Joining our Family.....

Sunday, we had two of our adopted kids over for dinner; Brianne is my cousin who came down from Alberta to Dixie State College to do pre-dental hygiene.  She didn't know a soul and we have had so much fun having her in Southern Utah with us.  We are going to miss her terribly as she is not coming back :(.  I have loved having her to visit when I go to St. George and we will all miss having her over for Sunday dinners.  Love ya Bri!

Dean (far left in the picture below) is a friend of Devon's who I met while I was tutoring math at the high school.  His Dad left his family when he was 6, and then he and his sister got taken away from his Mom from Child Protective Services when he was 12 because she was giving them methamphetamine and marijuana.  He has been in foster care ever since.  I remember not sleeping at all the night I found out what his life had been like.  I knew there had to be something our family could do for him.  As we have gotten to know him better, he has just become one of us.  He is so fun to be around and has overcome incredible obstacles to get where he is at.  One morning I heard the Holy Ghost whisper that there was a reason his name started with the letter D like all of our other boys.  Anyway, we claim him as our own and are better for knowing him! 

Last night we went up on Cedar Mountain to a fun cabin for Ryan's young single adult ward Family Home Evening activity.  It was a gorgeous evening, and hiking up in the mountains made me ache to someday have a place like that for our family to gather..

Last but not least, another critter has joined our family.  Tori and her friend, Alli, did Kool-Aid stands to earn money to but this lovely Chinese water dragon.  They actually make great pets.  We had one about five years ago, and they are pretty hardy - Tess, at the age of 3, decided to refrigerate it for four hours unbeknownst to us, and it survived the trauma! :)  Let's hope this one doesn't have to go through any similar lizard abuse!

Boot Camp Part II

Dallin is on day six of boot camp, and of course we still haven't heard from him, but he has been target shooting, flying in gliders and small aircraft, playing volleyball, and doing water physical training and search and rescue training and exercises.  Here is a little taste in pictures.

Boot Camp - Believe It!

Dallin joined the Civil Air Patrol about a year ago, and this summer he begged us to let him go to summer encampment (boot camp).  Ok, let's be serious, we forced him to go : ).  We told him if he was going to commit to being a cadet we expected him to go!  He left at 3 a.m. last Saturday and will return this Saturday.  We don't have any contact with him by phone, but they do have a blog that keeps us parents updated.  Here are some pictures that give you a taste of what he is experiencing!  He is at the Wendover, Nevada Air Base.  We did get a phone call from a commanding officer Sunday morning stating that his hair was longer than regulations allowed and they asked permission to cut it.  Too funny!  I thought it was short already!

Orientation.  Dallin is in the back row, kind of middle.

Every morning they wake up at 5 a.m. to a bugle call and have 10 minutes to be dressed and ready for inspection.  My idea of a good time!  NOT!

They are given more information about the Air Force...

and expected to study "standard operating procedure" manuals while they are in line for meals

Dallin is in the Bravo Squadron, back row, far right.  Check out the new hairdo!  I think it's a flat top??

Where he went for his makeover

This isn't Dallin, but you get the idea

They are taught to respect the flag

and got to sit inside a Humvee

The end of day 3.....To be continued!

Randomness

Devon went to scout camp, and when bored they duct taped their chests and laid out in the sun.  He went for the bear claw look. 

This is our "lake on the hill".  The sand is warm, the water is cool!

Love that face!  My littlest munchkin is growing up too fast!

Dallin trying to get his dry Mama wet

And we'll end the day on a scorpion we found while digging a fire pit for our backyard.  I can't stand these things!!!!!!!@#$!@#$

Well, today I have blogged and posted more posts in one day than ever before.  It feels good to clear out the camera and have more memory to capture more memories. 
~Happy Summer Everyone~

Scipio Petting Zoo

If you haven't been to this gas station/petting zoo in Scipio, take a road trip with your kids!  I was so impressed!  It is my dream job some day to run one of these babies - ha ha ha!

Darling little lambs

Derek wasn't so sure about the goats eating his shirt

Zebras are hard to come by in Utah, so a first for our kids to see one-

Tess and a noisy peacock in the background

When I arrived back at our home in Cedar City, my handsome and thoughtful husband had bought me roses and spread rose petals all over our bed.  Dang, how romantic is that!  I missed him so much, and it was so good to be back in his warm arms : ).  Love you Ryan!!!!!!

Trip to the Great Not-So-White North

I got up at 6 a.m. Monday morning and drove straight through to Grassy Lake, Alberta, Canada to visit my family.  I took the three youngest, and they were thankfully extremely good for the long car drive! 

Derek loved having access to a tramp again!  The Teens around here broke ours last summer :)

The girls were critter crazy!  They caught a gopher, a mouse, and a bush bunny!  They kept them in big buckets
and then released them once forced

Love this picture-I hope they realize how lucky they are to grow up with a sister!  I reinforce this concept daily! :)

captive gopher

free at last

Game Night at Grandma's always involves plenty of sugar!

Tess and Tor loved getting to know their girl cousins better.  Thanks for staying with us Brynn!

girls movie night

and breakfast buffet

and Nanton Candy Store!!  Yum!!  Thanks Uncle Dave!!  Too fun!

We had a Family Home Evening around the fire pit.  Gorgeous evening!

Tess and Brooklynn

Two of my fave sisters!

Dad - almost as good as the thinker pose

My sweet Mom and Dad - what would I do without these two saints in my life?!!  Love you so much!

Double rainbow with my cute prego sister, Whitney!  I am so glad I got to see her pregnant!  Way too cute!

The only close-up picture I got of my handsome brother, Luke!  Sorry bro, I know how much you loved this shot!

My Dad has these two donkeys - the kids absolutely love riding them!  Not too far to fall if you get bucked off

Getting advice from a good ol' cowboy- One of my best friend's Dads

Grandpa's new work horse

These are working hands!  The girls were up on the roof passing shingles to the men and did a terrific job!

A tornado touched down 20 miles from us while we were there!  Wild times - it was an amazing storm!

And.....drum roll please.....it's a girl !  Ok, no not mine!  We got to see my soon to be niece thanks to Doc Torrie

Sis Whit and Brother Ryan

We said farewell at Wal-Mart of all places : )

We made it up as far north as Edmonton where my brother Stan and his wife, Sh'Nell live.  I haven't been that far north since high school.  My darling nephew, Joel, got baptized.  It was so fun to see them and their home and their new little baby Spencer.  Well, he is 9 months old, but new to us!  Love you all~

I also visited an old friend of mine from high school that I hadn't seen since we were probably 19 years old.  It was so great to catch up!  Thanks for the visit Kaylani!