MARK'S MEETING, LITTLE MERMAID AND FISHING

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED IN DISNEYLAND ABOUT TEENAGE BOYS

1.  Boys don’t put the lid down.

2.  Full is not in their vocabulary.

3.  Anything is better than waiting.

4.  Boys feet stink.

5.  Mother’s food tops all.

clemantis

Sunday was a wonderful day.  We went to Eagle Mountain for church to hear Elder Mark Cochran give his report.  It was so good.  Wow!  

He taught the Doctrine of Christ so well and gave such a good report, not of his mission but of his growth in the gospel and his knowledge of our Savior and the Holy Ghost. 

 It was powerful.  The Bayles and Cochran families filled half of the cultural hall.  The place was full clear to the back.  The priesthood had to set up more chairs.

After church we went to Neptune Park for dinner.  What an incredible park.   Sherrie had plenty of food and everyone seemed to bring even more.   I took pictures but didn’t get everyone.  I’m posting them but just pictures; not much in the way of stories.  It was an extremely windy day but it kept us cool.

Bruce, Cory and Neldon Cochran

Erin and David

Robert, wife  and oldest son

youngest son

Sheri and Steven

Stephen, Bruce, Cory, Neldon and I don't know who is who

Uncle Mark's

Uncle Mark and Aunt Kay

Ty, Addie, Debi

Hal

Kyle and Christianna

Uncle Lyman and Aunt Jean

kids

The playground at this park was unbelievable.  It had toys I have never seen and just so many things for many children.  The kids played and played.  I didn't even get many pictures but it was still fun.  When I saw Nixon on the whatever I had to take pictures.  It was enormous and very high.  It was like a giant jungle gym with netting in places.  I guess Ava climbed clear to the top.

Beth and Nixon

After an absolutely great day with tons of family , we went to SLC to see Milt.  Again, he looked so good.  He visited with us for about an hour again and was even smiling.  I called Del so Milt could talk to him and both of them were so glad to hear each other.  Milt loves that his name is on several temple rolls and he feels the prayers.  He is now on solids and just cried when he said the sweetest thing he has tasted was the sacrament.  He is a very humble man and knows it is the tender mercies and prayers that have kept him alive.  He still has  much more to go, but he is grateful for where he has come.  They are going to take him out of MICU so he is getting better.  Thank you so much for your prayers.

Lily turned 9 on Tuesday.  She is such a sweet little girl.  She has a smile that can melt ice.   She loves her family and anything she can do with them.  She is especially good with children and loves to tend for her aunts or anyone who needs her.  She is anxious to be in fourth grade next year and will do very well.  We are looking forward for the time when we get to take her on a trip.  She will be so much fun.

Wednesday Bethany and Shanelle picked me up at 12:30 and we headed for St George and our ladies' 3 days party.  It was a fun trip and we loved getting to our condo when the other 2 cars got there.  Dianne and girls were first with Tiffani and Kristin a close second.  Kristin had to have David take her to Charlotte NC to fly to Houston, then San Francisco and then on to Las Vegas for Tiffani to drive her and Baylie to St. George.  What a long flight but they made it.
We unloaded our cars and headed to Pizza Factory for dinner.  We had so darn much fun.  It was fun to be with every girl in the family.  

After dinner we headed to Toucan for "The Little Mermaid" production.  It was amazing. 

They had to wait for it to get darker.

 The girls were so happy and glued to the stage.  It really was good and so much fun. 

 It didn't end until after midnight so we were very late getting to bed.  The girls went immediately and fell asleep.  Not so the daughters.  They talked until 2:30.  I couldn't go to bed for fear they might say something I would miss out on.  Boy are they fun.
We got up when we wanted Thursday and let the girls swim to their hearts desire.  They had so much fun and played under a waterfall and in the hot tub. 

watching a ladybug

 We went to Paradise Cafe for lunch and then off on a huge and long shopping spree.  Never did I shop with my girls like they did.  It was a marathon but again, so much fun.  Everyone ended happy. 

 We went back to the pool and chips and dip for dinner.

How Mermaids shower.

After putting the girls to bed the daughters again talked 'till 2:30.  Bethany started us off with a game of questions and must say I learned a lot.
We got up Friday morning, cleaned the condo and headed out for home. 

time to say good- by

 Kristin flew from St. George to Denver, to DC and then after waiting for a flight to Columbia, flew at 2:30 AM to Savanah, Georgia where David picked her up at 4:00 AM and drove all night getting in at 9.  The rest of us had a much easier time.  All in all we can't wait to repeat it next year.
While we were in St. George, the boys spent time with Granddad camping, fishing and catching chipmunks.  He will add what they did here.

While the girls were away in St. George,  the boys went on a little camping trip to Deer Creek reservoir.  I took the pop up trailer up on Wednesday and set up camp.  Unfortunately, I discovered that the reservations I had made were for the following week.  Fortunately, there were plenty of campsites available, so I was able to salvage the camping trip. 

I set up the trailer and walker around a little and checked out the campsite.  Erik and his boys came up in the afternoon. 

 We lounged around camp for awhile then went over to a place called the sailboat beach and I tried to fish and the boys swam a little. 

 It was windy and the water was cold so we gave it up and we went back to camp.  I told the boys how I used to catch chipmunks with a a box, a stick and a string with some nuts for bait.  (Somebody also told them how I took it to church!  But fortunately, we never caught one we could keep, so we didn't have to worry about a repeat of that episode.) We found some equipment, and they began their "trapping".  They had a great time.  Clark, and his boys got there about eight o’clock, and we had dinner.  We sat around and talked about books they had read.  (Cheaper than shopping in St. George!)  It was fun to just sit around and visit. 

We slept eight of us in the trailer.  Asher told Erik he “didn’t want to sleep in the trailer with Grandad because he makes loud noises”.  Thanks a lot family. 

Clark and Riley had to leave  early in the morning, and Jonny stayed with me.  The boys spent the morning trapping chipmunks.  They caught a couple, but they got away. 

 We took the boys fishing , but we didn’t have any luck.  Asher did throw a lot of rocks in the water.   Erik ‘s crew provided lunch. (Shanelle’s contribution)  It was tasty.  After lunch, Erik and his boys had to go home.  Jonny and I continued to try and catch some chipmunks.  We caught one, but it got away when we tried to put it in a bag.  We went to Heber City to buy a few groceries.  Jonny fell asleep and had a good nap.  (So did I!) 

We stopped at Granny’s for a shake.  After our shopping, we went back to camp and waited for Scotty and Nixon and for Clark and Riley.  We had another enjoyable evening around the fire.  More talk about books read by the boys.  Tyler, Ashely’s husband  joined us for dinner. 

Friday, Clark and his boys headed home.  Scotty, Nixon and I went fishing again.  We finally had a little success.  I caught a nice trout, and Scotty “had one that got away”.  Nixon wanted to swim.  He is not afraid of anything.

We had lunch, and then packed up the trailer and headed for home.  Although  nothing really noteworthy happened, we had a great time just being together and enjoying the fire and the company.  I love being with family.

We got up at 6 AM to head to Jordanelle for the triathalon.  The boys did so well.  Erik did the sprint and came in 8th in his age group and 15th overall.  Clark and Scott did the Olympic and Clark came in 2nd in his age group and came in 13th overall.  Scott did very well for his first Olympic.  It was so fun for all. 

Clark out of water with encouragement

Erik out of water

Scott out of water with encouragement

Erik and Scott on bike
missed Clark

                                   

Erik run

Clark's run 

second loop

Scott coming in with Ava and Nixon

Clark 2nd place winner

                                   

three brothers

winners

                                 Scott and Family had to head home after but the rest of us went to the Summit Inn for pizza.  What a fun time.

waiting

We left Kamas to go to SLC to see my brother, Milt.  He is doing much better.  They did amputate again just below the knee.  He is out of ICU but very weak.  He is trying so hard to be positive.  We arrived home very tired but still did some laundry.  
Our life seems to be full and we love every minute.  We love our family and the sealing power of the priesthood in the temple of our God.  The restored gospel is so true and we love the teachings of our prophets who teach us what we need to know to continue on our learning to endure to the end.