The only photos from Girls' Camp!

I already reported to you that I didn't have my cell phone the week of camp.  Here are the only photos we took!  I am a little sad for that part, but it sure was nice being unconnected for a week.  I checked my phone three times during the week.  Once Sport called me to find out how long to cook baked potatoes.  I got the message the night after he was cooking.  I guess he figured it out.  There were a few messages for the bishop, which I just deferred and told them I was at camp, they would have to call the house.

All in all, it was a wonderful week!!

Here is my cabin:

Reception Day!!

We spent most of the entire day between the wedding and the reception decorating.  Someone was there from 10 a.m. until five.  We had the family dinner at 6.  Dinner was great!  Super enjoyable!  It was fun to see and meet everyone on both sides of the family.  Because it was so crazy, I didn't even get any photos of the set-up.  But here are a few from the evening.  First the ones Spike took of our table.  Not too bad for a four-year old.

Then the few I took:

This last photo is super significant!!  Richard's mother and sister have been at odds for several years.  Somehow, as both of them put aside their differences for Richard, they healed their relationship enough to speak to one another and share some time together.  Hopefully it is the beginning of better times for them!  Way to go Richard!!  Special blessings for working and praying so hard!!

Wedding Day!!

Dani and Richard were married last week.  The bigger boys, Slim and Spanky, and Tammy all came home from Utah for the wedding.  Slim was Richard's best man.  We got up super early that morning 4:30 a.m., left by 5:30 and headed up to the temple.  We were suppose to arrive at the temple by 11:15.  We stopped at the storehouse to pick up wheat.  Our storehouse wheat is cheaper than anything else we have in town, including renting a car and paying for the gas to drive four hours away.  Things are a little pricier here.

There was a little drama with the storehouse.   They aren't usually open on the day we could come.  The manager agreed to meet us early, before we needed to be at the temple.  Then when we arrived, she was at the doctor and unavailable until we needed to be at the temple.  We were able to work it out to meet with her after the sealing, but it was a little sketchy at the beginning.

For those of you who are not aware, members of the church go to the temple to have their marriage sealed for time and for all eternity.  In the temples, the Priesthood authority can bind marriages not only for time but forever, as long as the parties to the covenant keep the promises they have made.  That is why it is so significant to us to have our marriages performed in the temple.  In order that temples remain a place where God can dwell, there are certain requirements that must be met in order for men and women to be worthy to enter.  Thus each of us who is able to go into the temples and participate in the ordinances therein has met with a member of our bishopric and a member of our stake presidency answering specific questions about the way we live our lives.  If we are found worthy, we receive a temple recommend which allows us to enter and participate in temple worship. 

My parents were not able to attend our sealing.  Dani's parents were not able to attend hers either.  Only Richard's mother on his side was able to be there.  It is hard for us to not have our families there.  I know it is difficult for the family members also.  On such a special and sacred day, we want our family members, those we love, to be there with us.  Although that is our desire, being sealed by the authority of God having our marriage solemnized for eternity outweighs the sad feelings we have that those we love cannot participate with us at that particular time.

Dani's father even came up to the temple with her.  He waited outside, but we made sure he was the first to see her and her husband as they exited the temple.  It was really sweet to see his love for his daughter.  Because I was helping Dani with her dress, etc....I didn't take any photos outside the temple.  I will have Scuff send me a couple.  But here are the ones I took before they went in and after she was in her dress.

After the sealing, we went to eat at Red Robbin, with a party of 20.  It was totally fun and we were totally starving!  I don't think I have ever eaten so many fries!!  Delicious!

On the way home, we let the boys travel with their dad and Tams and I took the other car.  That way we could have some girl time.  We stopped at the beach on the way home, just because the big kids have been in Utah, land locked and beach deprived.  Here they are playing.

Then we finished the drive home.  By the time we arrived, we were all wiped out.  We got home about 9:30p.m., to bed by 10:30 p.m.  Then the big boys wanted to talk.  They came up to our bedroom and jumped into our bed and talked for another hour.  Slim tried to sleep in between Drew and I.  I kicked him out so we could sleep.

The next morning started bright and early, but I'll tell you about that tomorrow.

Happy 4th Birthday!!

Spike Spike turned four the day Dani and Richard were married.  We celebrated his birthday the day before so he didn't feel forgotten.  In our house, we open birthday presents first thing in the morning and sing 'Happy Birthday' before everyone leaves for work and/or school.  So in these photos with the presents, everyone has bed head because they literally just got out of bed.  We sang, opened presents, said family prayers, and those who needed to leave did.  The rest of us listened to Spike play his beautiful music. 

Here are the photos:

As a side note, Spike has been asking for a "Dog Guitar" since we went to playgroup a few weeks ago and one of the kids brought it.  He didn't get a chance to play with it because the one who was playing with it wouldn't share it.......because she really like it too.  So he was pretty excited to have one.  Now he plays it every day, sleeps with it at night, and talks about taking it to play group.  I don't know if I will let him do that, but it is what he wants.

I don't have any idea where he saw the tongue thing but I do it when I shoot baskets and Slim does it all the time too.  It might just be in our genes......?

Later that night, we had cake.  Spike, because of his allergies, had to have special hot dogs, special bread, special powdered sugar (for frosting), special cake, and special ice cream.  When I called Drew to tell him that Spike's birthday dinner (birthday person chooses the menu) was going to be $50 for hot dogs, cake and ice cream, he had a heart attack.  He asked me if we couldn't pare that down.  So I figured out that it was cheaper to buy another cake and frosting, than to buy enough powdered sugar that Spike could eat for all of us to have his cake.  So we made two.  And we decided to just do without the ice cream.  That cut it down $20.  Seriously.  And we had the missionaries stop by!!  They brought him presents and that made him feel super special, and we obviously had plenty of cake.

Happy Birthday Spike Spike!!  I cannot believe you are four!!  The cake with the strawberries?  That is the special one...the powdered sugar for that cake? $6........just for enough to sort of cover one cake!  Sheesh!