Friday, August 12, 2016

Red Butte Gardens

Michael and I took Aaron to the Red Butte Gardens and I took tons of pictures of flowers. Even though it was nearing the end of summer there were still lots of flowers. I don't think there were as many vibrant bold colors as there are in Spring.

Beautiful Roses, I love this peach/orange color.

I almost missed this Praying Mantis hiding among this fuzzy white grass.
I can't recall a time that I've seen an albino one, if that's what this one is called.

These gigantic flowers are called Hibiscus flowers.
There are many different varieties throughout the garden,
including a variety of colors from white to deep red.

I managed to catch this bee on the top of this flower.
The bees were all over the garden, but they didn't bother us,
they were too busy pollinating.

This picture doesn't do the color of this flower/plant justice,
it was a gorgeous fuchsia.

Another giant hibiscus, deep red colored.

Using my zoom lens.

Pretty lavendar flowers.
There is a bee hiding down in there I was trying to capture
but he wasn't cooperating with me.
He's underneath the flower in the center of the picture, above the cement.

Ornamental shrub. I think it's supposed to be a deer.
This is the entrance to the Children's Garden.

The rattlesnake fountain.
Michael had to have a picture of him fighting the snake.

Since Michael was having a picture,
Aaron needed a picture of his own.

The bee on this flower blends in because they are the same color.

This poky little flower is covered in bees.

These are Giant Castor Beans with these huge leaves.
These leaves are larger then an adult head.
They have this big ball of pokey little balls along the stem.

A "Flower Bed".

I think this is a crocus of some sort.

This one looks so much like plastic it didn't look real.

A beautiful red flower.

Iguana's in the Children's Garden amphitheater.

A cute little fountain, also in the Children's Garden.

This beautiful purple flower was a variety of Lilac.

This statue in the pond with the waterfall behind it
are tucked away in the Children's Garden.

This tree is loosing it's bark, it looks like someone has been skinning it.

Michael found this bee in the flower covered in pollen.
It was flying back and forth in this bush of flowers pollinating.
I don't know how it flew so covered with the pollen.

Big beautiful white clouds of flowers in the Fragrance Garden.

Daphnia flower. These flowers will bloom all summer as long as they are watered.

Wild roses.

Phlox flower, this is also a big flowering bushy plant in the fragrance garden.

Delicate Day lilies.

More wild roses.



This tree was also peeling.
Several layers of the bark were peeling back.
The tree underneath was very smooth.

This waxy looking flower was in a container along the path.


Another hibiscus.

A rose bud.


A beautiful peach and yellow wild rose.

This rose is white with pink spots.

Faded yellow roses.

Wild red roses.

I think this is a climbing clematis.

A white rose.

A pink rose.

Wild pink roses.

Yellow rose.


This pink flower has over 1,000 petels in it.

A faded Pink rose.

An budding peach rose.

Pretty peach bud.

A Pink bud.

A wild rose bush.

Pink rose.

Pink rose.

Yellow rose.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

UBOC Spring 2016 Concert

The 3rd Annual Spring Concert of the UBOC directed by Dr. James M. Bankhead.
Americana. Music of and about America.

 Bottom left corner.
 First singer on front row left side.
 Same place.
Singing America the Beautiful. During the evening performance the audience stood when the flag was brought on stage. It brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Provo City Center Temple

We toured the Provo City Center Temple today. This temple is the second of its kind in that it is built from an existing building. The first is our very own Vernal Temple.
The Provo Temple was originally the Provo Tabernacle and was used for community events, and if memory serves me right it was the building that Michael and I had Stake Conference in the year that we lived in Provo.

In December 2010 the building was badly burned in a fire. All that was left was the outer shell.

In the October 2011 General Conference President Thomas S. Monson announced that the building would be restored and turned into a Temple.


The inside of the Temple is beautiful. There is so much detail in everything. The inside of the hinges, the door knobs, the murals on the walls, the wall paper, the stain glass windows, everything is so exquisite. There is so much detail you don't have time to see it all.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas 2015

The obligatory Christmas morning photo.


 I got busy helping with the presents and I didn't get more pictures.




Christmas Letter 2015



Dear Family & Friends,

It is once again the season of glad tidings, the time to rejoice in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, and the time to embrace and enjoy family.

Aaron (15) – because of shortages and closures Aaron was transferred to a facility in Moroni, he has been there since June. Because the move put him farther away we don’t get to go see him as often. He has had a few visits home this year, always very short and they always seem to fly by. We don’t know when he will get to come home.
Ammon (14) – is in 8th grade this year. He finished out 7th grade without getting sent to the principal’s office, a record for him since 2nd grade. Earlier this year he decided he was done with karate and just quit going, he had made it to a blue belt. He’s fascinated with electronic devices, and a conspiracy theorist (his own admission). Ammon was ordained a Teacher the day after his 14th birthday and was also set apart as the Teacher’s Quorum 2nd Counselor the same day.
Annie (12) – is in 7th grade this year. She was nervous about going from one end of school to the other for class, but she’s gotten it down pat now. She’s taking a choir class, though she won’t admit to liking it. Having turned 12 before summer she got to attend girls camp with the stake this year. Her leaders said they saw a whole new side of her there. They awarded her the ‘Most Sassy’ award. She was just called as the Beehive class President. She is still in dance, working towards those pointe shoes.
Emily (11) – is in 5th grade this year, she is back at East Elementary (our district changed to neighborhood Elementary schools(K-5)) she wasn’t too happy about it, but she’s settled in. Emily got to take her own goat to the fairs this year. It was definitely a learning experience for her, though she did win some ribbons she needs to work with her goat more before going again. She is doing dance again this year and enjoys it. She really enjoys playing with the basketball that she got for her birthday. She takes her ball to school every day so she can play with it at recess.
Erica (10) – is in 4th grade this year and in the classroom right next to Emily. They see each other quite often at school. Erica also took her own goat to the fairs, and though she also won some ribbons she also has a lot to learn. She and Emily have their own 4-H group that they do with their Aunt Julia. Erica got glasses at the beginning of the school year (5 out of 7children now). Erica decided she also wanted to switch dance studios, so she is now dancing at Discovery DanceWorks with Annie & Emily.
Ethan (7) – is in 2nd grade this year, he has the same teacher that Ammon had for 2nd grade. He likes going to school but he doesn’t like homework and avoids it every chance he can. He hates chores and hides to avoid doing them too. He is in his fourth year of tumbling and enjoys going most weeks.
James (5) – is going to morning preschool this year. When the other kids started school in August and told him that he would be going to Kindergarten next year he would get really upset. After he was tested and approved for preschool in September he has loved going every morning(Mon-Thurs). James lost his first tooth just days before his birthday. He started tumbling classes this year and is very excited about it.
Michael was laid off from Newfield in May after driving for them just over three years. The work really slowed down with the drop in oil prices and unfortunately he was one that was let go. After three months of applying and waiting he was finally hired by Pilot/Flying J to haul Crude to the refinery in Salt Lake. It’s one load a day from the Basin to Salt Lake. The hours aren’t the greatest, and if the truck is broken-down there isn’t a spare one available. It’s in times like this we’re all just grateful he has employment. Michael is still serving as the Stake Sign Language Coordinator, spending most Sunday mornings in Myton interpreting for the deaf couple there.
Kathryn is on the School Community Council at East Elementary, serving as the Chair Person. She is the Vice-President of the Basin Arts Council, as well as Social Media Chair Person. She still belongs to a scrapbook page/card swap that meets quarterly now. She is enjoying her time in the Uintah Basin Orchestra & Chorus that performs twice a year. This year the Spring Concert was conducted by Dr.’s Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg; definitely a once in a lifetime experience. The Christmas Concert was conducted once again by Dr. James M. Bankhead. After a very brief stint (four months) as ward organist, she was released to be with her family (dang those rowdy children!). She continued serving as Relief Society Pianist and Ward Music Chairperson until the end of September when she was released from those as she was called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Young Women Presidency. She is now over the Beehives (12 & 13 year-old young women-including Annie) in the ward. Her Tuesday evenings are now busy with Mutual. She has also been watching her niece Loretta, Charity’s little girl, since summer while Charity works.
Merry Christmas to all, may you remember the true Reason for the Season.                                          
Love, The Crapo Family

Saturday, December 5, 2015

UBOC-Christmas Concert

The UBOC at our annual Christmas concert, again conducted by Dr. James M. Bankhead.
I'm sitting in the front row of the choir, just to the right of the harp.


The Many Moods of Christmas

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Ammon's 14th Birthday

Ammon survived his first year as a teenager.















































Erica's 10th Birthday

 Erica's finally in the double digits.