Ashley and Will came to visit!

Everyone was so excited that Ashley and Will were here to visit and wanted to sleep out with them...every day.  Lucky Ash and Will :)  We just had a slow morning and had fun visiting.  In the afternoon Brett came up to play and we went to the dinosaur museum and then over to the museum of peoples and cultures.  Alan unicycled over and met us at the dino museum because he had never been there before (unbelievable I know).  Then he rode to the bank then home to get some work done while the rest of us went to the other museum.  It was their passport to adventure day.  We got a passport when we got there and then went around to the different country booths and did the activities there.  We went to British Columbia and made totem poles, Africa and made some cool mud art, Sweden and played a fun game they play there, then we went inside and did the activities with the 2 exhibits inside.  We all got giant rice crispy treats when we were done.  Then we came home and Brett made Brazilian hotdogs for all of us and fried plantains and lime mousse.  It was all really yummy.  We all skyped with grandma and grandpa to wish grandma a happy birthday.  We of course stayed up way too late talking and entertaining Ashley and Will. (We'll have to get Ashley's pictures from her!)

A package from Grandma Schachterle came.  I told these guys they were pretty lucky to get presents from Grandma on Grandma's birthday!

Tuesday morning I had to go back to Kaitlyn to finish getting my teeth cleaned.  This time when I went she did the cleaning, polish, and a fluoride veneer?  I got back a little after 11 and then took Connor over to the health center for a weight check.  He is growing...just not very fast.  Ashley and Will went out some places for the morning around campus.  After lunch we went to seven peaks with Brett.  We had a really fun time slipping and sliding.  Ash was even brave enough to go down a couple of the tube slides.  (She has a special thing to go over her cast to keep it dry.)  Alan took Connor down avalanche once...he liked it ok.  Brett was able to get Bradley to go down the short kids tunnel curvy slide.  He told him he could have some gum and choose dinner (which we already planned to have little Caesars pizza) but some how Brett got Bradley thinking that he got to choose it and got him down the slide.  I asked Brad if he liked it and he said no.  We had gone a little later in the afternoon and it started to clear out so the lines weren't too bad and we stayed until closing.  We had a pizza feast when we got home.  Jeff and Elizabeth came too once they got home from their stake meeting they had to go to.  Alan and Will went to the creamery and brought back some ice cream which we all gobbled down on our cornucopia cones  :)

While I was gone getting my teeth cleaned these guys took apart our old computer.

When it was all apart they played lovely music with the pieces.

Pizza Party!

Wednesday we just hung out in the morning.  We were just sitting around visiting when all of a sudden Bradley said "Uuuggg Jared! You just got your breath in my nose!"  We all laughed, but poor Brad didn't know why we were all laughing and gave us a look and added gross!  I had forgotten that he said that, so I had to ask Ash what the funny thing was that Brad said earlier, and she said "which one?"  Ash and Will made blueberry pancakes for us for brunch.  They were yummy.  Then in the afternoon Ashley and Will went down to campus and played with Brett for a little bit.  Our family was too tired and just stayed and played and rested at home.   We had  nachos/ burritos for dinner then went to an Orem Owl's baseball game.  We were in general seating which meant we just sat out on the hill side.  It was fun to sit out at the game as the temperatures were cooling down and watch the game...and the people around us. I don't remember which day it was...I think Wednesday... but Lauren lost 2 teeth.  One on the bottom and one on the top.  She  got the bottom one out first in the morning.  Then she lost the second around dinner.  She said the top one wasn't too wiggly, but once she started on it it came out pretty fast.  When we were at the baseball game she had a nice gap for her sucker stick to come through.


Just playing...before she lost the second tooth.

Thursday morning we were sad to say bye to Ashley and Will.  It was a fun visit!  We went to the library in the morning for the craft and story time since we missed it on Tuesday.  They planted seeds in clear CD covers.  They punched holes in the top so they could hang with a suction cup in the window.  We tried ours (on the outside) but they kept falling off and making a mess.  The seeds have sprouted though...not hanging just sitting.  We hurried home from the library and ate lunch fast.  Then these guys all went and played at the Lintons.  I pick up Alan at work and went for the ultrasound appointment.  It is always fun to get to see the baby.  I think everything is going well...she didn't say otherwise.  After the appointment Alan went back to work.  These guys were already at a Wymount activity so we just stayed out at it for a while longer.  They were having a fun circus party with games and cotton candy.  Thunderstorms blew in right at the potluck time so we had it in the basement.  I didn't think the rain would last too long...and it didn't, but right at start time it was pretty bad.  Alan met us there and ate.  Then we came home and crashed...we were so tired.  It wears me out to be waiting waiting waiting to hear about the job.

Friday morning Alan got a call from one of the guys at 5D and said they guy who would send out the job offer was gone on vacation all week and would be back on Monday.  It would have been nice to know that all week so I wasn't expecting it to come anytime....so now we are just looking forward to Monday or Tuesday.  I went to the dentist again that morning to get the root canal finished and the filling in my crown put in.  It feels lots better and the dentist said it looked good.  He only had to drill out one of the roots..not all 3 which was good.  Alan went to work and we just played all afternoon.  Brett came up and played after a while too. That night Brett stayed for dinner and we watched UP.   These guys were excited they got to see the whole thing.  It's been a long time since I saw it.

Saturday Alan called and talked to a guy who lives down close to where we want to move to if we go to California (and he works at 5D too) we just asked some questions about the area and other things like that.  We called and reserved a truck for July 23rd for if we decide to go.  We feel like this is when we need to move if we are also going to go to the reunion and make it there for the start of the school year.  That is coming right up...next week!  Then Brett babysat for a bit while Alan and I went shopping.  Mostly birthday shopping, but just some normal stuff too.  We tried to get some things more organized in the afternoon and evening.

Today has been a good day.  I just played piano today for primary.  I'll lead again next week.  Alisha needed to trade since she will be gone next week. After church Grandma and Grandpa Atherton stopped by for a little bit.  They brought Lauren's birthday present...and Jared's too.  They brought a little guitar for Lauren and a ukulele for Jared.  I hope they have fun with them.  They also brought some bags of clothes.  It was a good day.  Lots of things are unknown right now and I am just hoping that somethings become a little more clear this week.

Look at that gappy smile.

4th of July!!!

Last Monday Alan worked on some models for the guys down at 5D robotics.  Since we hadn't heard from them by the end of the previous week we figured we wouldn't hear from them this week. The guys working on the offer went on vacation.  It made me a little less anxious since I knew it probably wouldn't be coming.  We just hung out around here...mostly.  In the morning we did go to seven peaks for a few hours with Alan.  It was fun to get to go with dad.  He was able to take Jared and Lauren down a few slides.  It was super busy there though so we weren't able to do much sliding.  It was another over 100 day and lots of people tried to go early.  We had to wait to get in the parking lot out down the street and curved around.  Everyone wanted to go try and cool off.  Even though it was busy we still had fun.  Brett came up and played with us in the afternoon.  My teeth were killing me and I took a nap.

Tuesday we went to the library in the morning. They made tissue paper stalactites attached to paper plates in patriotic colors and could paint with glow in the dark paint if they wanted.  My teeth were so bad they had kept me up the night before.  I also had Alan go buy some new (unexpired) Tylenol at the health center...which helped a little.  I went to the dentist in the afternoon.  He said I would have to get a root canal redone on my molar that has one with a crown.  They would just drill through the crown and then put a composite filling in the crown.  They put me on amoxicillin and some Tylenol with codeine to help with the pain.  Once I started to amoxicillin it got a little better.  They couldn't get me in until Friday to do the work, but I survived.  I got to the point where I didn't need the pill with codeine...which was good since it made me sleepy.  Lauren also lost a top tooth on Tuesday.

Wednesday I was feeling a little better.  In the morning we just relaxed.  Alan stayed here and played with us.  In the afternoon I went to Kaitlyn's dental hygiene school so she could clean my teeth.  The first appointment was just looking at my teeth and measuring things in my mouth.  On the way home I stopped at walmart for some diapers.  That night we working on getting ready for Ashley and Will to come visit....at least a little bit.

Thursday was the 4th of July!!!!  We got up and went to the parade in the morning.  We went to our favorite spot at the end and found a nice spot right along the street in the shade.  We didn't get there until 9:40 so we only had to wait about 10 minutes for the parade to get there.  We were also able to park about half a block away.  We had fun watching the parade with Ash, Will, Brett, Jeff and Elizabeth.  After the parade we drove down center street closer to the printing museum and to see the other booths and things there.  We got our tour of the museum with the only working Gutenberg printing press with original style type.  It is pretty cool.  They have lots of other presses there too.  Then we walked around the booths by the courthouse and did a few of the kids crafts.  Then we all hurried home to work on making yummy food.  There were some people slip n sliding with a 100 foot tarp on the softball field so Alan, Jared, and Lauren hurried out there to slide some.  I wasn't fast enough out there with the camera.  They said it was pretty fun.  We had a super yummy barbecue dinner.  We had hamburgers (Lauren had a hot dog) tradewind, frog eye salad, watermelon, dips, chips, jello flag (that made it out for the end of the meal)...I must be missing something that doesn't sound like much, but we all were stuffed and it didn't even look like we made a dent.  We were so fully we saved the gooey brownies and ice cream for another day.  All of us at the parade were there along with Steven (Elizabeth's brother) and his girl friend Kari.  Ashley and Will went back up to Taylorsville for fireworks and the rest of us were able to let our food settle a little before hiking up to the great valley for fireworks.  Brett ran home for a few minutes and then Alan went down and picked up him and a friend to come watch with us...Lauren talked her ear off the whole fireworks show.  The great valley is a fun place to watch from because you can see all the others being shot off all across the valley.  Everyone was exhausted by the time we got home, but it was a great day!

Came out of the mold good, but for some reason the blue and white layers traded places.

Connor enjoyed his dinner...watermelon and jello...and whatever else Brett fed him.  Connor will eat almost anything Brett will feed him...and almost nothing I feed him (or so it seems).

Friday morning Alan helped our neighbors next door move.  I went and had the start of my root canal done.  It was so infected they could just start it and then had to wait for some of the infection to clear up before they could finish it.  I just got a temporary filling in it.  The dentist pushed on the roof of my mouth at one point to help clear out some of the infection and it hurt really bad.  I didn't realize that that pain was related to my tooth.  It has been hard to spit really good for about a month!  To have some pressure relieved help a lot with the pain.  Then in the afternoon we went out to the Scera park and saw all of the fun things out there.  First there was the play Cries of Freedom then we went through some stations to learn about the constitution..it was just about the preamble. They were good little lessons. Then we walked over and saw all the reenactment camp.  Lauren and Jared liked visiting the colonial school like always.  We were just finishing up there when a huge thunder storm was rolling in.  It started to rain as we were getting out of the car at home.  Brett wasn't going to stay long, but got stranded at our place because it was coming down so hard.  It was a good storm.  It was nice to have it cool off so much after being so hot for so many days.  Jeff and Elizabeth brought over their brownies and ice cream to share.

Connor was great at waving his flag!

  

Connor did not like this!

Saturday morning we got up early and went to the balloon festival.  We got there at 6:30 but the balloons didn't go up...they didn't even fill up.  We were kind of disappointed, but we had heard they didn't go up on the 4th either.  Brett did see them out the window of the library on Friday though. They only went up one of the 3 days.  We did get to see smokey the bear and check out a firetruck.  Alan and I were both exhausted still when we got home.  We put on between the lions for Bradley, Lauren, and Jared and laid back down.  Connor went back to sleep with us.  Later in the day we went to LoLos and tried to start organizing things in case we move soon.

Sunday we worked on getting more ready for Ash and Will to some stay with us.  I made some rolls before church and used part of the dough to make a cheesy pull apart recipe we got from Jeff and Elizabeth.  While I was in the middle of putting it together a girl stopped by and said she couldn't make it to church and would I be willing to play the organ for her.  I was already cutting it close for getting to church on time, but we made it....barely.  Playing the organ went ok and I also got to play the piano in primary.  For singing time we did a fun activity with putting a flag together and reviewing songs.  After church we got together with Jeff and Elizabeth, and Brett for dinner...we weren't sure what time Ash and Will would be coming, so we planned dinner just in case they were here.  We just had leftover salads and bread.  I did make coleslaw so there was a savory flavor.  It was all really good dinner!  Jeff and Elizabeth had made a bread that was cheese, tomatoes, and sausage rolled up on the inside and it was really good.  I told them it is good they are into food because they are the source of all my new recipes right now (well them and a few of you others :)  Ashley and Will got here and we had brownies and ice cream Yum!

Alan's Paper is done!!! and Manti Temple Pageant

Monday we had a normal day.  Alan went into work and worked on getting his paper done. We just had a normal Monday here at home.  Alan contacted the guys at 5D in San Diego to see if working there is an option.  They didn't call and talk to Alan until we were eating dinner.  He had a 10 minute interview with them.

Tuesday Alan worked on his paper more, but was finally able.to spend a little more time at home.  Tuesday was the first day of our anxious waiting!!!!  We went to the library in the morning.  The craft that day were little garden gnomes.  They were just made out of card stock with a cotton ball beard.   In the afternoon we just played outside.  I also went to the doctor in the morning.

lunch on the stairs again.

but it was sunny so they had to move to the shade.

Wednesday Alan got his paper all turned in.  We all celebrated and did a little happy dance.   He is happy with how it turned out and said it is a really strong paper.   Alan also hosted a group of high school students in his lab and showed them the cool things they are working on. We went to seven peaks in the afternoon.  Brett came and surprised us there.  It was fun to have him show up.  Alan had kind of a later evening, but it was bearable since we knew it would be the last one for a little while.

Thursday we found out that the company had gotten internal clearance from the upper management to hire Alan.  We were super anxious all day waiting for an offer, but one never came. Still waiting!   Besides being anxious we had a nice day with Alan home all day.  Maybe he went to campus for a couple of hours, but we got to see way more of him than we had been getting to.  We went to the Wymount activity in the afternoon.  They did bean bag bocce and bubbles.  The sprinklers were also turned on over on the softball field because the grounds guy was working on them.  He lets the kids run through them while he works.  Every loved it!  While they were on the water main broke while we were over there.  It just started coming out of the sidewalk...about 40 feet down from where it broke last year.  Jared had a good time playing in the sand from it and then watching them fix it.  That night was the quad potluck too.

After they were done working they scooped his castle back into the hole to help fill it in a little.

Friday was another fun relaxing day.  We just played more around here and Alan went to campus for a short time and to ask some questions. We went to the Manti Temple pageant that night.  Brett went with us.  We had a great time and everyone stayed up through the whole thing.  We haven't been on the weekend for several years.  More people go, so it took us a while to get home.  I don't think we got home until close to 2.

Saturday we had a ward breakfast in the morning. We got to meet the new bishop, Bishop Parker.  There was really yummy food: pancakes, sausage, eggs (which tasted really good to me) and fruit and juice. They also had some water games for kids to play.  From there we hurried down to the children's parade.  Jared rode his unicycle and so did Alan (and carried Connor) Lauren twirled baton and Bradley and I just walked along carrying flags.  We got to the start of the parade just in time to catch up to the very end and walk along to the band.  We just relaxed in the afternoon.  It was a really hot day.  Over 100 I think...the start of several hot hot days.  We went to the store..a new store that just opened called LoLo's. Jared and Lauren play a game and read every sign they see while at the store and make sure to shout out LoLo's every time they see it....at least they are entertained.  I also worked on making some cardboard armor for singing time.  Once I got it all cut out Alan sprayed it for me with some super cheap white spray paint we got.  He had to use the whole can and it still wasn't super white, but good enough for what I was using it for.  Alan also worked on some contract work he has been doing for 5D.

The camera was in a funny setting...and Alan was on his unicycle with Connor.

Sunday was a good day.  I did singing time. We worked on scripture power more...and mostly the second verse with the armor.  It was a fun singing time.  Especially since right now our primary is mostly boys.  There was only Lauren and one other girl in her class...the rest boys (9 or 10).  Our primary has gotten pretty small over the Summer.  That night we went to a patriotic service at the Marriott center as part of the freedom festival.  There was good music and the speaker was senator Mike Lee.  Who I didn't realized is the son of Rex Lee.  He had some funny stories.  It was a good week.  We were glad to see Alan a lot more!

Fun Summer Week

Last Monday we cleaned up like normal.  I guess we find it hard to clean up on the weekend when we play hard.  We also played outside.

Tuesday we went to the library for their story time and craft.  They got to make really cute little clams with pearls inside.  They were mostly felt and a alligator clip (like hair clip) to make them open up.  Between the two layers of felt (pink and beige) there was half a cotton ball to make it a little puffy then a puff ball inside and google eyes on top.  They were super cute.  We watched some friends in that afternoon while their mom went to the IRS office....a place I hope I never have to go.  Alan came home for dinner, but then went back to work in the evening.  Most nights he came home around 12:30 and some were later.

Wednesday we went to ready to learn and the group before that too.  We got to have pizza for lunch there.  We cleaned up a little in the afternoon and then went to seven peaks.  We had fun there going between the kid areas, wave pool, and lazy river.  For dinner we made pretzels and macaroni salad and went to eat it at the bell tower concert.  Alan came home and went with us to the concert to eat then had to go back to work.  The carillon bell tower concert was a lot of fun.  We saw Jeff and Elizabeth there too.

Thursday we went back to the library.  They wanted to make the clams again and hear all the stories.  In the afternoon we picked up and then went to the Wymount activity.  This time it was making paper airplanes...which Jared loved.   They did some races and tried to see who's would fly the farthest.  Brett came by Thursday evening, just before the quad picnic.  He decided to stay and eat with us.  Alan was also here this week for it, but then went back to work.  He did spend sometime shooting off water rockets before going back.  There was a big water fight at the end of the potluck which was fun.  Jared and Lauren loved it even though it wasn't that warm of a day.  Brett stayed and helped them all get to bed.  He read stories for over an hour to them before he had to go.  Thanks Brett!

Friday we watched some other friends in the morning.  We got some bread from the free bread day at the office.  We played outside for most of the afternoon.  There was a Birthday party outside in the evening for a little boy turning 4, Sam.  They played some baseball and soccer and had cake and ice cream.  Alan and I went for a little walk.  We decided that he would just be done with school with a masters and not finish his PhD.  There are several reasons for this.  He will be able to explain them all better so maybe sometime he will be able to post about it.  I think the gist of it is he decided that he doesn't really like the research he would be doing with a PhD.  He did go back to work Friday night to work on a paper some more.  He has a paper that is due on Wednesday and he will still finish that up and submit it.

Brett came and played and raised Lauren's bike seat for her.  She has been wanting it for awhile.  Of course Connor wanted to help.  Connor loves Brett!

Where Alan spends his days (and some nights).

Saturday Alan went in to work.  There was a stake primary water activity that we went to in the morning.  They had several stations that the kids all rotated through.  There was the sponge and bucket relay where you transfer water from one bucket to another, duck duck sploosh (think duck duck goose, but instead of saying goose you break a water balloon behind the person), a water balloon pinata (hit a water balloon hanging with a bat...harder than it sounds), a dunk tank with the stake presidency members there to get dunked, and a sprinkler to play in.  They had popsicles when it was all over.  The kids had a fun time playing in the water.  At the end of the activity they said Jared and Lauren could both take a turn being in the dunk tank.  The water was really cold.  We played outside part of the afternoon and talked to Lindsay and Alyanne and Adam for a little bit.  Then we went to a circus party at the Riverwoods.  It was partially done by the freedom festival.  There were games to play and bounce houses and the splash pad.  We had a fun time playing.  Then we picked up Alan and went to a new store that just opened where Buy Low used to be.  They had some good sales and 25 cent ice cream cones.  After shopping we all got an ice cream cone.  Then we took Alan back to work.  He came home pretty late!

Jared dunking President Runia

Jared getting dunked by President Runia's son

Lauren's turn....Jared got her down!

Lunch on the stairs

Cute little faces peeking out

Today at church we got a new bishop and one new counselor.  Bishop Parker is the new bishop.  The MacCallums also blessed their baby.  It is their last Sunday in the ward...we will miss them.  We only had 2 hours of meetings (Sacrament meeting and then sharing time/ priesthood/ Relief Society) so we could all go to the special mission president's training that was broadcast from the Marriott center.  You had to have a special ticket to get in (and Brett did), but we just went to our stake center.  It was a really good meeting and I'm glad we took all of them down to it.  We had fun saying hi to a few family members today too.  Looking forward to a little less crazy week for Alan...I hope!