Happy Birthday Chris!

When your birthday is the day after Thanksgiving it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.  Kristin made sure that didn't happen this year for Chris.  She designed a scavenger hunt that took Chris all around town to collect gifts at a number of locations.  All he had to do was figure out clues and go into businesses and recite his name!  Here he is with one of his gifts!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We didn't have very good planning skills because we began a puzzle last night on the very table on which we wanted to serve dinner today...dumb...so anyway, we had to make a move.

But we did make the adjustment, had a wonderful dinner, and then got back to it afterward!

Pre-Thanksgiving

My mom, our neighbor Olver and Chris joined us this day before Thanksgiving to help get things ready

It was grueling work...

But we ended the day with some restful puzzle making...

My walking buddy

I took a quick walk between classes yesterday and this guy joined me.  I mean, landed right next to me and posed for a picture...wow!

Do I have a great job or what?!

I get to go out to schools, watch my students teach great kids in classrooms where master teachers teach!  It's a dream!

Lake walk

Sometimes I am just amazed at the beauty of the campus on which I work...

Isn't this beautiful?

Wow!!

It's about that time...

It's been such a beautiful fall this year, and I guess it is time to end.  The geese are beginning to leave us, but even that this year seems extraordinary...enjoy...

Kristin in concert

It's hard to see, but there she is...the lovely one in the concert choir...a little bittersweet to be going to senior concerts...but oh, can they sing!

Nice neighbors!

Yesterday we were just sitting at home, minding our own business when these wonderful neighbors, (accompanied by their wonderful mother), showed up at our doorstep!  Not only did they offer us a nice visit...they also brought a delicious pie!  Don't we have the greatest neighbors?!

Benjamin

Big things are happening for Ben these days.  Ben's team members are smack in the middle of planning for his life after school, and the possibilities are growing!  That means the possibilities for our family are growing too...pray that we will stay open and receptive to the very best for all of us...

Dixie National Forest and Zion again!

After a restful night near Bryce Canyon, I got an early start and found a glorious waterfall hike to start my day.

 Then, after breakfast at a cute local cafe, I returned to Zion and visited the Northern Kolob canyon area.  There I followed the Taylor creek trail to its end at a fabulous canyon closure...wow!

I returned to Vegas and gratefully enjoyed Rita's hospitality...and the extra hour of sleep felt great on these old bones!

Zion and Bryce

After completing my presentation yesterday, I decided to take advantage of the proximity of a few national parks today.  I left Vegas early and had a chance to experience both Zion and Bryce Canyon National parks...here are a few images from the day...

Zion

Bryce Canyon

Experiential education convention

A convention for people who love the outdoors in Vegas?!  I wasn't sure, but here was the view from the plane on the way in...wow!

But then again, here is the convention site...

I am a self-proclaimed groupie of this convention...I love these people...they work off the premise that we learn best by taking part in rich experiences and then talking about them with people you care about...my kind of learning!  This year I presented on community and we had a great discussion! 

Then afterward, I snuck out to Red Rock canyon for a quick hike before spending the night with Rita...a great hostess!

Soaring in Seattle!

Kristin and I are trying to enjoy every last moment of her senior year this year, so one of the things we decided to do was to take advantage of Verona's extra long Fall break to visit the Johnson's in Washington.  We should have known it would be a spectacular trip when we were greeted by this sight as we landed!

We enjoyed a birthday lunch for Becca at Red Robin...

We celebrated Halloween in a "big" way...

 Some of us truly owned the costume...

Rosie and I enjoyed some great hikes...

We appreciated the art in Seattle...

Jumped for joy at the thought of the new Harry Potter movie...

Enjoyed the sea and sun at the waterfront...

Marveled at the famous gum wall...

People watched at the market...

And dined on Rosie's finest!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We feel so blessed to call the Johnsons our friends!