Davis Family

Chinese Cooking Class

2011-12-07T00:13:00.000-08:00

We went to an authentic Chinese Cooking Class together in the Hutongs of Beijing. This is an old area where the residents of Beijing have lived for centuries. It was interesting having a class from a Chinese National. We learned how to make real sweet and sour pork and many other dishes. We ate what we learned how to cook for our lunch. Fun day!

Three Frozen Girls Biking Beijing

2011-12-07T00:06:00.000-08:00

The pictures tell the story of a very frozen bike ride around the city of Beijing. We biked for 9 hours much to Kami and Rachel's displeasure. We did make some memories! I am just beginning to thaw out now.

Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

You can see the sled that Rachel went down the hill on. It was a pretty fun ride!

Kami and Rachel Come to Beijing

2011-12-06T23:52:00.000-08:00

We decided to do another hike on the Great Wall in a different place with Kami and Rachel. We took a ski lift up to the top at Mutianyu and rode a bobsled down to the bottom, We hiked until we were very tired. This part of the wall is much less touristy and is older than that at Badaling. It is steeper and a little more scary to climb. It was a beautiful day to be on the wall. The sky was so clear and pretty.

Hiking the Great Wall at Badaling

2011-12-06T23:44:00.000-08:00

We spent our Saturday climbing the Great Wall. This was quite a climb! I never pictured the Great Wall to be so many steep stairs on the tops of mountains. It was breathtaking to look out over the wall. This is a place we never thought we would see in our lifetime! Truly one of the great wonders of the world.

Ming Tombs

2011-12-06T23:35:00.000-08:00

We went on a tour to the old Ming Dynasty tombs. Many of the Emperors were buried behind this building under a hill. They buried the treasures along with them. They have been kept intact through the many years of struggle in China.

Pork Snouts Anyone?

2011-11-15T19:10:00.000-08:00

The food in the windows looks really appealing! How about some pork snouts for dinner tonight? Chengdu is China as it really is.

No Diapers in China

2011-11-15T18:26:00.000-08:00

Interesting way to potty train children! They don't use diapers, they just have a slit in the back of their pants where they do their thing whenever and wherever they feel like it. Wow, what a culture shock!

Interesting Scenes of Chengdu

2011-11-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

We explored an area in Chengdu where there were many artists on the street. The person playing the flute was exceptional. The artist sculpting the person in front was amazing. This is a very fun city.

Red Pandas

2011-11-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

The Red Pandas were something we had never seen before. They don't look like bears.

Panda Bears in Chengdu

2011-11-15T17:16:00.000-08:00

Steve had business in Chengdu, China and I went along for the ride. This is where the show "Kungfu Panda" came from. The Pandas are kept in a reserve and you can see them up close. They are just so cute.

Some Delicious Chinese Food

2011-11-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

Some of the exciting delicacies here in China. Scorpion Skewers, Beetle skewers, Octopus, and many other fun things. I am just wondering how they put the scorpions on the sticks without getting poisoned. I really wouldn't want that job!

The Temple of Heaven

2011-11-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

The Forbidden City

2011-11-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

The Forbidden City is huge. We parked the bikes and walked through this site. It is about 600 years old and is very beautiful. You could spend a few days on this site.

Biking Through the Hutongs of Beijing

2011-11-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

We decided to take a tour of Beijing in a rather unconventional way. We hired a tour guide to bike us through the streets for nine hours. We were a bit saddle sore by the end of the day but had a marvelous adventure seeing the sights of the city. These slides are of the Hutong area of Beijing. These are the skinny little streets in which the Chinese residents of the city live.

Mario, Luigi, and our little Calf

2011-11-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Adam and Lincoln are obsessed with Mario Brothers Wii. They dressed as the Mario Brothers for Halloween. Joshua was dressed as a baby calf. Halloween was so much fun!

Hee Haw Ranch

2011-11-06T17:31:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to Hee Haw Ranch for a Halloween adventure. We went through a corn maze and enjoyed seeing the animals and sliding on the big slide.

Decorating Halloween Cookies

2011-11-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

Jessica and the girls came to Utah to help with Stacy during her illness. Kami made some Halloween cookies and the grandkids had so much fun decorating them. We haven't really had American Halloween for many years. This was quite a treat for us.

Oman Finale

2011-11-06T01:44:00.000-07:00

Such a bitter-sweet ending to our life in Oman. We had a baptism in our home of a brother named Christopher the week before we left. Our time in Oman has come to an end and we hold in our hearts our most precious and spiritual moments of our lives. This little branch with so much diversity has been held together with love for our Savior Jesus Christ. Our languages and cultures are different but the Spirit is felt as we have joined together in love for the Savior. We will miss this most special country and the people we have been blessed to serve and be served by. We love Oman!

So Many Summer Memories With Family

2011-09-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

We went to the petroglyphs just outside of St. George with the family. The three cousins (Rachel, McKenna, and Ben) posed for the first picture. We were actually in Arizona in this picture.

Fun at the Splash Pad

2011-09-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

The girls had such fun running through the water and playing on the splash pad by Jessica's house. The location of Jessica's house is really great. There are so many things to do so close to her home.

On the Runway at Sweet and Sassy

2011-09-18T23:16:00.000-07:00

The girls had fun showing off their beauty on a runway at the Sweet and Sassy beauty salon. They posed for their pictures. They loved the spotlight. These were such fun memories for us.

A Day at Sweet and Sassy Spa

2011-09-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

I took the girls to Sweet and Sassy Spa and they had so much fun getting pretty. They had their nails done and their hair done in an up do.

Time in Houston

2011-09-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I were able to take a flight to Houston and spend a few days with Jessica, Roy and the kids. We enjoyed doing things with the girls. Jane and Grace were so much fun to play with.

Baby Joshua

2011-09-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

Stacy was so sick and we had the opportunity to play Mom to this special little baby for a few weeks. Joshua is so gentle and so sweet. He is a great blessing to our family.

More Grandkids

2011-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

Fishing With the Grandkids

2011-09-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to a pond in Midway to go fishing. Grace and Lincoln liked feeding the ducks the most. Nobody caught any fish but they had a great time trying.

Horseback Riding in Midway

2011-09-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

The grandchildren had so much fun riding horses. They rode by themselves being guided by a real cowboy.

Fun With the Grandkids

2011-09-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Jessica came to Provo with her little girls. We went up to our new lot in Midway and walked around.

Spanish Fork Primary Parade

2011-09-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Adam and Lincoln were Bees in the parade. Lincoln got stung by a bee the day before and wasn't really sure if he wanted to be a bee.

Happy Birthday Lincoln

2011-09-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

Lincoln had a very fun birthday party. He had a pinata and many cousins and friends at the party. We had BBQ and lots of presents!

Harry Potter on Opening Night

2011-09-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

Rachel and Brad dressed up like Hermine and Harry for the opening midnight show. Grandma Davis was a good sport and went to the show at midnight with all of the crazies. She was one of the few that stayed awake through the whole movie.

Joshua Smyth Has Arrived!

2011-06-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Joshua Smyth arrived on June 15th at 9:30pm weighing in at 8 pounds and 20 1/2 inches long. He is a beautiful baby and is a brand new Smyth model. He doesn't look like either of the other boys. He was so happy to be put back into his mother's arms right after being born. He quieted right down.

A Girl Trip To Turkey

2011-05-18T03:11:00.000-07:00

Princes' Islands

2011-05-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

We took a ferry to the island of Buyukada and hiked to a monestary with an awesome view of the area. The hike was long and hard and we took a horse and buggy back to the main town. There are no motorized vehicles on the island.

Topkapi Palace

2011-05-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

This palace was built in 1453. It is the palace of all the Ottoman Sultans from 1453 until 1839. The tulips were everywhere and they were especially beautiful here.

Aya Sofya Mosque

2011-05-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Aya Sofya used to be a Christian cathederal. It was completed in 537ad. It was converted into a Mosque in 1453. It is a museum today and is being restored. Kami put her thumb into a hole in the wall. Superstition says that if your finger comes out moist your ailments will be healed. Your wishes will also come true.

The Blue Mosque

2011-05-15T04:40:00.000-07:00

This is the famous Blue Mosque in Instanbul. It was built in the 1400s. It has very beautiful blue tiles throughout made with quartz glaze.

Shopping at the Grande Bazaar Istanbul

2011-05-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

We had great fun shopping at the Grande Bazaar in Instabul. This is the largest Bazaar of it's kind in the world. There were so many things to look at that it was a bit of an overload. Kami got her eyes on a new leather jacket the first day and ended up with a beautiful one made of Elk leather. It is so soft.

Flute Duet at Recital for Rachel

2011-05-15T03:51:00.000-07:00

Rachel and Chitrali played a duet at her recital. The sounded great together. Rachel is really coming along on her flute.

Snorkeling and Dolphin Watching

2011-05-15T03:34:00.000-07:00

We booked a boat and went out Dolphin watching. We mostly saw sea turtles but finally came upon some dolphins. We went snorkeling and enjoyed a fun day out in the ocean.

A trip to Nizwa Fort and the Souk

2011-05-15T01:30:00.000-07:00

Kami's friend Allison came to visit us here in Muscat. We had fun taking her to some of the sites in Oman. The girls were starved because there were no places to eat between Muscat and Nizwa. We ate at a crazy place called the Hungry Bunny. A memorable experience for sure.

Wadi Shab

2011-05-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

We hiked to Wadi Shab for the last time this season. It is getting HOT here! The pools and cave were beautiful as always.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-05-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

We had a Primary activity at our villa just before Easter. The children loved the easter egg hunt. Many of the children had never been to an easter egg hunt before. Our Primary is very diverse. We have Brazilians, Indians, Omanis, Americans, Filipinos, and Brits in our Primary. Along with all of the nationalities there are many different languages spoken. The one common denominator is the Primary songs and thus we do a lot of singing!

A Very Special Time with Elder Holland

2011-04-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

We had another opportunity to have Elder Jeffrey R. Holland come to Oman. We had the great privelidge and blessing of picking Elder Holland up at the airport and hosting him at a fireside in our little Oman Branch. We will remember this weekend forever. Rachel told him some pretty funny jokes and he had fun joking with her. He makes everyone in his presence feel very special. Our branch had a once in a lifetime experience.

A Day at the Freiburg Temple

2011-04-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day doing baptisms and a session at the temple. Rachel was able to do baptisms for many people. We really enjoyed the beautiful spirit felt at this temple.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Loving Morrison

2011-04-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Seeing the Sites in Berlin

2011-04-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

Morrison Cory Davis

2011-04-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun getting to know our little Morrison. He is such a precious baby and so good natured. We feel so blessed to have such a healthy and sweet little grandson. He is the first to carry the Davis name in our posterity. We love him already!

A Trip to Berlin to see Morrison

2011-04-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

TAISM Wins Soccer Tournament

2011-04-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Rachel was a star on the soccer team that took that championship in Muscat.

A Day at the Royal Stables in Oman

2011-04-16T05:12:00.000-07:00

Goldilocks on Trial

2011-04-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

The red bird with the yellow feather in the back is Rachel in the middle school play called Goldilocks on Trial.

"Monster Hunters" Starring Rachel

2011-04-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

Rachel played the role of Teresa in the middle school play "Monster Hunters". She did a great job! We were very proud of her.

Bear River Snowmobiles and Fun with Cousins

2011-01-19T05:13:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Coles decided to venture out and go to Bear River and stay in a cabin with all of their kids and grandkids. It was so much fun spending some time together with cousins and snowmobiling for the first time ever.

Making Gingerbread Houses

2011-01-19T04:57:00.000-08:00

We had a great time making Gingerbread houses. It wasn't quite the same as going to the Butlers but we gave it our best shot.

Mr. Snowman at the Condo

2011-01-19T04:45:00.000-08:00

Jeff took Adam out in the back and helped him build a snowman. It was the most awesome, huge snowman! Adam was so pleased when it was all finished. They were both very cold.

Christmas Eve Nativity

2011-01-19T04:03:00.000-08:00

We brought home authentic middle eastern clothes for the kids to put on our nativity this year. They were all so cute acting out the story. It was so much fun to have the grandkids old enough to do this.

Christmas Eve at the Condo

2011-01-19T00:36:00.000-08:00

Guess Who's Santa?

2011-01-19T00:07:00.000-08:00

It was so amazing to see all of the Grandkids not have clue that their Grandpa was Santa. Children are so innocent and believing! It's a good thing because the suit could have given him away for sure.

Fun With Santa

2011-01-18T23:47:00.000-08:00

The Santa suit Jessica ordered was from China and wasn't really meant for someone the size of Steve. The pant legs came to his knees and getting the boots on was quite a job! When Steve put the gloves on, there were two left hands. We laughed and laughed as he played Santa in that rediculous suit!

Rachel's Band and Choir Winter Concert

2011-01-18T23:29:00.000-08:00

Rachel is becoming quite good at the flute. Her winter choir and band concert was very nice.

Safari in Kenya

2010-12-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

This trip to Kenya was the most fun trip we have ever taken. Jeff, Kami and Grandma Davis met us in Nairobi. Our tour guide was John from info@monarchsadventures.com We highly recommend this safari company!! John was awesome and knew so much about all of the animals. We learned so much from him. If you ever want to go on the adventure of a lifetime, book with this company!

Treetops

2010-12-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

We stayed in resort which was built in a large tree. The tree actually goes through the middle of the hotel. You can look out at the watering hole and see many animals come to get a drink. It was fun to sleep in a treehouse.

Standing on the Equator

2010-12-02T05:49:00.000-08:00

We were shown a demonstration of how water goes in different directions on each side of the equator. The other picture is overlooking the Great Rift Valley

Flamingo Hills Tented Camp

2010-12-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

The camp at Lake Nakuru was so nice. It was small and cozy. We enjoyed playing cards and other games while not on safari.

Baboons, Zebras and more

2010-12-02T05:01:00.000-08:00

The baboons got into our camp one day. They went over the fence and started jumping on the top of the tents. It was funny to watch.

Rhinos in Lake Nakuru National Park

2010-12-02T00:32:00.000-08:00

We were so lucky to have seen Rhinos while in Kenya. They are often hard to find. We saw all of the Big 5 animals at least once on this safari.

lake Nakuru National Park

2010-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

We went to Lake Nakuru National Park. This park is very green and lush. It is a smaller park with many animals that are not in the Mara.

Lake Navaisha

2010-12-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

We took a boat trip on Lake Navaisha. It as so beautiful. There were many hippos in the water. It was fun to see hippos in the wild.

The Island Where Out of Africa was Filmed

2010-12-01T05:27:00.000-08:00

Going on a Lion Hunt

2010-12-01T04:52:00.000-08:00

While roaming through the Mara, we came upon some lions that had just killed a wart hog. The girl lions kill the animal and wait patiently while the male eats as much as he wants. This was one of the most exciting things we saw on our safari. The wart hog's legs were still kicking!

Mara Sarova Tented Camp

2010-12-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

The camp where we stayed in the Mara was permanent tents. The tents were not like anything we have seen before. This was not camping!! We had a king bed and wood floors in our tent. There were buffet meals three times a day. Too much food!

Masai Tribal People (and Grandma)

2010-11-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

The Masai Tribe

2010-11-30T19:26:00.000-08:00

We went to a Masai village to see how they live. This was an eye opener to see that there are still people on this earth that live like cave men. They taught us how to make fire and showed us their houses made of cow dung and mud. The boys in the village do a jumping game to see who is the highest jumper.

Lions and Elephants

2010-11-30T18:52:00.000-08:00

A Picnic Lunch on the Mara

2010-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

Steve and his Mom enjoying a picnic lunch on the Mara. The 4x4 pop-up van we went around in. A Cheetah.

Masai Mara National Park

2010-11-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Giraffes in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. A leopard hanging from a limb of a tree. The Mara River where the wildebeasts cross in the migration.

Sunset on a Trip of a Lifetime

2010-11-27T04:14:00.000-08:00

It was hard to see the end come to this trip to kenya. We enjoyed playing some games and chilling on the last night in Africa.

Rachel is Officially a Teenager

2010-11-27T04:03:00.000-08:00

Where have thirteen years gone? It is so hard to believe that Rachel could be thirteen!

Rachel Swims in the Isaac Swim Meet for TAISM

2010-11-27T03:48:00.000-08:00

Rachel won two medals at the Isaac swim meet this year. One was for the free relay and the picture is her winning relay team. The other medal was for backstroke.

Prague

2010-10-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

We went to Prague with Cory and Julie. Prague is a beautiful city and we will return there someday. One day is just not enough time to explore this place.

Poland

2010-09-28T03:38:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Poland and bought some Polish hand painted pottery at the factories. We ate at a very nice little restaurant that looked like Fall. We don't get these colors in Oman. It was quite a treat.

Berlin With Cory and Julie

2010-09-28T03:05:00.001-07:00

We had a week with Cory and Julie in Berlin. We were able to see most of the sites there and enjoy lots of good German food.

A Wedding and Fun with Family

2010-08-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

Jet Skiing with Cousins

2010-08-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Costas Come to Provo

2010-08-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

The Best Summer Yet!

2010-08-24T03:33:00.000-07:00

Fishing with the Grandkids

2010-08-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Adam is the star atThe Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Parade

2010-08-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July in the USA

2010-08-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Condo with the Grandkids

2010-08-23T04:21:00.000-07:00

Cyclone Phet hits Muscat

2010-06-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

We have a new chapter to add to our adventures here in Oman. These are pictures of Cyclone Phet that hit Muscat on Friday night. Wow, that was quite an experience. There was much water (of which we are not really used to). It was exciting and ended up well for us. We had no real problems where we live. Most of Muscat was without electricity and water for a few days. We did not have to experience that.

Spring Break in Greece

2010-04-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

Greece has been one of our favorite adventures so far. We just happened upon a National Day festival in a small town the first day we arrived. All of the children marched in a parade with their typical clothes from the towns of their ancestors. It was so much fun to see all of the different outfits and the children wearing them so proudly.

Delphi

2010-04-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

The sanctuary to Apollo is in Delphi. There is also a gymnasium where athletes would train form the Olympic games. Built about 600BC.

Meteora

2010-04-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

We went to a town called Meteora. Here there are monasteries and nunneries at the top of huge rocks that look like tall pillars. We climbed up to one of the monasteries and had a magnificent view of the valley below. The munks built these monasteries in 1100 BC to get away from the Turks who were invading this area.

The Island of Corfu

2010-04-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

We took a car ferry to the Island of Corfu. Corfu was built by the Venitians and looks like Venice. It has small streets and pink and yellow buildings lining the coast. We had Italian food here.

The Acropolis and Mars Hill

2010-04-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Mars Hill is the place that Paul the Apostle gave his sermon on the Unknown God. The wind was blowing so hard on the top of the Acropolis that we had to hold our tour guide down or she would have flown right off the top of the hill.

Olympia

2010-04-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

This is the Olympia the site of the first Olympic games. Rachel and Steve are at the starting blocks and ready to run. It was amazing to actually be at the site where the Olympics started.

The Beautiful Island of Hydra

2010-04-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

We took a hydofoil over to a very beautiful island. Hydra has no motorized vehicles allowed on the island. We took donkeys around the island and walked. It was like being in Heaven.