What to do...what to do...its labor day and Deron and Cameron went to the BYU football game with Grandpa Wilkerson so that left Kim and Halle and me wondering...what to do...what to do. Here it is the last big holiday weekend of the summer and we had no plans. As we went about our cleaning rituals we decided that we were going to bag the rest of the household chores and go on a hike and a picnic. We made sandwiches and packed things up and off we went. We went to Moon Lake, with 1 thousand other people, but we weren't camping so we didn't mind all the people. We hiked up the trail that takes you around the lake. We didn't get too far because Halle wasn't feeling well, so we sat on rocks and rested and talked. It was really fun. We talked about bears, only because you couldn't go anywhere without seeing a sign to warn you that bears were present in that area and what to do to keep them at bay, and we talked about what we would do if we encounter a bear. It was funny that we all had different things we planned on doing if we saw one. Kim said that she would scream really loud and run, I said that I would yell and make myself look big, and Halle, bless her heart, said she would probably stand there and pee her pants. We all laughed and were very glad that we didn't come upon any since we probably would have all done the wrong thing and got eaten. 

We walked along the beach and looked at all the nature things that you look at when you are in the mountains. I love the mountains. I love all they have to offer. It was so pretty up there and it makes me  feel close to my Heavenly Father when I am up in the mountains and see all that he created for us. We are so blessed to have so much to enjoy. Different parts of the world are created with such different things to look at and enjoy and I am thankful that I live in a part of the world that I can enjoy so much. 

We drove down the canyon a ways to eat our picnic because there were no available tables in the camp ground. We found this nice little spot with a grassy spot to throw out our blanket. We were eating and talking, when Kim felt something crawling over her leg, she looked down to see an extremely large spider making his home on her leg. Before any of us knew what happened she was up screaming and running around. Needless to say Halle and I were frantically looking to see where the spider ran off to so it didn't get on us. We found it and destroyed the 8 legged creature and finished our picnic in peace.  

After eating our picnic we headed home. We were tired and ready to be home. About 5 miles out of Duchesne we saw something very long and big laying across the road. After driving up to it, we discovered an extremly large snake. We figured it was about 6 feet long. Well, we stopped to look at it and take a picture because we knew that no one would believe that we saw such a large beast, well I guess I had run over his tail and he was trying to get it out from under the car. I went to grab my camera and Halle yells "Its climbing up the tire." Well it was headed up into the engine of the car. So we quickly sped off to keep it from making a home in the car. I looked in the rearview mirror to make sure that he was still on the road, hoping he was dead, but he wasn't. He was quickly crawling back to his desert home. We were just glad that we weren't taking him home with us. But you don't get to see a picture...you just have to take my word for it. Anyway, it was a really fun day and I am glad that I got to spend time once again with 2 of my daughters. 

Look...a NEW Look

After looking at all of the wonderful blogs you all display, mine felt a little drab to say the least. And since I am not very good at this yet, Dayna took pity on me and gave me a new look. I love it! She is very talented as well as very patient!! So.. I hope that you enjoy the new look!  

Todays thoughts...After a day of driving through miles of construction at speeds that could almost be classified as standing still, I have decided that I am going to take it all in stride, because as soon as the construction is over, so will the summer be gone as well. Last winter was such a long, cold, drawn out season that I don't think I have had my feel of summer, the heat or the fun that summer has to offer yet, (although~ construction is not one of my favorite things in the "fun category" of summer, it is part of it...but I try to avoid it as much a possible) because once summer is gone, its gone.  In comparison, the is no comparison...summer just out weighs winter...hands down!!

I Do

I became a mother-in-law for a second time, this past weekend. Todd was married to his sweetheart, Dana Asay, on Saturday. Dana is such a sweet girl and we are excited to officially have her in the family now. She and Todd planned the wedding the way they wanted it and it turned out beautiful. All of my family was there, and all of Deron's that could be there came. Our family is so supportive and great that way. They always support us no matter what we are doing. They are the best!!!!! Yes, as mother of the groom, I even shed a few tears. How could I help but not. (Isn't that what you're supposed to do at weddings and funerals?) We had a few rebels who gave the bride and groom's getaway car a make over. It was done up with all the fixings of chocolate syrup, rice crispies, oreo's, TP and popcans. As they drove away into the night the pop cans that were so carefully tied to the hitch, exploded and let off a great show for those of us who were there to watch. We all laughed and just hoped that they were doing the same. As we marry off the kids, one by one, I feel a little older with each one growing up and moving on. It doesn't seem like we should be old enough to have married kids. But watch out, we will be coming to your kids weddings before you know it, they grow up and become independent all too quick. Todd and Dana are going to live here in Duchesne for now. Todd is working for Express Title and Dana is working for Western Land Realty. They are a really cute couple. Dana has been over to their house off and on for a week or so getting it decorated and putting a "woman's touch" on the place, which it needed desperately. It looks really nice and when they get home from their honeymoon they will have a nice place to live. I am excited to have another daughter in the family. I have loved having a son-in-law and I know that having a daughter-in-law will be just as fun.

I

Family Fun Times

We've had an eventful summer and this past month has been no different. We had our family reunion August 8-9-10 in Provo and Salt Lake. We begin the fun with going to the Mount Timpanogos Temple and doing some temple work. It was really neat. Then off to dinner at Los Hermonos where we indulged ourselves with scrumptious food, the kind that we just can't get out here in the "sticks". I think we all ate our fill and then some, but isn't that how it goes when you eat your favorite foods that you don't get very often? (Or if your like me, any time that you eat food??) Then we all went school shopping. It was like a school shopping marathon for me. Having 3 kids to get done in what amounted to, 4 hours, was stressful to say the least. We were able to complete 1 of the 3 and almost another one. I just didn't want to have to make another trip to the city if I didn't have to, but oh well, we had to go again any way. Then back at our hotel we visited and some of the kids swam. Dayna and Jack came down and had pizza with us and then we all went to bed. The next day we gathered ourselves together and headed out for a hot day in the sun at Lagoon. The kids were really excited about this one. We usually go once a year and its so much more fun with all the cousins and the aunts and uncles. It was a blast. Everyone was beat and tired as we headed home that night. The next day we were spoiled with a yummy dinner again at dad's place, where he cooked his famous "brisket" that only he can make. Its the best and if you haven't ever eaten it, you should. He is a very talented cook and shares that talent every now and again. To our great pleasure, we get to sample his fabulous cooking. We visited and played with Denise's puppies...Riley named them all "Rufus" and I think he was pretty sad when he had to leave all them behind when he went home. Halle hasn't quit talking about driving Uncle Doug's truck. Where she said she made it up to 20 miles per hour....wow if she could just remember how much fun it is to go that slow : ) We all had a great time, with great people....we need to do it again soon.

It lacks anything special!

Okay...I am going to apologize right now for my lack of knowledge with this blogging thing. I look at all of you out there that can blog and have it look presentable. Sorry, because mine looks like an unpresentable mess...I hope that you continue to look at it anyway, despite the spacing messes, the lack of creativity and the boring way that I write it. But I promise over time you will forget how bad it looks or maybe I will become better at the blogging thing. Anyway...don't give up on me, I will keep trying. (see, these are the things that make you feel like 40 is over the hill...the lack of being able to figure out what everyone can figure out!!!)

Girls Day

Last month I took my daughters (except Halle who will get to join in at age 16...although I took her on a special girls weekend all of her own several months ago, no worries, she didn't get left out) on a weekend getaway...Our Girls Weekend...where we plan on making it a yearly tradition. It all began when we left Duchesne and journeyed out to Provo. We went to dinner at the Olive Garden, on of Dayna and Kim's favorite places to go. We then went back to the hotel where we did "mud masks" (isn't that what you're supposed to do on a girls weekend, put mud on your face???). Then we played a game with fun questions that we had to answer to get to know each other "really well"...we learned that everyone has an embarrassing moment and is afraid of something. It was alot of fun to just laugh with each other and take pictures and get to know what makes us tick. We woke up in the morning for a "scrumptious" continental breakfast of powdered eggs and hard biscuits, so we opted not NOT EAT...then we ran out for a marathon day of shopping...yes, that is what you do on a girls weekend as well. We shopped and shopped and shopped some more. We bought shoes, and purses (a must for all women's wardrobes) and tried on clothes we loved, hated and even bought. We had lunch at Panda Express, one of Dana's favorites...and that is where we picked up a hitchhiker...Todd...he happened to find us there (I think that Dana must have had a tracking device attached to her shoe or something, because he just popped in and there we were!) So we fed the hitchhiker and left him there, after all, he couldn't come along, he was a boy and boys are not allowed on our "girls weekends" so we continued on our marathon. I truly believe that Dayna and Dana have some special skills at spotting the "deals". They could come out of a store with 2-3 bags and tell me and Kim (who can't find anything on sale) that they bought of of that for $15. Kim and I were left with nothing to brag about and so off we would go to the next store. We had so much fun that we all wished that we could do it once a month instead of once a year, but decided that we didn't have enough money to do that. But we really had a blast. Dana is so much fun and really fits in to our family. We love her alot and can't wait for the next outing that we will go on. We ended our day with a sigh........and dinner at Cafe Rio~which is one of my VERY favorite places to eat. No we didn't lack for food or for fun. We came home with blisters and bags and alot of happy, happy memories. I think that mothers around the world should take their daughters, daughter in laws and sisters on a weekend like this because it helps you to let your hair down and get to truly find out what great people you are a part of!!!!

The dreaded Birthday!!

Last month was my birthday...the dreaded "40", yes I am really "40" although some of you that didn't know would probably think that I am older and such with my wrinkles and bags that I am constantly trying to chase away...anyway I was feeling a little "old" and wanting to forget that I was even having a birthday, when Deron came and whisked me away for the day on a surprise picnic to Moon Lake. I had never been to Moon lake, at least that my poor "old" brain could remember, but we had a blast. We ate Subway sandwiches and then hiked up a trail along the side of the lake. We hiked for awhile enjoying the gorgeous view until we discovered we were being followed...YES really, we were being followed by this pack of bugs that would attack us at the very thought of us stopping to rest. They would fly down and get tangled in my hair and I hate things in my hair. Anyway... so we quickly made our way back down to the bridge where we began our journey. We took pictures and just relaxed. It was so fun and so pretty. That night Deron and the kids took me to dinner at the Hollow Moon where I ate like a starving "40" year old and enjoyed every minute of it. We all had a great time, laughed and enjoyed the dinner that we didn't have to cook. Afterwards, we came home to a New York Cheese cake that we had bought earlier, with so many calories it could kill a person, and I ate a piece...I know, regrets, regrets, but you only turn 40 once and your life is half over by then anyway so why not eat up...right? Anyway, it was a super fun day and helped me get through my feelings of "being over the hill".