Thursday, October 2, 2014

The Beginning of Fall

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Isaac loves to bake but I think he loves to lick the bowl at the end even more.
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Sometimes you just can’t beat the view from our backyard.
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Adam is playing flag football again and is enjoying having other boys from the ward on his team.
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We took the kiddos to visit the Winter Quarters Cemetery on a Sunday afternoon after Stake Conference. Did you know that the cemetery was included as part of the temple's dedicatory prayer?
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Isaac and Sarah may have been more interested in the acorns and chestnuts from the trees.
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I love this father son moment, studying the plots.
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Sarah and I have started a tradition of going out to eat before the Women’s Conference. She love going to Texas Roadhouse for steak.
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Cute kids before the primary program.
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Sarah and her new glasses. She was so cute the first day amazed on how clearly she could she. She kept saying, “Wow, I can see clearly now.”
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There’s a cute pumpkin patch here in Omaha and it’s free to go there!!! The word is getting out about the patch so all the carving pumpkins were gone. But I got all these gourds, pie pumpkins, and milo for less then $5. The milk and cream buckets and crate came from the the Cottrell Family Farm in Wyoming from the “tank.”

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Van Natter - SEPTEMBER

(Written 27 January 2015)The weather started turning cooler early in September - no complaints! Addie started back to Aunt Heidi's Yellow Kite Learning Center. Until her house was done in October they held it at Emily's.

We heard that the colors were changing early so John and I took a drive up to Snow Basin. Turned out the reports weren't very accurate. There was some color but not a lot.
John started painting the computer room. This meant emptying it entirely except for the computer, which he would cover with plastic when he needed to. The painting project took forevvvver! John is a perfectionist and was never happy with his work so he'd just keep repainting! It was after Thanksgiving before he was fed up enough to say it was done!!

I had this desk for most of our marriage (37+ years) and it was Dad's for as long as I can remember before that, but it was time to say goodbye. I'll be getting a new one. Lots of memories attached to this one. I kind of miss it, but I'm more excited about getting something new...soon!
Ian left for his 3 week European adventure on the 9th. He posted a bunch of photos here on the blog to illustrate all the amazing places he visited and sights he saw. He traveled with 2 girls, so he saw things that he might not have had he alone planned the trip! He sent this photo wearing a hat he bought in Sienna, Italy.
Linda and Mark made a visit to Utah, and I was invited to come to Annette's and sew for a couple of days. We made clothes for Zoey and had the best fun!
Annette fed us like Queens - she is amazing in the kitchen. We raved over every meal!
While there we went to the Hale to see Beau Jeste, which was delightful! And I went home with this adorable outfit for Zoey, as well as a Halloween witch costume, and a hiking outfit. We ran out of time to make Zoey! So Linda made her and sent her to us! So kind!
September 21st was the Ogden Temple re-dedication, which we attended in our Stake Center. It was really meaningful to John since he was at the first dedication in 1972. Looking at the new temple, it's hard to believe it's the same place! As soon as it was over, John had to leave for the airport and fly to St. Paul. While he was gone I emptied my pantry and corner pantry and reorganized both. The pantry will probably never be easy to use since I let them redo it during the remodel, but I put some large lazy susans in the back corners and things are more accessible now.

On the first day of Fall I pulled out my bear - I bought her in Galena, IL on a trip more than a decade ago. For some reason she really speaks FALL to me!
I picked Ian up at the airport and he wanted to stop at Emily's to give gifts to the little ones. Addie adores UncaIan.
He had this nativity shipped home from Austria for me!!
 
On the last Sunday of the month, John and I went looking for Fall colors again, with little luck. We even drove up to Park City where we saw a little orange at the higher altitudes, then over Guardsman Pass where we finally saw some golden Aspens.


Happy Fall ya'll!!




Ian - Europe 2014 (picture heavy)


Sept 9th & 10th - SLC - Paris - Switzerland

We left SLC at 5:00 on the 9th and landed in Paris on the 10th at around 11:00 am. We then boarded a train and headed straight to Bern, Switzerland for the night. A long train ride (6.5 hour or so). Luckily our train passes let us use the first class seats, which are great and come with a waiter so you don't have to walk the 200 feet to the restaurant car.
We made it through a few train changes and arrived in the Bern station. We pulled up the hotel on Google maps and had our first experience with how terrible it works in Europe. After wandering in circles we finally made it to our hotel. Google Maps really sucks in Europe.


Random photo from around Strasbourg


Weird chair in the hotel in Bern. It was highly uncomfortable

Strasbourg Station



View from the hotel in Bern


Sept 11th - Bern, Switzerland to Florence, Italy

Went to the temple first thing. Ran into a family from Idaho who were on our flight from SLC. The dad was Swiss and we talked in German for a long time before we both realised we spoke English. We then headed back to Bern and grabbed a train to Florence, Italy, which is a very dirty city.



View from the balcony of the hotel in Florence

View from the balcony of the hotel in Florence

View from the balcony of the hotel in Florence

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
 
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Swiss Countryside


Swiss Countryside

Italian Countryside (near Switzerland)

September 12th - Sienna, Italy

Headed to Sienna from Florence for a day trip.  I ended up buying a flat cap from a shop that makes the hats in the back room.














Thursday, September 11, 2014

Greg Cottrell Family-Summer 2014

These three kids are amazing!! Since they are were all in school for the first time this last year it really made Lindsey miss them. So we partied this summer. Zoo, sonics, donuts, hiking, swimming, parks, camping, smores, Wyoming fun, BYU-Idaho, riding in a parade, rock wall climbing, snow cones, milkshakes, Winter Quarters/Trail Center, cupcakes, etc. Our SUMMER WAS AWESOME!!!(click link) Summer 2014 Adam, Sarah, and Isaac you make us Happy!!!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Van Natter - August

Early August we experienced our first water advisory here in Clinton. Fortunately we'd signed up for notifications and so we got texts, emails, and automated phone calls advising us not to drink the water. Apparently someone had cross-connected their secondary (untreated irrigation water) line with their culinary line after it was turned off for non-payment. And so the city water tested positive for the possibility of e-coli. It never tested positive for the actual presence of e-coli, but we had to use bottled water or boil our water for a few days. People further west had to wait as long as 5 days before they were cleared to use the water. It took that long for the extra chlorination to reach them. Water disappeared from local store shelves within a couple of hours. It was enlightening to go through something like that where we weren't in any danger, but had to re-think how to go about our daily lives without being able to just turn on the water tap.

Jacob came and hauled away a lot of their remaining belongings. I still find things of theirs here and there. It was nice to have that dealt with. Just a random picture of Addie that I love!

Grammy and Linda arrived on the 16th. All the kids came over and we had pizza and lots of chatter that evening. Linda left us all enthralled with Zoey and her many costume changes! Heidi and Emily especially went nuts! Addie too! So fun to be together.

Linda went to Church with John and me, sat in our Sunday School class, then we headed home. We played around in the afternoon and then Linda headed to Annette's after dinner of roast and roasted veggies.

On Monday, Grammy and I went to lunch at Rainbow Gardens, then went to see Emily's house. Tuesday we drove to the Riverwoods in Provo for lunch with Heidi at LaJolla Groves. We drove the scenic route. Wednesday we tried to meet up with Linda and Annette at Dock of the Bay in Provo Canyon but it was closed. So we backtracked to the Kneaders in Heber City that Mom and I had passed, and enjoyed wonderful soup and sandwiches. They headed off to a boutique in Midway and I headed home from there.


Closed the month by celebrating Emily's 30th birthday with lunch at Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon. Then we went to the Ogden Temple Open House.


Busy and happy month!