Stories from the camp out

Boaz and his cousin Tayvin were to ride the same horse up to the camping spot. In the bustle of getting everybody ready, the two youngest boys were placed on Flicka -- the horse they were to ride. That got them out from underfoot, and in a place where they would be safe.

Boaz was in front. He picked up the reins, looked at his cousin, and said, "Do you know how to drive this thing?" Tayvin didn't know either.

On this trip Josh caught his first fish from casting to reeling in. The whole entire process.

Boaz learned how to cast.

Boaz is showing signs of becoming a pyro, a bit like his mother and father. Craig made the rule that each stick Boaz put in the fire had to be all the way in, not just part way.

Josh and his Uncle Brad got caught in a hail storm out on the lake. Josh held the fishing poles while Uncle Brad rowed for the shore. The hail pinging on them was painful. They reached the shore, and their jackets just as the hail stopped.

They chased rock chucks and poked at them. They got to help bury one that had been raiding the kitchen tent.

They ate bacon and sausage for breakfast.

They came home happy and tired. Ready to shower and get in the car to head for Salt Lake.

Back in the saddle

Since the move, I have been having a hard time quilting. I was getting a bit worried. My machine was acting up. The quilt I needed to have done for Christmas last year was pin basted and ready to quilt. But the machine was skipping stitches. I was frustrated.

I finally located a repair shop and called. It turns out, the first thing to try when a machine is skipping stitches is to put in a new needle. If a needle is bent, even just a little, the timing gets thrown off. So with a new needle, I was able to finish most of the quilting and get the binding sewn on. Now I just need to hand stitch it down. My sister is being so patient. :)

I also have a niece that is passing through on her way from North Carolina (?) to Washington State. She is pregnant with her first -- a girl. The shower is Tuesday. So Thursday I decided to try and get a quilt done for the shower. I went shopping in my stash -- because that is why I have one, right?

I washed the fabric, this is a baby quilt after all, and got down to business. I chose a log cabin, because I love that pattern, and it is fast. My purple has way to much green in it, so I had to sash between the blocks. But here it is.

I even got it bound.

It is amazing what one can accomplish when the men folk are camping. It has just been me and the kittys. :)

Brenda :)

Josh was taking the picture. Our heads are chopped off, and we weren't sure when we should smile :), but he was happy to take the picture.



Brenda and Karly. I love them.

Karly's new car

On their way to Arizona, Karly and Brenda stopped in for a visit. We took pictures out in the sun in front of the our house and Karly's car.

We were headed out for a fun day of shopping before we sent them further south.

The boys weren't too sure it would be a fun day shopping, but they actually shopped and ended up with a few items.

Karly and Brenda loved on the kitties, sat up and talked with me until we were bleary eyed, teased the boys, etc.

It was so good to have them in our home. I miss them dreadfully.

Cinco and Mayo

Say hello to Cinco and Mayo. They were born on Boaz's birthday -- May 5th. Hence the names. :)

They were very nervous when we brought them home. They boys wanted to maul them with love.

Now they terrorize the house.

Lucy -- the cat who adopted us -- is put out. I'm not sure she will recover. Craig is hoping that she doesn't.

I can't wait until they get big enough to potty outside.

Father's Day

I had to give a talk on Father's Day. I was worried. I seem to cry at the slightest provocation. I didn't know how I was going to manage a talk that people could actually understand.

I had three weeks to think about it. Three weeks to think about my Dad. My memories of him.

At first I had no idea what to say, I was glad  I had three weeks.

Then the memories flooded in.

I remembered him laying on the floor and flipping us over his head in the front room. All of us lined up to have a turn. Couch cushions piled to soften the landing.

I remembered the privilege of sitting next to him at dinner. His marauding fork on our dinner plate.

I remembered him taking me on a Daddy/Daughter date when I was 11.

I remembered his stories. His stories about me when I was little. His stories about growing up in Idaho and his cousin Ron. I remembered his stories about his aunts and uncles -- and the family dramas.

I remembered his stories about his brother Jack.

I remembered his stories about Germany after WWII.

I remembered his sense of humor and laughing eyes.

I remembered him trying to teach me how to throw a softball.

I remembered him loving BYU sports.

I remembered him watching sports, and trying to teach me a little about what was going on at the same time.

I remembered how he loved to get us all riled up and then he would sit back and watch the fire works.

I remembered him taking me out for coffee and teaching me how to protect myself when I was about to go on my mission.

I remembered taking him to the beach, and he was disgusted that with so much water, you couldn't use it to water a lawn or garden.

I remembered visiting him, and he always asking me about my car or my job or trying to get me to talk to my mother.

I remembered so many little things. Little things that I miss.

I still try and live my life so he would be proud of me.

At the temple

After the back yard clean up, we all cleaned up and went to the temple. Back row: Carl, Holly, Joe, Pete, Craig, Front row: Aunt Renee, Meg, Nympha, Ariel, Devon, Deb Willa and me.

We clean up pretty well. It was sweet being there with the family.


Uncle Gary was taking the picture, so I took one of him and Aunt Renee. This was the first time I had seen them since they came home from Germany. They look good. :)

And then, Deb and Cody. :) A sweet day.