Pictures!

In an attempt to catch up on my blogging, I'm posting a bunch of pictures from this summer. Its been a great summer, but has gone by way too fast. And of course, these pictures are out of order because of the way I downloaded them, but you'll get the idea anyway, right? The next few pictures are from when we took Laura and Carl up to Salt Lake City to meet up with Joseph - who was so totally glad to see them again after three weeks!! The first is a cute picture of Creighton... I love trying to get him to smile! He's such a cutie! John and Cayden were the best of buddies... can you tell? And Carl was SO happy to see his daddy - and visa versa!!

Before we left for Salt Lake City, we got up rather early to see the hot air balloons take off. As is becoming our tradition now, we got donuts (and sodas, milk, etc), crawled in the back of daddy's truck with lots of blankets (its getting cold at night & early morning), and waited for the balloons to fire up and take off. When we got out there, the sun hadn't even come up over the mountain yet. But with the sun peeking over, it illuminated the balloons so beautifully!

We enjoyed our visit with Laura & Carl and were so glad they were able to get away for a few weeks. We also thank Joseph for being so patient as we kept them here for 3 weeks! Carl loved to be outside - the weather is great and warms up during the day!! He loved playing with John's trucks and the sand box and the puppy! (Hmmm... we don't have any pictures of our new boy puppy - Chloe's future husband). Every day we would sit out on our nice new lawn in the shade of our growing oak trees, and enjoy each other's company.

I will post more pictures later. I love my family... I'm so grateful for the time we're able to spend with each of you and the great memories that we create in doing so! Love to you all!

Our Idaho Trip

Our Idaho trip the end of July was great! Before going to Rexburg to pick up Emily, we visited Laura and Joseph on their farm (or the farm they're working one) in Jerome, Idaho, and had a great time! Their home is nice, they had a sweet little kitten that Hannah and Bubba loved and Chloe (the dog) wanted to chase, and we loved feeding the sheep!!

Then we drove to Rexburg to pick Emily up from college at BYU-Idaho. We were all so happy to see her! We met her roommates and Jed, and had dinner in the park! It was fun, but short! Then we traveled north to Island Park, Idaho to go camping with Laura, Joseph and some of Joseph's family. They were so nice to let us come with them. We reserved a small cabin at what we thought was the right campground, but who knew there were two with similar names? Good thing they were only 4 miles apart! Our campground really wasnt what we call camping, but it did have an Antique/Craft fair going on right by us... so that was fun.

The "right" campground where everyone else was, was beautiful... tall pine trees, a river running right by it where everyone went canoeing (except a few of us who were a little chicken). Emily, Laura and Joseph delighted us with a bottle concert. We sat on this grassy spot next to the river and watched the canoers and floaters. The floaters on innertubes reminded me of the float trips down the Current River in Missouri. Oh, and by the way, I actually made a funny joke... really... it was the 24th of July and we were watching all the "floats" going by... like a parade! haha! It was a great trip! But it went way too fast!! I totally miss my family!! ALL of them!! But I'm glad to have Bubba, Hannah, and for now, Emily at home. Sarah, Laura, and Jen... you and your sweet families are in my thoughts and prayers ALL THE TIME!! Love you!!

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

-- by William Ernest Henley

If you get a chance to watch the movie "Invictus" ... you should. I was very inspired by the determination of Nelson Mandela, and of the South African rugby team.

Good Things to Come

Please pause my playlist (at the bottom of this page) before you listen to this video. My brother-in-law, Dennis McCrea, shared this on his facebook, and I thought it was really wonderful!! There is hope... always!

Weeds or Wonders?

When I look outside lately, despite all the hard work we've put into our backyard, all I can see are weeds. Weeds have overtaken our back yard, and even part of our front. Last summer, we moved over 20 tons of dirt in order to level out our back yard, and laid sod just before the snows set in for the winter. The grass has come back beautifully, and that part of the yard looks really great. We now have three nice 4 x 8 garden planters, a fun chicken coop, a swingset, and strawberries that are growing beautifully! But why is it that whenever I go outside, all I see are weeds?

Yesterday while I was weeding, John J and I had the chickens out of their coop to "forage." John J also loved chasing them and actually became really good friends with "Goldie" - the chicken shown in these pictures. He had a blast enjoying our backyard and our chicken. Goldie tolerated John J enough to slide down the slide and swing with him too!
All I can think of when I remember the joy that John J felt (while I was weeding) is the scripture... "except ye become as a little child"...

When we look at our lives, do we see weeds or wonders?