Christmas Break

It was fun to get together with family and friends this Christmas break. We played and ate and laughed a bunch.

Here's a glimpse at some of the fun...

Photos Are Phun!

More pictures from the NY trip/party...

Sunday after church we went to the cemetery to spend a few peaceful minutes as a family with those who have gone ahead. We sang a few songs.

We drove by FHS after that and visited the memory grove there. It's very nice. Way too many trees though. The J girls hiked the old sledding hill, which looks awesome.

Sunday night was the party at the church with refreshments and photos and mini decor. E3 wrote Grandpa some nice notes as did some older friends.

Apparently the primary kids had learned about the creation recently and posted their artwork on the wall. One of them particulary struck us both for the green monsters and the filters. Very funny!

New York Trip--Saturday on the Lake

After a little work in the woods (hauling logs, moving brush, trimming dead branches, extracting old trailers), we spent a peaceful 90 minutes or so on Canandaigua Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. We floated aboard the Canandaigua Lady, a two-paddle paddleboat, and took in the first of the fall colors along the shore. We wore our matching shirts (nerd alert) and soaked up some rare sunshine. There was even a little romance at the back of the boat...

Can you spot the winter socks?

Dad Turns 75

Dad had a birthday, shout "Hooray!" All eight daughters (and three sons in law and four grandkids) flew to NY for the celebration. We worked in the morning (painting, cooking, at the storehouse, etc.), went to lunch together and enjoyed a nice dinner at Mario's. Dessert was homemade lemon meringue pie--one of Dad's very favorite things in the world! Our cousin Carol and her husband joined us for dinner. It was great to see their family again!

P.S. Baby Owen is the cutest, sweetest lil boy!

Our FHE Experiment

At Stake Conference Sunday, we had a children's choir of 10 and 11-year olds. They sang four or five songs, including "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." I have been impressed with this song ever since I first heard it. And after hearing it Sunday it really stuck in my head. It became the theme for my family home evening lesson last night. We discussed how often we act better when company is at our house. And we shared what we would do and say differently if Jesus came to live at our house for a day. (And luckily there were a few things that we wouldn't have to change!)

We decided to do an experiment and pretend that Jesus would be with us all week long, no matter where we go--school, work, the store, soccer, football, piano lessons, etc. etc. Everyone received a small picture of the Savior to put in their room, locker, desk, mirror, wherever they want to remind them of the challenge. And I taped four 8.5 x 11 pictures of him on various walls in the house. I am really interested to see how this goes. I know all of us can treat each other better, and I hope perhaps most of all for measurable change in myself this week.

Also from stake conf., our stake president shared a study from a scientific journal that proved that whining is the most annoying sound in the world. (To think someone spent money proving this!) He then shared a scripture in the New Testament about Paul and his followers being beaten and imprisoned. And instead of whining they sang hymns and converted the jailer. Pretty cool.

I am going to try to whine less... :)

Kenny mission update Aug. 8

Last week, Kenny wrote that they were sort of mugged by a guy who stuck his hand in Kenny's companion's pocket. But Kenny said he shoved the little guy off and he left. I guess it was a pretty lame attempt. I know this is common in his area, and I hope he is careful.

Today he wrote that he has had some terrible migraines this week and couldn't even talk. He got a blessing from his comp and wondered why the Lord would wait to heal him since he is there on God's errand. He said his comp blessed him to be able to sleep, and 30-40 mins later he did fall asleep and was doing better the next day though still pounding advil. I could tell from his writing that he had really been in a lot of pain.

He also told me that the churches there (Catholic) are huge with huge golden altars (more like a wall) and pretty impressive. He sent a few pictures, which I'll have to save on here. He said some people cross themselves when the elders walk by them on the street. I'm not sure if they are protecting themselves or trying to bless the elders who they might fear are "lost." My words, not his.

He also said there is an area in their mission that is so dangerous they have to be out of it by 5 pm. They have seen dead guys lying in the street. Lots of drug activity, etc. "It is just really bad," he wrote. But they had baptized a guy who lives there and were visiting him and helping him with some painting.

They expect to baptize about 15 people this month. They were hoping for 25, but it looks like 15. Exciting. We keep him in our prayers and he appreciates it.

Attention Mexico City, the Eagle Scout Has Landed.

We got an email from our missionary yesterday. A few highlights:

• Only one roach in his apartment (so far). When they tried to get it, it got away down the sink drain.
  


• He's seen some drug deals and the police are very casual about giving tickets. They would rather be bribed.
  


• They went up a street and a dog chased them and went for him, so he kicked it in the face. Dog was quiet when they walked back by later on.
  


• He and some elders played soccer with some guys for a while, which was fun. But some kids stole three of their backpacks. One elder lost a camera and some $. He was able to buy an "identical" camera at a shop for $8 the next day.
  


• He bore his testimony in church, basically saying I can't understand very much, but I'm here because I know the gospel is true and I want to share it.
  


• They found a guy who wanted to learn more about God, but he has some lifestyle issues that would be a roadblock.
  


• His comp baptized a man who had an evil spirit, which tried to get out right after the baptism. Very exciting and scary. He said all is well now.
  


• They've been sworn at in English and Spanish. They smile and say thank you.
  


• He said the food is good so far. He has tried pig intestines.
  


• The shower stopped working so they started heating water on the stove. Way to go, boys.

He seemed fairly optimistic about everything. We hope that his second week dulls down a bit.

Best Job Ever

I heard a discussion on the radio recently about "the worst job ever." And it made me flash back to the summer of 1988 (I believe) when I did an assortment of temp jobs, including one and only one day at a meatpacking plant with bologna fat under my fingernails.

That led me to muse, "What would be the best job ever?" When asked for my "dream job" 15-20 years ago at a church mingler, I answered, "an ice cream taster." This would still be fun but would not be conducive to weighing less than 400 lbs.

I think it might be really cool to work at Sam's Club as the person who writes on your receipt with a highlighter as you leave the store. I think I have the skills necessary. I could even provide my own yellow or blue marker.

I also think it would be fun to be a movie critic. But I wouldn't want to see all the slasher movies or the skin flicks and other dumbness. So I would probably only critique 6 movies a year. Can't make a living doing that.

Maybe I could get paid to watch NFL games and blog about them. I really would enjoy that for a season. Here's hoping there is a season this fall...

I don't really want to move to Hawaii or some other exotic place for a job, no matter how cool. And I'm not that much into travel.

I don't mind getting myself dirty, as long as I'm not covered in manure or tar. But somehow I don't think the best job ever requires you to bathe extra.

With a few years still to go on the mortgage, I better stick to my current job. It may not be the best ever, but it's pretty good!

Fast Forward

So I was going to try to catch up for the past 7 months, but that would take WAY too long.

Here's Kenny on May 11 right before he entered the MTC for his mission to Mexico City.

He is really busy learning Spanish and everything else they are teaching him.

School is about to end for the kids at home, and that means summertime blues. We're trying to plan in some cool stuff to help the months go by. Swim lessons, football camp, acting camp, violin and guitar lessons, bike trips to get snow cones, etc. The person I worry about most is Jim. He has very little hair left to pull out.

Our spring has been fabulous. Sure we've had record rain and mountain snow and certain rivers are in danger of flooding (sorry for those people). But I must go on record as loving the cool temps and the beautiful green mountains, flowers, grass, trees, etc. It is gorgeous, and it doesn't happen unless we get lotsa rain in this here desert. And besides, pretty soon it will be 90 and extremely dry out and everything will turn brown again. So let me enjoy this little slice of heaven for five more minutes.

In April I got to visit some of my favorite people on earth. They live in rainy Portland. We played and hung out. I got to hold their precious baby boy and laugh and play with the fun big sister and big brother. And I got some new sneakers. And we went out to dinner. It was great. I love running at sea level.

Jon's been playing rugby for the past couple of months. It's fun to watch though I still don't understand all of the rules. He likes it and I think it brings out the maniac in him. (Does he need help with that?)

Happy Spring!