Forks are for eating, tridents are for ruling the Seven Seas

I've been catching up on The Big Bang Theory.  Such a quirky, funny little show.  I had seen this episode a couple of weeks ago.  Then recently, Kyle and I went out to eat for a date.  This clip came to mind.

Kyle and I went out to eat at Olive Garden, and what should I notice?  My utensil was a three-tine fork.  Excuse me, a trident not a fork.

I think it is funny that the girl in the clip mentions going out for Italian food, and an "Italian" restaurant is where I find the three-tine fork.

Lagoon

Today I took the family on a surprise trip to Lagoon.  Well, I had actually spilled the beans to Zac & Kyle, but the others didn't know.  We got some discount passes from a purchase at Deseret Book.  We weren't able to be there all day because Zac had work tonight.  But, we got to ride a lot of rides and have some fun.  It started to rain as we were about to leave, so I guess our timing was good.  Here are some pictures.

 

Kyle and the boys on the Wild Mouse

 

Chloe on the Merry Go Round

 

Cooper & Chloe on the Bumper Cars

 

Kyle, Naomi & Zane on the Rocket Blast-Off

 

Kyle on the Top Eliminator

 

Cooper & Zac on Thunder Track Go Karts

 

Chloe & Zane on Thunder Track Go Karts

After Lagoon, we ate lunch at JCW's The Burger Boys.  It was very good.  I recommend it.

New Teacher Training

So this week I've been attending a new teacher training called Running Start.  It is put on by the Utah Personnel Development Center.

Most of the topics I have already learned about in my Special Education program but, it is a good refresher.  Also, the presenters may have another view point or a different slant on that topic, that has been beneficial.  Most of us are new teachers this year.  Then there are some experienced teachers acting as coaches for us.  My coach is from the school district where I will be interning.  She has been very helpful and given lots of insight about my class.

Not only are the presentations good, but we have been given some free stuff.  I got a bag, binder, pencil case, and door prizes.  Also, they provide breakfast and lunch.  The food is awesome.  Kyle was so jealous that we had steak for lunch and biscuits & gravy for breakfast.  We all commented that we are going to gain so much weight by the end of the week.

Also, I am getting a stipend to attend the training.  (that means I am getting paid to attend).  Bonus!

Children's Parade

Cooper & Chloe were a part of the Children's Parade for Spanish Fork Fiesta Days.  The theme was, Surround Yourself With... and then each ward chooses their own.  Our ward chose to Surround Yourself with Your Ancestors.  They wanted each of the kids to dress up like pioneers, and to hold a sign of the name of an ancestor.

Cooper was wearing an Amish straw hat.  Chloe wore a bonnet and apron.  The two ancestors I chose were my grandmother Velma Griffith, and Kyle's grandmother Doratha Jones. 

Neither of these ancestors were the 'typical Mormon pioneer".  But both of these women were the first member of the LDS church along with their two youngest children.  The other interpretation I wondered was, do they mean pioneer as in first family member to come to Utah?  Well, that would be me and Kyle as far as coming to Utah for school and then just staying here to raise our family.

4th of July

We had a nice vacation in Newcastle, Wyoming for the 4th of July weekend.  Kyle's high school has an all-class reunion every five years.  Some events are planned for everyone, and some are planned by individual classes.

We left Thursday night after my class.  We drove through the night.  I did most of the driving.  I felt like if Kyle could sleep on the drive then he'd be awake and available for the activities his class had planned for Friday and the weekend.  I on the other hand could sleep away.

We all stayed with his parents, Jim & Mary.  Kyle and I had the guest room.  His brother Kellen and wife Trista had a room set up in the garage.  (It looked like a triage unit with all the tarps.)  The boys slept in a tent outside.  Kyle's sister Candy, her children Sadie, Cruz, and Caysen, and Kyle's high school sweetheart Shelli slept in the spare bedroom.

Yes, I said Kyle's high school sweetheart.  They dated off and on during high school, went to prom and such.  We keep in contact through Christmas letters and are Facebook friends.  And no, it wasn't weird having her there.  It felt like she was a cousin, or a friend from church.

Friday night Kyle went to a restaurant, the Flying V, where they had a band playing.  He visited with lots of people there.  I stayed behind at the house, visited and slept. 

Grandpa Jim had some fun activities for the kids.  They were divided into teams and sent on a treasure hunt on the property.  Each kids ended up with $13 in gold coins.  Also, Jim has a 3-hole golf course that he is setting up.  Cooper and Cruz helped out to earn some more money.

They are manly men with their shirts off.

Saturday there was a parade.  Zac, Zane & Sadie were fighting for candy that was thrown from the floats.  Tootsie rolls seemed to be the candy of choice to be thrown.  For lunch we went to Taco John's which is a restaurant that Kyle frequented as a teenager.  You know he was a frequent customer when the owner recognizes him and calls him by name.  Later that night, Kellen and his friend Tim set up a fire pit and we roasted marshmallows for s'mores.

Kyle went to the Antlers Hotel to meet his classmates and then on to a street dance.  He again caught up with old friends. 

Sunday we all went to church.  There were quite a bit of adults, who were teenagers in that ward, that bore their testimonies.  Again, it was picture time after the meetings. 

Here are Shelli and Carma.  Carma came up to the house for a visit, but I slept through that.  Bummer.

We set off fireworks that evening.  In Utah you can only set off flowers, fountains, snakes, poppers, smokebombs, and flashers.  But in Wyoming you can also set off some bottle rockets and aerials.  That was cool.  Then later that night we went to the fairgrounds and watched the firework display.

Cooper & Zane battled a cold all weekend, but, all in all we had lots of fun.  We ate lots of food.  Got to take plenty of naps.  Had great visits.