Gordhamer Family News

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Photo Shoot

I have been wanting to get photos taken of the kids for quite some time. I decided that since Joseph has such a good camera I might as well try myself. It is just getting everyone picture ready that seemed so daunting. Well, I just did a kid a day and that made it more reasonable. All I did was some cropping--no editing at all. I printed 8 X 10 and they are all up on my wall now. I am so proud of myself for getting it done. Here are some of our favorites (it was so hard to pick just one to print and frame.)

Juliet--19 mo--the sweetest thing to ever come to us. Her first words out of her mouth were "tank ew" (thank you.)

Xander--6 yrs--my favorite little guy in the whole world. His photo shoot took about 5 minutes. Very cooperative and positive kid. He is in first grade this year. He loves dinosaurs and sharks (anything dangerous with big teeth).

Ella Marie--3 yrs--so full of life and energy and quite loud. She is always getting into some kind of trouble, but she is so affectionate and sincere, and quick to say "sorry." She LOVES to draw and is always drawing somewhere.

Abigail--11 yrs--definitely the hardest to photograph because she hates posing for pictures. I had a hard time getting her to look natural. As our oldest, she is getting more independent and has always been responsible. She just started middle school this year and is loving it.

Magdalene--9 yrs--Maggie decided to go by Magdalene this year in 4th grade. She will still be Maggie Jean, Maggie, or Mags to me (even though I love her name.) She has always been photogenic and natural in front of cameras. She is the petite one in our family and very compassionate.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Family Reunion: Carthage

The final day of our family reunion was in Carthage, Missouri where Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were shot and killed. Juliet is looking out the window where Joseph fell. It was another sacred to place to gather as a family in the room where the first prophet of our dispensation spent his final moments in mortality.

Abigail in the courtyard where Joseph fell to his martyrdom.

After one final family picture, we said goodbye to everyone and went our separate ways. What a great experience and good memories we will have to cherish. My parents did a wonderful job planning this experience for all of their children and grandchildren.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Family Reunion: Nauvoo

Shortly after we arrived in the US, we had the opportunity to travel to Nauvoo, Illinois and meet up with the entire Larsen family for a fantastic reunion. We learned about our pioneer heritage and ancestors while talking about the foundation they laid for us in this beautiful city. The kids had so much fun with their cousins, visiting the historic sites and running around at the condos we all stayed in next to each other. Joseph and Maggie are pictured below in what would have been their attire a couple hundred years ago. I am convinced Joseph would have been a blacksmith.

Ella and her cousin Audrie spent a good amount of time in the pioneer playhouse.

Pioneer toys and games were a big hit with all the children.

The main focal point and purpose of the city was at this temple, rebuilt recently to the exact specifications of the original temple. It was breathtaking and my favorite part of the family reunion was spending time on the temple grounds with all my family. While we were gathering there to take some photos, the kids got to be up close to the temple and enjoy each others company. That is how I hope heaven is someday: a sacred place where we can all gather, laugh, have fun and share the bonds that unite us together as a family unit.

You don't have to push a handcart, or leave your family dear; or walk a thousand miles or more to be a pioneer . . . you do need to have great courage . . .

Such cute boys.

Ella in the Joseph Smith store.

Dinner at the old hotel in Nauvoo. These 4 cousins sure had a lot of fun together.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

May

The girls were in a play in May about dragons and pirates. It was Maggie's second play and she did a fantastic job with all her lines, even prompting other characters on stage. She had a main part as Captain of a pirate ship.

Abigail landed the part of dragon on the island. She was a little bit more shy on the stage as it was her first time and she was nervous. Getting all that make-up off was probably the biggest challenge.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Georgetown, Penang

I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog and I better get started. Back in March, Joseph and I had the opportunity to go to Georgetown which is a British colonial historical city in Penang, Malaysia. It was the main colonized city in what was called the Straits--meaning the strip of coast down Malaysia into Singapore. Since I love British colonial architecture, it was a great place to see so much of it. Eventually, Singapore replaced Georgetown (named after King George III) in economical and political significance in the 19th century, so Georgetown is a bit of a ghost town with a lot of run down buildings and big plantation homes that would be stunning if they were all restored.

Below are the government buildings. They seemed to be totally empty. It was kind of strange that such beautifully restored colonial buildings were not really being used. Georgetown is just a small part of Penang, and the big business district is a ways from the old town.

The iconic clock tower. I think the Dutch actually built it? I'll have to check my facts on that one.

The Suffolk House--a pepper plantation first settled by Francis Light. He first came as an officer in the military. When he retired, he returned for commerce and set up this plantation which became the home of later governors and such throughout the history of Georgetown.

Now for the Chinese aspects of the trip. We learned of how the Chinese came down also for commerce and integrated into the Malay culture creating a whole new culture as they Chinese men married the local Malays. This influenced the style and language. Joseph and I stayed in "The Blue Mansion"--a restored home of a wealthy Chinese man known as the Rockefeller of the East. It was a fun and interesting place to see and experience the Chinese version of a home with open courtyards, balconies and rain in the house.

Below is the Chu Family Jetty--a very extended Chinese family that lives on houses out into the water and probably used to be fishermen.

Our rickshaw escort who took us all around Penang.

A very large, traditional Chinese temple that is privately owned by a large Chinese family. In a way, it is ancestor worship, as they send their ancestors on with lots of gold (fake) for their afterlife. It is also to please the gods, and for good luck to get to heaven.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Bottleneck Park

During Spring break, I took the kids to a local park famous for its unique trees imported from Australia. The kids are pictured in front of the Bottleneck Tree. I must admit, it was a very unique tree.

The park is Kampong style--a Malaysian architecture of these open thatched houses.

Here are the kids after working in the rice fields all day coming back with our family water buffalo.

We finished the morning with Kampong fishing where the kids get to catch little goldfish with nets inside the Kampong. They had a lot of fun doing it, however the fish didn't last long at home.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Merlion and Luge

Abigail studied Singapore history in her 5th grade class and had to pick an important monument or place in Singapore culture/history. She picked the big Merlion statue on Sentosa island. It is a lion head with with a fish tail and has come to symbolize Singapore somehow. I can't tell you much about it; you'll have to ask her if you are interested. So in February we all went out to Sentosa on one Saturday while she took some pictures for her project and then had a little fun on the Luge. Sentosa has turned into a resort and amusement park of sorts for Singapore.

Only in Singapore would you find a sign like this in the carpark: Warning: Beware of possible PEACOCK ATTACKS to cars. PARK AT YOUR OWN RISK. It then proceeds to tell you what happens during mating season when peacocks get aggressive and see their own reflection in the cars. Too funny.

The ride down was a lot of fun, albeit a little short. Sentosa doesn't really compare to the Rockies or Alps. Xander was just tall enough to ride his own Luge.