Dear Kids,

It was wonderful seeing so many of you at Bear Lake yesterday.  We missed Bentley and the ones in John’s family who were sick, but it was still a great crowd.  Dad and I had a nice drive up there in the morning, but we left again for home while most of you were still at Minnetonka Cave.  Still, we enjoyed all the fun we could get in on. Thanks to Al for his great planning, and to everyone who fixed such good food.  Too bad we couldn’t get in on the whole thing!  I had just come off my second infusion of chemo, so we weren’t up for camping, but we enjoyed it while we were there. 

Julie and Spencer seemed pretty excited for their wedding this coming Saturday.  When I asked them about it, they just looked at each other and grinned.  Make sure you plan on our famiy dinner at the cabin that afternoon at 3:00.  We’ll have Bam Bam barbeque and Costco chocolate cake, plus other menu items!  Be there or be square!  There will still be plenty of time for us all to drive to Heber to get in the family pictures, starting at 6:30.  The address for the pictures and the reception is 250 South 3600 East in Heber.  It will be a great evening!

On Monday, my pen pal Chandra Graham Garcia and her family came by for a visit.  They’re from Phoenix, and they were here visiting family in Salt Lake.  They were enchanted by our cats, especially Scout, who let them brush him while he stretched out and smiled.  We went to lunch at the Food Town deli, and then we drove them over to the cabin, and then played in the river while Dad and Jon Garcia changed a flat tire we got on the Sienna.   The two Garcia kids, Carson and Natalie, are my honorary grandkids, and Chandra played with John and Nora when she was 4.  How life changes!  Oh, by the way, Natalie has read The Ackerson Kids Grow Up at least twice, and she can recite the names of you original nine kids in order. 

Adelaide is expecting her mission call this coming Wednesday, while their family is at Lagoon.  Will she announce it at their pavilion?  We’re all taking bets as to where she’ll go. 

So much fun!  Lots of love, Mom