Aaaaand... We're Back!

Sorry it's taken so long to get the rest of these pictures up! We took so many it's kind of a daunting task, so I just keep putting it off. Although, I'm sure if I really wanted to just let Mike do it, I could wait 'til Friday when he has a day off. Buuuut - it's either this or homework, so... these are the rest of our pictures from Iowa.

Claire and Ethan both learned how to climb a tree. It was a big fir so I got all pitchy when I climbed it - it's like getting a cat wet. Not fun.

This picture is so cute! This is near the beginning of our visit to the park. (The trees are, technically, later.) It was kind of chilly out, and a little breezy, but it's a very nice park, and right near Holly's house.

This kid LOVES his spinach. Most kids you have to bribe with succulent pieces of chicken to get them to touch anything green, but Ethan just ate and ate and ate his salad, and wouldn't touch any meat except what Holly forced into him - which I think was one piece. As we were clearing the table, Mike turned and saw Ethan had pulled the bowl of spinach and strawberries over to his plate and just piled it all on.

Claire and Mike swinging.

Sitting on the front steps for a picture right before we left. It was so cute, the night before when Claire was getting ready for bed, she ran down the stairs to us and said, "Next time you come, stay longer!" Hopefully we will because we'll have more time!

Well, we have more pictures yet, but I think I will leave those to Mike. They're road trip pictures, and he hasn't put any of these up yet. Besides, he needs something to do on Friday.

Visiting Nauvoo

We just got back from our trip to Iowa to visit Holly and her family. We had a lot of fun, despite the troubles returning. Here are just a few of our pictures from the end of our actual stay in Iowa. We're starting with our trip to Nauvoo.

Getting ready to cross the Mississippi. I have OFFICIALLY crossed it now.

There was a holdup on the bridge - we don't know what - so Mike got out and posed for this picture.

We had a picnic at the park behind the Nauvoo temple. It was beautiful! Mike and I were planning to do a session at the temple while Holly and the kids played, but a construction worker right inside the gates told us it was closed until 2 pm. Holly checked with the Visitor's Center and they said you usually need to schedule sessions anyway, since the temple gets so much traffic.

A group of protesters hold a tea party - one of many apparently across the United States in efforts to reduce the rising taxes.

Holly and the kids admire the First Vision in the Visitor's Center.

In the Family Living Center, behind the Scovil Bakery, we were able to sample some bread baked in the little bustle oven you see in the wall behind it. They gave out recipes too. It was really good!

Holly and Ethan look on as Uncle Mike and Claire work the wheel on the rope sled.

Mike and me standing in front of the Mansion House.

Ethan, enjoying a stick of rock candy Mike bought him on his mother's lap, at the beginning of the carriage ride through Old Nauvoo.

Ethan enjoying a much-needed nap on his mother's lap about two minutes after the beginning of the carriage ride around Old Nauvoo.

Claire enjoying her piece of rock candy.

Mike got a few great shots of the front of the temple during the tour.

We followed the Trail of Hope - the beginning of the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo - down to the Mississippi. Next time we'll have to walk it so we can read all of the journal placards.

A statue of Joseph Smith instructing Brigham Young to take the saints west away from persecution.

Me, in front of the Mississippi.

Claire looks at Old Ned after the carriage ride. The Elders were really sweet to let the kids almost bombard the horses, of course, the horses were sweet as well. They did keep a fence between the two, which was probably a good thing.

Joseph Smith's office in the upstairs of the Red Brick Store. The store is now owned by the RLDS Church, and they actually keep it running by selling jams, pamphlets written by the Prophet, and lots of little souveniers.

We stopped for ice cream on our way out of town.

This is the morning of the day we left. Ethan immediately made our stripped air mattress a playground.

And this was Claire's outfit the morning we took off.

On the road again...

Epilogue: We made it into Rapid City, SD, where we planned to stay the night and see Mt. Rushmore the next day. Unfortunately, our car completely broke down, right as we pulled into a Nissan dealership. It was making a horrible noise and the acceleration was beginning to die, so we were lucky we made it into the lot. As it turned out, we had an axle leaking transmission fluid, and the entire transmission had corroded. This axle had leaked a few years ago, but Mike got it fixed quickly and has never had a problem with the car before or since. Anyway, to make a long story short, we had to rent a car and drive home to Idaho since the transmission they're putting in wont arrive until next Thursday or so. Mike will have to drive back to South Dekota and return the car and pick up our car. He's planning on taking a friend (I'll be at Ang's wedding) and making a camping trip out of it, so at least it wont be too dull.

The verdict is...

It's a girl! 

We are taking bets...

The sun is out, and it's 45 degrees outside. To our immediate families who live on a tropical island and primarily Arizona, that might sound undesirable. But when you have just passed through an Eastern Idaho winter, days like these are glorious and really make you want to go outside to toss a baseball. Here is what has been going on with us lately.

We recently bought some soil starter pods, and decided to begin growing some tomato plants! We will probably keep them inside as long as possible. Our Bishop's neighbor has a huge plot of land and offered it to our ward to have our own garden. As far as we know, we are each going to be alloted a plot of land, and will be able to grow so

me vegetables. We just can't wait until we have our own home to plant our own very large garden with tons of fresh vegetables!

We took this one this afternoon after conference. We are enjoying the beautiful 45 degree weather! The grass has even been coming back from dormancy.

Here is the Malie Tummy Status, taken today. Our last day of school is on Thursday, and we will also be finding out the gender of our baby! LET THE BIDDING BEGIN! Boy or girl? 

After the ultrasound, we are going to head down to Utah to spend Easter weekend with my Grandma Clark. We are very excited to spend some time with her. We are also going to visit the University of Utah in Salt Lake so that I can check out their Masters program. I have met a few of their faculty before and feel really good about their program. They have one of the top programs in the U.S. for industrial hygiene. 

After Easter weekend, we are headed to Iowa to visit Jeff and Holly (my sister). We can't wait to visit them out there and see what Iowa is really like! We also plan to visit Nauvoo while we are there, and the industrial hygiene program at the University of Iowa. On our way back we plan to stop by Mt. Rushmore. It will be a great trip! 

Sorry about the lack

of posting. It's finals and our lives at the moment consist of little else. Mike has three finals out of the way. Which is really nice. He still has a one more final, a presentation and a debate next week, but for the most part it's all out of the way. I've got ALL my finals left. Stupid teachers - holding everything over 'til the last week. I'm not too worried about most of them though. I've got a final of four essay questions for American Lit. I think that's going to take up the most time, mainly because one of the questions involved a book I only read the first two parts of and there are four, so I have to get caught up on that. (Here I smile sheepishly and you all forgive me.) Then I've got three final tests, only one of which is kind of comprehensive, thank heavens! The other two are actually just like other unit tests. My teachers don't believe in comprehensive testing, and neither do I! (For the most part, I mean, there are times when it's necessary, but overall, I think it's ridiculous. You forget half the stuff later anyway. You just need to know where to find it.) Other than that it's a presentation, fairly short, and LOTS of eating! Oh, finals parties. There's very few things like them.

We are getting ready to eat and head off to Conference. It's too hard for us to watch/listen to Conference at home. Too many distractions. That's how it's always been for me. I remember begging my parents to let us go to the chapel and watch it with people who didn't own a computer or satellite or cable. It just made it easier to pay attention.

Well, waffles are calling - oh no, that's Mike. Whatever, one in the same right now.