UPS Package Distribution Day

This last week I was teaching Anya about conveyor belts, supply chains and distribution systems.

The activity part of the lesson was building Lego conveyor belts as model representations of what our cousin Matt would use at UPS (a long time ago). Check out the video:



This next one illustrates what happens when you reach a limit on your throughput:



A different problem is when you have a loading frequency that is too high:



This last video is short but it shows an alternative system for the loading of packages into the cargo bay before clean up.



(Discussing Matt's more recent job tasks will take place on "Marketing Analysis and Operations Day.")

We also made a phone and an elephant. The phone was to explain to Anya how customers used to place shipping orders before the age of the cellphone.



And the elephant is what some Asian countries used to transport large packages. (Right Matt?)

Bye Bye Baby

We love this baby, but she is one today, so now she is a big girl! We love you Auch!

Potty Training

We haven't yet begun potty training . . . but it looks like we might be in for a tough go of it . . . is it possible to have a set back before you even begin?


(Anya is wearing her diaper ON the potty.)

Won't You Please NOT Be My Neighbor?

Mr. Rogers is a lot more tolerant than I. Perhaps he grew up in an apartment building, with loud, drug-dealing/doing neighbors on one side, a weirdo on the other side who has his TV on ALL night--very loudly--so loudly in fact that we move into the dining room (really) and above him, giants. I, however, grew up in a peaceful farming community where anyone within a two mile radius was my "neighbor". And the further away, the better the neighbor :) I had no idea most people DO NOT grow up this way.

Anya has had some adjustments being back from visiting my parent's house. She is scared of the noises upstairs. She covers her ears and hides. Before our trip, we got new upstairs neighbors. I really thought they must be related to Goliath. But I saw them, and they are normal sized, just "heavy-footed" and love to vacuum once a day--at about 11pm. Within a few days of their arrival, Anya asked on a bright clear day, "Mommy, is that thunder?" after listening to them walk around above us. I said, "No, that's just our neighbors above us walking around." To this she said, "Oh, is it just kinda like thunder?" Oh well, I'm sure we make up for it with crying children in the middle of the night (and day).

Now that I've vented, there are certain advantages about apartment living. No yard work. Maintained pools. Gym. Free grill use. Nice walking trail. Nothing is ours--grape juice on the carpet, crayons on the walls, no big deal. Fridge breaks, ask for a new one. Make a hole in the wall, oh well, no deposit back. No worries about selling it when we leave. And the best of all--I can almost vacuum the whole place from one outlet!

For Daddy, Part 2

Austria and Anya loved having a certain Aunt drag them around in this box on rides.

This morning when I went in to get Anya, there she was, inside the pillowcase. She and I had a good laugh.

I guess we should get some shoes for this girl soon . . .

For Daddy

Johnnie,

Since you are missing us and making videos of yourself doing what we expect from a semi-bored engineer, here are a few words from Anya, some action from Austria (sorry, I can't seem to get a good video of her trying to walk, I'll work on it, her record is about 8 steps) and some photos to cheer you up.

I heard Anya sneeze while she was in her bed, so I knew she was done with her nap. When I entered the room, she said,

"There was no one here to bless me!"

Anya: "I need to buy a new Mommy at the grocery store."

Me: "It's time for a nap."

Anya: "What? What are you talking about?"

Anya: "Lindy? Lindy, what are you doing?"

Have fun in VA! See you Friday!

You know I'm missing my family when...

... I break out my levitating top collection. Take a look:



Yah. I know what you're thinking. "That's cool."


I haven't played with Lego yet but I'm reasonably sure it's a Sabbath activity if I build Angel Moroni tomorrow...

The Bear Lake Monster

Bear Lake would nearly be a perfect vacation spot if it wasn't for the Bear Lake Monster. Some people believe this monster is a myth, including myself . . . until last week. I finally discovered the origin. I think there are actually SEVERAL monsters and not just ONE. One of the most well-known monsters is the one parents use as a way to get their children to finally come out of the water. "We'd better get out of the water before the Bear Lake Monster finds us." Anya wasn't really too scared of this threat.

Another monster is the one little kids turn into after staying out in the sun too long, missing too much sleep, and eating too many Doritos and licorice. (No picture of this monster, it's too scary to post.)

And of course, there are the sand-eating kind of monsters--these aren't really too threatening and can actually be quite pleasant.

Despite the dangers these monsters hold, we LOVE Bear Lake. Hopefully we can come back again next summer!