A Dinner Group Halloween!

We are in a dinner group with some of our good friends that live in the neighborhood. We had them all over for a special Halloween dinner (pumpkin bowl soup, dry ice rootbeer, and ladies fingers rolls). Afterward we went trick or treating together.

Halloween

A little out of order here. I couldn't get some of the early posts to work. Anyway, Kira was a princess from India (with apologies to our cousins in India, if she wasn't authentic) and Trenton was a firefighter.

Summer in Prescott!

After all of the Utah travel, we spent some time in Prescott, at Grandma and Grandpa's house--while Barry worked on a well up there.

Of course, the kids had a great time there. Here are some of the fun pictures of them:

Cedar City

We stopped in Cedar City to visit our friends, the LeCheminants. Trenton was in heaven when Christian took the kids for a ride on his Motor Scooter!

Photographer in training

Trenton has decided that he is an aspiring photographer. Here are just a few of the hundreds of shots he managed to take on the little digital camera this summer. Notice his interesting use of angles.

Talent Show!

Kira and her cousins teamed up with Shanda to perform a stirring rendition of Mah-nah-ma-nah (sp?), but nothing tops my mom dressing up as a fairy to do a skit with her older sisters that they did as children.

It was impressive to see Grandma singing the car song with all of her kids.

Nielson Family Reunion on Kolob Mountain

My Grandma will turn 99 in a month. That didn't stop her from camping with all of her posterity on Kolob mountain this summer. We had a fun family reunion there and then spent some time with her and my parents and sisters at her home in LaVerkin.

Summer Fun in UTAH!

Trenton, Addie, and Kira, all loved the raspberries that grow at Papa and Lita's house.

Papa let Trenton and Kira play in his truck while he washed it. It must have made an impression, because everytime he talks to Papa, he asks him about his truck.

Papa & Lita's house

After the first family reunion we traveled to my parents house in Springville, Utah, to see them for the first time since they returned from China (where they spent the last year teaching English with a program from BYU). Lita brought these cute Chinese clothes for the kids. Kira had to show her Lita how well she can read now, and they had fun playing with their little cousin, Addie.

Family Reunion Fun---The Three Legged Race!

Kira found another red-headed cousin to race with.


We were all surprised when Uncle Steve and Great Uncle John Teamed up for the race.



Barry and Dale came in second place!

Fortie Family Fotos

We had a large family photo session...in fact, so large we couldn't get everyone in one picture. The Phyllis Harrop line of the family (ours) was at least twice the size of any other group. We are sporting color coordinated t-shirts with one of Grandmother's favorite sayings, "All it takes, is all you've got!" Notice how boy scout Barry is prepared this time?

Camping and Hiking at ZION!

This was the first of our big family reunions this summer, near the entrance to Zion National Park. Barry gave Trenton a tattoo. And here we are hiking to the emerald pools.

Kira Turns 5 (April 22, 2006)!

We had a Mulan themed birthday, this year. With Kira's grandparents and cousins in China...and the fact that she loves the Disney movies, it seemed appropriate. Here she is blowing out the candles with many friends looking on, and a shot of the Dragon (Mushu?) cake.

Mulan Memories

At Kira's party, she and her friends took turns having, "Lesson Number One" (Karate basics with Amber), "Mulan's tea" and Chinese food with Kristin, and "oriental fan crafting" with me. (Amber and Kristin are life savers!!!)

Europe Trip June 2006

I traveled to Europe this summer with a small choir. We participated in a festival in Germany and performed in other venues. It was an amazing adventure. Don't worry. The most dangerous part of the trip was probably the subway in the Atlanta airport between concourses (when they say hold on, they really mean it).

I have posted the highlights from the trip below. I posted them in chronological order for me, which means that if you read straight down, you will get the trip in reverse (which is OK, too.) If you are terribly interested in a place or in Dachau or Oberndorf, which we also visited, let me know. There are many more pictures where these came from!

To sum it up, it was everything I imagined Europe to be and more. Hopefully, I will go back someday.

Wunderbar Wien (Vienna)

As magnificent as Vienna is, it was actually a little bit of a let down after some of the other places we visited. The art and architecture is amazing, but it is a big city and feels a bit like other big cities. We went to a rather strange performance of Strauss' opera "The Gypsy Baron." And were serenaded by an accordian player at dinner before.

Scenic Salzburg

I loved Salzburg! Mozart's birthplace and the setting of "The Sound of Music." Much of the town really takes you back in time. The fortress on top of the mountain began to be built in 1044 or something. Here you see me singing for Mozart as he peddles his Chocolate balls, trying to imitate Maria Von Trapp singing "I have confidence" by the horse fountain, and enjoying the incredible view from the fortress!