New House Update

A few having been asking for a progress report on building of our new house. It's actually been very fun watching it go up. Steph still laughs at me because I stop by twice a day - especially now that the framing is going on and things are changing so quickly.

After securing money in June (or should I say a commitment to debt?):

1. Most (not all) of the lot leveling has completed allowing the house to start.

2. Foundation/slab was poured.

3. And Framing is in progress.






Things should continue to change quickly as the outside gets done and then slow down as the interior is completed. Very cool to see our ideas go from our original sketches to actual stuff.

Hurricane Ike

Quick update on Ike's impact here.

Ike turned north-northeast earlier than expected and completely missed Austin. We're very grateful - especially since our house is currently at the framing stage during which water is not good.
It's very impressive how well organized the church is down here. As with Hurricane Rita, evacuees from Stakes on the coast arrived in Austin at the Stake centers where they were assigned to families. We were assigned a family Wed. night.

As with Rita, the family assigned to us only spoke Spanish and we only speak English. However, in some strange way, Steph and my two girls always knew what was going on. In fact, they were frequently all laughing. I never could get it. Was it some weird girl thing? Normally at dinner, I have my own family pointing at me and laughing. Now I have two families pointing at me and laughing. In two languages. It's like I'm the international butt of all jokes.

I think Steph most liked telling the story of when we were in Mexico and I basically said "Bien" to every question.
Would you like to buy a pig shaped bank? "Bien".
What would you like to eat? "Bien".
OK if we charge you stupid Americans twice as much for the tour? "Bien".


In any case, we're having a lot of fun getting to know a new family and feeling very grateful we're safe and sound.

Summer family fun!...are we done yet?

One of my favorite things to do when I was growing up was going up Provo canyon and having picnics and hiking around, so we went up to Nunn's park then Bridal Veil Falls with some Hacking cousins

Bridal Veil Falls

I used to ride my bike to here and back every day when I was in college. Also, that was the first mountain bike ride I ever took Lance on....that was back before they ruined the trail by paveing it all the way up...it was more fun when it was dirt and rocks...

Aunt Sara and baby Lydia

Here's the gals chatting--Lance's sister was ready to pop! In fact we missed the birth of her little girl by one day! :(

Trying to keep all of the kids from falling into the river...

We weren't entirely successful..as you can see from little Gracie's hands :)

Wyatt and Micah

Conor

Lance and Alyssa

Alyssa and Grace

Chase and cousin Matt

That was freezing cold water!!


We were also able to take Lance's Grandma out to lunch

Lance, doin' his manly stance, Grandma Mae Hacking, and Moi
It was really nice to be able to spend some time with Grandma Mae! The kids enjoyed spending time with their Great-Grandma!!


Another trip we took with cousins was to Thanksgiving Point Gardens

I love these gardens and could spend all day wandering around them...but not when it's a thousand degrees...
Madi giving her hot and tired brother a piggy back....I told him no...it was too hot.
The Monet Bridge
I want this in my back yard...
Snack timefor the kiddos...Me and Megan were just glad to sit down!...OK, I was glad to sit down!


I guess it WASN"T just me, cuz this is what the kids all did when we got back inside...
Of course we hit the dino exhibit...always a favorite!
Here Conor and Chase and Wyatt were building a Stega-tyranno-rex-a-don
Lydia looked so adorable!! Just like one of the Anne Geddes babies
I decided to try it out...I think it works better for Lydia
Madi almost got torn to pieces by a shark...doesn't she look terrified?

Almost done wrapping up...I hate it when I procrastinate....

Happy Birthday to Lauren!!!

Today is Lauren's 14th birthday!!
( I can't believe we're old enough to have a 14 year old...)

Lauren is such a fun sweet gal! Not to mention talented and beautiful inside and out!! We are so blessed to have her in our family!!
Have a great day sweetie!! Love you!!

Still here....

Good grief.

My blog has become one more thing that I am behind on.
I am still determined to finish posting the rest of our summer vacay...so bear with me...If I don't journal it all now...it'll never get done!...Just like my scrapbooks...which I have given completely up on.....




I grew up in Utah, so all of the usual tourist stuff has never seemed touristy to me. My kids however,haven't been to these sights as regularly as I have, so we decided to take them up to SLC to see the sights

Temple Square
Chase, Conor, and Wyatt
All of the cousins at the "Christus" statue at the Visitor center
We'd never been up on top of the Conference center before...That's pretty cool! 2 acres of landscaping up there on that roof...amazing!

After that we went up to "This is the Place" Monument...which was great timing with Pioneer Day around the corner

Cute li'l cowpoke

Can't say I've seen many cowboys in flip flops....
Lauren caught a stray goat that tried to escape the petting pen...
Of course everyone had to try their hand...and hammer at leather stamping
notice, I volunteered to hold the camera instead of the stamp....watch your fingers!

Speakin' of pioneers...
On Pioneer Day, we went to watch the Fiesta Days parade in Spanish Fork...a tradition of my family's for years

Luckily the men put chairs out the night before to get us some primo seating! (out of the sun!)
waiting for the big parade to start


still waiting...
still.......waiting....

pretty soon the kids start doing things to entertain themselves...

I think Jake is sick of waiting...



cuter cowboys you'll never see...

...and after much anticipation...

It begins!

Yes.

That is Barbie on her pink "Jane Dear" tractor.

...but I don't think that's Ken hanging off the back...

This was my favorite! Yellow four-wheelers!!!
...and here's my brother Clayton chasing:
a) Barbie
b) The fire truck that was throwing candy
c)"Cosmo" the cougar...fan that he is...
d)All of the above

If you answered "d" you were correct!

...and there's the end of the parade...I decided to spare you the 27 baseball teams that went riding by on hay wagons....that as worth waiting for.

After the big parade we headed over to the "Fiesta Days" carnival.


These dudes are ready to party!


Anna and Abby

Conor


Anna, Wyatt and Abby riding the wild and crazy dragon roller coaster
Then everyone goes for a turn on the Carousel
Adam's not so sure about it...
Lauren and Conor
Wyatt and Lance
Abby

And no carnival is complete without carnival food! Funnel cake--yum!!!

That was about all the carnival we could stand ...it was 178 degrees.....that and the Carnie's freak me out...


Another 24th of July tradition....the Rodeo!!
My sis and I love the Rodeo!!

We sang the National Anthem for everyone
"OHHHH-Ohhhh"
"Saaaayy, can you..."
"SEEEEE???"
our kids were in awe...(that, or they were pretending that they didn't know us...)
We sang so beautifully, that we made this man's hair stand on end.

Cute li'l chocolate cowboy!

We also saw Lance's cousin Brant and his 9 month pregnant wife there with their son....but we didn't see them leave when her water broke while watching the Rodeo!!! She gave birth to a healthy baby boy!! (at the hospital...not the rodeo) Congrats to them!!!


Sorry...but there's still more to come!!!