400th post!

Wow!

I cannot believe this is my 400th post! I need to turn my blog into a book one of these days!!

We just got back from Laren's 20 year High School Class Reunion. It was fun to go and see some of the people that I knew long ago when I went to Ricks College and worked at Arctic Circle, because those were some of the same people who grew up and graduated with my future husband even though I didn't know it at the time! It was also fun to see so many that Laren has talked about through the years.

Laren (in the striped shirt on the right) and some of his old high school buddies at the park in Sugar City yesterday. Not too surprising to learn that many of them became engineers like him.

Laren and I at the reunion yesterday.

While I was in town I got in touch with one of my dear friends, Kris, and we had a nice little visit! (Thanks, Kris, for obliging me and my girls!)

Kris brought her 2 daughters and I brought my 3 and the 5 of them became fast friends playing hide and seek and sardines at the BYU-Idaho Botanical Gardens while us moms visited!

Us in front of the Rexburg, Idaho Temple. I cannot believe there is a temple there now, just a short distance (literally) from where I lived when I was a student there 16 years ago! It is a beautiful temple, I'm bummed we didn't have time to do a session there!


And Jaci, this is for you! This is Brother Mike Rasmussen, a counselor from our Bishopric in the student ward when we were students there. (Jaci and I were roommates.) I did not know this, but he is from Laren's home ward in Plano. So when we went to Church today and I saw him, even after all these years I knew it was him. We had a nice conversation. Our old Bishop, Bishop Puzey is a mission president in the Phillipines now. And I specifically asked Brother Rasmussen if he remembered you Jaci and he did! He said he remembered going with his wife and taking you to the doctor and hospital in Idaho Falls. Such a fun reunion!!

Overall it was a great trip, short but sweet. We filled each day with a ton of stuff. Looking back at the 300 plus pictures we took surprises me that we fit everything in that we did! I will say this, Idaho is COLD!! Brrrr, I had forgotten how chilly it gets there - even when it's "warm"!! LOL

Girls Camp 2009

Back from Girls Camp

It was a lot of fun, but exhausting! I loved being there with Kayla, my daughter, especially, even though we were sleeping in different cabins. We went to the new camp the Church has built southeast of Heber City, Heber Valley Camp. It is nice, with a pavillion, 2 fridges (with freezers on top), a sink with hot and cold water, camp stoves already there, a locking kitchen area, 3 cabins per campsite with built in bunkbeds, bathrooms with flushing toliets and HOT showers! It was great!

Inside my cabin, the leaders bunks were behind that wall where the white board is.

Outside my cabin. I was assigned a different cabin than my daughter, so that was a bummer for me - but she was probably happy about that!

The drawbacks: Rain, Rain, RAIN!!! And swine flu. Yes, our camp cook came down with it the first night we were there. We ended up getting quarantined and were unable to do the Challenge Course (zip line, etc...). The girls were SO bummed!

Last night one of our Laurel Adviser's brought us all up masks, after hearing about the swine flu dilemna. So this morning we posed for a few pictures with our masks on. I am in that picture, can you find me? (Hint: I am next to my daughter.)

Kayla and I atop Lookout Point on one of our hikes. That is Legacy Lake, where we went canoeing in the background.

But we did get in a couple of good hikes and some canoeing on Legacy Lake. Last night was the testimony meeting and value walk. It was freezing cold, but the rain held off. I am SO tired! Somehow, it still felt like camping even though we were in cabins. We have the most wonderful group of girls in our ward! I just love them all!!

Canoeing on the Lake.

My friend's Wedding

Tonight was a fun Wedding Reception for my friend Elissa (pronounced Alyssa, like our daughter). When we first moved here, Elissa and I hit it off because her oldest daughter is Kayla just like my oldest daughter and her name is pronounced the same as my second oldest daughter. Anyway, she's so happy and I'm so happy for her!! Congratulations, guys!!!

Elissa and Duane

The beautiful bride and her groom. Funny face!!

Their beautiful cake. Her colors were blue and chocolate brown.

Our little Rilyn posing on the bench outside.

Daddy and his youngest daughter, dancing! Rilyn was SO excited to dance and was just cuttin' a rug on the dance floor!!

Kayla reluctantly dancing with her Daddy. (Alyssa, Kyle and Tyler didn't attend.)

Laren, I and Rilyn in front of the scenic background at the reception.

A New Temple!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

On Saturday, our family went to the Open House at the new Oquirrh Mtn. Temple. Laren was reluctant to go, because we went to the Draper Temple Open House just 3 months ago. But I was determined that we HAD to go, because there are so FEW perfect opportunities to get all your family inside the temple (especially when they are the ages of our young children), and to teach them FIRST HAND about the temple!!

Our family in front of the temple afterward. Yeah, it's nearly impossible to get all seven us looking the right direction and smiling!! :)

After the Open House, there were cookies and water inside the tent adjacent to the temple. My kids were fascinated by this Grand "player" Piano.

Alyssa and Rilyn in the tent eating their grub. You would never know this is inside a TENT, would you?! It was SO nice in there!

Afterwards we took our kids out to dinner.

And yesterday, I taught the combined Young Women's lesson on Temple marriage. So thanks to a website (http://www.mormonshare.com/node/7009) I came up with this handout, made out of cardstock and a white handkerchief. And I put a poem on the back. It was a big hit with the girls. It was my first time ever giving a lesson in YW, not to mention a combined lesson in there. I think it turned out okay.

YW Handout.

Summer Fun!

@ seVen peAks!

Rilyn - love this picture of her!

Alyssa

Kyle and Mom

Tyler cautiously going down the slide

Kayla and Tyler in the wave pool

Ahh, still recovering from the sunburns we got 2 days ago! But we had a great time!! I'm working on my Young Womens lesson for Sunday (I'm teaching the combined lesson on Temple Marriage).

And we've been looking and looking (for many, many hours) for a home for our family. It is such a frustrating endeavor! Either they are too small with too much $$ per square foot, or they are too big with a better price per square foot - but overall they are too much $$$. And I cannot believe all the tiny kitchens! This is Utah - I thought most people had large families here! How can you accomodate 7 people around a table if your kitchen is tiny?

Of course we have narrowed our search to be that just in the areas that are within the boundaries of our kids' schools. I'm hoping we find something before school starts. Despite feeling like sardines, we are in a great area here with a fantastic ward!! :)