A Week in Louisiana

Let me tell you about it. . . 

First, we trekked through the airport and found an airplane destined for Nana & Papa's house. This is a major highlight of the trip - Lauren was as excited about the airplane ride as she was about swimming in the Steiners' pool.  By the way, great picture Janna!  These girls were TROOPERS all day - taking turns pulling their luggage and riding on mine.  

In Leesville, we decided to catch one of the crawfish that lives in the backyard.  These mudmounds spot the entire backyard.  Lurking somewhere in the depths of these holes are six legged monsters brandishing bone crushing pinchers and long antannae.  Ok, maybe it is just a crawfish, but the mystery of the hole is intriguing - isn't it?  Admit it, you thought they just lived in water. . . True, but they also live in Nana's backyard.

A bit of string, raw bacon, and a safety pin might coax him out of his den.  Aaron lowered this string until it committed no less than 18 inches to the beasts lair before stopping at a turn in the tunnel.  Then suddenly. . . the line went tense. . . and pulled Aaron right off his feet.  This is much better than Ice Fishing - we actually caught something.  Once he clamps onto the bacon, we coaxed him all the way out of his hole.  He was big alright, snagged Aaron with him down into that hole.  

These little green lizards live all over the bushes, walls, gates, and fencing.  They change color rapidly from brilliant green to dull brown - turns out their best defense is to hold very still making them relatively easy to catch.  Although, Lauren couldn't figure out why he would want to jump out of her hands.

The Leesville Country Club Park.  Rylee likes to go slow, Lauren likes it fast.  There was a time when my brothers & I revved this Merry go Round up to about 500 RPM's.  I believe Aaron learned how to fly that day.

Rylee, Lauren, and Calyn beating the Louisiana summer heat in the front yard of Nana's house.

Dakota, Lucy, Hazel, Rylee, Lauren and Craig - Dr. Gooch.  This guy is by far the most animated, gregarious, spontaneous, and affable person I have ever known. A doctor of Emergency Medicine at Duke University hospital.  This man is extraordinary in every way, and his wife Jordan keeps up with four kids and Craig and still makes time to train and run a marathon.  Simply amazing.

In case the resemblance is not readily apparent, this is Seth - Craig & Jordans oldest.  Maybe you just didn't recognize him because of the shiner on his left eye. This was the result of colliding with Lauren's knee in the pool.  But, he was having too much fun to let a little thing like a black eye slow him down.

The little kids wouldn't let Aaron in the big pool.  Calyn is soon to be a big sister - Jeni & Aaron just announced they are expecting! This announcement came on May 16th, Craig's birthday (33) and Aaron's graduation day from Dental school - he is now a Doctor of Dental Surgery. It was very satisfying to see Aaron achieve such high honors - he and Jeni have worked very hard for this. Aaron recieved two elite awards at graduation - including a "Best of the Best in Prosthedontics."   Smart dude.  They are in process right now of moving out of New Orleans and into Alexandria, LA where Aaron will start practicing Dentistry.

Lauren, Seth, Dakota.  Look at those chicken legs on Lauren.  She's already sporting the best "six pack" on her stomach I have ever seen.   She loves to be outside and engaged in something fast. This puddle was about 6 inches deep when it was in the middle of the rainstorm - nobody does puddles better than Louisiana.  

Beaver Mountain

Snowboarding at Beaver Mtn.

Why Read. . .

Why read when singing makes it more funner.

The Bonneville Trail

The sun came out for a day - so we took advantage.  

Lauren helped me climb this boulder for lunch.

The escape from the city.

Feeling like a small part of a big world.

Feet, Sleepwalk, Chainsaws & Accidents

Rylee came up with this sleepwalk idea all on her own.  In fact, my favorite part of the video is where she pauses to think - "how do I do this?"  You can see the gears turning as she formulates her plan.

Sometimes we JAM!

Making Leprachaun Traps.  They did work. . . sort of.  He left some clues to where he hid his chocolate treasure, but we didn't actually CATCH the little green man. 

Pink has never looked so cool.

Fort number 2, 491. 

If I take a quick nap on the floor after work, my girls don't let me get cold.  Not even my feet.

Sometimes we wrestle before bedtime, sometimes we read stories, sometimes. . . . WE JAM!

Groundhog Day

I'm still trying to figure out why the people of Punxsutawney use a groundhog to determine weather patterns.   It's not just tradition, people actually believe in this.  What's worse, why is he normally right????  

This is our home made version of Punxsutawney Phil.  It's an Almond Joy with M&M eyeballs and a gummy worm nose.  I'm going to do what the people of Punxsutawney should have done a long time ago - PUT THAT FAT SUCKER AWAY!    

The girls told me that if I gave them a cookie, they'd pay me a million bucks.  They owe me.  

If you don't have glass slippers, use the next best thing...  Mardi Gras beads and goggles.

Where've I been?

I haven't been blogging lately because of the downturn in the economy, gas prices, solar energy is down, and I pulled my calf muscle.  

What would you do for a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream?

Not sure how this one started, wrong place at the right time perhaps???  Either way, Rylee has given me permission to grow my hair really long.  Wait until I tell the Stake President.

Rylee had a water spray bottle back there somewhere within reach.  With a little encouragement from me, she was glad to apply water generously.

It's true, Lauren's fish died.  I took her blinds down from her window one day, and the next day while we were at church the sunshine heated up the water tank a little too much.  Well, this ended the story of "Princess Frostine" the fish.  So we got a rat.  I will let Janna tell you how we decided upon a rat.  The truth is, I'm very impressed with how good of a pet it makes.  Her name is Bianca.  She is surprisingly clean, very intelligent, extremely tame and gentle, never bites, and loves Lauren.  She can learn her name and come when called, can be potty trained, and can learn a variety of tricks.   Better than a cat.

I have a Darth Vader mug. . . Be jealous.  I also have a cool new Superman hat to go with my Superman lunch box that I take to work everyday.   Nutty?  Maybe, but I'm the envy at work everyday when Superman comes out.  I owe thanks to Jordan Knudsen Mangum for these great Christmas gifts.  Her creativity and thoughtfulness seem endless.  

Two Letter Words

So I come home from work everyday and see the alphabet explosion on my refrigerator.   Finally, I have discovered a subtle way to put this message board to good use.  Here's hoping.

Worth $10 ????

I don't know where she found the recipe for this evil stuff - but it's not vanilla Duncan Hines. Imagine mixing alum with toothpaste, crack in an eggwhite, a touch of baking soda, and a pinch of pure poison.  We used this stuff as a glue to build our gingerbread houses and bond candy to the walls.  It dries fast and you can't pry the stuff off without a crowbar.  They say it's edible. . . but my gag reflex proved otherwise.  

Janna however. . . . 

Next time, $40 to chew it for 5 seconds. 

Oh, what do you do in the winter time?

Lauren's taught Rylee speed is a good thing and there is no such thing as being cold.

The mountain of every blanket the girls own makes it's way to the living room at least twice a week.

Momma Mangum sent me comfy, new PJ's for Christmas, they came with an eye sleep shield.  Lauren begged to try it out.  It apparently works well.

Mark still has his amazing, creative, romantic side.  He planned a snowshoeing date a couple of weeks ago with our good friends the Schaellings.  The fire starting in the snow was a challenge for the two eagle scout husbands and I forgot the smores.  Mark loves to watch me try to be coordinated on regular feet, snowshoeing was a hilarious thing.  We had a blast!

Christmas fun

The nativity starring Lauren as Mary, cousin Bentley as Joseph and the donkey

Christmas morning music filled the air.  Cousin Annie on piano, Lauren on violin and Rylee on electric guitar.     

Thank goodness for volume and off buttons.

Rylee's make-up kit, what a masterpiece!

Gingerbread houses

Lauren and Mark's house.  Complete with melted jolly rancher windows and gum shutters.

Rylee and Janna's house, I think we ate more than actually ended up on the house.

The bandaid conceals no actual wound, just promotes Rylee's love of bandaids.

More Christmas stuff

Thank you grandma Pat for the PJ's and Princess blankets!

One of the many attempts at a family Christmas photo.

A brief visit to Temple Squares lights- most of our time was spent finding parking. 

 

Setting up the Christmas Tree

Of course!