Flakes Around the World

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Oliver, you better watch or I'm gonna GET you...actually last night we were reminiscing about how you spent $200 on Macadamian nuts in Hawaii, and how when we came to India and brought you Real Maple Syrup and you literally drank it out of the bottle.

posted by Ally and Moema # 2:30 PM

ND

The way Moema is headed - he will need to be making $150,000 a year just to support his eating habbits - sorry buddy but you know its true.

posted by Flakes in India # 2:20 PM

Smilling Irish

I agree with Allyson. With a degree from Notre Dame I bet someone could land a sweet job with a Fortune 500 company like State Farm. Oh wait...

Just kidding, if he can get us BYU-Notre Dame tickets it is well worth all the debt.

posted by Levin # 9:46 AM

Future Fighting Irish

Lincoln,

I appreciate your kind advice but I am not quite sure where you get your stats from...we are going for the one year at notre dame which costs $42,000 and the part time 21/2 year at UofI is $63000 and we get into the marketplace that much early making the big bucks..average of 90,000 out of ND...plus on business week it is ranked 24 vs 46 for illinois. Notre dame has the best alumni network in the world and most job offers come through those connections. Plus lets face it, the Illini stink.

By the way, over 70% of admitted students for Notre Dame get a fellowship since they have a $357 million endowment.

Ally

posted by Ally and Moema # 7:33 AM

not too shabby for an MBA from Illiniois Univ, and its only 10 places down from ND on rankings and 60,000 bucks cheaper. But I'm not medalling

posted by Lincoln # 7:19 AM

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Our Irene damage

This is our back yard fence, right behind the house.

This tree was 2 inches from hitting the head of our septic tank on the side of our home.

One of the trees that fell into our driveway

posted by Flakes in India # 12:55 PM

posted by Ally and Moema # 12:33 PM

Friday, August 26, 2011

USDA Closed

Levin - it was sweet. After the earthquake and everyone evacuated I went home immediatly and knew it would be cancelled the next day - their are advantages to beign in D.C. I like the Kostanay pictures - it takes me back to my days there.
Dad - in regardgs to your comment. It just so happens that a few minutes before the quake I had prayed that if I was supposed to buy a new trailer then there would be some sort of natural calamaty - so I now I am going to buy one this weekend (after the Hurricane)

posted by Flakes in India # 6:10 AM

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Laziness built on shaky ground

I could not believe it when I got the email today that USDA was closed today because of the earthquake yesterday. I value laziness above all else but even I was disguested by this.

posted by Levin # 10:24 AM

Levin, great pictures! Tell me about that beautiful mountain.

posted by Mom and Dad # 5:40 AM

Almaty Mountains and crop travel

posted by Levin # 3:53 AM

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Stop already!!

Oliver, I hope you now have your definitive answer regarding a third horse - a huge earthquake!! Now stop asking before you get us all killed!

posted by Mom and Dad # 1:55 PM

More pictures

Melissa left off the best pictures of the cruise! It was pretty fun and off to St. Petersburg for Melissas birthday on Sept 11th.

Oliver, the only thing holding you back to getting a 3rd horse was your horse trailer, now since it is no longer an issue you should definently get another one. it is a pony though, right?

posted by Levin # 10:21 AM

Help me convince Amber

Amber is fighting me on getting a third horse so I need some family support to show her the error of her ways. 10 reasons why we should get a third horse

1) The other 2 horses are lonely and a 3rd horse would add commradare for the other horses
2) The early saints used horses even when they lived the law of consecration so this would not be a worldly possession.
3) Given the low price of hay right now - we would be stupid not to buy a horse
4) Justin has aspirations of being a fellow cowboy but does not know anything about horses so if one gets injurted we could sell it to him and he would never know he got taken
5) Makalu will be ever so much nicer if there is a calm horse to influence him
6) I really like horses
7) saving money in the bank is a forum of worldlyness. Cant take money with you to heaven
8) We are having a 6th child so it is only natural that we would need an extra horse
9) with gas prices high - we could ride to the store and save money
10) We can pay for the horse with all the money I am making off the cows

posted by Flakes in India # 9:23 AM

Congrats!

Hey that is great you guys we are so happy for you - what are you going to name the next one. I want to copy that picture of Levin and Mike and send it to the Washignton Post with the title "the fleesing of America" I suppose the govt paid for that cruise in Moscow.

Oliver

posted by Flakes in India # 9:03 AM

Melissa. Is that an official announcement regarding the "3rd child"?

posted by Mom and Dad # 8:03 AM

Moscow River Cruise

Levin's area director is visiting and the kids and I got to tag along on the river cruise with him and Levin. It was so fun! Most of the conversation was FAS related, but while we ate there was a political discussion and Mike kept asking Levin if he was "conservative like Oliver" and then who is the most and least conservative in your family? "You think you are as conservative or more conservative than Oliver??" I do not know what you have done Oliver make him think you are freakishly conservative . . .

Leah was such a champ! She was so happy and well behaved especially since Oliver was not and I had to leave her with Levin and Mike while I walked him then pushed him around trying to get him to sleep. She walked all the way there, and most the way home without whining too. So awesome!

It really is true, it's not the camera, but the photographer. Mike took this picture of us and it's all blurry even though Levin took one of him seconds later and it turned out perfect. This cruise may have been the best thing I've done in Moscow yet! It was great. Does posting pictures make you want to visit, or make you think you don't need to visit us. I need to know so that I can respond accordingly. Supposedly Tuesday they come and swap our regular couch for a sleeper sofa . . . I recommend coming sooner rather than later because once we have a 3rd child in here, it is only going to get more crowded in our humble abode.

I think I'm actually starting to love Moscow. I just have one issue I have to resolve. I have to learn to drive here, buy a $1000 stroller, or learn to teleport the kids.

posted by Levin # 7:31 AM

I like it - but were you wearing shorts and a t-shirt - you should have been wearing a suite with your missionary name badge and send it to military relations just to make them mad.

Oliver

posted by Flakes in India # 6:14 AM

VIEW MY FIFTEEN SECONDS OF FAME

http://www.wvec.com/news/military/Military-pension-system-comes-under-attack-128210418.html

posted by Mom and Dad # 6:00 AM

Monday, August 22, 2011

Test

posted by Taylor Flake # 9:32 PM

P Day at Ft.. Story

Mom on the beach at Ft. Story

In front of the amphibians I commanded 39 years ago as Platoon Ldr.

Taken from top of Old Lighthouse

posted by Mom and Dad # 3:01 PM

Weight challange

Moemo today is the day - the start of our six week program. Wiegh in and start keeping track. I start at 202 and my goal is 190. Your goal will be 15 pounds.

posted by Lincoln # 7:16 AM

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Cool pictures!!

Baby Oliver on the scooter is my new screensaver.

Whose the evil shaman you're letting bewitch Leah?

Great pictures. Thanks, Dad

posted by Mom and Dad # 6:55 PM

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Saturday Walk

This was our Saturday walk on Old Arbat, including a visit to Wendys!

posted by Levin # 10:31 PM

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Ethan the Cowboy

I need Ethan back here - all my kids hate the horses and it was nice to have someone here who appreciated them for the magnificant beasts that they are. Now if we could just get him to reliquish the reins to person stearing the horse! My trailer has a bent axel now so I am grounded from any horse trips - sorry Lulu.

Oliver

posted by Flakes in India # 1:58 PM

Thanks Mom and Dad

Virginia Beach

Eisenhower and enterprise

Thanks so much mom and Dad for letting us come out, buying so much stuff for us, showing us around and being the best parents ever! Dad wrote me the best poem for my birthday which is the best present I could have gotten, and he found my lost IPOD so that was a great end to our trip. Thanks again...here is the poem

WANDERLUST
For Allyson

Most are born to live inert,
Ever close to home,
But Allyson from birth possessed
A destiny to roam.

Enamored of the world abroad
Determined to discover,
Its people and their cultures
Each detail to uncover.

Hawaii and the Middle East
Japan and Europe too,
Greece, Brazil and China,
Israel and Peru.

Her mission and her schooling
To Africa – a move,
That for her life and marriage would
So consequential prove.

Her beauty and her empathy
Enriched each soul she met.
That love and service rendered
Are benefitting yet.

But now constrained by children
And a husband so adored,
She only journeys in her mind
To vistas unexplored.

Layne E. Flake September 2011

posted by Ally and Moema # 10:08 AM

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Thank Yous.

Well, our time in the USA is coming to a close. We have spent four amazing weeks visiting you all, and are immensely grateful for everyone's time and help. First to Taylor and Shelley for picking us up at the airport, showing us a great time, swimming pool, dinners out, tennis, and most of all allowing us to use thier car and providing us with free Hershey tickets. Thanks. Jalayne and family for the great time and babysitting our kids and paying for six flags for us! For Allyson and family for letting us crash at thier place and showing us a good time and Mom and Dad for driving us around, the sub, the beach, yorktown, five tennis and swimming sessions and Captain Ds. For Amber for the the great food and taking Siobhan to the Temple session where she heard perhaps the most profound insight relevant to her life she has ever heard. And for Oliver for the horse riding and connecting with Ethan. If anyone wants a truely accurate assessment of Ethan, I recommend talking to Oliver as he had the most time and experiences with him. Again thank you for the great memories and feel free to come to Old England for us to pay you all back. Lincoln Siobhan, Preston, Ethan and Lincoln

posted by Ally and Moema # 12:36 PM