summer is here

 hammock fun

 surfer hair

 hula hoop contests

 caring for veggies

 watering the garden

climbing ropes

water sports and bike riding. Oh, how I love the summer. I love being outside.with family and friends. Oh how I long for this time of year

lovin nature

Now that we are enjoying the great out doors, we are getting out and seeing the beauty of the world. Here we are at the top of Vivian Park.The water is running high and loud. It is still cool  and pleasant.

Jim loves studying old and new tools and machines where ever we hike.

He wished  he could get this car to roll so he could put an electric engine in it.

We took a quick two day trip to Baker, Nevada to see Lehman Cave. This is a view of the Great Basin.

Inside the cave

Going on these small get a ways are a great boast to our senior years. We are still serving our Pathway Worldwide mission, offering AFFORDable online education. We love to go to the temple and serve those in our neighborhood and ward.But most of all, I love  being with the family. I love reading,playing games, riding bikes, swimming, hot tubing, hiking, and sharing our love.

small and simple things

This week I remembered the scripture which Bishop Talley always called his favorite, "small and simple things". These things add up to help us grow and keep our testimony.
A few of these things happened  this week.
Thursday, before getting out of bed, I started praying for each of my grandchildren. A few hours later, I  helped Karina on her first day of work for her new job, working days at the Psyche ward . It  was the last day of school and the 3 boys only had 2 hours of school, None of the older kids went to school. As the day progressed, I worried about each one of them, their individual needs and wanting them to have a productive, successful, loving summer. A small and simple thing.
Saturday, Dan completed a 1/2  marathon and I got to cheer him on very early in the morning, Then Kallie got baptized. She is a kind, gentle, loving daughter of Derek and Missy.  After the baptism we went out to eat, I loved seeing all the cousins together, laughing and sharing,   A small and simple thing.
Later I had set a goal to bike ride to Jan and Jarons new home in Lehi. I was a little afraid because I was biking in an area I had never been. I checked the route with Dan, I started on the Murdock trail with a very strong wind, I found all my connections. When I got to the home Jim told me there was no running water- no toilet, and no drink. I was tired, hot and disappointed that Jim wasnt ready to go back home, SO,, I started back home. With out music, wind. and with a new faith that I now knew the trail. SO A small and simple thing. It felt like ANGELS WERE WITH ME . I returned home after the 36miles of bike ride and felt very happy with achieving a new goal.
These thoughts have  continued with me today, I am much more aware of these things that are in our life every day. It has been an important lesson for me...to continue to recognize the,, small and simple things in my life. Helping my children and grandchildren, achieving personal goals, strengthening my testimony and noticing those who need my love and listening ear.

continuing the family dancing talent

it is always great to see Victoria perform. She has really matured in so many ways. 

Victoria is using her extreme talent in dance. She is gifted in ballet,jazz, tap, and creating her own choreography. Her flexibility and strength are greatly improved

Kallie turned 8 and let me do a dance party with all her friends. We did limbo, hula hoops, freeze dance and creating Disney shows.

Talent isnt just in dance in our family Here is Valerie using her dramatic skills with her preschool kids. It was nursery rhyme day. 

Valerie also coached the running club at the kids school, Here is Austin running a 3 k.

Beth Eirk and Austin love reading, And that is one of the best talents.

Karissa is loving artistic expression in Photography. She continue to excel in drawing and cheer

Needless to say, I love these grandkids.

And I love Valerie, Sharing Mothers Day week is the best.

It"s that time of year of achieving goals

Karina just received her Nursing degree with a 3.9. She attended UVU along with caring for 7 children!  She is truly amazing in achieving her goals.

This week we got to see all of Derek's kids perform with Copa in DANCING , singing and drama. Here is Jake as he performed in a Salute to Broadway.

Yesterday we got to see Shelly's youngest son, Luke come in 4th in a national mountain bike race up in Soldier Hollow where they held the Olympics in Midway, between Sundance and Park City.

Carter also raced. It was a beautiful fun day.

We celebrated Natties birthday, She is now 15 and will soon be driving. It looks like all the girls are growing up so quickly and very talented and beautiful.

Jan and  Jaron have moved to Lehi just 16 minutes away. She is busy rebuilding, decorating and designing the home. It will be the first home for our first great grand child this summer!!

Jim and Nik loving studying the rope and learning from one another/ We are so glad we can live near grandchildren. We learn from them all the time. Hopefully we are sharing our knowledge  but most of all our testimony of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice.. We get to serve in the temple each week, as we honor our covenants. We get to serve in the Pathway worldwide education program where we encourage young people to continue their education. This is a great week of seeing Karina graduate, I am so proud of her example of hard work. She is an inspiration to so many.

Another Birthday

 A few weeks ago Jim and I took the FrontRunner in to Salt Lake CIty. It was just  before conference and we wanted to see the flowers on temple Square . Here I am at my favorite statue with the mom dancing and playing with her children. My favorite memories with my children are playing with them.

My good friend Lorraine and I had a slumber party with Jake and Nattie. The next morning we enjoyed visiting with Karina and preparing for the birthday feast/Easter egg hunt.

we barbecued and ate good food with great fun ad sharing and with the new puppy that Emily got.

Nik and Izaak put the bird feeder up in the tree house.

Nattie and Jake planned a great treasure hunt which ended with the Easter egg hunt. Then we did capture the flag and tug of war.

here we are playing gin rummy 

Emily and puppy

Jim and I took a hike up at Vivian Park and ran into a turkey heard. I have never  seen turkeys showing off like this/

We celebrated with Mia at her baptism. It was a challenge to get up to their place. We had to pile 4 adults into the back of Shelleys car when we got a flat tire on the way to the baptism. It was the first flat and Jim and Jaron couldnt figure out how to get the jack ect. Lucky for us Heber and Shelley saw us on the very busy I 15 struggling to get it all together. All is well that ends well.

Lorraine is the one that still teaches me many skills, Here  she is teaching Nattie how to darn. I am blessed with great friends. Many friends remembered me on my birthday. It means a lot to me. This 71 year is harder than 70. WHY? It seems like the times are getting harder.  We are trying to figure out my gene mutation  ...MTHFR.. and help those who are dealing with the difficult symtoms that are associated with it. ..like depression, anxiety, stroke, and of course spina bifida and many miscarriages

We continue to serve each other and the family. We swim, walk, hike and hot tub, and read and watch Fox and Hallmark. Jim helps me prepare healthy meals. We end each day in prayer and our testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.