Other Recent Happenings

Here's a glimpse of a few of the things we have been doing lately.

Matthew was very excited to play with his Legos when we got home from sabbatical. He took a picture of these creations.

U and Matthew making checkers pieces. Matthew really enjoyed playing it on our trip. Since we don't own a checkers set, he and U decided to make one.

Megan and Matthew with their old lunchboxes.

We went to a birthday party for a couple of classmates (twins, with the boy being in Matthew's class last year and the girl in Megan's class this year).

Megan loved her doggy face.

Matthew loved the cupcake.

They had some cool temporary tattoos that you could animate with an app.

One morning U couldn't find Matthew for awhile. He was in this corner, content to be playing with his Legos.

Matthew and Megan enjoyed creating Minion bananas.

Megan lost another tooth! Now she has three missing, her two front top teeth and one on the bottom right.

Megan loves art!

Sarah selfie. She is adjusting to junior high and likes it most of the time.

U went back to work. His coworkers decorated his cube in Star Wars memorabilia.

With his storm trooper at home.

Matthew and Megan were so excited when dad and the storm trooper picked them up!

We had quite the fort going in the living room. Don't try to take it down unless you want to mess with Darth Vader.

Matthew and Megan doing kids' yoga.

We had this bird (possibly a great egret) come wandering into our yard a couple weeks ago. It's beautiful!

The kids woke me up one morning, telling me there was a "wild cat" in the yard. Actually, there were multiple "wild" cats in the yard. It's not unusual for cats to wander through the yard. However, for some reason, this particular day, the cats decided to have a convention in our yard and we had quite a few of them coming and going all day.

Megan's Talk

Megan gave a talk in church. She wrote it by herself. Here is the text:

Today I want to talk about pioneers. Last week was Pioneer Day. In Utah, they celebrate the pioneers coming. They play games and they remember the pioneers. I have pioneer ancestors. I went to Nauvoo this summer and saw where they lived. I am thankful for the pioneers. They were courageous. We can be courageous too. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

1st Day of School

First day of 7th grade. She's excited to go to her new school.

First day of 1st grade. They were both excited as well although Megan wanted to know who she sat by.

Liberty Jail, Oklahoma City and the Rest of the Trip Home

We left Hannibal Sunday morning and drove across Missouri to Independence where we visited Liberty Jail. It was interesting to see the recreated jail and remember all that happened there. Sad yet inspiring.

We tried a few different angles for the photos. This is the best close up.

This one best shows the actual jail. Look at those thick walls!

All of us with the jail.

Me, Sarah, Matthew and Megan outside the jail.

So many exits! We saw at least a T. How are there room for so many exits in one mile?

Crossing into Kansas. We liked the happy highway signs.

Crossing into Oklahoma! (State 49 for Me!)

We stopped at Me's cousin Star's home in Oklahoma City. The kids really enjoyed playing with their cousins Lakely (5) and Afton (3) and the adults enjoyed visiting.

Megan, Lakely and Matthew with a sensory bin.

Look at all those kids! Where are they?

Answer: Under Lakely's bed.

We went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. The water represents the moment the bomb went off. We put our hands in the water and then on the wall to become part of the Memorial--it's changing us and we are changing it (as the oil from our hands stays there, etc.)

Megan, Lakely, Afton, Matthew, Sarah, Me and U.

U, Lakely, Sarah, Me, Afton (her hand is under Me), Matthew and Megan

The chairs represent the people who were killed, with small chairs for the children.

Panoramic of the Memorial.

We then went to the Science Museum Oklahoma. They had some Segways we could ride, which was super cool.

Matthew enjoyed his ride.

Sarah really enjoyed riding the Segway. The kids received a license that was initialled each time they rode it. Once they completed three rides, they were able to go on the inner part which included poles to weave through, a bridge to cross and a gate to open. Sarah really wanted to be able to do this so waited in line multiple times to ride.

Happy girl!

Me on her time around the course. Adults can do the obstacle course the first time if they wish (something about having a real license....).

Me was excited to be able to ride a Segway.

Sarah on another ride.

U riding over the bumps.

Megan built this beautiful flower.

Matthew in a giant beehive. (This was an exhibit on bugs with giant models.)

Megan, Afton and Lakely play in the sand while U supervises.

Around and around and around Matthew goes.

Megan going around in circles.

Sarah experiences a tornado. It's at 78.8 miles per hour.

Cool mirror maze. How many kids do you see??? Can you see the adults?

U holding up Afton in the maze..

Afton and Matthew with Otto, the museum's mascot.

As a side note, Afton and Matthew sounded alike. They both have high-pitched voices, although Afton is louder. Both Star and Me sometimes thought their kid was talking to them when it was the other one (which says a lot when they fool the moms).

We had a lot of fun with this giant pin board. Uriah's face and hands are up top while Sarah's face is to the left.

Full body of Matthew with Sarah's face and hands below.

Matthew and Megan playing a game. Megan doesn't want us to interrupt her concentration.

Sarah playing in the water area. Warning: you will get wet!

Star and Me visit while Afton plays in the sand.

Megan and Matthew in a blacklight area.

Megan loved swinging on the "pendulum" of this clock.

For dinner, we went to Pops on Route 66. It's a gas station and restaurant that sells over 700 kinds of pop! We enjoyed a yummy dinner and each person got to pick out a pop.

Afton, Star, Matthew, Me, Megan, Sarah, Lakely.

Me, Matthew, U, Sarah, Megan.

The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins.

Afton, Matthew, Sarah, Lakely, Megan.

We had a taste test of all these different pops. (Chris picked out a few extra, which is why there are more than 9.) Everyone had a small drink and then rated it "Love," "Like" or "Not Like." Matthew and Afton were the most vocal, loudly proclaiming their thoughts before the voting (and sometimes before they drank it). The favorites: Hippo Root Beer and Mandarin. Least favorite: Ginger Beer.

During the testing. Sarah was the official pourer.

Lakely, Chris, Star, Sarah, Matthew, Me, Afton, Megan.

Star had BeanBoozled, a game with Jelly Bellies where each bean could be good or disgusting. Here, Sarah eats one of the disgusting ones. It could have been skunk, canned dog food or throw up. This is one game U and Me saw fit to not play.

Chris, Afton, Star, Lakely.

The kids loved Marley!

Star's tornado shelter. I remember how excited she was when she got it for Christmas one year.

U, Me, Megan, Sarah, Afton, Lakely and Matthew in the shelter.

Star and Me.

Afton loved U holding her upside down.

Lakely wanted to do it as well.

We left Oklahoma City to finish the two day trek home.

Crossing into Texas.

Into New Mexico.

New Mexico really wanted us to feel welcome.

Finally into Arizona. There may have been cheering from the back of the car.

What a trip!