We had a great time last week. We (3 other couples) went to Hole in the Rock in Utah. The opening that the saints in Southern Utah went down as they migrated to pioneer another community. How they got their wagons down that I will never understand. It was so breath-taking in the length and depth they had to travel. Now there is water at the bottom, Lake Powell. But it is still a long way down.We had a great time with all 8 of us seasoned friends.  We came home by way of Fish Lake and that was beautiful too. Just thought you'd like to know.
There was a bus of "old people" who were traveling from North Carolina. They were taking a break by a gas station we had stopped at. Jenny asked if we stood out like a sore thumb? No, we fit right in. I will  get pictures so show you I hope.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Kristyn!

Happy Birthday to our Fav California Girl!    (Some one with a better picture, please replace this one!)  You are wonderful and up-beat. It is always a party when you are around-complete with something really yummy that you just 'whipped up'.  You are a great Mom, Sister, Sister-n-law, and wife to our bro. We love you. Celebrate Big!

It's Not About the Nail

For all those crazy, married fools... Love this.

Snow Cones

Let me make a short story long.

We've started our summer desert contest and for those faithful followers of our zany family, Hailey is the Judge since she won last summers contest. This means all our treats will cater to her likes in hopes of winning her vote. Grant was up first and decided: SNOW CONES!
      As I got to thinking about it (read: how can I make this harder for me) I remembered a little gift certificate to an equipment rental place that just happen to rent snow cone machines. Big ones. Grant was in so we went down and snagged our selves this massive machine with some yummy flavors.  But the predicament- How can you have such a yummy treat, and so much of it with out sharing.
So Family Home Evening ended up:
in our drive way
with us knocking on the door of every neighbor who had kids
making over 50 snow cones
and loving the evening!
As I sat chatting with my neighbors, watching the kids play and enjoying a cool treat in 95 degree weather, I realized just how much I like snow cones in the summer. It didn't feel nearly as hot and it was so relaxing I wondered how a summer day could get any better.
Oh, but it can!
(Are you thinking what I'm thinking?! -Mackay asks me this and I always laugh. How could a grumpy tired mom possibly be thinking what a vivacious 5 yr old is thinking? I always respond "candy"?!)
So, what I'm thinking is how much fun this would be up at the reunion after our Olympics.
Yea?
Think about it. This is crazy but it could be oh so much fun!
Here is the break down:
Snow cone machine rental $55
4 Flavors @ about $6 each/ $24
40lbs of ice $6
cups $3-5
I'm just saying... this could be fun!
(And if we stick to green and blue flavors we will have fun colorful smiles for the family pictures that evening!) Oh so much fun!

Friendship

To those who would be a friend.
Oh, the comfort, the expressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them out, chaff and grain together. Knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and then, with the breath of kindness,  blow the rest away.  Dina Mulock Craik

Love this. Hope you have a good week.

Mothers Day

I have had a wonderful" Mothers Day" Sunday. Vic and Molly prepared a nice dinner with salmon, salad, and curry rice. I bought cheesecake for dessert and Peg and Thad bought me a serving picture, you know for liquids, that we used. Peter and Zoe June were here of course and they are adorable . Then I received cards and calls from each of you. Basically, I just want to say thanks but more than that, I love you. I love you as you are and as you have become. I love you because you forgive and try to progress, well not try but you are progressing. I love you because you are part of me and the parts I like and the parts I don't understand but still a part of me and this combination of body and spirit. I love you because you  are also the part of the "God " and I see things in you that I have never had but I know you have it from him.
 I can't explain what this time of living or being your Mom and now Grandma is like, but the perspective is like looking a time capsule. I can see this history actually happening! Well, you can see it now too, I can just see more of it.
I have had a very pleasant evening reading a web site from Sam. It is called peerhelpgroups.com. It is full of gospel principles. I recommend it. Bro. Hafen's message is great and it shines understanding on the of the issues of  our day. Some  of the messages are about connecting.
Also, for the big news, The Web site of "Total  Life Counseling" there is an article for Sam's new job coming up. Don't miss out on these.
So, goodnight my loved ones, sleep tight. Tomorrow is another day of decisions.
Love Mom

My little fish.

This is our fish. He likes to hang upside down in his water house. He does this often. He will hang here for 15 min or so. I wonder if he has a head-ach? Sometimes he is on his back but mostly it is upside down like this. His name is Big BlackyAdd caption

Va-Va-Voom!

Choose your friends wisely

 Our "slow to warm up" boy has finally tried painting in preschool. It was short lived. We weren't too upset that he stopped painting.

Picture One caption : "I'm going to kill a squirrel just like Dalton

Picture Two caption:
"I'm done killing the squirrel"








Here is the kicker.  His friend Dalton Bushman was once most likely remotely related to us. Wouldn't ya know it.

{marlene's new bloggity blog}

Marlene created a new blog that is now hyperlinked to her and Le's picture on the sidebar. Click on it to hear straight from the mother of the family! The blog address is fingerpolish.blospot.com, and she titled the blog yourfavoritemom.com, which I think is so cute and clever.

What does Joseph Smith mean to you?

This question was posed in Sunday school today.  The teacher asked us to think about how our lives would be different without Joseph Smith.  The following thoughts are informed by that discussion.

Would I even be here?  I would certainly have a different DNA as my ancestors from Europe came to the Salt Lake Valley because of him.

How would I have met the people I know, including my spouse without him?  There would have been no church parking lot with a cute girl in a white shirt and baseball cap without him.

In high school and at other times in my life when I have seriously questioned my self worth the revelation that I am a literal spirit son of God has been an anchor for my soul.

I would never have traveled to Argentina, learned Spanish, let alone Portuguese, learned and experienced all that I did as a missionary, gotten a degree in Latin American Studies, become an immigration attorney [that one may not be a plus] or ended up living in Park City.

All of my friends from BYU?  Gone.  Singles wards - LA and Mesa?  Gone.  All those people from the  ward in London?  Gone.  How would I have met so many of the amazing people I have met over the years were it not for Joseph Smith bringing us together for Sunday meetings.

Growing up which hero would I have wanted to follow instead?

How about the word of wisdom?  How would that simple direction changed how my ancestors lived?  Would drinking or drugs have been a part of our family culture without him?  When I was young and
feeling small and weak in high school would steroids have tempted me to go a different route?

My sense of purpose and eternity?  Without the doctrines of the degrees of glory and the plan of salvation that explains why we are here on earth how would I have approached life differently?

How would I have handled seeing Lucy lay in her bed in the hospital, and living out the months and years since then without the knowledge that Joseph Smith revealed regarding little children, life and death and eternal families?  My understanding of the resurrection?  What kind of difference did it make listening to Elder Oaks, a living apostle of  Jesus Christ, teach and testify about the Resurrection just 18 days before?  How would things have been different had I not received a witness from the Holy Ghost  that day listening to Elder Oaks?

My understanding of Jesus Christ and my relationship with him [if existent] would be drastically different.  The desire to follow the Savior and return home to a loving Heavenly Father that has motivated and been the source of the majority of the best experiences of my life wouldn't be there.

My darkest hours have been lightened and my greatest joys increased because of the work of Joseph Smith.

For a man that lived approximately 200 years ago he makes a profound impact directly on my life....

Thank God for Joseph Smith

Sundried Tomato Pesto Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Rounds

Chris here.  I made this for dinner tonight from a Paleo diet website.  Turned out pretty stinkin' good.  Give it a try.

 

Click here for the recipe. 

The snow was so deep this year, this poor deer was stuck and couldn't get back over the hill with all the snow. We tried to help him but, you know how hard it is to get a deer to trust you.

Storms and talents

Hi Family,

Thank you so much for posting your pictures. 
First, talents. We have been reminded to appreciate the talents we have and that of our loved ones. I was reading Pauls patriarchal blessing. I got the idea that your Father in Heaven knows you better than anyone else. I hope you read yours and that you can see the talents that you have, also through living,you develop talents and use them in your callings. Vic asked me once if I was proud of my kids, all having college degrees and getting married in the Temple. I am more than proud. You are better than anything I have done. I credit it to the people you were to begin with. I am Thankful that I was allowed to have you.
Second, testimony.
I wanted to share two things that I have heard lately. I work in the Temple on Sat. mornings. It is just so sweet! I can't tell you how fun it is. Especially when I can do my part easily. Memorizing took me awhile.
A temple worker that worked on Sat. died at home. She went to the temple that morning.They found her in her garden that afternoon. Apparently she knew she was going because when they found her she had her hands together (like a prayer pose) under her cheek. She was laying on her side. Then they found her dog had died also,they figure after she died. I know this sounds simple after the death of Lucy,but Heavenly Father is in charge and decided she didn't need anymore challenges.
We went to Hal and Verla's ward for Rachel's homecoming,which was very special and touching. It was also a fast meeting. A women got up(she works in the Temple with me) and stated that in life there is Thunder and Lightening and great storms that have to endure. We can't change them. She then said she decided to "dance in the rain" and let storms come in and not to fight them. Then her husband got up and said that this week he found out he has Pancreatic Cancer. He and she are in their 70's . He stated he prayed about what treatment he should try. One night he had a dream and saw his father and his father told him to  come as soon as he could. So there will be no treatment but just an acceptance of moving on to a new life.   She is accepting too but still is starting to grieve, I can tell.
So, my testimony is that the Lord knows our storms and will still send us tender mercies at times. I know this gospel is a huge,magnificent truth. One convert in our ward said, this is what Plato and Socrates was looking for. This is the truth that the world needs to live by, and someday it will.
Have a good week and I hope the storms are small. Love Mom