We went with our cousins and that made it lots of fun. Then we got to go and play at their house.
Dinosaur about to pounce on Mom and Aunt Becca.
Photos by Steve L.
Friday, August 22, 2008
More Dinosaurs by Daniel
We went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. There were tons of cool dinosaurs. Since we hadn't been there in two years it was really, really cool. My favorite part was the giant sand and water table, where we played with toy dinosaurs and built dams and destroyed them. I liked it better than the dinosaur park in Ogden, because it's all indoors and I don't like getting headaches from the heat.
We went with our cousins and that made it lots of fun. Then we got to go and play at their house.
Dinosaur about to pounce on Mom and Aunt Becca.
We went with our cousins and that made it lots of fun. Then we got to go and play at their house.
Dinosaur about to pounce on Mom and Aunt Becca.
Bobcats and Wolves and Bears, Oh My!
It was really, really awesome earning my first scout badges. I earned my chess belt loop and pin, my wildlife conservation belt loop, my astronomy, BB shooting, and archery belt loops. I also earned my swimming belt loop and pin. I got a Kennecot patch, my bobcat and wolf badges and I earned one gold arrow point and 4 silver arrow points. We also played a game of freeze tag, the boy scouts showed us how to build a fire and we roasted s'mores.
Grandma N and Great grandma came to the pack meeting to see Daniel get all his awards.
Giving mom her bobcat and wolf mother's pins.
Ulva Island by Noreen
From Potuwi we drove to the southern most tip of the South Island and stayed in Bluff for New Years Eve. New Years Day we took a ferry to Stewart Island, a small island to the south, and then a water taxi east to Ulva Island. Ulva is a bird sanctuary and totally unspoiled. For our bird loving family this was a highlight! They have walking paths around the whole island, and spent almost 4 hours exploring. Except for passing other hikers occasionally we felt like we had the island to ourselves. We got to see the Weka, the Kaka, the Saddleback and the Tui bird among others.
A rare photo of the whole family (oops...I just realized Whitney was taking the picture!)
My favorite photo of Daniel in New Zealand. What a handsome kid.
A Weka and her chick.
A rare photo of the whole family (oops...I just realized Whitney was taking the picture!)
My favorite photo of Daniel in New Zealand. What a handsome kid. A Weka and her chick. To see a map of the places we traveled so far in this series, click on this link: <http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&ll=-40.359103,172.875366&spn=8.067848,12.128906&z=6&msid=116765397961150020384.000451b63510a46db34d4>
The Parenting Breakthrough - Book review by Noreen
My dear friend Denise invited me to spend the day with her at BYU's Education Week on Thursday. Steve was going to take the day off, but had important meetings at work come up that he couldn't miss. Whitney did a great job babysitting for the day. She played with the girls, made banana bread with Janey, fed everyone lunch and cleaned the house. All this while I was being spiritually fed and having a great time with Denise. What more could a mom ask for?
We attended some really amazing classes and I got to hear two sessions by my parenting hero, Merilee Boyack. Her book the Parenting Breakthrough, has been my "teaching children to become responsible, independent adults" bible. Most of you are probably sick of hearing me talk up this book, but in case you missed out, I highly recommend it! She is just as witty and down to earth in person as she is in her books and I love the way she thinks.
I also had the chance to attend a play that night with my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law. Although the play was regrettably awful, to the point of being comical, the company was a joy.
I thoroughly enjoyed my rare day off and I'm ready to try some new ideas and insights. Too bad I can't swing one of these days every week!
We attended some really amazing classes and I got to hear two sessions by my parenting hero, Merilee Boyack. Her book the Parenting Breakthrough, has been my "teaching children to become responsible, independent adults" bible. Most of you are probably sick of hearing me talk up this book, but in case you missed out, I highly recommend it! She is just as witty and down to earth in person as she is in her books and I love the way she thinks.
I also had the chance to attend a play that night with my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law. Although the play was regrettably awful, to the point of being comical, the company was a joy.
I thoroughly enjoyed my rare day off and I'm ready to try some new ideas and insights. Too bad I can't swing one of these days every week!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Olympics by Steve L.
Last Friday we went to our Grandma's house for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. On the way there we stopped and bought some Chinese food to celebrate the Olympics being in China. We ate it while we watched the beginning of the ceremony. I'm not sure if all of you have seen the opening ceremony, but you can find something on it on the Internet. One of my favorite parts was the giant globe with people walking on, around, and even upside down on it! It was cool.
Kennecott Copper Mine by Daniel
For Cub Scouts this week we went to the Kennecott Copper Mine. Its the biggest open-pit mine in the world. It also has other metals like gold and silver. We watched a cool movie that showed how they get copper out and how they transport it. After the movie they showed us a dinosaur skull and some dinosaur teeth that they have found in the mine.
Gone Fishing by Whitney
Last Saturday we went fishing at a nearby lake. There were large rocks that lined
the lake in all directions. Along the shore there was a path that my mom goes walking on with my Aunt Bree in the mornings.
It was cloudy that day, and it actually rained a few times while we were there. (This has
happened every time we have gone fishing.)
Daniel taking his chance
Going on a walk around the pond.
Baiting my hook. (We didn't acutely catch anything.)
Raining. WOW, big surprise.
Me trying my luck.
the lake in all directions. Along the shore there was a path that my mom goes walking on with my Aunt Bree in the mornings.
It was cloudy that day, and it actually rained a few times while we were there. (This has
happened every time we have gone fishing.)
Daniel taking his chance
Going on a walk around the pond.
Baiting my hook. (We didn't acutely catch anything.)
Raining. WOW, big surprise.
Me trying my luck.
Liberty Girls by Janey
Using our sence of smell instead of our sence of sight.
Indian Fry BreadFor Liberty Girls this week we pretended we were blind. We played a game where we were blindfolded and someone else led us through a path of obstacles. We ate Indian fry bread with blue berry sauce. It was GOOD! We learned three Indian dances, the duck dance the waiting dance and the jingle bell dance. We smelled lots of smells blindfolded, to see what it was like to be blind and figure out what something was without your eyes. No one liked the pickles or soap. I learned how to write my name in Braille with a Brailler. We talked about the book Kaya shows the Way. In the book Kaya finds her blind sister who was kidnapped. She was happy to see her again.
The Patient Watermelon by Noreen
(Note: My friend Jennifer, who's 8 year-old son is undergoing chemo, posted a heart felt poem on her blog this week. It gave me the courage to share one of my own. When I tried to journal this experience in New Zealand, it just had to come out as a poem. It surprised me, since I hadn't written a poem in almost 20 years.)
The Patient Watermelon
Dropped a ball again
Tears of frustration
A sincere prayer for help
I hate when I forget that I said that I could help!
I remembered to buy the watermelon early.
My son helped choose a luscious round one for his team.
It sat patently waiting all week on the counter,
ready to be put into service.
By Saturday Morning the watermelon was forgotten,
buried behind last night’s dishes.
Three kids fed, dressed, with hats, shoes, water bottles and mitts
and out the door with their dad by 8:30.
A sigh of relief –
Until I see it – just moments too late.
The patient watermelon.
Only one car
No cell phone
Lifestyle choices I enjoy-
Until a moment like this.
I picture my son’s face at the end of the game, when someone asks,
“Where’s the snack?”
and he remembers the watermelon,
hand picked-
the one his mom forgot to send.
Then my tears come,
Helplessness
Disappointment
Frustration
Then my prayers come
Heartfelt and
Earnest
Searching for a solution.
I place calls to my friends, my visiting teacher, my neighbor.
No one’s home on this busy Saturday morning.
Another prayer for help
A plea to be rescued
Then it comes –
A name leaps off the phone list. Somebody’s home!
An angel in a sedan- who hardly knows me – gives a half hour out of her morning
for me.
I arrive at the ball field, laden with my largest white bowl-
filled with patient watermelon.
I find my son’s team in time to witness the last batter run home. My son sees me approach with my load.
The smile on his face is priceless.
He excitedly relieves me of my burden.
The one in my arms and
The one in my heart.
Feeling important, he hands out the watermelon,
Never aware that I almost let him down.
A ball rescued
Tears of joy
A prayer of Thanks.
The Patient Watermelon
Dropped a ball again
Tears of frustration
A sincere prayer for help
I hate when I forget that I said that I could help!
I remembered to buy the watermelon early.
My son helped choose a luscious round one for his team.
It sat patently waiting all week on the counter,
ready to be put into service.
By Saturday Morning the watermelon was forgotten,
buried behind last night’s dishes.
Three kids fed, dressed, with hats, shoes, water bottles and mitts
and out the door with their dad by 8:30.
A sigh of relief –
Until I see it – just moments too late.
The patient watermelon.
Only one car
No cell phone
Lifestyle choices I enjoy-
Until a moment like this.
I picture my son’s face at the end of the game, when someone asks,
“Where’s the snack?”
and he remembers the watermelon,
hand picked-
the one his mom forgot to send.
Then my tears come,
Helplessness
Disappointment
Frustration
Then my prayers come
Heartfelt and
Earnest
Searching for a solution.
I place calls to my friends, my visiting teacher, my neighbor.
No one’s home on this busy Saturday morning.
Another prayer for help
A plea to be rescued
Then it comes –
A name leaps off the phone list. Somebody’s home!
An angel in a sedan- who hardly knows me – gives a half hour out of her morning
for me.
I arrive at the ball field, laden with my largest white bowl-
filled with patient watermelon.
I find my son’s team in time to witness the last batter run home. My son sees me approach with my load.
The smile on his face is priceless.
He excitedly relieves me of my burden.
The one in my arms and
The one in my heart.
Feeling important, he hands out the watermelon,
Never aware that I almost let him down.
A ball rescued
Tears of joy
A prayer of Thanks.
Ice Cream
The blog is on a diet this week. Steve returns from London tomorrow, where he has been on business. The blog will be sweeter next week!
Hiking The Catlins by Noreen
We continued our travels south to The Catlins and quaint little town of Papatowai. While there we trekked through more sheep fields to see Jack's blowhole, hiked to the beautiful Purakaunui Falls,visited a beach at low tide to see the Cathedral caves, hiked to Nugget point with it's seal colony and historic lighthouse and turned back from another hike because an annoyed fur seal was blocking the path. Honestly, it was!
Jack's Blowhole
Purakaunui Falls
Lighthouse at Nugget Point
Rocks at Nugget Point
Annoyed fur seal
Cathedral Caves
To see a map of the places we traveled so far in this series, click on this link: <http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&ll=-40.359103,172.875366&spn=8.067848,12.128906&z=6&msid=116765397961150020384.000451b63510a46db34d4>
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