Labor Day

 On Labor Day we had a picnic at our house. As Cindy & Mahon were here from Utah, we invited Kyle & Kat and their girls, Chris, Chantell & Chelsea, and Pam for dinner. We had dutch oven potatoes and chicken, corn on the cob, veggies, watermelon, rolls for lunch. We ate on the deck and really enjoyed the meal.

The girls wanted to swing, but the wasps were flying around the swingset, so Kyle and Chris set to work spraying them. Those two also cleaned our chimney for us. Thanks!!!!

The girls enjoyed watching a video.

Grandma enjoyed playing with Livy.

Kaite joins Chelsea in the tree.

We enjoyed setting up for a family group shot.
Chelsea enjoys being up in the tree. Note her boots - so cute!

Ashley loves the tree too.

Kyle & Kat

Mahon & Cindy

Chantelle, Chelsea, & Chris

Kami is happy on dad's shoulders

We did it!!! Thanks Pam for taking the shot!

Threes

 There

They say bad luck comes in threes. I have fallen three times this summer and each time my right knee took the brunt of it. So...I need to be more careful or put myself in a padded cell. There were 3 funerals of friends that we attended within a week. And there are also good things that happen in threes.

As I got thinking, there have been more things that have happened in threes or multiples of threes in the recent past. On the 3rd of August we celebrated 39 years of marriage. 3 is Vic's favorite number and we were married on the 3rd. 9 is my favorite number and 3 x 3 = 9. So this one was fun for us. In addition to our anniversay there are two family birthdays during the first part of August: Sydney's on the 8th and Chris' on the 9th. (Happy 15th Birthday to Sydney and Happy 34th Birthday to Chris). So 1 Anniversary + 2 Birthdays = 3 special events.

 Sorry there are no pictures of our Anniversary or Sydney's Birthday.

To continue on with the 3's: There were 3 events we attended recently: Chris' birthday (above), Kaite's and Kamy's gymnastic olympics (right), and dinner with Bruce Lind, a friend of Vic's since we were in the Ammon 1st Ward where they served in the 70's Quorum together and went to the temple each Tuesday morning. That was in the days when we only had 3 kids.

There are 3 flowers blooming in my yard right now. Actually, there are more than 3, but to go along with our story about 3's, I chose these 3. There are also 3 vegetables/fruits that we are harvesting in the garden right now: raspberries, beans and the tomatoes are starting to come on.

Hope you enjoyed the story of the "Threes".

Busy Summer

July started out with the roses in full bloom. They were so pretty.

 And the tomatoes were a managable size.

The raspberries have been doing great & the jam has been great.

(The Apricot-raspberry is sooooo goooooood)

Thanks Missy for the hanging basket (Mother's Day)

 The peas have really been yummy.

We watched Kaite play soccer - GO KAITE!!!

I especially like her form as she plays Goalie!

We enjoyed other activities: Alyvia - what a sweet baby.

The family gathered for her blessing.

We also enjoyed a visit from Vic's sister

Lauren and Jim. It was so good to see them.

Sending Missy off to Indiana

We knew Missy was heading to Indiana, so I insisted we get pictures with the family.

Above are Missy, Andrew and Devin's family and Gene. (Gene is trying to hide on the back right)

This is Kyle's family, along with Missy, Andrew, Vic and I.

Chris and Chantelle brought Chelsea for a picnic on the 4th of July.

So will Grandpa

 Grandma will miss Andrew.

Anna didn't want to say goodby.

Mahon & Cindy, Devin, Vic & I.

Oops! we missed taking pictures at the Pizza dinner.

At the airport.

Missy and Briant - we wish you the best in Indiana.

We love you!!!

Lessons Fathers Teach

As I contemplate Easter Sunday and the part of our Heavenly Father's plan where the resurrection fits in, I am more thankful for my Savior than words can express. I know that the Resurrection is available for each of us. We will also be given a place of glory according to what we have earned. None of this would be possible if Christ hadn't come to earth as a baby, if He hadn't established his church here on the earth, if He hadn't died and atoned for our sins, and of course His volunteering to do His part of our Father's plan.

Easter is a time of the year that comes in the spring when all things come alive again. As much as I complain about the snow and cold, it is great to live in a place where trees and plants go dormant in the winter and come alive again in the spring. I think spring is one of my favorite seasons just because I like to see things come back in the spring. The grass turns green, the trees leaf out and flowers bloom. In the animal kingdom, lots of babies are born or hatched in the spring and summer. That also is part of our Father's plan - all the plants and animals know what to do in the spring, what should we be doing?

We spend so much time getting things done on our to-do lists. I want to take a few minutes to thank my Heavenly Father for all that I see that testifies of the resurrection.

Two Recent Experiences

First of all, you probably won't believe that I am even posting. Miracles never cease (and don't ever forget that). I have two things that have been important to us recently.As you may or may not know, Vic and I have been monitoring our eating habits more closely. Over the last few months, we have gone to Diabetes classes to learn how to balance the carbs, proteins, and to eat plenty of vegetables. Well, after 3 months, we went back to the Dr. for more blood tests. The A1C was down from 11.5 to 8.1. That is still a touch high, but much better. The Dr. then ordered a Urin Albumin test (urin collection for 24 hours) and that was fine. He also ordered a Glucose monitor which Vic wore for 4 days. When the Dr. got the results, their office called and said, not asked, "Come in at 3:45 tomorrow." We were concerned and wondered what that test would show. When the P.A. came in, he was grinning ear to ear. He said he was so happy with what Vic and I were doing - and to continue doing it. Vic will stay on the same meds and not have to go onto Insulin. We were so happy that we came home and celebrated with a green salad with broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, and nuts for toppings!The second thing: Saturday was so windy, although it wasn't as windy as Wednesday (or was it Thursday). We stopped at the gas station to gas up the car. I was so happy that Vic was the one who got out into that cold wind and I got to wait in the car. When Vic got out the credit card to pay for the gas, the wind whipped his newly acquired temple recommend out of his wallet and it started blowing across the parking lot. The lot was icy and it kept sliding. Vic tapped on the window telling me that his temple recommend had blown out and so I got out to help him look for it. He went back to gassing up the car. I asked him where it was and he said "It's probably out in that field by now." As I started across the lot, I saw it blowing across the parking lot and started following it. Just as I would just about get to it, the wind would blow it farther away. Then it blew it into a fenced in area (around phone equipment). The enclosure was about 6 or 8 feet square and the recommend was about 1 foot in from the fence. As I went up over the curb to the area, I tripped on the icy curb and fell down. Some guy stopped and asked me if I was OK. I told him I was and he drove off. (Some good he was) Then I walked around the enclosure to the side closest to the recommend and knelt down and tried to get my hand under the chain link fence. It was tight, and just as I about reached it, I actually flipped it farther away. But I was persistent and forced my hand and arm farther under the fence. At last I reached it and pulled it out. As I was getting to my feet, another guy stopped and asked if I was OK. and I said yes and he drove away too. But I was OK because I had reached my goal.Vic said he would have to remember to get out the credit card in the car before he got out into the wind. As we go through our journey in life, how many things do we learn & have to remember? Hopefully we will remember all the important things that are life threatening, but also the things that will make us a better person. Also the things that will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father.

Camp Cumorah

On the way to Camp Cumorah, we were able to see the windmill farm. We didn't realize that there are hundreds of them up there - not just the ones you see on the skyline from Ammon. If you haven't driven up there recently - I suggest you do. They are huge and they cover several miles.




Camp Cumorah still has the lake complete with beavers. This picture is taken from the amphitheatre (flag area). The first night there as we were having our flag ceremony, the beavers were having a great time swimming around the lake.




There is now a lodge at the Camp - it is huge! There is a big meeting room, a kitchen and a shower-bathroom area.

This is a view from the lodge.

Camp wouldn't be complete without the Priesthood skit where they have someone else be the arms and they have to feed them which gets all over their face.

It was fun to be at Cumorah. The campsites have been improved. There is running water and electricity in each campsite now. There is a cemented area big enough for 4 picnic tables, and tent pads have been leveled out and surrounded by logs. The camp is bigger now, the roads have been gravelled and camping areas in each site (like a forest service campground). There are probably twice as many camps as there used to be.

Camp wouldn't be complete without certification - fire without matches is always a fun one.

It was fun to camp, but it is good to be home.