Our Poor, Poor Pool!!

Our old house in Las Vegas in now vacant and the poor pool is really taking a hit. We stopped by to look and the water was green, mossy and really smelled. The neighbors were draining it out into the street because bugs were growing in it. The trees are starting to die, and the block wall in the front yard is falling apart. Really, really sad, it was and will be again, a great home.

The week we moved out.

Now, so sad.

Dinner with Family

we had a great time in Las Vegas, it was fun to have time with Sammi and Kirk, David and Dad and Judy. Kirk is really handy and was able to fix, well just turn on my Dad's hot tub, which had not been turned on in about 10 years. We had a great dinner, but also looking forward to heading home to a bit cooler weather.

Kirk fixing Dad's Hot Tub

David attempting a flip, looks more like a belly flop.

mid Air

and flop!!!

Shark Reef!!!!

Today Sammi and I headed out for a day of fun looking at schools, and having lunch with Lisa, Janelle and Emily!!! I sure do miss my friends here, but could do without the heat.

Jane and Kaitlin listening to information on all of the fish.



petting the sting ray's

My Dad and Judy took the girls to the Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay. They had a great time looking at the of the fish then lunch at the House of Blues and to top it all off a ride on the New York, New York roller coaster. They were just right at the line (for height) to ride and ride they did. They got off with the biggest smiles and of course wanting to do it again.

roller coster at New York, New York

Grandma Judy with Jane and Kaitlin

Grandpa Ted with Jane and Kaitlin

Vegas Baby (and Miss Jane)

Well Jane arrived yesterday in Salt Lake City for a 10 day visit. We had a great afternoon, had Kaitlin Strickland (our neighbor who is Janes age and for the past 3 summers have hung out together) spend the night and at 5:15 am, I woke them up, loaded them in the Truck and headed off to Vegas to visit Grandpa and Grandma Birkland and Sammi and David. We had a great trip and the girl were really quite, watching movies and reading teen magazines. We had to stop and take pictures at the border signs (you know, 3 states in 6 hours)and of course of the temp reading 100 degrees!!!! Boy I do not miss the heat:)

We were not here even 15 minutes before the girls were in the pool. They are right now trying their hands at hooking a rug!! We are having dinner with Sammi and Kirk tonight for Sam's 22 Birthday which was yesterday, so more later.

We had a fun dinner at Olive Garden for Sammi 22nd Birthday. Can't believe that my kids are so grown up and wonderful. I miss her living close but I know she loves living back in Las Vegas and being close to Kirk (who we think is wonderful also)

As soon as we got home from dinner, the girls were back in the pool and since then have been sitting by the pool working on their hook rugs.

Fun with John and Marissa

We had a great weekend!! We drove down to Cedar City to meet John and Marissa Moss for 3 days of biking, shopping and playing Phase 10!!

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While I was waiting for them to finish there ride, There were some fun things to shoot pix of.

Marissa's parents have a beautiful cabin in the mountains above Cedar City and were kind to let us come and stay. Brad, John and Marissa had fun on some beautiful mountain trails (I was the kind shuttle driver) We played games and watched movies late into the evening and got to sleep in until 9am every day (John and Marissa left Sarah with John's parents) I don't think Marissa knew what to do with herself, and being able to sleep that late!

Saturday, John and Brad took off on another ride and Marissa and I went antique shopping. We found some great finds and were just in heaven. I found a really great old Brownie camera (the kind you look down into the top to take the picture) not sure if it works, but looks great on the shelf in my family room. Marissa (who takes amazing pictures) found an old trike to use with pictures of kids.

We thank John and Marissa for a wonderful weekend. Next weekend I am driving down to Vegas for Sammi's showers and to go over a bit of wedding planning.

Beautiful Neighbor

I have been begging my neighbors to let me practice taking pictures of their kids, and I finially had a "yes" . I took Taylor over to a spot in Lehi where there are a lot of fun walls, tracks and old trucks. I had a blast (in between rain drops) and I hope Taylor did also.

Got to go to Girls Camp. Yeah!!!

I was really honored this week to be able to go to Girls Camp and speak with the Girls on Wednesday night. I have not been to Camp in 2 years, after going to 8 years in a row while in Las Vegas and then one here. The girls were camping in St George so I drove down and had a really great time. I really do not know the girls here in this Ward so it was fun getting to know them a bit.

On the way home I stopped at Red Cliffs and took a short hike, (really short, I was the only one up there and there were a lot of really big lizards), but there were also some wild horses and I snapped a few pix of the cliffs and horses.

Thanks to Christy and Erin for asking me to speak, it really was an honor.