Late May to Mid June, 2011

 Avril, ready for church on a spring day.

 Avril, watching a kayaker at First Dam at the mouth of Logan Canyon.

 McKel, catching some of the first real spring sun rays at First Dam.

 Papa, letting Avril feel how cold the snow run-off water really is at First Dam.

 Ina, Alicia, and McKel, enjoying the outing.

 The Buick Park Avenue, just after being sprayed down for a picture to put online.  We sold it in one day.

 McKel, entertained for a few moments.

 Adrian, Arleen, and Brittney are moving up to Logan (we all hope).  Gayle and I have been looking at trailers they might be interested in purchasing.  Here is an example.

 Alicia recently took the girls for a swim at the Sports Academy outdoor pool.  Here McKel models her new swimming attire.

 "Look, I can almost crawl!"

 The sisters, about to hit the pool.

 I have a feeling these siblings will be best of friends growing up!

 Alicia and Avril in matching pattern Sunday best.

 Yesterday (June 18) Gayle and I went to a wedding reception up in Preston.  Here's the lucky couple - a co-worker at Gayle's employment and her returned missionary groom.

 While in Preston I had to swing by my Grandpa and Grandma Keller's home (where my mother grew up).  The garage I had painted for my grandpa was in sad shape, and some colors were changed on the house, but it was still recognizable.

 

And here's my Parkinson grandparents' home in Franklin.  This is where the iron deer came from that sit on my parents' lawn in Logan.  It had changed even more.  Gone were the barn, garage, and other sheds, chicken coops (as far as I could tell), etc.  Of course we didn't go inside.

 
Just to show the influence of Samuel Rose Parkinson and his descendents, here is the name of one of the roads in Franklin.

 En route home, Avril grabbed onto something to catch it.

 
Once she snagged it, she was quickly able to dominate it and bring it under her control!

Easter and Mother's Day 2011

 Jesse had a Stampede football game and during halftime the kids got to hunt Easter eggs.  Here's Avril with a start of her collection.  Note that it was a very cool and wet spring!

 Out on the field at a Stampede game!

 Here are the girls all dressed up for Church on Easter.

 The proud mom with the cute girls.

 Avril checks out her Easter basket

 It's always nice to get some sweets on Easter

 And hunting for eggs in back of Grandma Joyce's house was loads of fun.

 Mother's Day with the cute girls

 Grandma Joyce and Gayle always love flowers.  Adrian and Arleen sent some to Grandma Joyce, Gayle, and Alicia this year.

 McKel is getting strong

 

Won't be long before she's crawling

 
Gayle with the Mother's Day blooms from Adrian and Arleen.

Late Winter/Early Spring 2011

 

 We start off with a shot of papa holding Avril at the Disney On Ice show in the Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City on March 12.  Papa and Nana took Avril, McKel, and Alicia and had a grand time.

 Donald Duck, Mini Mouse, et al., were very good skaters!

 McKel and Alicia bonding during the show.
A week later, Gayle and I attended a surprise birthday party for Dr. Héctor Mendiola, who has done tremendous work for Latino immigrants in Utah.

 Héctor's birthday cake.

 Still going strong at 84 years old, teaching English, computer skills, and high school equivalency, as well as pursuing Latino causes.

 Alicia showing some bread she made as part of one of many meals she has been making lately for the extended family.

 And a bowl of delicious cookies.

 Avril, playing in her blow-up bouncing play house with Jordan King and Brendon Eliason, two neighbor boys.

 And this spring, just as in the summer, fall, and winter, the deer walk across our yard (and eat) as if they own the place.

 Jesse's football team, the Stampede, had a recent game at Roy, UT.  Here, papa Bryan holds McKel while the action proceeds.

 McKel seems to be staying warm.

 Avril made quick friends with Destiny, the daughter of a Stampede coach.

 The three girls at the Roy game.

 And here are the four girls recently at grammy's (great grandma's house).

 Uncle Jared pitches in and helps with the girls.

 Jared and Avril, showing affection for McKel.

On conference weekend, Steve and Susan made it up to the folks' home for a Sunday visit.

 Likewise, Spencer (the third, and the LHS pitcher), Tracine, and Robert made it over for the visit.  You can see McKel in the carrier on the floor behind Spencer.

 Avril and McKel getting their bath at nana's (grandma Gayle).

 Yesterday, to entertain the girls while Alicia and Gayle worked in the house, I took the two little ones for a long walk.  I carried McKel in a front pouch while I pulled Avril in the over-sized wagon.  Jesse was accepted at Auburn (grad school for psychology) so recently he and the family moved in with us for the next few months to save money while they rent out their townhouse.

 Gayle's helping Avril get bundled and positioned for the walk.  Note that it was April 9th and we had just had fresh snow.  In fact it snowed while we walked.

 Daddy comforting McKel.

 McKel recently.

 Gayle and the youngest of the grand-daughters.
I should mention that I went on my usual annual tradeshow trip to NYC, NY.  I've gone so many times that I know mid-town (Times Square, Javits Center, etc.) pretty well.  It was cold this year, but I did get a jog in at Central Park.  Otherwise, things are hectic with the newly crowded house, but mainly it's the challenge of organizing the extra stuff that's tiring.  Well, that's all for now --