Jedi Youngling Training--Phase One Complete

It's only taken 1.5 years since we started, but Erin is now fully potty trained!!! We wish we could say what finally made things click in her little brain, but we can't. She just finally decided to do it. She has stayed dry day and night for one complete week, worn underpants instead of diapers or pull-ups, and finally earned her prizes (an R2-D2 action figure and a purple light saber she chose months ago). Additionally, Dad promised her an ice cream party, and that celebration will be this weekend. Way to go, Erin!!!

It's Here and We Saw It!

For the record, Kevin & April went on a "real" date to a real movie theater to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull only two days after it opened. That's a first for us! The last time we went to a nice theater to see a movie was summer of 2005 in Yuma, AZ, when Revenge of the Sith came out (but we had a 7-month-old Erin in tow).

We don't want to spoil it for other fans, so we won't reveal too much. Overall, we were pleased with the movie, predictable parts included. There are plenty of "yeah, right!" moments, but some amusing surprises too. You will find no Nazis this time around, due to the fact it takes place in 1957. The bad guys/girl are the Russians, who act very similar to the way the Nazis acted in the other 2 movies and have nearly indestructible vehicles, but they speak with different accents. And Indy isn't trying to get something for a museum this time, so that is a different twist. They also included appropriate tributes to Marcus Brody and Indy's father.

We think that Spielberg should hire us as biological consultants, however. Prairie dogs are not nocturnal (well, these prairie dogs were CG and rather artificial-looking), and scorpions do not attack in groups and bite--they are solitary creatures and they sting. Biological inaccuracies aside, we recommend this movie to other Indiana Jones fans.

It's Here!

Indy has returned after 19 years!

No wonder I'm feeling old these days. Kevin and I were seniors in high school 19 years ago. So...is anyone going to see this? The reviews I've read so far say that true fans will not be too disappointed even though the movie is highly predictable.

Also, for any archaeology buffs out there, this article may prove interesting. Indy needs to do more research so he doesn't waste his time going after fake artifacts.

Who's That Bearded Man with a Computer?

Hey, everyone, Kevin is a Utah State Great!
Check out this article about him. He's famous (must get it from his daughter)!

His wife actually prefers to be with him out in the field catching/viewing critters rather than sitting around inside using technology, but we are grateful he has a good job.

We Met Sue Morgan!!!

When we first heard that Sue Morgan was going to give her Iditarod talk at USU, our family was very excited (many thanks to Chris for letting us know in advance!). April also managed to persuade the YW to attend for their weekly activity, using the excuse that Sue is a good role model of what a woman can accomplish. Even Kevin made it back from work in time to hear the last 30 minutes of the presentation.

Sue was as smiley and friendly in person as her photos depict. She was an entertaining speaker and radiated her enthusiasm to everyone (well, at least to us, but we're already devoted fans).

Sue started off by introducing us to three Alaskan huskies from her team. (She bought some of her dogs from Susan Butcher, a 4-time Iditarod winner, who sadly passed away from leukemia in 2006.) Next, we learned more about the sled and how it works. Then we were entertained for a good hour with an informative slide show and commentary detailing her journey last March for 1,112 miles along the Iditarod Trail. It was fascinating to hear her inside perspective--it was quite different from Gary Paulsen's book Winterdance. Sue made the experience sound more fun, even though she did include the dangers and challenges she encountered. Admittedly, this year the weather was much more favorable than in other years, which made some parts easier and other parts more difficult.

At the end of the presentation, the dogs were brought out again and people could pet them, children were allowed to climb in her sled, and we were able to ask more questions.

Ian petting Shasta, one of the lead dogs

So...if you're interested in running this race, start training and preparing now. It will cost you around $40,000 in the end. Sue says several years ago she would have thought people were insane to consider spending so much money and time on something like this, but now she feels it was worth every penny!

Here is a brief clip of part of her talk:

See you all at the K9 Challenge next year!

Morning at the Museum

Rock Art Day at USU's Museum of Anthropology

Since we have a great interest in rock art, we were excited to see what activities the museum had for the children. A student volunteer explained the differences between petroglyphs and pictographs and talked about some of the different styles of rock art found in the west. It made us want to go visit some of our favorite places in Southern Utah (i.e. Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands where the famous Great Gallery panels are located).

Then the children had the opportunity to make petroglyph magnets and draw some pictographs on the wall. The magnets were actually made out of clay, so the children just wet them down, scratched in a design with a toothpick, and let them dry out again. Drawing on the wall was a big hit, not something children are usually allowed to do at home.