WE LIVE!!!!!!! You pessimistic people

hey everbody!!!!!


IT'S BEN AND OLIVER AGAIN!!!!


(lucky)



We can tell by all of your comments that you may be a little worried about the state of our health and well being. We are here to inform you that you we are doing well. That will be all. Goodbye.



Ok, we lied and we are sorry :(

This week has been awesome!
We began as you know by staying with the Smoot's and going to their school etc. (It was SO weird! they had a running track INSIDE!! maybe it's just us who thinks that's weird)
Anyway, after we left the Smoot's house early on Tuesday afternoon, we went to visit Sister Arbuckle. We must admit that at first we thought this would be slightly awkward with looong pauses while Sister Arbuckle gathered her strength. (In our defense - We had never met her AND mum and dad kept talking about how "we weren't going to stay with her because she's older and it would be too much of a strain on her") We arrived shortly after leaving the Smoot's to find her and her daughter cleaning out the basement. Hmm....interesting.
Sister Arbuckle was awesome!!!

I've never heard of a grandmother who has made blankets for every single one of her 40 - 50 grandchildren

and lived to tell the tale! Mum was flabbergasted in every way about how healthy Sister Arbuckle is. (as she said about 50 times) repeating phrases such as "You look younger than the last time I saw you" and "You look so alive and energetic". Mum and Dad and Sister Arbuckle had a wonderful old chat but we would have to say that the highlight for us would have to be the lunch. Frozen Custard. We'll let you ponder that for a second........Mmmm Yummy. (NOTE FROM OLIVER: I don't even like custard but this was more ice-cream from heaven)

The best part about this lunch was that it cost NOTHING. Sister Arbuckles grandson owns and works there and was working when we came in. SCORE! Mum and Dad and Sister Arbuckle all had sandwiches. Myself and Ben were smarter then this. We saved the space for the other things :D

Dad even said that this ice-cream gave new meaning to the word 'smooth'. I (Oliver) even challenged them as never before and tried to get them to replicate a 'Cherry Ripe' flavour after giving a small description of a 'Cherry Ripe'.

Oliver: Ummm... it's like cherry mixed with some coconut covered in chocolate....

Dad: Yeah, that sounds like it

Server: ......um...ok

Six minutes later, that came out with Cherry Ripe Ice-Cream. It was Amazing.

We then took our journey towards Salt Lake city again.

The Toones were not expecting us until later on in the evening because they would not be home SO we went and took a tour of the conference center! IT'S HUGE!!! We all thought it was awesome. From the paintings, to the sculptures, to the floor (Yes the floor is pretty amazing), to the Christmas trees, to the decorations and to the conference hall itself. It was breath taking. These were a few of my favourite things - Stop singing and keep reading - The picture of Jesus visiting the Americas after his death (That painting is MASSIVE) The Hall with the balconies that aren't supported by any pillars so that EVERY seat has a clear view of the pulpit. (the guy who was taking us through on this tour mentioned that the upper balcony actually sinks about 15 - 25 inches when it's full ....... Proverbs 3:5-6)

This tour sadly ended without being able to see the roof of the conference centre (to all those who didn't know, like myself, the roof is four acres of park lands)

Our direction following skills were then put to the test as we ventured off to find the Toone's House. We blame Google directions. We arrived at their house later then we had planned but were warmly welcomed into their home. We inhabited their basement as we still do until tomorrow morning. They are both so wonderful. Claire had even made up more beds then were needed just to give us the option of where to sleep. Elder Toone (hehehe) was exactly the way we remembered him. Helping wherever and always smiling. After talking with them for a little while they fed us and allowed us to go to bed. We woke up in the morning to find Claire cooking German pancakes along with one of the BEST sauces we've ever tasted. We then took of for a day of fun :D

Park City.

The city renowned for it's snow of which it had almost none... D:

BUT we did continue to drive up the mountains as far as possible until we found the small patch of snow. It was there that we realised just how dirty Ben is when it comes to snowball fights (NOTE: I should mention now that neither of us could really make a snowball. I came close, but it took ages!)

NOTE: The trucks that drove over the snow compressed the snow making them blocks of ice. Ben uses them numerous times throughout the video. If he picks something up and throws it straight away, that is a block of ice the size of a snowball.

After this short play in the snow, we all jumped back into the car and tried to regain movement in our fingers while driving down to the main street of Park City.

The Main street in Park City is like a frozen version of the cute street up in Caloundra. We began at a small restaurant called "The Establishment" We had a wonderful meal after which dad gave a lesson on the current economic trends. (HAHAHAHA ask someone later). We then continued to RUN up and down this street entering any shop that had a heater on. (It was -8 degrees). This was so much fun. We ended in the Family Tree, A small family history centre that was built while the winter Olympics where in Park City. We then drove to the outlet area. Imagine DFO, but make it outside (the front of each store led out into the cold) make the shops twice as large, the prices half as much and put a red moose out the front holding a shopping bag. That's the Ranger Shopping outlet! We got there at 2:30ish and had to DRAG mum away before the shops shut to be back at the Toone's house for dinner. Mum still had the opportunity to buy one bag of stuff..... Dad, Ben and I managed 3 bags....don't ask.

Once again we blame Google Directions.

Although this one is a bit of a stretch since we weren't actually following directions but as Dad saw the big signs leading to the Toone's house pass by on the off ramp that we weren't friends with... we wish we had.

Once again, the Toone's gave us a lovely meal after which we all headed to bed.

Thursday morning was just as wonderful as Wednesday morning. We emerged from the depths of the house to find about 8 different cereals lined up on the table with bowls and spoons placed neatly on the table. The milk was off to the side. We all some cereal and talked for a while with Claire (Matthew was already at work). Today's plan was to split. Mum was going over to visit her e-buddy while the rest of us were going back to the Smoot's house to pick up a power board that we had left there. We drove south for about half an hour to drop off mother. We then drove an hour and a half north to the Smoot's house followed by another hour and a half south to pick up mum (We also had a good time talking to mum's e-buddy and her daughter and her daughter's friend for a while :P). This was then followed by three quarters of an hour north east back to Tanger Outlet. Yes, we went back but this time mum stayed until 9. Dad, Ben and I ran to different places for mother, slept in the car etc. Once again mum came out with many shopping bags. Dad, Ben and Myself had improved since the night before and were able to limit it to 4 bags.... it's not what it seems. (did anyone else start thinking about the swan princess just then or was that just me???)

Everyone was dead by the time we got back to the Toone's house. So we all fell into bed.. after talking for a while and eating a few toasties that Claire made to counter act every one's hunger.

This morning was once again awesome. This morning was yogurt with chopped oranges and banana followed by a potato, bacon casserole thing. It tasted better then it sounds :D

Today was different to the others. Today Mum drove to whatever shops she could find. Meanwhile Dad, Ben and myself caught a ride into Salt Lake City with Matthew as he drove to work. It's not like mum just wanted to shop instead on being with us, She DID have good reasons to shop. Back on temple square, we began the day with baptisms at the Salt Lake City Temple. It was wonderful. Very different from Brisbane temple but was just as good :D This was followed by visiting the South and North visitors centres on temple square, the assembly hall, the church office building, the Brigham Young Memorial Park, the conference centre (we wanted to see the roof), the church history museum and finally the Family History Centre. We just fit as much as we could into our final day in Salt Lake. It was SO fun. We also had lunch at the Lion House. We then ran back to the north west corner of the conference centre to catch a ride back to the Toone's house with Matthew. We had to run because we had spent our last hour in the Family History centre looking up family members :D (This was really interesting and fun - well at least for me and i guess dad and Ben to ..... so interesting and fun for everyone!)

When we got back to the Toone's house, we were relieved to see that mum was back safely (she hadn't finished shopping. She was waiting for dad and dinner so that she could return to the shops to pick up...

*PARTS OF THIS TEXT HAVE BEEN LOST/STOLEN BY CHRISTMAS SPIRIT DUE TO THE CONTENT IT MAY CONTAIN AND THE DAMAGE THIS COULD HAVE ON CHRISTMAS SPIRIT*

...After/during/now we are writing to comfort you all and letting you know that we are safe. I should also note that Ben and I played electronic Monopoly with Matthew

This is a photo I have titled: I can walk on water too.

It was taken on top of the Conference Centre which we went back to today to go on the roof. All the little pools of water had ice on them!

You may be disappointed that we only uploaded one photo, HOWEVER. It took ages, you already have a video and it's midnight here.

We are all having SOOO much fun. America is so different. We are all smiling every day and having a great time. (There you go Tammy!)

Goodbye and Goodnight

From Oliver ... and Ben

P.S. When uploading the photo, we might have chosen the wrong one ... but at least it's a photo :D

P.P.S. We apologise if this post seemed to get more and more boring as the post went on. This is due to our fatigue and time restrictions.

P.P.P.S. You better appreciate the picture, my feet were freezing while I waited for that picture to be taken!