Arrow of Light

I don't think I posted these before.... in March Chandler received his Arrow of Light - they have a really cool Chief that comes and shoots arrows!

Move over Von Trapps

The Von Cranes are in town!

Last Thursday night was the school Spring Concert - it was a huge extravaganza of music! Our Winter concert was canceled due to the snowy weather we had this winter so they packed in a ton of performances in this one show....

The quality of music by all the kids was fantastic! They worked really hard and you could really see the difference even from last year.

I have some of it on video but I never seem to have luck posting videos on my blog. Both Tyler (vocal) and Chandler (Clarinet) had solos this year so it was extra special for the Von Cranes....it's nice being in a small school the kids have a few more opportunities they might not have in the big schools back home. It's all good for now :)

nIan playing the trumpet (you know brass is always in the back!)

Chandler's trio (violin, flute & clarinet spotlight solo)

The spectators

The Birthday Party

Lucas' birthday most people remember - it's 4/4/04 - so when we told Lucas we'd have his birthday party in March he was really sad. He didn't understand the concept that ...... 'your real birthday is on Easter this year, your friends will be on vacation!' Once his buddies all got there he got over it...

We went to the Guildford Spectrum and had a Pirate party - those parties are the best - you just show up and you don't have to clean up the mess!!!

Here are some pictures of his very fun day....

The boys - Lucas, Henric, Adrian, Jack, Matteo, Sami

Lucas & Scrappy

Circus Olympus

For the last 2 months Chandler has been working on the school play - he had been going to practice after school 3x a week and some weekends. He was part of the Cerebus - the three headed dog. It was a twist on greek mythology and they did a few of the stories from it. It was really well done and it was impressive to watch Chandler act and DANCE, yes, dance.....


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Pizza Night

So instead of worrying each day if I've taken a photo, I'm going to kind of work backward (and forward) for the last couple months...

Last week (March 9th) we had school conferences so no school for the kiddies - Tyler's French class went to Paris for the long weekend so I let Chandler have a few friends stay over.

They made homemade pizzas - it was fun, instead of just the standard "pepperoni and cheese" I got requests like, stuffed crust, onions, bell peppers & mushrooms!! A few of the boys had never even made homemake pizzas before - it was too funny watching them play with the dough, they didn't even know what to do with it!? I really like Chandler's group of friends - they are all such nice kids!

Book Lover

Clearly in order for me to get back on the posting band wagon I need incentive, I'll try again to do a photo a day or every couple days.... even if commentary is short or nil, at least a pictorial should satisfy the family pool....xoxo

I'll try to insert some catch ups as well as I go but in the meantime.....I think I have another little bookworm in my house....

Dubai

I guess I forgot to post our about our trip to Dubai - we went for February Winter Break - it was definitely one of the very best family vacations we have ever taken. We really enjoyed ourselves. We stayed at the Atlantis resort there and it was so fun!

At the airport getting ready to go..

The lobby - beautiful murano glass from venice!

We went to the waterpark every day - it was so nice to be in the sun!

Here is Mike going down the tallest vertical waterslide in the world!

The indoor alpine skiing place in the Mall of the Emirates or the Dubai Mall - one is the largest in the world, the other has the ski slope

They are all about being big, they have the tallest building in the world, the tallest waterslide, the tallest building in the world (the elevator broke the day we arrived) the biggest mall, they are building another mall to be bigger (why!?), they are building the biggest airport (hope I never have a connecting flight through that one!).
The world's only 7 Star hotel

The man made palms are incredible, but what I thought was the most humorous is the fact that the sand they need to build up the land - they have to BUY from Iran, all the whole dessert surrounding them and they can't even use their own sand! So funny.

We went for a sunset sand dunes ride & then dinner in the desert and camel rides. Sally the camel only has one hump..

Inside aquarium at the Atlantis (the one in the mall cracked a week or so after we left!)

But we thoroughly enjoyed going to Dubai much more than I thought we would.

Chicken Head

My two girls

I haven't abandoned my blog, I just feel like I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off! So if anyone has found one just let me know.

January was a very busy month. Tyler turned 14 on the 22nd - where did time fly?? She is a wonderful daughter and I love her to bits. I'm really proud of the young lady she is and she really is such a great big sister.



In January we had Marianne Nelson come to visit and stay with us. We've known her since she was 14 years old - she was our first babysitter out in Pleasanton. Marianne is staying until March and we are having a great time!

The real Rosetta Stone
and a cool reflection of Cman in the glass!

We also had snow in January and a few snow days and sadly for me the kids had to stay home a few days!

My cousin Suzy got to come visit us too in January. It was soooo much fun to have her out. We are 2 months apart and she is like my sister. We haven't had alone time in a long time so it was so nice to go see all this history together! When I come back home we will need to start planning girls trips!!






We got these fun cupcakes at one of my women's club meetings - they were so cute and very delish!

Lucas had his Kindergarten show in January also - they were very very cute penguins!

Priesthood Preview

Chandler gave a talk at Priesthood Preview the other week - we told him the topic and after much complaining and gnashing of teeth he wrote his own talk. We didn't preview it, or at least I didn't but this is what he churned out and I was quite proud of him.

Since this is more of a journal for me I am putting it on here so when I print out my blog this year it will be there - I'm sure Chandler's children will love it.. ha ha

It is exciting to start think about having a Fine Young Man in our house - what blessings will come from this!

Lucas also gave a talk on the same day but in regular Church - he has memorized the 1st Article of Faith. He also read the whole talk by himself - he did a great job!

January 17, 2010
Chandler Crane

The most important thing you can do to prepare for the Aaronic Priesthood is to live worthily. Examples of this is to listen to appropriate music and watch appropriate movies. You will also have to have obedience.

Obedience includes scripture study, prayer and following the commandments. Another important thing is to learn to serve others. For example I cook breakfast for my family all the time. I also help out by shoveling the snow off our driveway. I also of course do most of my chores. But you don't need to only help out your family, you should help out other people as well.

I went to Rosemary's [Cottrell] house and helped with the walls of the bedroom. You can also help by carrying other people's bags if they look like they are struggling. I think the Aaronic Priesthood is important because you are doing your Duty to God. If there was no priesthood there would be no Church of God. I bare my testimony that I know this church is true and I am committed to working on these three things, living worthily, obedience, and service for others. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hogmanay 09

We started the trip by taking a train up - about a 3.5 hour train ride not bad. Beautiful countryside. That night we did the Torchlight parade - it's to kick-off the celebrations - well usually a torch is a flashlight - these were 3.5 foot wax sticks - it was amazing to see so many torches - I was sure someone's hair was going to catch fire! But it looked like they amazingly had things under control. Funnily I purchased 5 torches - luckily we went with friends - The Whiteheads - and they hadn't bought any yet so we shared with them!

On the bright side the torches certainly kept us warm!






We also went with our other friends The Hamberlins - so we were an imposing group - 19 of us! Restaurants didn't know what to do with us so we split up doing different activities and coming together - it was great fun.

Edinburgh is a beautiful city - my favorite thing was to do the night tour of Edinburgh Castle - it was actually a play and they had the history of the Monarchs or clans - I love when the castles 'come to life'.


They also had a carnaval and there was a super bungee ride - the men & Chandler all rode it - it flew them up so high - I have it on video - my blog still doesn't seem to like when I want to upload video - but I'll try again.

Edinburgh Castle

We are so lucky and this was a great trip - Happy New Year to all!