He's here!

"Phantom" has been a favorite since I took the older kids to the play when they were young. Danny thinks he saw it for the first time in London.
We used to dust furniture to the soundtrack.
Romantic huh?

http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/music_player/index.php

Hey,Hey,--heyhey--hey!

Hey, I have added links on the prior blog posts. Especially check the one for the print shop. Or shop at FAO Schwarz! V


We are learning to sign! Connie, that means you too,okay!? Here is our lesson for this week, minus the numbers. We learn about 5/day.


Kaelynn's bunch is well on their way. They are beyond us. So let's go y'all!
(Thanks to them for the DVD). If My Mom can, we can!

Keith

Happy Birthday to my dear Husband Keith!

Allen Keith Cutler is a car guy. He has had 93 or some such high number of cars so far in his life. You can click on this link, or on the picture of the 4 of us at the Grand canyon labeled "just us in the desert" at the bottom of my blogspot, to see them. Then click on "wheels". He would like that a lot if you did. http://cutler4ever.com/

Politics and Temples?

This is a friends Sister-in-law writing.


Dear family and friends,

I had a very disturbing experience yesterday that I would like to
share with those of you that live outside of California (or outside of the
San Francisco Bay Area).

This weekend we have stake conference. Our stake conference always begins with a stake temple session on Friday or Thursday night. Early
Friday morning I received a call from the second counselor in our bishopric
to let me know that there would be numerous protesters outside the
temple,and to remind everyone to stay calm and to drive carefully.

The beautiful Oakland Temple is located right across the bay from San Francisco ,
very close to the city of Berkeley.

Apparently the opposition to proposition 8, the amendment that seeks to make marriage in CA. between a man and a woman again, has realized the deep involvement of the church and begun to protest right outside of the temple and harass temple patrons.
The fastest way to get to the temple from our house is to take the 680
freeway, but the exit is a bit tricky. The off ramp is extremely
short and straight uphill. You then make an almost blind left turn, an
immediate right and another left into the parking lot.
As we approached the off ramp, I realized there would be trouble.
There was a backup onto the freeway from cars stalled on the off ramp. As we
moved forward inches at a time, we realized this was due to a large group
of loud protesters who were standing on both sides of the street,yelling,
screaming and waving signs. When we got to the top of the offramp,
ready to make our turn, one protester jumped out right in front of our car.
It took my husband all his self control to carefully maneuver around him to
the left and proceed to the temple.
I tried not to listen to all they were shouting at us, but I was shaking as I got to the temple front door.
Several of the sisters, especially the ones driving on their own,
were crying (which made me snap out of it and go into RS President mode
to comfort them).

Later, as I was sitting in the perfect quiet of the
chapel, I couldn't help but think of Lehi's dream, and the people who
mocked the Saints from the big spacious building but,"we heeded them not."
It was a truly surreal experience.

I'd never thought that I would have to go through an angry crowd to get
to the temple.
As we left late at night, the protesters had dispersed, temple security (who all looked very large and Tongan) stood by the gates.

I never saw a single police man.

Please pray for those of us in California fighting for prop 8--it's
getting kind of scary out here!

Susanne

Caved

How is this for a different form of Architecture? This is one of my family's favorite places in NYC not necessarily mine.

This is the infamous Apple Store http://www.apple.com/retail/fifthavenue/ in Midtown, just in front of FAO Schwarz, http://www.fao.com/custsvc/custsvc.jsp?sectionId=560 the famous Toy store, which is one of my favorite stores to visit. We tend to split up. (Please go here instead of the Toys-R-us at Times square.)

We helped a little lost girl find her Mom. It turned out she only spoke Yiddish. I thought that was interesting. No wonder she didn't respond well to English. I would never have guessed. I guess I need to get out more or something to open my mind to those possibilities.

And yes, I caved in to pressure, (weeks and weeks of intensity from ALL sides, including Keith) I am sorry to say, and thus David purchased his own iphone. I told him he was buying his own

Christmas present I guess. I reserve the right to revoke privileges and to complain if so warranted.

Avast ye skalliwags!

Ahoy Mates and Landlubbers!
(okay, no more.)

We clammered around on the deck and below the hatches of a couple of old sailing ships at the old South Street Seaport. One ship had 4 masts and it was called the "Peking".

We visited an old print shop there and I fell in love with the place. They still do their printing by old handsets and ink

http://www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org/index1.aspx?BD=9147

New York City again!

NYC as viewed from atop The Empire State Building.
It's getting to be kind of like Disneyland, stand in line and do the rides. (they channel you through and give waiting times etc. even.)

Photos from the top of "the ride".

I love the Flatiron Building. If any one remembers or knows what a flatiron looks like you can't miss it, for others, it is the triangular one in the center. It is said to be only fifteen feet across in the front. It is was one of New York's first skyscrapers.

We Love getting a Burger at the Shake Shack in the park near there(lower left) and sit and view the Flatiron and people watch. There is always a line for this good food.


I like the Chrysler Building too. (It is the Art Deco one, of course.) I can't be sure but it looks like the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. (my favorite!) If I squint. The location seems more like the Manhatton Bridge.?? Which is it Alli?

I like the Woolworth building too, but you can't see it here ,unfortunately. It too is one of the early skyscrappers. built with Nickels and Dimes from the Dime Store Moguls fortune.

See Central Park in the distance? and The George Washington Bridge? It connects the Bronx to New Jersey.

Architecture is one of my favorite things! It is one reason I love to travel.

My streak is intact! The celebrity I saw this time was Collin Farrel. We Were once again grabbing A burger (they have some great burger places in New York) At the Burger Joint. It is a very small place about eight tables , we offered to let him sit withus but no... Ian actually spotted him first but it still counts on my run.. I actually saw another actor too but I don't know his name- perhaps later.

Philadelphia PA

Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly love, brought these brothers and sisters together again.

This is my favorite photo that day. (note the line in the background to see the Liberty Bell.)
Here are my children from left to right.
David "Harry" Harrison, Allison Cutler Kelly, Rachel "Liberty Bell", and Daniel, aka Elder Cutler!

Among other things, Danny, while skateboarding into a bank somehow managed to bend my new Ipod almost in half! (remember I got it for a present, hadn't used it yet, so he borrowed it) How you bend a little solid thing like that I don't understand. It was in his back pocket if that explains anything?(a hard bottom?) His luck holds true.

We walked where George Washington and Benjamin Franklin did (He fascinates me). We visited Federal hall, where the nation was conceived, Betsy Ross' house, a Quaker church, and, as touted, a "real Quaker".

Maybe we as Mormons ought to try that approach, "Visit a Mormon church with a real Mormon inside!" The sign could also boast something about 1st Amendment rights used right here!

The very first thing my children did was find an old abandoned building near our Hotel. Danny found it with David in tow and came to get the girls. Immediately after Breakfast they went to explore it. (Some things never change!) Allison, true to long time tradition, while trapsing around upstairs broke through a floor board with one leg. Thankfully, she wasn't hurt badly, so no trip to the hospital this time. (I have lost track of the times with that child.) Ian, downstairs, was certainly startled, when a leg came crashing through the ceiling right by his head.

Oh, and in the Best Cheesesteak battle--we vote-- uhmm-- Pat's!

ohhh oh no!!

The BYU game was painful.

Missionary Farewell!

Danny gave an awesome talk, on the Attributes of Jesus Christ.

We are so proud of him. He has really worked hard and faced some stiff opposition to get here. I know he can do this.

I do Love this boy.

Chile, here he comes!

Rowing in Central Park

For 12 dollars an hour you can rent a rowboat on one of the lakes in Central Park. After three days of trying to get there, the Cutler Family finally "gave it a go".

Rachel is a natural born rower/wave maker, surprisingly strong, yet with a tendency to veer a little off kilter.

Many years of cardboard boat racing on Tempe Town Lake, trying to lead his troop to a win and not sink too soon, has made David an expert rower!

.

Allison and Ian were very very busy somewhere far off
in the Bronx.

Daniel didn't show up, we guessed he was too busy with his
friends.

.

Keith somehow had a knack for "rocking the boat".

I seemed to do best when just hanging on trying not to get
capsized into the murky water.

Does any of this sound familiar? metaphorically speaking
perhaps?

After a while, Keith and I convinced them to let us out onto a nearby rock. We then enjoyed watching them go it alone, and try to row at the same time, thus seeing them paddle in circles!

That is them in the top photo, in the blue and purple clothes, as seen from our distant viewpoint. They didn't paddle in circles. They actually did very well, maybe even better, without us in the boat.

It was just about perfect

in New York
City.

Politcal video

I am so glad the theme of conference was, for me at least, "Hope in Perilous Times", 'cause this stuff really scares me.
Click on this link and view the video.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1815825713/bctid1819819843


We really have to stand up and protect the family! It is in real danger. Voting in AZ and California is happening this election. This video adresses that issue and uses experience of just one family in Massachusetts.

"only" 102 degrees

Okay so it is "only" 102 degrees outside. There is no such thing as only 102 degrees!
It is hot no matter how you figure it!!
I am in serious need of fall weather! It has always been my favorite season and there is none of it here in this,this,-- DESERT!

I have been running Mom to her Doctors appointments and lab tests and flu shots and pharmacy runs and Ensure buying and fast food drive thru and etc. to get her ready for me to be gone to New York City, and I just come home fom them all sweaty and irritable, and, and, and, Arghhh!

I hear New York is 70 degrees and has leaves of all different colors.

Allison had lunch outside! (imagine being able to do that!) under one of those trees!
I really miss the Rocky Moutains.

The following photos were not taken here.

Here I come Allison!
See you in Philly tomorrow! Oh, and I am bringing a few family members with me too.

More Trains

Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time
running around shouting that he’s been robbed.

The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.

Life is like an old time rail journey…delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.

Jenkins Lloyd Jones

I Love Conference.

I wanted Conference to go on and on and on.

Hope in perilous times!

Were you all crying with the story of the little boy gathering the cows on"Ol'Banner"?
Every one of the messages, really every one, was good-great.
You can see the change in President Monson, I think, as the mantle of the Prophet settles on his shoulders.
He is - yup, I have to say it- awesome.
(I also loved the show on him that was just after conference. I hope some of you got to see that too.)

An End in Site?

We did not have to run the AC all night last night!
I know, but I can't sleep and scream into my pillow if it is sweaty.
It stayed below 80 degrees! I even sat outside this morning to study and opened all the doors and windows. Fresh air is a beautiful thing.
The relentless heat is diminishing!
maybe.
The light at the end of the tunnel could be the headlight of an oncoming train.

Robin in the Desert

Robin Kendall, my dear friend from Colorado, came to visit for a couple of days. (We claim sisterhood) Her family was with her too at first. She has two children on missions, Sister Jaimee Kendall, one of Allison's good friends, and Elder Devon Kendall. Two at the same time! Jared, a very tall quiet one, is at home in high school and learning to drive. Ted, her husband is good friend too, it was so good to see them! Dustin, her oldest son, served his mission here, Spanish speaking, and is a legend to this day.

We took a drive up the Apache Trail to a place called Tortilla Flat, an old stage stop where the pavement ends, with a populaton of 6. They have no phone service of any kind there. People find that totally astounding.