The "Lowe" Down

A few thoughts from Mark

2011-07-07T19:25:00.000-06:00

The Lowe clan has been a busy one getting ready for school to end for the kids and going to all of the end of the year festivities. Evan has done awesome in his first year of Jr. High, he has made the Honor Roll every term and all of his teachers love him, but hey, what’s not to love about Evan? He especially enjoys his art class, and his improvements in this area are evident. He had a drawing in the school art show that he drew of Ringo Star from the Beatles. This subject seems like an odd choice for a 12 year old until you learn that Mr. Furch had the boys choir, of which Evan is a part, sing a medley of Beatles songs in the spring concert. Because of this Evan has become a Beatles fan…some music just never dies.

Mason was able to wrap up his school year with a number of awards including high honors, 100% attendance, and a special recognition award from the Technology Student Association. He also performed marvelously as a member of the Choir Band. Lisa, Mason and I all agree that the Layton High School Choir groups fall considerably short of the Linton standard as evidenced by the pained look on Lisa’s face while we were at their latest concert. The band, on the other hand sounds fantastic, especially the keyboards! Honestly, the band is really good and Mason and his keyboard work compliment the group quite well. He is currently considering a choice next year of either taking Choir Band again or AP Music Theory, I lean toward the theory class, but its his decision.

Avery has continued playing softball and is getting better. No more cringing at pitches, or turning her head when the ball is thrown to her. Only a couple more weeks of this until the season ends. We have had so many rain-outs this spring that Layton City is having to stretch things out a little longer than it normally would have. Avery was also able to go on a field trip to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City with her school class, and as an added bonus her mother was able to chaperone. They had a good time watching the birds and spending time doing what Avery calls “nature type stuff.”

Lisa surprised me recently with a pair of tickets to Les Miserables which we were able to attend at the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake. The production was very well done. Ok, I‘ll be the first person to say that I know, quite literally, nothing about the theater…its just a fact. I didn’t know the story of this play, musical, I’m not sure exactly what it is, but whatever it is I have to say that in all honesty during most of the first half I was completely lost. Finally, at the intermission, Lisa handed me the program with the synopsis in it and told me to read. Anyway, after reading a bit about the story everything fell into place (Lisa’s a gem). We did enjoy it despite the confusion on my part, and had a nice night out.

Well, I think that about wraps up the Lowe segment. Thanks for putting up with my lack of suave and eloquent writing.

Sisterly Love

2011-02-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Aren't sisters the best! I'm so glad that I have the 3 greatest sisters EVER! I was just thinking about you all today and wanted to tell you how lucky I feel to have you in my life! XOXO

Bienvenido su casa Elder Linton

2011-02-06T19:11:00.004-07:00

The big family reunion was much anticipated and we were all so excited to see Tanner when he returned home from his mission in Columbia. He was still just as tall and skinny as we remembered him but you could tell that there was something different about him. He had that special glow still and we all had such a wonderful time reconnecting with him and each other!

This is the first time in a REALLY long time that the "original" Lintons have all been together. It was fun to socialize as adults but still have some of the childhood banterning going on too! I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute that I was able to spend with my family.

See you all next January! Same time...same place...same fun!

Curly Girly

2010-10-03T11:28:00.005-06:00

Avery has been begging for curly hair for a while now. She has a good friend at school that has curly hair and she decided that it was time for her to find out what it would be like to experience some curls. (Without the curling and flat irons!)
I'm sure she had no idea what getting a perm was all about.....if she did, she would never have agreed to it! It took 2 1/2 hours, 2 perm solutions and tolerating that nasty smell!

In the end, it was all worth it!

The beginning......

Middle....

and curly end!

Avery is really enjoying the ability to do her hair by herself. She is getting really good at spraying and scrunching! I have to say it's really nice for her mother too!

A bicycle built for TWO!

2010-06-16T09:44:00.011-06:00

I always look forward to the first weekend in June because it means that it is time for the Little Red Bike Ride in Cache Valley. This year was no exception, in fact I might have been a little more excited than normal because Laurie and I were riding together on the "green machine". With matching green jerseys and a super cool green bike we were quite the novelty. We have been planning this tandem bike ride for several years now and I'm so excited that we finally got to do it!
We rode 58 miles this year and I'm so proud of Laurie! She was a great rider and it was lots of fun to talk and enjoy each other's company while we took in the beautiful scenery of Cache Valley. She was already talking about doing the 100 miler next year before we had even finished this one....I think she has caught the biking fever!

Even after the long ride we were all smiles!

This was also the first year that my friend Jodi participated in Little Red. Because I was on the tandem she borrowed my bike and rode with her friend Michelle. They did a different mileage, but we got to see them at the first rest stop. They both did great and it was fun to share the road with friends. I'm really proud of you Jod!

After the ride was over we got to spend some time at the Lewiston Park. We ended up making a new friend!

Next year girls....100 miles! Get your butts ready!

The Joys of June

2010-06-15T17:04:00.013-06:00

The first week of June was an exciting one for us. It was also the last week of school for the kids..YEAH! and it was Evan's 12th birthday. How many kids get to celebrate their birthday on the last day of school, play in a kickball game against the teachers while wearing a really cool tie- dyed t-shirt and celebrate by having dinner with the greatest family on earth? Evan does!

Birthday Party at Red Robin...where else?

Dinner and the company made this night a very memorable one! Thanks everyone for helping us celebrate this big day with Evan!

Housekeeping

2010-05-16T21:10:00.009-06:00

Every once in a blue moon, when all the stars are aligned there is something wonderful that happens. Avery catches the cleaning bug and really takes it seriously.

Yesterday was one of those days. She put on her cleaning clothes, put her tunes in her ears and went to town. She left very little uncleaned and put some pretty big smiles on her parents faces.

All of her efforts were rewarded with a trip to Yogurt Stop...

All in a days work!

A New Addition

2010-05-16T20:45:00.002-06:00

After months of searching for the perfect mode of transportation...we finally found it. Let me introduce you to the newest member of the Lowe family!

It weighs in at 1.2 tons, 144 inches, and has a very pale complexion. But it's ours and we love it!

Full Service Beauty Salon

2010-04-25T21:12:00.006-06:00

Avery's Beauty Salon...

where she makes you as beautiful as possible!

Her business hours are 24/7,

except when she is asleep or at school.

Now accepting new clients!

Her services include...but are not limited to,

Massage therapy and

Nail beautification.

Please call now...space is limited-appointments will fill quickly!

A Busy March Weekend

2010-04-04T14:00:00.014-06:00

The first weekend in March was a very eventful one for our family. Mark and I are so happy with each of our children and their accomplishments.

Avery celebrated her 8th birthday on February 26th and was baptized on Saturday, March 6th. We had a wonderful time celebrating this special day with all of our family and friends....

The very next day Mason turned 15 years old...and received his Eagle Scout Award. That will be a birthday that he won't forget!

Once a Princess, always a Princess

2010-02-27T20:56:00.014-07:00

Eight years ago the Lowe house was graced with the presence of Royalty...you didn't know this, did you? Princess Avery was born on Feb. 26th, 2002 and her loyal subjects have been serving her ever since.

Avery has always had a taste for the finer things in life....jewelry is no exception.

Occasionally she likes to hang out with her "royal peeps".

And she is a friend to all that know her.

Avery has always put her education high on her priority list...especially her educational wardrobe.

In celebration of her royal heiness' 8th birthday, her closest royal friends came to call on her and bestow many precious gifts.

But throughout this fairy tale life of Avery's, one thing is evident. She is a choice individual that has blessed her families life and all those that know her.

Happy Birthday Princess Avery! We love you!

Updates

2010-02-15T17:01:00.007-07:00

First Day of School

It all starts with this little idea of taking something that you love to do and learning more about it. You make the decision and your excitement builds, you anticipate what it will be like to follow your dream of becoming a better person and improving yourself...and then you start thinking about all the time and money that you are going to spend and the big picture smacks you upside the head. However....after spending a few weeks of being in classes, I am happy to say that this decision to go back to school is the right thing to do, and I'm really having a good time.

I have entered into the Personal Training Program at Eagle Gate College and it will take me 10 months to get through it. I am in school Mon.-Thurs. from 5:45-10:00pm. If it sounds intense - IT IS...but I love the people that are in the program with me. We have a very diverse group but we all have this common interest...we are eager to learn, we love working out and we want to help others love it too! If we can make it through Anatomy....you will hear the collective shout of happiness from us all! More to come....

Birthday Time

Mark celebrated his 42nd birthday by eating his traditional birthday treat -pie and having his very first massage. We enjoyed watching the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics too. We all had a "little of both" when it came to pie...in honor of Papa Linton. :)

Great Minds think alike!

Funniest thing happened the other day. Mark walked in from work and I was sitting on the couch doing my homework. He said, "Nice outfit". I said thanks without even looking up. Then he started to laugh. I was puzzled by that and then I looked up and saw that we had chosen exactly the same outfit to wear for the day...down to the color of socks and the shoes. We both got a good laugh out of that one. What can I say? I guess great minds think alike!

Holiday Memories

2010-01-03T19:12:00.003-07:00

We started the holiday season off by going to Temple Square to see the lights. It was a night of great weather, great company and great picture taking opportunities!

Every household needs a Holiday Gingerbread house…and this beautiful creation was no small feat. It took a lot of self control on Avery's part not to eat the finished product.

Avery loves having her cousins come to visit! We are so thankful that the Larson's could come to Utah and spend time with us before Christmas. Doesn't Chelsie look lovely in her pearls?

Family party fun...complete with 4 generations!

Christmas Eve dinner was a little on the untraditional side...but there were no complaints when our tummies were full and who isn't happy when Grandma and Grandpa are with you? We are so lucky that they could be with us this year!

After dinner and opening Christmas jammies we created some cookie masterpieces for Santa.

CHRISTMAS MORNING.......

For as much work as it is...Christmas is still my favorite holiday! It was a great holiday season and we are all looking forward to the new year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fall Fun

2009-10-27T19:17:00.006-06:00

FALL BALL

The Sand Springs Stallions came back for a second season this year...and we came back with a bang. We played some seriously good softball! All because we changed our name from Sand Springs to "The Terminators"!

SCHOOL CARNIVAL

Every year the PTA sponsors a school carnival. This year I spent my time sitting at the ticket table. The kids had a great time and made sure that they came to visit me alot. Their visits usually included bringing me something yummy to eat!

FRIGHTMARES

The kids have wanted to go to Lagoon all year long. Frightmares is a great time to go because the weather is cooler, the atmosphere is fun...and spooky and you never know when you are going to meet a new friend!

BYU FOOTBALL

I love the fall for many reasons, but mostly because it means football...particularly BYU football. Although the outcome of the TCU/BYU football game was nothing to brag about, just being in the stadium is enough to get me excited. The smell, the cheering and the sea of blue really makes me happy! GO COUGARS!

I'm back!

2009-09-19T14:53:00.020-06:00

Instead of listing lots of lame excuses as to why I haven't done this for so long, I will just say this...I'm back.

Mark and I celebrated my birthday by going on a cruise...heavenly. We left from San Diego, visited Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. It was a fantastic way to close down the summer. We took hundreds of pictures but I won't bore you with them all-here are a few of our favorites.

School is off to a good start and the kids and I seem to be enjoying it so far. I'm just ready for my first paycheck...I've got to have plane (or playing) money again so I can go and visit my mom! I didn't realize this until the first day of school, but when you become a Freshman in High School, you are no longer interested in having your picture taken. Mason is no exception to this, he is apparently too cool to have his picture taken on the first day now....

Mark and I celebrated our 19th anniversary on Sept. 14th. We thought it would be fun to go and visit Spencer and Brittney in Grand Junction. We enjoyed a high school football game from the sidelines (while Spen worked) and a visit to KJCT to see Spen in action as he gave his sports report. We watched the BYU/Tulane game, did a bit of shopping and of course ate more good food than we needed to! It was a great visit...wish we could have stayed longer.

On the funny side of our trip, neither Spencer nor Mark knew what the other person was wearing until they both came out of the bedrooms. On both Saturday and Sunday, they had chosen to wear shirts that were very similar. We got a good laugh over that!

When Mark and I arrived home from Colorado, we were so surprised to find our room decorated in hearts , homemade salsa and a really yummy zuchinni cake. When you have Michelle for a babysitter...the possibilities of what will get done are amazing!

And last but not least, we helped Lindsey celebrate her birthday by having lunch at Rumbi's. The family parties are getting smaller, but certainly not losing their importance. Happy Birthday Lindsey!

Time for a change

2009-06-22T11:40:00.017-06:00

My deepest apologies for my hiatus away from blogging. It was not because I lacked the desire to update it, it was purely due to my inadequacies of not finding enough time in my days to get it done. So....it is with a new leash on life(and because school is out, and I'm not working) that I have committed to myself to find the time to get you all acquainted with what is happening in the Lowe Family...past and present. Thank you for your patience!

Here we go..... this is going to be a long one!

Mother's Day was a very special day for me. Avery worked very hard to make sure that I had a great day. She made me a very special apron and plate. She also gave me everything we needed to have the perfect baking session together. Our cupcakes were delicious and it was so fun to cook with her! It was the perfect day!

Avery had an exciting last few weeks of school. She went to the Fire Department and the Layton City Police department on a field trip. We ate lunch at the park and I'm sure that if I took a poll, that's the part that the kids enjoyed the most!

Her class has also been working hard all year long to learn everything that there is to know about Yellowstone National Park. Avery can tell you all about the animals that live there, the geysers, plants and vegetation and if you show her a foot print, she can tell you what animal it belongs to. The last week of school was the big song and dance for her class. She got to dress up as a park ranger and take all the classes on a tour through Yellowstone. Our school library was transformed and we all had a wonderful time learning from our tour guides. The tour wouldn't have been complete with out a viewing of a geyser in the courtyard...it's amazing what you can do with Diet Coke and mentos!

It has become a tradition that we go to a drive-in movie at the end of each school year. We load up on treats, pizza and enjoy playing cards/games and baseball until the movie starts. This year we saw Night of the Museum 2 and Wolverine. Mark and Evan are the only ones that made it all the way through the second movie. The weather held out for us and it was alot of fun.

For Evan's birthday celebrations we went to the Salt Lake Bee's game. Michelle and Jodi treated him to whatever treats he wanted...he was in HOG HEAVEN!

The festivities continued into the next day (which was his actual birthday). Because I had a double header softball game, his birthday party was at the ball park. Most of the 5th graders in his class came over and enjoyed playing soccer, watching a little softball and of course...eating snowcones! Ms. Adamson knows how to throw a great party!!!!!!

Avery has been bugging me for several months to cut her hair. So right after school got out we did it! She is so much happier now when I come through it. I think it makes her look a little older too!

While Mark and Mason were on the High Adventure in Moab...I (along with Michelle and Jodi)took the kids to St. George. I know... probably not as much fun as the boys were having, but we did and saw some pretty cool stuff!

We went and hiked through Snow Canyon and I discovered that Avery is quite the climber! FEARLESS is a good way to describe her climbing ability. She had no trouble keeping up. I think that her legs gave out before her desire to stop climbing did! Now that Evan is officially a Boy Scout we wasted no time in starting his hiking merit badge. He completed his first 5 mile hike....we are on our way!

Tuachuan has got to be one of the coolest places to see a show. With it's red rock backdrops and it's enjoyable outdoor atmosphere, it is a joy to be there! We saw the show Annie and I think much to Evan's surprise, he really liked it!

Just when you think that your lawn looks better than it ever has and this will be the summer that everyone will drive by and be in total envy of it....you come back down to reality when the main water line has a leak and you have to dig it all up. The problem was more than Mark wanted to tackle so we called in the big guns...and their back hoe. We are happy to have no leaks and running water in our house again. We are hoping that this is the last time that we will have to deal with this problem. 3rd time is the charm?

Well, if you made it all the way through this, then I thank you for taking the time to read it. We are really enjoying the summer so far and are looking forward to keeping ourselves busy with more fun activities. We haven't even been camping yet....there is so much to do and so little time! We'll keep you posted! I promise. :)

A Sunny Florida Spring Break

2009-04-12T18:56:00.009-06:00

It seems like I was just doing a blog update about vacationing in Florida…this time around, the trip included all of the family.

The trip started early for Evan, Avery and I. We actually left the Thursday before Spring Break actually started. It was the longest day of travel I have ever had! We left our house at 8:15 in the morning, and didn’t get to Florida until 11:30 pm, 2 hours later than we had anticipated. We had a layover in Denver for a few hours that was planned, but when we stopped in St. Louis to pick up passengers and they told us to get off the plane, well, that kind of threw us for a loop. The airport was so crowded that we didn’t have anywhere to sit. Avery was so tired that she put her backpack on the ground and laid down. It was a very long day, but we were so happy to be visiting Grandpa and Grandma!
Because Mason had a State Band Festival on Friday, Mark and Mason joined us on Saturday…they luckily didn’t have a bad traveling experience.

The area where my parents live is beautiful. We spent as much time outside as we could. The kids had a great time going to the park.....

touring the Kennedy Space Center.....

and going to the beach...twice!

We were so glad that we were able to spend some time seeing the sights of Florida, but the best part about the vacation was spending time with Grandpa and Grandma. They make everything more fun! We have alot of great memories that will help us be happy until we can see them again...thanks for a wonderful vacation!

WE LOVE YOU GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!

Yeah it worked!

2009-03-24T16:29:00.003-06:00

Catching up....

2009-03-23T14:28:00.013-06:00

So I've been getting a lot of flack for taking so long to update this blog. I would like to say that I have been out of the country, or so consumed with my "exciting" daily life that I haven't had time to write...but of course, I can't. What it boils down to is this: There just aren't enough hours in the day to get done everything that I would like to. Unfortunately, the blog is always at the end of my list.

But, today I have some extra time. YEAH! The kids are off school(because of end of the term) and that means that I don't have to work either. (At least, not at the school...who are we kidding, I always am working on something or another) So, I hope to be able to catch you up on the last month, or so, that has come and gone for the Lowes.

Avery celebrated her 7th birthday on Feb. 26th. She wanted to go out to dinner at Red Robin and open her presents there. She got to have 2 days of birthday fun because the next night we had a party for her at home too.

Mason also celebrated a birthday. 14 years! Red Robin seems to be the restaraunt of choice for birthday celebrations. I think that Mason was happy that he had chosen to go there because they gave him the yummiest piece of strawberry cheesecake that he had ever tasted.

This picture warrants a little explanation. Those who know Evan should not be surprised to see him in a costume. But as costumes go, this one is a special one. Evan's 5th/6th grade class has been working very hard on an opera. The kids wrote the words, the music and constructed the scenery. This past Friday they were able to take all that hard work and show it off to the school and the parents. I must say that the caveman...although a man of few words, was very impressive.

Well, that about sums it up...I have been trying to get the rest of the pictures in a slideshow and post it, but it's not working too well. I will do my best to get it on here soon. Thanks for your patience...(Lindsey) Love to you all.

A Fabulous February

2009-02-20T19:59:00.016-07:00

FEBRUARY.........

We love the month of February at our house. We celebrate 2 birthdays, Ground Hogs Day, Valentines Day, and the President's Day holiday-(yeah! no school). It is the shortest month of the year, but it seems to be one of the busiest for our family. Along with all the regular happenings this year...a trip to Florida was thrown in the mix as well.

Mark shares his birthday with Abraham Lincoln on the 12th. We had a birthday party for him where he was spoiled with lots of great presents. It is always tradition that we have pie for dessert...thank you Marie Callenders for always having a pie sale in February! Yes Dad...you can have a little of both!

Cupids arrow found it's way into everyone's heart at our house this year. Ken and Barbie were no exception! Don't they look like they are in love? Avery always makes sure that they are well taken care of...

Another family tradition is held on Valentines night. We have heart shaped pizza, with heart shaped ice cubes in our drinks, and of course mood lighting with candles. SO ROMANTIC! The kids get their Valentines cards and treats on their plates...it is something that we all look forward to.
The kids eat fast, take their candy and usually disappear to the basement to enjoy their goodies where they can't hear mom say "Don't eat too much chocolate...you'll get a tummy ache!"
Good times are had by all.

A Day at the beach.....or two.

On President's Day we had great plans to spend some time at the beach. We packed up the chairs, the books and were ready to enjoy the sun, sand and scenery. Unfortunately...the wind was not our friend that day. After a few minutes of trying to enjoy our surroundings, we were tired of being pelted with the sand and we ventured out to do some shopping instead. We did however take time to snap this photo..

Our second attempt at the beach came a few days later....Wednesday was official beach day. Mom and I had a great time walking along the water collecting sea shells. When we thought we could get a bigger shell without getting too wet, we would try and out smart the waves to get to them. Only got surprised a couple of times. We spend an enjoyable amount of time wading in the water and sitting on the sand digging for more shells. You know, you can never have enough sea shells. It was a wonderful day! I don't miss the snow at all!

Big Accomplishments

2009-02-04T15:05:00.018-07:00

ARROW OF LIGHT

On Sunday, January 25th, Evan received the highest award that a Cub Scout can earn. He was honored in a special ceremony that night along with two of his friends, Porter McNeely and Colby Neville. We set up a display table with some of Evan's favorite things that describe him best and had a great time celebrating his BIG accomplishment. The night wouldn't have been complete without some face painting and a brag session!

Each one of the rays of light on the arrow represents aspects of the Cub Scouting program. As a story was read, Mark took a colored feather and painted each color that correlated with the Arrow's values on Evan's face.
By the time Mark was done, Evan looked like a real Indian Chief!

*Wisdom - Blue
*Courage - Black
*Self Control - Orange
*Justice - Green
*Faith - White
*Hope - Yellow
*Love - Red

Evan is a fine young man and he tries very hard to live each of these values...he's been a very good example to those that are in the Cub Scouting program with him!

SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL

Mason had his first opportunity to perform in the Jr. High Solo and Ensemble Festival. He played "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" on the french horn while I accompanied him.

He did fantastic! I say this not just because I am his mother, but because I think I know a little about music and I was very impressed. The judge was the Syracuse High Band teacher and he gave Mason some great compliments when he was finished. We couldn't record it during the actual performance, so when we got home, we made a video of it instead.

Later on this month, Mason will have another fun opportunity. The Syracuse Junior High Symphonic Band is 1 of 12 bands that was chosen to participate in the State wide Jr. High Band Festival. He will get to spend the day at the University of Utah listening to other bands and then he will have the chance to perform later on that night. Hopefully we will be able to record some of what he plays.

Tanner Takes a Two-year Trip

2009-01-19T14:47:00.020-07:00

I, along with all of my brothers and sisters, had the opportunity of accompanying Tanner to the MTC on Wed. January 14th. We were able to spend some time with him the night before eating pizza, taking pictures, and playing Rockband. It was as close to heaven on earth as you can get!
Wednesday was such a special day being able to have this experience together as siblings. Lindsey, Trevor and I thought we would be the only ones that would be going. But as luck would have it, Liz was able to make arrangements for her kids, Laurie was able to come from Vegas, and Spencer drove all night from Grand Junction. It really was picture perfect!

Here are a few pictures from the evening of fun and then from the MTC. Thank goodness for cameras! They are so valuable when trying to capture the moments that you want to remember forever.
These were a few days that I will want to hold on to for a very long time. Good Luck Tanner! We miss you already!

Elder Linton

Pizza Party

The Missionary Training Center

Week in Review

2009-01-11T16:05:00.025-07:00

When I asked my family what I should write about this week, they all told me that I should tell a story. Well, I'm not sure that I have just one story to tell about this week, I have many.
So instead, I have decided to tell you a little bit about each day. You know how the news channels will highlight their top stories in a weekend review, well, this is OUR Week in Review.

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

About every 4-5 weeks, there is a mass haircutting session in my bathroom. (Just the boys, I won't touch Avery's hair) You can see how thrilled Mason is to be participating in this activity. He used to complain about it until we figured out how much money we were saving by not going to the barber. Money speaks volumes! Mason, Evan and Mark are good sports about it, and with the money that we save, we can do more fun things!

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Now that the Christmas Break is over and the kids are back in school, the homework has started up again. It's our own fault for not taking care of some of the work during the break, but we were having way too much fun! After much thought and preparation, Evan was finally ready to do the fun part of his Science Fair project. The experiment! He wanted to see what kind of liquid would melt an icecube the fastest. His hypothesis was that the Sprite would be the winner - he was surprised when it was the water!

Tuesday, January 7th, 2009

I know that it is random for me to take a picture of my family room, but this was a traumatic night for me, and a first. After spending a little too much time helping Evan try and finish his book report, my patience was gone and I was BANNED to the basement by Mark. Kind of a time out for the mom, I guess. He was gracious enough to take over for a little bit so that I could have a break from the homework and Evan! I spent a few hours cleaning anything that needed it, and was quite pleased with myself when I was done. Cleaning has always been a bit theraputic for me. Mark teases me and says that I do my best cleaning work when I am mad!

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

It is not unusual to find Avery in some sort of a dance or tumbling costume at our house. I came home from Community Council and was immediately requested to come and watch a special performance in the front room. Little did I know that I was going to be part of the performance. She is turning into quite the little entertainer.

Friday and Saturday, January 9th/10th, 2009

As part of my Christmas present, Mark arranged for us to have a weekend away in Salt Lake. We stayed at the Radisson ( Room 923 ) and went to the Hale Center Theater to see the play "Cash on Delivery". We also spent time riding Trax to the Gateway where we did some shopping and ate way too much!

It was a wonderful weekend and a much needed break from the kids.

Well that's it. It's good to have one busy week behind us and another one on the way. We are all looking forward to having Uncle Tanner arrive on Monday for a few days and then he is off to the MTC on Wednesday..... I'm sure I will have a lot to say after that day.

Holiday Happiness

2008-12-28T18:40:00.009-07:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone already. We have had a fun month, filled with many activities and opportunities to help us remember what this season is all about.
This year we had to break from tradition when it came to Christmas Eve. For 38 years (yes, that's a long time)the Linton family has attended some sort of a Christmas Eve party with the Lauritzen side of the family. Because my parents and Tanner couldn't be here with us this Christmas, the Lowe family was on their own this year. I think we did okay!

So... we had no ham, no rolls, no potato salad and no Christmas bingo. Instead, the kids and I (poor Mark had to work) took a trip to Murray and went to visit Grandpa and Grandma Lauritzen. We had a wonderful time having lunch, watching a movie, and listening to Grandpa tell the same funny stories, AGAIN. In some small way, being with them was the most 'normal' part of Christmas Eve.

After we left Grandpa and Grandmas, we drove into Salt Lake and picked Mark up at work. We told the kids that they could choose anywhere they wanted to go and have dinner. After much deliberation, the back seat of the car had come to a unanimous decision....CROWN BURGER!

Who needs ham, rolls, and potato salad when you can have the best burgers, grilled ham and cheese and fries on North Temple! Maybe this is the beautiful beginning of a new Christmas Eve tradition! We finished off the night by opening Christmas jammies, making Santa some cookies, and watching a movie - "The Christmas Story".

Christmas Day came and went so fast. The kids were up early, and after lots of hard work of trying to get Mom and Dad out of bed, we were finally opening presents around 8:00. In a time when the economy is hurting...our children certainly were not left wanting for much this year. They got a good spoiling and we enjoyed watching the excitement in their eyes as the wrapping paper came off and the anticipation was finally over.

Happy Holidays to all of our family and friends...it is our wish that the New Year brings much happiness and peace to you all!

All I want for Christmas....

2008-12-14T16:40:00.018-07:00

It is always my goal to have the Christmas Shopping done by Thanksgiving. This year was no exception. Mark and I officially finished on the Wednesday night before Turkey Day at 10:30 pm. Phew! Just barely made it!

The Christmas Tree is up, the presents are wrapped and the Christmas cards are ready to be sent. It has started to look and feel like Christmas...we even have snow! Avery is still waiting for her front teeth. Maybe Santa has some special tricks up his sleeve to help them come in for Christmas!

With the work of buying presents taken care of, we have been able to spend some time during the past few weeks doing some fun activities that have helped us enjoy this Holiday Season.

FESTIVAL OF THE TREES

Don't worry...we really did look at the trees!

MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Lindsey came through with tickets for us this year!

Lindsey...YOU ROCK!

Ladies night out

DINNER AT MOOCHIES

Moochies...what a place! If you've never been there before, it is worth a visit. The food is delicious. The decor, well..it's like nothing you have ever seen before. Avery was totally fascinated with the bathroom. She was wondering how people could take a bath with all those plants in the tub. Of course we had to take a picture, you don't run into something like this every day!
It was so fun to see Spencer and Brittany..wish we could have had more time to spend together...come and visit us again soon!

We are looking forward to more fun...we'll keep you updated! Enjoy the Holidays! We love you.

A Mini Vegas Vacation

2008-11-16T19:36:00.013-07:00

I am getting really good at packing a suitcase quickly and looking like a seasoned traveler as I make my way through the airport these days. Some of my trips have been planned for months, others for weeks, and this one....for a few days. I had the opportunity to come down to Vegas this weekend to help celebrate Chandler's birthday and be a part of his special Baptism day.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend's activities:

Double Trouble- Grace and Chayce

It's all about the treats!

Triple Trouble (or is that Quadruple trouble-can't leave out baby Larson)

Super Star Kids

2008-11-09T17:29:00.007-07:00

The kids had been looking forward to Halloween for weeks. Avery wore her costume all day long, counting down the hours until she could go Trick-or-Treating. It was also the first official live appearance of 'Etwon- the King of Cool.' We had all seen pictures and heard stories about the infamous Etwon, but what a surprise to finally meet him. It was sad when he had to go at the end of the night. Many happy returns Etwon!

I guess the kids weren't the only ones that were enjoying the night!

This past week Evan was the Spotlight Student in his class. Mark and I went on Friday afternoon to talk about Evan and show a picture slideshow that we had made of him. It was fun to share some funny pictures and tell stories that the kids didn't know. I think we were very successful in embarrassing him!

U.E.A. - Utahn's Entering Anaheim

2008-10-26T19:30:00.003-06:00

Have you ever dreamed of waking up before the sun even thinks of shining, boarding an airplane and flying to California where you will have continuous fun for 5 straight days? Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
Well,this dream became a reality for me on October 16th when I spent the UEA weekend in San Diego and Anaheim, California with my peeps.
We visited Old Town San Diego, Sea World, The San Diego Temple, Disneyland and California Adventure. The weather was perfect as was the company in which I was with.

There are so many highlights from the weekend, but I was very excited to be able to visit the San Diego Temple. As we were driving past it, I got goosebumps. It truly is an awesome structure, and so beautiful inside.

Disneyland was unbelievable! I loved the way that the park was decorated for the Halloween season. The Haunted Mansion was all decked out and I can't believe how much work goes in to making the park so festive. It was very busy, but we seemed to work the system well and were able to ride everything that we wanted to. Of course the roller coaster in Californina Adventure was incredible(especially riding in the front row), but Space Mountain will remain my favorite ride. Did you know that it is possible to sing a song the entire time that you are on that ride?
Lunch at the Blue Bayou was delicious-I highly recommend it, eat the Monte Cristo.
The parade, eating ice cream and watching fireworks, cinnamon bears, Jo-Jo's and riding Splash Mountain 2x in a row added to the excitement of the trip.

We had a great time and it was a much needed break from school life, but it was hard to go back to work after spending so many days away from real life.
Thanks ladies for a wonderful vacation!

Weddings and Winter Weather

2008-10-12T18:13:00.009-06:00

We had the pleasure of attending the wedding of our nephew Brandon Moore on Friday. It was a wonderful day filled with lots of fun memories. The sun was shining but the temperature was very cold. Avery got to come with us, but I am not sure that she enjoyed it as much as we thought she would. She was excited to see Katie "aka-the beautiful bride", and then she was ready to leave, which makes for a long day.

Then on Saturday, Breanne Barker got married. We went to her reception and had a good time visiting with the Barker family. She looked absolutely gorgeous and very happy! Avery came home wanting a special drink maker...like the one at the reception. At the push of a button, you could have any drink that you wanted!

We also went to visit Aunt Lindsey in her new house. We were so proud of her for putting her bookcase together all by herself. The kids loved eating treats and playing in the front room because there is no furniture...lots of room to create fun.

Guess what we woke up to this morning? It was the kind of day that you wish you could stay in bed and stay warm under a cozy blanket! Our first official snow storm of the season. Guess it's time to break out the winter coats. Yuck!

Say "Cheese"

2008-10-06T17:09:00.007-06:00

A few weeks ago, we took a train ride down to Temple Square to snap a few family photos. We solicited the help of some "professional photographers", and ended up with some great shots. The decision process was hard, but here are a few of our favorites.

Some Florida Adventures

2008-09-28T20:08:00.001-06:00

DUDA LAND?
I am visiting my parents this weekend in Florida, and I have learned alot about the town in which they live. The Duda family owned the land - they are Czech. and after much debate, the town was not named Duda Land, but Viera. Thank Goodness! It is a small community that is growing quickly.

Mom and Dad live in a really pretty gated community called Sonoma. All the streets are named after types of wine. There's Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot, and Sonoma just to name a few. The family lives on Sonoma Way. It is a beautiful house with a lake outside their backyard. The view is spectacular! Laurie, Lindsey and I came for a long weekend for a visit and to keep up the family tradition of attending the General Relief Society meeting with mom. We shopped in St. Augustine, took a few bike rides, met a few of the new friends, got to sing in Sacrament Meeting and Primary, and the big highlight was playing tennis with Tanner. A family favorite!

We have spent many nights staying up late, laughing until we couldn't breathe, singing silly songs, watching movies, playing games and just enjoying each other's company. It has been a vacation that has been good for the soul, my soul.
Lindsey and I leave tomorrow for home, something that I am not looking forward to. I have enjoyed every minute that I have been here. It is has been good to be here and see the place that is now the home of the Linton family. I have met a lot of nice people, and feel better knowing that there are so many new friends and families that are here to take care of my parents and Tanner. Viera is not Clinton, but it holds something near and dear to my heart and I have to be okay with that. It feels like home, and that is a good feeling.

Falling into Fall

2008-09-14T15:31:00.006-06:00

It has been a few weeks since I have updated the blog, and even now as I am doing it, I don't know what I want to say. Our days aren't as exciting as they have been!

I wish that I could say that life has slowed down a little bit since school started, but it hasn't. The activities may have changed, but the quantity has not. Instead of swimming, running, sleepovers, and other summer fun , we now have lots of reading, math, volunteering and other school related items that fill our free-time. Everyone is doing well in and out of school. I just take one day at a time, and then it doesn't seem so overwhelming.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Mark and I are celebrating our 18th anniversary today. In lieu of our anniversary, this lovely photo was on t.v. Friday morning on Good Morning Utah. We are now famous...the news anchor really liked my beanie hat! We were also able to get away for the weekend in Park City. We spent our days shopping, watching movies, eating out and riding the Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster, and Zip Line - over and over! It was really fun, but we must be getting old - because it wore us out!

Our lives might not be as exciting as most, but we are healthy and happy and have a great appreciation for each other and our family. We are surrounded by people that love us, that help us, and that bring us so much joy. Who could ask for anything more?

We love you and send our wishes to you for a wonderful week....free from stress, of course. It is beginning to feel like fall here, especially as we drove through the canyon and saw all the beautiful colors. I love this time of year..I only wish you were here to see it!

Have a great week!

Summer Wrap Up and A New School Year

2008-09-02T16:35:00.021-06:00

The month of August has come and gone and left us with many more memories. I decided that it would be fun to share with you a few more of the pictures that we have taken over the summer. This is just a small handful of the many photos that we took. If I were to scrapbook all the pictures that were snapped, I think I would have to rent a storage unit to hold them all!

School Days

We have succesfully begun another

school year.

Mason is enjoying 8th grade so far. He has teachers that make him laugh, teachers that are challenging him, and teachers that are thrilled that he is in their class. He is still playing the french horn, learning how to speak Spanish and has joined the Yearbook Club. I think that he will be very busy this year.

Evan is loving 5th grade. Mostly because he has 6th graders in his class this year. He is part of a combination 5th/6th class and his teacher is Ms. Adamson. We were really excited to go to Back to School Night, because we didn't know very much about her. We had heard that she was kind of scary, but now know that she is sweetheart! :)

Avery thinks she is hot stuff , now that she is a 1st grader. She had no problem transitioning to a full day of school and she is really enjoying eating her lunch with all her friends. I don't know who is more happy about her being in school all day. Avery or her mom!

We are all doing very well and working hard. We are looking forward to the month of September and all that it will bring. Have a great week - love to all of you that read this.

All Good Things Must Come To An End

2008-08-24T19:31:00.003-06:00

It is with mixed emotions that I write this entry. I began this blog at the beginning of the summer and it amazing to me that so many weeks have passed since then. When I think back on the numerous adventures that I(we) have been on, it is hard to think that the summer fun has to come to an end. I think there is a quote that says something like this: "When one door closes, another one opens". So...although the summer door has closed, the next door has opened and I'm sure that what lies ahead will be just as wonderful as what we have already experienced.

So...I decided that each one of the kids should share what they enjoyed about their summer. Let's just say that it was like pulling teeth to get them to agree to write a few sentences.

Mason -
This summer has been one to remember. One of my favorite activities was Scout Camp. It was a chance to get away from the busy city and enter extreme mosquito territory. I earned 15 more merit badges and swatted away about 10,000 mosquitoes; literally. It was also nice to get away from the constant fighting of my two younger siblings.
Another nice, but not so nice thing about summer was summer gym. It ended up to count for the pe credit, but it was not fun. We ran and ran and ran most of the days. We ran the mile 5 times, did the pace test 3 times, and did 3 fitness circuits. The rounds of lightening kept the adreneline going. The best part about it was lunch! That's all for now.

Evan-
I got to ride Frontrunner a few times. It was fun and long. Last Friday we had lunch with my Aunt Lindsey at her work, and then my Dad, and Mason and me went to have pizza at the Gateway. It was okay. Then we saw the movie Dark Knight. I would say that Batman was cool. It was a good movie. I like the Joker. I was sad when it ended, because it could have gone longer. Two Face was scary at first, but then he died. Bummer. I really liked Batman's motorcycle.
At Scout Camp I earned 3 pins. They were my first pins. I also liked going swimming so much this summer. I learned how to jump off the diving board. It has been a really fun time.

Avery-
A short story by Avery: Once upon a time, there was a Princess named Avery. And she had fun this summer. She got to go camping, and swimming and have sleepovers and eat frozen yogurt and go shopping and find pets that were her friends like a squirrel and a butterfly(while camping) and eat lunch with Aunt Lindsey and she played with Madi and got to go to some movies and have a pedicure and.....the list could go on. What a lucky princess!

Something that Avery failed to mention in her story was that she lost her front teeth. It was quite the ordeal. We were having hamburgers last Sunday and she bit into hers and she could tell that something was different. After several tries at pulling the first one out, she gave in and let me have a go at it. Once I could her to put her hand down, it came out quite easily. What we discovered next was that the other tooth was just as loose. She was determined to do that one herself. The cry of triumph was heard all over the house when she was successful. She yelled,
"I did it" and was crying either because she was elated that she got it out, or because she looked in the mirror and discovered the large hole that now there. It was very funny!

The majority of the week was spent getting ready for school to start. We had one last hoorah of fun this weekend. The boys had their outing to the Gateway where they saw a movie, ate at the California Pizza Kitchen, and rode Front runner. The girls also saw a movie, ate dinner at Robintinos, had a sleepover, and had pedicures. All in all, it was a wonderful way to wrap up the summer. Tomorrow morning is the first day of school and I think everyone is excited to start a new school year. Have a great week doing whatever you have planned. Hopefully there won't be a need for any more hurrication days-right Dad? We send our love to all of you!

2008-08-17T15:17:00.003-06:00

A MUSICAL PARODY

Welcome to an opera blog. This is a musical version of the blog, if you were wondering. Get ready to sing along. The music can be found in the Children's Songbook if you need help with the tune. (numbers in parenthisis will indicate page numbers in the songbook) HAVE FUN!

"Good Things Utah on Tuesday"
(Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam - pg. 60)

Lisa was on television
to celebrate her birthday.
The ladies were full of "Good Things"
to show and read and say.

On T.V., on T.V., she was waving and smiling on T.V.,
On T.V., on T.V., they showed her for her birthday.

"Sprinklers"
(Popcorn popping - pg. 242)

I looked out the window and what did I see?
People sleeping out on the trampoline!
The night brought us all such a nice surprise,
when the sprinklers came on right before our eyes.

I only took a second to grab my stuff,
The tramp was wet and I'd had enough!
We made it through the night,
With mosquito bites,
When we slept out on the trampoline.

"Friday Fun"
(In the Leafy Tree Tops - pg. 240)

On this Fun Friday, we started by swimming.
There were some great back flips,
It was a neat day trip,
Mark could join the party, because he works 4 tens.

"Surly"
(When we're helping - pg. 198)

When we're laughing we're happy-
Brian Regan made sure.
That we heard funny jokes
And our stomachs were sore!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha,
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

"A Midnight Run"
(For Health and Strength-pg.21 - grab your friends and sing this one in a round)

At midnight we laced up our shoes and ran a fun 5K.
We ran up hill and beat our times, the moon showed us the way.

"Es My Birthday-Feliz Cumpleanos"
(Your Happy Birthday-pg. 283)

Today is such a special day
It's birthday time for me.
I came home to a big surprise
Balloons up to my knees!

Strawberry pie and party hats
A burger from the grill.
A trip to Logan is what's next,
Thirty-eight's a big thrill!

A husband's Perspective

2008-08-10T18:27:00.001-06:00

I suppose a sub-title to this blog would have to be Long hours, Opera, Girls hair and 20 years is not all that long.

When Lisa told me that I should write the blog for this week I thought, "Hey, no problem, I can just make notes during the week, put together a travelogue of activities and call it good." Needless to say, that didn't happen. This is probably due to the fact that I squished a weeks worth of work into 3 days, took a day of work so I could watch the kids for a couple of days by myself and, let's face it, I forgot. So ready or not, here goes...

My employer, the State of Utah, decided to mandate all available agencies to begin working a four day work week. The hip phrase the governor used when he decided to do this is "Working 4 Utah" (Catchy!). The idea being that everyone would work 10 hour days Monday through Thursday and have Fridays off. According to the Gov this will save the state a truckload of money in utility and maintenance cost and better serve the public by extending our hours of operation into the mornings and afternoon a little more for the days we are working. For me, the jury's still out as to whether this idea will really work or not. Before the days of working 4x10's I was at work at 6:00am and of at 2:30 so I missed traffic both ways (I rode the bus) and I was home close to the time the kids got home from school, now I have to start at 6:30am and don't get off until 5:00 pm which puts me home about 6:15 in the afternoon (I am forced onto the train due to UTA schedules). I admit the Fridays off are nice, but this a change that is going to take some getting used to.

I mentioned that I watched our children Thursday and Friday by myself. The reason for this is that Lisa went to some program up in Logan called "Opera by Children" which is organized by the Utah Festival Opera Company. Ok, I didn't really know what to think about this and I'm not sure if I even do now that she's home and tried to explain it to me. Apparently this program is to teach the teachers how to put on an opera with Elementary school children...One word..."Interesting." Not quite sure how that will work, but apparently they are planning on doing one this next year with the 5th and 6th graders, of which Evan is one, so I guess I'll get to see it all first hand.

As a side note...It seems to me that whenever Lisa is out of town it very nearly always falls over a Thursday afternoon. Sometimes I think she plans it that way. You see, Avery has tumbling on Thursday's and there are certain requirements to how your girls hair is fixed when they come to tumbling class. I know of no better way of saying this than to say simply, "I am hair challenged." Normally a headband will suffice...and does when Lisa isn't around to do some cute thing with her hair. Really, there are many things I do well, however girl's hair is not one of them. On Avery's tumbling days I do give it an effort. After about 15 minutes of me combing, brushing, pulling and tugging on Avery's hair while listening to Avery scream, I can finally get a pony tail in, the problem is it is not very tight, the hair is a little bulgy in places and I still have to get the hairspray to shellac it all down. It's really pretty sad when Avery looks at it in the mirror and says "Dad, you’re not very good at this." I try, but the results are most decidedly not worth the effort I've put into it. I'm just hoping the day comes...and soon, when she can do it herself.

On Saturday evening Lisa and I attended her 20 year High school reunion. I'm not a real connoisseur of reunions, but I do have to say that Lisa's was a lot better than mine was (2 years ago). It took place up at Snowbird in one of their conference rooms and I think there were about 200 people there. Lisa denies it, but I think she was more popular than she let on. There were a lot of people that came up to her to say hi and do a little catching up.."Where do you live, How many children do you have, What do you do, Etc." The usual stuff. If she wasn't popular then she seemed to sure have a large circle of friends, which, correct me if I'm wrong, is the definition of "Popular." In any case, my responsibilities at this function was to 1. Carry the cell phone, 2. Carry the camera, and 3. Carry the pen (for writing down friend’s email addresses). So I was basically the secretary for the calls, (all 7 of them, from our children), Photographer, stenographer for the email addresses and gopher for whatever my beautiful wife needed. I affectionately called myself "the mule." However, despite that, I had a really good time and wouldn't change a thing. I was able to catch up with a few friends I hadn't seen in many years and was able to meet some of those people Lisa had spoken of that I hadn't had the opportunity to meet. It was a very good time and a fun experience I'm sure Lisa will not ever forget.

To wrap up, the week was a busy one, but aren't they all.

All Camped Out

2008-08-03T19:49:00.003-06:00

For those of you that follow this humble little blog, you will have noticed that I have not had a chance to update it for a few weeks. Thankfully, it is because I have been having so much fun.

The past two weeks have been a lot of work in getting ready for camping trips. Our first camping adventure was as a family and with our friends. We spent 4 wonderful days in the Uintah Mountains over the 24th of July holiday. This was my first time taking the trailer out and getting it set up without Mark's help. I am happy to report that a bunch of girls can sucessfully set up a camp- we are so good! Once the work was done, we spent our days playing card games (UNO was a huge hit), taking little hikes, eating lots of yummy food, hanging out late by the fire and Avery's favorite highlight: visiting the "stinky potty". It was a great way to relax and enjoy the holiday.

We returned home on Sunday evening and I was to leave for Girls Camp on Tuesday. That didn't leave me much time to get ready. Monday was dedicated to packing, shopping and preparing food for Girls Camp. All I can say is: thank goodness for little helpers! I honestly don't know how it all got done in one day!

Girls Camp was amazing, as ususal. I know that I was only there in the capacity as Camp Cook, but what a blessing it was to be a part of that experience. I will continue to lobby for that position because I love to be with the Young Women in our ward. They are so much stronger in the gospel than I was at that age.
The weather was really hot, our camp spot had no shade, and it was a week of work, work and more work. But I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

Now I know that you would think that I would be completely content to stay at home since I have been away so much. But, that is not the case. I was home from camp for 4 hours and then I was off to my next activity.
It was my friend Michelle's birthday and we celebrated by attending a Peter Breinholt concert and spending some time in Park City riding the Alpine Slide and new Alpine Coaster. It was very exhilirating! Eating some delicious Mexican Food, watching movies, bowling and an ice cream cone were also included in the festivities. When I asked Avery what her favorite part of that day was, she said: "I beat YOU Mommy at bowling!" That's what being a mom is all about! Keeping the kids happy.

I am trying to get caught up on my sleep and get back into the groove of being the mom again. It doesn't take long, believe me. Although I have to say that Mark does an excellent job of running the show while I am gone. I better be careful, because he might prove that he is a better mom than I am!

Just a little update on the kids:
Mason has almost finished his summer pe. Thursday is his last day and I think he is looking forward to being able to sleep in again. Even if it is only for a few more weeks.

Evan has spent a lot of his time doing odd and end jobs for Mark and I so that he can earn some fun money for a cap gun that he is dying to buy. This is a win-win situation. I get the help that I need and he ends up with what he wants too.

Avery has had quite the social agenda this summer. She is definitley had her fill of fun. She has had sleepovers, done painting projects, found a love for stamping, and played her little heart out. She better know how lucky she is to have so many people catering to her every wish. She did get a bit alarmed today when she realized that we had started into the month on August. She is very aware that this is the month that school starts again. I had to remind her that we were at the very beginning of the month and that she has plenty of fun days left. She was okay after that - at least for now anyways.

We hope that all of you are finding the time to enjoy yourselves as much as we are. Please know how much we love you and wish that we could spend more time together. Thank goodness for email and telephones. I would really be in world of hurt if we couldn't at least talk to each other.
I hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you are thinking of us. Because we are thinking of you too!

Have a great week-and don't forget to leave us some comments!

"F"

2008-07-20T15:45:00.005-06:00

Fun Friday, Fancy Toes and Flip Flops
This past Friday was the one month anniversary of our trip to Mexico. The day was dubbed "Fun Friday" and it started off early with friends at my doorstep to have breakfast and watch Natasha Beddingfield on the Today show. The morning progressed with painting toes in patriotic colors and taking pictures of our fancy toes and new flip flops. (Thank you Michelle for a fun new pair of summer shoes-even if they don't match!) We looked at Mexico pictures, and played the game "What were we doing a month ago-right now?" It was great to stop and reminise about all the fun adventures we have had this summer.

Friends, Fanatics on the Wii and Frozen Yogurt
Our Fun Friday continued on into the night. We had a sleepover at Jodi and Michelle's, where they fed us all sorts of yummy food(in keeping with the nutrition plan), they set up the Wii with a projector that allowed us to play games on a much larger scale than we are used to, and no stay in Bountiful is complete without a trip to Yogurt Stop. This has become a new favorite with the Lowe family. We are constantly looking for excuses to frequent this establishment. But, do we really need an excuse to partake of this yogurt goodness? I think not.

Fun Run
We got up with the sun on Saturday morning and went to Bountiful Park to take part in our 2nd 5K FUN RUN of the summer. It was a gorgeous morning and I am happy to report that we all made it to the finish line without stopping. YEAH! If I can brag just for a minute, Mark and I both placed 3rd in our age brackets. :) We are now talking of doing a 5K in Sandy that begins at midnight! I know, it sounds crazy. But we have heard that it is actually alot of fun. I better pencil in a good nap for that afternoon, otherwise Mark will be piggy bag carrying me to the end.

Forgotten Son
The week was successful for Mason as well. He enjoyed(or survived?) going to scout camp where he earned 13 new merit badges. He did a bit of swimming in glacier water (brrr.), went canoeing and spent alot of time learning how to be a better scout and individual. It was strange to have him gone for the entire week-I kept thinking that I was forgetting something every time I left the house. It's great to have him home...safe and sound.

Love to all of you-Our family wishes you a wonderful week! Be sure and leave us some comments. We would love to hear from you!

July - up and running

2008-07-14T08:22:00.006-06:00

I can't believe how quickly the month of July is passing by. But in looking back, we have had some great days filled with lots of fun activities.

This past week, the boys have really been into tennis. They have spent many hours at the courts playing with each other and their friends. It has become a big deal in the neighborhood-the word got around quickly and so many kids wanted to play that Mason had to put together a sign-up sheet so that everyone would be able to participate. I believe they even had a tournament at the end of the week.
It will be a little quieter this week because Mason and all his buddies have gone to Scout Camp. But I'm sure that Evan will try to keep it going-he already has a court date set up for this morning.

Last week was a good week. I did a little running, went to the temple, played a couple of softball games, went to lunch and a movie with the kids and my friends, moved some stuff into a storage unit :), we all rode the train (FrontRunner) to Ogden with Grandma Janet, saw some old trains, had lunch at the Union Grill, visited the Parade of Homes, and to end the week, we attended Parker's baptism. Whew! It sounds like we were pretty busy when it's all written down like that.

The days seem to come and go so quickly-I can't believe that the summer is almost half over. It's been great to be able to do so many fun things with the kids and our friends. I hope that when the summer is over, we will be able to look back and be happy with how we spent our time together. I know that we will have lots of good memories. The older I get, the more important my memories have become to me. I think I'm turning into a softie. Who would have thought!

We send our love to you and hope that through the difficulties that life throws at us, we can still remember how to stay centered in the gospel, how wonderful it is to be part of a family, to be here on this earth where we have the opportunity to learn and grow and most importantly to be loved.
Have a great week!

Running around in circles

2008-07-06T21:23:00.000-06:00

Hello to all my friends and family! This week was dedicated to getting ready for the Layton 5K fun run. Who knew that running every day could be so.....monotonous, but fun!

Our day started at Ellison Park-around 8 am- where Michelle, Jodi and myself would run (and walk a little)around the mile track 3 times. Mark joined our group on Thursday and then we were doing the real deal on Friday. We are seasoned runners now. Not only did we do the run on the 4th of July, but we are thinking of doing several more 5K's before the summer is over. There's no stopping us now!

After the run, Mark made us really yummy blueberry flapjacks for breakfast and then we went to the Layton parade, where Avery was more concerned about how much taffy she could get her hands on than the actual parade.

The afternoon was spent at Grandma Janet's. We had a great time visiting with family, eating and playing fun games that Aunt Marilyn brought. Avery fell asleep on the way home, so we didn't go see any fireworks, but we did put on our own little sparkler/snap show at home. It's the little things in life that bring us so much joy!

For those of you that are fans of tennis, you will probably agree with me when I say that this week was an incredible week for the watching of the greatest game on earth. Thank goodness for the DVR. Otherwise , I might have made a permanent indentation on the couch! The men's final will go down as the best final I've ever watched. Way to go Rafael Nadal!!!!!

It was hard to come home from my great vacation, but because I got to spend so much time with my friends and family, it was bearable. Our days were filled with many fun and exciting activities. Some of the weeks highlights were: A Family Home Evening barbeque/Yogurt Stop night, swimming in Morgan, a visit to The Wood Connection and Quilted Bear, eating the best sugar cookie ever(crumbs and all), helping the YW sew their camp pants and just being with family and friends.

I have lots of painting projects to look forward to now, and I am going to have to keep up on my running, but all in all, the coming week will be dedicated to doing whatever. That's a nice feeling. Just being able to enjoy the summer and take each day as it comes.

Here's a wish to all of you to have a great week-I know that we will do our best to do the same. Love to all of you! Until next week......

Viva, Viva - it's SHOWTIME!

2008-06-29T15:03:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, I have recently returned from my Mexico vacation. I spent a fun filled week in the areas surrounding Cancun, Mexico-with two of the coolest people I know :)
If I were to describe and list everything that we did, it would most likely read like a travel brochure. Yes! it was that fun!
Parasailing, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming in the ocean and in our "special pool", digging for seashells, diet pepsi with lime, playing cards, yummy oatmeal, tennis on a rooftop court, visiting the ancient Mayan ruins, moon gazing in our happy place, watching and laughing at the nighttime entertainment and sweating profusely are just a few of the many highlights from the vacation. (I decided to leave out our sunbathing adventures. In my mind, somethings are better left unsaid! )
It was a week of laughing, laughing and more laughing. I am so blessed to have had this experience, but more importantly to have been able to share it with the individuals that I did.
I love you both dearly and will cherish these memories and our friendship forever!

While I was gone, the Lowe children were well taken of. I think they had a good time playing with friends and hanging out with their Dad. Mark always plans a project when I go out of town, and this trip was no acception. He started tearing out the basement bathroom, so we can redo the shower and the floor. Sounds fun, huh !

It's hard to believe that the month of June is almost over. It has been a month of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, but also a month of personal reflection.
The beginning of June was spent helping Mom and Dad with their move to Florida. This was a task that at the time I wasn't as grateful for as I am now. It was time consuming, very tiresome and most days - I couldn't wait for it to be over. But on the other hand, I almost didn't want it to end because then I knew what the end result was going to bring.
As sad as I am to have my family spread out all over the United States, I am excited for the adventures that will come because of it. No matter where we all are, we are still family and I love you all!

The summer is still filled with several activities for the Lowe family. Mason will be going to Scout Camp, I will be cooking food for the Young Women at their camp and if we can squeeze it in, we might actually get a family camping trip in there somewhere.

Our family hopes that all of you that read this are doing well and remembering how much we love and appreciate you. Life is good!

Birthdays, Basketball, Biking, and Boxes

2008-06-10T18:46:00.000-06:00

This is the week of the B's. We started the week with Evan in a week long basketball camp at Davis High School. He learned alot of "sweet moves" and got his first experience with playing shirts and skins. He was a "skin" all week. This was a thrill of course because he has some serious muscles that he loves to show off!
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Evan also celebrated his 10th birthday. He received many gifts, but his favorites were a juggling set from Grandma Janet and a webkin dog from Papa Kent/Grandma Chris named Coco. We had a fun party equipped with food, fun and lots of laughing.
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I rode in the annual Little Red Riding Hood Bike Ride that was on Saturday, June 7th, in Cache Valley. In years past it has been held on warm, sunny days. This year was a new experience. I think that Mother Nature wanted to treat me to all kinds of weather that day. Rain, hail, wind, clouds and very little sun. The temperature was only 40 degrees at the 8:00 am start. Brrrr.
The best part of the whole ride was reaching the end and realizing that I had my own little cheering section waiting for me. I knew that Mark would be there, and I was excited to see him, but what a great surprise to find my dear friends Michelle and Jodi waiting there as well. They brought me all sorts of "red" treats in a red bag and we celebrated the completion of the ride with dinner at the Bluebird Restaurant in Logan. It was awesome!
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Last, but certainly not least, this is the week of the big move. I have spent many hours helping my mom get ready for her big move to Florida. By Saturday, the truck will be packed, the house will be empty and life in Clinton, Utah will come to an end. I have mixed emotions about this. While I am excited for my parents to begin a new adventure, I am really going to miss them only being 10 minutes away and being able to see them whenever I want. Which is why I have started this blog. I want to make sure that all of my family feels like they are a part of our lives, whether they are 10 miles away, or 3,000. We will miss you!
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Have a great week everyone! We love you all and are so blessed to have so

many wonderful friends and family members.

Our first post!

2008-06-02T16:29:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!

It's official! We are the newest members of the blogging world. We hope that this will be a great way to keep all of our friends and family connected to the life of the Lowes.

We look forward to sharing some exciting adventures with you and we welcome you to our little corner of the world.