July and Adrian's Family Move

 

McKel is maturing rapidly.  She pulls herself up at every chance and wishes she were running around with Avril.

 Alicia and kids went with us to the middle-school to watch July fireworks (on the 1sts in Logan).  The automatic sprinklers starting coming on so we had to re-locate.  The little girls fell asleep before the grand finale, but we had a great time.

 Gayle and I took the Mountaineer to Azusa to help Adrian and his family sort and pack for their big move up to Logan.  Brit had her hair done while we were there.  Here she is, modeling her new "do."  We started off the July 4th week by having a youth fund-raising pancake breakfast at their ward that morning.  We have photos in Gayle's camera and once we can get them down loaded I'll add them.

 We worked very hard for several days before driving with a car load of stuff back to Logan, while Adrian and family stayed behind for a couple of weeks until the ABF trailer was delivered for filling up a section with the rest of their boxes and items.  However, while in California we did make it down to Newport one afternoon to hit the beach.  Here's a shot of a rose not far from the Newport Harbor entrance (also just a block from the famed Newport Wedge body-surfing spot).

 Shot from near the Newport Harbor entrance, not far from the Newport Wedge.

 After visiting the Wedge, we went back up the coast a bit to a pier in Newport.  Here's a shot back down (south) toward the harbor entrance.  It was a week-day and the waves were almost non-existent - but see the crowd in spite of this.

 Gayle, Brit, and Adrian on the pier at Newport.

Later in July, back in Logan, Gayle and the girls celebrated the 24th (Pioneer Day) by going to the parade.

 McKel, in a pensive mood as she contemplates the pioneers' sacrifices.

 Nana and the girls.

 Somewhere in the general time frame Patricia made a trek up to Logan and some of us were able to see her and the triplets mid-day on a work day (during lunch hour).  Left to right we are holding Parker, Edison, and George Glenn.

 Grandma Joyce (to the boys) wanted in on the action too.

 Also, Gayle and the girls made it to the local Zoo recently.  Here McKel takes a breather from all the exciting animal observations.

 And Avril, sporting her Montana shirt, considers the wonders of the animal kingdom.

 Checking out the swan.

 Alicia, sharing some nutrition with Avril.

 We celebrated Dad's 85th birthday at the new Chuck-A-Rama all you can eat restaurant.  Here he is with his bride.

 Often when we're in a hurry, we bath the girls in the kitchen sink.  Avril had worn her hair tightly braided this day, and we were impressed with the effect it had on her hair when we took the braids out.

 Another hair shot, while Avril plays in the water.

 Prior to Adrian's family move up to Logan, Gayle (with my assistance) prepared their mobile home from being a drab empty place to a warm and welcoming home.  The best made-over room was what became Brittney's room.  Check out the colors!

 Of course Brit's own bathroom had to match the color scheme of her room.

 And just down the hallway from Brit's room is the study.  The sofa opens into a bed too, for visitors.

Here's the computer desk and chair.

 The master bathroom.

 The master bedroom.

 Looking the other direction through the master bedroom into the bathroom.

 And two full closets in the master bedroom to the right.

 Gayle and I also painted the living room and Gayle decorated it.

 A corner of the living room near the counter shared with the kitchen.

 The porch deck with table and chairs for enjoying the shade outdoors.

 The cat and sign at the front door.  Adrian made the sign in wood shop at school back in Saugus, and we had kept it all these years.  Now it's being put to very good use.

 Here's a shot of the kitchen.

 That's a brand new stove/oven on the left.

 Looking from the kitchen into the living room.

 The other corner of the kitchen, looking at the glass door cabinet.

 All of that in this mobile home!

 In this general time frame Jared bought an old motorcycle for tooling around town.  Here he's showing his little nieces.

The happy family at their new home.

 McKel, checking out some toys.

And learning about mirrors.

Summer Skiing - Jared and Spence

 

Jared and I went up to Snowbird on June 25 for some summer skiing.  Just off the aerial tram, here's Jared about to head down the backside for several runs with me in the terrain serviced by the Mineral Basin Express.  The tram and two upper lifts were operating.  You could ski to the bottom of the resort, but there was an extra charge for another tram ride up, so we skied the top without going down.  I had arisen early to help Gayle get garage sale stuff out on our driveway.  Jared and I still got off shortly after 6:00 a.m. and were on the tram before 8:30 a.m. (after just missing a previous tram).

 

Here's what it looks like on the front side of the mountain from the tram disembarking area.  That's Jared's shadow.  The lift operating on this side was the Little Cloud lift.  Jared and I plastered on the sun block.  Unfortunately, his bandana slipped back a bit and he fried a band across his unprotected forehead.  

 

This is a view looking down the Mineral Basin terrain, towards the southeast approximately.

 

Here's Jared looking at folks on the Mineral Basin Express.  The snow was OK in most spots, but in some flatter areas the slush about grabbed your skis out from under you.

 

Yours truly.  We should've used backpacks.  Instead, my camera is slung around my neck, my right pocket had keys, my bulky glasses case with my regular glasses (in case I really wanted to see clearly), a map of the area, and a bottle of sun block (which accidentally squirted in my pocket and on my wallet and phone earlier).  In my left pocket I carried my wallet and cell phone (which had no reception up there, even on the peak).  Nonetheless, I skied unencumbered and didn't notice any of this.

 

Jared, down near the lift base of the Mineral Basin Express.  There never was more than a minute wait.  Most of the time we were able to ski right up to the chairs.  This particular one is a quad (4 person lift chairs).

 

"Can you hear me now?"

 

Here's looking up at the Little Cloud lift.

 

Jared, taking a breather between turns.  He only wiped out once (our parabolic rental skis differ from the older, longer, straight skis we used to use, and they can wander on you).  In the wipe-out, his hand punched the snow.  It wasn't until later that we noticed he had cut up his fingers in the snow. 

 

This is the view down Little Cottonwood Canyon into Salt Lake valley.  Note that the peak with the tram landing (named Hidden Peak) is right at 11,000 ft.  Two years ago Gayle and I were in Cuzco, Peru.  Cuzco is a good-sized city situated at an elevation higher than 11,000 ft.  There are Andes peaks not far away from Cuzco that are considerably higher still and are snow-capped.  And Peru is not far from the equator.

 

Jared on a run on the Little Cloud side.

 

Although the snow was not fast, and run-ins to jumps were slow, there were a couple of nice looking jumps on the slopes.  Later in the day we watched several young guys do some gutsy, twisting, flipping, tip-crossing jumps.  Most of the guys landed them too.  It's hard to see, but I shot this just as someone was twisting into some kind of trick.  Generally, it was so bright I couldn't see the camera screen and just had to point and click.  As we drove through Salt Lake City en route home, we saw the car's outside thermometer reading go up to 91 degrees F.

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!