Miami: Spring Break 2009

"I am the King! No pictures unless I tell you. Get me a hamburger."

Hanging around at the Miami zoo.

Camel rides.

Crocodile Queen!

Karlie found a boyfriend.

A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan on Vimeo

How Kiva Works.


A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan on Vimeo


Have you donated?

Ian's 4th Birthday!!

Deacon, Ian and Dominic


My big boy!!

Yes, I made the Sponge Bob cake!





Ian had a great birthday! He was so excited, he kept asking us all day if he was still 4. He got to go to Sunbeams at church for the first time. On Thursday, we had a party for him with his friends, Deacon and Dominic. We went to Jump'n Jacks, were they have lots of blow up slides and toys. The boys had a great time and we had pizza and Sponge Bob cup cakes. Even today, he will still ask if he is still 4.

michel chickwanene

This is Michel (mi shel). He was a child solder from Sierra Leone. When he as five years old, solders decended on him and his friends in a soccer field. They blind folded him, shoved a gun into his hands and told him to shoot! Shoot!! And when he took the blind fold off, he saw he had killed one of his best friends! Five years old! You can hear his story on the Me to We website that I have previously posted.

toronto dinner

found in toronto!!

Whew!!

getting on toronto subway

lost in toronto

Darrin and I didn't make it off the subway before the doors closed!

Me to WE Day!

Darrin and Greg at an Italian Restaurant where we ate yummy Gnocchi and delectable desserts!

This weekend, Lynn and I took Karlie and went to Toronto to Canada's National Me to We Day. The best way to describe it, is basically it's a pep rally for world peace and education for teenagers. They had many Canadian super stars and some American, speak and give inspirational speeches. You can watch the whole thing at: www.ctv.ca/metowe. We had a GREAT time and were truly inspired. Spencer West, who we went to Africa with, was one of the special speakers! We are so proud of him, you can see his speech at the end of clip 8 at that website. Awesome!

Lynn went to Canada on Tuesday so he could work a few days before we got there on Thursday. This is the sign he met us with at the airport. The first side says, "LPGA Rookie of the Year, Karlie Abplanalp." The other side said "Hair Club for men experiment gone terribly wrong, white guys shouldn't have afro's, Austin Eldrege."

On Saturday, drove down to Niagara Falls. The tree and leaves were stunning, as was the Falls.

David is HOT!

O.K. this blog wasn't posted by Karlie, and I'm not a Cougar, but David is Smoken' in this video! Looks like he has grown up a little bit. . . Just kidding.

Clean Water in Kibera!

Good afternoon! This morning I was pleasantly surprised by an e-mail I received from a jewelry store I used to frequent. They have been raising money for a campaign to drill a well by one hospital in Kibera. They raised enough money to drill 20! Not only will the hospital benefit, but there is enough water for the community around the hospital as well. Please go to the website to witness this spectacular event! www.charitywater.org/brighton

In one of the video presentations they visited Kazuri, which is a bead factory, that we visited while in Kenya. This factory gives single mothers jobs, so they can support their families. These women are amazing. So please, go to the website, and donate in any way if you can.

Powder Puff Football!

This week is Homecoming week for the Spanish Fork Dons. Karlie is having a blast in high school and has made lots of new friends. Last night she played powder puff football with her team the "Flaming Pandas." They spray painted white t-shirts and wore zebra stripped headbands around their foreheads. They looked really cute. Karlie played running back. They kept calling her play because she was the only one who could get the ball anywhere, but she kept dropping it. The "Flaming Pandas" lost, but they had a great time. Karlie only suffered minor injuries, her knee got hammered by someones cleats and she can't move, but with the care of mother, she should recover nicely.

Organized Love!

We recently ripped out everything in our closet and put in shelves and organizers. I can't tell you what a difference it makes. We now have about twice the room to hang our clothes than we did before! The first couple of days after it was installed, I could have just sat there and stared at the beauty of it. I LOVE IT!

Ian's School

Ian loves school. He is very proud of all his papers and art projects that he brings home. His teacher's name "merica" Erica. We are proud of you Ian!

A Misquito Bit ME!

Lynn built Ian a sandbox this weekend and on Monday night we finially got sand in it. Ian had so much fun playing and rolling around in it that we stayed out past dark. When we came in, Ian and I had multiple misquito bites, including two on his eye that made it swell up and look like he got punched! Poor kid!

First Day Of School!! August 20th

The summer is over and the kids are back to school. (Already?) Karlie and Sydney started on the 20th of August and Ian started today. It is traditional in our family to take their picture on the first day of school in their new clothes. So here they are!