Dear Kids,
          I was so dismayed last week when Donna’s kids tried out our playground, and the big attraction seemed to be the sand, not all our nice equipment. So I was anxious for Tom’s and John’s kids to try it out Sunday night. They ran out there eagerly. And dived into the sand. They were like little animals, digging and burrowing. They threw the sand over their heads, and at each other. They played with the sand digger, but the swings and slide and airplane might as well not have been there. I was totally deflated.
          So I focused on our next project, getting bark. Thompson’s logging delivered it to us! Dad and I spread it on Friday and Saturday, and it went really fast! Of all our projects, it looked the best, with the least amount of work, of anything we’ve done. But I must have overestimated the amount we needed, or they gave us way too much, because we still have a big pile left over. We’ll use it eventually, of course, because after you spread bark, it dries up and blows away and gets scattered. Besides that, we’ll need to put some in the strip around our house. But it any of you need a pick-up load or two, we can bring you some.
          We haven’t been anywhere in a long time, so we’re leaving Thursday for a road trip to Idaho. We’re going to Boise first, to visit Katie, and then we’re driving to Rexburg, to visit Harpers and go to the temple there. Sunday we’ll end up at Vanessa and Trent’s, and go to church with them. We’ll be home late Sunday night. We should have pretty good weather, maybe some rain, and definitely cooler. But that’s good. Only cold weather can stop my obsession with our yard projects. And we’ve done enough for one year.
          We love you all! What a family! Mom

Dear Kids,
          We all enjoyed Stuart’s baptism yesterday, and all the fun and food at Nora’s house afterwards. I know the actual baptism was the most important part, but it sure was fun to see you all! (And we missed those of you who couldn’t come!)
          I finally finished spreading all the sand on our playground. Other people would have been glad to help me, but I wanted every cubic foot put in the right place. Then Dad helped me straighten out the railroad ties that were pushed aside by the dump truck, and I made wooden blocks to put under the legs of the bench (so it wouldn’t keep sinking into the sand), and now I call the playground completely finished. Donna’s kids came on Monday and tried it out. They ran from one thing to another, and finally they ended up digging in the sand. Oh, well, I’m sure lots of kids will play on the swings and airplane and slide and sand digger, in time.
          On Friday Dad cut our new grass for the first time. The grass didn’t really need it yet, but the weeds did. It looked really nice when he was done. I wasn’t feeling very good that day, (minor flu bug, probably) so I just sat in the pergola and read a book and looked at the scenery. After all our work, it was nice just to sit and enjoy it all.
           Our next yard project is getting bark to put around our trees and shrubs. I had figured we could take the truck to Thompson Logging’s mulching pit and bring back a load, until I figured out how much we need. 2,000 square feet, to start with, at 3" thick, makes 500 cubic feet, or 18.5 cubic yards, when our truck can haul, at most, a yard at a time. I guess we’ll be calling another dump truck. Or two. Every project seems to multiply itself. 
           We hope you and all your families are doin’ great and lovin’ it!
           Mom

Here's the information from Nora about Stuart's upcoming baptism:
    2110 N. Main Street, Centerville, 3:00 pm, Saturday, October 10.  Bring a salad or a dessert or just yourselves.

Dear Kids,
          What a great conference weekend. Three new apostles! Elder Rasband lives in the Woodland ward, the next ward over from us. (It’s interesting that so many apostles and prophets live up here in the mountains–President Uchtdorf, Elder Bednar, and Elder Rasband, besides all of the ones that have cabins in Midway. There’s obviously something heavenly about living in the mountains.) Back to conference–it’s been wonderful. We had a great soup dinner here at our house last night, and I sure wish all of you could have come! After we ate, the guys went to the priesthood session, and then we had ice cream and churros at the cabin (The churros were made by Tom). Today is more of the same. My mission reunion is tonight, and I’ve made three kinds of cookies. There are two salads that I need to assemble this afternoon. I’m picking up the sandwiches at Subway on our way to Sale Lake. (I’m making somebody work on the Sabbath! Let’s hope whoever makes our sandwiches at Subway will be doing it with "singleness of heart.") But it will all be worth it when we get to my reunion and I can see so many of my old friends again. 
           Besides all that, I’ve been working like a fiend to finish our playground. Last Tuesday all the equipment was finally assembled (thanks to Dad) and I ordered sand from Staker-Parsons in Heber. It came in two big dump trucks--34 tons of wet sand! Since then I’ve been spreading it, and my shoulders are aching. I had hoped to finish yesterday, so the grandkids could play out there last night, but I didn’t make it. It didn’t matter, though, because a big rainstorm blew in about the time everybody got here. We all played inside instead. I can spread the sand later, at my leisure, while I start new projects. 
           Both Bevan and Vanessa ran in the St. George Marathon yesterday. I heard that Vanessa got a 3:32, a personal best. Bevan ran it in 3:01, and Donna says he’s mighty sore this morning. I’m so proud of our athletes!
           What a family! I love you all! Mom