Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Missionary Mom Day Call

We got the mother's day phone call from Stacey. It was great to talk to her again. She sounds so confident and happy she is out serving. She's having lot's of great experiences. She has been out 9 months already...We were able to skype in Tony & Debbie and Mike & Nicole to chat with her also. We had Stacey on speaker phone and everyone else on skype. Ya gotta love the world of technology. Here are a few of her pictures & stories.....
Me & Hna Morales at the St George Temple April 2, 2010. "We got to go to the St George temple to do a session.... Our ward mission leader drove us down. This is a really cool temple and we sat in the celestial room for a little while until almost everyone had left and I was sitting on a bench near the stairs when I heard a creek like someone was walking down them. I turned to see who was there and there wasn't anyone....cool...I love temples."
At the entrance to Cove Fort April 26, 2010. We got to visit this fort and another. Apparently the Hinckley family owned it and restored it. It was like the "motel 6" for travelers traveling between SLC and the southern homesteds. Pretty neat. (Stacey took lots of pictures.) One of the cool stories you'll have to check out on this web site http://www.quiltwalk.com/ for all you quilters out there. It's a story about how quilts saved a pioneer town on the verge of starving and the celebration in commemoration of it each year.

Charlize's Baptism The work is amazing. Stacey says they are averaging about 15 teaching appointments a week and she is sending home a baptism program about every other letter. This area hadn't had sister missionaries in it for 5 years. They get most of their contacts by member referral. Keeps them very busy because they also travel to three other towns each week to teach.
District #4 last group shot. Stacey's mission has been split and they are still organizing the division. She says "apparently there aren't enought sisters down at the St George Visitor center to cover it, so they are keeping some sisters from the Provo mission on loan. So I really won't find out where I'm going to be for a few more months. Us full pros spanish speaking sisters are going to be on loan until more sisters arrive for the St. George Visitor center. Elder Laurie who is an AP said that since I have so much time left in all likely hood I will be pulled back to Provo at some point. I know I will be staying in Beaver at least one more transfer because Hna Morales has been here since Dec."

My first dog attack story...."I was officially chased by a dog...big black fluffy one...We were up contacting a house up in the mountain. and we decided to park the car at the end of their driveway and walk up it...first mistake. Then as we got close to the house one of the dogs came around the corner. So we slowly turned around and started walking back to the car. Then Hna Morales turned to look at them and got scared so she took off running. I had to run at that point. So when we reached the fence line I tripped over my own feet and the gravel. My hand caught the fence as I went down. My hand has a pretty bad cut but luckly one of our Ward Mission leaders lived nearby so I was able to bandage it up there. I think I will survive....

Sunday, May 9, 2010

"Awesome" Doug (hee hee)

Doug had another birthday...something I'm pretty sure happens every year, but still...... If you read face book you understand my title.An trip down memory lane with a card made by Stacey in 1985.

Camping with kids has it's challenges and adventures. Doug loved the dirt. He was too cute to scold.
But he was always for helping clean up if he could reach the water. He helped clean the bench and promptly cleaned the ground as well.

"Help Dad......save me!"
Dougs birthday this year ended the day with a macro thin candle placed strategically into a twinkie sandwiched between two scoops of Garcia Cherry ice cream.. Happy birthday. We love you!!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Today's a Debbie Day!

So today is Debbie day...!! ♪♪ You've had a birthday shout horray....... This is our Debbie when she first decided to join our 'tribe.' A good choice! (for us). I'm glad that one of the reasons we had to move to Tacoma was because Debbie lived there and Tony needed to find this wonderful 'help-meet'.
Debbie has a great love for books, all kinds, all collections and is passing that love off to a cutie guy.
Always into trying new things. I love this picture of Debbie going for the crazy, Max enjoying the fun and Ryan not so sure he wants that pumpkin transformed.A wonderful love of mommy hood with two little boys being molded into happy, learning, energetic little people.
We love you Debbie and are so blessed you are a part of our family. Happy birthday!!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Lions & weasels & bears...OH MY!


Doug just finished another semester of school. He is attending MSU College of Tech. One of his instructors invited him & his class mates to an outdoor BBQ out on his property in the wild & wooly Stillwater Valley of Montana. It's about an hour away from our place. Doug didn't end up going because it actually rained & snowed that day, but I got a kick out of the discription of the place:
"Here are the instructions for going to the Urbaniak Place in the Stillwater Valley. Before you go, you should know some things!....There are bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, mice, squirrels, rats, chipmunks, weasels, rattlesnakes, bull snakes, elk, deer, grouse, owls, eagles, flies, bees, and more on the property. Basically, you are entering a construction zone on the edge of one of the great American Wildernesses. Be prepared, things are living there besides us......."

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Hey cute boys!!

I got a really cute birthday card from my favorite little boys. Just needed to share some reasons why they're so loved. Here they are playing 'tunnel' in the camping sleeping mat.
"Max, I see You!" Max with his new "knocklers"

My creative artist at work...check out the new paint apron.

"Hey Ryannnnnn, baby Ryyyyyyan?"

You little climbing monkey! Can you be more cuter??