Cello Wars

Rootstech and Norwegian genealogy

We took an eleven day trip to Salt Lake City to attend the Rootstech Conference in the Salt Palace. This conference combined genealogy and technology. So there is a bit of an age gap with the really old genealogists and really young technologists but it seemed to work. You won't believe all the new technology available for genealogy. Within a year or so most genealogy will be done on mobile devices. This is the view of the capital and conference center from our window.

This is the other view from our hotel.

Sunday morning we were part of the 4299th live broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Spoken Word.

The Christus in the West Visitors Center.

Temple at night.

This statue of a family pulling a hand cart was created by the famous Norwegian sculptor, Torleif Knaphus.

One say at noon we went back to the tabernacle to attend an organ recital. Most of the music was beautiful but other pieces made not sense to me, with all the rolls, flourishes and strange chords; sometimes it sounded like they just laid down of the keyboards. Oh well, I guess that is why I am not an organist.

Another day we had lunch with Barb and Dave Parkinson, good friends from way back when they lived in Minnesota.

Strange trees.

This statue in the conference center is of the first vision.

But when you turned it around so you could see the back, you notice that God the Father has his arm around Jesus. You don't see that anywhere else.

From the conference center roof.

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building where we had numerous classes on Norwegian genealogy.

Church office building where we had passes to eat in the cafeteria. It was good food for little money.

This is the original Nauvoo Temple bell with the SLC Temple in the background.

Spent several days here looking at Norwegian parish records, Bygdeboks, and maps.

The Norwegian SLC genealogy group had a get-together in a fourth floor conference room in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. after it was over we took several of the group members up to the observation floor to get some pictures. Some of the members of the group have been to SLC before but never seen the temple from the top floor. They were impressed.

Calvin is 2 but not terrible

Calvin had a birthday and is now two years old. He seems like a different young boy. He loves to run and explore and he likes it when we come over to visit. The day was backwards with the presents being unwrapped first. Actually he opened some early in the day.

He didn't have a chance to open the gifts from the invited guests until we got there. There were a lot of relatives there to watch this fun time for him.

Looks like he likes this one.

Then it was time for the cake. The candles were lit but what is that look on his face? "Stop taking pictures so I can get down to business!"

Nothing beats cake and ice cream. Great day for everyone.

Lorelei's baptism

Lorelei turned eight years old and was now ready to be baptized. The room was filled with everyone who loved her. She was excited and couldn't wait. Lorelei asked her Aunt Erin to give a talk on baptism and me to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. Her dad performed the ordinance.

Elin, one of her many BFFs, was there to watch and be with her.

Calvin, on the other hand, just wanted to eat the treats afterwards. "This is really good!"

Lorelei with her family, Dad Calvin, Joseph, Mom and Gretchen. what a great family.

One parting shot of Lorelei under the picture of Jesus being baptized.

Interactive Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night

Starry Night (interactive animation) from Petros Vrellis on Vimeo.

Lorelei had a birthday and a pancake party

Lorelei turned eight last month and had a party with a bunch of girls at the Barnhart Pancake House. The rule was that you had to come in your pajamas. The Barnhart Pancake House was open for business and the girls would be piling in soon. The table is set and waiting for the girls to arrive.

This was a make-it-yourself-pancake-breakfast, though after adding all the whipped cream, chocolate, sprinkles, bacon, strawberries, etc, I don't know if anything was eaten. But what wouldn't taste good with bacon and chocolate.

Zoe with her plate.

Elin is chowing down and Joseph wondering if he could sneak some.

Calvin wanted in on the action.

Zoe's finished product.

Is there actually a pancake under all that stuff, Tori?

This is the birthday cake or cupcake.

One candle down, seven to go.

Eating the birthday cupcakes was more of "let's see how much we can get on our faces that actually eating them."

Then it was time to open the gifts. everyone was anxious to help.

It was a great pajama/pancake breakfast birthday for Lorelei. Everyone had fun.

New Years Day at Chuck-E-Cheese

New Years Day is a day for Chuck-E-Cheese with the Smenteks. Mairin was the perfect angel and slept half the time there.

They each got a cup of tokens to use. Kellan is trying his hand at this game.

Then Kellan was getting some pointers shooting spiders from Logan and Liam. He thinks they are pretty good.

Kellan is at the Wack-A-Mole.

Liam is the explorer in the jungle maze. He loves to climb.

This is the boys doing damage to the big angry spiders.