Annie's Latest News

I'm getting glasses. I went to the optometrist today and she told me I have an astigmatism in each eye and need glasses. But, the good news is that it might relieve all the headaches I've been having. So, woo hoo!

Pictures of me in glasses coming soon.

Thanksgiving Bowling 2008

At Thanksgiving Bowling:

Grandma: Samuel, do you want to come eat Thanksgiving dinner at my house with china and goblets?

Samuel: No! China is a city!

Our many thanks for the anniversary gift.

Dear Family:

Thanks for the wonderful anniversary gift you helped purchase for Mom and me. The old camera is only seven years old and still in wonderful condition - except that it is out of date by at least six years. The new camera is great - I think. I've been experimenting with it but the real test will be tomorrow when we have three grandchildren here to tend. I'll probably blog you some photos from that session. For now, here is a mirror image picture of me using the new Cyber-shot camera - and it shoots about as soon as you press the button. No more five second delay - by which time a grandchild is looking the other way. I also hope this eliminates the blury pictures.

Love, Pops

Happy Halloween

Maya dresses up three halloween creatures.

We are visited by a big black spider.

Grandma is spooked by the "Witch of the South."

Grandpa holding a Halloween Pumpkin.

The Economy and This American Life

Dear Family,

I listen to a radio show every week called "This American Life." Recently they've done two shows on the economy that present what's happening in terms that we can all understand. I thought I'd share those two shows with you. The first is called "The Giant Pool of Money" and it's mostly about what happened with the housing crisis. The second is called "Another Frightening Show About the Economy" and it's about the rest of the financial crisis.

There are a couple of ways to listen to them. If you want to download them onto ITunes or your IPod They're 95 cents each. But you can listen to them on www.thisamericanlife.org for free. I've attached links for both shows.

The Giant Pool of Money

Another Frightening Show About the Economy

I hope you find them educational too.

Annie

READ THIS ONE LAST - "THE PROPERTY"

Dear Family:

More about our new property. I believe each of you have been past the site. It is about 270 North, and 10th East. I don’t have an exact street address, but it is located on Grand Avenue, right next to property occupied by Harrell’s, Fullmers, and Hutchison’s. We were very fortunate to find a vacant lot in that vicinity. If you haven’t yet guessed, it is a plot in the Salt Lake City Cemetery – plot I-20-9 to be exact. If necessary, you will find the deed in our files. In the accompanying photograph it is just to the right of the large monument. I hope it is a long time before we find out who gets the top bunk.

Pops

Read this one first

Dear Family:
With the current decline in the real estate market, Mom and I decided it was time we owned some land. We wish to announce the purchase of a piece of vacant property on the north bench of Salt Lake City. Located in the “Avenues” section of the city, it is just down the hill from the home of Larry Miller. Because property in that part of the city still costs about $850,000 an acre, we were limited to a rather small vacant lot in a well established neighborhood. We anticipate we will not reside there for some time. However, our residence will be two stories and will have concrete walls. I expect the interior design will be much more comfortable. Our domain will be environmentally friendly, and will have a green roof. See our next blog for more details.
Pops

Wednesday Pix - 10/15/08

Well rested, stomach full. Now for some action.

August learns about Halloween.

Cousins - Samuel and August

Wednesday Pix - 10/08/08

Samuel has lots of fun toys, but August is rather bored.

August, patiently sitting for grandpa to take his picture. All he really wants to do is eat, and all I am doing is causing delays. And finally - Grandma to the rescue.

Knudsen Reunion

I missed sending the group picture from the Knudsen Family Reunion, August 9, 2008 at Sugar House Park. How many of your relatives do you recognize? How many can you name? Who belongs with whom?

Pops

P.S. For what it's worth - I can name at least six.

An Update by Pops

Maya came over for a visit a few weeks ago. She and grandma shared a few jokes on our front lawn.

Samuel and I went for a climb on the rock slide. With my unstable legs I didn't think I should climb much on the rocks. Samuel, of course, felt otherwise. He kept telling me, "Come on, grandpa. You can do it. I'll help you."

We spent a September week at the cabin. Stacey and Samuel joined us for a day. At the bottom of our hill someone carved a tree stump into a man we named, "Tim Burr." Samuel thought it was neat.

Fall has come to the mountains. At Janna's suggestion, we went home from the cabin last week (10/1/08) after closing it for the season, over Guardsman's Pass. The colors were spectacular.

The next two pictures are out of sequence.

All it takes to settle a fussy child is the touch of a mother. Stacey rescued poor August from the revages of hungar.

We tended the two local grandsons a week or so ago. This is the result. All Samuel wanted to do was play and August would have no part of it. Although Samuel didn't even touch the baby, all he could say was, "I'm sorry, August."

August Family Birthday Party

Last night we got together for our August family birthday party up at Janna's house. The party was for Maya, Dad, and Annie, but August was the one who really stole the show, even while sleeping. But the best part was when Janna tried to duct tape Sam because he wouldn't stop playing with her light switches. Then we had chocolate cake and being a 3 year old Sam got it all over, but was fascinated with Janna's little vacuum and proceeded to vacuum her entire house.

Maya is turning into a photographer just like her dad. If he wasn't taking pictures she had the camera around her neck.

Sam meets his new cousin.

Maya eating corn.

Maya feeding her new little brother, what a good sister!

Dad and August

Waiting at the Hospital

Just a few pictures from our LONG wait at the hospital for August to be born. Notice how Zayah wanted to be in every picture.

Not a single picture of Zayah with a straight face.

Maya and I made flowers to give to Kim and Wayne while we waited for August.

Zayah and Grandpa, who's face is funnier?

Just after August was born!

The new little brother, 10 hours of waiting later!

August Arrives!

One of August's first baby pictures - only a few minutes old.

Welcome to the World!

Welcome to the family August Wayne Norman Harrell! (I think that's the name they chose, not sure about the middle two.) He was born at LDS Hospital at 9:42pm weighing 8lbs 4.5oz, and 22.5 inches long. He has lots of blonde hair and is beautiful of course. Hopefully Wayne will post pictures soon.

Annie's Trip to Europe

Stacey's been begging for some photos from Europe, so here you go, a slideshow! Enjoy! If you put your mouse over the image it will show a caption for the photo, then to get it going again just move your mouse.

Annual Family Water Fight

Last night (July 23) we held the annual water fight in the back yard. Only one adult (in his second childhood) participated against Zayah, Maya, and Samuel while Grandma, Rick and Stacey watched.

Grandma brought out a selection of weapons and the three grandchildren got first choice, after which I went in the house and got two plastic mugs.

Zayah, of course went for the hose, but Grandma turned off the water.

After the fight Zayah and Samuel each wanted the biggest towel.

We would love to have had more grandchildren participate in this - but more adults would have given the opposition an unfair advantage. The children gat me wet enough.

A water fight is an ideal way to cool of in 97 degrees.

Here's the girls and I ready to float the Susitna River from Gold Creek to Talkeetna on Father's day of this year. It was a great trip!

You people are strange. OK, so I'm taking the morning off and I suppose I'll let you drag me into this thing. Love you all, Dave (northern son) 

Greetings from Alaska!

Our Alaska family, plus "The Parents" in front of Dan and Stephanie's place at the Talkeetna Lodge. Front row, left to right, Kalson, Naida, Celeste (holding Dawg). Back row, Stephanie, Dan, David, Mom, Dad.

Annie: Alaska was posted before Paris - with more to come.

Pops

MOM! is now ALSO in the blog!

Dad is now in the blog!

Don't Forget the Blog!

Hey family,

It seems the blog has been forgotten lately. Don't forget to check it and post to it and make comments. and if you don't know how just call me. Or email me. And I've made the settings so that those of us who have signed into the blog get an email when a new post is created. Enjoy!

Annie

Hello Everyone. This is beginning to look like Annie's Blog- not the family blog so to prevent an uncontested take-over here is my humble entry. Get your say in now because Annie has London/Paris pix that will be taking over the site soon.

Attached photos->

G'ma and G'pa came over for a little Father's Day Breakie and Samuel loved having G'pa read to him.

Samuel and Rick have been 'restoring' an old playset that a friend gave us. They are both such good 'worker guys' as Samuel would say.

Love to everyone- Hope you Alaskans are ready for the Grandparent Invasion coming your way soon.

Stacey

Thanks!

Thanks to Mom, Dad, and Rick (and by default Stacey and Sam) for helping me move. And thanks to Janna and Wayne for thinking good thoughts while I was moving, or rather having good intentions to WANT to help. I meant to write nice, individual thank you notes about a month ago, but I think it took 3 weeks just to find the thank you notes, and well, it just didn't happen. So, again, THANKS!

For those not updated my lease was up at the end of April at my Logan Avenue house, and I didn't like my roommates enough to try to stay. I also really felt the need for a change. So, I found some darling roommates in another awesome house in the Capitol Hill area and moved here at the end of April. I've been here a month. My new roommates are definitely more compatible with my lifestyle and personality. I mean, they actually talk to me on a regular basis. It's amazing how that little change, just talking, can make all the difference in my happiness. I'm closer to work and can actually walk it in 15 minutes, which is a huge added bonus. And I love the neighborhood. I'll try to post some pictures soon, and maybe we'll even do a family dinner here. Dave, Dan, you guys coming down again?

Alaska Photos

Stephanie emailed this to everyone, but seems to have trouble posting to the blog, and it was too cute not to share! I think this photo was taken of Kalson in April.

Annie

Happy Birthday Mom and Rick

On Monday, January 25th we got together at my house to celebrate Mom and Rick's birthdays. Here are some photos:

Wayne, Janna, and I got an iPod shuffle for Rick for his birthday. As soon as he opened it up he spent the rest of the party like this. There was nothing on the iPod but he sat there with the earphones in his ears reading the instructions over and over again.

Sam had an "accident" on the way to the party and subsequently had to borrow a pair of my shorts. They say "Cinderella" on the bum. I'm saving the photos to bribe him someday.

The cute new family

Mom and Dad

Valentine's Date

Maya was my great Valentine's Day Date this year. We had a total girls night doing each other's nail, hair, and makeup. Maya also spilled the beans and told me about her new baby sister or brother. Congratulations Wayne and Kim!!!