February 18, 2013

Mom: I take it that everyone is really close.  The 1st picture is of a lion eating lattes and mandarin oranges and 2nd is Elder Shone's (the one in the chair) last district meeting the 3rd is a mall I like to call the great and spacious building.  I now have a new companion named Sis Wilson.  She is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool.  I haven't left Singapore but there might be transfers next month.  Today I'm going bowling so that should be fun.

Dad: When i get back maybe I can meet her the picture mom sent with her email of the temple from The Garden is beautiful.  I'm sure mom liked it.  Hey, you'll know trax as well as I know the MRT soon.  Sounds like things are going to be great in the Salt Lake area.  Alex needs to keep catching those mice.  I've got a new compaion but I'm still in Singapore, her name is Sis Wilson and we get along real well.

Michael: I don't think they would put you in Provo because you have too many relitives there.  1st pic is a cool looking path, 2nd is a silly sign I saw and 3rd is a church with your name on it.  What would be really random is if you were send to the Singapore mission with me and Elder Valentine here.  The alarms went off at the wedding?  What is the theory?

Karlene: Maybe next time. Did you have fun at the party?  He's only 34, that makes him 7 years older than me.  I thought there was more of a gap.

Faline: Sounds like your having fun.  Did you like the reception and did you like the movie?  What am I going to do with you when I get home, your going to be a 10 year old soon.  Here are some funny looking flowers for you.  Till next time.

Love,
Sis Summer Ballantyne

The Great & Spacious Building (mall)

Banana plant

Interesting flowers

Lion eating lattes and mandarin oranges

Inside a huge ornament

Pretty pink flower

Red flower

Interesting sculpture

Church with Summer's brother's name in the title

One of many pedestrian signs

The last district meeting for Elder Shone, in the chair

Pretty little pond

Nice path Summer found

Summer with her 1st companion, Sister Gopinath

Summer with her 2nd companion, Sister Noorda

February 17, 2013

Mom: It's kinda funny. Austin McRae left for his mission in December, I think, and is getting reassigned for the next transfer rotation (6 weeks) to the Idaho Boise Mission. Then he goes on to Mexico. Weird, huh?

Dad went through his orientation without a hitch. He passed all his tests and has a DOT card good for a year (physical part). That ended Wednesday then he spent all day Thursday riding the TRAX and getting to know where it went. We're getting a little impatient with the apt complex because they have asked us to fill out two applications and now want us to do it a 3rd time. Whatever. I sold a few more things off the place to our new neighbors, the Lambsons and finally learned her name: Emilee. They are really sweet and are taking care of the cats while we are away. One more family went through the house yesterday but I haven't heard if they are making an offer on it or not. If we don't get a buyer by May 30th it sounds like the bank will go through with the trustee's sale. Either way we're moving to Midvale so it doesn't really matter.

We're staying with Matt & Lori and their family. Today is Matt's birthday so we're going over to Carrie's for the celebration. We visited their ward and had lots of people come up and talk to us. Some wards aren't that friendly.

There are a few pictures of different things. The cats sleep on D.O.G., Bill & Erin's critters. Even without claws Alex can still catch mice! He caught one coming out from under the dishwasher last Sunday. It was pretty tuckered out by the time we left for church. When we got home it was laid out for us to admire right inside the front door, dead. His personality hasn't changed much and he can still do damage when he gets feisty but it's nice that he doesn't have claws anymore. One of Leah's sons is featured every now and then on Studio C from BYU TV, Stacy. Richie is a semi-pro football player but wants to go to shcool up here in Utah. Ji is another daughter and there's one we didn't meet who attends BYU Hawaii and will graduate later this year. It's nice to get to see everyone! When you get home you will find out how close everyone is to where we're going to live.

Dad: Well, I've been un Utah for about a week now. I'm getting ready to go to church in the same ward I went to last week. Last week I couldn't stay awake. Maybe I can today. As you probably guessed I'm not in a truck yet. The truck I'm going to be riding in won't be in the area until Wednesday or Thursday. They were going to give me a bus ticket home but I told them, instead of giving me a bus ticket give me one more night stay in the hotel because my wife is coming down Friday so that's what they did. I had a day to kill so I was planning on taking the TRAX around town, maybe get a day pass, but another truck driver gave me his pass that's good 'til the end of the bus. I got to know the train system pretty good. Edward and Leah came up from Texas. Her daughter, Anda (Alexandria), got married. I got to meet most of Leah's children at the wedding and reception. The day after Valentine's Day I took your mother to a restaurant called The Garden at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I think she liked it. Mom & Al are here, Edward & Leah, our family, however I feel sorry for Glenn & Carrie and Matt & Lori -- we're all crashing at their homes for now. Your mother's going to attach some pictures from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building as well as a couple others.

Michael: I got to go to a reseption for one of Leah's daughters. the food and hot chocolat was delishis. I also have no idea why the alarms went off, mom and dad do have a theory though. As for going to Indonesha, that might be a fun mission, but it would be funny if I surved in Provo Utah. Being in Utah with relitive is nice but I will miss Idaho it's a state that is fun to live in.

Karlene: wow. yep it seems like the house is in protest. the ausition got canceled because the person went out of town for the weekend. we got to go to Utah and see our cousins and celebrate Matt Soren's b-day. he is 34 now.

Faline: I'm at our cousins' house. I have had a great time but I don't know what my lesson in Primary is going to be about. I got to watch movies and play with my Legos on the way down here. We got to see Hotel Transylvania, again, last night at Glenn & Carrie's house. That was after the reception. We met some more of my cousins there.

Alex with the mouse he caught after he'd been declawed

Dan & Anda

Just outside the Mt Timpanogos Temple

Look at the name of the outfit! It's the name of Al's ranch.

This is sideways but looks kinda cool with Faline and Alex.

View from The Garden Restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City

One of Uncle Bill's cats sitting on their dog, D.O.G. They like to sleep on him since he's so warm and doesn't seem to mind

February 11, 2013

You can tell them how warm it is here in Singapore and the bus stops here are pretty nice and the ones that go to Malaysia are in the same areas that the cruse ships are. People in the US just don't use the bus that regularly any more unless they don't have much money there. I don't mind you using my duffle just bring it back in one piece. I got to see a Lion dance for Chinese New Year and got to participate in the celebrations with some of the members.

To Michael: Any idea why the alarms went off? Maybe you will go to Indonesia for your mission.

To Karlene: I saw a lion dance this last week and there are a lot of parasitic plants here. It is the tropics. I think the house is in protest because its first family is moving out of it. I hear you might have an audition, you'll have to tell me how that goes.

To Faline: There are a lot of things here that are like China so I would say yes they do. I'm doing good in Singapore and I can navigate it pretty well also. What do you thing about moving to Salt Lake? Have you beet Tools of Destruction yet? I miss you too. I'll send you a picture of a Lion next time ok.

Till next time,
Sister Summer Ballantyne

February 10, 2013

Well, well...where to start. Dad left again last night to head back to Salt Lake. He starts Monday, again. This time we hope he gets past the first 2 days. I'm sure he will. He got to Salt Lake about 6:30 this morning. Carrie (Glenn & Carrie) picked him up and took him to their place to change and go with them to church. Dad also has his temple clothes with him.

 

Leah's daughter is getting married in the Mt Timpanogos temple next Saturday. The rest of the family is tentatively going down with Grandma & Al on Friday. They are staying with George, Al's brother-in-law (Donna's brother). We will probably see if we can stay with Matt & Lori. Karlene & Faline don't have school Monday so maybe we can stay until then and I can show everyone our new apartment. Maybe we can arrange an audition with her perspective choir teacher at Hillcrest High.

 

Edward and Leah may move to Logan, UT, to go back to school then we'd be able to see them more often.

 

We listed our house for sale last Tuesday. We've already had 5 people look at it! If prices are better here than in Utah we will rent a storage unit here. If not, we'll have all your stuff and Michael's stuff at our apt complex in an onsite garage. We've sold a bunch of furniture and given away stuff so the house seems a little emptier. Dad and I found a bedroom set and dining set we like at RC Willey.

 

Last Sunday Sister Durham told about a single mother who would be in need of bunk beds and dining room set, among other furniture, so I offered our dining set and the XL twin bunk beds. We'll find out if she will need them when March rolls around.

 

Katherine Hughes, large lady who worked with us at DirecTV and has a son on a mission, died Thursday. I just found out from a post from Ghizmo on Facebook. Jeremiah is out on his mission somewhere in Texas. They weren't on very good terms when he left. Hopefully he will finish his mission, though.

 

We'll probably be staying with Matt & Lori next weekend. I'll be sure to take a computer so we can still write to you. I'm not sure if Dad will still be in Salt Lake or gone by then. It would be nice to see him but okay if he's already on a truck on the road. It should be a fun weekend!

 

I set up a Skype account for Dad so that, if he has the opportunity, he can call and see me. Tax clients are calling and coming fairly often so the money is coming in when we need it. We ran out of propane (already!) Friday night and had to call V1 to bring more on Saturday. Hopefully this is the last delivery we need before we move. If the temperature stays a little warmer it shouldn't need to be refilled. Because I got some money from doing taxes we had enough to pay for the propane. The [smoke] alarms went off for over 24 hrs but we disconnected most of them so we didn't have to listen to that awful sound! We also didn't have heat so that really was a rough night. Michael is completely done with his papers -- they are in the bishop's court now!

 

Reply from Summer: That is ok if the candy corn is replaced. The dinning and bed room set look really good. Saya suka (I like). There is one coat that I want to keep that isn't so great and that is my ratty green coat that I got from Angila and I wont my leather coats also. Are you taking my chester drors to the new place? I like them and they have survived so much. Be sure to send me pictures from the weding, I'm still waiting on the ones from Flint's. That will be awesome if Edward and Leah are so close. Is dad excited to be driving semi again. I forgot my cord again so no pictures this time. We found out about transfers to day and I'm staying in Singapore till further notice (next transfers at least). I'm going to have a new companion though. I got to see a Lion Dance last week and hopefully today I'll get to see a Dragon Dance.

Mom: Here's a few of Flent & Amy.

 

This is what she looked like on the day of... Cleopatra Amy!

This must be after, the new Mr. and Mrs. Flent Ballantyne.

 

Dad: I guess I'm in round 2. I'm back here in Utah, Salt Lake. I'll be talking to Pride. No one said anything nice about England but they haven't said anything bad about Pride. You know, I heard really interesting things about the church, there's an MTC in Mexico and someplace else. When anyone goes on a mission in that region they go the the MTC in that region instead of the one in Provo. The church expects membership to double or quadruple in a short time. I spent the day today at my cousins' in Utah, Glenn and Carrie. I went to church with them, that was fun but I fell asleep in Sacrament meeting but that's not unusual for me. Your mom's sure excited about moving to Utah and I think you will like to too. If she can't sell something right away she gives it away. I have a private hotel room, don't have to share, with a refrigerator even. My stay includes a continental breakfast. I left at 10:30pm last night from Nampa to Salt Lake. When I got to Boise they said that these tickets are for tomorrow night but they went ahead and got me on board anyway. I had a bunch of luggage with me, one that goes under the bus. It was within a pound of being too heavy. And it's your suitcase! I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your giant duffle. I swear, they put bus stations in the skuzziest parts of town! I saw a guy passing drugs and someone else came in with a stabbed hand. I spent the day with Carrie, Lori and Matt and their children. Glenn came in from Las Vegas later. They asked how you were and wanted to know all about Singapore.  It was interesting because it was blizzarding up at Carrie and Lori's but down in the valley it was clear. Just thought you'd like to hear that.

Karlene: yes i am allowed to email from school when we have an assignment. wow i wonder what that looks like and the flowers are very pretty. Michael is getting ready for a mission and saw the bishop today. Alex found a mouse while i was making my breakfast. the mouse came in through the hole beside the dishwasher and Michael threw it out the front.

yesterday we all woke up at 3:35 in the morning because the smoke detectors went off. not sure if the one in your old room turned off yet or if it is still buzzing.

 

Faline: I got to the part where I got to defeat Dr Nefarius in Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time. We are selling the house and I think Mom already told you that. Dad got a new career in Salt Lake, which is where we are moving. How are you doing in Singapore? Do they have fans like in China and Japan? Mom found a curriculum that is LDS-based. I went to McDonald's twice this week. I really miss you.

February 4, 2013

To Mom: Hello, I've been having a very bizarre week, bouncing between 2 wards again.  The pictures I'm sending are not very recent but they're pictures right.  I'll need my coats when I get home so don't get rid of at least too many of them.  I want my trench coat and my duster, my capes, my nice coats, my denim coats, my letter man, and you will want to check my pockets on anything you give away because I might have something in them.  Also keep my nice vests and the little leather outfit that grandma gave me and my little chines dress.  There are some books that can be given away or sold I just don't remember which ones.  Oh, while you are packing things up keep and eye out for my class ring please.  I know this letter is more on you getting ready to move but I know my stuff needs to be down sized a bit.  I want to go through my movies and games when I get home 'cause my taste might change.  You can give away or sell the boxes of baby clothes that are in my room.  I still want my stuffed animals.  This week will be interesting because everyone is getting ready for chines new year which starts on the 10th and goes for 15 days. 

Dad: That's ok that it didn't work out there is probably something better. Right now Singapore is getting ready for Chines New Year so that should be interesting.  I already had and appointment cancel on me due to it.  I haven't had too many chances to sing but I seem to project more now.  Michael always says no to choir but always seems to join one.

Michael: Trillionaire is and awesome goal.  But you still need to work on using the emodicons better.  I have a few on my  but that will have to wait for when you get .  So are things  there or are they .  What do you think about it all  Till next time.

Karlene: No, it is a parasitic plant growing on the tree.  It looked really wired so I thought you would like it.  Are you allowed to email at school?  Singapore is getting ready for the Year of the Snake to start to things are going to be interesting.

Faline: Your pants are too short.  You're going to be wearing Karlene's clothes by the time I get home.  What do you think of Deedee's new apartment?  You know you're not alowed to grow up while I'm away right?

 

Optical Illusion -- a 3-legged chair?

 

District picture

 

Neat-looking round building

Not sure what is floating out there

 

Shoreline

 

Singapore Arts Center

 

Looks like pretty pink roses

 

Books of Mormon in several different languages