Just Another Day in IT

May was more fun than anyone person should have; with the birth of my 5th grandson and getting to spend time with all my kids and grandkids. One of the treats I hadn't expected was getting to help build puppets with Dallin and Company.

An internet security company, SOPHOS, commissioned him to make 11 puppets in about a month for a commercial celebrating SYS ADMIN day.

 This is the first puppet, Dale, the nerd. They needed to see the first puppet made to make sure they were the right size and what they were looking for. He passed with flying colors.

This is all quite the process. First there is a mock up made of the head and body shape with throw away foam. Which means tracing the pattern, which Dallin has created with a cool program from his computer animation programs, onto foam. Then you cut up the foam with a razor and glue the pieces together with a glue gun. At this point Melanie is a ticking time bomb waiting for baby David to be born. She was happy for the distraction.

Once the pattern looks good, right size and shape, we do the whole process over in final foam and contact cement.

Tracy has spent hours over the sink dying fleece for each skin tone. You see them here piled under each puppet. Do you like the puppet stands? Dollar store plungers.Dallin is making arms.

They flew Tracy's mom out to help. She was costume mistress and general seamstress.

With the bodies fleeced next is arm sleeves for the puppeteers and costuming.

Nearly every part of the puppet is sewn by hand and Tracy is a pro. She kept the rest of us up to pro standards.

The finished puppets!!! I took a picture of the clock because Dallin and I stayed up all night to put  the finishing touches on them. We laid the last puppet on the couch at 6:03am and Dallin had them loaded in the car and on the road at 7:30am. Daniel drove him up to Salt Lake City to present them before Dallin headed off to a full day of work. It was so fun to be a part of this.

https://youtu.be/MPuoDYBBLPQ
Here is the link to the final commercial. Dallin and crew did the puppeteering and voices also.

Christmas Spools 2014

I have been collecting wooden spools as I go to antique stores and yard/estate sales. This is what we do with them. Dallin carved the green gremlin and the brown Santa. I did the rest. You can see where the talent lies but boy is it fun.

Cristin's cute new haircut

 Getting the stuffing hugged out of her by Sister Henriques

Layton, UT

G-Ju on the Loose

First I made a quick trip to Farmington, NM.

Then Audrey's Wedding in St. George with reception in Cedar City.

My Mom with her newest great grand daughter.

Then Provo to visit my boys and their families and James, John's brother and his daughter Laura.

(Daniel's Melanie is the photographer for this pict.)

Sister Blankenship's Companions

Sister Taylor was Cristin's trainer.

Then they got another Sister...Sister Perez.

That put them in a three some.

Sister Kimpton was Cristin's first greenie to train. Then six weeks into the triaining they got Sister Horseherder who had been Sister Kimptons companion in the MTC. Now Cristin got to finish training them both and was made a single Sister Trainer Leader.  Sister Horseherder is a Navajo Indian. Too cool my first comp out in the mission field was Sister Yellowman a Navajo from Blanding,UT.

 Sister Horseherder, Sister B and Sister Alaiasa from Hawaii.

Cristin's current companion is Sister Henriques from Maryville, TN.

The are both STL's. Isn't she the cutest ever.

This is Sister Fluegal

Sister Paul from Ontario Canada. Cristin's last greenie

Sister Weber just a short timer with Cristin. Her companion went home early for school so she came to make this a three some. Then another sister went home due to illness and Sister Weber left to be her companion's companion.

MTC

Cristin in the MTC

These are Cristin's two companions in the MTC. Sister Masen and Sister Claren. She says one is really shy and the other is outgoing but they are both as sweet as can be.

They got to do a session in the Provo Temple.

This is their District. The whole District is going to the Utah SLC Mission.

Follow the Prophet, follow the Prophet, follow the Prophet he know the way!

First Letter