Callan's Ordination to the Office of a Deacon

I wish we had more pictures from this special weekend!  I think with the chaos of living our 'double life' I some how managed to forget to take pictures of Callan's special day.  I suppose that means that this is one of the extra special time where the images will sweeten through the ages in our memories! 

Papa Jim was able to make it out for the weekend!  It was such a treat to have that time with him!  But like all wonderful things, they soon have to end.  This weekend was one of the shortest weekends of the year!

You know Papa is here when things like this show up in the house!

We took Papa up the road to our favorite IA state park!  He and Callan are looking for Hickory nuts!

I really love the photograph of Tim with his Dad.  It is obvious that they are enjoying the perfectly beautiful day and great conversation!

Probably one of the last times in the water before summer comes  next year.

She loves playing in the sand.

Bedtime and scripture study!  It was fun to have Papa be a part of it all!

I think Gracie Anne enjoyed it most!  She started all cozied up under Papa's arm and before we knew it she managed to wrap herself around his neck!

I'm guessing Papa doesn't really mind at all!

Callan was set apart on the morning of the 9th of Oct.  President Meals had some very nice things to say about him and the choice he has made and the duties he has accepted as a Deacon.  I think Callan was aware of how much his Mom and Dad love him, too!

June Through July! My, Does Time Ever Fly!

June started off with me already up at girl's camp!  This year I was asked to help with camp by serving as a stake first level specialist.  It was a great learning experience!  And as usual, it was great to get home.... and get some sleep! 

Camping in Missouri is so different than what I grew up knowing to be camping.  First, there isn't any green grass where I've camped... and especially, there is no such thing as mowed grass!!  Even though it isn't rugged, surrounded by evergreens, with the air lacking in oxygen, it is really pretty!  The girls opted to try cooking turkeys in our reflector ovens, and everyone cooked biscuits and muffins in the reflector oven boxes next to the fire. 

I had wonderful youth leaders who managed everything sooo well!! 

It was a wonderful experience!

All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl.  It also makes Jack rather boring too.  One Monday evening in June, we packed up hambugers and ran up to Nine Eagles on an impulse.  It was a good impulse and we had a great time!  The burgers were great, the water was fun, and the sunlight was perfect for pictures!



By the end of June we managed to complete the downstairs bathroom in our Nebraska house.  Just in time to show it of to my parents, and Grandma!  We hadn't seen Grandma in six years and this was Gracie Anne's first time meeting her.  After she warmed up she had so much fun talking to Grandma and showing her all of her toys!



This is a bloom from the old rose bush next to the front yard gate.  They do have some charm to them!!



Here is a shot from the gate up the road.  Tim is getting the mail.  Our wonderful neighbors, Ruth Ann and BW are so sweet to think of us and mow the strip of grass next to the road!



While the Grandparents and Great Grandma were here to visit, we squeezed in a quick trip to Nauvoo.  It was a beautiful day along the Mississippi!

We also had an amazing experience to rescue this little puppy from off the middle of the highway.  He was starving to death and couldn't stand for more than a few seconds at a time.

We cleaned him up, fed him and named him Gilligan.



However, within two weeks it became apparent that Gracie Anne was not yet ready to be a dog owner.  A strange "sibling rivalry" came to be and the two were at each other constantly.



A friend of ours helped us find a new adoptive home.  She places rescued and abandoned animals.  She interviewed lots of people and we decided that a young couple who lives 1/2 mile from a dog park would be the best dog owners ever!

So we all cried, said our goodbyes and sent our Gilligan on his way.  We were told that the first meeting was beautiful.  He ran right up to his new mama and crawled up into her arms.  We miss him terribly, but we just know that Gilligan is in good hands and is being loved and spoiled rotten! 

Clickety-Clickety!

Remember when I explained how my camera disappeared while we were in California?  I've been on a roller coaster ride of emotions!  Lost.  Confused.  Panicked.  Sad.  Very, very sad.

Today, a package arrived from my parents.  It contained a camera that they could spare until my camera turned up or we could afford to buy one.  I'm full of all kinds of emotions!  Thankful.  Excited.  Thrilled.  Thankful.  Creative.  Very, very thankful!

So this afternoon I used my trigger finger!  ALOT!  It was really fun!  Really, really fun!

Our Merry Christmas Trip

How can six people (our family!) be so blessed!!  This trip to CA was more fulfilling in more ways than I can possibly put into words.  We loved every minute of it (except for the puking parts - darn flu - oh!  and except for the part when my camera disappeared with our train pictures and Avery's baptism pictures).

We met the most wonderful people on the train.  Martina, her brother Anthony and their little sister, Holly, got on the train in Provo.  What a wonderful visit we enjoyed!  And Gracie Anne met a little girl after her own heart - a busy body who loves to go vertical too!

These pictures are from the Christmas Eve progressive dinner that we had on the 23rd, instead of the 24th.  What a joy to be surrounded by wonderful family.  I stole a moment to just listen to the sounds of laughter and conversation that surrounded me.  It felt wonderful to hear the noises of family!

Moments before the large gathering of boys took down cousin Kory!



Uncle Dave and Avery Michael discussing the meaning of life...  Well, probably not, but it looks serious.  My guess is Uncle Dave is trying to talk Avery out of his Christmas present from Aunt Dana.  What Uncle Dave doesn't realize is that Aunt Dana gave Avery a gift bag full of NOTHING!  But Avery isn't going to let him know about this before they agree on a deal.

Charlotte and Gracie Anne, with mouthfulls of candy from the pinata!

Gracie Anne could hardly wait to meet Charlotte and Louisa.  She had only seen pictures of her cousins from the computer.  She was very shy and didn't get much playing in, but we did manage to capture this moment of the two together!  

From Charlotte, Gracie Anne earned the nick name "Pony Tails."  Charlotte, at one point in the evening, Charlotte informed her Aunt Shelly that she wanted to go and "see Pony Tails over there."  Charlotte didn't know Grace's name yet so she came up with her own!!  Hilarious moment! 

Vaughn showing us how the Italian Sodas are made.

Next day, Aunt Dana treated the boys for their birthdays!  It was so fun that everyone got to join up!  We went to John's Incredible Pizza Experience in Roseville.  What a place!  As you can see, the kids had some fun!  They all went in and got two lava lamps with their tickets.  One for Missouri and one for California.

Gracie Anne won herself these glasses!

Not included are pictures of all of our visits with family and friends!  It was such a treat to spend the time we did with them all and how we miss everyone so terribly already.

Our trip back home was uneventful.  It was hard to say goodbye.

We enjoyed the scenery and kept ourselves entertained.  

No one knows it, but Callan has hacked into the train's operating system and he is the one who is really driving the train!

A fun and challenging round of Rush Hour.

Deep thoughts.....



Some serious coloring!  THANKS to Aunt Dana for the wonderful colorbooks, games and play-doh!



After 3 1/2 weeks, we once again found ourselves back home.  This time full of wonderful memories and good times that we enjoy talking about daily!