August

 Youth conference was at the end of July and I was grateful it happened and the girls were able to go.  They did a service project, played games and had testimony meeting the first night.  They camped near Manti.  Dad and I drove up on Saturday and helped with the water day.  It was so good to see them with friends and being outside!  We missed the first night because Dad had his company party at the aquarium.  Good food and fun times with just one girl!

Shakespeare Festival.  We tried to get out of it but Ben pressured us to go.  I'm glad we did. We watched "Ragtime" and "Pirates of Penzance" and "Richard III."  Scott and I took off early the next morning and went golfing in Fillmore which he's always wanted to try.  It was a really nice course and we had a nice time just walking and talking.  We have missed each other a lot this summer.  

We were supposed to be in Bear Lake with the Henlines but my wisdom tooth started bothering me and with school starting next week I knew I had to get it taken care of.  So 2 days later they pulled all 4 out.  It's been a slow recovery cause I'm old, but not too bad.

Okay, so Christian is the worst emailer/pic sender in the world.  Thank goodness his mission presidents wife posts some on facebook.  Doesn't he look handsome?  He's been in Sacramento for going on 7 months now.

First day of school pics!  A senior, a freshman and a 7th grader.  So cute!

Christian got a "son!"  He is excited to start training Elder Flake.  He also got made a DL about 2 weeks later.  Busy guy!

Birthday get-together for me!  Xela bought a cake and we had the Reeces over.  It was nice.

$2 Tuesdays.  We had to cram it into one night cause we've been so busy.  Amber ran out of gas on the way but she learned a lot!

July

 

We had Amanda for an extra week and we took her to hike the Y, her first In-N-Out, the 4th of July stuff, and Lowes.  We loved having her!

Let us never forget the summer of the bedbugs.  I took this picture hoping that one day I could look back at it and think, that wasn't so bad.  But it's been a pain in the butt. 

NEW YORK NEW YORK.  I put together a sisters trip in January when we were feeling rich, and it was an interesting experience.  It was nice to hangout with all us sisters, but I really prefer my own girls (and boys).  

June

Various Missouri pics.  I wasn't excited to go because I was worried about the humidity, but we got absolutely gorgeous weather.  We visited Carthage first, then spent a couple days in Nauvoo, we watched the variety show, took some tours and rode on the wagon and carriage.  Then we went to Gallatin for the family reunion.  We visited Adam-ondi-ahman, rode go karts, played fugitive, went fishing, did the auction and had a wonderful time catching up with family.  

(Kansas City)

Amber left the reunion a little early and flew home so she could help with the play.  Then she started Girls State the following Monday.  She did a great job doing everything online and managed to have fun too.  They played Mafia a few times.  

We went and saw Les Mis.  What a talented cast and crew (Especially the crew).

Girls Camp!  I got invited to do the food and I was happy to do it so I could come along to the fun.  They did a hike and ice blocking, crafts and games and then the Thanksgiving Point gardens the first day and then some girls spent the night at our house.  The second day the girls went to the temple, rock climbing and then we went up the canyon and played games and had testimony meeting.  I loved watching Amber teach and lead! 

Hiking.  Diamond Fork hot springs finally opened!  So I took the girls and their friends.  It was pretty perfect except for the naked guy at the end.

Tiffany and Branden invited us to go hiking with them in Cedar and it was cool.  We hadn't really done a slot canyon like that before.  

THEN we were in charge of the Sweeney reunion.  Whew!  I don't know if our June could have gotten any busier.  

A couple days later we were off to Moab!  We stayed in a cabin in a camp resort and had enough beds for all of us!  That's a luxury.  We had games and catching up the first night, went river rafting the next day and then hung out and swam at the resort.  We went to Arches the next day and hiked around.  It was spectacular.  We went back that night for some star gazing.  Then Canyonlands the next day and home.  We brought Amanda with us to stay for a week.