Photo Friday

Thanks for reminding my Liz!  I really wish I had a picture of my garden to share, I'm really proud of it.  Maybe next week.

Sometime today I noticed there was a package outside. When I opened the door the first thing I noticed was that it was a cooler, not a box, and that it had red all-caps words that read "HIGHLY PERISHABLE". Then I read "Omaha Steaks" and was very confused, and then I saw that it was for Justin from Chegg and it made sense.  The gift note congratulates Justin on a job well done this month and encourages him to have a fun weekend.  It had several packages of different things inside - steaks, pork chops, chicken, sea food.  So fun.  And totally unexpected.  Justin totally rocked it at work this month, quarter and half-year and his boss and higher-ups are very impressed.

 

Jaime really wanted to take a picture with Dad's cooler so I let her.  Can I just point out one thing?  Notice how her hair looks silky and smooth?  Well, we tried an experiment today which was that she got to pick any punishment she wanted at the beginning of the day and then when she was disobedient I followed through with that punishment.  The punishment she picked was combing her hair.  No idea why she picked it, but man she had some soft glorious hair by the end of the day :).

When Jaime insisted on taking a picture on the cooler Vida followed suit.  "

"Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.....sharing....caring...."

Photo Friday

Yea, I remembered on time!  Lucky for me the boys take random pictures, so here is one that was super cute!  

This is Hyrum's favorite place to play in the house.  And yes, he is completely in that 4 quart pot.

Fun with Bryce

After working hard for a few days we enjoyed a relaxing date night.  We enjoyed a nice dinner and then went to roam around the land at our new house.  We found a box with power running to it, so Bryce decided to open it and check it out.  To his surprise there was a huge brown spider inside.  I missed the initial reaction, but I did get him capturing and playing with the spider.  Enjoy, I know I did.

Can you find the spider?

Now can you find it?

Well, I have videos but I can't seem to get them to upload, so if you want to see them just send me a message.  :)

Swing Shift

OK, I work hard and I work long hours and I was sure that handling the swing shift for the command center would be no big deal.  Work until 23:30, small break, go to bed, sleep in, take the morning easy, swim, etc.  Sounded good three days ago...

Well, I still think it would not be bad except starting at 09:00 for my "swing shift" is a bit much.  Maybe it means swinging from the rafters...

Love you all

We Are LIVE!!

Not alive, LIVE!  This may not mean much to all ya-all but to mom and me it means the efforts of a year and a half special assignment are coming to fruition. That is a blessing. 

Seriously guys...

We should own and run an event facility.

Dad would handle the business.

Mom would decorate.

James would do the food.

Heather would be the events manager.

Joe would do the grounds design and upkeep.

Michelle would do the flowers.

I would do the photography.

Marquie would be in charge of live entertainment.

Liz, Bryce, Justin and Patrick would have to keep their normal jobs in case we all fail miserably...

Come on.  It would be amazing!

Thought you would enjoy.

I did when I found it on my phone. Didn't even know that it was there.

Date Night

We always try to get a date night in each week, which if you aren't doing I highly recommend.  We are finally at the stage where Michael can babysit, so we don't have to save our pennies for a sitter.  But have you ever wondered what your kids do when you are away?  Well, this morning Joshua asked me if I wanted to see a video they made while we were gone one night.  So, here you go . . . this is what my kids do when we are away.   I am sure that no one will be surprised by what they see, and this is only half of one of the videos they made, so imagine this time who knows how many videos they made.  These are some silly boys.  Well, one particularly silly boy.   Enjoy!

Photo Friday (again!)

I figured it out! Here are some fun Costa Rica photos to share. There are tropical flowers, an active volcano, a sloth, some crocodiles, and, of course, a beach view from a Pacific island. 

Photo Friday

I have not taken as many pictures as I should have during this trip, but sometimes the camera just hampers the experience. As a result, I'll have both memories and photos, and someday there will be an easy way to share them on the blog, but today is not that day. To tide us all over, though, I have this photo from last night that makes everything worthwhile. This is the best part of my day, and I'm so thankful for the technology that enables it.

Photo Friday

Picnic in the canyon with the Packards

Tickling the kid

Real Men sew

Photo Friday

Without a bank to harass I have a little more time on my hands, so I can actually post a photo on Friday!

Devouring corn on the cob.  It was pretty cute!

 We went to visit some friends yesterday to see their animals and just enjoy one another's company.  They have free range chickens, rabbits and a pot belly pig (more of a pet then livestock).  The boys had a great time, and didn't want to leave.  I'm excited to let them take care of their own animals!

Holding a bunny.

Church Services in Bangkok

I had the privalege of attending church services in the Bangkok International Ward today.  A sacred experience:

• Organist arriving at 3 minutes to start.  In her defense her husband is traveling and she had to get four children (Look to be under 6) ready and there alone.  Great organist though (had her 1.5 year old on her lap the entire time she played.  I found out after meetings she is a famous singer in Thailand.  (From the US)
• Invocation called from congregation
• Sacrament - Sacred
• Closing hymn - Same as Front Royal
• Testimonies - Sisters in Front Royal have absolutely nothing on these sisters.  Bishop had to ask two of them to cut it off.
• Influence of the Spirit - Powerful
• Nationalities - I would guess more than 20 represented at church today
• Visitors - Several
• Welcoming - Very much so
• Lynne - Wish you could have shared with me.  Hopefully next time

Overall an wonderful experience.  I cherish the opportunities I have had to join with the saints around the world and see the consistency.  I think of the saints in the Book of Mormon and how they could not hold on for more than ten or fifteen years (except after Christ's coming) and have come to understand that the ability we have now to be consistent throughout the world is vital.  The bishop spoke of being in a leadership meeting with Elder Anderson and I thought of the leadership meeting I sat in with Elder Bednar.  The Apostles can get to the people around the world and teach and it is wonderful.

Love Husband, Dad, Grandfather and Patriarch 

Quick Hello

Well, I have many thoughts I'd love to share, but I'm typing on a Spanish language keyboard and it's making me crazy. Things are well here in Costa Rica. This morning I woke up super early (the sun is up before 5 am here) and I got dressed and went for a walk. I heard Howler Monkeys playing in the jungle near our hotel and watched a tico harvest coconuts using a machete strapped to a 20 foot bamboo pole. This weekend we are in Manuel Antonio National Park and it is beautiful. We played in the waves of the Pacific yesterday, and we are headed into the park to learn about the beautiful plants and animals therein. I want to have lots of photos, but it's currently pouring rain. It does that here. A LOT. We'll see if I can get photos while we're in the rainforest. My Spanish is getting better and better, although I'm still not completely comfortable starting conversations because my experience and vocabulary are so limited. I can grocery shop, order food, and handle money, though, so I'll keep trying and hopefully I'll learn some new linguistic skills. I haven't been able to get to church here, but I'm hoping that next week I will. We are generally away on the weekends, but that ends after this trip.

I'm having fun seraching out little souvenirs and such, but if there is anything you would particularly like or the kids would be interested in, let me know and I'll try to find it. I have lots of free time for such activities. :)

I love you all!

Where in the World is Dad?

I know, it really is supposed to be Photo Friday but I have taken only one picture since arriving in Asia and it was of a white (glass) board presentation that I wanted to have for reference.  That is no fun for family!

So, it has been interesting to be on the road this week and revive the memories of past travel.  Here are some of my observations:

• Travel in general - I still enjoy visiting other countries and experiencing the culture and building friendships.  It still takes it's toll on me
• Vitamin B12 - Thank goodness!
• Language - Wish I could speak Mandarin!
• Food - Yum!
• Hotels - Well hotels are hotels.  That said I have been in some nice ones.  Renaissance Downtown Beijing, Crown Plaza Shanghai and Holiday Inn Bangkok
• Shopping - Great.  Bought two new suits for just a bit more than I paid for Marquie's wedding suit.  Got some things for mom.  
• Traveling without my American Express Card - Difficult!
• Beijing - Air pollution.  My eyes burned every day I was there.
• Taxi's - Cheep!
• Mag-lev - FAST!  However, they kept it to 300kph
• Sleep - Very disrupted.  I adapted quickly to the time zones but sleep has been difficult every night.
• Air China - Very clean with good service, I think.  I was asleep
• Thai Air - Very good service
• Beijing traffic - WOW!  Not many bikes or scooters.
• Shanghai traffic - WOW! Many bikes and scooters
• One lane highway - Right, three to four...
• Three lane Highway - How many can we squeeze in?
• Horns - Use them often and long
• Walking - Safe
• Children - Where?
• Food - Did I already do this?  What can I say.  What we know as Chinese in the US is not.  Thai starts today.
• Fresh Guava Juice - Oh...
• Humidity - Stifling 
• Lynne - Not with me 
• Truth - Has been revealed in a great way
• Spirit of Christ - Learning
• Love of family - Grows every day.

Love you all.  Husband, Dad, Grandfather, Patriarch