The Shooting Script

Hi Everybody!

I'm working on the shooting script still and hoping to get it out THIS weekend. It's just taking longer than I thought. Laurel helped with some storyboard drawings. I think you'll be able to tell which ones are hers. We're having some good laughs as we work on this project together.

I'm excited to see all of this come to fruition. I should have a production schedule put together during the next week. It's amazing that we're just over a week away from making the movie. Trust me. It's going to be fun, and it's going to be funny.

See you all next week!

Reunions!

So I'm guessing that everyone got the reunion message from Uncle Max. It seems like that reunion is SO short. (Probably because it is.) We really only have one full day... but it should still be fun!

So for ours... when is everyone getting home?? I plan on getting there Friday night. I'm not sure when. It all depends on when we leave here. I'm thinking we might leave a little later, since we all tend to sleep in a lot. Then we'll just sleep wherever we land that night. It's just the next day when we need to figure out sleeping arrangements. Some people have said we should all stay at Mom and Dad's, while others have suggested that a few of us go to Nate and Manda's. Has there been a final decision on this? I feel like I finally have time to actually think about these things.

Eric, I still haven't received that script from you... Have you sent it?

I'm going to go and make breakfast.
Love,
T

Great News!!!!!!

Today I took Brooke for an appointment with her urologist to get her test results from last week. She has no reflux and the ultrasound clearly showed the Deflux implants, which means her surgery went perfect. She no longer has to antiobiotics everyday. Hooray! Also at the doctor we scheduled a bladder function test to hopefully get the bottom of why she continues to leak urine. That is encouraging.

Now more good news, yesterday Brooke learned to swim. Bryan also has no problem putting his face in the water. Maybe he will be able to do an underwater swim soon.

Last Sunday, Bryan had the scripture in primary and he did it perfect, "Thou shalt not steal." He is still enjoying going to his school sometimes as a drop in. I'm doing fine. Jared is good, too.

good news for me!

Today, while at my training for school, I got a phone call from Macey's - a local grocery store where I had an interview last week. I had orientation today, which included all the paperwork, and then I have the store tour and such tomorrow, probably followed by the start of my training. I'm going to work in the Deli - slicing meats and cheeses, fruit trays, specilty salads .. stuff like that. It's $2 more than what I was making at Subway, and it already feels like they treat me much better than Subway ever did. They're looking for a morning person for now, and then an afternoon/evening person in the fall - which is perfect. Hooray for me!

another Happy day!

Happy anniversary to Nathan and Amanda!! I'm glad that you're so happy together and having a good time in Europe!! And of course I'm very excited to see them, and everyone else, in a couple of weeks at the reunion.

Today was supposed to be the Blog FHE, and to make up for missing in May as well. Sorry for being a slacker. I'll just make one comment real quick because it's getting very late at night here - that part of good parenting is having a good relationship in your marriage. I really like the quote: "The best gift a father can give to his children is to love their mother." I'm glad we have the examples of Dad, Eric, Jared, Nathan and Adam in being living evidence of this quote. Not Nathan yet in the "father" part of it, but he'll get there when the time is right for them, and they're developing a good marriage now to provide the foundation for their children when they come. Yay for good, strong, loving marriages!! Happy anniversary again to Nathan and Amanda!!

Summer is Beautiful

We arrived here safe and sound Saturday evening and had a nice visit that night. On Sunday Summer was blessed and we took lots of pictures. I was thrilled that her dress fit her very well. We had a nice barbecue afterward at Beth's house with lots of friends and lots of food.

Last night Adam's mom wanted to see some of the monuments at night so we went for a drive to see them. The Lincoln Memorial is really beautiful from the WWII Memorial, but by the time we got to the Jefferson it was pouring rain. We made it home to where Trina and Summer were waiting and listened to the rest of the storm from the safety of the apartment. No flooding or power outages in this area.

This morning I was exhausted so I took a nap before we left to do some touring. We planned on going to the Archives but when we got there it was closed because of flooding. We went to the Smithsonian but the museums on that side were closed - power outage, so we spent the day in the Air and Space Museum. It rained off and on but we only got caught in one big downpour.

We hope we're able to continue with the activities we have planned. We're supposed to have more thunderstorms for the next few days, including the one right now.

We hope you are all well and strong.

Love ya,
Mom and Dad

The Weather in Washington

I heard on the radio this morning that there's been a severe rainstorm on the East coast. How is this affecting the visit to DC? I suppose you can always hunker down and visit at home.

I'm really really looking forward to vacation. I have to focus in the meantime here at work.

Tawnia: I know I didn't get the storyboards/shooting script out to you this weekend, but it will be coming soon.

travels

Adam and I will leave in about 20 minutes to pick up Mom and Dad at the airport - Yay!! Adam and Summer are taking a quick nap right now before we go. It's been a long day already. Adam's best friend Kevin went through the temple this morning for his endowments, and we had to be up at 6:30 to get them to the temple on time. This was after we were up past midnight for various reasons. We did take Summer with us to the temple - Beth took care of her at the visitor's center so I could also attend the session.

Yes, Nathan, we will be bringing Summer's infant carrier which is also her carseat. So you don't have to worry about finding anything for her to be in your car. Thank you for picking us up!! 2 weeks from today, and we'll all be together for the first time in 6 years - wow!!!

Tours

Hello everyone. Amanda and I are now in France, our final country. We have had a wonderful time and are excited to share our travels with you, but only if you want to hear about them. We are going to see so,e castles tomorrow and see where da Vinci spent the last few years of his life. We are going to Paris early next week, and then we are making the long flight home. Trina, do ze need a car seat at all for transporting Summer, or do you have a carrier/carseat deal? We are so excited to see everyone and meet the new Palmer and Caudle. The weather is much nicer here in France than Italy. It was too hot for me there.

sorry this post is so random.

Nathan

Getting Ready

Tomorrow is the last day we'll be home. On Friday I have a doctor's appointment in Portland at 1:30 so when we leave for that we'll just keep on going. (I'm seeing a dermatologist who will, hopefully, be able to give me some answers about my legs.) That means I have to get everything finished around here tomorrow. What gets done is done and what isn't will still be here when we get home.

I had a nice long visit with Nathan today. He called from Florence Italy. He and Amanda are having a wonderful time. They were able to go to the temples in both London and Switzerland. They've has some real communication challenges but it's been worth it. They'll be the ones picking you up from the airport Trina. Dad suggested we have them give their Europe report Sunday night after dinner. We've also scheduled pictures for Monday.

I'm really excited to hold my sweet little Summer and to see Trina and Adam,too. I'm not looking forward to the long plane ride but I'm sure it will be worth it.

I still have a bazillion things to do and it's getting late so I'll say good night.

Love ya,
MOM

inchworm

I called Summer a tapeworm when I was pregnant with her, because I was always so HUNGRY and had to eat all the time. Now Adam is calling her an inchworm - this last week, we started doing "tummy time" with her, which is when you lay her on her stomach for a few minutes so she's forced to lift her head to look around. It helps babies develop their neck muscles to hold up their heads. Summer hasn't started lifting her head yet, but she braces her feet and pushes with her legs and scoots forward. Saturday, she moved from the middle to the end of the couch like that. It's kind of funny to watch.

Summer also started smiling as a response to people this last week, instead of only smiling as a reflex. It's SO cute!! We're still not quick enough with the camera to catch it - she'll be smiling, and then stop as soon as the camera's pointed at her. I hope she behaves better for the camera when Dad gets here this weekend.

Happy days!

Happy Anniversary Trina and Adam! And a late Happy Father's Day to Dad, Dad, Dad, and Dad (you know who you are). We are in Florence, and just got back from Pisa - the tower is still leaning. We had a good time there...you really have to see the tower to appreciate it...it was pretty cool. Our hotel is really nice, but a little far away from Florence, so we have a curfew, but that will be ok. We have a night train on our last night here, so we can spend a little bit more time here that night. Anyway, since we were in Pisa today, and only went to the bus stop yesterday when we got here, we haven't actually been IN Florence yet, so we are planning to go out on the town now! We are looking forward to coming back and meeting the new babies and seeing everyone...we were talking about that today. We have not been able to do any filming of us running for the family movie, because we have already filled up two memory cards, and are now having to go back and delete things, just to fit the last days of our trip on them. We are sorry about that...it would have been cool, but we were not able to get a video camera. So we only have two stops left! After Florence...though we have just started our Florence adventure, so we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves...we will be heading to Tours, to see a whole lot of castles and cool stuff in the Loire Valley (in France), and then our last stop will be Paris. It seems like we have been gone a very long time, and that we have a long way to go, but we are enjoying it! Love to you all, Manda and Nathan

Happy Father's Day!!

Happy Father's Day FOR THE FIRST TIME to Adam and Eric!!! Yay!!! I hope that being daddies to Summer and Stevie is all that you ever thought it would be and better. And of course, Happy Father's Day to Dad and Jared also, but not for the first time.

Dad, you're the greatest and I love you tons, and I'm so excited that you and Mom will be here on Saturday!! Eric and Jared, see you at the reunion, which is going to be the best!! (Yes, Jared, worth your $1600 ... and our plane tickets were just slightly less than that for only 2 people instead of 4, so you'd better help make it worth our while too! Ha ha ...) Love you guys too!! Adam, you're wonderful with Summer and I love and appreciate you so much!!

Okay, I'll stop talking in exclamation points now.

Rome

Hello everyone. We are in Rome now. Yesterday we went to Vatican City, and the day before we went to the Coloseum. Today we walked around and saw several fountains and the Pantheon. I do not know if all of my spelling is correct so please forgive me. We are having a good time. It is crowded and hot, but the food is generally good. Amanda and I are still getting along, so all is going well. Tomorrow we head off to Florence, and then we make our last two stays in France next week. The people are mostly friendly, but sometimes the communication is a little misunderstood. Crazy traffic here, and the pedestrians are just as crazy. There are thousands of mopeds and motorcycles here in Rome, and they just weave around the people and cars and buses. We are both getting tired, and are excited to go home, but we are still ready for more here. We cannot wait to see everyone at the reunions and meet the new babies. We love you all and will see you in a few weeks.

Love,
Nathan and Amanda

Home Again

Well, I have made it back to Utah. I didn't realize until after I was at the airport that my flight went to Pheonix first and then to SLC. At least I didn't have to get off the plane.

Today I get to move everything into my new classroom. That will keep me busy for today. Then this evening Mindy and I are going to a Luau thrown by the ward we'll be moving into. Tomorrow we have a bridal shower for Annie, a tri-ward activity (we will make an appearance) and then we're going to go and play games with our friend Abi (it's her birthday tomorrow). So it will be a busy weekend. Next week I'll be at the school doing stuff everyday. I have training Weds through Friday of next week... so that'll keep me quite busy.

California was great. Eric- I probably won't get the pictures to you until this afternoon or tomorrow... or maybe even Sunday.

I need to go and eat breakfast now.
T

Update

There are new pictures of Stevie up.

There will be even more once we get some pictures from Tawnia.

She should be getting home about now.

Brooke at Girl Scout Camp

Check out this website for pictures. There are some good ones of Brooke. The pictures are being updated each day this week, adding pictures for that day.

http://www.freewebs.com/alief_twilight_camp/

reunion note

I talked to Mom about this because I have a number of friends in Oregon who want to see Summer and talk with Adam (since the only other time they've met him was at our wedding, and that's just too hectic). I'm meeting with friends on Saturday and Sunday ONLY, since those days don't have main reunion activities planned (except singing in sacrament meeting, which we will be there for). That way, we don't have any extra people coming in and out, and I won't leave in the middle of something, during the main activities. I just wanted to pass that on to all of the other out-of-towners as a suggestion as well - meet with friends on Sat/Sun, and keep the rest of the week for just family.

Summer has a couple of new posts on her blog, if you want to check those. We'll get more pictures up right quick here. It's been pretty busy with Clara and Tim here and they took a bunch of pictures. They downloaded their digital camera onto our computer, so we have them as well. They left Tuesday afternoon. Then Summer and I spent ALL DAY (close to 12 hours) at the hospital yesterday. Our friend Beth is having some pretty major back problems and went to the hospital yesterday morning, and we stayed with her for moral support.

So here's a funny story...

Today is the last day of our production cycle at work.  We've been running way behind this month, mostly due to part shortages and supplier delays.  So at the managers' meeting yesterday, the boss commented we may need to sacrifice a chicken in order to get all the tools out on time.  So today, my supervisor handed my a big toothpick, like the kind they use for club sandwiches, with my name on it.  Apparently the boss has been given a ceramic chicken-shaped planter, one with lots of little holes.  He's going to carry it through the manufacturing floor, and everyone will "stab" it with our toothpicks.  And then we will be able to meet our quota.  Part of me says "Yeah, okay, whatever (freaks)" and the other part of me says "Hehehe, that's funny."  I think the "that's funny" part of me is winning.

another update

A couple of weeks ago a friend saw my scrap picture of Calvin and Hobbes, and asked me to make one for her - she'd pay me. Of course, I said yes. She left it in the hands of her friend (a guy in my ward) to pick out the picture. When I showed him some options he picked two, that he would pay for, for her birthday (surprise!). So I finished them this evening, and put them on my page, under artwork (top row, right end). Check them up, I'm pretty happy with them (the second one more than the first, but oh well).

Eric, I have to agree, the Stevie movie is adorable! I'm looking forward to picking up Tawnia tomorrow, not only to see Tawnia, but to see all of her pictures of Stevie (speaking of which, when are you going to add more?). And I'm REALLY looking forward to July so I can see the little guy in person (along with everyone else, but of course). Trina, I'd rave about Summer a little more if there were more pictures of her!