Your Link to Idaho

The week after Christmas

2012-01-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Festive fun at Grandma and Grandpa Price's

So Classy and Comforting!

On the road again...

2011-12-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

A few days after Christmas it was back on the road for the DeMordaunt family. Thanks to Trevor getting us up to the Air Force Base to pick up Wade, then to the edge of California; then to Wade driving us over the pass (Sierra Nevadas--good weather this time!); then mostly to Jim driving us most of the rest of the way on I-80 to Salt Lake City, THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! arriving at 7am MST. What a way to travel. Poor Mae had it the worst with Trevor's snowboard jutting out over her head, preventing her from sitting up for 12 hours straight (though honestly, who wants to sit up straight when riding in a car all night long?). All were troopers and we basically had an extra day with family thanks to Jim's great late night driving skills.

Our fun and laughter photos are from driving about in daylight (with the snowboard stored indoors). The kids did great some of the time, and we all survived and still love each other, so it was completely worth the close quarters for the week. I will report on the fun that followed another time...

Oakland Temple flowers

2011-12-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

Pretty flowers Mae and I saw two days after Christmas on the temple grounds. Trevor and Mae were able to go with the youth from our ward to do baptisms. What a nice way to spend part of Christmas vacation. After an appointment in Oakland, I was able to join Mae and the girls in the temple, then drive her home.

(Her ride there was another story with Jim racing her safely down just in time after they both slept in until after 10am when I called them!). It worked out nicely for Jim, too, as he was able to pick up sandwiches at the completely amazing Bake Sale Betty's in Oakland for himself and Trevor for lunch. They make the best chicken sandwich I have ever had. Yum!

Anyway, just another post on the beauties of California wintertime.

And a bit more...

2011-12-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

A bit of the great California outdoors

2011-12-27T21:58:00.000-08:00

We took the opportunity the day after Christmas to venture into the outdoors. Us and millions of other Californians! We ended up doing a consolation tiny hike, but with the green and interesting nature of it, found it enjoyable (and only had to tolerate complaining for a few minutes!)

A Most Memorable Christmas

2011-12-26T23:34:00.000-08:00

Presents, Anyone?

Best Beef Ever, Crash Hot Potatoes, Best Asparagus Ever, Cinnamon Roll Middles,
Pineapple/Banana Slush and White Chocolate Party Mix

Highlights: Pikachu's Thundershock, Macho Mouse (or Of Mice and Men), the Bible, Titanic, twilight, Tree (thing?), King's Cross Station

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T22:48:00.000-08:00

After a week of work for the parents while the kids had a break from school, Christmas Eve finally arrived. It was so nice to have Jim home from BYU (sleeping on the couch!) and to be planning for a family Christmas together. We bustled around during the day, but the evening brought a nice program and preparations for Christmas Day.

Oakland Temple Christmas Lights

2011-12-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

Family time at the Visitor's Center and Oakland Temple before Christmas.

Notice the flowers... a few days later I took photos of roses in bloom here!

December hikes on Mt. Diablo

2011-12-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

Wade and Owen got up early two Saturdays this month to hike together on Mt. Diablo, behind David's house. They made it to manzanita trees and to some beautiful views!

Owen's Egypt Project

2011-12-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Owen's class spent a month working on a paper, poster/display, pyramids and paper mache animals all with an Egyptian theme. The project night at school was fantastic with kids in all manner of costume and the full range of their efforts displayed. Wade and I went with Owen, armed with only a cell phone camera. It worked out great and we enjoyed getting out of there before it was wall-to-wall people on the banks of the Nile!

Preparing for the Christmas Season

2011-12-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

In the days after Thanksgiving we found a great live tree at the same place Niko used to work in Clayton. We decorated it in our usual style of homespun casual with popcorn and cranberries, pinecones, all the ornaments the kids every made or gave to us, lots of angel ornaments (I love them :) and the bells, hearts, and doves we made one year, then a nice bright pinecone, holly berry laced star with lights on the top. We like to sing and remember the Christmas Tree song my Dad wrote when I was growing up:

Oh, Christmas Tree
(lyrics modified by Gerald Price, traditional tune)

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree,
You represent Eternity.
The bell is Joy,
The heart is Love,
The dove is Peace from God above.

The star reminds us of his birth,
The night Christ came, to dwell on Earth.
May we remember sacredly,
The meaning of our Christmas Tree.

Owen also found time to ready by the fireplace and we all try to spend time in the room by the tree. Merry Christmas season!

At the end of a Disneyland day

2011-12-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

The lights and sights at night

2011-12-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas lights everywhere!

Mickey Mouse everywhere!

Shopping everywhere!

Magic Everywhere!

More Disneyland Adventures

2011-12-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

We went with Jane and toddler Ryan showing us around (Ryan in the car with Mae). We thought of Grandpa Price at every turn with Mickey Mouse everywhere. It was super crowded--it was a Friday, but many of the school districts had to cancel school due to power outages from a wind storm, so the locals were out in force. We made our way through the throngs and enjoyed the Disneyland experience.

It's A Small World After All

2011-12-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas Style!

Are we Really Here?

2011-12-05T23:25:00.000-08:00

California Adventure!

Dusk in the Magic Kingdom

Star Tours (thinking of Jim every minute!)

Nighttime in the Magic Kingdom!

LA Freeway

2011-12-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

This doesn't show the extent of traffic, but it displays the beginning of the complexities of driving there. We accompanied Wade to a continuing education conference, stayed with Jane and Seth, and spent a day at Disneyland!!! More fun photos on the way.

DeMordaunt Adventures at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum

2011-12-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

Wildlife center with amazing birds!

DeMordaunt Thanksgiving

2011-12-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

Chin's entire family was in town for Thanksgiving and an 80th birthday celebration for Chin's mom. What a spread! 3 turkeys and a HONEYBAKED HAM and the yummiest selection of side-dishes brought by all the family.

Dallin (of the Idaho Falls DeMordaunt cousins), Claudia, and their 4 great kids (Jacob, Aubrey, Evan, and Davis) came from Reno and stayed a couple of nights with us. It was so comfortable and natural having them stay with us. We love the kids and it was so nice to get to know them all. We hope they will come again!

Owen in The Odyssey

2011-11-27T23:08:00.000-08:00

First quarter rotation class: Drama! Owen tried out for the parts with the least number of lines to learn including Odysseus' dog. But his drama teacher knew his potential and asked him to be the Cyclops who had many lines and roaring and had to get stabbed in the eye, whew! He did a FANTASTIC job memorizing, dramatizing and really playing his part well. Wade and I were able to attend the performance. FUN! Congratulations, Owen.

Presenting Handmade by Mae!

2011-11-27T21:26:00.000-08:00

Mae sold 29 of her creations at the Santa's Smokestack Boutique. It took a lot of volunteer hard work from Mom, Dad, Trevor, Mae and Owen. Obviously Mae did the most by just sewing everything in the first place. Mom, Dad and Trevor helped hauling things around to set up tables and displays. Owen helped Mae get everything over to the boutique and set things out. Mae worked a shift bagging at the checkout and I worked a shift sorting tags. It was a big family effort. We actually enjoyed a bit of shopping and Mae was really happy to get a check a couple of weeks later with her profits :). It was hard enough, took a LOT of time, and the old timers involved made us feel like maybe not doing it again, but I guess we'll see. Whatever else, congratulations to Mae! Stay tuned for more Etsy entries.

Fall Night Swimming!

2011-11-27T20:58:00.000-08:00

Trevor's first outdoor, nighttime swim meet! Very cool. Trevor is swimming well and has the chance to swim at the California-Nevada Sectional Championship Meet in a couple of weeks. One meet before that and we just hope he will remember to check in for his events, sign up for the right events before the deadlines (and do all his homework, get his eagle scout and duty to God awards. This year). Not really, Trev! You do so great, so much and are such a nice kid. WE LOVE YOU just for being you.

Oh, Trevor just got back from spending a week with Jim at BYU and in Idaho for Thanksgiving dinner. In Provo they went to classes together, rode bikes to the mall, Trevor swam a little bit and even saw Captain America. In Idaho they had awesome Thanksgiving dinner with Grandpa and Grandma, Paul and Maddie (with Ella, Ammon and Kaitlin), Amber and Dustin (with Taylee), Summer, Uncle Rick and Aunt Betty. And Trevor got to hang out with Cameron Larsen for an evening before leaving at the crack of dawn (actually earlier) on the Salt Lake Express direct to the airport. So nice to have him back.

11/11/11

2011-11-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

Today at 11:11am I was on the phone with Wade and the kids. They were driving to the Oakland Zoo (Veteran's Day, all had the day off) and I was driving to a patient visit. It was a busy day for all, funner than the usual for most of us. Jim and I had the usual schedule. I was informed that my job will transition to full time immediately (mixed blessing). Friday night, pizza night happened. Then True Grit (John Wayne movie night). Hot chocolate with peppermint ice cream topped off the night for me (and Trevor). Wade and Mae tried the pumpkin pie ice cream while Owen stuck with his usual vanilla (and too much caramel topping).

So long, surfer hair

2011-11-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

I don't know why we go from longer hair to so short of hair...but any which way, Trevor is a handsome kid. We got all kinds of shampoo and conditioner to soften the chlorine damage, but he finally opted to buzz it off and start again. That doesn't necessarily mean he will start wearing a swim cap more, but whatever. It was fun to cut it and I did a nice, short cut at first, but in the end, Trevor decided to go super short. He looks NICE!

No longer home owners...

2011-11-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Owned for 4 years
On the market for 8 months
Nice improvements, cost a lot
Closing was yesterday, cost a lot
Another military family bought it (and they are excited about it :)
Now we move on, pay off, and count our many blessings!

Halloween, part 3: Party

2011-11-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

This was a great Halloween evening at the DeMordaunts! We had such a good time with Dave and Chin who came over with spagetti dinner and the most enthusiastic door answerer ever for trick or treaters (Uncle David!). Polo came, too and got mixed up with a bit of confetti :). Plenty of candy and costumes. It was so fun!

Halloween, part 2: The Costumes

2011-11-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

What a crazy holiday. The kids had fun at the hoedown, trunk or treat, dressing up at school, and our own party/trick or treating. What an entertaining bunch of kids. Jim, off at college, was a Jedi, of course. His lightsaber malfunctioned and had to be sent back for a replacement, but he had his trusty old plastic ones as backup.

Halloween part 1: first party

2011-11-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

The great church tradition of decorating your trunk for the little trick or treaters in costume is a California thing, too!
Amazing trunk themes included the Phantom of the Opera and a haunted house. Mae provided our stuffed animals including a crazy cat or two and a thestral! We liked our pumpkins and lighted jack-o-lantern. Happy Halloween!

It's Autumn Time

2011-10-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

Apple cider donuts, apple pie, apple cider, apples...all at Apple Hill, far away on the other side of Sacramento, up in the mountains. They grow some nice squash and pumpkins up there, too!

Downtown!

2011-10-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

We hit the big city. San Fransisco, downtown.

First stop, the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building (yep, on Harvest Festival day!).

So colorful and interesting!

Happy Day for Little O!

2011-10-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

School day/birthday. Dad home early, mom home late, dinner of choice (rice, pot stickers, and edimame), honored guests and candles on the cake. There were a few small, but great and thoughtful gifts. Dave and Chin brought extra fun to the evening. Owen chose a vanilla sheet cake and it was a big hit. Happy #11 Owen! Though the evening was pretty low key, the festivities continued on Saturday! Stay tuned...

California Earthquake

2011-10-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

A first for us. And certainly not the last...

photo from http://modernsurvivalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/san-francisco-bay-area-magnitude-4.1-earthquake-7-jan-2011.jpg

I thought Trevor must have hurt himself dancing/falling around the family room this afternoon because I really felt a jolt. Then just a few minutes ago sitting here a similar thing happened with a big shifting, creaking feeling that suddenly stopped. Details here (the highlighted 4.0 and greater ones for today are the ones we felt).

Ironically, this morning was the 2011 Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill! Read about it here. Wade and the kids participated in drills. And earlier today I was up in the mountains of Berkeley with a school class (as a nurse) at a science center where we looked at a seismograph. Then this afternoon and tonight we were hit (centered near Berkeley) with two 4.0 and higher quakes!

Our own earthquake stories. Chalk it up as another life experience.

The Big 19

2011-10-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

So fun experiencing Jim's birthday, via Skype with him! Light saber and all. I think he liked the soft blanket from grandpa and grandma. So...may the force be with you, Jim, this year and always.

Jim Update

2011-10-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Llamas on campus as part of Homecoming last weekend. Jim took a date to the Homecoming Spectacular and went to the dance with friends the following night. Yea, Jim!

BYU Football is impressing Jim, especially that last minute win against Utah State! Go Cougars!

Tired night after studying.

And a happy, happy birthday to Jim! Cake by Maddie, I believe. Thanks so much to all who have supported Jim by driving him around and inviting him to family gatherings and activities. He is enjoying himself, working hard, and just look at him smile :).

Boutique Time

2011-10-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Mae got her stuffed animals accepted for a large neighborhood Christmas Boutique. She has 70 items to sell, each one is unique, colorful and interesting. They really are just cute!

We all have lots of work to do helping with it, so we're gearing up for 2 days of mayhem the first Fri/Sat of November.

Pastries!

2011-10-14T22:21:00.000-07:00

What lovely gifts David brings to us from all over the Bay area! He recently bestowed upon us the best pastries we've ever tasted.Publish Post

Hey, you two! What are you doing back there?

2011-10-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

And we thought we left such creatures behind in the forests of Ohio! Not quite.

Swim, Trevor, Swim!

2011-10-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

Trevor just keeps swimming. The Aquabears are his new team and he is working hard. Three mornings a week, out the door at 5am, and every afternoon he is in the pool. He is swimming all the strokes in turn for practice and to see what he's got. Nice breaststroke, Trevor! He's qualified for California sectionals in the 50yd and 100yd freestyle (typically his strongest events) and has been placing high in local meets. He's having fun, studying really hard and figuring out how he fits in with all the groups he gets to spend time with.

181st Semi-annual General Conference

2011-10-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Amazing General Conference:

prophetic counsel
humor
reminders of the importance of: children, scriptures, repentance, family history, temple work, willingness to serve, Jesus Christ, and family
exact help-
for all of us-
for now

I'll have to add notes when they are complete. The highlights video on lds.org (link here) is an awesome summary. I look forward to re-watching, reading in the upcoming Ensign, and living a better life.

I am thankful for this beautiful conference! Twice each year we enjoy the messages, the crepes (our Sunday morning conference tradition), the time home together as a family, and the strong spirit.

I had the thought...

2011-09-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

Last week or so I had the thought that I wanted to include a more complete picture of the family in our blog. I take photos of what we do--especially the fun stuff--and probably leave out some things that would help us remember who we are, what we think, and all the things we care about.

Not sure how to do keep a better record, but just thinking about it more is probably a good start. We have had a busy month with settling in to school, work and schedules. Skyping with Jim is great. His days are full and he is working hard.

Wade did some Lean 6 Sigma training and has his annual fitness test this week. He makes the long drive to and from the base every day.

I have a part-time job supervising in home health. I HAVE MY OWN DESK! That is a first for me. My co-workers set it up with little pumpkins and desk tools (even the vanilla hand sanitizer :). I wonder if Jim will notice I have his water bottle there.

So far it is working out to be part-time job, part-time drive the kids to seminary and school and wait and drive. No school buses, living 15 minutes (non-rush hour) from seminary and school with different end times for middle and high school, plus getting Trevor to and from swim practice creates a job in itself. I don't know how others do it. We are doing our best and are grateful it's possible to work out the schedule for now.

Trevor continues to swim. Beginning of the season, getting his feet wet (ha, ha), learning the new team and USA swimming.

Wade and I had a great time exploring some local rail trail biking options a couple of weeks ago. So fun.

Owen has kept busy with homework!, hanging out with new friends, his bow, and a new little R/C car (photos later, if it has not completely self-destructed by then).

Mae continues to sew and create. Updates on her projects to come. She is dazzled by treats Uncle David brings from bakeries all over the bay area. Can you believe these beautiful cupcakes?!?

California is beautiful. Living near David and Chin is so nice. Our ward is great. We love it here.

Hoot!

2011-09-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

For real. Just at the side of the road. Wade had seen one there a few weeks earlier and told us to keep an eye out. Trevor spotted this one, we amazingly had the camera ready, and were lucky enough to be stopped at a red light!

Motorcycles

2011-09-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Understatement of the year! This place is pretty much a museum--so many unique bikes. Arlen Ness. Guys just love this place.

FOOD!

2011-09-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yummy food here! Wade wanted to take us to this amazing burger place a couple of weeks ago--but they were gone on vacation! So a quick phone call to David yielded this place close by that was thoroughly amazing! I think they use Rudy's BBQ sauce! Anyway, our burgers were deliciouso! (How about those people reading while waiting for the food :).

Gather 'round for Trevor's Birthday!

2011-09-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

What a great 17th birthday! Regular school, swim practice, then Dave and Chin came over for a great meal. The cake was Trevor's choice--Pavlova, and it was fantastic! We all loved that melt-in-your-mouth crust, fresh fruit and real whipped cream. The presents were fun. Grandparents sent cards. Then it was homework and to sleep...until next year.

Oh, and happy birthday to Macy, too! I don't think they had a chance to talk this year, but it's fun to share a birthday with a cousin.

Remembering...10 year anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Firefighters who died in New York on 9/11/2001

Owen's core teacher is married to a police officer and asked her class to go see the memorial at the Clayton Fire Station during the week prior to September 11. Owen took some notes and we read some of the biographies. I read about two firefighters who were brothers. Another example was a father and his son who both died that day. Some who were new fire fighters and young, and others experienced and seasoned. It was a beautiful memorial. Just so sad. I had a hard time all week and just felt sorrow for the tragedy of it all. I do hope our country will continue to feel gratitude and a sense of loss for those who died that day. If it inspires us, even better.

Pretty much a blur or Back to School

2011-09-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Life goes on, pretty much a blur.

We spend most of our time non-specifically "workin' on stuff". License applications, job applications, interviews, shopping for school supplies or ingredients we still need to stock up on...the list goes on.

Finally the day the kids were waiting for, came. Mae wore one of the best back-to-school shirts in history. Owen started middle school after a series of unfortunate events, including being "bumped" from the school he was supposed to go to. After careful consideration and input from school district nice people, he was placed in Middle School. Of note were his birthdate (cut-off date here is Dec. 1st), test scores (super high), and grade history (awesome). All that and his personality! He is having a great time so far going from building to building, class to class, teacher to teacher. He dispensed of his map after the first day and especially enjoys his science teacher who has quite the history.

Trevor spent this weekend catching up on the required summer project for his chemistry class. So much fun to be had.

On the way to Rexburg...

2011-09-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

Sun Valley, the end

2011-09-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

So long, farewell!

My bike ride

2011-09-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

One morning I rented a bike and rode a loop on the Wood River Trails around Eagle Loop to Ketchum, to breakfast :) and back to the Inn.

Breakfast was at a yummy place called The Kneadery, recommended by Mary. I had some navigational/map issues, but finally found it after a call to Jim who looked up the exact address for me (I was half a block away!). I am hopeless. But the food was delicious (and I carried food back in my basket for the fam).

Hiking in Sun Valley

2011-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

After a reportedly "grueling" hike with tears and stomping by Mae, we turned and made our way back to the trailhead...after awhile with Mae in the lead. Like a sprint to the finish, she led us quickly back. More a psychological than physical test, apparently. But still a fun time on the trail (in the end).

Trip to Sun Valley

2011-09-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

After rush traffic was past, and after a delicious dinner at Mom and Dad's, we made our way to Sun Valley for Wade's Optometry conference, though as you will see, he had to attend the conference and we got to play in Sun Valley, at least most of the time.

The whole trip started as Wade going to drop off Jim at BYU, then going to the conference in Idaho. Then we decided to have me, Mae and Owen come along and it made it more of a project. We stayed with Paul and Maddie the first night...they had a houseful, but were so gracious in having us, feeding us and happily making us feel welcome. Later in Sun Valley, it still was a project as we were all staying in one small room, but it was nice to not have to say good-bye to Wade for another week, so that was the thinking. It looked like we were going to have to skip Rexburg in order to get home a day earlier for work stuff, but we made it over anyway, staying overnight and briefly seeing Wade's mom and dad (missed seeing Mary and fam :( but it was too short.--Apparently Jeff ran a marathon with his brother that day so they had stuff going on, too). Anyway...continued trip report in the posts to follow!

Water for the walk. Cheers!

The D'liza portion of the trip!

2011-09-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

Very motivating reason to come back to Utah :)

Fun with more lemons from our yard!

Bye, my darling nieces and nephews!

It was so nice to see Heather and fam. I met Jimmy's mom and sister who were taking great care of the household. It was great to see so much of our family this summer, and still it's hard to say good-bye...

BYU bound!

2011-09-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

An unbelievable time. Sending Jim off to college. At the last minute I decided to go with Wade and Jim (Mae and Owen, too) up to Utah, then on to Idaho for Wade's optometry conference. We left Trevor in California to go on High Adventure with his Young Men's group from church. That was a good idea.

Wade did a great job getting Jim situated on campus. He is so excited to be a BYU student and start this next phase of his life. I'm sad, glad, proud and happy, all at once. Emotional and motherly. I miss him now, but am glad to hear that his first week of classes at BYU was a smashing success. Fare thee well, my son.

Russian Sailing Ship--the Pallada

2011-08-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

All of us made our way to San Fransisco...this time to see the Russian sailing ship, Pallada, docked for 3 days in San Fransisco. Beautiful ship, a training ship for the Russian Navy on a PR trip to the US. See the San Fransisco Chronicle article here. Check out all the photos--there is one of the ship with all sails up, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Target--Walnut Creek

2011-08-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

Underground parking at Target in Walnut Creek necessitates a fun cart escalator in order to carry your purchases down to the cars. Jim made sure we tried it out even though we only bought M&M's. The smile was worth it.

San Fransisco-Again!

2011-08-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

You may think it looks like we actually live in San Fransisco, but this is just the third of many future visits down to the city. Jim (first trip to San Fran this time around) and Trevor took BART and walked the city finding yummy cookies, Chinatown, House of Nanking for lunch and the pelican at the pier that was their favorite novelty of the day. Brother time before the departure to BYU.

Mount Diablo with the Hoopes'

2011-08-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

Dave and Megan Hoopes are living in Vacaville--also on Air Force assignment to Travis AFB. They invited us on a family outing to picnic and hike (a little) on the South side of Mount Diablo State Park. We enjoyed reconnecting with this nice family and had a great time together.

Jim and Trevor sure appreciated Dave as a YM leader in Ohio. Megan is one of the nicest gals around. Their kids are a lot of fun, and so cute.

Owen and Ben just stepped right into their usual fun play. It was great to see them together again. Hopefully we'll see more of them in the coming weeks/months.

The Oakland Zoo

2011-08-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Possibly Mae's favorite activity of last week (well, certainly that). Trevor had fun making faces. Jim and Trevor kept hanging around watching the elephants. I thought the giraffes were so elegant.

And Owen was at Six Flags (formerly Marine World) with Niko, Angelique, Cameron and Alex. Apparently he courageously faced big rides (for the first time). Fun day for all!

Summer Swim

2011-08-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

Swimming at any of the three pools in the Crossings made for a relaxed, fun summertime. We love our neighborhood greenbelt and pools (and will continue to enjoy the chance to splash and cool off).

One big catch up post!

2011-08-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm over a week behind trying to keep up with my life! So here's the quick catch-up so I can try to be ready for the whirlwind to come!

On my bike in the neighborhood...just me, sorry! And my gears won't shift anymore :( . Need a tune-up. I'll be seeking out some youtube how-to videos!

Trevor's first swim meet in California! Fundraiser, exhibition type meet...last of the summer season. His new team, the Aquabears, are glad to have him!

Dancing! Jim and Trevor off to a church dance last week. Mae and Trevor also had fun back-to-school swim parties (by grade), and all three kids went to a casual outdoor dance last night. Mae was brave, came home early. Trevor danced and had fun, apparently. And Jim mostly misses his friends from Ohio, but is a great sport about driving Mae home and being a nice, cute college student!

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY TO NIKO! A fun gathering at Dave and Chin's last week. We were :) to be included in the celebration. Niko seems happy and on track for a good life. He graduates in Public Relations from UC Santa Barbara in December and just finished an internship in New York. Life is good.

Dave and Chin's house is so pleasing. Bookshelves by David, skull from the ranch, chimes soothe, and beautiful plants are everywhere.

We finished up the evening with an episode from Mystery Science Theater 3000 that David thought we would all enjoy, which, of course, we did!

Trevor stacking cuties. And eating as many as we can buy!

Finally, Tyler and Andrea's little one. Born 2 days before Eliza. So glad Andrea is doing well--though they are just moving to Peoria for Tyler's new job with CAT.

What an amazing time we are having settling in to California. This is a beautiful place. Our ward has been so welcoming. Dave and Chin and all Chin's family have been helpful, kind and have included us in so many fun activities. We love all our family everywhere and are so happy to have seen so many relatives this summer.

Whew! That's it for a week ago. Maybe one more post will catch me up on this past week. Yea for photos, yea for family, yea for a memorable summer!

New Little Niece

2011-08-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

Sweet little Eliza Ruth Smith. Heather's 5th little one. Heather is so brave-- all 5 were c-sections. I hope her recovery is swift and sure.

Stats: Born August 15, 2011
6 lb 13 oz
19 1/2 in

Such a pretty baby! It sounds like she is doing fine now. She had a bit of trouble breathing and her blood sugar started out a little low. She is eating and breathing well, and should be good to go.

We hope to see you soon...before you grow too much. Love you, little Eliza!

Mae's Back!

2011-08-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mae bravely spent 6 days at Girls Camp at Rucker Lake in the Sierra Nevadas with girls and leaders she just met. What a time! She went with the second year girls and enjoyed lots of time at the camp helping with quilts, doing crafts, swimming and enjoying the outdoors. They did one overnight hike-and-camp, packing everything they needed with them. It was intimidating, but Mae ended up doing so well. She is strong and can do hard things (she just tries not to!).

Their theme was "Once Upon a Time" and they learned that they are daughters of a Heavenly King. Princesses were the thing and Mae's group (perfectly!) were the Nalas (Nala is the girl princess in the lion king). She made herself a crown when she got home and was dazzled by the things learned. Her leaders were kind and appreciative--so glad to have Mae in their group. It was hard to send her, we missed her, but it was a GREAT experience!

She was also pleasantly surprised to see Grandpa DeMordaunt here when she got home! We all went out for pizza and enjoyed the outdoor ambiance so common so far here this summer.

And then Grandpa came :)

2011-08-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Jim (Grandpa DeMordaunt) made a quick trip here. Fantastic idea, really. We had a nice evening at Dave and Chin's--eating and enjoying their lovely backyard. Polo was jumping for food and actually looks out of phase in the photos. It was nice to have a family weekend. We keep settling in, making progress, and are starting to get used to driving around and such (thank you GPS).

Lemonade

2011-08-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

For the first week in California, Owen was rarely seen without his trusty lemon "Lemonhead" that he first found in the backyard of our home (the one in this photo just happens to be a very large one, but not the notable "Lemonhead"). Uncle David insightfully offered the thought that Owen was excitedly able to anchor himself again at home, and the lemon was a tangible symbol of "home" for him. Owen and all of us are making the most of our new home and situation--making lemonade!

Settling

2011-08-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

WE HAVE SO MUCH STUFF!!! Where to put it all is the question. These photos are all from the first day. We put most of the boxes in the garage and are slowly making our way through it all. We cheer when we find things that we have missed. Little Mae organized her room first thing, but has several boxes to figure out. Jim is sleeping on the couch! Poor kid--on his way to college, so no place for him right now. But he is a good sport and makes his bed some of the time. Trevor's room is very neat. He will be a fabulous roomate/mission companion/future spouse. I think he has a recessive neatness gene. And Owen still needs a dresser, but has a tall bunk bed (just the top), a nice rug on the floor and room under the tall bed for a little TV/VCR that is the video game awesome fort. Wade and I have a large room with lots of open space (and a vaulted ceiling), so we have an extra bookshelf and the little secretary desk in our room. So far, so good! Oh, and all that kitchen stuff is put away now :).

The big move-in

2011-07-31T22:13:00.000-07:00

Most damaging move ever! Most of our things are repairable. It was just sad. Glass, china and wood splinters. Good grief! Oh, and the guitar was crushed right through the hard case! Strong forces at work. The claim is in the works.

The photo at the bottom right is one of two huge leakage repair projects that took place our first week here. But now we have level, dry bathroom floors to use. :)

San Fransisco!

2011-07-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

Trevor's friend Peter got to come to San Fransisco with his Dad and spent a day downtown with Wade, Trevor and Mae. Then the next day, Trevor rode BART to meet Peter downtown and they cruised some more.

Mae's first trip to San Fransisco (the first of many)

2011-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

On moving day, Mae accompanied Wade's brother, David downtown where he had a meeting (turned out to be a very short one, so a bit of shopping and lunch were in order). Dave really knows the entire area and knows the funnest stops for treats, a meal or unique items. Mae was properly dazzled (especially as she came home with a large shopping bag full of supplies from this unique fabric store). Sew on!

Welcome to California!

2011-07-26T19:00:00.002-07:00

Dave, Chin and Polo welcomed us in grand style to California. They let us stay with them until our belongings arrived and we could begin moving in. Chin's family had a number of gatherings for various birthdays and homecomings. What a nice time we had trying new foods and being with Chin's friendly family.

Here we are in front of our new home.... little dove, window filled family room, fruit trees in back...this is going to be great!

The Salt Flats

2011-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Our drive to California began, the last leg of our trek to the Golden State. A quick rest stop (there actually is one) on the edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats yielded some fun views of this noted place in the Utah desert. Looks like snow, but it's salt!

The unphotographed

2011-07-24T20:11:00.001-07:00

Four wonderful visits during this month of being in Utah and Idaho went unphotographed! (gasp!)

Tyler and Andrea and Mitch and Ashley were in Idaho and we had a nice afternoon catching up, just visiting at Betty and Rick's. Nice to see them again.

Dianne Fickes was in town to pick up her daughter Sydney after her first year at BYU-I. No photo, so you just have to think of Dianne and I as college friends back in the day. Neither of us has changed much anyway ;).

Then the funniest visit to Mary's was when we showed up unannounced and Mary was just pulling into the neighborhood. The kids were home (obviously!) and scrambled to the door. Suddenly we heard, "It's Aunt Amy!" and squeals and shushes. The kids were sooo good and didn't open the door until Mary was there. I'm so glad they were happy to see me, and proud of them for being safe! Good job Brunson kiddos!

And last, we had a fabulous meal and visit with Roberto and SueAnn Fraga our last night in Utah. Vegetarian never tasted so good! Thanks so much for your ongoing friendship and concern for our family.

We love you all and are glad for the memories...just no photos this time! I will do a better job with that next time, never fear.

Adios, Utah

2011-07-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

Timpanogas and Draper Temples, the mountains and valleys of this beautiful state.

Visiting Grandma Beck at Rahn and Sue's, then hugs in the am and saying good-bye to my mom and dad. Sigh. Mom and Dad, thanks for taking such good care of us, for letting friends stay with us all there, and for loving us. We love you!

Leaving Rexburg yet again

2011-07-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

Bye, kitties.

Sand dunes at sunset.

Leaving town. What a great, short burst of a great time in Rexburg.

Ranch Day!

2011-07-24T19:28:00.010-07:00

Family photo with Cantalope, the little rescued antelope

4-wheeling up to the mines, great views, pretty flowers, Jimmy brought his friend, Jared (BYU-I student).

Everyone did great on the ride (Mae stayed back at the quanset hut and sewed--she had her fill of 4-wheeling last time up), and even I drove. I longed for a quiet ride on horses, but the distance covered on the ride in a short time was impressive. No mishaps, and a beautiful day.

Mae took a turn driving, just for the experience. We saw a happy little bluebird. The new sign is just right. Until next time! Thanks for the awesome day!

Oliver!

2011-07-24T19:20:00.002-07:00

We went to Rexburg with Wade this time! Jim and Sharon took us to a community theater production at the new high school auditorium (NICE facility)--the musical, Oliver. A lot of kids were involved-an exceptional little actor playing Oliver, and some very talented adults, too. Nice night out.

Family Sunday in Utah

2011-07-24T18:57:00.001-07:00

Mae in her beautiful new dress, all of us smiling for some reason, nice kiss, great to all be together again!

Saying good-bye to the Smiths :(

2011-07-24T18:49:00.000-07:00

Took the back way from the airport, saw the Orquirrh Mountain Temple.

Saw the UP! house in Harriman, Utah. Photo from Disney Blog.

Heather and fam. Love them all! Thanks for taking the photo, Jimmy (Heather's Jimmy, that is!).

Utah! last Hurrah with Jack

2011-07-24T18:45:00.001-07:00

Utah State Capitol building. A place in the mountains, for sure.

Nice little hike at City Creek Park, then a drive to the airport and a tragic farewell (until next year!).

The totally awesome Texas friends reunion weekend!

2011-07-24T18:42:00.001-07:00

Jean Larson, me, Becky Wilkinson, Tiffiny Sorenson, and Anne Furniss. All the awesome kids, Tiffiny's cool purse ;), and supportive, cool husbands (this includes Rick for sending Anne!!).

Kids having fun in the sand, with a ball and as friends.

Last day together. Thanks for breakfast :). So nice having Anne stay. Thanks to Becky for making the trip up for one last meal together. Fun to have Jack with us for all of it!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

2011-07-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

It's almost too much to think about that this, my favorite series of books and movies ever, has come to an end. At least for new stuff. But really, it's all still there to read, and watch and relive again and again. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Dobby, Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, Severus Snape, Lily, James, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks, Fred and George, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Ginny, and many more memorable characters will be favorites for years to come. I loved the casting for the movies. The new Dumbledore starting in the 3rd movie took some getting used to, but he really won me over this last movie. J.K. Rowling really worked some magic with this entire series.

One review of this latest movie I liked, making some great points is here.

It has been so fun to go buy new books, see movies and buy dvd's on the first day of release with my friends Anne and Becky. One year in San Antonio and I was blessed with such amazing, lifelong and beyond friends. We have reconnected so often in the past 6 years, it's amazing. So worth it. And Becky got us tickets to an EARLY SHOWING at 6:30pm on the 14th. What a deal. What great friends. What a movie!

Anyway, we had a great time at this, the last of the Harry Potter movies. The movie was FANTASTIC! It was AMAZING. The characters were perfect, as usual. The story was nicely told, which is so hard to do, taking such an incredible book (series) and transforming it into a movie (8 movies!).

And look at those happy faces! Our kids had a great time and it was so much fun enjoying it all together. The moon was full, Wade was home, the movie was awesome, and we were with great friends.

It has taken me weeks to try to write anything that would do this evening justice. I just can't do it, so here it is...just like so much of life...it just is what it is.

Best Day Ever!

2011-07-18T15:16:00.002-07:00

Wade came home 5 days early from Korea!!! It doesn't seem like much in comparison to a whole year, but when that year has been spent away from family, 5 days is a whole lot of awesome. I had 2 days notice, was amazed that it was approved, and was prepared for things to fall through. But soon enough, Wade was on a plane to the USA via Japan.

I told Owen in the morning, since he was going to be at the airport and I wanted him to be prepared and not upset that he didn't know what was going on in the afternoon. The other kids were waiting in line with friends for Harry Potter 7 part 2 (yep, an early show...another story), and were sure going to be surprised. Becky was able to miraculously obtain another ticket to the movie, so Wade joined us. Owen and I waited anxiously (Owen gives new meaning to the word) for Wade to come down the escalator then we all hugged and shed tears. Owen then hopped in the car with my mom who passed Wade a tray of yummy Mexican food, then while Owen went to the Farmer's Market with my mom, Wade and I drove to the theater (through Utah rush hour traffic!).

Along the way as I was carefully navigating the lanes, Wade answered the phone for safety's sake and talked to Jim. It took Jim a few minutes to realize Wade was actually home and in the car with me, then he became part of the plan and stayed outside the theater with our tickets. He was amazed that Becky (and her kids!) knew the secret, but our kids didn't. We met up with Jim then walked into the theater together. Trevor spotted Wade right away and came running down. Mae was sitting by Becky and started asking, "Is that (pause)? Is that, um (pause)?" Becky finally exclaimed "Yes! It's your dad! Go down there!" Thus another tear-filled bundle of hugs and exclamations of joy.

Wade spent the next hour telling the kids how things worked out early and just catching up on little things. Mae gave him a sparkle wand (everyone in our party got one from Mae, and she sold a couple to some other girls then bought concessions with the profits!). I got to have my cake and eat it, too as I sat by Wade, and my friend Anne on the other side (Becky beside her).

So that is the story of how Wade came home early and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part two, within a few hours of his return! Our family is together again. Sure, we own a house in Ohio, but we are moving to California, and we will gladly work and watch, not fight and pray, with all our might and zeal (together!).

BYU tour day!

2011-07-13T20:39:00.002-07:00

Trevor and Jack went on a campus tour with Natalie and Cameron Wilkinson and Anna and Seth Larson. Jim and Owen and I walked Jim's class schedule, finding all his classrooms in preparation for starting school this fall. We love BYU campus and enjoyed seeing our friends from Texas! More activities with them (and others!) to follow!!!

Trevor and Jack also went to Seven Peaks Water Park in Provo, following the tour, BYU Bookstore, and Creamery Ice Cream (yum). They didn't take a camera--we just assume they had a blast.

Photo from Utah Valley flicker photos.

2011-07-13T20:25:00.001-07:00

After some delicious sandwiches with all the fixin's provided by Maddie (and some chocolate pudding cake provided by my wonderful mom :), we drove uphill to the start of the hike to Ensign Peak. What a fun, energetic group to hike with! Our boys are all great hikers, Jack has boundless energy, and Paul and Maddie's little ones just skipped right up the trail.

What amazing views of the Salt Lake valley! We could see the Great Salt Lake at sunset, downtown as the lights twinkled on, and beautiful homes in the neighborhoods as we approached the trailhead. The photo at the bottom-middle is the eastern sky with the moon over the Salt Lake Valley. It is a great place!

Temple Square

2011-07-13T20:02:00.010-07:00

Temple Square in Salt Lake City is the most popular tourist attraction in Utah, so we just had to take Jack. Since we are Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) it is a place we have been often on our trips to Utah. We appreciate the clean, quiet beauty of it all. We saw the area highlighting the church welfare program that provides necessities in disaster areas, brings expertise and training to needy areas of the world, and shares hope and comfort throughout the world. I was inspired to seek for opportunities in the future to serve in such ways.

The Joseph Smith Memorial building (the former Hotel Utah) is having a 100 year anniversary. We enjoyed the antique cars and displays. We also met a retired Air Force pilot who had flown in Korea and lived in Dayton and San Antonio during different assignments. There are nice people everywhere.

The conference center was impressive, as usual and the views of the temple were perfect.

The replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen's Christus was everyone's favorite display. The walk up the ramp inspires feelings of wonder and amazement at the universe, creation, life, death and salvation.

We ended our self-guided tour outside gazing at the classic and beautiful Salt Lake Temple. It was all wonderful to me.

Pleasant (Grove) Evening in the mountains

2011-07-13T19:46:00.010-07:00

Jack Day 1, part 2

Fun park/campfire area in a canyon just up from Pleasant Grove. Paul and the boys started a campfire, we roasted marshmallows and made easy, yummy s'mores (using Keebler Fudge Stripes--great idea, Maddie). We followed the treats with a hike up the ridge and enjoyed the sunset and an amazing view of the valley.

Jack might have felt like he was at scout camp instead of on vacation, but it was fun, right? Sagebrush and weeds and a dusty trail. It's just so pretty and a lot of fun to be in the mountains. The Rockies are so great!

Jack-Day 1

2011-07-13T00:28:00.000-07:00

Trevor's friend Jack is visiting with us this week. We already know it will be hard to keep up with these guys, but hope they have fun together (as usual). Lasting friends are sometimes hard to come by with military moves, but these two have made it work with visits to and fro every summer (missing last year, but the moms recovered and rescued the tradition this year and made it happen once again-yeah, Ava!!). We are looking forward to the adventures and fun.

Beautiful Utah

2011-07-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

We saw the nicest rainbow and storm clouds while driving home from Heather's this week.

A Sunday drive with my dad yielded some great pics. The deer was feasting at a golf course with some friends. For the beauty of the earth, indeed.

Brunson Time!

2011-07-09T07:04:00.002-07:00

After the ranch, Owen and I went out to greet Mary, Jeff, and kids...dust and all. What fun kids to visit! Jeff was cool about it all and Mary was a sport. I love this family :)

Look at this soccer chick! She is amazing--really fun to watch. Her parents and siblings cheer her (and everyone) on. Nice game, L!

Then a little hot tub time before we left to go back to Utah. Where is Mary, you ask? Well, she either took the photo or stealthily avoided the camera. I'll have to catch her next time!

Now, you think Kait's pull-ups are amazing (what a tough little gal!)...you should see her splits, one-handed cartwheels, and backbends! She is so flexible. Looks like Kyle made it up, too. Whew!

Raging Rexburg Waters

2011-07-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

We tried out the new "pool" complex in Rexburg. Fun for a bit. Lots of sun, blue lazy river, a slide, a climbing wall, kids and smiles. What a beautiful day!

At the ole fishin' hole

2011-07-05T20:22:00.003-07:00

Some nice neighboring ranchers allowed our family to fish in their pond. There was a small measure of success and the kids tried their turn at it. I sat and dried Mae's sock and boot that plunged into the creek when we nearly capsized, but quick thinking on Ann's part and a rescue from the men saved the day. It was just as peaceful and pretty as it looks. Daren is the expert fisherman and coached everyone out there. Looks like Jet is taking after him.

A birthday at the Ranch!

2011-07-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Ammon turned 5 years old two days after our day at the ranch, so a big birthday party was planned. Maddie had hats for all the kids and they got to bust up a pinata. It was a fun addition to the day. Happy birthday, Ammon!

A Day at the Ranch!

2011-07-05T20:03:00.010-07:00

July 5th, perfect weather, helmets for everyone :) and the most beautiful country anywhere. We always get dusty and tired, but it is a memorable experience that is totally worth it. We totally enjoyed our time at the ranch. Fishing and birthday celebration photos to follow!

Beautiful Lemhi Mountains, horses, Cantelope the baby antelope, and Trevor, Mae, Owen and Jim

The big 4-wheeler ride

Destination: lunch at the creek and a lightening struck tree

Owen stayed near the Quansat hut with Grandma and Kate

Profiles from the day

The last ride through the creek that nearly pitched Mae in!

My favorite photos from the ride

Obviously from the back of the 4-wheeler in motion!

Ranch view

Mountains!

Wildflowers and sagebrush

Sagebrush and sky

A view of it all

And cattle

happy 4-wheeling team

With Grandpa at the tree

Goodnight 4th

2011-07-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Owen gazing into the sunset, catching a few close-by fireworks. Then sleep to prepare for a big day tomorrow!

Talent Show

2011-07-04T18:58:00.003-07:00

We had an oration (fast talking, amazing !), dancing (all kinds!), flexibility demonstration, and a lovely piano number. Video upload later (having a glitch with that at the moment).

Rexburg 4th of July Parade

2011-07-04T17:11:00.003-07:00

The entries--not a float in the entire parade! But there were tractors, horses, cheerleaders, beauty queens, flags, fire engines and cars.

The observers--Jim (JPD) was the first one on site, then the rest of the family came and filled in--including Amber, Dustin and Tailey! Grandma and Grandpa, Paul and Maddie kids, Ann and Daren and family. Happy 4th everyone!

Way to go, Uncle Tom and family! We love the colorful logo and design.

Jim's favorite entry/episode. We're not sure its patriotic significance, but it sure brought cheers.

Uncle Rick was with the County Officials float, but we didn't catch it--I think he was facing the other side. Fortunately it was mostly an overcast morning so hopefully it wasn't too hot for the duration.

And my very favorite float had sweet Kaitlin on it!! I spotted her cute little ponytails and was so excited. Good job at gymnastics, Kait!

Family Picture Time

2011-07-03T19:47:00.001-07:00

Lots of photos, a few tries with the whole group. DeMordaunts are a very photogenic family! Everyone looked so nice. Then it was off to church!

Idaho!

2011-07-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Fishing, prizes and more. Bandanas galore (personality changes?!)

Smiles

2011-07-01T19:52:00.002-07:00

Eating, waiting, smiling, grinning, gritting.

The library at the Y

2011-07-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Harold B. Lee Library, featuring art by Jack Morford (my uncle)
and future student, Jim, gazing at the pictured Y

BYU Swim

2011-07-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

Trevor had a great week at BYU, swimming hard, eating a lot and socializing with fabulous kids.

Trevor really dominated in his races, sometimes just barely, but it was sooo fun to watch. His form looked fantastic! Look how he is so high in the water and his reach is long as he slices through the water. Grandma Price came and was able to see Trevor swim for the first time. So cool!

Until next time...