Katie's Goodbye Party

We had a goodbye party for Katie Cook (the one in the middle with the big smile), since she is moving this weekend. Everyone had a lot of fun. We will miss you Katie!!

Happy 15 Year Anniversary!!

Janelle left me this note today. If you can't "read" her writing it says, "Happy 51 Anniversary Mom and Dad!!"

Wow -- we look great for 51 years, don't we!

We didn't get a big "alone" trip this year (unless you count the pioneer trek) but at least we got to spend the evening together.

We went out to eat at the Anasazi Restaurant and quite enjoyed it. We topped off our meal with a yummy chocolate fondue.

Then we went and saw "Footloose" at Tuacahn. It was quite hot but then after intermission a huge storm blew in. There was brief rain and lots of wind and lighting. It looked really cool with the lightning lighting up the mountains. But unfortunately they canceled the rest of the show.

The next day I exchanged our tickets and Janika and I went to see "Annie." Then Rick and I went and saw the second half of "Footloose" the next night. So it all worked out!

Oh, and I have to mention that for our Anniversary Rick wrote me a sweet love note of "Remember whens..."

Words are totally my love language and so a sweet heartfelt love note is the best gift I could receive! I think Rick and I are perfect for each other. I have truly enjoyed the past fifteen years and look forward to many many many years to come!!

24th of July Parade

We participated with our Deaf Branch in the Ivins 24th of July Parade this morning. Everyone was really excited about being in a parade. Except for Jase and Jared -- they said that they would rather be on the receiving end of the candy instead of the giving end. We dressed up in Pioneer Clothes and sang and signed Pioneer Songs. Jenna's stroller broke ten seconds into the parade and so she had to be carried the whole way.

Happy Pioneer Day!

Dress Up

Janika put make-up and accessories on all of the kids -- including Josh. Poor kid. I guess most boys who have older sisters have to endure such treatment. He really didn't seem to mind much. In fact, I had a difficult time getting him to take off those earrings. "Why don't you take off those earrings, Josh?" "They are NOT earrings -- they are stickers!" "Oh, well in that case..."

Awwww!

Jacob Hamblin Home

Our Deaf Branch had a family home evening activity at the Jacob Hamblin home. One of the girls found a king snake -- eeeeew! All of the kids were getting restless in such cramped quarters and so Rick led them all in a game of "Red Light, Green Light" on the grass.

Grandma and Grandpa's

After the pioneer trek, Rick, Janika, and I arrived at my mom's around 2:30 a.m. We slept over and then Rick went and picked up the rest of our kids from Gerilyn's. They had a great time while we were gone -- I don't think they even missed us!

We all slept over another night and Chris and Sandy were also there with their three youngest boys and so the cousins had a fun time playing together. We all went swimming in the afternoon and then ordered in some pizza.







Jenna was so good at Grandma and Grandpa's. She was perfectly content sitting on the floor playing with all of the new toys that were in Grandma and Grandpa cupboards. Here she is laying down by Grandpa -- just relaxing!!

Rock Creek Hollow

We had a wonderful Pioneer Trek! I entered the dates into the blog of the actual dates we were there and since the blog puts the most recent date at the top, then you will actually be reading it backwards -- starting from the last activity we did, moving on to the first...

One of the things I was most worried about before going on the trek was the heat. But it really wasn't bad at all. The temperature was in the mid-80's and there was always a breeze and so for the most part the temperature was comfortable -- much to my relief!! At Rock Creek Hollow we saw the monument for the 15 saints who died in one night, one of which was James Kirkwood.

The story of James Kirkwood is one of the stories that touched me the most while I was on the trek. My son, Jase, is eleven years old -- the same age James Kirkwood was when he passed away.

Last December the kids and I had walked a few blocks home from where we had met for a Christmas Caroling activity. Jaiden (four at the time) was tired and Jase had carried her home on his back. It was so sweet and made me think of the story of James Kirkwood and how he carried his little four year old brother through the snow all those miles and then died from exposure and exhaustion.

"James was from Glasgow, Scotland. On the trip west, James was accompanied by his widowed mother and three brothers, one of whom, Thomas, was nineteen and crippled and had to ride in the handcart. James’s primary responsibility on the trek was to care for his little four-year-old brother, Joseph, while his mother and oldest brother, Robert, pulled the cart. As they climbed Rocky Ridge, it was snowing and there was a bitter cold wind blowing. It took the whole company twenty-seven hours to travel fifteen miles. When little Joseph became too weary to walk, James, the older brother, had no choice but to carry him. Left behind the main group, James and Joseph made their way slowly to camp. When the two finally arrived at the fireside, James “having so faithfully carried out his task, collapsed and died from exposure and over-exertion.” "(Private letter, Don H. Smith to Robert Lorimer, 20 Feb. 1990, quoting account of Don Chislett.) James E. Faust, “A Priceless Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 84

I can't imagine how that mother must have felt. As I listened to the stories from the saints I often pondered on what the mothers went through. The trek I went on as a youth was incredible and life changing. But this one was a little different since I now looked on the experiences of the pioneers from a mother's perspective. I can't imagine the pain it must have been for these mothers to watch their children suffer from hunger and cry themselves to sleep at night.

We finished out our trek at Rock Creek Hollow with a testimony meeting in the outdoor amphitheater area. There was a neat spirit there as the youth shared their testimonies. Rock Creek Hollow was a beautiful area. When we first arrived I thought, "This is much greener and prettier than Martin's Cove -- why didn't we camp here?" But as soon as the sun started to go down, the mosquitoes came out in full force. They had been bad at Martin's Cove, but this was much worse and most of us were out of bug spray by this time. We were racing to grab our final meal (while waving and swatting like crazy) before seeking shelter in our van! The mosquitoes were bad on this trip, but I was vigilant about applying bug spray (has it been five minutes yet? I had better put more on!) and I only came away with a couple of bug bites -- and I got those on the last evening. I was pretty proud of myself because I usually get eaten alive.

We had lots to think about during this trek. Rick and I asked ourselves why the pioneers had to suffer so much. Why didn't God temper the weather so that they didn't have to go through the horrible afflictions that they went through? After all, it was an early winter which really made things difficult for them. I still don't understand it completely, but I know that those who suffered were ensured glory and eternal salvation and they left behind a legacy for generations to come -- not only for their direct descendants, but for all of us.

I just read this quote from James E. Faust (James E. Faust, “A Priceless Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 84) and so I will include it here:

"I cannot help wondering why these intrepid pioneers had to pay for their faith with such a terrible price in agony and suffering. Why were not the elements tempered to spare them from their profound agony? I believe their lives were consecrated to a higher purpose through their suffering. Their love for the Savior was burned deep in their souls, and into the souls of their children, and their children’s children. The motivation for their lives came from a true conversion in the center of their souls. As President Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “When there throbs in the heart of an individual Latter-day Saint a great and vital testimony of the truth of this work, he will be found doing his duty in the Church.” (Ensign, May 1984, p. 99.)

Wow. Would I be willing to consecrate my life to a higher purpose if it involved great suffering? It is a sobering thought. I am so grateful for the pioneers and the sacrifices they made for all of us so that we can have the blessings of the gospel today!

Pioneer Games

Rick and Janika