new friends, down-under style!

We have had the most awesome experience in young womens this spring. I have struck up a friendship with an Australian YW leader named Lisa King. Lisa told another Aussie YW leader, Shannon McKinley, about our correspondence and since Shannon had plans to visit America anyway, Shannon and her husband Richard made time to stop by for a quick visit. It was wonderful! We so enjoyed getting to know the McKinley's and feel they are treasured friends already. Halle has become penpals with their daughter Shakira and Shannon and I continue to write. The McKinley's as well as Lisa King live on Tasmania which is south of Australia (or Tassie, as they call it). Our young women and their young women exchange letters every couple months and it has been a real treat! I hope we all get a chance to visit in person again someday!

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We invited our bishop and his parents, The Langelands,

over for dinner during the visit since the Langelands had just

been called to be mission presidents in Australia.

Our kids adored all the attention and fawning from Shannon and Richard! And we even got fun Aussie surprises: Shannon gave me an Australian Flag apron which I LOVE and for our family and the young women they brought ANZAC biscuits (cookies) and lollies (sweets) from Australia. My favorites were by far the Jaffas!

Kremin Kampout 2010

Notice any resemblance?

(Totally 'American Gothic'.)
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So fun to pull the trailer with our own truck this year! Wahoo!
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Raquel's baby shower for Caroline

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'Princess' Jack-Jack

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my beautiful mom.
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We all laughed when we asked McKay what he was doing

and he looked at us like it was soooo obvious:

"Playing Kick the Can!"

And he was...literally kicking a can...
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Mark telling us his bear story

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Wild Horse Race!

Cowboys Kael, Benson, Wyatt, Carson, and Cowgirl Jane
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Halle's li'l buddy Aiden
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Grandpa K. was fixing some plumbing under the

sink and Carson couldn't resist playing in the cabinet
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kenzie, janie, jack.

About 10 seconds later Jane lost her beans from dehydration.

See how she's barely holding it together for the photo op?
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dancin' it up!

We were so proud watching Halle perform with her dance group this summer!

She looked so cute and really, really enjoyed herself!

She's kind of far back, but see Halle in the middle-right?
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Halle (end) and her best friend, Lauren (holding hands)

clearing obstacles from FHE...

To reinforce the FHE lesson we'd had on the importance of exercise and physical activity, we stepped outside for a friendly family competition in an obstacle course. Players had to push a wheelbarrow to a ball which was then kicked into the soccer net. Then they had to hula hoop five times, jump over swim noodles, carry an egg with a spoon and drop it into a bucket, then make a "basket" with a ball into a large bucket. It was a lot of laughing, a lot of running, and a lot of fun!

"camping" over memorial day.

We had reservations at Tanner's Flat Campground for Memorial Day weekend, but a few days before we were supposed to start our camping trip, we took a drive up Cottonwood Canyon and all we saw was SNOW! Disappointed to cancel, we decided to make the best of it and camp anyway as a family...in our family room. I slept on the couch and Brett & the kids slept on the floor, but not until we'd had a fun night reading books about camping, playing games, and eating camp treats (Goldfish S'More crackers)!

Backyard BEFORE...

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...And AFTER:

the plants are small (gotta save $$$ wherever can, you know) but once they grow a bit and fill in I think it's going to look great!