To Market, To Market. . .

Denny and Elizabeth Return
Last Saturday Elizabeth and the Bird girls returned from their Caribbean cruise and Denny and the Bird guys returned from their Alaskan fishing trip. The girls enjoyed beautiful weather and loads of fun, including prizes in the big show as Elizabeth and Brooke were singing in the ships big extravaganza as 'Britney and Madonna' (see photo above right).

Denny, his Grandfather, Dad and brothers were rained-on continually and roughing it, but caught some pretty big fish. Tim is helping out by assisting in the eating part.

Gloria and Tim miss the grandkids now they are back home.

Farmer's Market
Gloria went up to Logan Friday and Saturday so Tim and Joseph decided Saturday morning it was time for another adventure. Off they went to Salt Lake's Pioneer Park to the weekly Farmers Market. It exceeded all expectations. With lots of artwork, crafts, produce, and foods, it was a great way to enjoy the great weather and spend an interesting morning.

Tim and Joseph enjoyed Jamaican barbecued chicken shish-kabab early and later the Sudanese food was perfect for lunch. If you are local and haven't been, go and enjoy it. (check it out at: http://www.downtownslc.org/events/farmersmarket/farmersmarketinfo.htm).

Joseph really enjoyed some of the great photographers exhibiting their work and some of the craft items including the licence plate map of the US and the wooden Harley 'rocking horse'.

Upcoming LSAT Tests
Next Saturday morning, beginning early, Joseph takes the LSAT test. Prayers are appreciated.

A Week With the Kids, YEA!

Andy's Baptism
On Saturday September 8, 2008 Andy our friend from Qingdao China was baptised in Vancover WA. It was a wonderful service. Andy greeted all the guests and expressed thanks for their coming. Bro. Marc Turley baptised him and Jim Ely confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Andy bore his testimony of the Gospel at the service. He will be a great leader of the Church in China someday. Congratulations Andy, we love you.

Joseph and Dad at BYU vs UCLA
Thanks to a wonderful neighbor and friend Warren Brunson, Tim and Joseph had the great experience of attending the BYU footbal game with UCLA on Saturday the 13th. The weather was perfect and the game was sensational. Our tickets were for the 2nd row on the 10 yard line. The wheelchair seating was only a few rows up, what a view. We had visits with Brian Olsen, dad's companion in the Australian missionfield twice almost 40 years ago, and Sarah (Hartshorn) Mendenhall and her husband Matthew, one of our wonderful missionary sisters from England Bristol Mission. It was a great day and on top of all that BYU unloaded on UCLA 59-0.

A Week with the Kids

On Friday the 12th Elizabeth and Denny brought the children down and got ready to leave for a week's adventure. Denny's Dad and Grandparents had planned this for months. The guys went to Alaska fishing and the girls on a Caribbean cruise. We got the kids! They were awesome. Dad took the week off work (well he didn't go in to the office anyway) and Grandma and Grandma set a goal of spoiling the kids rotten before their parents came back.


Dinosaur Park
Monday was the adventure to the George S Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. None of us had been before but it was awesome. There is a museum and gift shop and a gigantic outdoor park with life-sized dinosaurs scattered through the beautiful trees and trails, ponds and playgrounds. The kids loved it and Dad loved taking photos.

Aquarium

On Friday we all went to the The Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. Joseph the kids and Tim and Gloria all enjoyed it. Joseph is so great with his nephews and niece. They mind him when he tells them to do something (or more often stop) and they love him. We had a great time looking at the fish. There is a extensive future plan for a large aquarium in the valley, this is the introductory phase.

Joseph the Research Subject

After the visit to the Aquarium Tim and Joseph left for the University of Utah for the Physical Therapy building where three students defended their senior projects which featured the study of Joseph and his Stem-cell therapy in association with Physical Therapy. Brian Smith and Tyler Snow did one presentation then Rebekah Lund did a second. It was a very positive experience. (They passed too).

A Fair State, a State Fair and a Fine State of Affairs

Labor Day Wedding in Cache Valley

Monday saw Gloria and Tim driving up to Logan and joining with Elizabeth, Denny and the kids to go to Weston Idaho for a wedding. Gloria's brother Neil renewed his vows in a private ceremony at home with his wife LuAnn. The drive was beautiful and the family reunion was great. The view of the mountains across the valley remined Tim of the hundreds of hours driving a tractor looking at the same view in Lewiston, just a couple of miles southeast. The family drove through Lewiston on the way back and reminisced as they enjoyed a spectaculor sunset.

A Delightful Drive to Morgan

On Tuesday, Tim took a ride to Morgan Utah with some of his George Washington Taggart cousins. GW Taggart, Tim's Great Grandfather came west with the Mormon Battalion and settled in Morgan (see GWT Biography). The group was checking out the DUP museum as a possible home of family artifacts, making them accessable to everyone. In the photo Left to Right: Rulon Crosby, Bountiful; Jay Taggart, Morgan; Julie Rabe, Clearfield; and Tim. They are standing behind GWTaggart's headstone in the beautiful Morgan Cemetary. This is a pretty fair state!

AV Department Picnic

Friday night the Church AV Department had their summer picnic in Utah Valley. It was fun to see everyone and enjoy an evening together of fun and frolic. A fine state of affairs! The photo on the right includes Dale and Joyce Jones (Dale is the Director of Production, Tim was Joyce's home teacher when they were young'ns in Lewiston together) and Chante Wouden. Compared to Chante's bubbly positive attitude, Tim is downright sedate and morose.

Utah State Fair

Saturday Joseph decided he wanted to take Ethan and Cheyenne to the State Fair. Elizabeth and Dad enjoyed tagging along (with Tim doing his normal thing of taking photos of the grandkids). It was really fun. They loved seeing and petting the animals and were delighted with the carnival rides too. It is great to feel the joy and delight of discovery and pure abandonment of thrill rides. Ah the joys of having children around.