Happy Birthday Daniel!

I can't believe you're 11!

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad!

Last week I was deciding between playing, sleeping and cleaning this week, after producing the Family Festival. We went to see the penguins at the Aquarium, the Days of '47 floats at the preview, out to lunch, played with cousins and went swimming at the Scera pool. The picture below is proof that I did a little sleeping too. As for the house cleaning . . . . . . .

Issue 112

Big Sigh

(Big Sigh . . . ) Event done, goal accomplished. Boy, that's a good feeling! Vendors, sponsors, knights battles and tea parties, carnival, yummy food, managing volunteers and info booths, a tribute and a concert, set up and clean up - a lot goes into a fund raiser! I had an amazing committee this year and the Family Festival fundraiser for the non-profit I volunteer with, was a great success.

Now, I just can't decide if I should scrub the house top to bottom, connect with my patient children on a field trip everyday or just sleep! Probably all three.

Issue 111

Room with a View

Well, as much view as you get from a basement. Steve (Dad) has finished framing a new bedroom for Whitney in the Basement. He has really enjoyed the creating process (and I also think he's enjoyed whacking things.) The kids have all taken turns helping in the basement. The HVAC and electrical will hopefully be finished this week. Our goal is to have the 3 older children in their own rooms by the start of the new school year. Steve L. and Daniel have shared a room for almost eleven years. Steve L. is serious about his scholar studies and we are excited to be gaining a new room in our house so both boys can have more privacy and creative space. We'll post pictures when it's done!

Issue 110

Bear Lake Fun!

34 people + s'mores + jet skiing + sail boating + sunburns + beach time + talent shows + leather work with Grandpa + Aunt Emily's Hog song + late night burgers and shakes + campfires + hiking with Uncle Dave + 42 miles of shoreline + flirty aprons + pelicans + mini golf + swimming pools and playgrounds + four-man bikes + yummy food + a cactus pinata + jiffy pop popcorn + church at the park + 28" pizza = 1 amazing family reunion at Bear Lake!

Issue 109

Silver Moccasin by Steve L.

Silver Moccasin leadership camp! A week-long camp designed specifically to train scouts in leadership. After a 2 1/2 hour drive, (ugh) we pulled up to camp and unloaded. Jared and I were in for a ride. After checking into our patrols and meeting the staff, we were rushed into our first of many leadership classes. All of them introduced different techniques of leading, and they were mixed with activities, such as pounding the staff with water-balloon-ballasts, watching Apollo 13, and a Lego building challenge. I don't have time to go very in depth, but I probably will later. All I can say is, it was awesome!!

Issue 108

Remembering Grandma

On Tuesday June 8th, my Grandmother passed away. I was able to spend several hours with her that day, and was privileged to be by her side when she passed on and joined Grandpa on the other side. It was a very bitter-sweet experience that I will never forget.

We left Sunday for California for her funeral. I felt very honored to be able to speak at her funeral and represent her 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. It was a lovely service honoring a woman of great faith, who always put others first. We love you Grandma!

Sea World

Growing up we visited Grandma and Grandpa in San Diego every summer. These visits always included a trip to Sea World. Grandma LOVED Sea World! The last time we visited Grandma in her home 4 years ago, before she had to move, we took her with us to Sea World for her last visit.



In honor of Grandma's memory, we took the kids to Sea World while we were in California. I just wish she could have joined us one more time.

Ellie feeding a sting ray.

Dancing Queen

After the funeral, we raced home to make Janey's clogging recital. She's worked so hard on her piece we didn't want to miss it. (Besides, I paid $70 for the costume!) We arrived home just in time to get her there. She was great!

Pioneer Trek

Yes, this is all still the same week! We arrived home from CA, attended the recital, gutted the car and packed for our family Pioneer Trek. We got up at 4:00 am the next morning (Thursday) and left for our Pioneering adventure at Martin's cove in Wyoming. Everything is more fun with cousins!


Grandma and Aunt Emily made it all possible! They bought all the food and pre-cooked all our amazing meals. The pioneers never ate this good!

The hand carts weighed 180 lbs, BEFORE we put all our gear in them!

Add some dirt, scruff and sunburn and my hubby only gets more handsome!

Daniel taking an after lunch snooze in an empty hand cart. The toddlers got to ride in covered wagons when they got too tired to walk. Whitney and her best friend Natalie, who we adopted and brought along, spent most of the trek pulling the kiddie wagons.

Aunt Em made everyone's day with smores around the camp fire!

Steve says he would never want to hit the trail without his mom along. She was so fun, a hearty pioneer and made all these beautiful pioneer dresses for us!

All the youth gathered around our campfire to hear Steve's comedy skits. He's so funny! The youth in the camp really enjoyed each other.

Our pioneer Family!

Square dancing, pioneer stories, camp fires, the pony express, amazing wind that threatened to blow us away, neat families, mosquitoes, great food, 12 1/2 miles of trail, and gorgeous country made our trek an amazing experience. It also gave us a glimpse into the sacrifices our pioneer ancestors made for us to have religious freedom. We came away with a new appreciation and perspective for their faith and sacrifices.