Four Corners Monument

Utah, New Mexico, Colorado & Arizona

August 29, 2008

Still playing catch-up on xanga entries.  After all the groundbreaking festivies were said and done our family hit the road to get to know the surrounding area a little better.  We traveled south through Blanding, where our stake president in Camarillo hailed from, then southeast through some beautiful remote country till we reached the Four Corners Monument.  That was pretty cool.  I had always wanted to go there ever since Mom told us kids that she went once upon a time.

Here’s our family traversing four states at once.  You’ll notice my jeans were still wet from the ambush I suffered earlier that afternoon.  Lizzy isn’t pictured because she picked this 30 minute chunk of our several hour drive to take her nap.  She will likely regret that decision in years to come.

 

 

“Here meet four states in freedom under God” – forgive me but that choked me up.

 

 

The Seal of each state.

 

 

Flags of each state and the Navaho Indian Nation flying in a circle around the monument.

On the way to Four Corners we passed some cool formations that I couldn’t help but stop and explore:

This is the formation we could see from the road that made me bring the car to a screeching halt.  A portion of the cave is partially blocked off by a wall made of stone and dried mud.  The ceiling of the smaller portion is blackened, as though the wall was built to keep smoke from entering the other portion of the cave.  Cool!

Pretty country.

This is a picture of Shiprock taken out the car window as we were driving to Four Corners.  In this photo Shiprock is about 15 miles away and is a most striking geological formation.  A year ago I stood at the top of Abajo Peak in Monticello, some 70ish miles away and could see it on the horizon.  They say the formation was used as a landmark by Spaniards and other early travelers through the region.  Shiprock, amazingly, is actually the remnants of an ancient volcano.  It is the plug left in the core and the surrounding core has since eroded away leaving only the plug.  Cool!  You can learn more about it at:

http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/student/kuss1/shiprock.html

Other cool formations we passed on the way.

Apparently they decided to renumber the highway from Monticello to Cortez, Four Corners, etc.  Can’t figure out why…

Sisters bedding down for the night.

George Wythe University

Monticello Campus Groundbreaking – Part 2

August 30, 2008

Sun-rise Devotional

At 6:30am last Saturday morning a few of us silly people gathered for a sunrise devotional on the site of the new campus.  Randy Larose, a local seminary teacher, gave the devotional.  Neat guy – working on his PhD through USU and excited about the opportunity for an institute to accompany the new campus.

 

Some of the intrepid few.

Randy giving his address.

The sun peeketh.  Beautiful morning!

Cinnamon rolls and juice afterwards – enjoyed by all.

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Groundbreaking

Joseph found a little horny toad (I think) upon our arrival.

Everyone standing for the national anthem, sung by GWU sophomore Ms. Reagan Hanselman, from Maryland.

 

On the left, Rachel DeMille, wife of George Wythe founder, Dr. Oliver DeMille gives an address in her husband’s absence.  Oliver has been suffering from very poor health for some time.  He was named University Chancellor in abstentia. On the right, Dr. Shanon Brooks is named President of the University.

 

On the left is Dr. Andrew Groft, newly appointed as President of the Cedar City, UT campus of George Wythe.  On the right is the Monticello Temple President, whose name I don’t recall, who delivered the dedicatory prayer.

A number of board, faculty and administrators were invited to participate in the official groundbreaking, with golden shovels and all.  I’m the white blur in the middle.

 

The ArnellFam takes a turn at turning some dirt!

Me and my good friend Russell Clarke who serves as Director of Admissions.

The Crew!

Here we are in front of one of the architectural drawings of the campus and surrounding community. This is a $500 million project (at least) and will take many decades to bring to fruition.

After the official ceremony everyone retired to Lloyd’s Lake for lunch and games.

 

After the crowds had left, the staff (GWU students) saw fit to ambush Russ. Little did I know that I was next.

I was soaked for the rest of the day – Lizzy watches on in bewilderment.

For more coverage of the Groundbreaking and the switch from GWC to George Wythe University see the September newsletter click here!

Gianna Turned 5…

…some time ago

August 12, 2008

My sincere apologies to G who turned 5 three weeks ago.  Here are some photos from the event!

G dons Curious G

Traditional presents on the piano

 

I believe this architectural wonder of a wrapping job was courteous of Joseph.

Birthday party in the park!

 

The eating of dinner…

 

The traditional carrying of the G…

The eating of cake:

The opening of presents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Squared

It’s not often that one turns -something- squared.  It’s been 11 years for me and it’ll be another 13 before it happens again.  Liesl and the kids spoiled me with fun things – all very thoughtful!  We opened presents and ate breakfast in the morning and then it was off to work for me then directly to scouts.  Didn’t get home till 9pm.  Knowing this beforehand, Liesl did my birthday dinner on the night of the 2nd and we enjoyed way tasty ribeye and cream peas and potatoes.  Hmmmm….

I think I’m pledging allegiance…or something.

A cool new compass from Jacob for my scouting activites.  How thoughtful!

An ounze of silver – a thing of beauty!

Chips-a-hoy, harkening back to my IDS days where I had C.A.H.’s on-demand.  A good friend at work found out about that (ok, I told him) and one day he surprised me with two packages in the freezer.  Joseph was the kind gift giver in this case – and just in time, the ones in the freezer are just about gone.

A picture of the signing of the Constitution from Katrina for my office - a thing of beauty!

K’nex from mom and dad – to assist me in my parenting.  One must be well equiped for these important life duties.  After all, no success can compensate for structural failure of lego or K’nex masterpieces built at home with the family.

Kewl new shades.

A most excellent new backpack to match Joseph’s!

 

Happy 11th Birthday Katrina!

August 28, 2008

Ok, so I’m a few days late in posting evidence of the festivities.  My apologies!

The beautiful cake made by the Mom.

 

A fancy dancy sewing kit.

Smashed coins (which Katrina collects) and a dollar coin from her Grandpa Chambers – redeemable in later years for college or mission at a ratio of, let’s see, it was 100:1 right?

 

In-line skates which she has long desired.  And a sewing machine which she was WAY excited about.

 

 

On the left, G looks on as Katrina opens her gift.  On the right, the proverbial birthday cereal

Is it just me or is Katrina growing up?

The cake experienced some structural integrity problems but it was delicious nonetheless!

Happy 13th Birthday Joseph!

Yet another festive day in the Arnell home – the second of three birthdays in one week’s time.  I vowed not to get behind on this post.  Here’s some pictures from the day!

Our first 13 year old!  Sporting his new shades.

 

On the left – Joseph has spent hours listening to tapes and CDs on american and church history.  Here’s a new set on the Presidents of the church.

On the right – Joseph wields a spear fashioned by a local 10-ish year old who runs a little business carving and selling them – and patronized by Katrina and her hard-earned cash.

 

3-D Origami Book (Joseph is quite the origami afficionado) – and a 1000 piece Eric Dowdle puzzle of Logan.  Fun!

Joseph’s new hiking pack – picked up affordably at a local outdoor outfitter going-out-of-business sale.

Katrina & Joseph sport their new eyewear.

Lizzy enjoys the festivities

 

In other news, Liesl enjoys the fruits of her garden labors…

…and G enjoys a leap into the beanbag.

 

George Wythe University

Monticello Campus Groundbreaking – Part 1

August 29, 2008

I’m sorry I’m already behind on two birthday posts and there are two more in the next three days.  Whew!  I may just do all four in one post.  I’ve been working feverishly over the past several months to finish my master’s thesis and finally finished the first real ready-for-others-to-review draft early yesterday morning.  Woo-hoo!  I’ve been working on my degree for five years and my thesis for four.  If all goes well I’ll graduate in October.  It has been a long time coming.

I’m typing this early Sunday morning from our hotel in Monticello.  We’re here this weekend for the ceremony and festivities surrounding the groundbreaking of the Monticello campus. 

 

After a five hour drive from Cedar we arrived in Monticello.  Pictured above is the Hyland Hotel, a historical site in Monticello and location of the GWU Reception Center – at least until the new campus is built.

 

 

My boss, the newly installed president of GWU, Shanon Brooks, took us on a four wheeler tour of the campus grounds. The ATVs were a very big hit.

George Wythe has put on youth conferences every summer for the past seven years.  Joseph attended this year’s conference in Cedar.  Next year all of the conferences will be in Monticello.

The kids stand on the future site of The Yellowstone, a multi-purpose lodge located south of the university campus, to be used at YFA and other gatherings.

 

Hiking along one of the trails south of the campus grounds.  This entire area (some 200 acres) will be held in reserve for a future generation of GWU leaders to decide what to do with it.

Liesl shows G some acorns.

Skyline looking East.

 

More hiking.

Friday evening the festivies moved to a park and pavillion in town where we ate dinner and enjoyed live music.  A number of our old friends from California came up just for the occassion (14 hour drive).  It was great to see them again.

Lizzy gets ready for bed.  She shared a cot with Georgianna. Lizzy woke up in the morning crying “Gianna kicked me!”  It was a small cot.

Next stop: Saturday’s sunrise devotional.

 

After the big storms a few weeks back, the pooled water in the neighborhood came alive with tadpoles and frog concertos every night.  Liesl captured a bunch with the kids and brought them home. After eating all the algae in the bucket our little slimy friends turned cannibalistic. The biggest were then eaten in turn by this nasty monster slug thing that remains unidentified.  Two frogs grew to adulthood, well, froghood.  After loosing our little animal farm we stopped at the ponds again this week and brought home a new batch, this time with camera in tow:

Mammoth Creek – Cedar Mountain Part III

I don’t think the video quality does the photos justice, but at least the music is fun.  Here’s part III of our family getaway up Cedar Mtn. a few weeks back.  Enjoy!