David and Kris's Blog

Friday, April 11, 2014

Spring Break 2014 Part I

The Hastings had a two week break and after a quick stop here (see previous post), spent a week in Moab with Reno friends. Upon their return, the rest of the family, now on their spring break, gathered for fun and adventure every day. This also coincided with a visit from Debra Sue Darling Gibbs, who came to town for Katy Brown's wedding and a couple of visits with Dr. Pain.

Oliver David received his Arrow of Light

The P. D. Taylor family with the newly-minted boy scout

An art-shopping trip to Park City with Anna and Rob

Finding the Kimball Art Center with device help

Cousins

Dinner at Janet's

These guys like Chinese food

Good times at the Provo Rec Center

Airport pick up followed by fantastic Brazilian food

An excursion to SLC begins with some adventures in

Nordstrom's shoe department while waiting for

various arrivals

Deb and Kris arrive

Em and the Taylors arrive

The whole gang at City Creek

Defying gravity on the way to the top of the Hotel

Utah (JSMB)

View from the top

Improving the mirror-like surface of the pool

A quick peek inside the Conference Center

Conference Center Roof Gardens

Springtime on Temple Square

Joined by some of the shoppers

ATH checks Madi's new shoes for comfort

The girlies and blossoms

The boys and bronze

Lunch at City Creek

The mommies

Marching lockstep with leftovers for supper

We eschewed leftovers for Indian food

We found these kids topping off the leftovers at Sodalicious

Part II will follow, but that's all for now.

OXO

Monday, March 31, 2014

Fin de Mars

The end of March was as interesting as the beginning. We celebrated Saint Patrick's Day a week early with delicious corned beef and cabbage. (What would we be if we lost our traditions?) We got together with the dregs of "the group" at a farewell dinner for Rod and Vic, who were leaving for Florida for 18 months. We had a visit from the missionaries who showed up at our door after escaping from from the MTC one afternoon. We also met them for dinner one evening during their MTC week. In addition, we joined in celebrating Lizzy's birthday with cousins from both sides of her family.

March was plumbing month. Grammy and I finally bought the Christmas gift from our kids: a new toilet, which is beautifully installed and has functioned without a single clog (yet: fingers crossed). We also finally resolved the exploding toilet issue in our bathroom. A new vent was added out the back of the house to relieve the pressure from the sump pump. It works like a charm!

Stephen and Ann left us feeling deprived and nostalgic as they headed to London for a two-week visit. Kris and I celebrated my birthday at the Bombay House, which is always a treat. Anna, Rob, and their gang blew in for a night's rest prior to heading to Moab where they met Reno friends for a few days of adventure. When the family gathered for 5th-Sunday family dinner, we celebrated my birthday with a delicious peanut butter-chocolate cake. Today, on the last day of the month, we went with Katy Kathryn to the flicker pictures and lunch at Provo Towne Center. After lunch, on the way to drop Anna's sewing machine for repairs, we were perfectly timed to see the statue of Moroni hoisted into place on the new temple.

An Irish treat

Spring storms have left snow on Timp

Group dinner at P712

Lizzy turned 11

Red-neck yard decor

Out with the old; in with the new

Missionaries at our door - we told them, "We

already got some"

Dinner with the MTC escapees

The Black Sheep

Off to London

The new vent has eliminated the geyser in our toilet

Onion Bhaji

Birthday nosh

The Hastings overnight visit; Slab Pizza for supper for most

At least one had Weetabix for supper

Sisters

Happy Birthday to Dickie

Peanut butter chocolate cake with chocolate pudding

filling, peanut butter frosting, and chocolate ganoche

Enjoying dessert

Genealogy, they are doing it...

A fun day out with Katy Kathryn

Ready to launch at exactly 14:30

Lowered into place

Touch down!

As an interesting (to me) side note, when I saw where Moroni's trumpet was pointing, I pulled out my compass app to check the direction. So, it turns out that Provo is not laid out on and exact north-south axis. Who knew?

The Hastings will return and Debra Sue is coming to town, so there will be stuff to report.

That's all for now.

OXO

Sunday, March 9, 2014

March Madness Begins

March is birthday-craziness month around here. Eight birthdays, starting with Tucker on March 4th and ending with yours truly on the 27th. So, the madness has begun. Meagan invited us to join them for an early celebration for Phillip at a curiously-named Brazilian restaurant called the Sweet Spot in South Jordan. One of her colleagues had recommended it. It was delicious! In fact we took the uncles'-dinner group back last night. In defense of their name, they make incredibly tasty cakes and pastries.

Uncle and I have started walking again in preparation for their trip to London later this month. The intermittent rain storms have left the mountains covered in snow and the views from the valley are priceless.

On Pippy's actual birthday we were invited again to join the Taylors for dinner at La Casita. Phillip has been eating there since he was born, which was shortly after it opened. Luis fêted him with complementary guacamole, a cheese crisp, and fried ice cream. Back home, the rest of the family joined for brownies, ice cream, and some mousse de Maracujá (passion fruit) made by a Brazilian connection of Meagan. That evening Max had a choir concert and was dressed accordingly. My immediate impression was that he looked like an early Beatle with his skinny pants, skinny tie, and Beatle haircut. We were sorry to miss the concert, but we had SNAP.