Stain

 While Marisa was out playing for Homecoming, the rest of us were staining the deck.  

Ezra was a good helper, glad that's taken care of for a couple years. 

Homecoming 2023

 Marisa was asked to Homecoming this year. She was lucky to be in a group with her bestie. 

We shopped for a dress and I hoped we could find something but we didn't have a lot of luck. So I made her a dress. 

They are so cute.

Fixin' the deck

 We finally had a weekend that wasn't rainy or filled with other obligations where we could repair the deck. All in all it wasn't terribly difficult, but there are always snags you have to get past. 

We couldn't find the right size of board for one of the pieces, then the old bolts wouldn't work so we had to get new ones, but the rest went together ok. 

Our deck. It's just so blasted hot out there, we never use it. It's too bad because it's so big. But as much as it would have been nice to replace the whole thing with composite or something, it would just still be so freaking hot!  So a quick fix to get it back to it's state before getting kissed by a tree was good enough.

Youth Overnighter

 To end out the summer we took the youth up to Heber Valley Camp for an overnighter. 

 

I only got pictures from our axe throwing, but it was a fun little getaway. We had dinner, played night games, had a couple messages that the youth prepared and stood around the campfire until it was too cold. 

In the morning we had breakfast, threw some axes and headed home. Short and sweet but fun.

Wedding

 Greg got married and I took only one picture the whole day. 

It was fun day celebrating Greg and being with family. 

And I got this picture at Panda with Grandma and Grandpa but that was a different day. 

First Day of School 2023

 We've got a Junior and a Freshman the house this year. So far so good. They are surviving anyway. Counting down the days till summer again. 

County Fair

Our little county fair is pretty small. The county has become so urban. But I decided to submit the quilt I made for Marisa just for old time sake. 

I got a blue ribbon and two bucks! Woo Hoo!

We watched a little bit of the ranch rodeo at the fair too. That was fun! The fair used to be such a big part of my childhood. It was really different then but I'm glad we get to go check it out every year.

Boating summer away

 We had our annual youth boating trip to send off summer. It was fantastic! I didn't get many pictures though. Just know that I still can't wake board, my sinuses got their yearly flush of lake water and the kids had a great time. 

I am all too aware that this phase is quickly passing. I've been released as Young Womens president. A very bitter sweet feeling. Our kids are getting older and will be out of young mens and young womens in a blink of an eye. Like sand thought my fingers. Sigh.

And just like that... Summer was over.

Over the Hump

Roman has made it over the hill. It's just going to go faster and faster from here.

At 6 months he was just south of Peoria in Canton IL with Elder McConnel. He experienced a lot of service, a few major tornado producing storms, and a struggling branch. Transfers brought Elder Pearson who was approaching the end of his mission.  From there he went to the opposite side of Iowa and ended up in Fort Dodge, IA with Elder Jones.  It was a pretty run down town but he liked the people and his companions there. He liked to fish on P days and occasionally in the morning before work began. There were a few trips to Des Moines and a lot of driving within his district until they cracked down on miles and they were gifted some bikes to help them get around town, get some exercise and save miles for things further away.  After two transfers and another comp, Elder Bush, he was went to Dubuque, IA. Dubuque is way on the other side of the state. He had a wonderful time for one transfer here with Elder Carey. He lived in a house with the Marshallese missionaries.  There was a racoon in the house on day one, they had fun in both the Dubuque wards as well as the Marshallese ward. He had a lot of fun with his companion so he was really sad when he was transferred quickly back to Peoria, IL where he has become a zone leader with Elder Watkins.  He has a lot of work to do and he is having to work at getting along with his companion but he's still doing really well. They had a baptism over conference weekend which was a fun surprise

President at district council

Dropping off Crumbl

Me dominating at bowling

Worlds largest truck stop

District Council

District Service

Elder Miles and I sitting on a piano on the front porch

Severe weather

Us in a bathtub hiding from a tornado

Fire in the front yard

Service cleaning up trash at a concert

Abby made it to Iowa1

Too many wings

Broken car

Pday fun

Bird the cat

Birthday cards from home

Feels like 127!

Who you gonna call?