How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?

Yesterday, the Youngs drove from Arizona to drop the kids off before heading to Toulouse, Paris, and London for two week. Gavin has three days of meetings with Airbus in Toulouse, France and then they will go to Paris for a few days. The excellent adventure will end in London where they will stay with Kris's brother, Matt, and his wife Kim.

Harry and Finn yesterday evening

Gavin and Maren helping Beck work on a smile

Beckham loves him some Weetabix

Bon Voyage!

I fear we ruined our kids by taking them abroad so often. They just don't want to stay down on the farm! Who can blame them?

There will certainly be more adventures of Grammy, Pop Pop, and the boys, so stay tuned. That, however, is all for now.

OXO

D.

That Was Awesome!

This morning, Katy and I went to Wasatch School to see Lizzy perform in a talent show. Emily was involved at some level and was also MC for the show. Lizzy rocked it to a Glee cover of a Michael Jackson number (with which I am unfamiliar [not surprising]) and the younger classes who made up the greater part of the audience, loved it. Katy heard a young fellow exclaim, "That was awesome!" And it was.

Emily and Lizzy conferring pre-show

Lizzy has some great moves

Lizzy strikes a pose post-show

Good job by the Ensign women

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

The Big Dig

Well, this dig isn't as big as the so-called "Big Dig" that tunneled a freeway under Boston, but it is pretty incredible, nonetheless. You may remember a post back in mid-December when Stephen's basement project started. It has progressed steadily and the dig is now complete. Today they cut through into the old cellar and next week the last of the footings and foundations will go in. I think it has gone very fast given that it all happened one five-gallon bucket at a time.

The buckets in question

The new stairway on the north side of SKT's house

The dust is from cutting through the wall into the cellar --
we though it had cleared, but look what the flash revealed

Looking south under the living room

The new entrance to the cellar

Our life has been extremely ordinary, so this will have to suffice for news.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Adios Texas

Some time ago Katy began to discuss a move to Utah but was looking more towards springtime. Meeting Daniel changed all that.

Katy Kathryn with Daniel Colver

Before New Years, she packed up her room in Texas and sent many boxes to Utah with a friend from work who was also moving here. She spent New Years in Provo with the family and then she and Daniel flew back to Houston where they quickly loaded all her remaining stuff into a U-haul trailer and headed for San Antonio, El Paso, Phoenix, Saint George, and Provo on a whale of a four-day road trip.

Apparently, the road trip was great: loads of fun

Katy, Cam, and the U-haul

Earlier, during the New Years visit, she found a little room in a duplex in West Provo, near the Provo River Parkway. She has moved in and made a nice comfortable, if small, nest.

Her house is just west of the river bridge on 800 North

A screen grab of her place (on left) from
Google Street View

Well-organized

And everything within reach

Okay. Tiny. But it's home.

We are pleased to have her nearby and have enjoyed spending time with her.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Natural History Museum of Utah

Today we headed to SLC to visit the new Natural History Museum of Utah. We were anxious to see the spectacular new building, but we also wanted to see Uncle Tony's collection on display in its new home. We were not disappointed. The building is impressive with interesting large-scale, sculptural spaces and there were many of Tony's pieces on display. We returned home to a wonderful expanded-compound dinner prepared and hosted at our house by Colton and Millie. What a great day!

Posers in front of the Museum

Uncle Tony's raven mask prominently displayed
in the so-called Canyon (entry)

Tucker (foreground) in the Canyon

The girlies at one of the many interactive displays

The view of the Salt Lake Valley on a hazy
inversion day from the roof terrace

I think they all had a good time

Rob captures Lucy

Katy and Daniel admiring some of Tony's collection

Millie and Colton fed us well

Rob applies sealer to the new frame

Kris is back at work tomorrow, I am back in school on Wednesday, the Hastings head home that same day, and Katy and Daniel are off to Houston on Thursday.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

New Years Eve/New Years Night

New Years Eve was filled with snacks, fireworks, card games, poppers, noisemakers, streamers, and toasts to 2012. New Years was filled with church, a traditional Greek Dinner, and more card games.

Enough food to make you sick

Many of these young folks made it all the way to midnight

The Taylor shuffle for another round of Canasta

Souvlakia, dolmathes, spanokopita, pilafi,
tzatziki, and Greek salad: YUMMY!

Meagan, Katy, and Daniel

These girls love their Greek food

It was great to have Bill join us for church and dinner

Card games on a full belly

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

End-of-Year Fun

Anna and family arrived on Tuesday following Christmas and the good times have been unending. Auntie Katy hosted her traditional Marshmallow Party/Sleepover. Rob arrived on Friday night in time to join in the New Year celebrations.

Work on Uncle's dig continues at a steady pace as
concrete walls are poured

Katy, Daniel, and the crew pose for Anna's photo

Microwave s'mores are impressive

They actually slept a little

Breakfast pancakes are a mandatory part of the event

A striking dark sky sets off an unusually bare
(for late December) Timpanogos

Grammy and Pop Pop enjoy an evening out with the binkers
while Anna was in Salt Lake for Rob's arrival

Tom helps Rob and Anna construct the frame for
their Maynard Dixon print

The next post features New Years celebrations, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.