Memorial Weekend

We started of our weekend by heading to Gateway for a much needed dinner at California Pizza Kitchen with Paul, Catherine, Hallie & Ty.  Hallie loved it.  We did a little shopping and she had to show Mark a bracelet at one of the stores that she said was so beautiful.  She loves her Uncle Mark and knows that he will do anything for her.  After a fun evening of food, shooping and spending time with family went went home and packed up the car for a weekend of camping.

We left Saturday morning to meet my family at Jolly's Ranch for a little weekend of camping. It was not ideal weather for camping but we were able to have fun anyway.  The guys were able to get in a round of golf at Hobble Creek golf course and had a super time.  That evening we sat around the camp fire enjoying some smores and marshmellows.  It did not rain on Saturday until really late after we were all in bed but it was pretty cold.  The next morning we woke to overcast skys but not rain which was nice however by eveing the storm rolled in and some of us staying in tents decided to pack up and head for home.  We left about 11:00.  Here is a few pictures of the fun we had. 



Luke sporting his shades upside down



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Rachel, Mark & Paul enjoying a game of Rook



Molly & Lestar take a spin in the jeep



Cute baby Alyssa

 

Kyler such a cheese and adventurous boy.




Brandon - enjoying a little gooey smore!!!



Marlene, Kristine, Kelsie & Klyer enjoying what little sunshine there was



Lizzy & Ethan enjoying some time around the fire!

Some of the family round the fire!
This was Saturday night before the rain.
Michele, Alex, Rachel & Mike

Lestar enjoying her marshmellow

Lily & McKenna - two cuties



Krystal & Kelsie - best friends & cousins




Sunday evening around the fire - down comes the rain.




Spencer & Randy trying to enjoy the fire!!!











Memories

When I was a young girl my mom and dad and sister Cynthia, were away cleaning the department store JcPenney's in Midvale and I was home with my sisters Michele, Kristine & Annette. We were fortunate that the power went out at the home that night so my sister Michele decided that we should read this amazing book to pass the time by flash light. I remember the feelings of love that she would be so willing to take time from here busy schedule to share this wonderful book with us. I often have wondered if I loved this book because of the time I got to spend with my sisters, the atmosphere that was created with no lights as we read it or if it was the truly wonderful story. I really think it was a little of all three. I remember that my parents came home and wondered why we were reading with the lights out but we made them leave them off until we finished the book. It is a wonderful & special memory that has been ever ingrained in my mind.

The other day I decided to read the book once again and was worried that I might not enjoy it quite so much but I was pleasantly surprised. As I began to read all the wonderful memories of that night so long ago with my sisters came flooding back and I was once again so grateful for them and all that they did to shape me into the person I am today. I could not put this little treasure down and read it again in a couple of hours. What a great message of hope, to look for the good in our surroundings and to reach out to those we meet throughout our lives. I will always cherish this wonderful book and am so glad that it is once again in print.

My amazing sisters

I feel so blessed to have been born of goodly parents who taught me so much. They made it a point to make sure that we were a close and loving family and I am so grateful for that. I have truly been blessed to have four amazing sisters who I love so much. I am a better person because of them. Their example, love and acceptance of who I am has helped to shape who I am today. Michele has helped me to see the value in education. I will always remember how she always would read to me when I was young and to this day I love reading a good book. She has an amazing testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and shares her testimony often which helps me to gain a greater understanding of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love that she made sure that when I was young that she stayed home and attended college close so that I would know her and feel close to her as my sister. She makes me feel not like her little sister but her equal. She has an amazing husband, Doug who has taught me patience, love and acceptance of all. I have been so blessed to have had his example in my life for many years and am so grateful that we are blessed to still have him here with us today. They have raised four wonderful children - Marlene, Paul, Mike and Alex.

Kristine has been a great example to of always making people feel love and excepted. She has always cared about how others are feeling more than herself. She is unselfish and would do anything for others. She has an amazing ability for those who have mental and physical challenges and always knows just how to help them feel love and excepted. She has always been willing to put aside her needs to help out those around her. Whenever I have had needed a helping hand she has always been there to lend a hand. She has a true testimony of the the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and her example reflects it. She has a wonderful husband, DeWayne who has such an amazing talent for handy work. It is so great to be able to see him do what he is always enjoyed and to start up his own company. They to are great parents to tow great children - Angela & Greg.

Cynthia is always been an easy going happy person to be around. She is always so relaxed and happy and always makes everyone happy to be her friend. She has always been a hard worker and taught me the value of making sure to always be prepared for a rainy day. She is very patience and forgiving and looks for good in everyone. She is loved by all who know her and I am so proud to be her sister. She has a wonderful husband, John who always is concerned for how others feel. She to has an incredible love for our Savior and for the gospel. He has always made sure that he was there to couch his boys and to support them as they served missions, in scouting and the activities that they were in. They have raised five great sons - Mark, Matthew, Ron, Randy and Phil.

Annette is an amazing example of strength. She has had to deal with some difficult health challenges but had always found a way to pull through those and to be able to help others who have struggled with many of the similar challenges. She has always made me feel important as we grew up. I knew that she would always be there for me and always made me feel special. She is a true example of charity as I have watched her open her heart and home to many who were in need. She always goes the extra mile and never leaves a task undone. She is always willing to share her testimony and you can see her love for the gospel in the way she lives. She also has been blessed with a wonderful husband, Shawn. He has a great love for the gospel and is such a giving person. He is so willing to help others and to open his home to those who may need a helping hand. He has an amazing ability of understanding of the scriptures and loves to share his knowledge with others. They are raising a wonderful family - Spencer, Jarom, Rachel, Caleb, Brandon and Krystal.

What more can I say but that I love you all and am so grateful for you love and support of both Mark and I. We are truly blessed to have you as our family.

I wanted to pay tribute to my wonderful parents who are no longer with us here on earth

but will never leave out hearts!

They lived by example to all who knew them. They never shy'd away from service and was always willing to lend a helping had to those around them. They were true believers that when you were serving others you were in the service of God. I can not remember a time when someone was in need that they were not there to lend helping hand. They served faithfully in the church and touched many lives because of it.

They always made sure that they had time for their 5 daughters and supported us in all that we did. They made sure to be at all of our school and church activities and always put us first in thier lives. They made great sacrifices so that we could go on many wonderful vacations together and have lasting memories that bonded our family together.

They had a deep love for the temple and showed it by attending often and my dad was a faithful temple worker for over 13 years. It was such an honor for him to be able to serve every Tuesday night and always came home with a special spirit about him. Because of their great love of the temple and their willingness to teach us of its importance each of their daughters were married there. What a great tribute it was to them to know that we loved them and wanted to follow in their footsteps.

Their tesimony of Our Savior and His infinite atonement was unwavering. They not only beleived it but they applied it to there everyday lives. The had a deep rooted tetimony of the Book of Mormon and I can still seeing them reading and studyibng from that most sacred and true book. They followed the living prophet in all that they did in there lives. I am so grateful for their love of the gospel, their example of faith, hope and charity. I will always be grateful for the many things that they taught me.

I love them and miss them but know that I can live with them again because we are an eternal family. Iam grateful for my sisteres- Michele, Kristene, Cynthia, and Annette and for thier constent love and example to me. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.