We had a wonderful light rain today with the rainbows shown above this evening courtesy of the sun setting in the west. If you look closely you will see that the rainbow rests on the cross on the top of the hill.

This was a fitting climax to the wonderful visit of Robin and Burke. We both feel so very blessed.

Happy Birthday David Wee

Okay....I am sensing a lull in the bday posting....but I'm not ready to let it die just yet....I hate to cover up great posts....Anna's about her comps and Gramma D's new hairdo....so after posting a birthday note to David...you can head below for some great reading!

Exams!

I hate to cover up the fantastic post about Grandma's new haircut--it looks great and I love it. Scroll down to see the great pics. But, I did want to share that I finally took my comprehensive exam!! Hurrah! This is how it worked:

Over the last year or so I put together my dissertation committee (one director and two readers) and in company with them I compiled reading lists for a primary and a secondary area (for me, 19C British lit and 18C British lit). The lists covered works both from the time periods (so, novels, poetry, essays) as well as scholarship written about it. All-in-all I had probably 300 or so texts. Once every semester the department offers a chance to take the comprehensive exam and I decided to go for it this time around. My committee was then notified and they made up a list of 6-8 essay questions for each area (my director had the final say, though, on what questions went to me). The exam stretched over three days. So, on Wednesday morning I showed up at my department office and the graduate secretary gave those of us taking the exam our list questions for the primary area. I then had five and half hours to choose and answer two of them. By 2:30 sharp I had to turn in my answers to the grad secretary. Thursday was a break. And then Friday I did the same routine for my secondary area. I wrote my answers in our office and my fantastic office mates had put up little signs cheering me on and had put a diet coke for me in the office fridge. And Brooke, my roomie, made me a bag of treats to get me through. I was super, super nervous both days. However, I felt like I had answers for the questions that I chose and that I learned some things as I thought about how to synthesize the stuff I had studied. On Friday it took about five hours to come down off the adrenaline. I felt like Amy's description of Soren when he had shots of adrenaline in the hospital to help him with his asthma: he just went from toy to toy to toy--couldn't pick them up and put them down fast enough. I couldn't focus for very long on any one thing, my heart was racing, I was jittery. It felt so weird. But, I feel great to be done. I should know by the Oct. 11th if I passed (happy bday John!). Three professors (presumably my committee members) will read my answers and I need to get at least 2 passes out of 3 on each of my questions to pass. So, big step. And hopefully I move forward to the dissertation!

Grandma's New Hairdo

Grandma is ready to go to the beauty parlor here at Casa after being convinced by Robin and Burke that she would look terrific with a new hairdo. Burke and Robin first order of business was to convince the hair dresser to even begin. She was most uncooperative, but Robin and Burke never gave up and the rest is history.
Burke and Robin are wheeling Grandma from the beauty parlor back to her room. In the background you can see the wicked witch of the beauty parlor. She tried to convince everyone what a terrific handler of people she was. Unfortunately we were afraid that if she got water on her that she would melt.
Happy to be comfy in the bed at last! Burke and Robin kept her up and enthused for several hours.

Katie and Dad Camping

Katie and I went camping near Mount Hood with other dads and daughters from church. The river below really made me wish for a fly rod and reel.

A picture of Katie and two friends. We played hide and seek with them near the campsite. I thought she looked great (especially considering this is the morning after a night in the tent).

The Wills

I think this is a photo from the last day in Laguna.

William's First Drive

This was taking off for Pat and Carolyn MaGee's. William wanted to ride with Grandma and Grandpa, so this was the compromise: He could steer the car down the driveway.

As a side note, when he saw these photos tonight, he asked why his face was like that. I told him that was how he was smiling.

Saddle Rock Family Hike

Wendy, Grandma, Grandpa, and I took the kids up and over Saddle Rock. We started at the RAC and went to Appleatchee. The kids were superb. Henry rode in style in the jogging stroller, and the rest of us walked. This is a view from one of the high points near the saddle.

William's First Day of School

A belgian waffle breakfast...William gets the "You are Special Today" plate.

Riding their scooters to the school. Burke has to have his backpack on, also. The school is about a 6 minute walk away. A big plus.

Will chose his Hot Wheels shirt to wear the first day.

William with his teacher, Mrs. Jarman.

William had a fantastic day. He said he got to color, paint and play with playdough. He also made an ABC book. I think he talked most about recess and the play structure there. He's very excited to go back tomorrow. For my part, I am glad Utah still mostly does half day kindergarten. I was very very glad to pick William up at noon and have him with me the rest of the day. At the same time, I am thrilled for the experience he is having and that he is so excited about it. Here we go!

Beaverton Bennion Swimming Lessons

More from the UK

Hi all! I'm sitting in Heathrow Airport (for just about the bazillionth hour on what is becoming what feels like a 72 hour day. Friday night, Anders and I were up until 6am taking people to the Cardiff airport and Cardiff train station. And then we were up again at 9 to take the last group. Then we spent the day packing up the houses and getting everything together and storing all the program stuff in this totally creepy attic. That night we went to a movie. And then on Sunday I got up really early to finish up the packing and cleaning. And then Sunday afternoon we traveled to London Heathrow and went downtown and then spent the night in the airport. And now, Monday morning, I'm waitng for my flight. So, my inner clock is totally off--my brain is fried. And I feel great!). Anyhow, I thought I'd share some more pics and stories. I am filled with satisfaction and happiness as I sit here--it was such a great trip.

Excuse the randomness--this time I'm mostly just choosing pics I like.

Cardiff has some great parks. In one of them (Roath Park), there is a lovely lake and row boats, so we went rowing as a program. Zoe and I were lucky enough to be rowed around by Tom--there wasn't space in the other student boats. It was hilarious to watch everybody else try to get the hang of it and we all had a blast.




Pasties are my favorite food in the UK, and here we are eating them as a group in downtown Cardiff. Pasties are a savory pastry, shaped like a crescent. My favorite (the traditional Cornish) has steak and potatoes and onions and carrots. It's delicious and cheap and filling.



Tom had to leave about 2 weeks before the program ended and right before we did our UK tour. Anders, his son, flew in to be the replacement driver. On our second day out, we managed to get parking tickets. Apparently the Conwy Castle parking lot is a van-free zone. Oops. Tom leaves us alone for two seconds and we run amock



Here's the van I drove and my wonderful, brave, patient passengers! We had a great time. I really love these girls and totally appreciate how cheerful and trusting and helpful they all were.



Every summer there's a festival down at Cardiff Bay. There are street performers and farmers markets and delicious cheeses and ice creams and meats etc. etc. We always go down and tour the Assembly Building and watch the crowds. This day I had a delicious sausage sandwich with grilled onions and fantastic cheese. And here I am chilling with Tom, Dannica, and Tom's daughter Zoe.



Great times!

These are a few of my favorite things

Well people have been asking for this for a while, so here it is:

Joseph's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Single Batch)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bring out a medium bowl, and a large mixer. With the mixer use either cookie or dough beaters, but not wire beaters because this recipe is too thick for them and will ruin them. Ungreased Cookie Sheets (I recommend two per oven), a rubber Spatula or equivalent, a Standard Spatula for removing your cookies, and a place to put your cookies while they cool and "degrease" (I recommend a Newspaper covered by paper towels).

Gather the following ingredients:
2.25 cups of Flour (You choose, but I use enriched unbleached flour)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (Not Baking Powder)
1 teaspoon Salt (I use regular iodized salt)
1 Cup Shortening (Crisco)
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup light Brown Sugar (I recommend not using dark, because a slight molasses flavor will come through)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large chicken eggs
1/2 12oz bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate chips (I usually double this recipe, and Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips are the best tasting in a cookie, Milk Chocolate is too sweet and has the wrong Texture)

To begin take the Flour, Salt and Baking Soda, and combine (you don't have to mix) them in the medium bowl. Set them aside and in the large mixing bowl put the Crisco, Brown Sugar, Granulated sugar, and lastly Vanilla in the large mixing bowl, and turn you mixer to low. As the mixer beats add, one at a time, the eggs. Once the eggs are mixed in to the dough scrape down the sides with your Rubber Spatula to make sure that all the ingredients will mix together. Now increase the speed of you mixer to Medium High (this should be quite fast), and beat the mixture until it is a light brown smooth mixture (the color should be close to a rootbeer milkshake and it should look like a thick milkshake).

Turn off your mixer and get your bowl of flour/salt/soda. Turn you mixer to low again (and if you have a kitchen-aide mixer now is a good time to engage the lock) and slowly add the flour/salt/soda mixture to the bowl. Make sure the dough in the bowl is completely mixed, once it is add all of the chocolate chips (you can do this in one go) and mix until the Chocolate Chips are well distributed.

Take the mixture and put it on your cookie sheets about 1-1.5 inch well spaced globs. Take the Cookie Sheet and put it in the oven from 6-9 minutes (the first batch takes the longest, usually 8 minutes, subsequent batches are about 7 minutes). Remove the cookies from the oven at the slightest hint of brown (this hint is usually at the edges of the cookies, and will not show on all of the cookies. If you see any cookies with any brown, they are now done) let the cookies cool for about a minute before removing them from the cookie sheet to your cooling station. Repeat until your cookie mix is exhausted (makes approximately 4 dozen cookies, depending upon how much cookie dough is eaten before they are cooked).

Joe's Burger Sauce (all of these measurements are approximates)

1/4 Cup Terayaki sauce (I recommend Mr. Yoshida's Terayaki sauce)
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
5-8 drops Red Tabasco Sauce
1 Teaspoon Crushed red Chiles
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix all of these in a small bowl and use as a wet rub on top of your burgers while they cook.

Joe's Honey Mustard (All of these measurements are approximates)
1/2 Cup Yellow Mustard
4 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce (Hickory brown sugar sauce)
4 Tablespoons Honey (I use Clover Honey)
Some Black Pepper for Taste and color
6-9 drops Red Tabasco Sauce

Mix in a small covered container and refrigerate for 12 hours for best flavors. If the recipe isn't sweet enough add more honey, if it tastes too much like mustard add more Barbecue sauce. I use this recipe to dip chicken into.

we're in a tight spot!

hello dear family! you would not even recognize this driver. we are on our week long trip through the uk. today we drove from the southern tip of wales to the northern tip--a totally beautiful drive. also, there were several tight spots, today and everyday. we really have been all over the place. here are some picture highlights of my favorite things on the trip so far:

these first couple were from our trip through cornwall. we were down there for two days. it is probably my favorite part of the uk and it was also the most intense driving. lots of really really tiny roads and having to do lots of backing down steep hills in order to let cars pass. at the end of the cornwall tour we were behind tom when he had to back up for cars in his van and he mentioned how crazy stressful it was later. we had done it in our van about five times. still, great great trip and we made it!

merlin's cave.



landsend--the western peninsula of cornwall and western most tip of the uk. one of the most beautiful places i have ever, ever been. we walked along the peninsula at sunset. the photo doesn't do it justice--it was painfully beautiful.




the motor boat we drove at st ives. it was SO slow--four horse power engine and i think at least 2 of the horses were out for the count. we were cracking up. st ives has beautiful white sand blue water beaches (also very good looking guys, it turns out, running these boats). i have put a vacation there on my bucket list. for the beaches rather than the boys.



we took the train to london and spent the day there, ending with a show at the globe (tom, zoe and i actually did a double header. henry iv part 1 in the afternoon and henry iv part 2 in the evening). the globe is perhaps the number one top thing to see in london. it was great as usual.



then we didn't quite make the last train back to cardiff so we spent the night (from 11:30pm until 5:30am) in paddington station. it was actually a great adventure. everybody took it like champs and had a great time. i didn't sleep at all until the train ride home.



loves to you all!

Young Victoria

Wendy and I rented (and watched) Young Victoria last night. It was excellent. It is a newer movie depicting Victoria in the year before her coronation and the next few years. Highly recommended.

The Clones?

I remember people used to call Me, Rob and Don the clones. They may have had a point.

Greg on the Carousel

This may be my favorite picture of Gregory. We were on the Carousel at Disneyland, and he was loving it. He is usually doing older-kid activities, but this was a chance to be little. I loved how he was balancing himself (similar to the scene from the Black Stallion).

To Infinity and Beyond!!!!

William and Buzz at Disneyland. We got William's face just right.

Balboa Bars and Ice Cream

Billy D, Willy R, G-Man, and B-Bob

Breakfast at the Beach

Burke, William R., William D.

Picnic at Rancho Bernardo Park

L-R (Joe, Don, Grandad, Will, Henry, Grandma, Mom, JB, Roberto)