From July 16 - 27

Tuesday - The day after the reunion

 Elise is 12 - Her turn at the Brigham City Temple with Josh, Elise, Noelle, and Marri

Uncle Mike did the baptizing.

Of course, after it is treat time. Having milkshakes at Peach City.

Working in the garden after neglecting it so much during the reunion.

Zach is not winking. He got a mosquito bite and his eye swelled shut.

This was not staged. Ben is his Mother's son. Love those peas!

Friday - Saturday

Marion and the boys came up. No pictures, but a lot of fun.

Sunday

Uncle Marc had a lot of raspberries and we decided a nice drive to Preston and visit with U. Marc in the raspberry patch sounded like a nice family time Sunday evening since we had to take Mike back to Logan anyway.  We took Noelle and Mallory with us.  They sure were a big help and enjoyed a tour of Grandma's old house.  We told stories and memories of Preston all the way up and back. We sure got a lot of raspberries.

Monday

Getting the raspberries ready to freeze. Chloe and Sammi

 Eating the raspberries is the best part! 

Nikki and Ben

 Nikki made this for Ben

I had to take a picture of my hand dipping in the warm parafin wax. It heats up my wrist and gets it ready for the physical therapist to work and stretch it. I think of you all when I get to peel it off my hand. Remember putting glue on your hand so it would dry and then peel if off.  This is so much better!

Ben with his favorite sentence: "My mommy has a baby in her tummy."

We are all very excited for them. 

Tuesday

It was Cleo Macfarlane's funeral today. It was a blessing for her to go, but she will be missed. Her and Jay have been married 70 years.

Canning for the ward in the family room.  It is just good to know more people in our ward have added to their storage.  It is not hard for us to set up the canner, but those who keep track of the money and order the food put in a lot of time.  Let me know if there is anything you want canned because we will put it away at the end of the week.

Thursday

We picked up Ellen from the airport. She has been at Tom & Mel's helping with kids and packing. He starts work in San Jose on the 12th of August.

We then picked up Caleb and came home to the Barn Burner Dutch Oven dinner and seeing Mike in Oklahoma. It was good to finally meet him.

Nothing like homemade play dough. I forgot how much I like this recipe. It is in my cookbook.

Here's the finished pizza.

 Pizza and breadsticks from Nikki and Sammi

 Friday and Saturday

Rob's family came and stayed with us this weekend.  It was so good to have them here. We called Noelle and Mallory down and we had a big snap purse production.

Mass production on Friday and Saturday

Noelle busy sewing

Marri and Noelle busy sewing their purses.

Nikki said, "Why do only old ladies do hand stitching?" This is proof that not just old ladies do it.

Thanks Tesha for helping with the purses and another sewing machine.

Here is Mallory and her new purse. Sorry it is sideways.

We sewed so much with the machine and then did a lot of hand stitching.  Nikki was so dedicated in hand stitching and piecing together scrap pieces of material.

We couldn't pass up this picture of Jetta with her 'wild hair.'

Mike introducing the kids to 'Studio C' 

Evening

We went to see Uncle Mike in Oklahoma at the Old Barn with Lacey and the girls, Shalynn and her 2 oldest, and Marri, Sophie, and Cecily.  It was so fun to go together and I think Mike enjoyed his own personal cheering section.

After the play

1828 Webster's Dictionary Word for the Week:

Design/Purpose-“purpose; intention; aim; implying a scheme or plan in the mind/Purpose- “That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached . . . the purpose always includes the end in view.” Intention does not.   (Alma 43:9 - the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, houses, wives, children from their enemies. Preserve rights, privileges, liberty, so they can “worship their God according to their desires.”)

It is good to do a check on what our 'purpose' is in the things we do.

I love you all so much, and it is has been wonderful to spend time with so many of you.