And So It Begins

Hello!

I was so flabbergasted by our quick change of temperatures this weekend, I wasn't even going to blog about it! But Frank said no, go ahead, and maybe people will feel sorry for us... :)

LAST year, we did not get snow until December 19th...I remember because it was the last day before the holiday break. Well guess what we saw on Friday morning, October 16? Yes, SNOWFLAKES! (You can click on any of these to enlarge...I tried it, it works...)

The kids were all excited. 4th grader Kara says, "Do I need to wear my boots to school?" (Remember I said we saw FLAKES. Flurrying through the air...there was nothing on the ground to speak of, nothing stuck to accumulate a measurement.) Then it turned back into rain, rain, and more rain.

The blessing of it all is, I am in heaven because I am remembering LAST year at this very exact weekend. All our stuff had just been delivered to the house a few days ago. We were living in boxes, serving meals on a card table set up in the family room, because the kitchen was completely torn up and being renovated. When I think back to that, I am so relieved that we are not doing THAT, I could do the Happy Dance. (Whatever that is; use your imagination, I guess.)

So, temps have dipped and will go up and down for the next few weeks. Our leaves have not yet fallen, but we got a smidgen of snow this weekend! Reminds me of Colorado. Here is a snow picture or two (Teresa tried to catch some on her tongue), and yes they are both wearing flip-flops when it is 32 degrees out. Frank and I shiver uncontrollably when it's 70, and the kids wear flip-flops when it's 32. Go figure.

Here is our awesome little stove in the computer room, that warms things up so delightfully:

I just checked the weather and it will be in the 50's and 60's this week. Maybe we'll get good temperatures for Trick-or-Treating?? Maybe.

Otherwise, we got in another family hike on Saturday! David jogged it once then caught up to us on his 2nd round, while the rest of us did the loop once. I tried out a new jacket, that was supposedly wind-resistant, water-repellant, insulated, all with this very thin fabric...I didn't believe the tags so I layered with other jackets, too. But it actually kept me pretty warm, hiking in the 40's that day. I think I'll keep the jacket.

We had a great Stake Conference this weekend. Every 6 months, multiple church congregations in the area (we make up a "stake") come together for some inspirational talks and music.

We were also encouraged to attend the temple Friday night. It was a nice temple date for Frank and I, and we listened to some really good messages Saturday and Sunday.

Here's a pond closeby--reds, oranges, yellows.






Last thing, I have to say how cool this program is, that we downloaded for Teresa's social studies class: Google Earth! It can take you anywhere on the planet! You can go up close, far away, bird's eye view, type in any address and it will take you there. We found the houses of almost all our cousins and grandparents, our house and neighborhood in Mexico City...Frank will go to Argentina next month. I think I'll have him show me his offices there and in Peru.

Have a great week! Kari

Sports and Turtles

Hello, and Happy Weekend!

Last night we all went to STOMP at a Theater in Boston. The kids loved it! Frank and I had been before, I think in San Francisco and one other place we visited. Very entertaining, if you get the chance to go. Makes you want to tap and shuffle on everything in sight as you walk back to the car.

The kids get tomorrow off for Columbus Day, so it is a long weekend for them. (Frank always reminds us HE doesn't get all those holidays off...Monday is a normal WORK day, for him...)

Kara played in a soccer game yesterday, and SHE SCORED!! Yes, her first goal of the season. The games did not get cancelled because of rain, and it was sunny. (Not warm and balmy California soccer, mind you. But it was sunny.)

Here is one action photo of her in yesterday's game. (I love that Multiple-Shot button on the camera. Great for when the kids are running in games.)



David has been running Cross Country at the high school. He usually has one meet a week, sometimes two. With the home meets, at least I know the route, basically. I can re-position myself with the camera so I see him 2 or 3 times during the course. Here are some running shots.

Otherwise, Cross Country is a sport of cheer them on at the beginning, and cheer them on at the end! Usually it's a 15-20 minute course.

One difference this year is size of competitors. David, a Freshman with most of his growing still ahead of him, runs with boys 1,2, and 3 years older and bigger than himself.

(Teresa is doing Field Hockey this season. I'll post some of her later.)

Teresa's portion of the blog this week we'll call Turtle Attention. Teresa is forever our creature collector: this child can spot a living creature anywhere, anytime. Two days ago, she found this baby snapping turtle not too far from our house.

Now, we all realize this is not a long-term pet for her. It's a snapping turtle, for Pete's sake! Last July an ADULT snapping turtle wandered around the neighborhood. Don't let the term "turtle" fool you. They're pretty quick for turtles, and if they want food (i.e. your finger or hand), they LUNGE out and LATCH ON.

Here are some baby turtle photos, and one I took in July of the big one in the street. (Our neighbor is sitting next to Frank.)

Those are some adventures of the week. Of course more went ON...homework, Scouts, Achievement Days, seminary, figure out dinner. Go to bed, wake up, start over! Ha.

The goal is to enjoy parts of it along the way.

Have a great week! Kari

Many Miscellaneous Morsels

Hello!

Well, I said I'd keep you posted on the snake thing. It was kind of short-lived...between 2 and 3 weeks? Please observe a moment of silence for Chibi the snake. (I know many of you can't bring yourself to shed any tears for snakes, but believe me, Teresa shed enough for all of us! Holy cow. It has been a traumatic weekend but as of this afternoon, it is buried way back in the back yard.) Here's a photo of the skin it shed a week ago, that was fun and educational.




Now she's gone.









(Don't worry too much about Teresa, though...she's already thinking of the next reptile to inhabit the aquarium.)

Kara talks about wanting to get a Teddy-Bear hamster around Christmastime. As part of our "Educate the Kids on Finances" push, we've been to the pet store and priced the habitats and floor fillings and talked about initial cost of everything, and the monthly cost of food & floor filling. She's willing to wait until Christmastime because she doesn't want to blow her whole savings on the initial set-up..."maybe I'll get some money for Christmas," she says.

Let's see...rain, rain, and more rain today! Kara's soccer game was cancelled, David's cross-country meet was cancelled, and his day to help-with-a-friend's-outdoor-Eagle-project was also cancelled.

The JDRF walk to cure Diabetes was NOT cancelled, though, so this morning Teresa and I walked in the fundraiser in Boston, with umbrellas and ponchos, in the sometimes pouring rain. One of our neighbors (in 7th grade like Teresa) was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes when she was five and they form a big team each year to walk. I didn't take the camera because, guess what, wet-wet-wet!!!!!

Otherwise, we went to David's Curriculum Night last Thursday. Good to see all of is teachers and get an overview of the courses.

I do love Conference weekend...each talk is uplifting, and usually there is a morsel of wisdom I can take away and use, right away in my life. I liked the "tell the important people in your life you love them," consistently. Not just once a year or a decade. I also liked that we are nearing 150 temples. (Except don't you think Utah has enough of them by now?)

The leaves around here are starting to change. If you drive north, say, to Maine, they are already changed. I do love fall here. Here is a leaf photo from LAST year, to get you thinking of autumn.

(Remember we are not seeing these colors just yet...maybe a LITTLE, on SOME trees. But I bet within a week or two, we'll be seeing a lot more.)

Have a good week! Kari