parker and isaac 

Jane 

ridge 

over the edge 

Trees 

Brook 

Base of Rainier 

Family way up there ahead 

Falls 

Mike and Mom 

Happy Elly 

Rainier crew 

That is to say, I didn't go as high up the mountain trail as the rest of the clan at Mt. Rainier yesterday. Hey, I got a nice hiking stick, however. So, the remaining crowd at our home, being Mike, Brooke and girls, and I,T,P and M, and mom and I took the ride, all 133 miles, up to the area called Paradise. It is. Beautiful, as Mike pronounced months ago when they went up with the Bennetts.

There were clouds from the base, up...so, we didn't see much of the mountain, but what we did see was fabulous.

Dave and Adina are on a Thur-Sun trip to the coast, hopefully, having a ball. We're glad they've gotten some relief and been able to just rest and enjoy the time together.

Mom deploys to Europe tomorrow at 0830 an a large civilian transporter. She has her orders in hand and is making contingencies as I write. She and the admiral are going to reconoiter the lands around France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Their bivouacs and messing facilities have already been arranged by headquarters and the admiral has been given full responsibility to see that the troops enjoy their tour for a continuous 21 or so days. So, she is finishing up last minute disbursements and arranging for her private husband to deliver the remaining documents to the postal services, for payment during her mission.

I believe she is also finishing a RS lesson for delivery today at church.

I believe we're going to have a family meal today in preparation for mom and Mike leaving for their trips. Sad to see Mike go off to Korea but how glad we are that he was chosen for Korea vice other venues. I guess that is sort of a parental issue with keeping their children as safe as possible. I'm sure there are deep feelings that are still to surface as the departure nears. We have enjoyed his presence for the few weeks that he has been here. I guess what we would enjoy most is seeing all of you back in the area so we could see you raise you families and enjoy each other at family gatherings. Once every few years is nice, but nothing like just calling a gathering for a weekend and having some more time together. Hey, jobs take you where they must and making a living sometimes requires a lot of separation....just look back at our times away from family. And, note too, that we don't live near our family.

Well, I am going to end this as I'd like to post some photos from yesterday.

Love you all, Dad

We were going to ship him out there for a visit!

Hayden looks way too small for this ride but it's his favorite one!

Super Hayden!

The rain is over and it feels like summer again. It seems unreal to think about how much people are suffering just to the south of us while I sit here so comfortable in my house. I’m grateful there are so many organizations offering relief.

Hayden has been particularly fun this week, just being so cute and sweet. Today we went to a music class put on by some of the other moms in our ward and he loved it! He followed all the directions and really enjoyed dancing along and singing and such. He keeps saying that Sophie (the girl I baby sit) is his sister. He tells everyone that she is his sister and for some reason it makes her mad and she says “I’m not your sister” and that hurts his feelings and he cries…hopefully his real sister will be nicer to him! It’s pretty funny.

Tom is getting busier at the clinic but he is still trying to find more patients. He really enjoys what he is doing which is good since he has to do it anyway! This school year is definitely much better since he isn’t busy with homework all the time. Hayden and I enjoy the fact that we can hang out with him every night.

We got some new fish today for our salt water tank. They are pretty cool and will hopefully acclimate well with the other fish. We already had to remove our star fish because he was really aggressive and was trying to eat our new anemones. The star fish cost $6 and the anemones were $30…so the star fish was returned to the pet store. We couldn’t get our money back for the star fish, we’ve had him for a few months, but at least we didn’t have to kill him. Hopefully the other creatures will learn to get along!

I’m finally really starting to feel pregnant. I can’t bend over as easily and I have to wear all maternity clothes and such. But I still feel great compared to how I am sure I will feel in a few months! I thought I would wear a lot of the clothes I had with Hayden but they are just so uncomfortable and frumpy looking compared to what they have now that I had to break down and get some new pants, even though they cost a fortune!

We are hoping to go the beach tomorrow with the Debaltzo’s after the BYU game. We are watching the game at 3:30 and will then hopefully meet up with them. We’re looking forward to a relaxing nice weekend. Gas is $3.29 at the station on the corner, we’re grateful we didn’t have any long road trips planned.

Hopefully you will all have a great weekend! We’d love to hear the reports on everyone’s new school year. Thanks Marnie and Buffy for keeping us up to date. I hope the new school year goes well for everyone, kids and adults alike. Hayden starts his once a week preschool on Tuesday, should be fun. I’ll do better about writing to keep you up to date on our boring lives! We love you all, feel free to come visit.

Tracey

As per Marnie's request, I decided to blog a bit.
I have just finished my last first week of fall semester here at Cal State Northridge. The bad news: I have to wake up at 5:30 am again and start another heavy semester of studying as well as write my graduate thesis. The good news: getting to see all my classmates (I've made some great friends here), we have beautiful new facilities that were just completed (pretty impressive), and I've made it to the final year.
I'm really excited to take my pediatrics course as well as my advanced anatomy elective. There are only 8 people in this class and we get to choose what disections we want to do and encorporate them into presentations of our choice. I have to start on my first disection on Tuesday and have no idea what body part I want to do... any suggestions???
I also just sewed a couple of blankets/quilts with my friend for the first time... once again I am becoming more domesticated (who would have thought?). If you need straight lines to be sewn, I'm your gal!
The sunbeem class I co-teach with the bishop's wife is going well. My lesson last Sunday went very well; my lesson lasted longer than 5 minutes, I luckily made a coloring project which came in handy, and there were no tantrums!! I am learning a lot about teaching the little guys from observing my partner. She is incredibly loving and patient with them which is good since she has had 11 of her own to practice with!
Anyway, Brent is still working hard as ever at the Chalet. There is always some big sale or event to keep him working hard and often late.
Have a good weekend everyone and Marnie, I hope this helped!
Buffy

Hello? Is anyone out there?

Seriously guys! You haven't been supplying me with stuff to read at all this week! I am forced to read the Schick blog, the Bennett blog, or just hollywood gossip! What is going on? Have you all fallen off the face of the internet? I am confused.

Anyway, I am hoping you are all alive because I am. Things are going pretty well in San Diego. I sure can't complain about anything to do with the weather! What with the horrendous-biblical-propotioned disaster happening on the Gulf Coast. I hope you all have been watching. I am always surprised at people who don't pay attention to the news and really have no idea what is going on. But that is probably because I am constantly checking the news. This has been happening for almost a week and people I know are just realizing it today! Anyway, so on Monday I went beach cruising on Coronado with Joel and Derek. George W. was there at the Hotel Del Coronado and there were TONS of protestors standing along the beach outside. The anti-Bush people were on the left side of the street and the pro-Bush people were on the right, with police on horses and police with riot gear strolling down the middle. So we all got some dinner and sat to watch the crazy people. :) It was pretty funny. I am telling you, some of those protestors definitely need some voice coaching, their singing was horrible! "We shall overcome, we shall overcome..." wow...

Didn't get to see W. though and he left on Tuesday to cut his vacation short because of the Katrina disaster. I am reading/listening to "Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim" by David Sedaris right now on my way to and from work. I like it quite a bit and am almost done. So I need a new book to read, any suggestions?

I saw "Red Eye" last week. It is a pretty good movie, I recommend it if you want to see a suspense thriller. Last night I watched an older movie that I hadn't seen, "Drop Dead Gorgeous". Really funny, mockumentary style like Spinal Tap and Best in Show.

Work is going well. I have had a lot to do this week so I am keeping busy. I start a PET, Parent Effectiveness Training, class on September 13th. It is my companies main communication program and they want me to take it. So they are paying for everything, I just have to go. It is every tuesday night for 2 1/2 hours for 8 weeks. It should be interesting. Even though I am not a parent yet, they are useful skills for all relationships and I hope to be a parent one day. I am also planning on taking a New Testament Institute class on Wednesday nights that my bishop's wife teaches. She is a really amazing woman. I think they have 12 children or something like that. Anyway, I am looking forward to that.

I worked at Sport Chalet last Saturday and am this Saturday as well as Monday since I have Labor Day off and don't have any other plans. I figured I might as well make as much money as I can that day. :) (Holiday time at GTI plus time and a half from Sport Chalet). Working there is going well so far. I did realize some of the downsides when I went back last week, like having to help customers and not just talk to my friends :), but it is fine and I am liking it.

I am planning a trip to Utah for my birthday. My old roommate, Nicole's, brother is getting married so she can't come down and I figured that I haven't been up there in a while so I would make the road trip and go! A few of my friends are coming with me and most of them have never been to Utah so that should be fun. Mom and Dad will be up there that weekend as well so hopefully I can see them at some point.

Anyway, now that I have written you a novel! I guess I will get back to work. I hope to see some novels from all of you as well since we haven't heard from anyone in a while! Love you all!

PS: I am probably going to see the new Transporter movie this weekend. I will let you all know how it is.
PPS: Don't think that I am spending a ridiculous amount of money at the movies, I have a hook-up at the theatre! Don't be jealous!