Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

This year for the first time we went all-in and got a family pass for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. It was fab! Our boys were just old enough to understand some double entendre but not old enough to get it all. The girls were old enough to stay mostly quiet. They had kettle corn. And our kids always voted to attend the sessions with the funniest storytellers so we were almost completely spared from the cultural enrichment and librarian worship (Dad, that was for you).

Here's our favorite eleven-year-old's guide to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. I think he summarizes it well.

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You want to watch Bil Lepp. He is hilarious. I saw Bil 5 times. He told extreme tall tales. At the end of one there were some people dancing naked on an RV. No, no, no, I don't mean they were doing that in the festival. I mean in the story.

The storytelling festival is very educational. Unless you're going to Bil.

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Thanks for a fantastic weekend, Orem Public Library and Timpanogos Storytelling Festival! It was the perfect end-of-summer celebration. We'll definitely be there next year, probably at every Bil Lepp session if this year's attendance is any indication!

Picky Pizza Posters - Denny's

By Steve and Ben

Yes, Denny's. Not a pizza restaurant. It’s good for breakfast, but not really any other food. They don’t actually have a large pizza. But they do carry a personal pizza on their kids menu that deserved a rating on our list of not so exquisite pizzas. And besides, you need a Grand Slam from time to time.

Ambiance

Basic diner decor. Greasy handprints on obviously Photoshopped diner picture with a sucker stick stuck to the picture frame. Comfy cushions in booth, yet you don’t want to lean back lest you touch the back rest wet with sweat from the previous occupants. Old timey signs claiming 15 cent milkshakes (that they apparently do NOT honor). Kids menus with crayons to keep the littles busy. Not so busy that they forget to spill their beverage all over the table however.

Service

Honestly best service we’ve ever had had this place. Server was well versed on what the menu items were. She did claim the kids pizza was quite good when asked and confirmed that there were not large pizzas on the menu, so her opinions are suspect despite her surprising competence. Complimentary WiFi always a plus.

Beverage

Vanilla Coke. Bottomless hot cocoa. Ben: I’m surprised that they serve this in the summer.

Pizza Impressions

Gooey crust; the back crust feels stale, giving a somewhat crunchy mouthfeel; microwaved-nuclear hot, Sauce-to-cheese proportions tilted too far towards sauce, has some sort of peppery looking flakes to add to the visual appeal, greatly resembles grass clippings; best described as a microwave pizza sponge

Mom: Tastes like a warm Combo
Sam: At least it feels hot the whole way through.
Ben : Its like a grease sponge.
Sasha : Not that bad, I like it!
WanYing: Its not zero bad.

Sam: They should give the person who takes photos for the menu a raise, since they make it LOOK edible. It's worse than I remember...

Dad: I never claimed anyone needed to finish their slice. This is just wrong.

The pizza was quickly abandoned when the pancake puppies and Grand Slams arrived.

$3.59 with a drink and a side. If it were a large (heaven forbid) it would probably be about $7

General Consensus

1 out of 6 slices

First Days of School Through the Years

For 9 years my growing family has (with varying degrees of enthusiasm) agreed to first day of school pictures. They started cute and have gotten both more adorable and spunkier through the years!

2007 - First Grade

 

2008 - Kindergarten and Second Grade

 

2009 - First and Third Grade

2009 was an epic year for first-day photography

This photo remains one of my very favorites. Sasha (2 and home 6 months) was not about to let that sweet Scooby Doo lunchbox out of her paws!

 

2010 - Second and Fourth Grade

I love that Ben picked the same first-day shirt 2 years in a row

 

2011 - Third and Fifth Grade

 

2012 - Kindergarten, Fourth, and Sixth Grade

Note - this is the year when Ben's strong morning aversion starts to manifest

 

2013 - First, Fifth, and Seventh Grade

3 awake kids, 1 zombie

 

2014 - Kindergarten, Second, Sixth, and Eighth Grade

3/4 ready for school. One ready to attack.

Happy first day of school to everybody! We've had such a great summer that it's hard to say goodbye to long days and spur-of-the-minute outings, but after such a fab summer it seems clear that this will be our best school year yet (for 75% of the children)!