New Associate Conductor

Last night was a very busy rehearsal night. The new Associate conductor was announce and the press release is going out today. His name is Ryan Murphy and is currently in Boston at the New England Conservatory of Music. You can see the Church News release at the choir site http://mormontabernaclechoir.org/ .

We also had a guest conductor and David Archuleta made a surprise appearance. Sorry can't give you any more info than that.

HAPPY HAPPY SPRING

HAPPY

My roses are happy that I got out there and actually paid them some attention for the first time in way toooooo many months. But, with the weather so beautiful and the sun shining..... how could I procrastinate any longer.

We spent part of Saturday helping Kim beautify her yard. It is amazing how a few flowers makes such a difference. Kim....... send pictures.!!

Kim and I are once again working on our goal to walk from the Ogden Temple to the Provo Temple. We originally wanted to walk across Utah ( width - I mean) but walking on main highways was becoming too much of a problem, So we decided to just chunk out the state one section at a time. Before Winter hit, we had walked from the Ogden Temple to Lagoon.

Last week we started again. We started at the Lagoon end of Legacy Parkway, and walked to Center Street in North Salt Lake. That was a long stretch for the first one of the season(10 miles) and we paid for it with shinsplints, sunburns, and sore muscles, but we sure had a good time!!! Here we are at the end of the line at the 1.5 mile marker. In Kim's pic you can see the building where we parked the car ...... the end is in sight!!!

By This Sat. we were all better and started where we left off at Center Street and headed South, finishing the Legacy trail and starting the Jordan River Parkway. This one was much more of a adventure. It was a dirt single track for the first little while, walking pass an ATV park in NSL where we got to watch lots of crazy motorcycle drivers jumping and soaring through the air. Then we crossed Redwood Rd where we found large TRAIL CLOSED signs. But it just looked like they were working on upgrading the trail during the week, and since it was the weekend............ we decided they didn't really mean it was closed....... so we walked on. Then another sign further on..... followed by a chain link fence!!!!! darn. So, we crossed to the other side of the river (there was a bridge) and got back on a single track. As we were walking we noticed that there were people walking on the paved trail, they must have gone around the fence. We weren't THAT brave! So we just kept on walking until we came to another sign that said TRAIL TEMPORARILY CLOSED, and this time it just stopped right in the middle of a golf course. My my, what an adventure.... what to do..... what else could one do..... keep on walking. So we walked through not one, but 2 golf courses, (still following the river of course) and what are all golf courses surrounded by???? Chain link fences!! So we got to the end of the course and we were trapped. River on one side (with a paved trail on the other side from us), chain link fence on 2 sides, and we are not about to go backwards, after all ..... we have a goal!!! so................................................ under the fence we go!! yep. these 2 grown women shimmied under a chain link fence right to the side of a busy highway, got up, brushed ourselves off...... and kept on going!! That was at about9th north or so and we continued without any more adventure to North Temple where Brent came and picked us up. It was a shorter (but more interesting) tresk this week(6.5 miles), and either we are in much better shape, or we didn't push ourselved hard enough, cuz .... we are doing great!!!(so far)

Well that is the summery of this week..... see you next week.

MARCH ALREADY!!!

Feb has ended and March is really here. It is really hard to believe we are that far into the year already.

Happys:

* *More snowshoeing
* *I (jan) got to spend a week in OHIO with the Beazers.

What a blessing it is to be able to spend some time with them and watch them grow. We got to spend time at the ZOO

Played at COSI

Watched the 3D movie (Fly me to the Moon) there

and spent lots of time together

* *Weber Basin got behind the aquifer storage recharge program in the mouth of Weber Canyon (ask the mayor about what that really means!!)
* *Brent got to got to the SLC temple with Kim while I was in OHIO.
* * Mom Iris had her 81st birthday this last week. Therewas a great get together on Monday
and then on Thursday she got to sing with the choir at rehearsal.

** Davis Hospital gave us some tickets to the vs Houston game on Wednesday. We had great food and friends in the box, and to top it all off.... the Jazz won!!
** DATC has started moving into the new technology bldg. It is going to house the diesel mechanics, machining, drafting, electronics, indust. maintenence, web design, and IT programs. It is a beautiful bldg and Brent has done some great things to make it unique. Dedication is April 1st. If you want to come by some day after the dedication..... he will give you a personal tour!
**MY PIANO IS BACK!!!!! I have had a technition working on it for a couple of months and it is finished!!!! It is beautiful and sounds great!!

sads:

**Beazers still have the spring crud and I am afraid I finally succumbed to the bug

Grandpa's 80th

Feb. 18th was Dad Speakman's 80th birthday. It was a good day to remember a great man who loved his family and set a great example of service and work ethic. One of his favorite sayings was "quit your belly aching" Marti found a x-stitch saying "kwitcherbellyakin" and gave it to Dad a while back. We all loved it so much that Kim and Jess stitched one for all of my siblings and now we all have one!!!

Brent and I went snowshoeing last Sat. I say snowshoeing a little tongue in cheek because I forgot to bring mine ... he. he. so I was walking the x-country groomed trail while Brent was stompin' in the powder. But it was still beautiful and lots of fun. It is so nice to have Snowbasin so close that we can hop up there in a 1/2 hour and be in the powder.

After snowshoeing we went to Kim's and helped her sheetrock part of her basement, and met her new roommate. She has the cutest condo. It is fun to watch her decorate and fix it up. She is the best aunt. She bought a blow-up pool and then dumped a whole bag of balls in it. Maggie is loving playing in it.

I am off to Ohio to play with the Beazers..... watch for pictures of the fun!!!

the 12 days of VALENTINES!!!

For Valentines this year Jan surprised me with a gift a day for 12 days. It was GREAT!!(I think she had almost as much fun as I did) She ought to do this professionally :)
1st day : an e-card very nice 2nd: CD of Jan singing 3rd: A card when opened has Sony and Cher singing"You got me Babe" 4th: new bedspread 5th: the Dakota got a "heat attack" 6th: a fancy white chocolate heart ... the size of my fists 7th Picure book of our trip to Alaska 8th: 50 reasons why I Love you 9th: 2 Bamboo plants in the shape of a Heart. 10th: A picture book of our trip to Moab 11th : e-card 12th: surprise date ....

Other Happy's were: snowmobiling into Julander's Cabin (thanks Merryweathers for the MACHINES!) staying the night, playing Boggle, and then snowshoeing down to the meadow and watching the dippers. Then back out on the Machines (10 miles) in the snow It snowed lightly alllll night and day. Then to Carlos and Hurley's in Eden for some very good fresh mex. Also Jan is enjoying her Valentines Gardenia coursage.

Book Club (see Kim's blog "Bob" http://www.bingeonbooks.blogspot.com/) was lots of fun. We talked about books written before 1900.

Kim, Jess, and Magie came up for a bit this week. It is always fun to have them around. We got to spend some great time together and also with Grma Iris.

Got a darling Valentine Card From Lydia where she drew a picture of herself Gr. Pete and Nana swinging in the hammock.... with lots of Love sent with it. Thank you Lydia.

Sads: The gardenia plant is dying, and we don't know what to do for it. We have done everything we have been told and what we can think of, but it just keeps fading.
My nephew Ben is having some difficult times. It is always hard to see someone you love suffer and struggle. It makes you just want to twinkle your nose and make it all better.

Well, there you go for this week. We will add pictures of the cabin trip when we get them. Have a great week.

HAPPY VALENTINES TO YOU

To everyone we wish a beautiful Valentine's Day. If you have a significant other or not... this is the day of friendships and Love, and we thank you for your friendship, support and love that we continue to feel from you in our lives. We wish that we could personally give you a big squeeze and tell you thanks.... but since we can't ..... we just sent you this wish and virtual hug.

Love you!!

The Mayor has been busy

This has been a busy month for the Mayor. (and his assistant... he-he that's me)

He finished his 3 year stint on the Davis Chamber of Commerce Board 2 years of that on the executive committee. So at the annual banquet he was recognized and awarded a plaque.

He also got to go to the City Officials Day at the Legislature (Youth City Council took this picture of him and some of the council members)

Speaker for the Day was Joseph Ellis who wrote Founding Brothers (we just happen to have that book on tape)

He has been in the newspaper twice, and a LOT of meetings:
*2 city council meetings
*2 city council work meetings
*Central Weber Sewer Improvement District meeting (finance Committee)
*Wasatch Integrated Waste Management (Burn Plant) (Finance Committee)
*Department of Health Board
*Councils of Government
*Business Development Fund
*Northern Wasatch Regional Growth Committee
*Aquifer Storage Recharge Committee (Weber Basin Water)
*Dare Graduation for the Elementary School
*Handed out "I like Me Book"s to the first graders at the school (Rotary)


And that is in addition to the many hours a week he puts in at work and those meetings. Not to mention the choir and his ward assignment as employment specialist. (Which, with the current economy has become very important) He always comments when he has so many meetings what his father used to tell him....... "I can't believe that they pay you for sitting around in a room all day!" It helps to keep him humble.

His assistant has been busy spring cleaning and you DON'T want to see pictures of that!!

So, January comes to and end and we look forward to Feb.

The Whole Crew

Yes there really was this many of us. Grandma Iris decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and take a cruise around the islands of Hawaii. Only she decided to do it with ALL of her posterity and everyone of them were there. Kids. Grandkids, and those especially darling Great-Grandkids!! What a week it was with us all over the boat. We had 3 special nights together. Each one started with us all eating together in the dining room... boy did the waiters love us, all 31 of us! It took them a couple of times to really figure out how to do it efficiently. But the finally got it down.

Monday was Family Home Evening, where Dani gave a lesson on the history of Hawaii and Kim sent us all on a scavenger hunt throughout the boat (and singing Christmas Carols to complete strangers).

We didn't serve refreshements.... are you kidding!! we are on a cruise ship.... refreshments 24/7.

Wednesday was Christmas Eve and Carrie did a great job of setting the mood for the holiday. She even gave a challenge for the year to increase our spirituality and added a gift for us individually to give the Savior.

Friday was game night and what a night of BUNKO it was. Erika and Diane got it all organized and they did a marvelous job and fun was had by all.

The rest of the days we were pretty much on our own. We did lots of shore excursions, driving around the islands, had beach time, kayaking (both river and ocean), eating, eating, eating, Zipping ( see below), snorkling ( we did our best at Kealakekua Bay where Capt. Cook spent his last hours... he was killed by the natives... but what a place to have as your last! There were dozens of dolphins swimming around that we kayaked by. (Kim went scuba diving one of the days, but the rest of us are too chicken!), and even went to Sacrament Meeting at a local ward. It was their Christmas Program, so it was good.

Well, That is a breif summery. Pics and more info to come.... but it was such a great week, can only do part of it at a time. Stay Tuned! --- Yes this is the way we felt after a week together... can there be more fun than this!!

Zip Line

This is the Longest Zip line I have ever heard of!!!! It was as long as 2 football fields!! It was the 7th in a series that we did while on our Holiday in Hawaii. Brent and I, Dani, Brooke and Q, Jess and Drew and Grandma all had a blast zipping through the air (with the greatest of ease I might add). You have been watching Q fly in this particular video. I have one of Brooke too, but you have to tilt you head to the side to watch most of it.... the camera person forgot you can't just rotate the video (oopps)

Kim got to play on the boat with the 3 yunguns (aren't they cute)!.... they weren't allowed (can you see why).






By the way.... it is said that speeds up to 45 mph are possible when ZIPPING along this particular line (What a blast!!)

Happy January to you!!

A big happy is that we finally got a chance to do Happy and Sads. It has been a long time and it is good to get back to normal.

Happy was that we got to go to HAWAII for Christmas with all of our family. More information on that to come.... but you can see a preview by going to Jess, Carrie, and Kim's blogs.

Happy was that all the big snow storms happened while we were gone and we have had lots of sunshine (cold but sunny) since we got back.

Happy to be able to get out of our new concrete driveway. They finally shaved off part of the top so the car doesn't scrape bottom when we drive out. Pictures to come.

Happy that everyone got home safe and sound.

Sad that Grma Speakman wasn't here to enjoy the holidays with us. We miss her, but are happy that she got to spend the Christmas season and the rest of her life with Daddy, her family and the person who made Christmas Possible.

Happy that the new year brings many possibilities and hope for the future. Best to you and all of yours.

Love and hugs
Brent and Jan

PS...... notice our new family picture??!!!!!