While we were decorating for Christmas, Max and Abbey found the Santa suit and the Frosty stuff and started playing around.

Thanksgiving

On thanksgiving we went for a family bike ride. It was a long one and Abbey's first real bike ride, it was a lot of fun. We saw wildebeest, impala, and ostriches.

Mom's fall

For all those who don't know Becky was sick this week and ran to get the phone, passed out, and landed on her chin. She had to get 6 stitches. It was a very sad day. Max also drew a picture of it in his journal with some added commentary.

Max studying

Max is a very driven student and does his homework every night the second he comes home. We'll see how long it lasts.....He gets it from his Mom and Dad who were always very driven students.....right:) Here is Max doing his read and response homework with his swim cap on!

Abbey lost another tooth

Lesotho

This weekend we went to Letsotho to hike the tallest mountain in Southern Africa, Mt. Thabana Ntlenyana. However we never made it up the mountain. We arrived too late the 1st day so we organized horses to take us up to the top the next day only is was so misty and cloudy our guide spent hours looking for his horses and couldn't find them. So we never made is up the mountain. Instead we went quad riding one day, soaked in the scenery and, and played some soccer with the local Basothos. It was a lot of fun. The scenery was awesome and the culture amazing. I even bought a Basotho blanket just like the guy wearing one on the right hand column of the blog. I slept with it that night because it got really cold, probably the warmest blanket I have ever had. We then took a treacherous descent down Sani Pass back to South Africa through the rain and mud despite that fact that it was only for 4X4s. It was pretty scary and our battery went dead just after we started our descent, but now that we hit the bottom alive it was fun.
I plan to go back once more, I hope. The culture and scenery is unparalleled and fascinating. To see little villages on cliffs and mountainsides was cool. Hope you enjoy the slide show.

Potjie Party

The ward got together for a potjiekos (poy-kee-kose), a traditionally South African style of cooking and a popular way of cooking among the Dutch pioneers in South Africa. The party was a lot of fun. We entered the cook-off with chicken and dumplings and cinnamon rolls. Sadly, we didn't win the contest.

Halloween

Max was Luke Skywalker after he temporarily lost his pitchfork and Abbey was a "flower fairy princess." She put her own costume together. Mom was a hula dancer.

Little Pink Spider

Max found this spider eating a bee in the flowers in the backyard. We looked it up on line and think it is the flower crab spider.

Flower dwellers: The best-known flower dwellers are members of the genus Thomisus (flower crab spider). They are brightly coloured (white yellow, pink or pale green or white). Some species are able to change colour. The ability of some Thomisus species to change colour to conform to the background of their habitat has intrigued naturalist for nearly 100 years. The adult females have the ability to change colour reversibly. The colour ranges from white to yellow to pink. (www.scienceinafrica.co.za)

They grow up fast!! -- a comparative analysis

Trip to Hermanus Oct 2008

Max holding a huge piece of seaweed. How lucky we were to catch a photo of this handsome whale watcher behind him!














Here's the cottage where we stayed. Mark and Max are having a contest to see who can draw the most indestructible vehicle! We had to keep the doors locked because the baboons know how to open them. They'll come in and make themselves at home, then fling dung--no joke.















The Reflection Pool


















Chess pieces, but not chess rules.

WHALES!!!!

It is whale mating season in Hermanus and the Southern Right Whales were out in force. We saw several whales off the coast of South Africa.














This is the Town Whale Crier, the last whale crier in the world. He has a horn made out of seaweed that he blows whenever he sees a whale.

Pretoria Zoo

We went to the Pretoria Zoo on Colombus day. It was a quiet day there and we had the whole place to ourselves. Here's Max on the cable car.









Poor elephant, trying to get a drink of water from the sprinkler! Every time it looked like he was going to get a sip, the spray would hit the tree and skip the elephant.







This is an Okapi, the only living relative of the giraffe. It is a fun looking animal that has giraffe horns and tongue--it can lick its own ears!, with zebra-like striped legs. It is only found in the Eastern Congo. It reminds Becky of the Whingdingdilly from Bill Peet. As for Mark, he would like to add this important piece of trivia for your geewhiz box: the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo runs a radio station in war-torn Eastern Congo called "Radio Okapi." So there you go.

In spring time, the streets of Pretoria are lined with purple from the blooming Jacaranda trees. You'll have to enlarge this one to see all the trees. We took this picture from the top of the zoo. (Brooke's been there with Becky and the kids where they enjoyed the Cheetos she brought them!)

The kids going crazy

Just a bit of weekday craziness. You can't help but shake your booty to this fun music!! (Please ignore Becky's cackling in the background!!! Woo hoo!)

I've been working out......

The Maxwell Pis

Couple of years ago we lost Max and found him on the streets of Brussels!!! You'll never guess what he was doing -- any one remember Constitution ave and the Federal Reserve......

The Drakensberg

Me and some friends hiked up to Sentinal Peak in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. We camped on top and came back down the next day. It was an excellent trip and the scenery was stunning. Good male bonding. I have done something different with my pictures this time and made a movie out of it with some corny commentary. I also put it to African music and added some special effects. I hope you like it, it is a little long so bear with me but you won't be sorry if you watch it. The photos are spectacular.

Best of Africa Resort

La Pirogue

I took a ride on a dugout canoe (une pirogue) in a lagoon on the coast of Cote d'Ivoire. It was pretty interesting. I also got a tour through the local village where I saw some old men playing a game, little kids, and the fishermen getting thier nets and boat ready to head out for the night.

Summer vacation

Ok, below are several entries from our summer vacation, with photos and videos. We hope you enjoy!

Lawn games

Old Faithful

Pow-wow video

On our way out to Vernal with the Wrays we stopped to see a pow-wow. It was an interesting contrast to reed dances, Zulu warrior dances, etc. It reminded us how rich and fascinating American history and culture can be.

The Wrays

We had a nice time with our friends the Wrays. It was good to see them again and hang out in Vernal, visiting Amy's family farm. We enjoyed seeing another part of Utah. We hiked up a mountain to see Fremont rock art, went to the dinosaur museum, and watched Ute dancing at a pow-wow. It was a lot of fun.

Hanging with the Wilsons

We had a lot of fun with the Wilsons: hiking, swimming, and hanging out. We hiked to Stuart falls, and went to Seven Peaks. The weather was HOT but we enjoyed ourselves.