Random Summer Photos

Here are a few other things that have happened this summer:

Above: Cody has been home from his mission to Korea for 2 years now! Wow…time flies. He had a mission reunion this month. President Cho and his wife (pictured with Cody above) were recently released after serving for 3 years and traveled to Utah to meet with some of their missionaries that have returned home. Cody got to go to dinner with them the night before the reunion and really enjoyed being able to see them again. Cody served with him as an AP (Assistant to the President) for many months and so they got to be very close.

Above: Cody, Sister and President Cho, and one of Cody’s companions on his mission (Elder Webster).

Above: This was at a Wal-Mart in Cortez, Colorado, when we took our little trip over to Mesa Verde during our Utah trip. I took these with my phone and forgot to put them on the Blog. (PJ, 11; Donovan, 9; Bronson, 9).

Above: This was right before we headed to Stone Mountain for Donovan’s birthday. We had found out the night before that we were losing some of our favorite missionaries to transfers….so we got a photo with them before they left.

Above: We couldn’t see Elder Kilpelainen in the last one…so we had to take another. I learned how to use the timer on my camera this day …and that pianos are a great height for doing this. (Primary room…can you tell?)

BELOW: I had a hard time uploading videos for a while a couple of months ago…so here are a couple that I would’ve uploaded with past entries but didn’t because I couldn’t.

Above: Donovan (9) and Seth (10) doing the Slip N Slide back in June.

Above: This was a volleyball game that our ward had at the Annual Memorial Day BBQ out at Hard Labor Creek. You can see Megan and Liz on the Left and PJ on the Right.

Adoption is a Great Option!!!

I feel compelled, for some reason, to quickly share my feelings about adoption and what a great option it is. It’s a little bit removed from our typical “Blog Fodder” (a coin termed by me, feel free to use it …but my hope is that perhaps it will help someone out there that is contemplating adopting a child…or a woman/girl who is making the very difficult decision of whether to raise a child they are pregnant with or allow that child to be placed for adoption.

I guess the first thing to say is that I am a product of that decision made by a very young girl many many years ago. And the next thing I would like to say is “THANKS!” to her for making that brave decision…which I’m sure was incredibly difficult. I am so grateful that, number one, she didn’t decide to terminate my chance at life by having an abortion. Secondly, I’m grateful that she didn’t decide to try and raise me…she still being a child herself.

I (Shayne) was adopted when I was 3 days old and I have a sister that is 21 months older than me that was also adopted at the age of 1 month (different biological parents). My (amazing) parents, who tried unsuccessfully for years to have children, have always let my sister and I know that we were a “miracle” in their lives. We always felt extra special in that regard because we knew that they took extraordinary, deliberate measures in order to bring us into their family. We always knew we were adopted and that made us feel unique.

Another angle to this story is that I now have 3 adopted children of my own. Three of our children (it doesn’t matter which ones) were adopted through the Foster Care system. Frank, and his late wife Karen, took care of many children in their home who were not born into ideal family situations. They were able to adopt three of those children. They have all been a blessing in our home.

So, that is my quick story. I tell it, as I said, as an advocate for adoption and the blessings and benefits it can bring into the lives of the child adopted as well as the family that is blessed by their presence.

I was adopted through the LDS Social Services (now LDS Family Services). They have a great new website to help those contemplating adoption (on both sides) with their decision. They have a bunch of testimonials from birth parents and adopted children and a lot more good info. Check it out at:

Thanks for indulging me for a moment….

Donovan Turns 9

Above: Donovan with his awesome birthday cake made by Megan.

Above: It’s supposed to be a boat…can you tell? We didn’t have blue icing for the water.

Above: Cousin Hannah over for the party.

Above: Donovan, “Give me those presents.”

Above: Cards from Grandparents.

Above: Liz trying to look innocent?

Above: Megan couldn’t wait to taste her creation.

Above: Seth came over for the party too and then stayed for a slumber party.

Above: Donovan got what he wanted…a Rip Stik!!

Above: Trying out the Rip Stik.

Above: PJ, who already has a Rip Stik, showing Donovan how it is done.

Above: PJ gave Donovan his bike for a birthday gift.

Above: Ashley trying out the Rip Stik.

Above: Donovan blowing out the candles, with a little help from Seth.

Stone Mountain for Donovan’s Birthday

Donovan wanted to go to Stone Mountain for his birthday…but he didn’t want to stay long…he wanted to make sure we back in plenty of time to open presents and eat cake and ice cream.

We have gone to SM a couple of different times, but the line is always stinking long for the “Sky Hike,” which is what Donovan wanted to do. It wasn’t that long that day…but we still waited in line for 1.5 hours!!! It was crazy! At least it was a beautiful day…not too hot or sticky.

Above: Donovan (9), PJ (11), Shayne, Ashley (10), Frank, Mikayla (13), Liz (16), & Megan (14).

Above: My beautiful girls – Megan (14), Liz (16) & Mikayla (13)…waiting in line. Megan and Liz got out of the line before the end…so they didn’t get to do it.
Above: Ashley (10) – Liz did her hair cute that day.

Above: There were three levels to the Sky Hike.

Above: Donovan (9) starting out on the Sky Hike.

Above: Ashley (10) starting out on the Sky Hike.

Above: Donovan, “I’ve got a serious wedgie!”

Above: Mikayla (13) and PJ (11) on the Sky Hike.

Above: Ashley and the people we stood in line with for 1.5 hours.

These guys were behind us. The people in front of us turned out to be LDS, just like us….what are the odds??? They were from a stake down by Jonesboro.

Above: PJ and Mikayla.

Above: After Frank took some photos from the ground, he tossed the camera up to me so I could get some photos up on top. I got in trouble twice for taking photos…oops! I guess they don’t want “loose objects” so they don’t fall on people below. What they didn’t realize was that the camera was nothing…we had a couple of “loose cannons” up there . jk

Above: On this level you could choose the easy route (see the straight stick on the left) or the more difficult one. Ashley always chose the more difficult one….she’s a daredevil.

Above: Donovan, PJ and the lady that got mad at me for taking photos.

Above: Donovan did the climbing wall after the Sky Hike.

Above: PJ on the climbing wall.

Above: PJ, Megan and Don on the little kid obstacle course. They were only a foot off the ground. They were only doing it because they wanted to do the zipline at the end.

Above: Donovan on a different climbing wall. He made it to the top and rang the bell.

Above: VIDEO ALERT!! Donovan doing the Zip Line at Stone Mountain.

Above: VIDEO ALERT!! PJ & Megan doing the Zip Line at Stone Mountain.

Ward Pioneer Party

We had a great Ward (church) Pioneer Party the other night out behind the chapel. Below are some of the highlights.

FYI for those of you that don’t know…our church, and the whole state of Utah, celebrate “The 24th of July” every year…which is the day the LDS pioneers, led at that time by the prophet Brigham Young, entered the Salt Lake Valley back in 1847 (so the celebration in Salt Lake City is called “The Days of 47″) and he announced “This is the Place” that the Saints would settle after they were driven by force from their homes back in Illinois, Missouri and Ohio.

For more info on the Trek of the Pioneers:

(**I didn’t get my camera out until it was almost over, so I missed a lot of the water fights, kids games, and most of the awesome stick pulling contest where Elder Hunter beat everyone with ease**)

Above: Here is Mikayla and Ashley making an attempt at stick pulling. This is a game they used to play a lot in the days of Joseph Smith (early to mid 1800′s). I have never seen my camera do this before…but look at Mikayla’s shirt. The shirt was completely red…but for some reason the front part of the shirt was changed to brown (the color of Ashley’s shirt)…hmmm…

Above: Everyone getting ready for the “Dress Like a Pioneer” race. They had to throw on a Pioneer Garb and then race around a cone and come back and tag the next person….guys against girls…. That’s Ula in the apron…she is our “Activity Chairperson” and put on a great party.

Above: Elder Mundt getting his (female) pioneer garb on..

Above: Elder Mundt ready to run… (he’s a greenie from Vegas!)

Above: Ashley was the first on the girls side to get dressed and run…she was in competition with Elder Mundt.

Above: Elder Hunter, Elder Brewer, Patrick, Sam and Sister Humphries…

Above: Donovan

Above: Poor Elder Hunter…Ashley has him “roped.”

Above: Luckily he’s a good sport. Above: Mikayla and Liz.

Above: Elders Brewer, Hunter & Mundt.

Above: Some AWESOME MISSIONARIES!!

Above: We finally got some SISTER missionaries in Conyers (no offense Elders)….and they are AMAZING too…Sister Shaw & Sister Humphries. We were sooooo bummed that Sis. Shaw only got to be with us for 6 weeks!

Above: This was the start of a “Shaving Competition.” The girls got to shave the guys. The “shavers” were just wooden sticks…but the shaving cream was real.

Above: The guys took it pretty well. That’s Liz shaving Elder Kilpelainen.

Above: Elder Brewer…he’s a funny guy!

Above: Ashley shaved Elder Mundt.

Above: Another shaving “victim.” Sam…one of my Cub Scouts.

Above: Bro. Joyner…who got ahold of you???

Above: One of our favorite Bucks – - Lydia!

Above: Mikayla got to shave Ivy. Can you see the fear in his eyes???

Above: Elder Hunter…channeling Brigham Young!

Above: It’s only fair…

Above: Megan and Sister Shaw spent a good part of the party working on one of Megan’s perpetual crossword puzzles…

Above: This was a really cute dog there with Charlie. We had fun playing with him.

Above: VIDEO ALERT!!

We love Elder Hunter. Here he is messing around with PJ. We were all waiting for him to “take him down,” but he was being too nice .

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Check out the latest posting on the Church’s Youtube page. It is about Modern Pioneers. I really liked it.

MODERN DAY PIONEERS

Trip to Brunswick 09

Above: We went to a beach on St. Simons Island on July 3rd. It was great. Then we went again on the 4th of July. BIG mistake. There was NOwhere to park and we had to hike down the beach with all of our gear for quite a ways. But…we still had fun.

Above: We hauled all of our boogie boards down to the beach…then we realized that we were the only ones on the beach with boogie boards. If you notice…there are no waves big enough to justify a boogie board! I guess it’s a West Coast thing?? You could walk out a LONG way and it would only go up to your waist (knees most of the time).

Above: Hoping for a wave.

Above: Megan

Above: Mikayla

Above: PJ

Above: Frank and Ashley

Above: So, later that night we decided not to go back to St. Simons Island for the fireworks show. We were told that it could take 4 hours to get off the island afterward. Instead we opted to do our own little fireworks show in front of Grandma and Grandpa Nolden’s house.

That’s Shayne and Grandpa Nolden on the porch before the fireworks. The fuzziness of the photo is because of the intense humidity in the air. We had just taken the camera outside into and it hadn’t adjusted yet.

Above: The camera was still fuzzy from humidity when we caught Grandma Nolden and Uncle Mark watching the fireworks show. I’m thinking Uncle Mark isn’t liking the show .

Above: Frank and Aunt Lynn taking the safe approach to fireworks.

Above: PJ, Megan and Mikayla were actively involved in lighting off the fireworks.

Above: PJ, Megan, Uncle Mark & Mikayla. It was TOTALLY dark right before the flash went off…so no one knew that Uncle Mark was “lurking” in the shadows .

Above: Uncle Mark still lurking .

Above: Megan, Aunt Lynn & Mikayla

Mikayla’s New “Do”

Mikayla has soooo much hair with tons of curl…and she doesn’t like it for some reason. But her hair is REALLY beautiful. Today I took her in to my stylist for a cut and style…she looked amazing!

Above: The BEFORE shot…. That’s Amy Steinberg, our stylist…she is awesome!! She owns GrassRoots Salon in old town Conyers.

Above: …and the AFTER.

Above: She loved it! It turned out great!

Six Flags (again)…

Frank had to work this time…and Liz is in Vegas…but the rest of us went to Six Flags this week with Larry, Sandi (Frank’s sister), Seth & Hannah. It was WAY hotter and more humid than last time…but we still had a lot of fun. This time we checked out “Skull Island,” which is a mini water “park in the park.”

Above: Boy, I think Donovan was having too much fun. None of the kids actually liked this one.

Above: Ok, a little bit better.

Above: Seth

Above: Hannah, Ashley & Don

Above: Hannah

Above: Seth & Ashley

Above: The water…before they got wet…

Above: …and after.

Above: Seth & Ashley

Above: Skull Island.