I can't get this picture to come out the right direction, but i love this flower. It has blossomed so nicely and the color is so vibrant. I love seeing it each day. OK, so I guess several of them are not the right direction. sorry.

With the move of the mailboxes came the need for a change in the yard. It was a hot day, but I got it done anyway. Hopefully it will work ok when the rains come and bring a soggy bottom.

More changes

With a call into the bishopric as 2nd counselor this last Sunday, July 19, came
The end of another era....... Some of our children have never seen their Dad without a moustache. they are anxious to see the after, so I have skipped ahead a bit in my journal.

before
after [the pencil is still there though]

Brothers

I found these pics while looking for something else and just had to share. Check out the evil look on Charlie as he goes for the kill. this was right after Dan's return home from his mission last March.

What a handsome bunch of boys. Who do they belong to anyway?
Loe you guys. Thanks for being friends as well as brothers.
And no, that isn't a halo above JD's head, just the curtain holder.

Dan, Jimby, JD, and Chucky

Domino Blessing Day

We made it out to Eatonville on time today. Charlie gave a nice blessing to Domino.

4th of July

This years celebration was different than others for us. Less people went to the Eatonville fireworks on the third. Then, we went to JD and Ann's for the 4th. It is the first time we have gone there for the fourth. He threw a good party, but because of Domino's blessing the next morning at 9:30am many of us left early. sorry JD.
The brothers went early to play at the beach. We got there around lunch time and had just the right amount of time to play in the dirty water for a few minutes with some of the kids and head up to the house for lunch. It was a beautiful hot day. The kids all had fun and it was fun to watch the dad's play with the little fireworks with their kids. Thanks for a fun day JD.
We went home at about 9pm so it was still too light to even watch fireworks on the way home. Once home I decided to water the plants and it sounded like we were at war here. There were fireworks going off on every side. The field out front looked like Halloween with a smoke haze instead of a fog haze. Talking to Dan this morning on the way to the blessing, he commented on the fact that Brown's Point has outlawed fireworks because they make it sound like a war zone. Funny he says, isn't that a good thing to help us be reminded of why we have this celebration in the first place? I know it made me remember when I was out watering plants and thought of those that currently are out fighting and living with those sounds everyday. I am so thankful for where I live. thank you to those that have made my life possible.

the pool and especially the sprinkler were at hit this year.

Avery, Izzy, and McKenna Conner

Chillin out by the fire. Is that an

oxymoron?

It was too hot for a fire,

needed it to cook dinner.

more 4th of July celebrating

Daytime fireworks. We love those smoke bombs.

some of the parachute guys landed in the neighbors yard. Dan decided to rescue them.

More Amazing Race YC 2009

Youth conference was the last weekend of June. We were chaperones. We like hanging out with the youth. We had a good team. The theme was "the amazing race". It was pretty good. The weather was great.


Our team winning the tallest tower contest. Me, Kevin, Aila Kearns, Tyler Carlyle, Ben Stephenson, Camille Brown, Carissa Campen, Zach Bray, and Kyle Duda. We ran out of time to get the top to stand up tall, or we would have won by a mile instead of just barely. But taller is taller. We did come out the amazing race winners. Alex Temus trying to make Moroni's trumpet not droop. We had this cake decorating contest that they mixed up the groups for, so we had different kids that made this cake which we thought for sure given the criteria we had won, but we didn't even place.

our starburst Angel Moroni

Joel's flower creation.

A new passion?

not. Climbing the rock wall at youth conference. I tried three times to make it to the top, but just couldn't quite get there.
finishing the climb.

elevator!

my arms are getting tired. I can't move my feet.

I can do this.

cool flowers at the temple

Foston at costco with his chocolate ice cream

Grandpa in his usual wrestling position with the grandkids.

baby cakes

I was asked to help with refreshments at a baby shower for one of my former counselors in Primary. Emma gave me this book when she was here about cupcakes so I decided to be ambitious and try my hand at some cute cakes. I wasn't thinking that I could make a few cute ones and make the rest regular, so I took on more than I needed to and ended up with more than I needed. OOOhhh, they were alot of work and took much longer than I thought they were going to, but they were pretty cute.

New Calling

I forgot to post about my new calling. I was released as Primary President the end of May. I was called to be the Home, Family, Personal Enrichment Leader. I don't miss the hecticness of Primary on Sundays, but I do miss being there. My first RS was hard to endure, but I have pretty much gotten back into it. I am going to be teaching in a few weeks even. I am getting into my new calling as well.