New Skim Boards

Because we move around so much we acquire things that in some locations are useless. An example of that are boogey boards that be bought and used in California and Venezuela and then were sitting in our basement in Illinois. Several times Lori wanted to give those away and I told her we should keep them because you never know when we will live in a place where we will use them again. Then, we moved to Texas again and we have used them at the beach several times. The problem we have discovered are the waves on the Texas beaches are not good for surfing or boogey boarding so mostly the kids just float on them and I drag them around in the water. But, one thing that we have discovered is the beaches in Texas would be great for skim boarding. My cousin has a web site dedicated to skim boarding called RCSkim that is cool and has video of skimming tricks. He also has some instructions on how to make a skim board but I have backed away from making our own. We found some that were not very expensive in a beach shop on Galveston Island and decided to buy the kids some skim boards instead of making them. Since I did not move all my tools to Texas with me we decided that would be the best thing to do. I am going to have to borrow tools to make the Pinewood Derby cars this year. Below is a picture of the kids with their new skim boards. Now we are anxiously waiting for it to get warm enough for us to hit the beach.

Baketball

Brett and Jared have been playing basketball with the YMCA this year. I signed-up to be a coach and they needed someone for Brett's age group so I was the coach for Brett's team this year. Fortunately for me, one of the fathers that knows much more about coaching than I do has been helping me. Below are pictures of the kids that were taken and one of Brett's team with me as the coach.

One interesting thing about the team that I ended-up coaching was one of the kids on the team used to be our neighbor when we lived in the Houston area 8 years ago. They had since moved from the neighborhood that we both lived in and if he would not have been on my team we would not have been able to find them here. It was really funny when I got my team roster and realized who it was that was on my team.

Tiger-Man

Jared went to a birthday party where they did some face painting and they really did it right. Following the party we took advantage of the weather and went for a bike ride. Jared got quite a few strange looks as he was riding around on his bike looking like tiger-man. It was funny.

Thought for the day

On my planner program I have a thought that comes-up every morning when I start-up the program. It comes from a collection of thoughts that I have been gathering for some time now. The thought for today was from C.S. Lewis which says the following:

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

On of my favorite web sites and magazines is National Review and today on there was a movie review on National Review On-Line that I thought was interesting. The title of the movie is Mine Your Own Business and it exposes the hypocrisy of the Left and the Environmental Movement. They have a web site for the movie that is interesting as well. As I was reading the article and about the movie, it made me think about the quote by C.S. Lewis above. The Left’s environmental movement is a bunch of busybodies that think they know better than everyone else what is really in their best interest. Nobody is in favor of polluted air and water so the environmentalists can feel good about keeping people in poverty, killing jobs and tormenting the rest of us by telling us that it is for our own good and then feel good about what they are doing. I think that C.S. Lewis captured the tyranny of the environmental movement very well in the quote above and the movie exposes the environmentalist tyranny for what it really is. I bought a copy of the movie and I am looking forward to watching it.

I have been very skeptical of the environmentalist for a long time and I have found them to be highly hypocritical. What is interesting is you will find very few environmentalists living in poverty. They find that others living in poverty to be quaint and want to keep them there. I think that instead of telling us how we should live they should shut-up and show us. After they have really lived what they preach and have frozen to death in the dark, then the rest of us can move on with our lives without being bothered by the busybodies.

Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Dimond

Grandma and Grandpa Dimond came to see us last week and we had a great time. It was a short visit and the kids were in school but we made the most of it. They came last Thursday and left on Monday. On Friday Brett and Jared had to go to school but I had that Friday off because I work a flex schedule and I get every other Friday off normally. Sometimes I have to work if I am traveling or doing a HAZOP, but I did have last Friday off. So, we went to Galveston even though it was cold!! We stopped at the beach and froze (it was about 45-50 degrees F) but it was still fun. Even though it was cold it was much warmer than it was for Grandma and Grandpa back in Utah. Then we went and visited the Moody Mansion in Galveston. It is a big, fancy old house. If you want to learn more about it you can go to the following web site: http://www.moodymansion.org/ . We had to get home before Brett and Jared got home from school so that was all we had time for.

On Friday evening we had basketball practice so we did not do anything else. Grandma and Grandpa Dimond went to Jared’s practice with Lori and Ryan and I went to our basketball practice with Brett. I am the coach of Brett’s team so I always to with him to all the games and practices.

On Saturday morning we went for a walk around Brazos Bend State Park. We were hoping to see some alligators but it was too cold for them. We saw quite a few birds but no gators. We did go to the visitors center and we had the opportunity to pet one of the baby alligators so we at least saw some babies. We had to hurry home from that activity so we could go to our basketball games. Grandma and Grandpa had the chance to watch Brett and Jared play basketball, which was fun.

After the basketball games we went out to eat at Texas Land and Cattle. The kids eat free there from noon until 4:00 on Saturdays so we took advantage of that.

Sunday was a relaxing day. We went to Church in the afternoon and Grandpa Dimond talked to some of the people in our ward that he knows. It is amazing because Grandpa Dimond seems to always know someone, even in Texas!

It was a short visit but a good one. We love to have people come and see us.

Vist from Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen

The day after Christmas, which was also Brett's Birthday, Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen came to visit us. They had to catch a flight from Salt Lake City at 2:00 am which arrived at 6:00 am in Houston. They were really tired that day so they needed it to recover. Brett was a little disappointed because he had to wait for Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen to wake-up before he could open his birthday gifts. But, he was finally able to that evening and we celebrated his 9th Birthday.

Brett wanted to have a Friend Birthday Party at Build-a-Bear so we invited the Selcho Family and we had a great time. Following the party at Build-a-Bear we blew out candles and had cake and ice-cream at home. Actually, we had a big cookie with ice cream because Brett does not like frosting so we do not have cake for his birthday.

Following his party we got packed-up and we headed to San Antonio so we could go to the Alamo. We had been there before but we did not see the IMAX movie or go into the museum because the kids were getting agitated. When the kids start getting agitated I tend to get agitated so we were not able to see the whole thing the first time. We arrived in San Antonio that evening and then got-up and went to the Alamo. We also saw the IMAX movie and walked around the Riverwalk as well. Last year when mom and Dad came to visit we went to Memphis, TN and ran into the crowds for the Liberty Bowl. This year we discovered the crowds associated with the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio so we were not able to see the entire Alamo this time either. We did not go into the Chapel because the lines were so long. We got there early enough that we did not have a crowd for some pictures in front of the Alamo, but once the Alamo opened-up, it got really crowded.

Following our visit to the Alamo, we went to the Texas Hollywood, Alamo Village. This is the place where the John Wayne version of the Alamo was originally filmed. In addition, they also filmed the IMAX Alamo show that we watched in San Antonio there. It is a regular film location and there were many films shot there. It was a bit of a drive to get there (it is near Bracketville, TX) but it was fun to see. It was Grandpa's idea to go there or we would not eve thought of it. We barely had time to see all that we wanted to see before it closed. We missed a few things but Grandpa did not want to go back the next day to see what we missed.

The following day we went to Mexico. We crossed the border at the city of Eagle Crossing and went into Piedras Negras. We walked across the toll bridge because we did not want to drive the car into Mexico since we did not know where we were going. I am glad we made that decision because the line to get back into the US across the bridge was very long.

We were a little disappointed in Piedras Negras as there was not much to see or do there. There was an open market area but it was pretty small compared to what we saw in Tijuana when we went there. We bought the kids a Mexican Jacket that you can see in the pictures. We probably could have negotiated a better price but it did not seem worth the effort. We also bought a cowboy hat for Jared since he did not have one and they had some cheap ones there. It was fun to speak Spanish though and I had a very good time. There was a guy that wanted to be our tour guide that followed us around that was a bit irritating. I told him we did not need his help and his broken English because I spoke Spanish and could get around fine, but he just kept following us. I want to go back again but I think we will find another border town to visit the next time because there was not much in Piedras Negras. We went there to shop but from the general flow of traffic and the looks of all the stores in Eagle Pass, I think more people tend to go the other direction to do their shopping.

We spent the afternoon driving to Corpus Christi and arrived there in the evening. The following day we went to the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington, which is a retired Aircraft Carrier. The Texas State Aquarium was a ton of fun. The dolphin show was not as good as the shows as Sea World but it was fun. The kids had the chance to hold hermit crabs, pet sharks, sting rays and a snake. We also had the chance to see an anteater eat some yogurt (which gives the anteater gas) and learn about them. It was a fun time.

Following our day at the Texas State Aquarium, we went to the USS Lexington. We should have left more time to tour the ship but we were able to see most of it. The living quarters are pretty tight. The ship was hit by a kamikaze plane during World War II. For anyone that is interested they can learn more about it at the following link: http://www.usslexington.com/ .

The following day we drove home. On our way home we stopped in Goliad to learn about the history there. There was a fort that has been rebuilt there called Presidio La Bahia (http://www.presidiolabahia.org/). Santa Ana killed a bunch of men there after he took the Alamo. Unlike at the Alamo, this group surrendered but Santa Ana had them all executed anyway. For anyone that wants to know more about the Goliad Massacre, they can go to the following web site: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/GG/qeg2.html .

It was a fun trip. After we got home we had to spend a day recovering from all our fun. We had a great time and were able to see some of the sites. Grandma really likes history and we were able to learn quite a bit of Texas history. A little tidbit that we learned on this trip was that Santa Ana was an opium user which may explain his large mood swings. It may also explain why he was found wandering around confused after Sam Houston whipped him at San Jacinto.

Welcome To Our Blog

Welcome family and friends!
We have made the move to update our web site and start a blog. The web site address will stay the same but now we will be able to more easily update what is going on with our family as well as make other comments. Before I had to be on the right computer, with the right software, to update the "Here's the Latest" section. It was also more difficult and the likelihood of getting Lori to do some of the updating was very small. Now there is a slight chance (although it is still remote) that I will be able to get Lori to do some updating. We will see how things go there. But, this is a start and I will try and make regular posts here for anyone that may be interested.

I would like to thank my cousin-in-law, Felisa Sorensen, for getting this set-up. Also, look for changes to come on our web site.

The Update on 2006

Yes, yes we've moved again. However, this is a temporary assignment, so don't lose the Illinois address because the summer of 2008 we will move back there. We moved to Richmond, Texas on July 7, 2006. We live about 2 miles from where we lived in 1997 and where Brett was born. We are attending the same ward that we did back then and many of the people that we knew then are still there. It was a strange feeling to move to a new ward but know so many people before we even moved in. As is usually the case when we move to a new place we spend quite a bit of time figuring out where we are going. Sometimes the boys think Mom is lost as she drives through the back roads and she has to remind them that she already knows the back roads here. We are even seeing the same family doctor that was Brett’s doctor when he was born. Brett and Jared are attending the same elementary school that they would have attended if we would have stayed in Houston all these years. This certainly has not been like any other move we have ever experienced.

Well, we better back up to all that has been happening this past year.

On January 1, 2006 Brett was baptized & it was great to have both sets of grandparents there. Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen came on Brett’s birthday and we made a trip to Memphis, TN. Graceland was great but I think Sun Studio was the best of all. It was a great trip. Later Grandma and Grandpa Dimond came and we celebrated the New Year with them as well. We all made a trip up to Springfield and saw some of the Lincoln sites.

The boys kept us busy in January & February with basketball. They both had a fun time playing.

At the end of March, Shane found out that we might have to move to Houston for his job. He was moving to a new assignment to work on designing and building a new Coker for the refinery that he works at, but all the way back in September of 2005 when he was offered the position nothing was said about having to move. The hope was that by taking this new position we would be able to stay in Illinois for a while. When Shane found out that we would have to move, he was very nervous to tell Lori about the move. Lori has learned over the last 9 years to expect the unexpected and responded very well to the news of the move and did not choke Shane. It was a very happy moment for Shane.

As stated above, it is a temporary assignment so we will be moving back. But along with the temporary assignment comes other hardships that must be endured, like moving all of our furniture with a U-Haul and the Elder’s Quorum Moving Company. The company Shane works for severely limits the amount of things we were able to bring because they want us to rent a furnished executive apartment without any long term leases. We are renting a house and we moved our own stuff because there is no way we are going to rent an apartment and furniture. Lori is a good sport about moving around, but there is no way she is going to live in a 3 bedroom apartment with rented furniture for 2 years. After dealing with the stupid temporary moving policy and making the move ourselves, we have decided that it is highly unlikely that we will ever do another temporary move while we have kids in the house. We do not like to say never, but it is very unlikely.

In the spring Brett and Jared played their first season of baseball. They had a good time and both played very well.


During Spring Break from school we went on a trip around Illinois. We went to Amish Country and saw the horse drawn carriages on the road. We also spent some time in Springfield and saw more Lincoln sites. The Lincoln Library was a ton of fun.

In April & May we spent time sorting our house & trying to decide what stays & what goes. (You would think with all of our moves, we wouldn't ever have to sort, but somehow things seem to grow). That is one of the many joys of the temporary moving assignment. We regularly find things that we sure wish we would have brought with us.


Lori celebrated her birthday at Six Flags again and we had a great time as a family. We had to go the day before her birthday because Shane had to travel to Houston the evening of Lori’s birthday for work. We did have a great time spending the day as a family there. Brett and Jared both love the wild rides. The only downside is that Jared is still not quite tall enough for the best roller coasters quite yet. Hopefully he will be next year.

In June we had a great family vacation. We met Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen in Wyoming and then went to Mount Rushmore and saw the sites there. Then we followed the Mormon Trail through Wyoming and stopped at the different forts and sites. Troy, Dawn, Conner and Nicholas joined us in Wyoming for part of the trip and we really enjoyed spending some time with them.


Following our week in Wyoming we spent a week in Utah. We went swimming with Angela, Chad, Nathan, Kaulin and Shelby in their backyard. We spent a day at Lagoon with Sacha, Mason, Dallas and Morgan. It was a great trip and fun to our family. Brett, Jared and Ryan love to play with their cousins.

In July we hurried home to pack and load up the U-Haul to move to Texas. Considering that we were doing most of it ourselves, things went smoothly. We arrived in Texas only to discover that the Internet is not a great place to sign-up for utilities. (Lesson Learned: Do not use White Fence Internet Service to sign-up for utilities, call on the phone.) We spent the first few days moving in without any electricity and it is really hot in Houston in July. We would work for an hour and then have to sit in the car with the air conditioner on for 15 minutes so we could tolerate the heat. I do not know how people lived here during the summer before central air conditioning was invented.

In August the Brett and Jared started school and the transition was a little tough. It was a switch for them to have to wear uniforms, but they have adjusted very well. The kids are troopers dealing with all the changes. This is the first move where we have had kids in regular school so this was a challenge.

Even with school starting, we found some time to go to the beach a few times. We have really enjoyed our time at the ocean. We are sure glad that we did not get rid of our boogey boards when we were living in Illinois.

In September Brett and Jared started playing soccer and they both played on the same team. They both really enjoyed that and it was good exercise for them even though it was still really hot.

In October Jared turned 7. He is getting so big.

In November we took a great vacation to San Antonio, Texas. The Andersons, some friends from Illinois live there and we were able to stay with them for a few days and go to Sea World. We really appreciated their hospitality and it was so fun to see them again. We also met Lori’s sister, Debbie there because Jim’s mom lives in the area and they were visiting them for Thanksgiving. We went to Sea World again with Debbie, Jim, Sierra, Blake and Marin. We were also able to meet Debbie and Jim’s new baby, Addison, on the trip. We had not seen Debbie’s family for over two years and it was great to see them again.

It is December again already and we are getting ready for Christmas and Birthdays. Ryan will turn 3 and Brett will turn 9 later this month. It is always an exciting month at our house. Brett and Jared are stating Basketball practice this month and Shane will be coaching Brett’s team. When we got the roster we noticed that one of our neighbors when we lived here 9 years ago will be playing on my team. We had lost touch with them as they had moved. It is an amazing coincidence that we were able to get back in touch with them through basketball. In so many ways it is like we have not ever left this area.