Janae and Janell in Europe

Here we are in Europe. Janell is on a music trip with Utah Ambassadors of Music. I am a chaperon.

We flew on Delta and they had free Internet so I used my lap top and sent a few emails before my battery went low. In England we saw the usuals... Tower of London, British Museum, Victoria and Albert, etc. They had a concert at Embankment Park and had a outdoor packed crowd. Apparently this is the same core that went to Caleb's concert including a guy in red boxer shorts and mostly old English gentlemen. Passers by stopped and stayed for the concert. Some danced in the isles. One English Gentleman got out of his seat and parked himself right in front of me in the isle. He took out a black tape recorder in it's original box and was recording the concert. Then he got out his old vivitar camera from it's original box and took some pictures and went back to his place.

After the concert I spoke to him. He had a sheet of paper he had copied off from the Internet about Utah facts so he went over why do we have a trash bird for our state bird and do Mormon's believe in war? It was good.

We have taken Lauren's advice and bought Crepes everywhere they are found.....ummmmm

We took a ferry across the English Channel to Paris and went to the Louvre, Paris opera house(the site that inspired Phantom), a small village and took a boat ride down the seine river. Tomorrow we have another concert in a park. At the Louvre I stepped out of line and bought headset tours for Janell and her friends so we could zip around to the important stuff. It was perfect. Who knows if we will have Internet at our other destinations. We do London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, Venice, Germany. I can't work the spell checker... sorry

The Mothers day awning brought to you by Amazon Women

For Mothers day 2007 Kay started an awning for me. He came home from Omaha this week (2009) and got all enthused so he built it. He put it together, we painted it, then he assured us women of the house we could help him put it up. Just as we were moving the heavy wooden frame, Janell got a birthday visit from her YW leaders and some house guests of one. The bishop's wife was the true Amazon woman offering to get up on the roof. (picture l-r Erin, Lauren,Karen, Kay).

Janell at the ladder moving her part of the awning over.

We were so happy to be rescued and helped. Just in time.... tender Mercy? I think so... Karen Wynn and I decided if we ever have to evacuate we need to be on the same team. Her husband can fix people (physician) and mine can fix things (engineer).

College world Series in Omaha (CWS)

For fun I bought Kay some College World Series tickets. They are pretty cheap and the College World series (CWS) is in Omaha every June. He went to one game with Rachael's family (see Rachael's blog) without me and we went to the final three games where Texas (we were rooting for) and Louisiana State University (LSU) were playing. Two games were in sweltering heat with the heat index reaching 107 degrees F. and one of the games was delayed for 2 hours while we waited for a torrential rain storm to pass.

The funnest was the one that Texas won after the storm. Lauren and I were there an hour and a half early to save some seats in the general admission section. The tickets were sold in books of 10 for 70 dollars. There were huge lines but it seemed everyone got in. It started raining and the torrential rain started when Kay arrived at 5:15. He told me to get cover and he was going to get front row seats. The stadium looked like the game was hours away instead of minutes. There were a few die hards saving their seats. Kay and Lauren sat through the wind gusts of 60 MPH and the pelting rain the whole time while I was in the limited shelter of the eating area surrounded by all the other fans. We were shivering and wind whipped under cover. The game started at 7:45, delayed just under 2 hours.

When the rain stopped. Soaking wet Lauren and Kay had held the front row seats in center left field, right with the rowdy student Texas section. We had a great time with them in the family friendly venue. Any swearing and you were warned and kicked out. No alcohol... , this was great family fun. Lots of families go and don't follow teams, they just like the family friendly environment. Kay and Lauren never did dry out and I kept getting the sides of me wet during the game when I brushed up next to them. Good thing is was summer. Our team lost but oh well. As the vendors came up and down the isles during the game it seemed funny how cold things look so good on one day and hot things the next. Kay brought a garbage bag for our cameras and purses. That was a smart thing to do!

I guess I should say Janell is at EFY- camp for the week

Grandpa Kay and the twins

Kay was home for a week and got aquainted with the twins.

Alice on the left and Claire on the right almost 9 months old

Saturday Wedding of Ben and Rebecca Lusk

Our Saturday started with a visit to the Omaha Zoo with Great Grandma and Grandpa Cope. Grandpa teaches Ethan Sean and Jenna how to act at the zoo.

Seth and Rachael Chappell. Sean, Ethan, Jenna, Chester aka Aaron

Next the Winter Quarters Temple where cousin Ben Lusk was sealed to Rebecca Cooper for time and all eternity. Jenna waits anxiously with Sean for this new experience.

Jana, Leah and Erica Lusk

We enter the reception on the white walkway.

Ben and Rebecca dance with bubbles

the cake was a highlight for the grandchildren who are sugar deprived

the head table

Ben's coworkers at our table tucked away in the corner

Evening dancing with the groom

Kay and Janae at the dance

Janell- the resident boy

With Caleb gone, Janell has had to do some of the boy jobs. Today was the yearly cleaning of the pond/fountain. She had a little bit too much fun trying to catch the gold fish and spraying with the power sprayer. The gold fish were "feeder fish" several years ago- a neighbor girl asked if she could put them in our pond. I said they would probably die in the winter and I won't feed them and now they are about 8 inches long and eating who-knows-what but they are healthy and alive.