Connor Submits A Post To The Cousin Connection!

hike to squaw peak

last Saturday i went on a hike to squaw peak. (the large peak right up above provo canyon)

it was a very long hike very very long. 7 miles. 31/2 miles up. 31/2 miles down.
but not that it wasn't fun i loved it. the view was amazing. see if you can see your house from here. very very beautiful

we even saw a rattle snake there ------------------>
hope you've had a good summer!

mount rushmore

Santa's visit at ChrisMissy's House

We got to bed quite late last night after a wonderful afternoon and evening with Jen and Lowell and the girls coming over to Chris and Missy's. Missy prepared an amazing feast as she always does. The morning came pretty early with wide-eyed and very excited little ones. Here are some candid shots of the presents!

Zach with his already assembled Lego boat!

Putting the Barbie House together.

Owie eating Gummy Food French fries.

Connor got a DSI! No clue what that is but he was happy!

Connor breaking in the DSI

Lots of pretty paper flying!

Aynslee with her new jewelry chest and some new earrings.

Santa brought Chris and Missy some new cookware!

Owen has a lesson in DSI procedures.

Aynslee with her fashion design sketch portfolio.

Zachy gets a new Leapster cartridge!

The gifts for the kids were varied and fun. They received some movies, a Wii game, board games, Legos~always Legos, Ayns got some Barbie stuff and a jewelry box and crafty art supplies and Owen got a stuffed, other things! Everyone was overwhelmed with tiny pieces from various things and very happy. They spent over an hour just playing with things from their stockings.

We ate Einstein Bagels and various flavored cream cheeses and drank hot chocolate and wassail and it was very fun! When the sun came up we saw snow on the ground and it was time for a nap! We talked to all the other kids and everyone had a similar experience around their Christmas trees this morning.

Last night all the cousins produced a video on their own of the birth of Jesus and presented it to the parents and and grandparents. How's that for the technology age? Holy Cow! I am going to try to Youtube it! It is totally a keeper

All About You!

Rossie cramming himself into the
grocery store car one last time!
Not really made for big kid 7-year-olds!

There are always just some fun random photos of the kids and their busyness playing and having fun. These are a bunch of photos posted by Laura daily on her My Life in Pictures blog and some that the other kids have sent electronically.

This is one of the most wonderful ways they can make Gramma and Grampa feel a part of the kids' lives. I am so thankful for digital cameras, scanners, and computers. They literally shrink the world to a manageable size. Oh and not to forget the telephones...They have saved us from dying of loneliness for these little people and their precious parents that we love more than life itself.

Spencer and Rossie~Italian Coolness

These grandkids are on the go. Spencer and Ross will be coming back to America to live on July 15th. Piper and Julia are going to Scotland on Tuesday. Connor, Anyslee, Zach and Owen are all in Oklahoma right now. The only two staying put are Chloe and Hazie! It sure is a different world they are growing up in compared to when we were kids. There is so much mobility and so many opportunities to be had. We love their parents for giving these little ones so many memories.

Zach in the dog house.

Chloe Jane's...Yummy chocolate residue?

Piper and Julia complete today's art projects.
For the full story on this go here! It is really cool!

Connor leading out on an end of the year activity.

Piper going off the school~She is so Jen!

Spencer with the thing he'll
miss most about Italy.
Marguerita Pizza

Julia in one of her funky hats! Love it!

Chloe~Dog Sitting
Her Mommy's favorite way to
have a dog. This is today!

Julia and Chloe in the first two Jacuzzi tubs
with their friends! Simple pleasures!

Computer Time for Owie at the Library!

Packing Out of Italy~they have to live
for eight weeks without their stuff as
it makes its slow boat trip to Rhode Island.

Hazie with her baby kitten!

Julia~Parachute Dance at the end of school year.

Rossie with his short cast!

Rossie getting it off
If only it was that fast!

Sleeping Beauty~Miss Chloe!

Piper on the right with her friend Mitrian.
Love her new bob. She started the year
with waist length hair!

Hazie tries the slide!

Whee!
Looks like a hit!
I can just hear her saying "AGAIN!"

Spencer in the middle of what

looks like The Scrambler with his friends.

Connor practicing his music.
He likes to do this for fun!
That = Success!

Owen's wheels

Pizza for our little Pirate!

Spencer with one of the Campbell
boys in Laura's seminary class!
What a great role model for the boys!

Julia and Aynslee playing with the new kittens!
Sleeping over to celebrate the end of school!
We just love having these sweet cousins
living so close to each other!
They are such good friends!

Miss Aynslee!

Zachary James Flyin' High!

The Pinewood Derby

Last night Connor and all the scouts in his age group from two wards had their Pinewood Derby. Each boy makes a car and races it. Connor did really well, but he pointed out to me that it is not about winning but about having fun. They did do plenty of that! Connor won a metal for the "Most Fun Design" and Chris said he only supervised the creation. Connor did it all. The Judge called it "The Flying Credit Card!"

The Track! The Lady in Charge...our own Liz Capson Ellis!

Gramma sprung for some Cold Stone Ice Cream
after the Pinewood Derby!