New Year's in Utah

Sledding with the kids in Provo.

I don't remember that van from my BYU days.

Couldn't ask for a better day skiing--especially given that Reed learned like a champ!

Thanksgiving with Family

Taking the ferry to Sausalito with Jared, Yanni, Nora, Mandy and Jeremy (wait--where are they? who's chaperoning them?)...

Grandma Fernith and Charles--first time to our place.

J-Bob and J-Rod going barbarian.

Random photos from last autumn

Mom visiting us in October '08.

Jane, doing what she does best--princessing!

Cathredral Cove

This is the Giant's Chair, built below a "castle" house about a 5 minute walk along the coast from our house.

Cathredral Cove with our next-door neighbors, the Clint and Alyson Gurney. 

Standing under the arch at Cathedral Cove.  This a where part of Prince Caspian, the movie, was filmed.  (We have never seen the movie).  Apparently in the movie, the children walk through the arch.

New Zealand Birds

The Pukeko Bird-  The blue and red one I sent you in the "Taste of New Zealand" package.  They are quite aggressive birds-  They did not like me running through the park and actually tried to peck at my legs, but I was too fast for them!

A mother black swan with her chicks.  I had never seen a black swan until we came here, but we see tons of them on a lake near to us (a 15 minute walk), Lake Pupuke, which is a beautiful volcanic crater lake.

Takapuna Christmas- 2008

For those of you who are interested, here a few pictures of the inside of our condo at Christmas.  This is our living room with its view!  

Our dining room table set for Christmas Eve dinner.

Our "breakfast nook"  table and tree.  One disappointment at Christmastime here is that it is the longest days of summer, and you hardly ever get to see your Christmas lights.  By the time it is dark, it is 10 pm and our bedtime!

Part of our little kitchen.

Samoa Mission Tour- August 2008

This was our shower in Samoa-  Outdoors!  It was beautiful!  The wall surrounding the shower was about 6 1/2  feet high, so we hoped that no one really tall would walk by!

The plane we flew on to get to American Samoa, part of the Samoan mission.  Grandma is with President and Sister Halleck.

The "fale" (house) we stayed in on Savii, one of the Samoan Islands.  It had the outdoor shower and bed in photo below.

The bed in the "fale" we stayed in on the island of Savii, Samoa.  Note the mosquito net over the top.

Adelaide, Australia Young Single Adult Convention

We attended the Adelaide YSA Convention- about 470 were in attendance.  We gave 5 talks/lessons in one day.  Poor us, but worse for them.

Fireworks in Sydney, Australia

We cheated-- this picture came off the internet.

Fireworks on New Year's Eve take by Grandpa and Grandma from the balcony of the opera house.

More fireworks -  set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney Opera House

This is the striking Sydney Opera House.  Taken from the ferry we took to see the harbor.  The Sydney Harbour is one of the most beautiful harbors in the world, and the largest natural harbor in the world.   Most of the industrial areas and ugly shipping areas have been moved to other ports.

Grandma in front of the opera house.  We attended the "New Year's Eve Gala!-  a mix of favorite opera and Broadway tunes with vocalists and the Sydney Orchestra.  After the concert, we stood on the balcony and watched the fireworks.  

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Standing in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Christmas 2008.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Grandpa and Grandma climbed to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  It is the longest single-span bridge in the world, and it is 33 stories high.  

Takapuna Beach Sunrise

This is the most beautiful sunrise that we have every seen! 

It was taken from our condo balcony.  WE WISH YOU WERE ALL HERE!