.955-08:00Getting Asked to Sweethearts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, we had come home from 8:00 am church (yes, we really go that early) and we were looking forward to getting some food than taking a nap! We heard a knock on the door and everyone just looked at each other not knowing what to do. We don't EVER get anyone at our door, so it's something we were not prepared for! The boys ran to the door and opened it, but found no one there! But, there was a vase of roses and a frozen ice heart on the ground. Now we were even more confused about what to do! Brittany saw the items on the ground and instantly knew what they were for! Yes, only weeks after Preference, Lone Peak will be having another dance, the Sweethearts dance! Brittany grabbed the items but didn't know what to do with the big ice heart. We stuck it in the sink and turned on the hot water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqt0w7HFdJyv3aWDtR3uTf-GmWN2t6FzKqhMVHecUs-NALQbThAoq5IG6fh-Jpds-ZzO7Qo_opGmLKBYwT1mY6y4vk6ZlpDMA1v6Yr3N19E-h4txe5UzINRntfoU6mWu9FdqIZXMqfrnZ/s1600/sweethearts+dance+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqt0w7HFdJyv3aWDtR3uTf-GmWN2t6FzKqhMVHecUs-NALQbThAoq5IG6fh-Jpds-ZzO7Qo_opGmLKBYwT1mY6y4vk6ZlpDMA1v6Yr3N19E-h4txe5UzINRntfoU6mWu9FdqIZXMqfrnZ/s320/sweethearts+dance+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFT2_swnErYGyPJ-6bBvkacWU6z06DUskcP9vyKMvjLBW-3FWVVKu-dVQUnJNZepT4T7JAazSFluAFD_qy9TL935KdNcX1ob6-Z8cQe302ukmENUIX6q5rEw5ki51QQ3ShS4Schug148ro/s1600/sweethearts+dance+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFT2_swnErYGyPJ-6bBvkacWU6z06DUskcP9vyKMvjLBW-3FWVVKu-dVQUnJNZepT4T7JAazSFluAFD_qy9TL935KdNcX1ob6-Z8cQe302ukmENUIX6q5rEw5ki51QQ3ShS4Schug148ro/s320/sweethearts+dance+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside the ice was a piece of paper that read, "Brittany will you go to Sweethearts with me?" We had to keep melting the heart to find the other paper, a red heart with the name of the boy asking, "Jessie" was all it said! Brittany is currently "seeing" Jessie so it wasn't a surprise that he asked her to the dance. Stay tuned for some really cute dance pictures to follow in a few weeks!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-19130711622696089272012-01-27T09:11:00.000-08:002012-01-27T09:11:29.576-08:00Preference 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wow! Is all I can say about Brittany on the night of Preference. I was a proud momma that night when I saw her all dressed up and looking so beautiful, from the inside out! Brittany is an amazing girl! She is smart, beautiul and happy! And that is saying a lot for a teenage girl! I'm so happy for her that she is back at Lone Peak and especially that she is back with her best friend Addy! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-LxhAokIMo0BopmW6MJ8knXbFEKI9h-2Cpates-yCOrAXN8bHyOR2Fd2jBEO_ybrhHcxtNjT-rgiJub86NzuRDgkZqTetOj1Ns8x41n8U5_DOKYAdSPJqSX6uq536IWmeg-pSMxZTt-p/s1600/Preference+2012+155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-LxhAokIMo0BopmW6MJ8knXbFEKI9h-2Cpates-yCOrAXN8bHyOR2Fd2jBEO_ybrhHcxtNjT-rgiJub86NzuRDgkZqTetOj1Ns8x41n8U5_DOKYAdSPJqSX6uq536IWmeg-pSMxZTt-p/s320/Preference+2012+155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wOyTbZgVzM6xZFfByCpa7TrGCnDmtG0fPSVO9fVH4-gFuQUYJVJR9Ld719UJ2MPSjcXNJP5P_fkAGtYVR4rOzzslCNp3bK6rdM-cnQgO2nXOphvCdkQsJhpTk9zQZ993H6iryg9AjFse/s1600/Preference+2012+194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wOyTbZgVzM6xZFfByCpa7TrGCnDmtG0fPSVO9fVH4-gFuQUYJVJR9Ld719UJ2MPSjcXNJP5P_fkAGtYVR4rOzzslCNp3bK6rdM-cnQgO2nXOphvCdkQsJhpTk9zQZ993H6iryg9AjFse/s320/Preference+2012+194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This was the group of kids that went with Brittany and her date Blake to Preference. Addy is the girl right below Brittany.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Something that I forgot to post about was Brittany's new car. We came back to Utah and decided that Brittany was in need of some wheeles to get her and Savannah around town. So, for Christmas we gave Brittany this....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ukylPoxvlavMhtg5YpVdesobqnwGyrAEqNO9tchBB6n19BxCb9vpP9vrfC4iqEUSJW0Xkas1fF71pfxZRERq5Ao4WzWoCyhLyAT_m-VPp0Gv0etBt4kU2W9O3vxcX2yvMSXYyMK_qKzO/s1600/Preference+2012+124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ukylPoxvlavMhtg5YpVdesobqnwGyrAEqNO9tchBB6n19BxCb9vpP9vrfC4iqEUSJW0Xkas1fF71pfxZRERq5Ao4WzWoCyhLyAT_m-VPp0Gv0etBt4kU2W9O3vxcX2yvMSXYyMK_qKzO/s320/Preference+2012+124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Brittany doing her "Oh what a feeling, Toyota" jump for joy!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-72203243318035931262012-01-27T08:59:00.000-08:002012-01-27T08:59:38.993-08:00Elvis Baby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In Parkes, one of the most higly anticipated events in that small town is the Elvis festival! It happens every year in January and the locals plan and prepare for it all year long! In fact, it's all you hear about if you are new in town! Sadly, only Clay was in town for it this year, but that didn't stop him from getting all into it and having a great time! Now he didn't have as much fun as the rest of his coworker and that is cause they were all loaded up with alcohol and Clay was the only sober one there! Get ready to laugh cause here is the proof in pictures of that day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SF_DhIuycXiQ06wtKdaZC8OxuoIBiQTWSsyRBAI3HGdSSSwfc-oqFQJN3MxSDgOj2QQPHmnoGg_GLhWB7xMALT4o_WZGL4XpYdsXIT01ShXLrKvHY8maPgrDqQwdhTWnFXXlj6Oybz0z/s1600/elvis+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SF_DhIuycXiQ06wtKdaZC8OxuoIBiQTWSsyRBAI3HGdSSSwfc-oqFQJN3MxSDgOj2QQPHmnoGg_GLhWB7xMALT4o_WZGL4XpYdsXIT01ShXLrKvHY8maPgrDqQwdhTWnFXXlj6Oybz0z/s320/elvis+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKSyKVCFILs3Bhm-Pr6ltqpo7yN5DG-QuDCDWesDs7gHYw4ZiOjxtTShqW0g5S8asXDCKT3Vrq3sOn5xRQ9XpEvYUtlRnyjlBh-EXPtMf0T4WhUBVPRSjxkZ191mjG4s8Cm6QLVoAFmfU/s1600/elvis+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKSyKVCFILs3Bhm-Pr6ltqpo7yN5DG-QuDCDWesDs7gHYw4ZiOjxtTShqW0g5S8asXDCKT3Vrq3sOn5xRQ9XpEvYUtlRnyjlBh-EXPtMf0T4WhUBVPRSjxkZ191mjG4s8Cm6QLVoAFmfU/s320/elvis+3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> In case you can't tell which one is Clay, he is on the left!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DkCS_Z8EvY7XkPCneuXlkExXsz2BdH0Wr_xeD-Hd-F_2Sd1cAXjOgrAb-wpOffOSVZEO8vBQq_84zAw-UDmRrktvF3qlmj-xfHrRJexZeezs9sxejUkdxsGsKKB6jjkskAlLs9rVXV0R/s1600/elvis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DkCS_Z8EvY7XkPCneuXlkExXsz2BdH0Wr_xeD-Hd-F_2Sd1cAXjOgrAb-wpOffOSVZEO8vBQq_84zAw-UDmRrktvF3qlmj-xfHrRJexZeezs9sxejUkdxsGsKKB6jjkskAlLs9rVXV0R/s320/elvis.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-76329484727206197602012-01-23T14:56:00.000-08:002012-01-23T14:56:02.601-08:00Catching Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wow! Where has the time gone? So much has changed since I last posted, I just don't even know where to begin! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think I'll start with the week before Christmas. We planned a trip back to Utah to celebrate Christmas with friends and family. Clay and I had already made plans to have the girls stay here in Utah where they would go back to their high school after the winter break. There were many reasons for this but the main one was because the school they were attending in Australia just wasn't a very good one. It was a few years behind what the girls had already learned in Math and science. Plus, most of their friends were not coming back for the new school year because in year 10 the kids can graduate and most kids at their school would not be going on to year 11. Crazy I know, but very true! We first planned on having the girls stay with Clay's mother, but after arriving we realized that her health was not very good, due to a recent surgery and it would also just be too far for the girls to drive everyday. So it was decided that I would have to stay with the kids in Utah while Clay would return to Australia. We still had six month left on our lease with our renter of our house in Highland, so we found an apartment in Pleasant Grove, which is only about a 15 mins drive away. We will be here until June and then the plan is to move back into our home! I can't wait until June!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So that pretty much explains our situation and why we are back in Utah. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just after our return back to Utah, we were able to sneak in a visit with Mason. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boy has this kid packed on the weight! He is a little mini Luke in the making! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01UdP4a6Y4AgirDs3ONOI-AK4Cud7e-ka8Ir8bNcYFkscyX3nyjEUbvciLCqKF6bfgB2b4lt4_fELxnWtYYKHjzKUGbwSD1cx8ztY4IBkuluPqbJsVv41NARzcWZzxk6hOKWvHM2bCCn2/s1600/Preference+2012+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01UdP4a6Y4AgirDs3ONOI-AK4Cud7e-ka8Ir8bNcYFkscyX3nyjEUbvciLCqKF6bfgB2b4lt4_fELxnWtYYKHjzKUGbwSD1cx8ztY4IBkuluPqbJsVv41NARzcWZzxk6hOKWvHM2bCCn2/s320/Preference+2012+005.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cody couldn't get enough time holding his little nephew.</div><div style="text-align: center;">. He has always had a soft spot for babies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2nPvIi1oZ6BGmN6qzCeGkEC6l6kPgxmpreEH0yVRPwIrkcwB-v6x4aFr_rE1aB06ZG4febTiu2McGHp90n87VEk5SZ1B2jPSestKmeA35xPNRzr9R-P_1OEE5qPbZ4CyvO_Qjs_ZRAO2/s1600/Preference+2012+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2nPvIi1oZ6BGmN6qzCeGkEC6l6kPgxmpreEH0yVRPwIrkcwB-v6x4aFr_rE1aB06ZG4febTiu2McGHp90n87VEk5SZ1B2jPSestKmeA35xPNRzr9R-P_1OEE5qPbZ4CyvO_Qjs_ZRAO2/s320/Preference+2012+009.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jessica and Mason</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3QoyRAJuE4AKyAlWOm26R1b-wYK_WH9AIfQssbiGCE6BELOZ7Ym-HRLEcIbEpZYIh4eZzai3kXswniW7sLGb_SoftDRsJ8l2SfzQnw2Cybuca22zF1C3jp6gKZdFJTOYonAu-G_LxIkG/s1600/Preference+2012+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3QoyRAJuE4AKyAlWOm26R1b-wYK_WH9AIfQssbiGCE6BELOZ7Ym-HRLEcIbEpZYIh4eZzai3kXswniW7sLGb_SoftDRsJ8l2SfzQnw2Cybuca22zF1C3jp6gKZdFJTOYonAu-G_LxIkG/s320/Preference+2012+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">He was in such a good mood while we were visiting. What am I saying, this kid is always in a good mood! He has got the best and most laid back personality! It's only when he is tired or hungry that he gets a little cranky!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiYQCYscmvaZn2XEGZAn-TCY5lKhg43WvkBWbwYU9dQVcEacv-2VZoPU1lbMY0V-fZ0qy2oc3T99YgLovZT1fEXnUyvGIDDPpwQrOk1bXkjD3OcEDE8xmRBTb3XYTSEn5DDH5h_8JAaxb/s1600/Preference+2012+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiYQCYscmvaZn2XEGZAn-TCY5lKhg43WvkBWbwYU9dQVcEacv-2VZoPU1lbMY0V-fZ0qy2oc3T99YgLovZT1fEXnUyvGIDDPpwQrOk1bXkjD3OcEDE8xmRBTb3XYTSEn5DDH5h_8JAaxb/s320/Preference+2012+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">My heart just melts every time I see this picture!</div><div align="center">The funny thing was I got to visit with him again a few weeks later and I swear he had gained another 5 pounds. Like I said earlier he is a little mini Luke! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-30157206369567222692011-11-11T16:49:00.000-08:002011-11-11T16:49:07.919-08:00JDD Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tonight was the big JDD dance at the girls school. It's for the 10th and 9th grades only. The 11th and 12th have their own dance. The girls have been working so hard to loose some weight for the big night! I think they look amazing! The girls would come home from school all this week and tell us how all the other girls at school spent so much money on their dresses, were going to the salon to get their hair and make up done and have been getting spray on tans. Well, Jessica and I did the girls hair, Jess did their make up for them and I think we found some pretty cute dresses, and we didn't break the bank!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvWoIwSyrVcOyFIwKyj5_3qYExvEKFxEKPv7Pb3yDb_RVLyb6LfXtDHwN2rjtmoXLu7lCaiVccfYFMuU40F0UXEwCB1QDkHw33VIC-Ishxcw1l6eznbqqg3rNy6nWhw6YPDJGX7dHNFAf/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvWoIwSyrVcOyFIwKyj5_3qYExvEKFxEKPv7Pb3yDb_RVLyb6LfXtDHwN2rjtmoXLu7lCaiVccfYFMuU40F0UXEwCB1QDkHw33VIC-Ishxcw1l6eznbqqg3rNy6nWhw6YPDJGX7dHNFAf/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+019.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6ACt5MKgv6TOXZ4h4jeclcAKAb_CudZ8zJ3GdtDju0Rsh18KwUqNB66zWf4DDPMDb5gCrN42nnXMoYYXOEbw-zHRbuaspAaoE1v6UE4c3ToMonkJa4ptTIVvtbcZXlS3XR3VnbeevQHq/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6ACt5MKgv6TOXZ4h4jeclcAKAb_CudZ8zJ3GdtDju0Rsh18KwUqNB66zWf4DDPMDb5gCrN42nnXMoYYXOEbw-zHRbuaspAaoE1v6UE4c3ToMonkJa4ptTIVvtbcZXlS3XR3VnbeevQHq/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+021.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center">And I can report that the girls had an amazing night! </div><div align="center">This was a picture from later that evening. I love when there is a full moon. There is something spooky and cool about it!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqldy8Z0i9cgc0X2lcd-oVrCSu57PZmWJ2tthIU7kjeZWWxhqNigV7W0kE5-yLGtz46rRibTGyiHCiWlcqYEQglabj56IqFqeM3601Cs7pMOBjETVyNb-PJA7xAXVezkbL8yJFXRFuzY-4/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqldy8Z0i9cgc0X2lcd-oVrCSu57PZmWJ2tthIU7kjeZWWxhqNigV7W0kE5-yLGtz46rRibTGyiHCiWlcqYEQglabj56IqFqeM3601Cs7pMOBjETVyNb-PJA7xAXVezkbL8yJFXRFuzY-4/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-21741022054767987442011-11-11T16:35:00.000-08:002011-11-11T16:35:28.321-08:00Happy Birthday Jessica!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's really hard for me to believe that I have a daughter that is 19! Where in the world did the time go? I remember when I was 19 and it doesn't seem like it was too long ago! I'm always nervous when a birthday approaches since we have been in Parkes cause lets face it, this town is BORING!! But, with a positive attitude and some imagination, we made it a pretty fun day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6Ynb06Hcm_pzX7XGATxBavShEXUyirQrTn2XSVnqxFyvPYL1Mihb-g0yQpM81IaXLdBenacPzHRwjE5LmzqAenwhox39onbPvfz4QA0ZbczvV25yvs6aB8lqV6pRz2SZncZB1MnoOaG3/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6Ynb06Hcm_pzX7XGATxBavShEXUyirQrTn2XSVnqxFyvPYL1Mihb-g0yQpM81IaXLdBenacPzHRwjE5LmzqAenwhox39onbPvfz4QA0ZbczvV25yvs6aB8lqV6pRz2SZncZB1MnoOaG3/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+002.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I know you have to ask yourself, "how is that girl so creative to think of placing the cupcakes in the shape of a 19?" What can I say, I'm pretty dang creative! I hope you can all hear the sarcasm in my writing, cause I'm the least creative person on the planet, and I could only laugh at this!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80OLfnprOnULBix8ZKo2VSMcrb8311zzjYKC_0YL-adW3yGhYdGg2NW7EEuGEWYxJy-U0z9K-iXs6bCAo8UJv57OE5OFODnqcmKVFzbKAyQSGj-K7pEGap1Dy3i8EQ1OWtsuuiIGtuUAL/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80OLfnprOnULBix8ZKo2VSMcrb8311zzjYKC_0YL-adW3yGhYdGg2NW7EEuGEWYxJy-U0z9K-iXs6bCAo8UJv57OE5OFODnqcmKVFzbKAyQSGj-K7pEGap1Dy3i8EQ1OWtsuuiIGtuUAL/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> But, I can brag about one thing I'm good at and that is baking! I love baking, it's my one weakness cause I love to bake very bad stuff! Case in point, the picture about, Snickers cupcakes! And man oh man were they Delicious!! </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr1XXJ-7R5f9cCTCcLBsgNKADWiJ53kG4aUWRwIMQfWPtElvxL6AFXxLbvgjcFs0BmbzYkNpegchmVxYGVu20y3ZWnafZJEryv-JU6ghV8vJsmFUCls8s1TaitFox_ixtnwADtZi50dLE/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr1XXJ-7R5f9cCTCcLBsgNKADWiJ53kG4aUWRwIMQfWPtElvxL6AFXxLbvgjcFs0BmbzYkNpegchmVxYGVu20y3ZWnafZJEryv-JU6ghV8vJsmFUCls8s1TaitFox_ixtnwADtZi50dLE/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-JED+dance+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have all been on a great routine of exercising every day and watching what we eat, except this day! We all gave in to the cupcakes except Savannah! She has got some will power cause she actually did eat that carrot instead of the cupcake!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Earlier that day while the boys were at school (the girls stayed home to play with Jess and I), I took the girls to the Elvis museum. This small town doesn't have a movie theater but they do have an Elvis museum. Now like a said before, with a good attitude you can actually have fun and fun is what we had!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatzBX96Le5XxBdHhI1Sf2g8JaDBnQRYg0rmiB4a5Qb4w9znKiUDb5_gxh563JIO8dyvUSxkWC5Gk0YFCPXN0cDZpsj0VYgRN5VLHBIGe_MtZv1LNs6u_6uyHnyauwCx3-7s_4BWYXjgv1/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatzBX96Le5XxBdHhI1Sf2g8JaDBnQRYg0rmiB4a5Qb4w9znKiUDb5_gxh563JIO8dyvUSxkWC5Gk0YFCPXN0cDZpsj0VYgRN5VLHBIGe_MtZv1LNs6u_6uyHnyauwCx3-7s_4BWYXjgv1/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The king of rock himself! He has turned a little yellow over the years though!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCybe0dOooHpZ7v_KT6lAvjfzQ61a7frHAFHlRgjXmbGfY9EOwEfl9HSTOfbpju1Vyx7tIljS914sNsrLb998gv6MmOPWcGSR8ucmDh2wrMRNEouhUqnPAd2qBgbXqtmj2FidFBMvVh-0q/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCybe0dOooHpZ7v_KT6lAvjfzQ61a7frHAFHlRgjXmbGfY9EOwEfl9HSTOfbpju1Vyx7tIljS914sNsrLb998gv6MmOPWcGSR8ucmDh2wrMRNEouhUqnPAd2qBgbXqtmj2FidFBMvVh-0q/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+012.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">The girls striking their favorite Elvis dancing pose!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBD0C81E89jsQXKSb-fSGkVEslmDBD-XCt_B7FqG_c6iCSI-HscyWspTQhZ9HYbomv-8G7ChytInG6b5_wolNKDjl4_ZWTV702bumFM7mlyK_KLQqLQhNT4mD_lJCsUu7lv2feyD7gz7m/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBD0C81E89jsQXKSb-fSGkVEslmDBD-XCt_B7FqG_c6iCSI-HscyWspTQhZ9HYbomv-8G7ChytInG6b5_wolNKDjl4_ZWTV702bumFM7mlyK_KLQqLQhNT4mD_lJCsUu7lv2feyD7gz7m/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Now included in your $10 a person ticket you also get to see three other museums. The old car museum, a scary old doll museum and this old school. It's actually they first one built in Parkes!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZF4mKRSCVXu79f6Gpqgee384RxKVlLGQCiZHvKKJ988DIruyWdYOH37utOk8t50_o2AsCeL5WqEOwuFLgmYHE9hsx-cLHBlF7jFV0dx7Ucvk4Zq01FFO5KJVav0NZBXXYGK5oom2627n/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZF4mKRSCVXu79f6Gpqgee384RxKVlLGQCiZHvKKJ988DIruyWdYOH37utOk8t50_o2AsCeL5WqEOwuFLgmYHE9hsx-cLHBlF7jFV0dx7Ucvk4Zq01FFO5KJVav0NZBXXYGK5oom2627n/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Brittany was being very naughty so teacher Savannah had to get the ruler out to punish her!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRVBNjCzpPED04iQrJYkS3ZDXChCBs3ZyXYL1n7cPNggt00QJHi0YjWz1T_FHVyamPSTgG2zgKhRwpzzMTzHOhyphenhyphen6qaKu3o1ntca6AKLS_hgMgvSnwJ2bZGhvMMfE3DgWVNiGvi2SnKgFL/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRVBNjCzpPED04iQrJYkS3ZDXChCBs3ZyXYL1n7cPNggt00QJHi0YjWz1T_FHVyamPSTgG2zgKhRwpzzMTzHOhyphenhyphen6qaKu3o1ntca6AKLS_hgMgvSnwJ2bZGhvMMfE3DgWVNiGvi2SnKgFL/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">We wondered if this was the way they gave out their birthday spankings back then??</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NAkAHPWlhhIEFpJjrLjYuSASqH5kHxSgpgC9nF_emuGPBpfKDtdA1iAB0vAeuobdmKgQiiqrO4LKVA1gH8pxejdy21IV11DVp_vxDhdO17qvw6gghYXTHRtnQjlnq6-7y_hUnE30im4W/s1600/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NAkAHPWlhhIEFpJjrLjYuSASqH5kHxSgpgC9nF_emuGPBpfKDtdA1iAB0vAeuobdmKgQiiqrO4LKVA1gH8pxejdy21IV11DVp_vxDhdO17qvw6gghYXTHRtnQjlnq6-7y_hUnE30im4W/s320/Jessica%2527s+birthday-Elvis+musium-Luke%2527s+try+outs+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Jessica enjoying her afternoon reading of the Australian Bush Verses!</div><div align="center">Happy Birthday Jessica! I love you and am so proud of you! I can't believe next year you want be a teenager anymore! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-49587719338840477762011-10-30T21:23:00.000-07:002011-10-30T21:23:44.685-07:00Summer, snakes and IndiaI haven't posted for a while cause things have been pretty boring! I'm not complaining mind you, cause I'll take boring any day over drama! Our days consist of the kids going to school, Jess and I do our P90X work out, laundry, cleaning and running errands. The kids come home from school and do homework after which the boys quickly head out to the pool and will spend the rest of the afternoon swimming! The girls usually go on a afternoon walk, then we have dinner, always homemade and sitting at the table cause we don't eat fast food only because we don't have fast food! That part Clay and I have really enjoyed! Then Clay and I go on our evening walk, kids will shower and get ready for bed, we do scriptures and prayers and then it's lights out for everyone, including the grown ups! It really is like ground hogs day over and over again! But, like I said, it's normal and I'll take it!<br />
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With the warm weather we have been nervous about snakes! According to most of the people we know (from Clay's work), it's not normal to run into snakes. In fact, most of the people we have talked to have only run into a snake once or twice in their entire life! So we figured we would be pretty safe. Well, last week Brittany was out on her daily afternoon walk and saw a snake basking in the warm sun on the side of the road. She quickly turned around and ran home! This weekend our neighbors called informing and warning us that they had just seen a snake in their front yard! And then Clay sends me this email from work because there was a snake caught in front of his office. In fact, it was spotted in the morning as everyone was arriving to work. As you walk into the office at the mine you have to pass through a guard shack, you check in and once you are approved you walk through a turnstile which locks as you walk through it so you can't go backwards. The guy who saw it had just walked into the turnstile and the snake was on the ground right in front of him! He couldn't go backwards so he had to jump up out of the turnstile in order to get away from the snake that was now sitting up in attack mode ready to bite him! Wouldn't that your worst nightmare! These have all been brown snakes too, which in case you don't know are one of the most deadly in Australia! So now every time I set foot outside I'm watching where I'm walking, checking to make sure I don't run into our new slimy friends!<br />
On a happier note, Clay left a few days ago for a work trip to India! In order to go he was required to get many vaccines, and his worked supplied him with a medicine kit filled with prescriptions and over the counter medicines in case he gets sick while he is there. You should of seen how many bottles of medicine he took with him, crazy!! <br />
Clay sent this picture of his arrival at the airport in India. He was given a Indian blessing followed by the dot on his head and a lei! Pretty sweet if you ask me! But Clay's isn't feeling the love so much by the look on his face in this picture!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4AKxBy40-Va-Zsz6-e9zhOH69XeItEWyC83IGgyoxJI9VEUpSKDDOvy5uCLhHYabrdISFZaxYKi2IhGmR7UJ3a5QR6u9CbKHbELljT8JzcMH2xXEzClNWTTzqlefhG6pquT-xOPifLxf/s1600/arriving+in+India.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4AKxBy40-Va-Zsz6-e9zhOH69XeItEWyC83IGgyoxJI9VEUpSKDDOvy5uCLhHYabrdISFZaxYKi2IhGmR7UJ3a5QR6u9CbKHbELljT8JzcMH2xXEzClNWTTzqlefhG6pquT-xOPifLxf/s320/arriving+in+India.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyht2x-4iqNqSK4ulr3MGKs9-hdP0c2HPC2W98u3Z1Fz-Hn2ktO9PZh00HIjTSQ8u9iUABMbzZ39RpKlJj8e18R-dj06NRgTHE6JKoY9e3TNLHT94KztjfAXMvYsrdgFhPVf8lU6Ow_Bho/s1600/hotel+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyht2x-4iqNqSK4ulr3MGKs9-hdP0c2HPC2W98u3Z1Fz-Hn2ktO9PZh00HIjTSQ8u9iUABMbzZ39RpKlJj8e18R-dj06NRgTHE6JKoY9e3TNLHT94KztjfAXMvYsrdgFhPVf8lU6Ow_Bho/s320/hotel+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
This is a picture from his window in his hotel room. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22roNa4lk9VkqkTM-e-JgrtXhI6nTBaxlv7TDB8c4-YAx11qQ_i4YSDSccJ8gllUuAuY_PbPnBuq4dg8D8rlXu5S_NM3XRWjmqA4YRvVJi1sfNlyIYRgQU35aieCN-SBXlLgi9ccNydlR/s1600/clay%2527s+hotel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22roNa4lk9VkqkTM-e-JgrtXhI6nTBaxlv7TDB8c4-YAx11qQ_i4YSDSccJ8gllUuAuY_PbPnBuq4dg8D8rlXu5S_NM3XRWjmqA4YRvVJi1sfNlyIYRgQU35aieCN-SBXlLgi9ccNydlR/s320/clay%2527s+hotel+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I have to admit, the pool is looking pretty sweet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCp2ByFrrUw_JUFDGo0qv1bl-ASU-seNIvZp7RhefnOcNbie-qqya-hVJQK1swGqLcV6iyLsYcizCLZ1OCfMmObr6wGyLpc2Luf8LWyTdsVMXrR7WXkWz_JAQeYWcAkgFy_1Du-J26nvm/s1600/Clay%2527s+hotel+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCp2ByFrrUw_JUFDGo0qv1bl-ASU-seNIvZp7RhefnOcNbie-qqya-hVJQK1swGqLcV6iyLsYcizCLZ1OCfMmObr6wGyLpc2Luf8LWyTdsVMXrR7WXkWz_JAQeYWcAkgFy_1Du-J26nvm/s320/Clay%2527s+hotel+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a CFO seminar that he is attending for Rio Tinto. It's his first one cause he has only been CFO for five months now. Clay was really excited about going because he will be able to see many of his friends there from Rio that he hasn't seen since our move and because they asked him to do a presentation on one of the days. This is a big deal cause like I said he has only been CFO for a short while, so this is really putting him in the spot light! Which always makes me nervous cause when Clay does well at work it always means another move is in store for us! Then again, maybe it's a good thing cause then maybe it will be a move back to Utah! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-22248080188534862682011-10-16T21:00:00.000-07:002011-10-16T21:00:11.302-07:00The Dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our town of Parkes is known for two things, the Elvis Festival held every January. It is the 2nd largest Elvis Festival in the world, Vegas being number one, and The Dish! This dish was used to telecast the first walk on the moon to the world! There is even a pretty good movie made about this historic event, called The Dish, go figure! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96q4KwYLH6eOfUR_-Tnd76W_e1dqEKNHhq0oBECZRwcijp8574gFZ542CGKUsyLmP8PUbVqabrXHjBYzC1ulp8OUi4Gyso5IJGdB6bRc9M1We5nvEWbT_XFFnTtomVYb4FI52DB_8JgOz/s1600/dish+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96q4KwYLH6eOfUR_-Tnd76W_e1dqEKNHhq0oBECZRwcijp8574gFZ542CGKUsyLmP8PUbVqabrXHjBYzC1ulp8OUi4Gyso5IJGdB6bRc9M1We5nvEWbT_XFFnTtomVYb4FI52DB_8JgOz/s320/dish+2011+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1OO9ljqv4VQEZE_jSZUMGgtlHfucdvBc3Vg9COWWTM7YBb1_LF-ucUf3jRN1MFx51h8SHQosE7blD8KTrS3logs0Q3CzG8BeKlRR0OBUQPkGa-bbUJI1T7PwompGUmziCrXxgt6hPpgV/s1600/dish+2011+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1OO9ljqv4VQEZE_jSZUMGgtlHfucdvBc3Vg9COWWTM7YBb1_LF-ucUf3jRN1MFx51h8SHQosE7blD8KTrS3logs0Q3CzG8BeKlRR0OBUQPkGa-bbUJI1T7PwompGUmziCrXxgt6hPpgV/s320/dish+2011+006.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These pictures don't do it justice as to just how big this dish is, so I had Jessica go stand next to it so you can see it in comparison!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj444aFVomskElX2HhkNcq55AuCUbJQtgaEQ9gAaMz-80aXC45-Ov5VgHhLdtm-m7BKlAor6acDrfVzIdp3YBuvJVMD121qPqcQ4d5n5azldb0xvoQofzVCALBSKovefNFK4h5fx3GSJCZY/s1600/dish+2011+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj444aFVomskElX2HhkNcq55AuCUbJQtgaEQ9gAaMz-80aXC45-Ov5VgHhLdtm-m7BKlAor6acDrfVzIdp3YBuvJVMD121qPqcQ4d5n5azldb0xvoQofzVCALBSKovefNFK4h5fx3GSJCZY/s320/dish+2011+008.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the dish you can take a tour of the gift shop, which will take you about 15 minutes, not too big! But, it is interesting and they even have a deli you can have lunch in! We skipped eating since they only served meat pies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Outside the gift shop Jess and I found this sign..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCpzVdhFIDa34W_tTaXS6rVWirel8T367OKC-lkQzvMk9VKY3x2gncLB1Yx9F-82GMdrWcdEiynm0KuN1q4H-o2sJ7DcviDW2jvgek3i5sG_iAnXIC0RGUXCMPZNQzr7BdIy1xf4qLQ-K/s1600/dish+2011+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCpzVdhFIDa34W_tTaXS6rVWirel8T367OKC-lkQzvMk9VKY3x2gncLB1Yx9F-82GMdrWcdEiynm0KuN1q4H-o2sJ7DcviDW2jvgek3i5sG_iAnXIC0RGUXCMPZNQzr7BdIy1xf4qLQ-K/s320/dish+2011+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a good laugh we realized what it meant! There are two smaller dishes about 150 meters away from each other, Jess stood by one, I stood by the other and you can literally whisper into them and hear each other. We had fun telling each other our deep dark secrets! Yes, we were a little bored today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iVnMZv3tQSBObvmD5GGspbWE9nTX_mHKqhhFGa7d7A1J9d_120RnA1qKhTz0FljBuD2Xb0QIQbTrHElUdG6sZB9kxaXyn-gu4NP2TSpG0PNUpqBMEFrVm-xsR5V5aNAHR2BCS0YbkN8q/s1600/dish+2011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iVnMZv3tQSBObvmD5GGspbWE9nTX_mHKqhhFGa7d7A1J9d_120RnA1qKhTz0FljBuD2Xb0QIQbTrHElUdG6sZB9kxaXyn-gu4NP2TSpG0PNUpqBMEFrVm-xsR5V5aNAHR2BCS0YbkN8q/s320/dish+2011+004.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see one of the whispering dishes behind me in this picture! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lately I've been feeling a little overwhelmed with some things that have been going on in my life, so I had Jess take this picture of me with the weight of the world on my shoulders! Yes, once again we were a little bored! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I am enjoying my time with Jess! It's been a lot of fun having her home with me all day! So, if your ever bored, rent the Dish and enjoy watching how our little town of Parkes got their 15 minutes of fame!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-22844729147899599342011-10-15T01:14:00.000-07:002011-10-15T01:14:20.269-07:00Summer has officially begun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our big move to Australia started in June of this year. The weather in Utah when we left wasn't cold enough for snow, but it definitely wasn't warm! We get to Australia and it's the dead of winter, which means we haven't seen or felt the hot sun in over a year! You wouldn't think this would be a big deal, but let me tell you, when your body expects summer and then it doesn't get it, it goes into a depression! Our family struggled all winter in Parkes with endless rain and cold days! And Face book didn't help it at all! Watching all our friends enjoying summer was torture! Thankfully it was a mild winter, but it was winter non the less! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For the last week the weather has become increasing warmer and warmer and today the boys couldn't take it any more! They had to go swimming!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQaGVh_lufxQ514IlbsqqumxcBPYnqmXX3REgmxAVGyBOVZ5X7W5LCeEf-bGonCteqQ_KLfNyWRymnG90ZwJRUvTSNpiaxehLx4bcsqIH90wSDSqyVvAM7BF_glTr564wmCO8Cu59o6ec/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQaGVh_lufxQ514IlbsqqumxcBPYnqmXX3REgmxAVGyBOVZ5X7W5LCeEf-bGonCteqQ_KLfNyWRymnG90ZwJRUvTSNpiaxehLx4bcsqIH90wSDSqyVvAM7BF_glTr564wmCO8Cu59o6ec/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUTAhhJwTs8_X_yh_cfaAChh1abt0tUoPruTRISETynwmRKugZh-PXtdb7evT4wAGv3nMyGjpH37cWoCOj6bPWkfVJl-0OUBEF1bBwGYwsnCoauBgZ73757qFNutuSrJY5j9wzMMl3xEv/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUTAhhJwTs8_X_yh_cfaAChh1abt0tUoPruTRISETynwmRKugZh-PXtdb7evT4wAGv3nMyGjpH37cWoCOj6bPWkfVJl-0OUBEF1bBwGYwsnCoauBgZ73757qFNutuSrJY5j9wzMMl3xEv/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's been raining so much this winter our pool is too full of water! But, the water was warm and the sun was out! The boys were in heaven!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On a different note, Luke a few weeks ago asked if he could turn our hall closet into his bedroom. I thought it was a funny request, but knew it was something he just needed to get out of his system, so I let him. Three weeks later, Luke is still sleeping in the closet!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RWhPiAMIUTcciGtvJxZt9-y-BNWQAs-Jg0yJ4wwWhCG6NX6Ht6PrstzDlGbb5lpw2v8exdmDLcecaOFRXbc-x6ugo0e7_PJH3TQ_lm0ETOvMko9ygeQ69L-jz9FXs1oYhjs33UZ8ELHv/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RWhPiAMIUTcciGtvJxZt9-y-BNWQAs-Jg0yJ4wwWhCG6NX6Ht6PrstzDlGbb5lpw2v8exdmDLcecaOFRXbc-x6ugo0e7_PJH3TQ_lm0ETOvMko9ygeQ69L-jz9FXs1oYhjs33UZ8ELHv/s320/003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">He just piled a bunch of blankets on the floor and uses that as his bed. He also brought in his stuff animals, lamp, fan (Luke has to sleep with a fan blowing on his face all night), pictures, deodorant and clock. I thought it was cute he brought in his picture of Jesus and his missionary savings bank too! I don't know how long he will keep this up, but I'll keep you updated!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-7998430722083240352011-10-10T18:49:00.000-07:002011-10-10T18:49:02.663-07:00Summer Term<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Summer term officially began on Monday for the boys, Tuesday for the girls. The girls love that they go to a boarding school, even though they are not boarders themselves, because the first day back of a new term at their school is set aside for the boarders to move back into their dorms. This means no school for them! Because it's summer term it also means out with the old winter uniforms and in with the new summer ones! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9ztJB-wX_txGDNeS3OPlMh0FgDITbam8sORuN2smqgQrwpT__o3q-bsdOy1HrXZ2Pxc2vzJK-_87ADWDY736Wu2-kW6KWSoGlWr6lDYQJ4eCl0ZPtzgessO2tDO_gsKh9sb5a39LwK0T/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9ztJB-wX_txGDNeS3OPlMh0FgDITbam8sORuN2smqgQrwpT__o3q-bsdOy1HrXZ2Pxc2vzJK-_87ADWDY736Wu2-kW6KWSoGlWr6lDYQJ4eCl0ZPtzgessO2tDO_gsKh9sb5a39LwK0T/s320/001.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you look back of the first day of school in their winter uniforms the girls were not smiling this big! In fact, they were not smiling at all, I had to force them to for the picture!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYqi7W_X-WtmNhvsn40DRbHvp8ZG0OUfkMMwHX9Gms5mz_j2nNpRAzZ8kzdraTVCVoPk8l1mQmap6jQqFB6-Vsgmku0xq6B3eN0ixEL1t6WmOMie8FnekZ2AoOrUN1jatEjXL1QVqiNO/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYqi7W_X-WtmNhvsn40DRbHvp8ZG0OUfkMMwHX9Gms5mz_j2nNpRAzZ8kzdraTVCVoPk8l1mQmap6jQqFB6-Vsgmku0xq6B3eN0ixEL1t6WmOMie8FnekZ2AoOrUN1jatEjXL1QVqiNO/s320/008.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> The boys uniforms didn't change very much, instead of long pants they wear shorts and their long shirts and replaced by short shirts. The biggest change is that they no longer have to wear their ties. This was something they were both SO happy to give up!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi2Nqe9NAVZjSyvb7_tBUeNRBTWbmhqTybtcM2sG6HTd4HU1ZkFfjULTnM5IK8z2Ok2dmqEIORDbHAYTe55Jwijx9NiE5Z25adSpaq9SFGIA5sqNyGNeUIOD0fno-_1sYhfiFtUdy5chD/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi2Nqe9NAVZjSyvb7_tBUeNRBTWbmhqTybtcM2sG6HTd4HU1ZkFfjULTnM5IK8z2Ok2dmqEIORDbHAYTe55Jwijx9NiE5Z25adSpaq9SFGIA5sqNyGNeUIOD0fno-_1sYhfiFtUdy5chD/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U-XotyMvio1QLAqnfyT8cBXMQoqNd8Cuv3uS0H966ob1ahcWpzsPRHXhrXQmnqIFFKbo3XG-nCkKBbG5WRIt-p8lq5yWDqMdQ-ynAyPny7v06lUuSdOKkRDqgQEi_UeF51xjZxXiz45D/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U-XotyMvio1QLAqnfyT8cBXMQoqNd8Cuv3uS0H966ob1ahcWpzsPRHXhrXQmnqIFFKbo3XG-nCkKBbG5WRIt-p8lq5yWDqMdQ-ynAyPny7v06lUuSdOKkRDqgQEi_UeF51xjZxXiz45D/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Luke told me that this was going to be his new smile! I think if he keeps this up through high school I'll be in big trouble! How can the girls resist that face?</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-67902189090989539592011-10-08T00:11:00.000-07:002011-10-08T00:11:19.666-07:00Surfers Paridise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Downtown Surfer Paradise is filled with only hotels, restaurants and shops! This is the downtown area you saw in my earlier post. If you stood on our beach back by our condo and looked to the North you could see all the high rises from surfers paradise. All the high rises are hotels, below its bustling with shops, food and tons and tons of people!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9bMUsio37DqPbNgmUXjZXBXn5SaRfixFuUzwPPEcRLIUyQ4BsPhFCxXVcJHcBaYONMFfXn0zwRzWMStjR-skbcoOn1sS9nfPO1KTZs0e6zOLsYhhre95xXv2G6xr-8PSLGL4BZHCRrNj/s1600/Brisbane+2011+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9bMUsio37DqPbNgmUXjZXBXn5SaRfixFuUzwPPEcRLIUyQ4BsPhFCxXVcJHcBaYONMFfXn0zwRzWMStjR-skbcoOn1sS9nfPO1KTZs0e6zOLsYhhre95xXv2G6xr-8PSLGL4BZHCRrNj/s320/Brisbane+2011+048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2XRUgQukAVNDtcHx3bVVBmqiLrvQp2SKaQazPqzGNYnxyqL_OsEzr19VX0QP90-9kCZ1skPv0Vgvdk23tWqeKridG0gK1bw_2oJyJZgUhd1fkdKcRbkWnLAYA-PHJG1wi9bsi_zeeKc0/s1600/Brisbane+2011+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2XRUgQukAVNDtcHx3bVVBmqiLrvQp2SKaQazPqzGNYnxyqL_OsEzr19VX0QP90-9kCZ1skPv0Vgvdk23tWqeKridG0gK1bw_2oJyJZgUhd1fkdKcRbkWnLAYA-PHJG1wi9bsi_zeeKc0/s320/Brisbane+2011+077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-fPRQ0x2sYTb46JCxO8GB94PBb5_Sk9wNlQ8PQ1qQIAZEvOiey0jWf3BH84wCiWPnBwltQ00JJCsJ1X1lQJLDeDj10vdOkclwM_fABLJgBPUiWjxBClZDqMoHiTYsMZW6UpjWLhLIWqz/s1600/Brisbane+2011+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-fPRQ0x2sYTb46JCxO8GB94PBb5_Sk9wNlQ8PQ1qQIAZEvOiey0jWf3BH84wCiWPnBwltQ00JJCsJ1X1lQJLDeDj10vdOkclwM_fABLJgBPUiWjxBClZDqMoHiTYsMZW6UpjWLhLIWqz/s320/Brisbane+2011+047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">One of the many ways to entertain yourself while downtown is to take a tour on the aquaduck! This amazing bus takes you on a tour of the downtown area, but then gets into the water and floats around the marina! At $40 a person, we decided we would just walk!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBiE_i2y0PPpMQElRMAG2MLLMpRP7r5ZEJi8aBeeZEGCs0Ej44fSPbzzgKwFgf5lKdYRAxX9pB8iaaGesBA9m4HB61hFtSE8rsOGaeowQUNIicp7CD2xFXxZ_oGMvauT4sLx-7Mdb_xnQ/s1600/Brisbane+2011+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBiE_i2y0PPpMQElRMAG2MLLMpRP7r5ZEJi8aBeeZEGCs0Ej44fSPbzzgKwFgf5lKdYRAxX9pB8iaaGesBA9m4HB61hFtSE8rsOGaeowQUNIicp7CD2xFXxZ_oGMvauT4sLx-7Mdb_xnQ/s320/Brisbane+2011+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Walking around all the shops we found it a struggle to hide our children's eyes from the many adult shops that offered many interesting things! This was the only one I could take a picture of to show you what I'm talking about, the other ones where just to disgusting! And if your wondering, yes, they had people in the shops!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3skfV56H6tMbR2MSdkRqSkdSqD3LRSpragPTB75wLPb8CS8irMOFd5mJcacfGlJKs5PEyUazqDwRj454Dfii93GihaKkzRPGWlhLeL-tfFc8YnVn2BQTVBkHDqA1HuLifkyu0B5TTvLi/s1600/Brisbane+2011+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3skfV56H6tMbR2MSdkRqSkdSqD3LRSpragPTB75wLPb8CS8irMOFd5mJcacfGlJKs5PEyUazqDwRj454Dfii93GihaKkzRPGWlhLeL-tfFc8YnVn2BQTVBkHDqA1HuLifkyu0B5TTvLi/s320/Brisbane+2011+053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">The greatest part about this place was the fact that the beach was so close, it's right behind us in the upper picture!</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCuxje0511IXutGlOwiRzimhelerv1sc8ASLdoZ6b051v8glgeGi8abWnkYR0ezLQEv3BaaKX0Xpx_LYRVtnsecC9rzi5tR2vqNSwq5OxyB0ARv7qQZ77eVDCdbWbpyjK9cKKgqtXJR7o/s1600/Brisbane+2011+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCuxje0511IXutGlOwiRzimhelerv1sc8ASLdoZ6b051v8glgeGi8abWnkYR0ezLQEv3BaaKX0Xpx_LYRVtnsecC9rzi5tR2vqNSwq5OxyB0ARv7qQZ77eVDCdbWbpyjK9cKKgqtXJR7o/s320/Brisbane+2011+057.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmvwQEbN14AyM28ZyNDFyQR-B4QLRIV2XnDuOt1owOjMOC4eLFKg1dWpQY_wXhYP8oti5gMW7FISXYyfpPpWPEzarrDeUbAlYf1WRynoyvsMch7APeai2WeEOPswH92qDg3jbYGhq8hkW/s1600/Brisbane+2011+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmvwQEbN14AyM28ZyNDFyQR-B4QLRIV2XnDuOt1owOjMOC4eLFKg1dWpQY_wXhYP8oti5gMW7FISXYyfpPpWPEzarrDeUbAlYf1WRynoyvsMch7APeai2WeEOPswH92qDg3jbYGhq8hkW/s320/Brisbane+2011+075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">The beach at surfers paradise was a lot more crowded than our beach by the condo. My girls also decided they liked the beach in Sydney better, it's Bondi beach, because the life guards there are hot and famous, thanks to the show Bondi Rescue (find it on the Internet it your in the US)! The life guards here in surfers are old and well, look at the picture and it will explain itself!</div><div align="center"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_P6a1PB0Gbkug6Ss-bRNm4Jq9NYZXyqXuMQWWHc7aH99se6l3kdKNRP4kXtXHgHHAtc1l6KkpZiO7qhR2ZHpVB_EJqrVsDjFoiQ6oVBkwyW5J9v784XX1Ca8wmVWOOW29oopcqOUVvKr/s1600/Brisbane+2011+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_P6a1PB0Gbkug6Ss-bRNm4Jq9NYZXyqXuMQWWHc7aH99se6l3kdKNRP4kXtXHgHHAtc1l6KkpZiO7qhR2ZHpVB_EJqrVsDjFoiQ6oVBkwyW5J9v784XX1Ca8wmVWOOW29oopcqOUVvKr/s320/Brisbane+2011+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Which one to buy?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bX8xklaxPnjuA9P2vZ2B5Q3a5TPapB6Bx2MfsT65IG4a4GjhI4jnf2RyOfly94w9_bXptGhQp1tI-S8X0ONthyzv2ojjk2U4wSk62h4TBrfz1HwbA-VWR5SUzEcdocFrd4IwPJ6qiSIy/s1600/Brisbane+2011+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bX8xklaxPnjuA9P2vZ2B5Q3a5TPapB6Bx2MfsT65IG4a4GjhI4jnf2RyOfly94w9_bXptGhQp1tI-S8X0ONthyzv2ojjk2U4wSk62h4TBrfz1HwbA-VWR5SUzEcdocFrd4IwPJ6qiSIy/s320/Brisbane+2011+091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Savannah wasn't feeling much love in this store!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-87537813064529172602011-10-07T22:02:00.000-07:002011-10-07T22:02:21.557-07:00The Gold Coast<div style="text-align: center;">It took us only ten minutes from the time we got out of the car to get on the beach!</div><div style="text-align: center;">And it couldn't of been a more perfect day! There was a warm breeze, the waves were amazing and the sand was squeaky and white! It was the cleanest beach we had ever been on as well! NO sea weed at all, and the water was warm and clear! Perfect!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUGIZrp-3Qxn3LY9TtHdjNGSd9Ao-rMTdPn_8NJVd2hyphenhyphenQU2foFoCiqO6jQFYseoo39c5ypocc44Gn9uQpc3Y70HFDuMZDFrPm3SeNHFm2VjFa_9XAqFmfYFMPAcUXQrKT1DMLw5ijI5p3/s1600/Brisbane+2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUGIZrp-3Qxn3LY9TtHdjNGSd9Ao-rMTdPn_8NJVd2hyphenhyphenQU2foFoCiqO6jQFYseoo39c5ypocc44Gn9uQpc3Y70HFDuMZDFrPm3SeNHFm2VjFa_9XAqFmfYFMPAcUXQrKT1DMLw5ijI5p3/s320/Brisbane+2011+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If your wondering about Luke's shirt, yes he made it himself, and it's sonic if you can't tell!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGekKWDKKAkqSa8jECQ3hLmd2Ir9pVS3SIAEO7c-Z9alxGF_W9MNyEQ5aIaDUSx_ZvD2jEZMdKR-uX1gkPxnpsGe6_jtBqg9SFjIXmxaHa-r_91WZbHu1oOfHPBzmmmxZ0kN5C1qnLqReR/s1600/Brisbane+2011+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGekKWDKKAkqSa8jECQ3hLmd2Ir9pVS3SIAEO7c-Z9alxGF_W9MNyEQ5aIaDUSx_ZvD2jEZMdKR-uX1gkPxnpsGe6_jtBqg9SFjIXmxaHa-r_91WZbHu1oOfHPBzmmmxZ0kN5C1qnLqReR/s320/Brisbane+2011+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was our view from the south. Clay and I would walk all the way to the hill every morning at sunrise. It's about a couple of miles and such a great work out walking in the sand! And you can't beat the views!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fZR_k9t16ns5O775i_OYglzlp2HkBtaRFPD8EWkrUwl55hyphenhypheng7zruclKf-mphXJ8wPLHysy87X6tyxYZawvMY849Nkq3kDSUtADEFrhGaPEpULL7hQtBf0CpQU6AjVtKrmxKh_eZ4aY2X/s1600/Brisbane+2011+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fZR_k9t16ns5O775i_OYglzlp2HkBtaRFPD8EWkrUwl55hyphenhypheng7zruclKf-mphXJ8wPLHysy87X6tyxYZawvMY849Nkq3kDSUtADEFrhGaPEpULL7hQtBf0CpQU6AjVtKrmxKh_eZ4aY2X/s320/Brisbane+2011+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the view from the north of our Condo. The city you see, that looks like it's in the ocean is Surfers Paradise. I have pictures of when we went into the city in later posts!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBekY3eSsLtzWuDY1osJlxFpfDYHcAGw8loavLziIHlVEra0Aw2NukPsDSOS9H9BnRNm7dq4fNdO0OCvOEDC5N_gVCt-eNoe5KX5cS2_5ssheQgi0_xLLkqkz3ewfJJrmEWCOgQOlBk1in/s1600/Brisbane+2011+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBekY3eSsLtzWuDY1osJlxFpfDYHcAGw8loavLziIHlVEra0Aw2NukPsDSOS9H9BnRNm7dq4fNdO0OCvOEDC5N_gVCt-eNoe5KX5cS2_5ssheQgi0_xLLkqkz3ewfJJrmEWCOgQOlBk1in/s320/Brisbane+2011+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Luke loved this beach because there were these pockets of water in the sand before you hit the surf. You can see it better in the picture below. Anyways, in certain spots it could be about a foot deep, so Luke would swim around in these when he was tired of playing in the waves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08igkml9WR8rcbje6mvaPYzY0s3i8esiZjC1BhDAEIrm61lH5h1IrYjwMUM2QKC4t7MEd8AyBn6g5qfXLcEwRdqLRX58Rn4KC_gxNHmmwgLxnDeZQGbbmFmhs-lRjSYuqrm4E_5xcytN/s1600/Brisbane+2011+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08igkml9WR8rcbje6mvaPYzY0s3i8esiZjC1BhDAEIrm61lH5h1IrYjwMUM2QKC4t7MEd8AyBn6g5qfXLcEwRdqLRX58Rn4KC_gxNHmmwgLxnDeZQGbbmFmhs-lRjSYuqrm4E_5xcytN/s320/Brisbane+2011+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> As soon as we got on the beach Luke started collecting and finding these amazing shells. We had to walk a ways down the beach to the flag area (that is the only area you can swim in) and Luke was taking forever to walk because he wanted to keep finding shells. Well, look at the picture below and you'll see how many shells were on the ground! It was like this along the entire stretch of the beach! Clay actually got into collecting shells as well, so every morning as we walked the beach he would stop as well to find unique shells! We now have the largest shell collection thanks to my two boys!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAE-xYQMHuLYPboDsfzYZfR0_aQ8Cqnwzghmx5SONKXX_E4BJ7uMiOvGVM6uJXBQJnR3NY9mJ6xXDnX3MJQ9lgDwq9IXyyhIYPnzMkDIkbhTOVv_p0Y37qLJr29CF-6b57a6VnnFh0fUg/s1600/Brisbane+2011+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAE-xYQMHuLYPboDsfzYZfR0_aQ8Cqnwzghmx5SONKXX_E4BJ7uMiOvGVM6uJXBQJnR3NY9mJ6xXDnX3MJQ9lgDwq9IXyyhIYPnzMkDIkbhTOVv_p0Y37qLJr29CF-6b57a6VnnFh0fUg/s320/Brisbane+2011+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It didn't take the boys long before they were in the water and playing in the waves! Thankfully our condo had boogie boards for us to use so we enjoyed our time riding the waves!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOOuC6sFwvxd0dnjVDepUakjIUInB0iEKYwY6s7CwBzwOJ-LYTjj9Apqgs-fnSjDHlZLARMpkJGw2yJOp7tCxHA1pBmBG9L5j1g2MNoXzq6fjwjJkJvthydo6qRsEiXJWLEQdf2HR78-o/s1600/Brisbane+2011+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOOuC6sFwvxd0dnjVDepUakjIUInB0iEKYwY6s7CwBzwOJ-LYTjj9Apqgs-fnSjDHlZLARMpkJGw2yJOp7tCxHA1pBmBG9L5j1g2MNoXzq6fjwjJkJvthydo6qRsEiXJWLEQdf2HR78-o/s320/Brisbane+2011+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOFEyBiyQpkbNbRIv-5xaoKePAsSVGHJvjPN-6HX32hg_f-gi6ORzrYaYiN9EpGW3jtD8y7gFiZEkBlcwx5FLv-mdx4grc3oPs2JvYmpnUf5k1RqF2CYU0h4-R3CAPLkq4ZNhl6XEAiUv/s1600/Brisbane+2011+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOFEyBiyQpkbNbRIv-5xaoKePAsSVGHJvjPN-6HX32hg_f-gi6ORzrYaYiN9EpGW3jtD8y7gFiZEkBlcwx5FLv-mdx4grc3oPs2JvYmpnUf5k1RqF2CYU0h4-R3CAPLkq4ZNhl6XEAiUv/s320/Brisbane+2011+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Poor Cody got smashed in a wave and it threw him into the bottom of the ocean! He got a pretty bad case of sand rash from being dragged across the sandy ocean floor! This guy looked so beat up by the end of the day. His face got swollen and then to boot he got croup later that night and woke up with a scratched up face and a barking cough!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3P5zXGk-Reaa2J2ZxVafL2YVGFNdGma6FQJetn5GvSGUv2ztGYpjhrkblxnVvZHujgSnWBdpn3DcDKGQR5b-pK-026dooBkkFmt4831eow_HL_Yy2Gh1Na3-h_NM5uSqIJWN2a6fxMAlH/s1600/Brisbane+2011+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3P5zXGk-Reaa2J2ZxVafL2YVGFNdGma6FQJetn5GvSGUv2ztGYpjhrkblxnVvZHujgSnWBdpn3DcDKGQR5b-pK-026dooBkkFmt4831eow_HL_Yy2Gh1Na3-h_NM5uSqIJWN2a6fxMAlH/s320/Brisbane+2011+038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDqnhBSV1Tvtz7uTg7n9ThWBCjTkJdv5_rpUMqJ0Gu1HOkNs5z3vFihXlOb1p6SS0nWnq4JRmE8Q6Vnk6TBRP3r-ot7U88mjN430BjlnadLa5-PIVEooev1bzpd-kj9bwmI3jjHTNkYYP/s1600/Brisbane+2011+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDqnhBSV1Tvtz7uTg7n9ThWBCjTkJdv5_rpUMqJ0Gu1HOkNs5z3vFihXlOb1p6SS0nWnq4JRmE8Q6Vnk6TBRP3r-ot7U88mjN430BjlnadLa5-PIVEooev1bzpd-kj9bwmI3jjHTNkYYP/s320/Brisbane+2011+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">The biggest treat of all was the show we got to watch everyday from the whale mums and their calves just right from off our balcony! You need to click on the pictures so that you can see them larger than they appear on my page. It was amazing to watch these animals jump around and splash and play in the water like you would expect little children to do! What an amazing treat to go out on the balcony of our condo and watch this anytime we wanted too!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-88720908998523793092011-10-07T21:04:00.000-07:002011-10-07T21:04:20.710-07:00Driving to the Gold Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kids had a two week holiday for the term break so Clay decided we needed to see more of Australia! My sister in law Becky, is from Brisbane and we have heard for the past ten years how amazing the city and the gold coast, which is about an hour from Brisbane is. Clay went there on a business trip three years ago and fell in love with the city! So it wasn't a surprise when he told me he wanted to show the rest of the family how amazing Queensland is! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even though it is a 12 hour drive, it was such a beautiful drive it didn't seem so bad! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The roads we took to Queensland were very narrow and never straight! I had to take a picture so you could get an idea. This road seems wider than they really are because of the overtaking lanes. Overtaking means passing out here and occasionally they will offer an overtaking lane so you can pass the slow car in front of you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Qr5TQtX8fJv2q1iZQtqsJ1UCBX5l2bS1Mt5PlYUfKoknNY50iwSx7lKyUz9fthAPAC4747nFSHwnU1w0HfHSaBwGynfx5gfNbApCH6cLY0Iv8kLf_A03C7zg9tTyfY44HlVQlQUQ3QCY/s1600/Brisbane+2011+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Qr5TQtX8fJv2q1iZQtqsJ1UCBX5l2bS1Mt5PlYUfKoknNY50iwSx7lKyUz9fthAPAC4747nFSHwnU1w0HfHSaBwGynfx5gfNbApCH6cLY0Iv8kLf_A03C7zg9tTyfY44HlVQlQUQ3QCY/s320/Brisbane+2011+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The landscape reminds Clay and I of Hawaii. It's so lush and green, you really can't find an ugly place anywhere!</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIyU18SKGHfMVoIwdLW-4MhWhTTOqNTSrYUXVbw2dTaEuOSz9oymlbSVMQHNUsqaESUe36h89haRwrFoDhzGiNZ61vxyyNZe8phtBzSyDSxckm5JPnFZDUDiXvg0OUebOgHKl6OyaaV8y/s1600/Brisbane+2011+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIyU18SKGHfMVoIwdLW-4MhWhTTOqNTSrYUXVbw2dTaEuOSz9oymlbSVMQHNUsqaESUe36h89haRwrFoDhzGiNZ61vxyyNZe8phtBzSyDSxckm5JPnFZDUDiXvg0OUebOgHKl6OyaaV8y/s320/Brisbane+2011+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was our first view of the ocean! After 11 hours in the car you can't believe how happy we were to see this!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibilU06p7UsMkuZaviTW-3yfjXiebdxPPdJlZ6Y82oXcOFcriSnF3xZE3U8yVBaKvk4Xm6JJIE2M2VtT3C8rQ6WahOWVLcW4y7vB0YH_J2R_aPo6HW5nQiWcbiEQ1lCsNAnluLzdIU-0Zb/s1600/Brisbane+2011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibilU06p7UsMkuZaviTW-3yfjXiebdxPPdJlZ6Y82oXcOFcriSnF3xZE3U8yVBaKvk4Xm6JJIE2M2VtT3C8rQ6WahOWVLcW4y7vB0YH_J2R_aPo6HW5nQiWcbiEQ1lCsNAnluLzdIU-0Zb/s320/Brisbane+2011+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3fB9YDhBhDe1ut-B1kGtkWCiUPGSwRmZI5X2epzLou4r8FbRAhzg3EzKoBozOrjtyKj23S_0P1wJgXzDB63zNZY5DQHdYVzQkZB92JlSvVKZt_osKsEETyJuReaeFz9pX4bWOp_WbTp7/s1600/Brisbane+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3fB9YDhBhDe1ut-B1kGtkWCiUPGSwRmZI5X2epzLou4r8FbRAhzg3EzKoBozOrjtyKj23S_0P1wJgXzDB63zNZY5DQHdYVzQkZB92JlSvVKZt_osKsEETyJuReaeFz9pX4bWOp_WbTp7/s320/Brisbane+2011+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I had to take a picture of this rest stop. All along the way they have signs telling you to stop, revive and survive! So they offer rest stops about every 100 k. I can't imagine stopping at the sleepy hollow rest stop, especially at night!</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After 11 hours in the car we finally reach Queensland! It was a long drive but totally worth it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFyruG7uzbDiv3MxKtSGnWZ1XdXtHuIAOKBxIsED4VrYrnTHLKASRySTz4k8qho_jWJ108J-ZaJqeqx6RX-ekc8xXjzQShA0zZOkUquaZfHtSgWz8jKLEz2e0bqdsA3ayTUrremr6fgAI/s1600/Brisbane+2011+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFyruG7uzbDiv3MxKtSGnWZ1XdXtHuIAOKBxIsED4VrYrnTHLKASRySTz4k8qho_jWJ108J-ZaJqeqx6RX-ekc8xXjzQShA0zZOkUquaZfHtSgWz8jKLEz2e0bqdsA3ayTUrremr6fgAI/s320/Brisbane+2011+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This was our condo, the Casablanca! And when we walked into the lobby there was a huge cardboard cut out of Humphrey Bogart!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-86888950118773827002011-09-22T23:56:00.000-07:002011-09-22T23:59:39.904-07:00Temple day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had a district temple day this last weekend at the Sydney temple, which included a session for the kids to do baptisms for the dead. This was Cody's first time being old enough to do baptisms and it would be an understatement to say he was just a little excited about going! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We left Parkes at 4:00 am to arrive at the temple by 9:00. Once we arrived at the temple the kids had to change their clothes in the car!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiq9Xi5Y6IeFnl3q2SVWYo4xVc9NyCZ2Rb2z4om9AW0rC2Hc9dRE0he7OYO1P8sgbsw24w5Lx-UbZoiBv5tF7G6v9jKiKCxd2i_f8ms-OfWpKl-J9q2z7hS7FhNpgQvw8nAaEMyQRB_i6W/s1600/IMG-20110917-00174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiq9Xi5Y6IeFnl3q2SVWYo4xVc9NyCZ2Rb2z4om9AW0rC2Hc9dRE0he7OYO1P8sgbsw24w5Lx-UbZoiBv5tF7G6v9jKiKCxd2i_f8ms-OfWpKl-J9q2z7hS7FhNpgQvw8nAaEMyQRB_i6W/s320/IMG-20110917-00174.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0IaO5t9DaeM8NFMTsaloyWvwSOEb6SrL1wovX4e0-_e7f9xZVgJqXFuoy_NqcfGMfjkkqLzhERtzbpn_hJI_7rXDZ1MbSqEUfBk70Cpo3oV8GvEZ7JwBMaorNJMR244XK5HWKAmvcrSa/s1600/IMG-20110917-00175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0IaO5t9DaeM8NFMTsaloyWvwSOEb6SrL1wovX4e0-_e7f9xZVgJqXFuoy_NqcfGMfjkkqLzhERtzbpn_hJI_7rXDZ1MbSqEUfBk70Cpo3oV8GvEZ7JwBMaorNJMR244XK5HWKAmvcrSa/s320/IMG-20110917-00175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cody is bored to death waiting for us girls to finish getting ready. Savannah is using the back window to put her mascara on! I'd say she is pretty creative! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMsrkz4AMnfZP1EeBfRx1vsDPxKFlTJrk7Q5Vn1lK_eafbclLbyzCbsw84y2i2fERhhVwChxc_2nBsC8gGC3exSEBfCiO_zvyICx_GcW1WEtMpN3kpjK2cb8DVZoX-WvlLZ0QiNC-TxeU/s1600/IMG-20110917-00176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMsrkz4AMnfZP1EeBfRx1vsDPxKFlTJrk7Q5Vn1lK_eafbclLbyzCbsw84y2i2fERhhVwChxc_2nBsC8gGC3exSEBfCiO_zvyICx_GcW1WEtMpN3kpjK2cb8DVZoX-WvlLZ0QiNC-TxeU/s320/IMG-20110917-00176.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The finish product! Not to bad for driving 4 hours in the early morning!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuEbg-3QouBOFTCdJN5La4mAVTU7vRc18IwCbpbqLq9Al9LL2RjpXIP3kNa8emNH82RBlfstTkH2ovNmmbyDSKHTwOy1AnFXXxY4tsDspCW_XZdR9qoEW8NuMB_qhnuENn6ENm87cZLVN/s1600/IMG-20110917-00173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuEbg-3QouBOFTCdJN5La4mAVTU7vRc18IwCbpbqLq9Al9LL2RjpXIP3kNa8emNH82RBlfstTkH2ovNmmbyDSKHTwOy1AnFXXxY4tsDspCW_XZdR9qoEW8NuMB_qhnuENn6ENm87cZLVN/s320/IMG-20110917-00173.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I liked this shot cause it shows you the back of the temple. It's not very big at all, in fact our stake center in Utah I would say is bigger!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjec0fRW3CdeBcJBLfpfD5OZxBIr2FnQ5nnm6BCLNFriMptypE2yXe3m4uzl1mAPzEG96-4oOl-SsgfuFK-gEMX_QQY3ANXnhQ95Wa_LqsBMZ0EyTRDk9O0e8eYMz5ZWd5g5-kHBaltkwQl/s1600/IMG-20110917-00177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjec0fRW3CdeBcJBLfpfD5OZxBIr2FnQ5nnm6BCLNFriMptypE2yXe3m4uzl1mAPzEG96-4oOl-SsgfuFK-gEMX_QQY3ANXnhQ95Wa_LqsBMZ0EyTRDk9O0e8eYMz5ZWd5g5-kHBaltkwQl/s320/IMG-20110917-00177.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taken right before we walked in!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Poor Jess and Luke had to wait a few hours for us to finish in the car. Thankfully, there was a small mall right across the street that they were able to walk about and entertain themself in!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-52600691792627644992011-09-22T23:31:00.000-07:002011-09-22T23:31:05.654-07:00Arriving in Parkes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Clay had these pictures of Jessica and I arriving in Parkes. Please remember we had just flown from Salt Lake City, Utah to Australia. It's about a 18 hour trip all together and we had three plane changes along the way. This plane is the last one we take from Sydney to Parkes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYa6xy_Am_Adv3S-Qgafl22iHzm3EUM3PKe6PekuwPhDztfh7KfayKLtDoFT6YZSIkJWn8ZMIj5R89quq3RNeGZaJ4ztrOYiWjqb6ssJzTxYsm9SF3UsRrXdPKkg52a-i_af_kbHK-Q89/s1600/IMG-20110902-00139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYa6xy_Am_Adv3S-Qgafl22iHzm3EUM3PKe6PekuwPhDztfh7KfayKLtDoFT6YZSIkJWn8ZMIj5R89quq3RNeGZaJ4ztrOYiWjqb6ssJzTxYsm9SF3UsRrXdPKkg52a-i_af_kbHK-Q89/s320/IMG-20110902-00139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE_3avSH5pqhhPlG6nir89hmq5wtW5SLA1X-G-MUHMXr1kWsMFQFAITbTss6ckRA1B5qtnzQ7ILjsHDICiPqb-v6jSveS5tFnN5shnkL59djLgMcMXXIEhOowyxt_qCsq33CCPL-C6OwY/s1600/IMG-20110902-00140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE_3avSH5pqhhPlG6nir89hmq5wtW5SLA1X-G-MUHMXr1kWsMFQFAITbTss6ckRA1B5qtnzQ7ILjsHDICiPqb-v6jSveS5tFnN5shnkL59djLgMcMXXIEhOowyxt_qCsq33CCPL-C6OwY/s320/IMG-20110902-00140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish my eyes weren't closed in this pictures, but it was the only close one he got of the two of us! I can tell you we were so happy to finally be home!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, the first weekend home we had Cody's grand final rugby game. I woke up early to make a big breakfast for Cody and the rest of the family. Clay told me that while I was gone they basically were slowly starving to death cause the girls didn't cooked very much! Before I could even get breakfast in the oven the power went out. Clay called the power company and they informed us that this was a scheduled power out and that we should of been notified by mail about it. Well, we were not notified about it and the power wasn't scheduled to come back on for another 6 hours! So Clay took off for McDonald's to get us all breakfast and I had to find a unique way to dry and style my hair for the day!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT62gTPvG1Qdi0NNQjnJyoqVRydqfB6O-jIVj545Pkjke1R-Tyy6bN1cVt7l6l7NBZMqmqw91c3CWB554O3t7zA9hPASGZ-hf9jM0qLU_6nKiZN9KSnT-ydrNiaIazjxjnRbeewWQ2x7nB/s1600/IMG-20110910-00144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT62gTPvG1Qdi0NNQjnJyoqVRydqfB6O-jIVj545Pkjke1R-Tyy6bN1cVt7l6l7NBZMqmqw91c3CWB554O3t7zA9hPASGZ-hf9jM0qLU_6nKiZN9KSnT-ydrNiaIazjxjnRbeewWQ2x7nB/s320/IMG-20110910-00144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Yep, that is me sitting in front of the fire. It took me a 1/2 hour of sitting there for my hair to dry, but it actually worked and my hair turned out great! </div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-76438706951984828552011-09-22T23:19:00.000-07:002011-09-22T23:19:38.851-07:00The city fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One big event that took place while I was gone was our cities fair. This is so big in our little town that everything shuts down for this fair, including schools and work establishments! The kids only had to go to school for half a day and Clay was sent home after only working a half a day as well. By lunch time it was time to hit the fair grounds! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJh4YQK_dtetyviwSgBVy_z5QK-oYRjjcZUq1OfaivMIrcoTjzkbI1TlIqjB4Gy5C8o4eEesluCALA8uPPXk6AgjMJumF97CX9KQjhA-pgj2ucyYw62uwCMH3sVrSIQP4J3QyiHKUZPUH/s1600/IMG-20110830-00108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJh4YQK_dtetyviwSgBVy_z5QK-oYRjjcZUq1OfaivMIrcoTjzkbI1TlIqjB4Gy5C8o4eEesluCALA8uPPXk6AgjMJumF97CX9KQjhA-pgj2ucyYw62uwCMH3sVrSIQP4J3QyiHKUZPUH/s320/IMG-20110830-00108.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwqA2p8N73UO9DevFZyifjpSYfV8iYldALjg5g2GYr0sKyYKq4zs1xhBJ6jmup387pSKy8rtW2TtL3BAzU7Hsr6WoYnWcBym-4cVSuXR5HKTlU3y5HJswaaU4VhVPWFoWWC5Is6VFBozt/s1600/IMG-20110830-00110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwqA2p8N73UO9DevFZyifjpSYfV8iYldALjg5g2GYr0sKyYKq4zs1xhBJ6jmup387pSKy8rtW2TtL3BAzU7Hsr6WoYnWcBym-4cVSuXR5HKTlU3y5HJswaaU4VhVPWFoWWC5Is6VFBozt/s320/IMG-20110830-00110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MAxURVDMARmLOOkqlHCN4T_gIh0_i9Jwp-QuVvCRDD9TKZd8yCmDgZWDgwCrdDRQFiDFT8SSaYR38q5GR7cI75xWSITbNo6ZpqoYe5nnvs5qKzvWZlAOmX8TSYrmyw3fXKhYWjMX1uz4/s1600/IMG-20110830-00115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MAxURVDMARmLOOkqlHCN4T_gIh0_i9Jwp-QuVvCRDD9TKZd8yCmDgZWDgwCrdDRQFiDFT8SSaYR38q5GR7cI75xWSITbNo6ZpqoYe5nnvs5qKzvWZlAOmX8TSYrmyw3fXKhYWjMX1uz4/s320/IMG-20110830-00115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Savannah was still in her school uniform because he music class preformed at one of the events during the fair.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtDADIShbvaQTRLCAzZ4FVVvbzlPbtiyNY9p5A6BRKTVdf8wJ4cAN_7-8hlv9TpG8M8dF_ToC5x-8d3jq33AiBrUS7dGlyNsYj94Jr-HpChqgmslueLHoo8wYUVQdGJaVRXNomBsf0FW7/s1600/IMG-20110830-00117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtDADIShbvaQTRLCAzZ4FVVvbzlPbtiyNY9p5A6BRKTVdf8wJ4cAN_7-8hlv9TpG8M8dF_ToC5x-8d3jq33AiBrUS7dGlyNsYj94Jr-HpChqgmslueLHoo8wYUVQdGJaVRXNomBsf0FW7/s320/IMG-20110830-00117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_ozik7CgLRtzdaR8qu_qPLnY2T9jzKa5A5a-v79s8TfxAnJW4MaaYWeCCxy-MYbL__lY6-1QE8n7EsI2NO-Vd7H3glMQq2yR3c7YVtC9Whe-yZBQiB643q_8Rv60ldswH6rrNkueM9QI/s1600/IMG-20110830-00123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_ozik7CgLRtzdaR8qu_qPLnY2T9jzKa5A5a-v79s8TfxAnJW4MaaYWeCCxy-MYbL__lY6-1QE8n7EsI2NO-Vd7H3glMQq2yR3c7YVtC9Whe-yZBQiB643q_8Rv60ldswH6rrNkueM9QI/s320/IMG-20110830-00123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What would a fair be without some great farm animals!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnIY1ThEGeIF4M6bD4-Fh7LGMInNfs-YJDHIuaPWnUeNdUlKFwkvmL2SeVJurzQh7kaF8eoV6gMOzxBXc1RnIS4CXUg8_dvXgZwgHJ5rpKVs6h2JiXr2GjQQEzhB2zHnkKVjy1oJ0cbo6/s1600/IMG-20110830-00126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnIY1ThEGeIF4M6bD4-Fh7LGMInNfs-YJDHIuaPWnUeNdUlKFwkvmL2SeVJurzQh7kaF8eoV6gMOzxBXc1RnIS4CXUg8_dvXgZwgHJ5rpKVs6h2JiXr2GjQQEzhB2zHnkKVjy1oJ0cbo6/s320/IMG-20110830-00126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Luke standing in front of the number one animal around these parts! Sheep!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsM1Gu0fHBd0tMOyQAMANYNOalzAsg3W8Mz9w97PrKKtecWGdzdXHY2v2F_NfiU3tz4ax3orgR9rE0nF6v7pBIdI-8Yz8gjJTGDn-_wXBVwoyZt4FVS2aMP8oEXXtkvzHIewQAQVfwUZO/s1600/IMG-20110830-00128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsM1Gu0fHBd0tMOyQAMANYNOalzAsg3W8Mz9w97PrKKtecWGdzdXHY2v2F_NfiU3tz4ax3orgR9rE0nF6v7pBIdI-8Yz8gjJTGDn-_wXBVwoyZt4FVS2aMP8oEXXtkvzHIewQAQVfwUZO/s320/IMG-20110830-00128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I had to include this picture of Cody. He had come home from one of his rugby practices and his allergies were so bad his face got swollen, it was like he had been beaten! When he left for practice he was just fine, this happened in just an hours time. Poor kid, his allergies have been so bad this spring!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91qSjV_utnx50zTOApSx5pryBxLTk_FIofQimwyV-0NjmQepBXihF4pU7MX8EefrOzTGaOOjXqwryv-hK5o2xnH70_OxkR8U5Qke4BqZ09HpK60ZbM9sQ4r3KGiGrNsYw2lR_JCDKaAjd/s1600/IMG-20110901-00138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91qSjV_utnx50zTOApSx5pryBxLTk_FIofQimwyV-0NjmQepBXihF4pU7MX8EefrOzTGaOOjXqwryv-hK5o2xnH70_OxkR8U5Qke4BqZ09HpK60ZbM9sQ4r3KGiGrNsYw2lR_JCDKaAjd/s320/IMG-20110901-00138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-80090531243052709812011-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:08:59.948-07:00August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last weekend we took the kids to the Sydney Temple. While we were there, Clay took some pictures on his blackberry. I asked him to down load them onto the computer and to my surprise I found a bounty of picture taken in August while I was in Utah with Jess. So I'm going to go back in time and catch up on some things Clay and the kids did while I was gone. I'll post about our Sydney trip later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Clay found this great condo the first time we went to Sydney to visit. It's in Manly, a town about 15 minutes from Sydney harbor. It's right on the beach and it's close by the harbor, which means you can just jump on one of the ferries that runs about every 1/2 hour and you get to Sydney harbor with out having to deal with the traffic or the pain of trying to find parking. Clay took the kids back to the condo for a quick weekend getaway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_crjQ8kl8GTeAcdB0q81Akwn3xygwhg_ixglRPtCj-1HOzsXqls7xyfaQH1M-CeXn_TArfGZKGbMkfWYOXoE4BeJ6E0a_F28d7LT2fLH86wbCwPX5QqT5Ekkz1JfDuhjYG6IPRyA2r7S/s1600/IMG-20110820-00075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_crjQ8kl8GTeAcdB0q81Akwn3xygwhg_ixglRPtCj-1HOzsXqls7xyfaQH1M-CeXn_TArfGZKGbMkfWYOXoE4BeJ6E0a_F28d7LT2fLH86wbCwPX5QqT5Ekkz1JfDuhjYG6IPRyA2r7S/s320/IMG-20110820-00075.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zKVIOU9wBr48Da2dy4etkjXNKkXebH6GtwZBQdMEc2vCyJGhlyqmcNXZcxF4RitZo7T3T5FWb1RlNXzpsOq8Daqn6aBA0dMdWslaxhQIYKX8Lg3GWjfhnT5QPKaTmmv6v4xIjDIO1Ix2/s1600/IMG-20110820-00076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zKVIOU9wBr48Da2dy4etkjXNKkXebH6GtwZBQdMEc2vCyJGhlyqmcNXZcxF4RitZo7T3T5FWb1RlNXzpsOq8Daqn6aBA0dMdWslaxhQIYKX8Lg3GWjfhnT5QPKaTmmv6v4xIjDIO1Ix2/s320/IMG-20110820-00076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TuvcHbtjOBZT1W_TE7rmUDQul2lLupYmmUinC1zUO6lsuDZiA07FoNONpvf3RgKsC-IvFt1UzPkTbwWuc7EaOT9CLBFFpVTFGZb4R1cCizRf_zOJOVGppbVXYguWgda0keHrWRuev28F/s1600/IMG-20110820-00079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TuvcHbtjOBZT1W_TE7rmUDQul2lLupYmmUinC1zUO6lsuDZiA07FoNONpvf3RgKsC-IvFt1UzPkTbwWuc7EaOT9CLBFFpVTFGZb4R1cCizRf_zOJOVGppbVXYguWgda0keHrWRuev28F/s320/IMG-20110820-00079.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPQb-45KiKHriy8MrrBQp5gsyAf39tH8pZoPRZD4Yi6-qjYKuBhzy4lQ430nAHTexK3vQj2w1LLnfNNbWKKK9HTYxRWwI8rVDr0yoOhd3xDZjKKFYPVpsouM42KpOgUw6rvCqM2x-DRSD/s1600/IMG-20110820-00080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPQb-45KiKHriy8MrrBQp5gsyAf39tH8pZoPRZD4Yi6-qjYKuBhzy4lQ430nAHTexK3vQj2w1LLnfNNbWKKK9HTYxRWwI8rVDr0yoOhd3xDZjKKFYPVpsouM42KpOgUw6rvCqM2x-DRSD/s320/IMG-20110820-00080.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_aBg3j4vkMjJJCheup5bOo8ZE_nOVjdFVdYKtVAj-9Qs6DcP6JQWSy29BtNcGbnOgv3QmWla5Cj5re214QJP8yQ6QmVhk2cy0fI83GxKUovDg4ThFacjdBzpJMYRQ1BYo7i3Xl9QUJJ8/s1600/IMG-20110823-00088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_aBg3j4vkMjJJCheup5bOo8ZE_nOVjdFVdYKtVAj-9Qs6DcP6JQWSy29BtNcGbnOgv3QmWla5Cj5re214QJP8yQ6QmVhk2cy0fI83GxKUovDg4ThFacjdBzpJMYRQ1BYo7i3Xl9QUJJ8/s320/IMG-20110823-00088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This is daring harbor. It's one of the stops the ferry makes on it's way to Sydney Harbor.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxKRlXZXC7hTwqGgnwHIWXyqQ9u_BYoSnp3vgOV9tZOl-Uo0RsG9cwzE_mDLBrCzNTWKkjBEQNKOwu1Kjkot2C5GNwdc5x0ZPr-y2QCMi1IgoSz3er_CkCEWQsl73BdUa8VelxBekDyOi/s1600/IMG-20110820-00082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxKRlXZXC7hTwqGgnwHIWXyqQ9u_BYoSnp3vgOV9tZOl-Uo0RsG9cwzE_mDLBrCzNTWKkjBEQNKOwu1Kjkot2C5GNwdc5x0ZPr-y2QCMi1IgoSz3er_CkCEWQsl73BdUa8VelxBekDyOi/s320/IMG-20110820-00082.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLQKdVlekEctBd7DEEgGwh0DMshpMWo4CCGfjYBdndGGdSkLMjNBVCS6Fg7a5Daqd1Et8wME8k9caWTb004mNyqLlYOnl2moNZ1FjqVi0fkQkdjXKUS1eEbQmAX3YpyaE9Nh7drq2apWV/s1600/IMG-20110820-00081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLQKdVlekEctBd7DEEgGwh0DMshpMWo4CCGfjYBdndGGdSkLMjNBVCS6Fg7a5Daqd1Et8wME8k9caWTb004mNyqLlYOnl2moNZ1FjqVi0fkQkdjXKUS1eEbQmAX3YpyaE9Nh7drq2apWV/s320/IMG-20110820-00081.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of the other things Clay and the kids did was some spring cleaning around the house. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nSOS_3YK4XE5l4_nBIZZ58c7pAei5EmPqBJJKoiThNuOGxZGLTz4OXXSO7ROA7XXnl-cvxN7h54IaR84Rn8bUu0kaOwGiqQifzTtABKGXOZL-LHt2vLTLLNXVlNB7-Ap92u9pIApTTyj/s1600/IMG-20110824-00096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nSOS_3YK4XE5l4_nBIZZ58c7pAei5EmPqBJJKoiThNuOGxZGLTz4OXXSO7ROA7XXnl-cvxN7h54IaR84Rn8bUu0kaOwGiqQifzTtABKGXOZL-LHt2vLTLLNXVlNB7-Ap92u9pIApTTyj/s320/IMG-20110824-00096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The pool was in need of some special attention. After all winter with no cover on it there were some interesting treasures we had to clean up in and around the pool area. Thankfully, the kids are dying to start using it so they are more than happy to help us get it ready for the summer months!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt55BN18u1aSZycBumIOGTjUu8oCPxokzsMlWPwBQey7iLFNI-K31UvCTopLLrnEG8SbAZXs8Bv3aiHrseU4krzF2lHWKyPGgR8X7dMquQIsK6Ef9PDorzm5KJKl5duwqyRz-mL1vTGmM_/s1600/IMG-20110827-00099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt55BN18u1aSZycBumIOGTjUu8oCPxokzsMlWPwBQey7iLFNI-K31UvCTopLLrnEG8SbAZXs8Bv3aiHrseU4krzF2lHWKyPGgR8X7dMquQIsK6Ef9PDorzm5KJKl5duwqyRz-mL1vTGmM_/s320/IMG-20110827-00099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Luke is missing our 4 wheeler a lot! But the riding lawn mower has helped fill the void pretty well. This has been the only time the boys actually fight over who gets to mow the lawn every week!</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2148748717510704354.post-11946552588437618692011-09-19T22:46:00.000-07:002011-09-19T22:46:43.208-07:00The price of living in Australia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Clay and I are very frustrated because it seems like we don't seem to have any more money here in Australia, even though he got a raise when he got his promotion to CFO. Here is just a few examples of why we have so little money now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKj1ZsGHSWnqoqUk2mRbLkEr5C-WfmYZpMTNDrvjSAtWC97QdG38B-_wmLWebvA5sI7zA42bht0sXiFXP3KvDwxu3zHS4UPNRPAJdFSn3eqARC2j3UN5lHj_5EwauORJmSTHN3UpXeNxT_/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKj1ZsGHSWnqoqUk2mRbLkEr5C-WfmYZpMTNDrvjSAtWC97QdG38B-_wmLWebvA5sI7zA42bht0sXiFXP3KvDwxu3zHS4UPNRPAJdFSn3eqARC2j3UN5lHj_5EwauORJmSTHN3UpXeNxT_/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just to break it all down for you, a Kilo is just about 2 1/2 pounds. So it cost me $11.00 to buy 2 1/2 pounds of bananas here in Australia!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4pAfhhP6OHvnfUL44rcxxPmnrCzeKR1La_v4xgGV5CEqgoKBf9-4u665aozWyBHMIb4ksCAYf08dxIJt2pNTnxajK5J2A-ifm65s8M3j-8U3D6-J00df1Z-QamchPAtZICo6hSWx3yyC/s1600/IMG_0281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4pAfhhP6OHvnfUL44rcxxPmnrCzeKR1La_v4xgGV5CEqgoKBf9-4u665aozWyBHMIb4ksCAYf08dxIJt2pNTnxajK5J2A-ifm65s8M3j-8U3D6-J00df1Z-QamchPAtZICo6hSWx3yyC/s320/IMG_0281.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Grapes are almost $13.00 for 2 1/2 pounds!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67y5c2kMweXs4NHN_gN6VfI0H5iQyJ5Uxui0MAjjHlgzowsJJzq_BFEyBYDSSYKEN_Y2TZPrC-ZSpFaaVMWZgmDwDHhgq1VJIN8h8JV5h9gXzwgHzQujPsAjWKvNv5WzUcLqV-tybCOd4/s1600/IMG_0282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67y5c2kMweXs4NHN_gN6VfI0H5iQyJ5Uxui0MAjjHlgzowsJJzq_BFEyBYDSSYKEN_Y2TZPrC-ZSpFaaVMWZgmDwDHhgq1VJIN8h8JV5h9gXzwgHzQujPsAjWKvNv5WzUcLqV-tybCOd4/s320/IMG_0282.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> For a 24 pack of diet Coke it cost almost $24.00!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">These are just a few reasons why we don't seem to have any extra money. A few other examples for you.... Mabeline foundation is $31.00, in America $6.00.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It cost me $2500.00 to buy my kids their winter uniforms for school, that doesn't include the cost of going to that school! Oh, I have to buy their summer uniforms next week!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dinner out for Clay and I cost us $60.00 for two dinners, no drinks or dessert!</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's amazing to me that the Australian people can afford anything! They are taxed 46% of their income, interest rates run almost 20% for a car loan, I don't even know what home loans run!</div><div style="text-align: center;">It will be so nice when we get back to America and can actually enjoy Clay's income again!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just a funny side note, it's fun going around places to find some things that just make no sense to us at all! Today at McDonald's Jessica and I saw this. We still don't understand who would eat something like this at all!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80ZTRHFGMeGY-8PmLn66nMj4ORi7ji57aKfRfx5_OFYxfrv1DPH6j6T44YLWBKGvTS4a_xcYgxNIMlr9ybuDdeEBD1kPrX7ASZHZxsxRafeu_D6Ta7cYeCu961ejp1FbU3l5cvhoz7kfs/s1600/IMG_0283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80ZTRHFGMeGY-8PmLn66nMj4ORi7ji57aKfRfx5_OFYxfrv1DPH6j6T44YLWBKGvTS4a_xcYgxNIMlr9ybuDdeEBD1kPrX7ASZHZxsxRafeu_D6Ta7cYeCu961ejp1FbU3l5cvhoz7kfs/s320/IMG_0283.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div align="center">Bubblegum Squash McFlurry??? Who would ever order this??</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05619311594413347495noreply@blogger.com3