Family!

I began a new "assignment" in Primary today.  A couple of weeks ago, I played the piano in Primary (my calling), and at the end of the hour, the new song leader told me she was quitting.  She is a 45 year-old newlywed (first time marriage for both her and her husband).  She was so uncomfortable trying to interact with the children that she told the bishop that she couldn't do it.  The solution was to trade with the pianist (her idea).  I have absolutely loved being the pianist, but I've done it for more than two years, so I am happy to have a new challenge and opportunity.   I even purchased a set of bells so I wouldn't have to borrow every time I want to use them. 

Roy and I spent an entire afternoon this week looking at brick and rock.  I had no idea how hard choosing the exterior of our new home could be.  We have some ideas, but nothing final.  Apparently this is a choice that has to be made ASAP.  You would think we'd have more time when we are where at the stage we are at with the home building--We have the footings poured, and a lot of prep work for the slab, but so far the slab has not even been poured. I guess things move pretty quickly in these first stages.

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We'll have a daylight basement, which I'm really excited about

Adrienne planned a trip to the zoo for Friday.  Dan and Jieun and their girls, Sara and Ori, Adrienne and her boys, and I, all met at Spanky's for lunch before heading to the zoo.  Imagine 7 little children, all 5 and under, eating in a restaurant (even though it's just a sandwich place).  It was the zoo before the zoo!  But we had fun.  The real zoo was great.  We started off with a train ride, and saw a baby giraffe, newly on display.   

 The male lions were wrestling right by the windows.  It's almost scary to watch when they are so close. 

 In honor of Max, we all went on the Merry-Go-Round. (Max absolutely refuses to ride a Merry Go Round--one of his very few fears).

Gunnar and I had an especially good time in the small animal building.  Even though it smells it is one of my favorite parts of the zoo; Gunnar's, too.  He loved the snakes and wanted me to tell him each name and a little about them.  I pointed out the poisonous ones and the constrictors as well.

I tried to get all the kids to look at me for this picture--my kids told
me to just take it because having them all look at me at the same time
was never going to happen

Roy and I recently got Fitbits and are trying to keep up with the other walkers in the family.  It's a little hard because it doesn't count very many steps when I skate (too smooth), and of course I can't wear it when I teach water aerobics; and Roy is biking for his exercise, which is also smooth and not a step-based activity  However, we've been able to get our 10,000 steps almost every day--even above our other exercise.   Roy is trying to train to do a Century race with Matt in a few months.  That's 100 miles on the bike.  Sounds extremely uncomfortable to me, but he loves it.

Sunday night we had a wonderful evening with the family.  Even Crista, Matt and Ruby came down.  We had delicious carne asada with sauteed peppers and onions.  Adrienne brought homemade guacamole (and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies) Dan and Jieun brought Jello, and Nick and Sara brought strawberry shortcake.  It was great that the weather was nice enough for the kids to play outside. 

I have to share these pictures of Ruby, Nick and Ori. (below) Sara and Nick went to Logan yesterday to spend time with Crista and Matt.  

 Poor Ori walked into Crista's house while everyone was outside and turned the deadbolt and locked herself in.  It took 40 minutes to get a hold of Matt to find out there was a hidden key.  Ori stood at the window and cried all that time.

Caitlyn looked so cute in her Sunday dress (hand-me-down from Crista)

 Before the evening was over, we had a chance to Facetime with Elise and Andy.  We got a lot of smiles out of Maverick.  Roy took some screen shots, but I guess he didn't know that if he tapped the screen, the phone icons would disappear.  He got Max to smile, but of course, when it was time for pictures, Maverick was done smiling.
We only got home from Texas a week ago.  When we were there he would smile, but you really had to coax it out of him.  Now he's super smiley.


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I want to share more family history stories, but lately Sunday's have been so busy it's amazing I get these letters written at all.  I guess to do family history, I'll have to spend some time writing during the week.  I love you al