WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS

Just so you know I added some pictures to our last blog.  You might want to go there.

Erik's Sophomores

Our garden did so well this year that we ended up with way too much food.  We shared it with all but had 16 huge banana squash.  Dad made this sign and put it on the brick wall and many squash disappeared.

Can't make it go right.  Just want you to read the sign.

After meetings Sunday we went to Eureka to see Milt now that he is home.  He is doing as well as can be expected.  We just don’t like him being alone without even prosthesis.  He is pretty much confined to his wheel chair.  He says he’s just fine but we still worry about him.

We called Tiffani from the car and she informed us that she has a new calling.  She is the new bishop's wife.  They will serve very well.  When Dave's name was called from the pulpit, Lauryn raised her hands and began chanting "Yes, Oh ya, etc."  Tiffani had to hold her down.  Those around them just laughed.  She even gave the arm pump.  Never a dull moment there.

Our days are filled with children and grands.  We love it.  

We got to Vegas, Thursday, just in time to take Lauryn to dance class.  We went back home and picked up Cameron for golf lessons and then went back home to take Clara to soccer practice.  They are all in different directions so home is the pick up and drop off place.  We then went back to get Lauryn and then on to get Cameron.  Dave is Clara's coach so he brought her home. This might not be in the proper order but for several hours Tiff was getting kids places.  I don't know what music lesson days are like.  Cameron has organ and piano, the girls have piano and violin.  I think Tiff is just a busy taxi.  That night she fixed us French dipped sandwiches. Yum.

Friday after the kids got to school we ran some errands Tiffani needed.  Dave takes Cameron to school.  We picked up Cameron from his middle school just in time to go get the girls.  That afternoon and evening we went to the Piggot Halloween Carnival and dinner.  Great carnival.

Dracula and Malifient

We got back in time to see part of the BYU game.  Turned the series on instead.  Needless to say Cameron didn't need to see the BYU game.  We watched here and there.  I think that was the night everyone got in the hot tub.  It's hot in Vegas.

Saturday the girls got up and made signs for the pomegranate sale they had panned.

 Lauryn's hair is dark because of the carnival costume.

It was a success and they made $28.00.  They have a pomegranate tree in the back yard.

George took Cameron to the driving range for a good time.  Dave joined them there as he had an early church training meeting.  After the golf, Dave had a ward temple baptism.  He met us at 1:00 for Clara's game.  They won.

#6

It was just so much fun to be with family and enjoy their doings.  We don't see the very often.  We are going to try to do better.  They took us to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.  That was also fun.

Sunday morning was the Primary meeting.  It was so well done and reverent.

 The girls played their violins with some other girls and Cameron accompanied the Primary in "Families ca be together forever". 

 Hope the video works.  It didn't. I never got a picture of the girls with their violins.  It was Dave's first time as Bishop and he did a splendid job.  He said he loved seeing the children wave to their parents so he waved to us.  He's going to be a great Bishop.  Tiff had  a great dinner waiting after church and we just enjoyed being together.  No TV.

As soon as the kids had gone to school we left for Provo and the family Halloween Party.  That will be in the next blog.

We love our family so much and are so blessed to be a forever family if we but follow the commandments.  Our Father has given us such a beautiful plan of salvation, happiness.  We love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and each other.

THE BOAT

Just so you know I added more pictures to this blog.  I forgot I had taken some on Dad's phone.

Sunday Scott and Beth had us over for Pumpkin French Toast.  She found the recipe on Pinterest.  It was so good.  She made it on Texas toast.  What a combo: French and Texan. 

Monday the boys came to mow the lawn and helped Granddad make apple cider.  Ava and Nixon were there too.  Never have I tasted better cider.

Tuesday I gave Dad his Birthday, Fathers’ Day and Christmas present for eternity.  He is so excited. 

It’s used but the price was so low that we just had to buy it.  We just stopped by on our way to Asher and Camden’s ball games, and there the beauty was.  We love to watch the kids in whatever they do. 

While visiting teaching one of our sisters we visit called me and asked if I could take her to where her husband had been in a car accident.  The sister has had numerous surgeries over the last 3 years and cannot see well enough to drive or to do many things.  I drove her to the accident, which was not her husband’s fault, and then they asked if I could take them to her doctor’s appointment.  I was thrilled to be able to do it.  I got home at 6 that night.  What a good day.

Thursday we went to Cascade Springs with Erik’s family.  It was so beautiful all the way up the mountain.  The yellows were especially bright this year.  We had a fun walk around the water and as we were finishing, Clark’s family joined us, so we walked again.  It was wonderful.  

 boys can never escape water

 Erik, Shanelle, Clark, Dianne

 Erik's

 great pals  Granddad and Hailey

 The old ones

The weather was perfect and the company even better.  After the walk we all went to The Drug Store in Kamas for dinner.  They serve the best hamburgers and milk shakes. 

It was just fun to be together and not have anyone have to work in the kitchen.  The kids wanted to play longer so we went to Clark’s and stayed ‘till dark.  What a fun day.  We rode with Erik’s family.

Friday evening  Erik’s family came with apples they had picked and joined them with ours and we pressed cider on our press.  Everyone joined in and we had so much fun.  There is no way you can replace homemade cider.  It was yummy.  Afterwards we had hot dogs and Shanelle’s Cowboy caviar. Again I forgot to take pictures.

Friday we got up and left for Kamas at 8:00 to meet Scott and family to get a load of wood.  It was a beautiful day.  Lily caught a frog for Ava and Nixon to hold. 

We hooked up our splitter and off we went.  It was just the 4 of us and the 2 kids.  Where we stopped to cut there was the most wonderful huge mud puddle in the middle of the road. 

 Need I tell you about Nixon and keeping out of it. 

 Tarzan and Jane

 We didn’t get as much as we wanted but it was still more than we had 

 Didn't have time to cut and split these so Scott just put them in the trucks.  The trailer was filled with split wood.

We got home at 5, showered, met Erik and Shanelle who took us to dinner at Mama Chus (something like that) and then headed for the disastrous game.  Scott and Beth had to wait for their baby sitter so they ate closer to the stadium.  Mark Cochran and group took Dave and Tiff’s tickets.  Even though the game was bad, we had a blast.  We got home at 12:30 AM.  What a great day.

OCTOBER MEANS GENERAL CONFERENCE

mini pumpkins

Resting after such a fun trip is impossible.  We had way too much fun and got reacquainted with such wonderful friends while in the Carolinas.  We had so much catching up to do when we got home.  The house was in great order and all was fine but it is just hard to get into the groove again.

We’ve been going to ball games, ball games and more ball games.  We love it.  

 Asher's friend at soccer

 Molly at Riley's game

 Riley 23 scored 3 touchdowns

pumpkin in the back of a truck at a game

These grandchildren are so fun to watch.  When we go to Kamas we take slop for Roscoe and veggies for the family.  It’s so fun to see family often.

George saw Dr. Hwang again and is doing well.  We are always relieved to hear that.

The Utah State/BYU game was a disaster but we had fun because Clark’s and Erik’s family came too.  We always have fun with family, a little rivalry and football.

back row 

 Parker, Shanelle, Erik

Saturday Scott and Bethany brought the kids for the weekend.  We spent Saturday going to ball games and making crowns with Erik’s family.

Asher and Nixon watching the game?

We taped General Conference because we just can’t absorb it all with grandchildren around. We love being surrounded by family.  Ava and Nixon got up and went right in for breakfast and sugar, Grammy's special.

Dad, Erik and Parker went to the priesthood session together. 

The rest of us butted in on their dinner together and joined them.  We went to Chubby’s and what a treat.  We ate and ate.  The crowns were made when the rest of us got to our house.

Sunday is our waffles, whipped cream and berries between conference sessions.  It’s a family tradition. 

This year the raspberries were from our garden.  After the dinner, the kids went to the garden and picked tiny pumpkins and decorated them with hair and faces.  They were really cute but I forgot to take pictures.  Again, conference was good but thank goodness we taped it so we can watch it in silence.  The sessions were so good.  Every year we say it’s the best conference ever; and it is.

We loved how many speakers spoke on family histories.  Thanks to Kristin, our family does that every 4 months.  Each family sends an article of what they have been doing and she publishes it very professionally.  We treasure the stories and the history we are making and recording.  It makes us feel good when the speakers ask us to do that and we are.  We hope our posterity enjoys the stories someday.  We would love to read stories about our recent ancestors.

Our testimonies are so strengthened each conference.  We cherish the opportunity to hear from our Prophet and the twelve apostles.  The restored gospel of Jesus is so true.

Monday was Bethany’s birthday.  We are so grateful she is a member of our family.  She is a direct answer to our prayers.  She loves Scott so much and is such a good mother to Ava and Nixon.  Whatever projects Scott decides to work on, she is right there helping, with the kids in the middle of things.

Tuesday was a special day in that we were invited to go to the Timpanogos Temple with a dear member from our mission.  Deborah fed us often while we were in Murphy.  It was such a pleasure to be with her and her sister in such a special place.  It was a wonderful session.  We had dinner in the cafeteria after the session.  What good food.

We left the temple and went to the Apple Store in SLC to see if anyone could fix Dad’s iphone.  He just needs to quit swimming while fishing with his phone in his pocket.  It couldn’t be fixed so we had to buy a new one.  He now has a waterproof bag to keep his phone in.  We got home at 5 and got ready to go to Parker’s play.  It was 6 acts from different Shakespeare plays.  His was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  We were proud of him.

After the play we all went for ice cream.

We finally got to watch Erik coach the sophomore team.  They played a tough game on a torn up field at West lake.  The Vikings won 12-10.  He did a great job.  The same boys have not won a game in 2 years until Erik became their coach and people had given up on them.  Not Erik.

We got home to watch BYU play CFS.  Well, almost play.  The best thing about the game was that Tiffani, Dave and family were there.

Friday we were able to go to Rick and Jona’s daughter’s wedding reception in Payson.  It was so good to see people from Blanding.  Grandma Bonnie has been such a good friend of mine.  Rick and Jona named their first child after me and I am so honored to have such a sweet girl with my name.  She married Worthy Glover’s son Tim.

The best news of the day was that Milt gets to go home next Friday.  YaHoo!  I wish Del’s Patricia and Karen’s Bert were doing as well.

Saturday we went to the sealing of the reception couple.  The officiator did such a good job.  The Spirit was so close and felt so tenderly.  It was a beautiful time.  We left there for the luncheon at The Schmidt Bakery.  Great food and better company.  It was just good to spend the day with these good friends.  After lunch we just had to buy some baked goods and ran into Maile.  What a surprise.

  She is just a good friend of Tiff’s and we love her.

Later we headed to Herriman and our NCCM mission reunion.  We love President and Sister Thomas and it was so good to see them and some of the wonderful missionaries we worked with in that greatest mission on earth.

We love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and that we can be with our children for time and all eternity.  What a great gift our Father has given us.  We love each other, even though I accidentally poured a quart of Dad's home pressed apple cider down the sink!  He is way too good to me.  I sure do love him.  I love her too in spite of her "help" with the apples.