JUNE AND STILL THE VIRUS

JUNE IS BUSTING OUT ALL OVER

Started with Molly, Lily and Jonny coming so I could take some pictures.  We love it any time grands come.  We were sorry that when they left Erik brought Camden and Asher to mow the lawns.  We were hoping they would be able to see each other.  They love to be together.  We were so happy that Asher came to mow this time.  He did a great job and just loved seeing him.  It is always nice to be with family.                                                     

Asher and Erik

Camden with the blower

 Tuesday Parker left for Eugene, Oregon to continue his mission.  We are so excited that he wants to do this. He will serve with all his heart to the people he come in contact with.  He is an amazing young man.
The next day was his birthday and he turned 19.  What an adventure he has had.  He left for the MTC in September going to Japan, Kobe, where his dad served.  Due to the pandemic he was put in quarantine in Japan then after a few months sent home and put again in quarantine again.  He is so excited that he can now go out and serve in Oregon.  He will be wonderful in serving the Lord.  He has a great family behind him and he loves the Lord.  We are so blessed.

 An obedient missionary

That evening we took dinner to Vanita and Vernon Law.  They are such wonderful friends but Vanita just got home from a serious stroke.  We were thrilled to take them dinner.
Thursday, the 4th, Dad and some teachers he worked with, went to see Danny Throckmorton who has been very ill with serious heart problems..  They had a great time sharing stories of the "good ole days"

George, Mike Barker, Troy Hulse and  Danny

Friday we had so much fun in that we went to our mountain property.  We have 7 acres in Soldier Summit.  There are very few cabins and so it is beautiful with so many trees, especially pine and aspens.   We had lunch and just enjoyed the beauty and fresh mountain air.  We wish we had a cabin but are so grateful for the land.

Lightning and thunder encouraged us to head home.

Saturday was a chilly day with much rain so we worked in our fruit room organizing things.  Dad did most of it and it looks so much better.

It hasn't rained that hard for a long time, even a little hail.

While it rained so hard at home the mountains had snow. (garden view)

Sunday I bore my testimony on our family service.  I am always happy to let people, especially my family know that I know the restored church of Jesus Christ is so true and the only one on earth.  God is our Heavenly Father and Jesus is His Son and the Savior of the world.  It is all true.  Clark gave an amazing talk on Alma 5.  It is so true and if you think about it so rewarding to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Tiff and Scott couldn't get on and were so missed.

Monday we worked in the basement again.  We got rid of some books and made room for some "vintage" helmets Dad had stuffed in a barrel.

  We even put together a broken old butter churn.

Wednesday, June 10th, Lily turned 15. 

her birthday cake

She is such a special granddaughter.  She can out work any boy her age and works with such vigor.  She planted all our potatoes this year and many tomatoes, peppers, and did whatever needed to be done.  She always does more than her share of the work.  She loves her family as is so glad they have added Watts, the dog.

She has grown into such a beautiful young lady right before our eyes.  She and Granddad have an ongoing "who can out do the other".  They just go at each other in so much fun.  It keeps granddad on his toes.  She is always there to help others and is a joy to be around.  We were invited to her birthday dinner of shrimp and a yummy soup-sauce.  I don't like shrimp but this was really good.  When we were ready to go home Erik and his family came to congratulate Lily.  It was so much fun to be with both families.  We were so excited to see them that I forgot to take a picture.

Monday was such a nice day that Dad worked on a staff under the cool of the umbrella.

not finished yet

Tuesday we watched Ava dance in a competition on our computer that we showed on our big screen TV.  She was amazing and performed solo and in a trio.  It is so fun to watch her and see the moves her body can do.

Saturday the 13th Dave Freeman came by with pictures of our wedding almost 54 years ago.  My dad had taken them but no one was able to develop them because they were so old.  My dad never had it done at the time.  This was the first we had been able to see them more than a negative.  We were so young and it was so fun to look at them.

 Julie Ann, Mikki (Geo sisters)us Geo brother Eric, Nancy's parents, George's parents          

 cutting the cake

 us

with parents

Sunday meeting was on Google because Tiff and Scott could not get on Zoom.  Clark and Scott were no there but Elder Riley Bayles was and shared his testimony.  David gave a great talk and Baylie played the piano.  It is always good.  When it was over we had the sacrament.  Too special to talk about.

Monday we did a little shopping and got a basket for our antique Schwinn bike. Asher and Camden with Erik and Shanelle came to mow the lawn.  Love when we see them but don't post every time.
Tuesday was a little chilly and we woke up to such beauty.

  Wednesday the 17th, was our happy news that David (Kristin's husband) got a new job as the music teacher 20 minutes from their home. We are all so excited.  

To celebrate we got dinner from Texas Roadhouse.

Thursday was a good day because we bought the first fresh corn on the cob for a hamburger dinner.  We love the place we buy this each year.  We did not plant any of our own.  The next day the girls sent us cookies and ice cream from Crumbles.  It took us 3 days to eat it all.  Can't describe how good they are.  It was for Father's Day.
Father's Day was Sunday the 21st.  Kristin orchestrated an amazing program online that had every family individually tell granddad why they loved him.  Of course we bawled.  It was so refreshing to hear each one tell how they felt.  Sometimes you need that to know that you did something right in life.  It was beautiful.  I won't say how many times we watched it and how many times I listed to mine.  They are treasures and each family can make a copy for themselves on their own devices.  Technology can be so wonderful.
We had our family meeting with Clark's family in charge.  We live for this time.  Ava and Clark gave the talks and did so well.  We love this time together to learn about each other and the doctrine of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
After awhile Scott and his family came over for a few hours and a card for dinner at Out Back.  We loved just sitting and visiting under the pergola.  Rowan entertained us with her dance routine.  At 5:00 we headed to Clark's home for dinner.  Dianne never disappoints us with her meals. the girls joined in, as always, and we feasted.  We were thrilled that Hailey could join us.  We love being in their home.

 check out the curly hair

Monday the 22nd, the boys came to mow.  they save us such worry and hard work.  They do a great job.

Tuesday we got word that Kristin's family had left for the West but broke down in Alabama.  They were blessed that a tow truck could haul them to a repair shop and they were on their way again.  They missed their time at Graceland in Tennessee but were able to reschedule Elvis the next day.

 At 1:00 we went to Rowan's first dance performance.  She knew every step and we were so proud of her.  Scott gave her a bouquet of red roses like the rose in Beauty and the Beast and she thought she was the luckiest girl ever.  She is so fun.

sorry about the blurry one on stage

the gtoup

We went back at 7 and watched Ava dance.  She was in 8 numbers, one solo and 1 trio and the rest groups.  She lives to dance and it shows when she gets on stage.

She can really move her body in so many ways.  She's beautiful to watch.  She even did a tap number and we really enjoyed the ballet numbers.  It lasted until 9:30 but was never boring.  Scott gave her flowers too.

Wednesday, June 24th, we went to a city meeting with Mayor Kafusi and her team about the neighbors diagonal across the street.  We went with bishop Piggot and Brother Woodard.  The home is a drug house and we are in such an incredible neighborhood called Grandview Hill.  The house is a mess and all kinds of people are coming and going at all times.  We are concerned because there are times we do not feel real safe.  We made our remarks and hope that something will come of it.  We have shown pictures in the past of the police taking people out in handcuffs.  It puts a damper on the other homes.
Friday, June 26th, Kristin and family have traveled across the USA from South Carolina, and are finally at Tiffani's in Vegas.  I think they got there yesterday.

 sisters and cousins

You will have to go to Kristin's to follow their adventuresome trip.  They even took in Graceland.
Saturday we cleaned the kitchen in the church.  We love being able to do this especially in that we can't go to Sunday meeting because of our age.
At 5:00 that evening Scott's family came to grind out 3 stumps in our yard.

It was very hot and a lot of work. Because they returned the huge edger, with wheels, Dad did the edges of the lawn and the girls cleaned up the leftovers.

 Rowan was great with putting the scraps in the bucket.

Not so much with the sweeping but she worked hard.

Never tired Bethany, worked forever on my berm.  She pulled out all my old poppies and daisies.  Ava helped her and Nixon jumped in the garbage can to push the weeds down.  The kids all gathered their friends, the slugs, put them in families, and gave them names.  Such is life.  The berm looks so much better.  They are coming Monday to help again.  How am I going to get rid of those snail/slugs?

Not sure which day but we certainly had some bad wind all day and night.

Sunday was the best because the chapters studied in Alma were acted out.  Who knew Ammon had light sabers?  Clark was a great King Lamoni.  Clara was in charge of the meeting. We were so happy to see Grandpa Goates looking so good.  The brain surgery is finally doing great.  How wonderful it is to share the Book of Mormon with family.
Monday Erik, Shanelle, Camden and Asher came to do the lawns.  We love it when so many come and we can see them.  They do such a good job and we love them so much.
This month has been filled a with so many  blessings.  We love that we have 2 grandson's on missions, serving the Lord so well.  We love that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and that we have a prophet of God leading and guiding us as we strive to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We love each other more every day and love that our children are striving so faithfully to be good parents and living such good lives.  Nothing in this life is more important that being forever families so that we can be together forever.  We are grateful that not one of them has been hurt by the virus and all are healthy and strong.  Our purpose on this earth is to live as families and follow Christ so that we can have eternal blessings with our Father in Heaven and our families.