Summshine

Still Hiking

2012-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

No worries, Wool Socks.

Still no worries, Wool Socks.

More Hiking

2012-01-19T17:34:00.000-08:00

A Hike in the Hills above Moffat

2012-01-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

Last Year

2012-01-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

We went for a hike. Before we got out the door, there was a photo shoot.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

They played with the confetti for about an hour; only stopping because we made them go to bed. It was a fun party at home. Hope you have as good a celebration as we did. Thankfully vacum cleaners were invented in the 1860's.

Callan House

2011-12-31T02:45:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas in Scotland is over. Bunty is the reason we are able to go. She has had us up for christmas twice now and we have loved it each time. Callan House is one of our favorite places to visit.

The weather this year was almost tropical compared to last year. There was no snow, so we got out and did some much higher hiking in the hills. We attended church in Dumfries (saw some people I haven't seen in a long time). Attended a Christmas Carol service in Beattock. Attended a watchnight service in Moffat. And enjoyed one anothers company. Too bad christmas isn't a longer holiday.

So What's it Like?

2011-12-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

Being two is the greatest!

I get to dress myself

and try new hairdo's!

I am not sure but...

2011-12-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

I think I am beginning to see a pattern.

I know that we post about Alex a bit more often than our other children but it's kind of hard not to when he is doing things like this:

The other night, instead of crying, 'Daddy' to get me to come up to his bedroom, he was singing, 'Daddy'. I had to go up to his bedroom and see what he wanted. When I got there he politely said, 'daddy look at my nose.'

I thought it would be either bloody, bruised, or completly sideways. But it wasn't. The problem was a booger that strung out from his nose across his cheek and stopped almost at his ear. DISGUSTING! Trust me, I know. But he didn't show me to be disgusting. I could tell that the thought of playing with it hadn't crossed his mind. He just wanted it off. I can't blame him; I wanted the same. Too bad there wasn't time to go downstairs and pull out the camera for proof. I quickly grabbed some tissue and wiped it off.

I am just glad that he didn't freak out and get hysterical because of it. He was calm and collected while just wanting it off. Plus, it is good that it was on his cheek because he developed conjuctivitis a couple of days ago. I took him to the pharmacist to ask if they had anything I could give him until we saw a doctor. Upon approaching the counter, she actually stepped back and said, 'Woah!' Apparently the boogers in his eyes had built up while my head was turned (there were alot coming out). Then she asked, 'Has he been complaining about pain or just uncomfortable?' Turns out there are eye drops you don't need a prescription for that will take care of the bacteria causing the problem. Sorry I don't have pictures of this either (been to busy).

That Was Close

2011-12-14T04:12:00.000-08:00

In light of the near cussing in our last post I thought I would mention the wonderful rhyming that Evie has been doing lately. I believe that I said 'Good Luck' to Kate. Evie was in my arms and looked up at me to say 'Good luck, What the...Huck?!' and then began giggling. Kate and I sighed in relief at the choice of rhyming word she ended up with.

And Instantly I was transported back 5 years to my sister-in-law Erin's blog post 'HOLY WHAT?!?'. It has to be one of the funnier posts, if not the funniest, I think I have read. We are right at the same time of year that she posted that as well.

The Writing on the Wall

2011-12-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

In Mary Poppins they jump into the sidewalk paintings. In the tunnels these two come as close as possible to jumping into the murals. Again there is no posing of these two. They chose where to stand and what to do while I composed, focused, metered, and captured.

2 Years Old (Still no gray hair on her)

2011-12-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Got some mixed reactions from her this year when the goodies came out. Almost got burnt when she leaned over the burning candles. In the end the 'Squidy Face' came out. Ice-cream and Cake always help ease the aging process.

John Stewart Shows How Ron Paul Is Feared By The NWO Mafia Controlled Ma...

2011-12-10T03:54:00.000-08:00

So I just watched this video on youtube and couldn't help but re-post it. John Stewart has taken the unfortunate reality of the bias with-in mainstream media and made something both funny and sad. It really does get ones 'panties-in-a-wad' when you think about how the media spins the news the way they want it to go.

Practice

2011-11-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

Once again an empty playground has become his stage. There wasn't so much singing but there was alot of dance moves and his shadow. So I don't know if he was just trying to see what he looked like or performing for his shadow. All I know is that without any encouragment from us he sings, dances, and performs. Here is a video of his music set up the other night.

A Sunday Walk in the Woods

2011-11-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

It was such a nice day outside today. We couldn't sit home after church so we promptly went out to enjoy an afternoon walking in the woods before the sun set at 4:14pm. This is the only part we hate, the super early nights of winter but at least the sun doesn't keep the kids awake.

The main part of this branch broke away from the trunk of the tree about 30 seconds after he had let go and walked away.

Not sure if these fox holes are still used during the training exercises that take place here but they are everywhere and some have been converted into sweet jumps by the mountain bikers.

Daddy Daughter Outing

2011-11-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

Normally we go on an outing on Friday or Saturday. This time we went on a Tuesday. We rode the bus to Meryl's house with the missionaries to join in on a teach. It was one of the best outings we have ever been on.

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

Wow we had so many children (4) come trick-or-treating at our door tonight. It has to be a new record for youngsters, eager for candy, out knocking on doors in the dark in England. If you think I am kidding, I am not. It just isn't a big holiday over here. Which is sad really, because they have some delicious goodies on the shelves everyday. We did notice that there were more halloween items on the store shelves at Tesco this year. But they were already being replaced with gift wrap for christmas tonight.

We didn't take the kids out trick-or-treating but they did practice by knocking on the living room door instead. We had a little party and watched some Arthur cartoons with a Halloween theme. It was a fun night in.

It probably has never been a big event here because of Guy Fawkes night which is on the 5th of November. That is cool holiday. Celebrate catching a potential assasin by setting off fireworks and burning giant bonfire's with effigies of the dude on top.

Not My Greatest Moment

2011-10-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

You are looking at an image of a 'Pasty'. They are delicious and come in a variety of flavors. A couple of my favorites are Cheese and Onion, Steak, and Chicken and Mushroom. The other day I had one that was supposed to be Fajita; It wasn't. Instead it was Curry. Oh well, it was delicious.

Anyway there is a Sainsbury's supermarket near my University. Sometimes I walk over there and grab something for lunch. If you get there by noon the Pasties that didn't sell the day before are all marked down for real cheap. On Tuesday I bought two of them, a Steak and Chicken and Mushroom.While at the check out I noticed that the paper bags they had been put in were extremly greasy. Other than thinking about how much my heart would hate me for eating the grease, I thought nothing more. After paying, I picked them up and began to rush out the door. After just a couple of steps I noticed something had hit my foot. After another step I looked down and saw my Steak Pasty, ripped open, flying across the front of store spraying out its contents along the way. It somehow missed every person that was in one of the two lines waiting for customer service and stopped about 2 feet short of hitting 4 other students (two girls and two boys).

About the time I realized it was my Pasty, the laughter errupted! I looked at the students in horror, and they quickly placed their hands over their mouths to muffle the noise. In a sense of shock, my eyes followed the 15 ft. trail of gravy and steak from the now mutilated pasty laying in the middle of the floor back to about 2 feet behind me where my foot had punted my lunch.

One of the customer service ladies looked at it and cringed. The security guard walked over and shook his head. I tried to respond, '...it, it just fell out.' The students were now trying to hold back tears while I looked for an escape route. The only thing I found was strangers with the look of disgust and horror on their faces. It took about two minutes for someone to come and start cleaning up the mess. And customer service told me I could go get a new one. When I asked if I needed to show it to them before leaving the girl said, 'No, we will trust you. Just go.'

I swear it wasn't my fault. The paper bag it was in was so greasy that it simply fell apart at the wrong time. Maybe the right time considering it didn't hit anybody.

Alligator Wrestling in England?

2011-10-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

I Doubt That...

2011-10-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

I have always doubted that twins, of any sort, could:

read eachothers minds
feel when the other was in trouble
finish eachothers sentences
etc.

Call me a skeptic but even though my own father has an identical twin, I still have a hard time believing it. Alex and Evie are twins but I have always seen the differences in their personalities and the things they identify with. I don't really see them doing the crazy paranormal things that you hear stories of when it comes to twins.

This could all change. You see after school each day they get to choose a book to take home and read. There are two different tubs full of books to choose from. Yesterday they went to separate tubs of books and chose the same book without talking to eachother. They just turned around and had the same exact book. And, it wasn't a book they have chosen before. The only difference in the books is the cover. Everything else about them is the same. In fact the covers aren't much different they have the same image only one had a white board and one did not.

Perhaps I may begin to believe more fully in the strange twin things that can happen, even if they aren't identical.

Something for the Sun Flair Fans ...

2011-09-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

I know there is at least one Sun Flair fan out there. So here are some lasers and smoke from a wedding reception I photographed last saturday for you to enjoy. Getting the shots was so Hard but so much fun! I love it when the music comes on and people just get up to have some fun. The technical data: Canon 5d, ISO 1600, f 3.5, shutter speeds of 1/125 down to 1/10; the external flash was set anywhere from -1 to -3 in power (I varied it). If you are wondering, yes I put the camera down and enjoyed a dance with Kate before the night was over.

Some Advice...

2011-09-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

When a camera points at you....Pose.....Evie does. Sometimes it is strange other times it is perfect. If you shy away and try to hide then it is just awkward. She chose the first two poses against my better judgment. In the second two she worked with me and enhanced the poses that I told her to hold.

She...

2011-09-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

could stop traffic.

However, her modesty allows it to flow freely.

(In addition - We were walking the kids to school the other morning and Kate was wearing her running tights/running clothing. At the end of the road a guy driving looked at her, looked away and looked back at her. Yeah, it was a double take of my hot woman! Good thing he didn't crash his car.)

Another Take part II

2011-09-19T02:43:00.000-07:00

(You can see part one here)I think they were almost 8 months old in this one.They are three in this one.Still 3 in this one and have a baby sister Bunty that is 8 months old in this one.

Alex and Evie are 4. Bunty is 21 months in these two additional photos.

In the original post I mentioned rephotographing at the bottom of the slide in a couple of years. I am still planning to do just that, but I couldn't wait another year to show the progress of their growth.

I Believe that kids are like...

2011-09-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

...Puppies!

Fun, playful, energetic, uncoordinated, learning, happy, loving, dirty, strange, and the best.

London Temple

2011-09-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

We wish we had the resources to return to the temple monthly, but alas that is not to be right now. It sure is nice to go though. The kids love it too. The pond has little fish and a couple of whhite ducks that live there.

2011-09-16T02:15:00.000-07:00

Have you read the book 'Oh George' by Sue Graves illustragted by Ross Collins? It is a fun, short, book; great for bedtime stories.Well, our kids love the book. In fact it looks like they tried to be like George and paint eachother.

It Almost Worked

2011-09-15T02:11:00.000-07:00

In an effort to have one on one time with thte kids, I, Dave, take them on one on one outings once a week. Evie was first this week. We went to the bank and saw some fun exhibits in town centre. When we got home it was time to switch and give Alex a turn. Evie did not think this was ok and wanted to go with. It really did almost work but instead just prompted we to grab a camera and capture the moment. It is hard having a photography loving father.

Extreme-ly Fun Hair Style

2011-09-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

Just a like a troll doll. Bunty hates getting her hair washed, as do most children. Her hair is so pretty afterwards and before she eats and gets food in it. Looking back, we can see just how much she has grown over the last year. At this point in her development she has begun learning new words and using them everytime she gets a chance. We love this little kid, she has seriously been such an easy child.

Last Day of Preschool...First Day of School

2011-09-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

How they look is how I felt after getting an Associates degree, and a Bachelor degree; like 'hmm, now what?'

But the future is in sight.

Yellow uniforms and eachother, is what they had for their first day of 'Big Kids School' as Evie calls it. One week later and they are doing so well that they have started going full time instead of just half days. It is very awesome for them. At the same time it seems strange to be letting strangers teach our children already. All I can say is that at least they understand the Word of Wisdom already. In fact Evie yells out, 'We don't smoke, or drink alcohol, or tea, or coffee' anytime we see someone doing those things. And I mean YELLS it out! Alex makes the same comments so we are hopeful that we are starting them in the correct direction.

Kate thinks that all schools should have uniforms. They are wonderful!

Check this out

2011-09-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Trying to put kids to bed is a fantastic struggle anymore. They are exhausted but wont quiet down for more than a second. I dont blame them. Though I love sleep i actually hate having to go to bed. It's just the actual process of stopping doing something that I hate so much. Last year about this time we were staying up late every night with Kate's sister and bro. in law to munch on food and play games. We were so freakin tired, but it was so much fun.

When I finally went to bed at 2:30 am the other night I went in to check on the kids and found Alex asleep like so.

I grabbed the camera and my massive external flash unit to get these shots. After the first shot he woke up enough to crawl back into bed.

This is as far as he got before he fell back to sleep.

The best part is that the other day we came in and turned on the light to wake him up and he pulled the covers over his head saying, 'Go away, I sleeping.' He wanted to sleep in.

Modeling

2011-09-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

It helps to get modeling jobs when your dad is the photographer for a company that sells all sorts of awesome gadgets. So far we have only had one shoot with the kids involved. However if you have a look through the website or websites that the company operates you will find me (Dave) in them. If you haven't heard of Netgadgets then don't waste time, check it out right now. www.netgadgets.co.uk

To Answer a Question

2011-09-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

We have been asked what summers are like here. Well we have thoroughly enjoyed this summer. The temperatures have been quite mild. We haven't worried that we don't have Air Conditioning nor have we worried that the only fan we own is about 8 inches in diameter. Somedays it rains other days it is sunny. In saying this we do realize that this year may be an exception. We remember being here a number of years ago and being trapped in a hotel for a night during a Heat wave. The A/C in the hotel didn't work and the windows didn't open at all. That was a miserable night. This summer though, not miserable. It has been good.

A Day at the Beach

2011-08-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Man it was a fun day! Thank you to the Grants for picking us up and taking us to the beach with them. It was a lot of fun playing in the sand, the water, and hanging out together. We really appreciate it. As you can see Evie was more fond of the water than Alex was. She even laid down it before leaving. Bunty wouldn't touch it. The last time we were at a beach was in Oregon a little more than a year ago on our way back from getting passports. The kids wouldn't go anywhere near the water at that time.

All of these photos were shot on a small point and shoot digital camera; which has far less manual control than my SLR. I am quite pleased with it.

At Least....

2011-08-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

...She can still make really tasty jam! If you didn't read the post before this one, then the opening to this one probably won't make much sense.

We went to Farnham Park the other day and picked Blackberries. They grow everywhere here and we have only seen one other family picking them. Maybe people here are sick of them. Oh well, more for us I guess. We Love them and they make good jam.

2011-08-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

According to my wife all 'Motherly Powers cease to function when the kids go to bed'. What the heck?! How in the world is she supposed to read my mind! So if I am sitting there doing nothing on the couch and think 'I sure could use a Pizza right now', and the kids have gone to bed, I WON'T GET A PIZZA because she doesn't know what I am thinking. This sucks. This sucks alot. If I want her to get me the pizza I will have to open my mouth and ask her, 'Wife, I want a pizza; Will you get it for me?' And I will have to do that just to get a pizza, or whatever else I want. Think of all the wasted calories in putting forth effort to ask such a question.

It has to be true because tonight at dinner I was a bit perturbed that Kate got everyone (the missionaries, see the kids are in bed) a fork except for me. I had to ask her where my fork was. Her answer, 'Right there in your bowl of shredded chicken.'

'No, that is a spoon,' I informed her.

Then in quite an exasperated manner she responded, 'How was I supposed to know that was a spoon and not a fork!'

'Good grief, don't you have x-ray vision like all good women!?'

Apparently she doesn't. And apparently I still had to get my own fork. Maybe in the future I won't help get the kids to fall asleep so soon in the evening.

The Quicker Sicker of Farnham Park

2011-08-12T01:15:00.000-07:00

This is a brand new toy at the Farnham Park. They just finished installing all new equipment at this particular park and we finally took the kids to play there. Kate's Aunt Jerry had something similar to this at her house. The idea of it is to get on and have someone spin you (a personal merry go round - Although this is Much More Fun!) then jump off of it and try to run (without falling down, running into stuff, reaching a certain point, and not throwing up). I am planning to post a video of this sometime.

Holga...Memory

2011-07-27T03:07:00.000-07:00

I love the way images appear when shot with a Holga.
This was taken at one of the parks near our house. Bunty loves playing on the slide.

Tradition

2011-07-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

Just give a little kiss before going through. Or Allowed through once I get a little kiss.

Walking

2011-07-23T02:42:00.001-07:00

Alex walked up to a tree the other day and grabbed one of its branches. He then shook while very politely saying, "Hello Tree. I am Alex. It is nice to meet you."

Tanks and Helicopters

2011-07-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

On the fourth of July weekend we were able to enjoy an army show. We took the kids out to see the helicopters, tanks, and other cool weapons that are used to preserve the rights and relative peace of the world. The strange thing is that I photograph toy versions of tanks and helicopters at work.

The kids enjoyed the day out in the sun and were fully worn out when we got home.

London

2011-07-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

It was a fun day walking around london. Here are some more photos from it.

IV

2011-07-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

...and headed to five.

Happy Birthday kiddos!

Doing Dishes

2011-06-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks for helping kiddo. It is appreciated.

What ya lookin' at...

2011-06-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this look like there is a giant monster that is about to come out of the background and into focus with its big bright white sharp teeth ready to devour him.

Thank goodness it isn't

The Natural History Museum in London of course. We went for the kids birthday.

Limbo

2011-06-24T23:40:00.000-07:00

I think the rose bush (more of a tree if you ask me) is trying to escape from the back yard.

The Donner Kebab

2011-06-17T02:33:00.000-07:00

This is what I had for my Birthday Dinner. It was delicious. Mmmm. By the way, it has nothing to do with the Donner Party.

Visiting with Cool Relations

2011-06-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Kate's Uncle Roger and Aunt Claudia stopped by for a visit on their way to Bath (the city, not a morning ritual). They were over for a study abroad class with the BYU theatre department. We actually got to meet them last friday in London at the Natural History museum which was a cool place (more about that later). Even though the visit was relatively short we really enjoyed seeing them. They are both hilarious and the sweetest of people. It was lovely.

Cheese Toast

2011-06-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Harpski was the closest on this one. It turned out much better this time and oh so delicious! We don't eat this much because it probably could drop you dead of a hard attack in a moment but man that would be worth it for this creation.

I Blame Kate

2011-06-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

What do you think this was supposed to be?

How to....

2011-05-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

crash a bike.

"Sometimes that happens!"

It's our family motto.

How To...

2011-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

...make ketchup! And we aren't just going to make it, we will bottle, and label it too!

First: put some tomatoes in a blender.

Second: add something plastic. You know, for the bottle.

Next: turn on the blender. Remember to keep an eye on it or you will miss the magic.

HaHaHaHaHaHa! It worked! Bottled ketchup!

Well if you didn't see it happen, that is not my fault. You should have kept your eyes open instead of cringing as the blender was switched on.

Play

2011-05-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

During my bachelor degree studies in Recreation Managment it became apparent just how important leisure time is in a persons life. Of course their are certain types of leisure that are of more benefit than others; in fact some leisure pursuits can become harmful (not just physically). It is also important to have a variety of leisure pursuits in your life.

Spending time with your family is one leisure pursuit that has many rewards and is at the top of the list.

Twins

2011-05-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

They share the same 'I will have victory' attitude. They just have slightly different ways of going about it.

About 10 Minutes Later

2011-05-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

The chocolate coma began...

No joke. It really did. They slowed right down while their bodies tried to deal with the immense amount of sugar laced chocolate they inhaled. They haven't been asking for treats since then.

On a side note Dave went 12 days without any sugar. He was completely unhooked and turning it down left and right like a champion. But the day of the Royal Wedding he decided to be social and ate some but he is back on and enjoying it. He says he feels so much better not having to deal with the effects of that delicious substance. We will see how long it lasts.

Easter Morning

2011-05-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well actually the saturday before it...

The Royal Wedding

2011-05-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

We don't have a television, so it was nice when some friends, Geoff and Michelle invited us over to watch the Royal Wedding with them. I have to admit that as an American I am not into the whole royalty thing but at the same time it is apart of this nations culture. We didn't just come here to study at a university but to also experience real life outside of the environment we have known our entire lives. It was actually very enjoyable to sit and watch with someone to whom it matters on a more personable level. We learned alot and found that the experience is one worth remembering. In fact I thought that I would be bored to tears but I wasn't. It actually was exciting to see.

The Bike and the Rider

2011-04-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately this rider, Chris Akrigg, was recently injured. Hopefully he can recover and get back to inspiring us all to find creative and fun ways to descend the mountains in our lives, which are full of obstacles.

Wilderness First Aid

2011-04-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

When arrived here we had 10 suitcases. In one of those was the Wilderness First Aid book that Dave got in his Wilderness First Aid certification course. It came in very handy the other day when Evie got cut. You see she was able to find an illustration of someone's arm bleeding prufusely. From that diagram she was able to deduce that she would need to do the same to keep from bledding to death from the abrasion on her little finger (pictured). You will be glad to know that we were able to put some antibiotic cream and a bandage on it before there was a chance of blood dripping like that in the illustration.

What are girls made of?

2011-04-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sugar and Spice

and Everything Nice,

That is what girls are made of.

(According to Popular tradition that is)However:I am sure that a certain snail would disagree with that statement.You See BuntyUnkowingly helped us discover what squished up snail looks like. She found a snail shell and was shoving her fingers in and then wiping the scum on her tummy. Kate says the color of it was a kind of lime green. I don't think it was any different than what comes out her nose. And if I, Dave, remember correctly, the taste and texture of the snails I ate on a cruise once were probably about that same consistency as what was being wiped on her clothing.

Bunty the Platypus

2011-04-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

I don't have any of the sound bytes from when she was a bit younger and made a noise similar to the cartoon character Perry the Platypus but she seems to have a similar style in her facial expressions now days. I am pretty sure they are somehow related.

Imagination

2011-04-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

The following are a few text messages between Kate and Dave:

Kate:    Just sat on couch, alex looked shocked n upset. “Mom u just squashed my kids! Get off! I have to blow them up.” acts like blowing up balloon. “Dont sit on kids again!”

Dave:    What the heck! That is hilarious! Email & facebook worthy.

Kate:    It gets better. As i text u he runs in room “mommy, my kiddo’s r flying around the room. Come see!

Dave:    Wow! I wish i could see.

Kate:    Yah, then he adds “my kiddos r funny” hope his good mood lasts. He only ate a few bites of his pb&j he asked for. NOT NORMAL!

Dave:    I am so glad!

Whatever You Do...

2011-04-25T01:59:00.000-07:00

do it in style or with some added amount of flare.

Portraits in London

2011-04-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

St. Paul's is a great place for portraits. We were in London visiting some different Galleries and also saw the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize 2011 exhibition. It was a good but Loooong day. So getting a couple of nice portraits before returning home was a nice end to the day.

So if you are in the London area or will be let me know and we can do some portraits.

Time as it passes

2011-04-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

There are two photos of each of our kids in this post. The first of each was taken when we moved in. The second was taken the day we moved out of the first place we rented. It isn't alot of time between photos so Bunty is the only one with a big change in appearance. This should be a much funner and interesting project to look at thirty years down the line.

2011-04-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would point that out.

I Miss....

2011-04-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

Riding!

So we have been here about 7 months now and I finally took the bike that I have been lent to me 'off-road'. I was supposed to be riding my bike home but I knew this was on the way, off-to-the-side and out-of-the-way, but come on, how can you resist something as sweet looking as this. It was a most terrifying experience though because the bike I am on isn't exactly ready for this type of riding due to the fact that the brakes don't work properly.

Sunny Days

2011-04-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

The sun has been out for the last few days. It is warm, sunny and overall perfect. This is by far the very best time of year; at least over here it is.

How To Survive ... Your Brother Helping

2011-04-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

First: Look distraught

Second: Hold on tight because you never know if he is planning on taking your toy.

Third: Look terrified!

Fourth: Just know that this sorta thing is never very graceful when the brother doing the helping is only 3.5 years old.

If you are the brother: look innocent. You probably are but you want to make sure that others sense your heartfelt desire to help thus proving your innocence when things go wrong.

In the end: Follow your brothers lead to have fun without the toy you were playing with. Because you will probably just get hurt by falling off of it again if he were to give it back to you or just get stuck and need his assistance which would then get you hurt once again as well.

He was trying to help but his energy, enthusiasm and lack of experience were a tough match for successful charity.

Moved

2011-03-29T00:50:00.000-07:00

When we got to England we were pretty much forced into the last place we lived. That is because there were no other houses for rent. Well now that we have been here a little while we have been able to find a less expensive place to rent and it is in a quieter neighborhood. Thanks to those that have helped us move. We realy appreciate it.

Big Hug, Little Kiss, Little Hug, Big Kiss

2011-03-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Now push your face up against the computer screen and give a little smooch with as much noise as you can!!!

(Who says the internet is transforming our lives into 'bits' and 'bytes' without any real social connections? Now we can add 'smooches' to the list.) (Perhaps we can start programing computers using X's and O's)

OxoX

Studio Space

2011-03-12T15:30:00.000-08:00

These are the places I work. Which would you prefer?

I am very grateful to have work right now; even if it is on an 'as we need you basis'. The best part is playing with the toys I photograph. This one is actually 3 Hexbug Nano habitat sets built into one big robotic ant utopia. The sets are 'a Battle Arena', 'Elevator Set', and 'The Raceway'. I was able to use every piece that came in their respective boxes. After it was photographed, we turned on the ants and let them battle it out. It is like having an ant farm but much more enjoyable. If you are interested in getting one here is the website: http://www.netgadgets.co.uk/. However they don't ship to the U.S. but I could.

8.9 Eathquake in Japan 2011

2011-03-12T03:49:00.000-08:00

One of the girls in the MFA Photography course here is from Tokyo Japan. She (Yuri) is actually in Tokyo trying to get her Visa renewed to come back. It was good to hear that she is fine after the earthquake. Still there are many others who aren't.

The images in both photo and especially video of the event are tragic to say the least. However I can't get over the amount of coverage of the event. One of the courses I participated in at BYU-Idaho was a 'Risk Management' course. One of things we learned is that some risks are 'Inherent'. In the case of where we live there are certain risks that will remain a threat. Also apart of that course was learning that after an accident has happened there is so much they will be able to learn that in turn can be put into action to benefit others in the future. Here is a link to an article that is very much more optimistic than some out there, about moving forward from this event. (http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/11/seeber.tokyo.quake/index.html?hpt=C2) In discussing what we could do as a family for the people there we realized that all we can do is pray for them to be able to recover and heal.

Elder Morgan and Elder Bethers

2011-03-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

Elder Bethers (on the right) started his mission here in Aldershot. He was here 9 months. We got to know him well and look up to him and what he is doing. The kids sure like it when the missionaries come over for dinner or to take Dad out on a teach.

Sunday Pictures

2011-03-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

We start getting ready for church very early. Our meetings begin at 10:00 am and we have to start walking at least 25 minutes before that to get to the church on time. So we start dressing at 7:30 am and we still barely make it out the door in time. Decided to get a few shots before church to show how nice the kids look.

Bath

2011-03-05T01:28:00.000-08:00

We went Bath when Kate's parents were here and toured the ancient Roman baths. Alex and Evie loved the telephone looking things they got to wear, which had audio to listen to for a self guided tour. It really is a cool place once you find your way there.

Grandma and Grandpa Lamoreaux

2011-03-04T00:54:00.000-08:00

Our children are having Grandma and Grandpa with-drawls. We are too.

Grandpa Lamoreaux

2011-02-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

We all really enjoyed having Grandpa and Grandma Lamoreaux this last week. It is fantastic that they were able to serve a mission in Romania for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I was Seven

2011-02-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Somehow this photo of me, from back in the days when Dinosaurs still walked the earth, made its way into our luggage that came with us to England.

I have no idea how that happened but I am quite happy it did.

I miss the old family photos.

I miss polaroids.

Alex looks just like I did.

I miss the twirly stairs that are just beyond that gate.

I don't miss being sent to bed.

Time doesn't stop.

It never will.

The future is..................

Sunset

2011-02-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

The hours of daylight are getting longer each day. I can't wait until summer when it is bright outside and we are trying to put our kids to bed. Then again, someday when they are older, I won't care so much again.

Show Off

2011-02-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

As you can see they like to show off their accomplishments. Evie is very proud of her cut. She was attempting some aerobatics that we were not ready for.

2011-02-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

It is still strange to hear the words, "Dad, Dad!" The strangeness thickens when I turn around to this, "I am upside down."

Friends

2011-02-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

They are finally understanding that none of their cousins live here. However they have figured out that they can ask to go see their new Friends. These particular friends will be moving to Germany some time this summer. Until then it should be fun hanging out with them from time to time.

Impromptu Photos III

2011-02-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Kate! I blame you!

Impromptu Photos II

2011-02-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

She is good with being in front of the lens rather than behind.

Morning

2011-02-02T04:14:00.001-08:00

_MG_9801, originally uploaded by dksumm.

The sun is up, get up
It's cold
So What
Tights are on
Run
Body feels healthy
Mind is invigorated
The world is beautiful
I am Beautiful
Everybody is Beautiful
Champion
Forever
Live the Life

(www.kristiapproved.com)

Impromptu Photos

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

You must understand that Alex wants to be the one taking the pictures. Which he gets to almost every time. Over the next couple of days more posts will appear with his image taking wizardry aided by my use of a table for him to put the camera on. Evie gets in on the behind the camera action as well.

A January Walk

2011-01-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

Well we went for a walk yesterday. It was freezing cold outside but the kids enjoyed feeding the swans. I am surprised the swans didn't attack us. They were making these loud warning noises that sounded like they wanted to fight. Their size alone was pretty intimidating to Evie. I am glad they didn't attack because it would be sad to have to kill one of those things by hand.

I have no idea why there is a steel cage just sitting next to that little stream. I guess you have to use public funds, it just doesn't matter how they are used sometimes. Alex stood in it shouting, "I am trapped!"

Double-Decker

2011-01-22T07:07:00.000-08:00

I like the top of the double-decker bus the best.

The Essay

2011-01-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

It was only 3500 words total about 10 pages double spaced, plus a bibliography, but it was a headache to write. At least it is turned in now. And here is a photo of my feet.

2011-01-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

For those of you who either aren't on Facebook or aren't my friend on Facebook, here is a video of Bunty taking her first few steps. It was the other day and she is improving quickly at the task of getting herself around more efficiently.

The Sun

2011-01-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

I'm speechless.

Laid Back

2011-01-16T06:46:00.000-08:00

She really is an easy baby to deal with.

What do you do if....

2011-01-15T09:26:00.000-08:00

While you are walking along through the woods in Moffat, Scotland,
a tree suddenly appears in front you directly in your way, and won't move?Hmm......
Put a smile on your face and.......start searching. 'For what?' you might ask.
For pine cones of course!
Who knows, you might find the perfect pull-up bar lodged into the trunk of that tree and the one next to it!
At which point you can run home and tell mom all about your discovery.As you can see, before they got sick during the Christmas Holiday, they had a lot of fun!

Eating Out With Grandma Bunty

2011-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

So she finally meets the woman she is named after, and what do you know, they hit it off.

The Cupboard Under the Sink

2011-01-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

He does not sleep in it. It would be impossible because of how big he is getting. That said, I have no idea why he was standing there staring out like a zombie thing.

Silly Cakes...

2011-01-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

.... but only on the outside. On the inside they were 'Super Duper Fantastic Chocolate Flavor-filled Personal Sized Goodness in a Paper Cup', that was shaped funny. Since we had no frosting we put Nutella on them.

DO NOT WORRY! We ate all of these on December 10th and didn't save any for you! That way you won't be tempted to break any diet you might be on or that we are on now, again, because it is healthy eating mixed with exercise. Kristi Approved

Christmas Part II

2011-01-05T10:29:00.001-08:00

Unwrapping the gifts!

Christmas Part 1 (The Chocolate Bar)

2011-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

This giant Chocolate bar has become a traditional gift in our family. We do start christmas morning off with a big egg, bacon and sausage with toast and orange juice and yummy breakfast.

I know this is out of order but I am in catch-up mode right now. While we were in Scotland there was no internet connection. Now that we are back life is in full swing again. My final essay paper and projects are all due in the next 2weeks so I will be very busy getting those finished up and out of the way.

Anyway, being in the hills of Moffat was very nice. The temperature stayed below freezing the entire time and Kate and the kids each got the flu but other than that running in the hills was fun. Grandma Bunty fed us everyday and not a little either. We have put on some weight after 10 days of being stuffed full.

Each night after dinner Alex and Evie would sing and dance for us. Alex took Grandma Bunty's cane and flipped it over turning it into a microphone. Not that he needs one, he sings so loud it could wake the dead. Grandma Bunty insisted on staying at our house on Christmas Eve night while Kate and I went to a midnight service at the local Church of Scotland. That was nice. At 2 am Alex woke up crying. We took him in the living room and asked him what he could see. His response was, "I see baby Jesus' birthday presents."

On Christmas morning Dave and the kids watched television until Kate got up. Then we ate breakfast and let the kids open up presents. They took control of the situation and opened at their leisure. They would get one open and play for a while before getting another to open. Even though we only had a few gifts for them it took about 2 hours until they were all opened.

We forgot to take stocking with us so we used our shoes and boots instead. In the future we plan to do the same thing. We may even hide them after filling them in the future. Because when they finally found them in the hallway their excitement was hilarious.

The rest of our time there was spent searching for pine cones in the snow, imitating the sheep whose fields we walked through, and spending time with Grandma Bunty. One of the highlights of which was seeing her wedding photo album that is over 50 years old. The prints were fabulous. The quality was amazing and it was still in perfect condition.