6 Flags Magic Mountain--with Ryan and Wyatt

Ryan and Wyatt planned a big day at 6 Flags Magic Mountain to help celebrate Wyatt's 16th Birthday...

Planning out the day...

2 hour wait for "Deja Vu"

Ryan's motto: "I need speed."

2 hour wait for 2 minutes of fighter pilot training

After lunch, try not to puke on the next ride

Waiting for Goliath, with its blackout-curves

Nice ride on the metal coaster Goliath, 80 mph and 200 foot drop; now on to Superman

Why do they call this ride, Superman, "the Escape"? Because the line is so long, noisy and obnoxious, and the ride is so short and boring, you feel like plotting your escape at the end!

Now, the shortest route to Tatsu--the flying coaster.
(What does Tatsu mean in Japanese? "Flying puking screaming smiling teenager")



Tatsu--the takeoff...

53 Reasons to Smile

It is great being 53... So many of life's lessons learned.... Such a great family... So much to look forward to...

Temple Trip for Stephen

Friday, March 20, 2009: Stephen Davis received his endowment in the Newport Beach Temple. The occasion was very spiritual and touching for us all. We were honored to have Grandpa Steve an Grandma Marion, Jane, Blaine and Joy Lindahl, join us in the session along with many ward members. Our thanks to all whose love and support have made this great day a reality.
Pictures to come from Grandma Marion....

Robyn's Garden for 2009--starting up!

Gardening season is here!

Robyn has selected her mix of tomato plants for the coming year and is getting them ready to plant outside. Here they are in the windowbox.

New for 2009: Robyn is growing lettuce in a patio planter.
Snip, snip....

Next stop for the lettuce: dinner salad!

Robyn was excited to welcome the hummingbirds to her California blueberry bush--
It's on the lower left side--you can see it if you look carefully.

The year of the leak, continued

I spent the weekend dealing with yet another plumbing leak. A few days ago, I thought I made an extra big mess brushing my teeth. Turns out that the drain pipe fell apart under Robyn's sink. Not even I can spray that much water with my electric toothbrush. So yesterday, I managed to fix that--with only one trip to Home Depot. I spent the rest of the day sawing holes in drywall, upstairs and down, trying to confirm the source of a different leak. Here's what the it looked like when I started. When I finished, there were even more holes, upstairs and down.... Next, I'm going to install some secret passages.

Recommended Reading

On man's agency, the freedom to choose one's attitude:

1. Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl.
Read about the book at this link, including this quote:
"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

People who accomplish great things rarely had it easy:

2. Grant: A Biography, by William S. McFeely
Read about U.S. Grant at this link.

Stephen Receives His Mission Call

Exciting news for our family: Stephen received his mission call on Friday, February 20. He will serve in the Washington, Spokane Mission. He reports to the Missionary Training Center on May 27, 2009.

On Friday evening, 2/21, after the mission call arrived in the mail, and before it was opened, we gathered around the kitchen table. Some family and friends were on the speaker phone. Keeping with our family tradition, the next-younger brother opened the letter and read the mission call out loud. Here's Ryan reading "Washington, Spokane Mission!"
Nobody exactly predicted the location of the call (although Washington state was mentioned), but many family and friends said, "it seems like exactly the right mission for Stephen."

Clockwise from the front: Robyn, Treavor Heaney, Danielle Anderton, Elder Murley and Elder Barron, Stephen and Ryan

Reviewing the mission details. Stephen's mission includes parts of three states (Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northwestern Montana) and a little bit of Canada. None of our family has spent time here, so we will be glad to learn about a new area of the country as Stephen serves.

Stephen texted his huge cellphone contact list and has been receiving congratulations the entire weekend.