Crazy Summer!

Where has this summer gone? in June, we took a trip to the Uintah Mountains. It was fun and relaxing. The kids had fun at the lakes and riding their bikes around camp. The fishing was lousy. (Thank heaven's! I can't stand it and the smell of it cooking, makes me nauseous.)

July 4th, we went to Liberty Days in, you guessed it, Liberty, UT. The kids chased Pigs and Chickens. Bet you can't guess what we took home? Her name is Rusty and she should be earning her keep come October. I expect an egg a day, by darn it! Maggie and Maren won HUGE cookies at the cake walk. Savannah, my niece, and little guy, Kyler, came to join us. The more the merrier. Later that night we enjoyed fireworks in out front yard.

July 8th was very exciting! My brother Larry, from St. George, and his family joined us for a fun filled day at Lagoon. We had such a fun time! I left Rattle Snake Rapids with dry hair. I won't tell you I jumped across the kids and stuck my head over the other edge escaping the waterfall. Maggie only received minor injuries. Brenden rode the CliffHanger ALONE! I was so proud of him. Everyone who road the Wicked, loved it, including Trent. He was pleasantly surprised, and road it again. The whole day was topped off my the birth of another great-niece. That makes me feel old! Her name is Ariah Lindsi. I was honored, until I remembered that my niece has my name as her middle too.

We lost my Grandmother July 13th. What an amazing woman she was! She never drove a day in her life - never had a license. My Grandfather always drove her around and after he passed, my parents took where she needed to go. She never had a credit card. They believed in paying cash or doing without. She was a school lunch lady in her working years. She just may have fed your parents! She lived on her own until her fall five months before she died. She was 97 years old. What an inspiration! We will all miss her greatly, but we will see her again. We Love you Grandma!

July 15-17, We went up the Ogden Canyon to our family reunion on my Mother's side. What a blast we have every year. The kids tubed down the river, ate, waded the stream, ate, played tons of games with cousins, ate and did I mention - ate. My cousin brought a TV and a generator, so on the last night all kids watched Racing Stripes by moonlight and blankets.

July 31 - August 4, We went to my parents home away from home in Star Valley Wyoming. Brenden, McKenna and Maggie swam like fish. They love the water! They would swim each day after I put Maren down for a nap. Maren catches anything that will attack the intestines, i.e. the pool virus, roto-virus etc. so she can't swim, at least in public pools. My parents have a golf cart and the kids call it a go-cart. They were on it whenever they could convince a Grandparent to take them for a ride. Usually it was to go to the park. The funniest thing is that golf carts have the bag holders on the back and the Brenden, McKenna and Maggie would strap themselves in like golf bags and ride around in the back of it. We went to church with them in Thayne, WY on fast Sunday. We were meant to be there. The testimonies were amazing and the spirit was so strong. There was a girl and her husband home from Pennsylvania visiting his parents. She is a scientist, in medical school. He had been out of job for a year. They were both raised LDS with active families. She described herself as stubborn, and one who needs to have things proven to her before she believes it. She stood to bear her testimony. She said she wanted to share what "little" testimony she had about the truthfulness of the Gospel. She said she became an atheist many years go and that she became very angry with God over things that had transpired in her life. As she went through Medical School, she said that she discovered that the workings of the human body are too perfect, to intricate to have just happened. She said only a God could have created it. She said that she started to pray to him and sometimes just to tell him how much she hated him for the things that were happening and about how angry she was. She said that every time she would pray, the next day something remarkable would happen. Yet again, testifying to her soul that he was listening even to her anger. She said her testimony is growing, little bits at a time. I don't know her, but I think it is much larger than she knows. I don't know if she realized just what a spirit she had about her. She had me in complete tears. The spirit was so strong. Because of her testimony, a man in his 40's stood and bore his testimony for the first time. He said he was reactivating and that he felt inspired to share his growing testimony also. The power of the Spirit can work miracles even when you least expect it.

We are gearing up for the Box Elder County Fair. Brenden and McKenna are both doing lambs. The lamb pen is right next to our dog pens. I think the lambs think they are dogs. When you come, they jump up and put their feet on the fence and start sniffing you. I am waiting for the day they bark instead of Bah! It is the funniest thing! I am actually going to miss the little critters when they are gone. There will be next year.

I think the kids are going to like their new teachers. Back to school night is next week. Our little Maggie goes into 1st grade. She is beside herself with excitement. Brenden enters the 5th Grade! Am I really that old? McKenna goes into 3rd and Maren starts Preschool.

I just finished up a city league softball season. If Brenden going into 5th didn't already make me feel old, my body after each game sure did.

Hope you enjoyed the little catch up on our family! I know I am enjoying reading all of yours.

With Love,
Lindsi