Bye to Great Grandma

Great Grandma Webb went back to Arizona.  We will be grateful for our memories reading bedtime stories with her and Sariah helping me give her a pedicure.

On Saturday, James, Talmage, Bryant and I spent 11 hours in our reflector oven basement leveling the floor.  It was at least 100 degrees down inside and we were moving concrete chunks and dirt the whole time and the boys were tuckered out.  They did a pretty good job for being so long and hard though.  Tomorrow morning they pour the floor!  Tuesday, they start the framing.

Bryant cooked and "well-done".

Happy Anniversary

The night before we were to get an early start on the road, this popped up. 

Following tradition, the late, but surprise anniversary dinner, put on by the kids.

So glad I took the time to enjoy it despite the long to-do list.

 

Talmage make the menu, complete with "fried dik dik legs", "Okapi Steak", and amuna-ra (fried beetles).   (They wanted me to choose the Little Ceasar's pizza and fresh raspberry lemonade since that's really all they had.)

 

Serenaded with "Beauty and the Beast"

LOVED IT!

Utah

It's been over two years since we've been to Utah together as a family.  We were all excited. On the way down, we set a new family record---13 hours.  We were in two separate vehicles with two-way radios.  It gave everyone a little more room.

 

Our first day was family reunion at the homestead.  The kids played on an inflatable water slide all afternoon, and then we had dinner over at the church pavilion.  Afterwards it was a drive in theatre in the backyard.  A fun filled day.

 

Lyle latched on to cousin Henry's goggles and wasn't giving them up.

 

Each of the kids was in his/her own cardboard car as they watched "Cars".

 

The next day James took Talmage, Bryant and Sariah shooting.  I guess Sariah surprised everyone when she hit a shaving cream can at 30 yards with a 45 handgun.  After lunch, we all headed up to Heber Girl's Camp for the remainder of the reunion. 

 

James's sisters had gone to a lot a work to make it a good time for everyone.

Blowing bubbles.

 

Games.

 

The next day we had a morning hike with a great view.

Monday, Mom helped me work on the quilt I took down and Grandpa took the boys fishing.

One boy came back happy!

 

Tuesday was our Provo day.

 

We started out hiking the "Y".

Hyrum hiked the whole way up and down on his very own!

 It's was more of a hike than I remembered. 

Of course, last time I didn't have 30+ pounds on my back.

 

To everyone's great disappoint, the Bean Museum was under construction and not open.

They had to settle for BYU Creamery Ice Cream

 

 

 Hyrum with his "Cosmo Crunch". 

 (This was after I rescued his whole top scoop of the sizzling pavement---still smiling.)

 

Then we found a splash pad to cool off.

 

Lyle took to it faster than Rex.

 

But it didn't take too long.

 Bryant was all over the place fighting the blasts like a Ninja.

 

Talmage felt a little old for it at first, but ended up having fun too.

 

Picked up Blaire on the way home, and glad we did.  We needed an extra driver when Rex and Lyle went berserk with three hours left to go.

Talmage's first Sacrament Meeting talk

When we originally talked about his assignment, Talmage mentioned he wanted to make everyone laugh.  When we talked about the meaning of sacrament meeting and how sometimes that happens and it's okay, our intention in speaking in Sacrament Meeting shouldn't be to entertain. 

Talmage chose to speak on temptation, something everyone could relate to.  He'd done some preparation and research during the week, but when it came Saturday night to put it together, he could hardly keep his eyes open.  I was grateful he pulled it off so well. 

He stood up and said, "I had a dream last night that when I got up here to give my talk, all my notes were in Russian."  He got the laugh he wanted and then gave a great talk.

Liberty

The overall sentiment: "We need one of these."

(I caught every single one of them sneaking a kiss to the top of her head.)

After holding that sweet bundle I would agree...if it wasn't so dang deadly for this body of mine.

Talmage at the Temple

It was a special day.  Beautiful and special.  

A stepping stone to having all our family in the temple again some day.

James and I took Talmage to the temple for his first time to do baptisms.  He was a little nervous but said it "radiated holiness".  It was an early morning session, so he enjoyed his favorite afterwards...IHOP.

Three Little Baseball Caps

I loaded up Hyrum, Rex, and Lyle in their dirty little work clothes and baseball caps in Grandpa's truck to take Grandpa and Uncle Dave some popsicles while they were working at Matsamura's.  Windows rolled down, country music playing and looking over at the top of those baseball caps I couldn't help the smile sweep across my face.  To top it off, Lyle started dancing his hands and Rex started tapping his size 6 irrigation boots.  Wish I had a picture.

Grand Ol' Fourth

Started the day with a little delicious patriotism...

Then off to the Basin City Parade

 Rex and Lyle

 Waiting for the parade with the Caziers

 Hayden, Jhett (with broken leg) and Hyrum

 Sariah, Kyra, Laryn, and Taylee

 James and boys

 Alexis, Sariah, and Nicole

 Talmage carried the scout flag in the parade.

The crew.

 More yummy patriotism.

 Finished the day off swimming at Spechts and watching fireworks and Tim and Stacey's.  

Enjoyed the traditions and the freedoms we enjoyed, but couldn't help but think of these words several times:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

God Bless AMERICA!!!

The Rest of the Story

By Thursday afternoon, despite Bryant's diligence, his magpie was not doing well.  It was a very teary end to a three day friendship.

"You are invited to the funeral for Joe Oreo Napoleon Caesar at 6:30 at the cherry trees."

FOR REALS...LOOK!

  A basement!

 We got caught in a Saturday morning down pour while we were watering pumpkins.  At first, Rex and Lyle didn't know what to think of the thunder but when we started whooping and hollering, they decided it was fun.  When the gigantic rain drops started to fall, Lyle started to cry.  Then he realized we were all singing and dancing in the down pour and joined in. It was a lot of fun.

 Rex, wet, muddy, and happy.

Tonight for FHE we used making homemade ice cream as an analogy for families.  It turned out better than I'd hoped.  Ice and salt---a Dad and Mom.  Our recipe happened to have 6 ingredients, one for each child. 

All necessary to successfully make delicious ice cream.  We read from the For the Strength of Youth and let the kids draw parallels between families and making ice cream. 

Definately a great way to take advantage of 100+ degree heat. 

(No Lyle because he is crying at my feet.)