Sunday, July 30, 2006

Aaron's Baptism



Aaron was baptized on July 29th in Roy, UT.

We appreciate everyone who was there. It was a great time.

Aaron got his own set of scriptures that day and is excited to read them.

Fishing in Ogden

We went to the Cold Springs Trout Farm in North Ogden. It was a great "first time fishing experience" for the kids.

There were seven ponds that were fully stocked with rainbow and brown trout.


The rods were basic rods, no reel, just about 4 feet of line and a hook with a piece of leather on it (which the fish thought was a pellet of fish food).


Alex was the first kid to catch a fish...


... and then he pulled in a second one which Grandpa tried to get him to pose by.


Aimee kept pulling in the small ones. She got 3 total.


Aaron caught a 12" fish. He caught a total of 4 fish.


Alex, Aaron, Tyson, Jill and Kerry helped the kids fish.


Fish food was 25¢ a cup. Those feeder fish just loved to jump at it. You'ld swear they didn't feed these fish.


Aimee and Alex feeding the fish.


Through the combined efforts of Mike and Tyson, they netted a 13" fish (the biggest of the day). Mike held the line just above the water and Tyson tossed fish food at the hook. Within seconds the big fish we were after jumped and caught the hook.


We told the kids to avoid the mud... but Alex found out he was in it a little too late. He got both feet stuck in the thick mud and sunk to his ankles, freaked out and sat down. Luckily Dad was a feet behind him and pulled him out before there was too much trauma.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Dinosaur Park (Ogden, UT)



Grandma Debi took us to the Dinosaur Park in Ogden today. The kids had a blast.









Thursday, July 13, 2006

Michelle and Ken spawned!

We got a call from my mom this morning that my sister Michelle went into the hospital last night around midnight and got admitted at 3 AM.

Ken called around 1 PM our time and said that Michelle had given birth to an 8 lb 4 oz, 21" long baby girl. (Mom actually called us first and then Ken flashed in and I acted suprised.)

As of now, her name is Tressa Jeanette Richards, but that could change.

First Andee, then Clara, then Claire and now Tressa.

Four baby girls over five months.

Wow!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Aaron turns 8

Min and I can't believe that we are parents of an 8-year-old.

His b-day was last Friday, but we were traveling all day trying to get to my folks' house.

That night he got a GameBoy Advanced game from Mindy and me (Pokémon Sapphire) as well as new underwear, t-shirts, a long sleeved Sunday shirt and a tie.

We had a party/BBQ for him on Sunday (actually it was a family get together masked as a party) and Min's folks and sister came down for it.

He had an applesauce cake (of course) and blew out the candles through a piece of licorice:



My folks got him a bike and Sean's family got him a helmet:



Jared's family got him a board game called The Settlers of Zarahemla:



He'll be getting other stuff when he get's baptized at the end of the month.

Happy birthday Aaron.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Min, Mel and Misty: BFFs

Click on the image for the Hi-Res version.



Hogle Zoo

Min, Mel and Misty decided that Temple Square would be a boring place for to meet, since we were dragging all the kids around with us... so they decided on meeting at Hogle Zoo.

I went online and discovered that Jiffy Lube had coupons for a free child entrance with a paid adult.

Cool. That meant that all our kids got in for free!

Anyways, after search for a parking spot for awhile, we headed into the zoo. The kids loved running from animal to animal and watching them in their "natural" habitats.

The highlight for most of them was watching the giraffe poop. (FYI, did you know that falling from that high their droppings bounce?)

Here are some pics:

The herd in front of the entrance to Hogle Zoo... (Adults from l-r: Nate, Mel, Misty and Min)

* Click the image for a Hi-Res version *

Aimee, Sam, Haley, Eric and Aaron on the back of a caterpillar.

* Click the image for a Hi-Res version *

Of all the animals in the zoo, they are enchanted by the rooster.

* Click the image for a Hi-Res version *

"Jeff Goldblum eat your heart out!" (It's Aimee behind the fly head.)


... and the appropriate follow-up photo. (Again, it's Aimee.)


Aimee (the turtle) with Alex looking on.


"Alex calling Orson... come in Orson."


He sure likes that hat!


Brynnley sleeping on Alex's shoulder.


All aboard the HZ Train!

To quote Sammy Hagar...

When I drive that slow It's hard to steer
And I can't take my car outta second gear
What used to take 2 hours Now takes all day Huh
It took me 16 hours to get to L.A.

Go on and write me up for 125
Post my face Wanted dead or alive
Take my license and all that jive I can't drive 55

- Sammy Hagar
"Can't Drive 55" from VOA (1984)



... so now Texas is letting us go 80! (They raised the limit on parts of I-10 and I-20.)



... and the kids watched almost all of the DVDs that we brought with us.

Across the threshold...



Yup, we finally got our new door installed.

Our old door was a wooden door with a large leaded glass window. It was starting to really rot out at the bottom and we would awake to all sorts of bugs gathered around our front rug.

The door is not painted yet, but it will be once we return.

We'll post updated pics when we get back and get it done.