Say Hello to Marleen!

The day after Brooke and I got back from girls' camp, we picked up our German foreign exchange student, Marleen.  She's a sweetheart, and it's been very fun to have her here with us.  We look forward to getting to know her more as she is with us until July 21st.  The program she's with keeps her and the other 26 kids in her group pretty busy--they are in class in the mornings 3 or 4 days a week, have activities most afternoons, go on an all day excursion once a week, and have other optional activities to choose from scattered throughout the time they're here.  Today they went to Universal Studios, and earlier this week, after class, they went on a tour of the Los Angeles area, including the Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive, and the like.  As a host family, we have the option of joining students on their outings, which we plan to do--Magic Mountain, and Wicked, the beach, and possibly Disneyland.  Fun times!

Girls' Camp

Last week Brooke and I went up to Camp Taloa (To Always Love One Another), the girls' camp in the San Bernardino National Forest that is provided by the stake every summer. This is Brooke's 6th and final year to go, so she was what is known as a YCL (youth camp leader). She and the 7 other girls her age in our stake were in charge of planning and running camp, and they did a fabulous job! (I had the job of audio-visual technician, as the camp director didn't want to have to deal with it and the YCL girls had enough to do. Plus, I put several bugs in several ears that I wanted to go!) We went up on Monday morning (the 16th) and got home around 2:30 Friday afternoon (the 20th). The week was fairly uneventful, considering there were about 70 girls in all. They were divided up by age groups, with 5th year girls, known as counselors, being divided amongst the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year cabins the whole time, and the 4th year girls (known as Kits, short for counselors-in-training) helping the counselors during the day, but being in their own cabin at night. The YCL's had their own cabin, too, and all the cabins had two adults in them, as well. I stayed with the stake adult leaders at the main lodge, where there was much construction, bugs, and mice and dust all around, but at least I had a mattress!

Anyway, the only picture I have right now is one that shows what happened to one of the cars in our caravan on the way home:

We were in the car just behind the one that lost the tire--and we saw the tire go flying up the embankment and land at the side of the road. Fortunately, there was a turnoff really close by!  It was an eventful ending to a really fun week, and if they ask me to go back next year, I'll have to say. . .hmmmm. . .I'm still recovering, so I really can't answer that question yet!!!  I just barely caught up with laundry today, I've felt the need to nap almost every day since we returned, but I do have to say that Dallin did a great job looking after his younger brothers and nicely getting them to do their chores.  Chris was still working (his last day was today-blech!), so Dallin was in charge until Chris got home.  

Anyway, all in all, a good experience--I'll post more pictures as I get them from others who were there--I was really quite busy most of the time, plus I didn't take my camera!

Random Pictures

So I was looking at the number of posts I've done since last August when I started blogging, and the most I've ever done in a month is 4! How pathetic is that!! It's only June 8, so I figure I'll be able to beat that record this month easy. For this post, I hope you'll indulge me while I share some fun pictures I happen to like a lot.

One of my all-time favorite pictures of Brookie.

A fabulous picture that Brooke took at Memorial Park just down the street from us.

Me drawing glasses and a mustache on Dallin as part of a game we were playing.

Chris zonked out on the couches.  He looks pretty comfy, doesn't he?

Brooke posing for Jill (click her name to see her photography business blog--she's amazing) during our family photo shoot last year.

On our way home from Tennessee in December of 2006, we stopped at a rest area and the kids had a huge snowball fight--in ARIZONA!

Jared playing hide & seek with Jill.

John found a praying mantis on a lamp post at church after a scout meeting one night.

Christmas 2007- Dallin got a new bass guitar, which he practices all the time.

John climbing the one remaining tree in our front yard--it's a favorite                                                                                               of all the kids that come to "hang out" at our house.

Me and my sweetie.

Jared and his pet guinea pig Henry.

Noah and his rat Whiskers.

Dallin looking cool--Brooke took this photo--very fun!

Me and Noah--aren't we cute?  Well, mostly Noah, actually.  I love the faces he pulls!!

Beautiful Brookie--a self-portrait!  She is very good at taking her own picture.

Noah looking cool up in a tree.  He loves climbing trees.

Jared smiling! It's not often I can get him to smile for a picture--he usually gets all serious.

Our cat Minnie--or at least her silhouette in the morning sun. She likes to sit in the window and dream about what it was like to roam about outside.  She also sits there to wait for us to come home.

Can they say "cheeeeese" or what?? Again, by our friend, Jill.

Birthday Tributes

Ok, so Dallin's birthday was May 28, and John's was June 5, and I really wanted them each to have their own separate tribute post, but oh, well.  They're used to sharing! Better late than never, right?

Anyway, Dallin is my go-to guy. Anytime I need extra help with anything, he's almost always willing to help out--without complaining! He is very reliable and likes to be on time. (When he was a baby, I could set my clock by him--he would take a nap every day at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. He still just goes to bed whenever he's tired.)  He is a great musician, following in his dad's footsteps, just with different instruments. He plays French horn in concert band, mellophone in marching band, and bass in jazz band. His favorite is probably bass- he practices any chance he gets, and takes lessons from a guy named Baba Elephante--no kidding--that's really his name. I digress. Anyway, he loves jazz, which is really fun.  Dallin also has a great sense of humor. I never know what's going to come out of his mouth, but I can almost always bet it's going to make me laugh.  He does well in school, even though he drives me crazy sometimes by not doing his homework.  He still manages to get pretty good grades because he's good at taking tests. And, lastly, I appreciate the fact that he doesn't mind too much when I hug him goodnight.

Happy 15th, Dallin!

As for John, he's brought our household teenager total to 3.  (I can't believe I'm old enough to have THREE teenagers!)  Anyway, John is somewhat of a daredevil, and loves to be outside playing frisbee or hitting tennis balls over the neighbor's fence, or at the park climbing trees. He's also got a sensitive side, which he'll probably not be happy about me sharing, but it's true.  He loves to play with babies, and try to make them laugh by making funny faces or noises at them.  Most of the time he succeeds, too.  As a matter of fact, his friend's little sister wants to come over quite often just to see him be funny--she's known him all her life, and no doubt remembers those faces he used to make at her when she was an infant. He's also a good musician, playing alto and tenor saxophone in the concert and jazz bands at school.  Even though he doesn't particularly like school, he still does pretty well most of the time.  (He and Dallin share a dislike for writing, which makes English class interesting for both of them.  They manage somehow, though.)  And, lastly, I appreciate the fact that he'll come and find me to hug me goodnight. 

 Happy 13th, John!