Training Wheels

Elijah received some pointers from his older brother on how to ride a bike just moments after we put on the training wheels today. He was apprehensive at first, but felt a deep sense of accomplishment once he had ridden a while without tipping over. Great Job!

First day of school (4th grade)

Today was Noah's first day of 4th grade. Off he goes on an adventure that will last almost a year. He was anxious to leave in the morning and he arrived home very excited. He loves his new teacher, Mrs. Jackson.

The Osmonds

Saturday evening I had the special opportunity to attend a concert where the performers included the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Osmond Family. It was very enjoyable and I especially liked the song that Donny sang as a solo. Yes, Marie still looks as skinny as her Nutri System commercials show her. Thanks to Brad's mom for letting me go with her.

Pioneer Day

Pioneer Day is a big deal here in Utah...WHY?, because Mormon pioneers seemed to bring civilization here way back in the 1840's. Pioneer Day is a big deal to ME...WHY?, because my Great, Great, Great Grandfather was the first pioneer to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley on July 22, 1847. Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow had one horse between them. One would ride for a mile, tie off the horse and begin walking. The next man would catch up to the horse, get on and ride a mile and start the process over again. Orson was the lucky one who rode the horse the last mile to the Salt Lake Valley. He is the one depicted on the horse on this monument.

I am ever grateful to a loving Grandmother who thought that she would pass down the importance of our family heritage to me. She would patiently tell me stories of her life and the lives of those who came before her. She would take me to cemeteries and bring me along to do geneology work. I was the only one that she brought with her to the dedication of a special plaque in honor of our pioneer history that is on display at the "This is the Place Heritage Park". She instilled in me the importance of remembering who I am, and that will influence the way that I carry myself. I would assume that not many people have a somewhat close relative that is featured on a monument or in statue form, but I am lucky. I have the resemblance of this man to look to. And now I can pass this legacy on to my children. Thanks Grandma!

The Buzz

Last evening I kept hearing a sound like someone was throwing an object at our house. I opened the front door to investigate and found our two oldest children watching their dad throw a rock at our front window trying to hit a grasshopper and knock it off of the house. "Whatever", I thought to myself as he finally knocked it off and I walked back into the house and shut the door behind me. As soon as the door shut I heard LOUD serious screaming from the other side. I guess I opened the door to see my children scrambling and screaming across the yard and to other side of the street while Brad is running up the stairs wildly flailing his arms and yelling BEES, and I could see quite a few of the creatures swarming around. I say that I "guess" I opened the door, it happened so quickly that I am not sure what happened, but I do know that the door slammed behind him and I was worried that he had brought several of the insects inside the house with him. All in all, he was stung three times and was very swollen from his attack. Apparently he disturbed a wasp hive in his attempt to get rid of the grasshopper. His attack left him actually bleeding and very swollen and in pain.