Hi

We have officially moved! There are still quite a few boxes to unpack and so on, but we're here. We've spend a goodly portion of the weekend trying to get settled. It's quite a serviceable little place here, all things considered. The maintenance crew has been working on things, and they're due back tomorrow. (We had a little impromptu fireworks show between the microwave and the stove that they're going to prevent from recurring.)

Gwen came up to Kelly the other day and said, "Mamma, this is crazy, but I gotta tell ya..." She really likes our African Clawed Frog, Hiro, and yesterday launched into a detailed explanation about his care: "Some people put gravel with their frogs...but they shouldn't, because the frog will think it's food, and he'll eat it. That's why Hiro doesn't have any gravel!" (She happens to be right.)

Laurelin was excited to go to church and to meet new friends. She literally ran one of them down in the hallway afer church to make sure she said her goodbyes properly.

Xander is going to restart public school on Wednesday with Laurelin and Isaac. He said he was ready, and he seems to be. He read the a rather heavy A.A. Milne collection (Winnie the Pooh and various poems and such) in less than two days. It was probably more than 300 pages long.

Isaac just finished the Fellowship of the Ring and has started The Two Towers.

I've been busy at the University of Utah. My office needs a mascot or two, though. It's rather sterile at the moment, so I'm trying to figure out which aquarium(s) would work out best there.

Kelly has been very busy unpacking, organizing, and taking inventory of what works and what doesn't, in addition to everything else.

We're all grateful for a 3-day weekend, high-speed Internet, and unlimited long distance coverage.

That will be the place...

Good News! The interview Rus had a week or so ago led to another interview...and then to a full-time job, with benefits. He'll be working at the U of U as a curriculum coordinator, which will include teaching. He's been up there every day this past week, so it didn't take long to get started.

We're trying to find a place to live nearer to the U, and in fact, may already have done so. Kelly has been researching potential places since we found out about the job. Standing out from the rest is a nice little place with a fenced-in yard and a great view of the mountains. We hope it works out. All of the kids are enthusiastic about the place, although Gwen seems a little confused about this moving business. The other day as she left the house, she said, "Bye-bye, Grandma, I love you...I'll miss you," apparently thinking that the moment of departure had arrived.

Isaac participated in the Pinewood Derby...although I think Xander, Laurelin, and Gwen were at least as interested as he was, as they watched every race with intense interest. Isaac's car, the

"Loch Ness Roadster," did quite well. He won one race, and placed 2nd in all but one of the others.

Watching the race; the "Loch Ness Roadster" and rival; Isaac's winning race; Triumphant(?) expression