I Have a New Niece!!

After such a drought of girls being born into my family we have had two in a little less than a year.  The newest one was just born on Tuesday.  My brother and his wife chose not to find out if it was a boy or a girl before she was born.  They already have three boys so it was pretty exciting to get a girl.  The bad news, she lives in Alaska (a short 2168.31 miles including ferry).  So when I will get to see her in person is up for debate.  Her name is Shelayne.  My brother warned us it would be a different name that we would have to get used to but he wouldn't tell us until she was born.  I was actually expecting something a lot more off the wall than Shelyane. Here are some pictures of the sweet thing.

 About four days before she was born my brother had called and left a message on my phone that said "Hey we have good news!"  I of course thought the baby had been born and couldn't believe I had missed his call.  When I called back he told me he had hit a grand slam at his softball game.  I told him he was a jerk.  So the day he called when she really was born this is how the conversation went:
My brother:  "Guess what I am holding?"
Me:  "A new baby?!"
My brother: "A hamburger actually."
Me:  "You are such a jerk!"
My brother: "Okay, a baby really and she is pretty cute."
Me: "It is a girl really?"  (after eight years with only boys born I am a skeptic)

This one is of her and her big brother Marshal.  He has been the youngest for the last four years and I think it will be an adjustment for him.  When they brought her home he asked when she was going to go back.  They told him they were going to keep her forever.  His reply, "Hmmm, how about until December?"

24th of July

My brother Jeff and his little family came down from Salt Lake for the 24th.  The night before, his family, my sister's family, me and my Mom and step dad met up at my step dad's cabin on Cedar Mountain and had dinner.

I love this picture of Hoggie and Ellie!

Me and my sister's five year old stayed the night at the cabin with my Mom and step dad.  The rest of the headed to Orderville.  We went the next morning.  In Orderville there was a parade.........

These pictures are all part of my Hoyt cousin's float.  The theme was making memories and theirs was about clowning around together.  That is my brother Jeff that is "The tame one"  They won for best costumes.  Their float was pretty cute.  Even the little ones were dressed as clowns.

Isn't she adorable!

Later we went to the park for lunch and then again for dinner.  The rest of the time is was just hanging out with the fam.  We had a good time.  It was good to see this one.........

Of course.  I miss her now that she lives up north.  But that is better than Alaska where the other two brothers live.

Tuachan

This summer I have been lucky enough to attend both of the plays at Tuachan in St. George.  My friend Libby's sister works there and gives us free tickets! (Thanks Jessie)  I'll be honest, I hate the heat and I am kind of a complainer.  Tuachan calls itself "Broadway in the Desert"  but I like to refer to it as Broadway in Hell.  I told Libby I would try not to get to ornery.  I did buy me a squirt bottle with a fan which helped a lot. 
We first went to Tarzan.  Tuachan is the only regional theater where you can see this play which is pretty cool.  I thought it was pretty good. Libby wished we were closer so we might go back when we can get better tickets. 
Then a couple weeks later we went to Cats.  I wasn't real excited to see this one because I have heard stuff about it.  We decided that we might as well see one of the most famous Broadway shows since it was right here and who can beat free right?  I didn't dislike it near as much as I thought I would.  I actually didn't dislike it at all.  It is not the best play I have ever seen (That is still Les Miserables on Broadway in New York) but it was good.  The music is excellent and the lady who sang "Memory" is a Grammy nominee and a Tony award winner.  At intermission we were able to go get a picture with the old cat "Old Deuteronomy".  We had just been talking about how the actors survive in the heat wearing those costumes and if perhaps they strapped ice packs to themselves.  Well I was sitting next to him and his side felt cool.  So I asked him.  He said "As a matter of fact I do."  Well I am thinking I might try it next time I go to Tuachan. :)

A Tourist in My Own Home Town

Last weekend I took my friends Erin and Libby to Orderville to celebrate the 4th of July.  We went Friday and slept at my sisters house.  Then bright and early Saturday morning we got up and went to the annual Orderville town breakfast.  My dad was the mayor of Orderville for sixteen years and I think he was the one that started that tradition. I love it!   The 4th of July after my Dad passed away the park was dedicated and named after him.  

Then we went to Glendale for the parade.  My sister did a float in honor of my Grandpa Goulding who served in World War II.  We helped her make the banners the night before.

That's right, that is me on there.  My sister, her kids, my Grandma and one of my cousin's kids were on there too.  My sister's oldest was dressed in one of my Grandpa's old uniforms.

I know you can't see the signs very well but if you could you would see that they look really great! :)

Then we decided to visit some tourist attractions.  Our first stop was this "Rock Stop".  It is not even a mile from my house and I don't think I have ever been inside. I didn't know the guy that owns it.  He asked where we were from and it was kind of funny to tell him born and raised right there.  He told us a little bit about the history of the place.  A guy by the name of Elbert Porter built it along with some dinosaur replica's.  They were all in  Orderville until the late 70's when someone, maybe the state of Utah, bought them and moved them to Vernal and now they are part of the dinosaur museum there.  My sister still remembers when they moved them on flatbed diesels.  I had heard a little bit about that all before.  In fact I told a guy I know from Vernal that those dinosaurs used to be in Orderville and he made fun of me thinking I was just trying to be a one upper.

Then we decided to go to Moqui Cave.  I have passed it countless times in my life and I think I have been there once.  It cost five dollars to go in.  We decided to try it out.  It had been a really long time since I was there.  I really didn't remember anything about it.  It was pretty cheesy but we had fun.  They have some dinosaur tracks and some rocks that glow under UV lights.  One thing I thought was kind of cool is they told us it actually used to be a dance hall and bar.

Then we went back to the park and bought lunch.  There was a soup contest and we decided to help judge.  Libby loved it!  There were some pretty good soups.  Orderville's nick name was soup town back in the day. There is a lady who has bought some of the older buildings along main street. One of them is now the Soup Town cafe and the one next to it has a replica of what the town looked like during the United Order.  So we went and checked that out. 

Lastly, we took a detour into Alton and not only did they get to see the little beautiful town but they got to see the Whoa sign.  There used to be more but I think this is the only one left.  
I really did feel kind of like a tourist since we visited some places I had never been. I don't know about my friends but I had a good time.  I hope they did too.