Ohio News
Well, another month gone. Doing this e-mail makes me realize how short the months
really are. Here is the news:
During the past month (August), I had some hotel points to
use up, so on a whim, I took the family to DC. Turns out, we picked the wrong time to be there. It hit 108° F in the shade with 99%
humidity. If any of you have ever
seen that, you know that it is just miserable to be outside. So, needless to say we spent a lot of
time in the Smithsonian buildings.
We did make it to see the changing of the guard at
Arlington, to see Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington memorials/monument and the
DC Temple. We saw the White House
from the front. I asked a
policeman out front how a person could get a tour of the White House. He said, “You have to be sponsored by
your Senator; however, if you hurry to the back right now, they are giving
garden tours today.”
So, we dashed to the back (as fast as you can dash in the
heat with kids and a five-month pregnant wife). Much to our pleasure, we were given tickets (the ranger had
some spares still) and put right in line.
We spent the next 45 minutes touring the White House gardens and got to
stand on the back steps of the White House.
We drove the Cumberland gap to get to Washington–it was
outright beautiful. The “divide”
stood at 2800 ft. A little shy of
the norm for a Utahn, but it sure was green with wall-to-wall trees and the
temperature was quite different from the DC temps.
Now, the kids are back in school and here are the particular
updates.
Michael
Michael was chosen as the teacher’s assistant for Art. His teacher called Amy today and
thanked her for having such a thoughtful kid. She said, he is the best TA she ever had and that he even
anticipates what she wants (kinda Walter “Radar” O’Reilly’ish). The Secretaries in the main office have
said that if he gets tired of being the TA for the Art teacher, then they want
him to come and work in the office with them.
Michael is taking choir (a break from the normal for Mr.
Science) and he really enjoys it.
As always, he is doing well in his classes and all his teachers thank us
for having such a good kid. We
finally got to the library and checked out some books. Michael averages six “chapter” books,
every four weeks and he still finds time to cram in his Eye Witness science
books.
Tyler
Tyler is in 2nd grade and is quite the reader. He reads this and that and everything
between. He is learning a song on
his own for his baptism that is coming up. Just a reminder for everyone that Tyler’s baptism will be on
September 24th at the Nephi chapel.
We are able to change the time back to 10am with a lunch following that
at the chapel. Amy will be contacting
everyone for their participation in the activity and to see if you are able to
make it. Grandpa Trauntvein is
going to do the baptism and Grandpa Gordon is going to do the confirmation.
Tyler spoke in Sacrament meeting last week. He wrote the talk himself and delivered
the talk. He did quite well. Tyler is also checking out his 10 book
limit at the library each time the family goes and he really enjoys story time
at night and them reading in bed for 30 minutes before going to sleep.
Emily
Emily is in First grade. She loves school.
She and Tyler get to ride the bus, by choice. Amy asked her if she wants her to take her to school (6
blocks from our house), or not and Emily said she wants to go on the bus. So, each morning, they stand out there
for the bus to come. It takes them
directly to school–a 5 minute ride.
The ride home takes about 45 minutes. Both she and Tyler like the ride home, because they do their
homework on the bus. When they get
home, they get right to the business of playing.
Emily wanted to learn to ride a two-wheeler like her best
friend Alex. So, I ran up and down
the sidewalk with her a number of times.
Each time I let go of the bike, she laid it over in the grass. I came home from work two weeks
ago–Emily was riding her bike on her own.
She just decided enough was enough, went out, hopped on the bike and took
off.
Emily likes first grade. She has two good friends in her class and she plays with
them and Tyler during lunch and recess.
Amy
What is there to say.
She is the ruler of her castle, the crowning victor, the magistrate of
the feudal lands Trauntvein! Oh,
and she has been feeling better with the pregnancy as well. As a matter of fact, she painted
Emily’s bedroom to match the coloring in the one she had just finished in
Utah. It turned out really nice,
she is getting to be quite the artisan with a three inch brush and a nice
lamb’s wool roller. Of course, I
helped her. I installed the chair
rail. :)
Amy gets to have a little time to herself these days between
the hours of 9:00 am and 2:30 pm while the kids are at school. That will end. We can’t have that. Who ever thought of a Mom who had time
to think, clean and enjoy some quiet?
I didn’t think so. She is adjusting
well to Ohio. She doesn’t get lost
anymore, but she does go through a lot more gas here than she did in American
Fork. WalMart and Target here are
15 miles from home. In AF, they
were a mere mile at the most.
Todd
Not much to say about that one. Working and working.
When it isn’t work, it is church.
When it isn’t church, it is work.
Not much has changed there.
As mentioned above, the family spoke in Sacrament Meeting on
08/25. Each person picked their
topic and wrote their own talk–Dad typed them up, but the kids wrote them. Each of them did a wonderful job and so
did Amy. The 2nd Counselor in the
Stake Presidency was there that day and he sent the children a thank you note
for their talks and wrote specifically to each of them. That was a first for me.
I missed being on the Labor Day campout this year. You all know that I never missed one
and I was there for all nights of the campout. Some of you think, I did it out of mere desire to support my
parents in an activity. I want you
all to know that I did it out of love for each of you. I love having the family together. You all know I am a watcher of
people. I liked sitting there and
watching you all chat with each other and catch up on the goings-on with each
other. That is the reason I
invited you all to my home a few times a year. Heck! If were
going to spend the eternities together, we better make darn sure we are friends
right now. I love you. I miss you. And I know you miss me driving you crazy with my
matter-of-fact attitude and my polar-positions on ALL issues <insert big,
cheesy grin here>, but know that I love you. I always have and I miss having you around.
I was happy to hear that so many were able to make it to the
campout this year and that Eric was finally able to get some time off. Too bad about the rain, but that too is
a blessing.
Here is a suggestion that you all ought to take advantage of
over the next couple of years while the ability exists. Do the “Trauntvein Roadshow”. Take off from Utah, and go to
Kirsten’s. Stay a couple of days
with her. Drive from there to Ohio
and stay with us for a couple more.
Then drive to Melanie and stay with her for a couple more. Fly home from Boston. Meals are free, lodging is free. You would have to pay for a rental, gas
and a flight. Not too shabby.
Well, I love you all.
I look forward to reading what you write. Love, Todd.
