White Christmas with our Kids

White Christmas with the Girls

Grose Family SAT

It's a...pink filled cupcake!

Thanksgiving

Happy 60th Birthday, Sandy!

♪♫♪♫ HaPpY BiRtHdAy Grace! ♫♪♫♫

Reagan's birthday

Katelyn's birthday

Reagan's baptism

After a decade at Wahlquist - "Adios, amigos y amigas."

I first went to Wahlquist 10 years ago, when they needed someone to teach a 12-year-old Vietnamese student, Chau. Over the years, I've had probably 30-40 students - kids from Mexico, South and Central America, Iraq, Vietnam and Russia. Wahlquist has probably been my most challenging school because the kids - most of them - already knew English pretty well - but I think they take ESL because they are with their friends. I have loved them all and will miss them a lot! Here's a picture I took of the class on my last day. One of the girls was home with a sore throat.

Veterans Day

On this day, I am thankful for all those who have served in the military - protecting and preserving the freedoms that we enjoy in this country.

November - A Month of Thanks Giving

A friend of mine and Lisa's reminded me that I wanted to do a Thanks Giving list this year. In this month of November, I am thankful for...
1. Two-day-old chicken noodle soup. It reminds me of our family Halloween tradition of hot soup in bread bowls. I figure I want to do my part to counter all the sugar the kids get that night! I also think warmed-up chicken noodle soup is way better than fresh!
2. The Oregon Grape that grew volunteer in our rock wall. Its leaves turn bright red in the fall, and they're so beautiful amongst all the green plants right now.
3. I am SO thankful that the election is finally over and all the campaign rhetoric has gone away! I was absolutely sick and tired of it this year! So vitriolic!!! Ahhhh!
4. Cold pills! They make me feel so much better. Now, if I could only get my voice back. It's kind of hard teaching students English when I can't even speak!
5. I'm thankful that gas prices are creeping down instead of up!
6. I'm thankful that one of Utah's football teams won today! Go Cougars! :o)
7. I'm thankful for the Sabbath Day. We had a visiting authority at our stake conference a couple of weeks ago, and he said that his message to us as a stake was to put forth a greater effort to keep the Sabbath Day holy. I am trying to do that.
8. I'm thankful for the rain and for the seasons (and for my periwinkle umbrella).
9. I'm thankful for the opportunity to teach ESL. I've had some amazing students - some of whom will be friends forever!
10. I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
11. I am thankful for eggs - whole eggs! None of the egg white - tossing the yolk stuff for me! I don't care that the yolks contain more fat - they also contain a ton of nutrients - and besides, an egg without its yolk is pretty pathetic! Why bother?
12. I am thankful for my family! I have been blessed with one of the best! Couldn't ask for any better!
13. I am thankful for my 8-year-old granddaughter, Reagan, who has chosen to be baptized on this day. She is the youngest and last of 6 children in her family to be baptized. She says, "I will always choose the right." I'm sure she will do her best!
14. I am thankful to be back in the Primary once again. I am teaching the CTR 4 class and have five darling little 5-year-olds - Taylor, Emma, Colter, Aiden and Caleb. They are a joy to me!
15. I am thankful for a husband who, when he talks in his sleep, bears his testimony of Christ's atonement. He did this just last night! I asked him if he remembered what he was dreaming, and he said, "I dreamed that I was at church and the power went off. I had to feel my way to the pulpit to bear my testimony. When I finished, I saw that eight other people had joined me on the stand."
16. I am thankful for medical advancements. My cousin Pat's daughter, Barbie, has M.S. and is starting a new, just FDA approved, treatment for the disease. May Heavenly Father bless Barbie!

Grandpa's Cabin - October 2010

We reserved the Stake Camp again and invited any family who could join us. We had a high count of 23 people this time and we had a great time!Last April, the kids were using the vacuum cleaner cords as jump ropes. They had such a fun time jumping, that Mike and Amy brought the real thing this time. I think the first thing they did with them was tie people to the posts. Kids!Almost everyone had a turn or two at jumping rope - single rope and double Dutch.

Some of them were pretty dang good!

We played games - I got pictures of a few.

Ann learned how to make donuts at Relief Society last week - so she brought the ingredients and made them for us. Pretty yummy!

Amy helped with the glazing.

So did Tyler and Nathan.

Around 9 PM, we put on a movie - How to Train Your Dragon. We popped popcorn, and little Bo was back and forth, filling up his bowl, all night. Every time he walked by me, I thought of Oliver Twist... "More, please." :o)
The kids were really good about conserving paper cups! Everyone wrote their names on them and pretty much used the same cup the whole time. That was nice!
For breakfast the next morning, we cooked the other half of the sausage Jack bought for the over-nighter last April! It was kept - SAFELY - in John and Ann's freezer. Ann is not a fan of sausage. In fact, I was surprised that she was anywhere near it! What a sport!
After breakfast, the kids played in the lodge and some of them went outside and gathered acorns. Alli got a shoe full! When we left, I asked Joann if she let Alli take them home. She said, "No. I told her that the little squirrels would starve to death if she took them." Nice, Joann!

Pretty much my all-time favorite student

Thursday was a sad day! Two of my students were moving, and one of them is a guy who pretty much won the hearts of every member of the faculty and staff of the school. You just grow to love these kids - and then they go and you know you will probably never see them again. :o(

Watching Baylee

Baylee didn't get too much playing time this year, but I did get to see her at the Titans vs Eagles. I watched her score one of about 10 runs against the Eagles. :o) The Titans lost to the Minutemen this afternoon in an extra inning. Very exciting game!

Fremont's Choral Concert

What fun to get to go to high school choral concerts again! Alexis and London are both in Fremont's choirs. Lex is in the Legacy Chamber Choir and A'cappella and London is in the Silver Serenade. Another two-fer. :o)

In-N-Out Baby!

Arturo (my all-time favorite student) had been bugging me for weeks about going to In-N-Out. I told him we planned to go when we were in Centerville for the play at Rodgers Memorial. Well, the 18th of October finally came! I had Leila take a picture, so I could prove that I finally went there. I thought the food was very good. Fries were crispy and the burger was very fresh. they were Sooooo busy! We were there on about the 4th day after they opened in Centerville.

Dad's 16th birthday

Dad said he is now 16, because 8 and 8 are sixteen. :o) About 50 of his posterity met him at "his kitchen" to celebrate Saturday night. Sandy, Phil, Chalynn, Ryan and Heather and their two kids were there. Elaine and Russell were there. Laurel and Chris represented Dale's family. All but Steph and Andrew were there from Dave's family, and all of Scott's family was there! From our family, four of the Bolos kids were there, Jeff and Angie and their family, Bryan and Becky and their family and Lisa were all there with Jack and me. The room was pretty full at that! We are all so blessed to have Dad, as he continues to love and serve us and set an example for all of us!
Got a picture of Dad with all the great grand kids who were there to celebrate with him.
Dad seemed pleased with his biography of President Monson. Elaine was able to get an autographed copy for him. :o)

Tarzan at Tuacahn! (under construction - not finished)

Sheila snapped this picture of our family after Tarzan. My camera makes WEIRD eyes in photos taken after dark. I wish I knew how to prevent this! Maybe I need a better camera. Anyway - Tarzan was amazing! Everyone loved it! Can't wait to see Little Mermaid next year!

♪♫♪♫HaPpY BiRtHdAy Spencer!♪♫♫♪

Jack had a football game tonight, and I had "the flu," so neither of us got to go to Spence's birthday dinner. I sent my camera over with Jack and John was kind enough to take a few pictures of the birthday boy! 5 years old today! What a great young man!

Another drive-by!

Ann called tonight to see if we were home. she said Nate had something to show us. Hmmmm. He turned 15 on Saturday - I thought I knew what he had, so I grabbed my camera. I got out in front just as Nate pulled up in front of the house. I was right! He got his learner's permit. Good on ya Nate! I can't believe how fast these kids are growing up!

Crew FC II

Last night we went to see Crew FC II play soccer. Bryan is coaching and Jace, Dean and Kendrick are on the team. It was at Wadman Park and didn't start until 6:40 PM. By the time the game was over, the kids needed a florescent soccer ball! It was dark - and cold! I took a picture of the coaches and the grandkids, but it's grainy. Too light for the flash, but too dark for a clear picture. I can't wait to ask Mike to pose for another. I took three pics, and he looked increasingly annoyed with each one. (I'll replace this picture if/when I get a better one.)

Utah Clash!

Jeff has put together a comp softball team that includes Baylee and her cousin Katelyn. They had their debut this Saturday where they split. One win - one loss. The team they lost to was mostly players from Rocky's softball team, and the Clash held them to 6 points. Not bad, I'd say!

Nathan turns 15

We went to a birthday dinner for Nathan tonight - he turns 15 on Saturday. He's a great kid! Happy birthday, Nate!

The Dimpled Duo battles it out on the field...

Jack and I split our time at the showdown in Plain City today. We spent the first half of the game with Park and Peggy on the sidelines of the Grizzly's. At half-time, with a score of 6-6, we moved over to the Silver Wolves' side. The game ended with a tie - which would have been fine with me - but went into overtime and the Grizzly's ended up handing the Wolves their first loss of the season. It was a great game and both boys played their hearts out! I sure love these two!!!

The last days and home once more. Aufwiedersehen!

Jack and I went to the COOP. On the wall, they had hundreds of drawings sent in by school children - kind of like what we see at home.
I liked this cool poster that was on the wall of a building down by the train station. I'm not sure if we went on this particular train - but it's like a couple we rode.

I liked this statue of Peter and his goats. I knew they must be right out of Heidi.

It's always time for a nibble of chocolate!

We bought some thing at the COOP for lunch and ate while we waited for the boat to take us back over to Bönigen.

Here comes our boat - the Jungfrau! Pretty colorful, eh?

We passed a castle on the hill, and a waterfall.

I think this is the lower part of that waterfall.

Jack told me about the cute signs by the restrooms on the boat, so I asked him to go get pictures of them. ;o)

Another of my favorite pictures! I took this from the deck of the Jungfrau.

A beautiful white castle along the shoreline. I always wonder what kind of people live in a place like this!
As we left the dock at one of the ports, I caught a glimpse of this woman with her dogs. Was she smiling for my camera???
We passed another boat on the river. Transportation system is always active in Switzerland - whether it's boat, train or bus!

I think this is a young swan on the river by the dock.

Later in the day - back in Bönigen, Jack and I went grocery shopping once again. This cow is across the street from one of the markets. I needed a picture of Jack, milking her. ;o)
What do you know? They have pink mountains in Switzerland too. I took this shot from the driveway of the chalet.

Some of the family, lounging after dinner

Jack wrote a message in the log book, left by the owner of the chalet. I looked through it and found that people from all parts of the world had stayed there! Even a few from the United States.Danny and Jack packed all the luggage into the van and we were ready to leave. I was shocked that all our bags fit inside!
One more Magnum Bar in the freezer. Dad couldn't eat it, but Jack found some room.

One last shot of the beautiful Swiss countryside!

At the airport - can you believe all this stuff was in that van? Along with 7 passengers???

A sign on a luggage cart in airport parking

At the airport, Danny and Dalena had to re-pack Big Red. She weighed too much!!!
After nine hours in the air, we landed at JFK. I had to take a shot of the New York City skyline.
We arrived in SLC about 12:30 AM, but Dad was awake and still smiling. What a trip!