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

Cheiko Okazaki and Ribbon Snakes

Hello!
Wonderful "fireside" tonight...the youth group leaders at church occasionally get different people to give inspirational talks to the teenagers in our church congregation.

A few weeks ago they started announcing tonight's youth fireside: a back-to-school topic night with the main speaker being Cheiko Okazaki. She's an amazing woman, a teacher for 23 years, a principal for 10 years, served 7 years in the General Presidency of the Youth organization of our church, and 7 years in the General Presidency of the Women's organization of our church (Relief Society).

She's written 8 books, one of which I have ("Lighten Up!"), and I used to just LOVE to hear her speak in "General Conference".... every 6 months we have a church conference, where we get to hear inspirational talks by leaders of the church from Salt Lake City. It's broadcast by satellite so if you get the channel, you can watch it on your t.v., or your computer if you have the Internet. Back in the early 90's I found her very upbeat, entertaining, and inspirational.

Well, as they would announce this fireside talk, I always assumed it would be a pre-recorded video talk, or a satellite broadcast, somehow...but today as church ends, Frank looks around the room and says, "Hey, isn't that Chieko Okazaki on the back row?" I look, and sure enough, there she is! (Here's an Internet picture I found of her...even though I think of her as a celebrity, I did NOT run home and get my camera!!)

I did bring back my book, though, when I brought David to the church for the fireside. She very graciously shook hands with people at the end, and even agreed to sign my book. Next month she turns 83, for Pete's sake, and she still fills her calendar with speaking assignments all over the world.

At the beginning of her talk she pulls out a Yo-yo, and proceeds to Walk the Dog, Rock the Baby and do Round the World. Here's this 83-year-old woman, flipping a yo-yo around at the pulpit. It was a fun way to get everybody's attention. (And it's hard to keep a teenager's attention!) It was a great evening.

Meanwhile, at home last week: Teresa is our resident "critter expert"--she loves to catch critters around here, including frogs, beetles, and unusual moths. And while she and Kara just LOVE the neighbor's cats, the girls also often "rescue" small animals from being the cats' playthings. Mice, moles, toads. This week it was a baby chipmunk one day...

Then a Ribbon Snake, a type of Gardner Snake. She's been wanting to get a snake, actually, so we let this one be the experiment. She put it in an aquarium downstairs, and she's tried to feed it feeder fish, worms, and crickets. Then we read online that it COULD be not eating because it's getting ready to sleep for the winter...? Hmmm. I'll keep you posted on how this one works out.

Happy Week! Kari

Claim to Fame

Hello!

Just had to share our first (and probably only) published newspaper fame!

Kara's elementary school, Claypit Hill, has a vegetable/flower garden, that some students started last spring. They started plants from seeds, let them grow in cups, then transplanted them outside. The garden has "evolved" over the past few months...parents have donated plants and flowers, then materials to put a wood casing around it. This garden needed caring for over the summer, when the students were not there every day to water and weed.

David was involved in a volunteer group during the summer, where the coordinator found multiple opportunities for high school students to serve different local organizations in different ways. He liked the outdoor projects, including clearing trails with the town Conservation Committee, and weeding and planting for Gaining Ground, a working farm that supplies food to shelters in the region.

So when this elementary school garden came up, as needing watering and weeding over the summer, and it also happens to be just a mile from our house, David put up his hand. Then he asked if his younger sisters could help too, and they said of course.

We went each Monday morning, for about 2 months, to water and weed the corn, beans, cabbage, marigold, and pumpkin plants. The teacher who started the garden wanted to put an article in the local paper about the garden helpers. And she asked me to take a photo for the paper.

So here is the article about my kids working the garden this summer (first time they were in the paper), AND this is the picture I took with my camera--the first time I have had a photo published!

You can click on it to enlarge, if you want to read the article or see the picture better. David even has a quote! It was a fun project. We go back to school Tuesday. Have a great week! Kari

State Bird of Maine

Hello!


**Today's Quiz: Who can guess the state bird of Maine?**

We just returned from a quick jaunt to Maine. Frank has a co-worker (in South Carolina, actually) who has a "cabin" on the coast. He offered, a couple of months ago, for us to take advantage of the cabin if we were up there to visit. WELL. Who can pass up such a nice offer?

LIGHTHOUSE TOUR. During the three hour drive from here to the cabin, we had some excellent variety of Lighthouse viewing. This one is called Portland Head Lighthouse. Thanks to some breaks in the clouds, we caught some sun shining on it! It is the most photographed lighthouse in the country.

I liked this one, mostly because of the name. "Bug Light!" (I never read or heard the story of how it got its name. I could make one up for you, though...)










The kids love any type of landmark that is surrounded by rocks and cliffs. Monuments, building foundations, ruins...if they are allowed to climb around on them, they are in heaven. This one has rocks leading out to it. David and Teresa race back...







ACADIA NATIONAL PARK. A three-hour drive further up from the cabin, we visited this glorious, breathtaking national park. A coastal walk where the cliffs meet the Atlantic Ocean...hikes and trails with spectacular views of breathtaking islands out in the bay. Wow, is all I could say. Of course, that was the FIRST day we visited the park.

The SECOND morning, we all woke up with the same expectations of the glorious landscapes we absorbed the first day, pulled back the blinds, and we were overwhelmed with...................FOG. Couldn't see across the street to read a sign. Hey! What's that all about?

(Reminder: this is New England. We have WEATHER here. Our new mantra in this part of the country: Plan on less-than-sunny weather. If you cancel things because of the weather, you'll never end up doing ANYthing.)








So, we changed the order of a few visits, to wait for the fog to lift a LITTLE. Then we hiked our hikes anyway. Rain makes rocks slippery, but fog doesn't, really. The kids had been looking forward to a particular "non-technical climb," so named because of steep elevation gain, without the use of ropes and caribeeners. The whole climb was rock steps and iron-rod staircases that had been pounded into the rock faces. 900 ft gain in 1.5 miles, I think. The guide book said you needed to be in "good physical condition and not be afraid of heights." (The fog took care of the heights thing...we couldn't really see how high up we were.) At any rate, everybody did great!



The last little treat was to go fishing off the pier. You can also see how foggy it is, in this picture. The kids spent some time casting their lures at the end of a pier with a little snack shop, which specialized in...you got it, Maine Lobster! They didn't catch anything. But from what I hear, that's not the REAL point of fishing, anyway, right? (Please tell me there's another point to fishing...never mind.)



And the answer to the quiz--the state bird of Maine is.....




THE MOSQUITO!!!!!!!!!

(ok, I'm kidding, but not really. Oh my holy cow, there were enough mosquitos to swat for eternity. The real answer is the Chickadee, same as the Massachusetts state bird. But mosquitos come in 2nd.)

Have a great weekend! Kari :)

Vermont

Hello!

We have finally had a couple of days without rain. It rains more here than I could ever have imagined.

Last weekend was a FIRST for all of us, even Frank. We have now been to VERMONT! I am so glad to be here--I am learning so much. Instead of "New England" being a nebulous mass in the northeast corner of the U.S. somewhere, I can tell you all of the SIX states that are included in "New England." They would be Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. (Quiz at the end...)

Friday afternoon, while we drove, it POURED. Yes, the buckets-dumping-on-your-head kind of rain...running from the door to the car was like jumping in a swimming pool kind of wet.

Then, the weather gave us a break.

JOSEPH SMITH's BIRTHPLACE. We went to this memorial on Friday evening, and the rain let up so we could ride/walk around the grounds and see the foundations of his family's homes from the mid-1800's. (This is David and me, next to one of the home foundations.)

They have a HUGE monument made of granite, 40 tons they had to transport. (For the very cool story on that, click this word "monument," then scroll down in the article to "Erecting the Joseph Smith Jr. Monument"). They also have a peaceful visitor's center.

GREEN, green, and more green. Absolutely beautiful, so much lush foliage you just couldn't believe it. (It's been raining here for 2 months solid...what did I expect???)

BEN & JERRY's. You can't go to Vermont and miss the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, ending of course with free samples! Ben & Jerry, 2 hippie guys from the 70's, pooled $5 to take a course on making ice cream. They started out giving it away, then people lined up for it, out the door and around the block. It's a fun story.

(BTW: Unilever bought them out in 2000, and now Ben & Jerry live just a few miles away from the factory. I suppose they struggle daily with how to spend their multi-million-dollar pittance...)

MAPLE TAPPING and CHEESE. We went to a working farm, and now we know how they get sap from the trees in the dead of winter. And, it takes 40-50 gallons of maple sap to get ONE gallon of maple syrup. We tasted 4 different varieties of maple syrup, and about 14 different types of cheeses. (Smoked cheese was a family favorite.) Yum!

GRANITE QUARRY. We visited "Rock of Ages," a granite quarry...the video showed us how they drill hundreds of columns, feed explosive lines through those drill holes, and blast, to get a chunk out of the mountain. It's a pretty amazing process.

The old quarry, though, was water-filled and beautiful.

QUECHEE GORGE. A nice hike, by a very pretty river. The best view was from the bridge the cars drive on, though, so you're stuck with all the traffic noise in the background.

Here are the kids, posing at the bottom of Quechee Gorge. It rained the day before and the day after, but we made the most of our one sunny day. Now we know more about Vermont!

And, here's the quiz I promised:

Which SIX states are included in "New England?"

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