35 Weeks -- 5 Weeks Left

It's about time we got around to updating. We meant to last week, but with one thing or another we kept putting it off...and then it wasn't last week anymore, it was this week, and we realized that if we didn't just do it then it would never happen.

Tayva: We did have a couple fun things happen in the past two weeks. For one, my brother (the Marine) was in town, and it was a lot of fun to see him and spend time with him. For another, Peter very sneakily arranged a whole weekend getaway for us, and somehow--even with a month plus of planning--managed to keep it a secret right up until we pulled into the parking lot at Anniversary Inn. Highlights include: visiting the Church History museum (this was at the point that I still thought we were going to pick up a friend at the airport), staying in the Egyptian room (looked like the inside of a pyramid), and eating at The Roof restaurant overlooking the Salt Lake Temple.

As for baby news (what there is at this point!): He's gotten so big that at this point he doesn't get off as many kicks as he used to be able to, and now he has to communicate in what we call Squiggle. This means that, when Peter tells him stories about the history of the world (which sometimes takes odd and exciting turns that I don't remember from class...) he responds by saying, "Squiggle, squiggle, bump, nudge, stick-my-foot-out-as-far-as-it-will-go!" Roughly translated, this means, "Wow, that was an amazing story! But are you SURE it was all true?" (He's a smart one, our bebe.)

Other than that...we are officially pre-registered at the American Fork Hospital, which means that they'll let us have a real room when I go into labor instead of being condemned to wander the sterilized hallways forever. Peter managed to fill out ALL the paperwork while I was in the bathroom, so really I only have his word that he didn't sign the kid up for ten years of slave labor in exchange for lowered hospital bills. I guess we'll see...

The photos are: Tayva standing next to a model of the inner structure of the Tabernacle roof (that's the rounded silver roof you see next to the temple in the restaurant pic); Peter standing next to a portrait of J. Golden Kimball, the apostle who was notorious for his bad language; Peter and Tayva eating at The Roof, with the loverly view of the Salt Lake Temple; picture of the Salt Lake Temple. Then the shots from our hotel room, which was awesome. First, the giant statue looming in the bathroom area, then the mural over the bed, then an extra Egyptian woman statue, and then the view from the bedroom.

Peter: While I will gladly admit that it was awesome to surprise Tayva, it wasn't easy. Realizing that people love our company I had to make sure all the families were not planning anything for the weekend, then had to remind them 2 or 3 times that it was that weekend (I think Tina still forgot which weekend) and not to tell Tayva, then I had to plan a convincing story and finally the entire week leading up to my surprise I had to sneak items of Tayva's out to a bag that I had stashed in my trunk so that everything would be packed. Good Times. It should also be noted for those of you who are now thinking about going to Anniversary Inn, do yourself a favor and DON'T stay in the south temple location. We learned that about 8 months ago so now whenever we go there it's the 5th South Location and it's awesome.

Next, I am hoping to give my child a competitive advantage from the womb which is why I'm teaching him American History right now. And yes he squiggles and it's awesome. Tayva would say I may embellish American History...I think of it as improving. I mean American History was cool during the Revolution Era, then about the time Abe Lincoln came around, then not again til the great depression. For a country that's relatively young we're not too exciting so I choose to spruce up some dates and facts and characters. These are not lies, they are not even embellishments, but they are mere observations. For example the other day I taught my son the history of college football which runs thus

College Football was founded in 1796 when Columbus was sailing on the Mayflower towards America. It was named America after Hank Americana, an industrious pig farmer and early vaudevillian. Aboard this ship the crew and passengers would often go crazy and Columbus, being arrogant and French, wouldn't let people forget that they were going to a new world full of spices. One day Theodore Roosevelt got tired of his arrogance and took off his silly hat and spiked it on the deck (much like football players spike their touchdown footballs today). This angerered Columbus and he told Roosevelt that next noon day he would have a duel of sorts. The duel consisted of him having to run his hat past Roosevelt the entire length of the ship's deck (100 yards...the length of a current football field) and if he did then Roosevelt was to be tossed over board. If Roosevelt could "tackle" him Columbus would step overboard. Thus the next day Teddy Roosevelt (who was a notorious cheat) met Columbus on deck. When Columbus ran toward Roosevelt all of Roosevelts Pals: George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Paul Revere, and Keanu Reaves jumped in front of Columbus and tackled him. Thus the game of football was born.

So you see America and Football and interconnected. Kind of like how I hate school but I have to finish.