Favorite Phrases

My favorite phrases of Gavin's this summer happen all the time when we are driving around in the car:

"I see Y"

and

"I see Temple"

Just makes me smile. Better enjoy them while I can because in a few more days he's not going to be seeing those things anymore.

We're Back...But Internet Is Not

Post Edit: Still no Internet connection for my computer, which means that list of things to catch up on is really adding up!

We are back from our week at Lake Tahoe and had just the best time.

And just when it seems I have a few moments to catch up on this blog the Internet connection to my computer (the one that just happens to have all the pictures on it) has failed.

So when (and if) that ever returns I want to remember to catch up on:

• Friday Field Trip #3 to the Alpine Slides
• Tahoe
• Books, Books, Books
• Favorite Things
• Sadie's Recovery
• Bret's trip to Russia and the Ukraine
• Riverside
• Soccer Camp
• Bear Lake
• Hiking with Grandma and Grandpa Crane
• Grandma Great
• Girls Night
• Fun Concert With Sisters
• Abby's Bronze/Silver/Gold Meet
• Summer Project
• Oldies but Goodies

And of course all those things that happen between now and then which is already mounting up. I may not be able to get to all this until we're back home, and if that's the case...wow, watch out! Tons coming this way!

Broken Bone...

...and it's not even one of the kids.

Sadie wondered off when she was supposed to be under the watchful eye of Zachary. (This wondering off really never happens even though this is now the second post dealing with such things.) She found herself down the street and around the corner in someones yard before Zachary even realized she was missing.

I was not home at the time so my Dad got in his car to try and find her. He drove up and down the street a few times and then noticed a lady walking from her home across the street and thought maybe she saw something.

This lady saw Sadie jump from a retaining wall down to some grass but hit her hind legs against some wood landscaping box on the way down and lay there in a little ball. She wouldn't move, get up, or put any weight on it.

I came home a few minutes later and took her down to a vet.

She broke her hind right leg right below the kneecap. She is having surgery on it having a pin put in place and they are keeping her there for three days. Four weeks from now she'll need to have a second surgery to have the pin removed.

Poor thing was miserable. To top it all off the day after this happened we left for our annual Lake Tahoe family reunion. (This is where good friends are a gift and a blessing. My best friend from high school is taking her I'm sure will nurse her back to health!)

I always thought it would be one of the kids to break a bone...not our dog!

Friday Field Trip #2

For our second Friday Field trip we went to the aquarium and the planetarium (just trying to see how many "atrium's" we could see in a day.)

The aquarium was small but the kids LOVED it! Abby said over and over how much she loved it and how beautiful everything was.

The big hits were the sting rays and the penguins.

Gavin and Grandma looking at the sharks

After the aquarium we went to the Clark Planetarium and saw the 3-D imax of the Hubble telescope. This was awe-inspiring. Incredible pictures that showed the birth of stars. It showed a small glimpse of what worlds without end might look like and yet how wonderful it is to know that our Heavenly Father knows our names individually!

Our Own Little Alien

We had a could-be scary incident this week....not my finest parenting moment.

Gavin and Zachary were out front of my parents house playing one morning, not an unusual occurrence. Sometime later, not sure how long, the door bell rings and I go to answer it and see a lady from my parents ward and Gavin at the door.

I think to myself, oh, she's here to see my parents and Gavin walked her to the door when he saw her heading that way. I open the door and she asks, "is this one yours, I just found him down on foothill drive."

Heart stop!

Gavin had wondered down the street and around the corner and I didn't even know he was missing!

Thank heavens this kind grandma was driving by, saw him, and helped him find his way home. She didn't know who he belonged to and start asking him questions. She asked him where he was from and he looked up, pointed to the sky and said, "MOON!! MOON!!" (ha ha)

The only other words she was able to get out him were "Grandma's house." He was able to lead the way and show her where that was thank goodness.

So there you have it...I didn't even know my child had wondered off, he was found in the middle of the road and brought back safely! Grateful he's OK, returned and safe. Grateful someone above was watching out for him!

Ice Blocking

Last week we went ice blocking with Jeff and Jackie...Jackie didn't actually do any ice blocking but she was a great cheer leader!

This was one of my kids favorite things we did last summer and ever since we got here they have been asking about when we were going to do it...looks like we've started a new Utah summer tradition! :)

Zachary was a hill-climbing machine...he kept going and going and going.

Gavin loved it too this year, but after a few rides down he was content to walk around and have fun at the playground...

(lovin his face expression here)

...and trying on Aunt Jackie's glasses...

Jeff showed us his stuff by going down backwards

And then taking out McKenna...I LOVE this sequence

(I know that looks like one bad elbow to the head, but he claims he was actually trying to protect her)

Of course there had to be the pile ups...surprisingly these did not end badly

Fun Fun Fun

Things I Love About Utah...

OTHER then family, I try to soak up these things while I'm here...

• majestic mountains
• Cinnamon bears
• Downeast
• a Costco that is not an hour away
• getting to church in 2 minutes rather then 30
• Deseret Book/BYU Bookstore
• Cafe Rio
• close Temples (6 within 50 minutes!!!)
• swimming at Riverside
• bowling
• In-n-Out (takes me back to Arizona days)
• the view of the valley from my parents house
• Ripples milkshakes

Time is going by oh so quickly, I better enjoy these while I can!

For Lauren...

We enthusiastically approve!!!

12 thumbs up! :)

McKenna pulled him into your dads office and had a couple questions for him... Question number 1: Do you believe in Jesus Christ...he said yes and told her about a man he baptized on his mission named Gavin. Question number 2: will you make Lauren laugh every day...he said he would try his hardest.

Phew...he passed! :)

(and a couple fishy faces just for you!)

WE MISS YOU!