other notables

After a little break during the summer, we are off to the races again in our stake Young Women's presidency. We are entering our second year together. The second year is nice. We almost know what is going on around here. August to November is a busy season for us. We started out with the stake back to school dance followed quickly by Stake Auxiliary Leadership Training. The training was a special experience. We take our Ward leaders' time very seriously - they give so much to their callings already. Over several weeks, we prayed and worked and fleshed out at least three different concepts for the evening before it felt right. Our time together that night was a powerful lesson to me about the miracles that happen when the Lord and the Spirit lead. Pretty amazing. Last weekend we had our annual multi stake Priest/Laurel ice skating activity. Next weekend we are putting on a Sadie Hawkins dance for the Priests and Laurels of our stake (at the request of the Stake Youth Committee). There will be dinner, dance instruction and games. I've got my date! And then we have our stake harvest dance and multi stake youth conference. All the preparations those events entail will take us up to the weekend before Thanksgiving. Ward Conferences will start after the holiday season. As always there are monthly visits and weekly presidency meetings. Girls Camp is on the table again and budgets and calendars are coming due for next year. It isn't without its stresses, but it is good work. It is happy work. We have a strong unity in our presidency that makes it all a joy.

I installed a backsplash in our kitchen. We still have the cabinet hardware to install yet, and then I'll post a more detailed report. It was a project I went back and forth on for several months. The kitchen I was imagining in my head wasn't super compatible with the cabinets, counter tops, and flooring we have already - not to mention the other super traditional finishings our house came equipped with. If this was our forever home, we would invest more into customizing. But as it is, we decided to work with what we've got. And we love how it turned out. Clean lines, old world/rustic charm with a bit of traditional flare. The cabinet hardware is more contemporary and I'm hoping the contrast will be what I had in mind... The project was meant to be completed on a weekend that Cori was away traveling. My desire to make my deadline was further fueled by Cori's quiet confession that he would be amazed to see it done by the time he got home. Alas, I wouldn't finish until several days after he got home, but he was nice about it.

We are always happy to have visitors. Aunt Tiff and Uncle Brett stayed with me and the kids the weekend I was feverishly tiling away in the kitchen. Brett made a big bowl of guacamole. Tiff consulted with me as I was making decisions with the the tile layout. Then, in between their rounds of golf, they played and crafted with the children so I could work.

We also got to see Cori's cousin, Jeremy, and his fiancee, Alyssa while they were in town. Jeremy is part of a jump rope team that competed on America's Got Talent last season. Grace and Grant watched every one of his TV performances and were pretty excited to meet him in person. Alyssa is a real sweetheart too.

The spire is up on the Temple. Grant, Eden, and I stopped by yesterday to take a picture of the progress. The completion date of the Temple has been pushed back. There is a backlog on the exterior stone order from the Texas stone quarry that the Church uses. But we spied some stone samples beside a portable unit (pictured right). They look beautiful. We heard that the angel Moroni statue had been delivered and that it was in the church parking lot. Well, he had safely been put away before we got there yesterday. I'm sure the statue is carefully crated but I would sure love to snap a picture of the kids with him before he goes up!

labor day in st. george

We got to spend the Labor Day weekend with Grandma Sandy and Papa Ray in St. George. Aunt Tiff and Uncle Brett made the road trip up with us. We got to spend lots of time with Uncle Damien, Aunt Danielle and their crew who live nearby, and Uncle Ethan and Aunt Megan made the trip down with Joshua as well. The weekend was so much fun.

We pulled into town and the girls changed into swimmies while Cori and Grant headed out to play some golf with Brett, Tiff, and Ethan. The cousins had a great time at the splash park downtown.

We did the usual Sunday things - Church and a fantastic meal. Then we visited a couple Church history sites. We took the tour at the Brigham Young house downtown. Again, I love stuff like this. It is so intriguing to me. These sites are calm and peaceful. We love hearing the stories of the people who lived there. And the sr. missionaries that serve there are so sweet.

Taking in some shade at the Jacob Hamblin home. Jacob Hamblin was the Church's ambassador to the Native American tribes as the pioneers were settling across the west.

The next day we went for a hike at Red Cliff. We got out there before the day got too hot and too crowded.

Brett just didn't want to put that book down! Unfortunately, when he did put it down to help children around the ledge it fell into the pond. :(

Grammie Sandy and Papa Ray effortlessly keep up with our busy crew.

That afternoon, Cori, Tiff, and Brett hit another round of golf. They headed back to Phoenix that evening.

The rest of us showered and gussied up because we were headed to Tuachan. We saw the magical stage adaptation of Aladdin. Few things are as cool to kids as seeing make-believe come to life. The musical is packed with the works: live animals, fireworks, a 3-D trip through the cave of wonders, and a magic carpet ride that flew right over our heads. The setting at Tuachan is natural and beautiful. The weather was perfect. Grace and Grant are still talking about it. In great detail. Thanks so much Papa Ray and Grandma Sandy! What a treat!

W* family reunion

All of my siblings now live/work/school in California. It is a wonderful place to visit anyway, so we all went west for our family gathering. We bunked up in a beach house right on the coast at Capistrano Beach. We loved spending a little time with Uncle Jared. He is the perfect blend of fun and chill.

One of the outings we made was to the San Juan Capistrano Mission. I love going places like this. It is so fascinating to see how people lived, what life was like for them. Our darling little tour guide raised a few eye brows. ("The mission of the church was not to obliterate the civilization that was here already, but to overlay it and create a new culture that was not Catholic, nor aboriginal, but a blend of them both." I've never heard Californian history laid out quite like that before.) The tour was, none the less, very informative. And the mission is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. Also, the children were thrilled to pieces taking turns riding in Super Grandma Bettie's chariot.

Can I just mention again how much I was missing our Nikon this whole trip. :(

Grammie brought a few projects. Gracie, of course, was overjoyed.

We enjoyed most of our meals cooking for each other at the beach house. But we went out one night to the Fisherman's Restaurant on the San Clemente pier. After dinner we strolled the pier and watched the surfers and the sunset.

After a morning bike ride...

It was a real treat staying right on the beach as we did. The children got into the sand almost every day. Cori got up on a surfboard. And Super Grandma got her toes wet.

Quality family time. Ha! Just kidding. That photo was absolutely, kind of, staged.

We were super grateful that Kevin drove down to spend one night with us. Gotta love some Phase 10.

We spent a day at Legoland. We had never been before. It is a fun place, nicely suited for younger kids. We especially enjoyed all the little shows. And we were very impressed with the mini cities and the Star Wars displays.

Our final outing was to Sea World. I had a giddy, little kid feeling in my tummy the night before we went. As a child, I was a bit obsessed with marine life. My dream was to become an oceanographer and work as a whale trainer at Sea World. We go way back, me and Sea World. Cori and the G's sat in the splash zone every single show. 

Such a great week! Thanks Mom and Dad. Definitely worth missing the first week of first grade.