Dear Kids,

Josh’s baptism was a great event.  Thanks, Tom, for zooming it to Sharon in Maryland.  There were a couple of blips, but it seemed to work fine.  Thanks, Paul and Stefanie, for the wonderful lunch at your house afterwards.  It was fun to see the Riebens and talk to them again.

Donna says her kids are really enjoying Frindle.  She reads one chapter to them every night, and the chapters are really short, so it works out well.  If you haven’t started it yet, there’s still plenty of time, even though book club is next Sunday evening.  (Sept. 10)  Come and have fun!  It’s my turn to lead the discussion, so I’ll be throwing out candy, like always.

Super Sunday will be combined with Aaron’s farewell, at John’s house two weeks from today.  (Sept. 17.)  John says to bring your food pre-cooked, since some of his family members are super sensitive to foods that are cooking.  I think John’s church starts at 9 am, but I’m not sure, and I’m not sure on the address, so I’ll put those in next week. 

Paul is moving ahead to yet another job, but we’re not worried because every job change has been a step up for him.  He’s been hired by Gardner Engineering in Ogden, and he’ll start working for them on September 25.  He interviewed with Gardner once several years ago, but went with another choice at that time.  Go, Paul!

My cancer has been progressing, which, of course, is what cancer does.  The main tumor in my lungs used to be nicely cavitated (full of holes) and misshapen, but since my last scan it has grown by about 50% and filled in.  (All my other tumors are still cavitated. ) Dr. Lewis mentioned the idea of radiation, just on my one big tumor, and I’m supposed to be thinking about it.  I know about radiation, and I know there can be unpleasant side effects, but I’ll probably go for it.  I don’t know when it will start, if I tell them yes.  I’ll let you all know.  I really appreciate your prayers for me, and I know I’m living longer because of them.  I know the Lord especially listens to your children’s prayers.

Life is good!  Keep on doing good things, everybody.  Love, Mom

 Dear Kids,

I guess you all got the word that Super Sunday is at Nora’s house this afternoon.  4pm.  Be there or be square.  This is going to work out a lot better for John’s family, because they can combine Super Sunday next month with Aaron’s farewell on the 17th.  

Meanwhile, Josh’s baptism is this coming Saturday, September 2, at 11 am.  The address  of the stake center is 1715 W. 1600 North in Layton.   There’s a lunch afterwards at Paul and Stefanie’s.  We hope to see most of you there.  

Then, book club will be September 10th.  That’s coming up quickly, because we’ve been off schedule the last couple of months.  We’re reading Frindle, which is about a boy in middle school who invents a new name for ball-point pens.  It sounds crazy, and it is. 

I saw from a link on my phone that the family photos by Quinn Calder are available.  Wow, he took a ton of pictures!  I don’t know how anybody can possibly choose.  I’m sure Donna can tell you what to do next.  I’m impressed that our family is so wonderfully photogenic.

Yesterday I went to the Heber airport with Dad to help John fly his glider.  Dad helps John put it together, including scotch tape to hold the wings on.  (There are big bolts, too.) I don’t do anything helpful except drive the golf cart around a little bit.  (The golf cart tows the glider to the launching spot.) John inherited the golf cart from his friend Tom, who died a few months ago.  And Tom was the owner of the dead cat I found in the freezer at the hangar, if you remember that story.  Anyway, they got the glider assembled and then the towplane launched John into the air.  He found a good updraft and was soon near the top of Timp, where hikers at the shack took his picture.   He didn’t stay up very long, though, because some big storm clouds were building up, and he saw some lightning.  I asked John what happens if a glider gets hit by lightning, and he said the wings fall off and you parachute down.  I guess we could do without that kind of excitement.

Tomorrow I go in for chemo again, and it will go on until the second week in October.  I don’t mind too much, because I’ve had such a wonderful vacation, but I sure appreciate your faith and prayers in my behalf.  I know I’m living longer because of all of you.

Lots of love, Mom

 Dear Kids,

What a great week we’ve had!  There have been at least three good rainstorms, and it hasn’t been so hot.  I don’t mind summer winding down, and all our Heber Valley grandkids are back in school.  Life is good.

Book club is this afternoon at 5:00 at our house.  We’re discussing Bunnicula.  It’s a great story!  The Dracula rabbit, Bunnicula, sucks all the color from foods and leaves them white, so I have to think of some white refreshments.

And Super Sunday is a week from today, on the 27th, at John’s house.  I’m pretty sure we’ll be meeting at 4:00.  It’s always fun to see what food everybody will bring.  I’m still waiting for the Sunday when it will be all desserts!

Then, Saturday, September 2, will be Josh’s baptism.  It will be at 11 am, and the address of the stake center is 1715 W. 1600 North in Layton.  Even though it’s Labor Day weekend, I hope most of you will be free to come.   The invitations are really cute!  Bonus points if you can name the temple in the picture.

Yesterday we had a great time at the cabin with our friends, the Garcias.  They took turns driving the yerf dog, which Dad got working for us.  Even Chandra drove it.  You remember the Garcias–they came and raked gravel with us in June.  We all bought lunch at Food Town, my favorite deli.  Everybody gets what they want, and I don’t have to prepare a thing.  Can’t beat that!

It’s been seven weeks since I had chemo, and I have one more week of freedom before I go back.  It’s been a wonderful time for me.  We had the family reunion, Bentley’s wedding, and the trip to Pocatello, besides at least three hikes, and we finished the tile in the pantry of the cabin.  When I’m back on chemo, I’ll just think of all the good times we had.  And with such a wonderful family as ours, there will always be good times.

Lots of love, Mom

 

Dear Kids,

Congratulations to Aaron!  He’s been called to the Iowa City, Iowa mission, and he’ll start on October 3.  I’m sure he’ll be a wonderful missionary, and we’re very happy for him.

Dad and I are headed to Pocatello this morning, and we look forward to seeing a lot of you there.  If you need last-minute directions, the address of the church is 1701 Bartz Drive.  There are two chapels next to the interstate, and we’re meeting in the one farthest east.  You can follow google maps, which takes you off the interstate and winds you north through town, or you can take our usual exit and backtrack.  I’m sure it will be a wonderful meeting.  It’s Sarah’s farewell, and Sterling’s homecoming.

Next week, the 20th, is book club at our house, at 5 pm.  We’re reading Bunnicula, which is crazy and fun.  I’m looking forward to what everybody has to say about it.  Super Sunday will be the following week, the 27th, at John’s house.  Kids and teenagers are welcome to bring their swimsuits and sit in the hot tub.  If any adults want to join them, they won’t be turned away.  

Dad and I did two great hikes this past week.  On Tuesday we did the walk around Mirror Lake with our ministering couple, Susan and Dan Joos.  Dan has a heart condition and can only walk where it’s flat, so it was perfect.  The weather was awesome, and hardly any people were there.  After our hike we had a picnic that Susan fixed.  You know, ministering people are always asking what they can do for you, so I was the one who suggested the hike.  I definitely needed that.

Then, on Friday morning, we hiked the Nobletts trail on the Wolf Creek highway (Hwy 35) with Al. He had camped overnight after the wedding reception, and met us there.  It was way more taxing than I expected, since I’d heard it was a nice family hike.  It was only 2 miles round trip, and mostly shady, but there were some steep places.  We did see a couple of families hiking, and the little kids were doing better than we were.

Speaking of the wedding, wasn’t that a wonderful event?  The temple was beautiful, and the reception was great fun.  I loved having it at the Red Barn, which is only 10 minutes from our house.  And of course it was great seeing most of you there.  Where we used to always be having baby blessings, now it’s going to be weddings and missionary events.  What a family!

Love, Mom

 3

Dear Kids,

Bentley’s wedding is this coming Thursday, and I’m sure you all have the information on your invitations.  If you’re going to the actual wedding, you need to be at the Provo City Center temple at 1:30.  The reception is at the Red Barn in Oakley, from 6 to 8.  The address is 4300 Highway 32, but it isn’t really on the highway–it’s off on a side road.  Google maps can get you there.  I’ve heard a rumor that there will be real food available for family at the reception, besides the refreshments you would expect.

And a week from today is the big shindig in Pocatello.  The farewell/homecoming starts at 9 am at the church on 1701 Bartz Drive.  Your smartphones can get you there, too.  It’s the building closest to the interstate.  Afterwards there’ll be the usual fabulous food at Vanessa’s house.  

Other events: Book club on August 20 at our house.  We’re reading Bunnicula.  Super Sunday will be the next week, the 27th, at John’s house.  We’ll start at 4 pm.  Teenagers and kids who want to sit in the hot tub need to bring their swim suits.

Aaron submitted the paperwork for his mission a couple of weeks ago, and he’s expecting his call this Tuesday.  I don’t think he’ll be doing the usual online “opening of the mission call” thing, but we’ll all find out pretty quickly where he’s going. 

With all my Amazon birthday credit, I ordered a battery-powered pruner like the one John has.  I knew it would be too heavy for me to use, but my plan is for Dad to do the work while I tell him what to cut. We tried that out yesterday morning, and it worked nicely.  We pruned around the bottoms of some of our fir trees, and Dad loved using it.  So thanks, all of you who gave me Amazon cards.

I’m still thinking over the family reunion, and how much fun it was.  I’m always nervous before it starts, and I’m in a high state of excitement while it’s going on.  Then there’s the letdown when it’s over, and life gets back to normal.  Thank goodness we have all these other events coming up.  There’s no stopping the fun.

Love, Mom

 Dear Kids,

The family reunion is ending this morning, and it has been spectacular.  Thanks so much, Donna, for planning it so well!  Thanks to all of you who prepared meals (and cleaned them up) and to those of you who helped with activities.  Every reunion we have is better than the one before it, and I expect that will keep happening.  Dad and I especially enjoyed the day at Deer Creek and the hike around Silver Lake.  Dad didn’t especially enjoy the drive home over Guardsman pass, since his brakes smelled like they were burning up and the heat melted one of his hubcaps.  But hubcaps are cheap, and even the brakes seem to have survived.

Bentley’s wedding is practically upon us.  It’s fun being the grandparent of a kid getting married, since you don’t have any work to do, and you can just sit back and enjoy everything.  The wedding is less than two weeks away, and I’m sure that either Bentley or Cambree could tell you the exact number of days.

And two weeks from today is the combined farewell/homecoming of Sarah and Sterling.  The meeting is at 9 am, and the address is 1701 Bartz Drive in Pocatello.  It will mean an early drive for lots of us, but there’s nothing I’d rather get up early for.

Book club is on August 20 (We’re reading Bunnicula) and Super Sunday is on the 27th at John’s house.  Then September will be upon us, with even more fun events.  If I ever act crabby at these family events, it’s only because I get so tired.  I’m always happy to be together with you.

Sonia has put us on notice that she’s tired of the heat.  I want to tell her that we’re tired of it, too.  If we would only spread ourselves out on our backs on the floor, like she does, we could probably tolerate it better.  I’m just glad we live near the mountains where we cool off so well at night.  

Love to all of you, Mom

 Dear Kids,

Sterling is home!  His plane landed on time Monday night, but his luggage didn’t get there until Tuesday.  Luckily it was delivered to his house.  Vanessa says he talks with a sing-songy accent, like other missionaries who have been speaking Spanish.  I hope he still has his cute accent when we meet for the family reunion!

And the family reunion is upon us!  We’ll see you all Thursday night at 6:30 at Huber Grove, where the family pictures will be taken. We’re supposed to wear neutral colors.  The rest of the agenda is foggy in my mind, because it disappeared off my phone, but Dad and I will keep up with the rest of you.  Well, maybe we won’t go tubing on the Provo River, or play pickle ball, but we’ll be good spectators. 

The next big event after the family reunion is Bentley’s wedding on August 10.  I assume you all have your invitations.  I was going to color my hair pink for the summer, but I’m holding off because it might look too startling in the wedding pictures.  I know grandparents aren’t really the stars of the show, but I don’t want to spoil anything.  

The rest of our events for August are all on Sundays.  On the 13th the action moves to Pocatello, for the combination farewell/homecoming for Sarah and Sterling.  The meeting starts at 9 am, and the address is 1701 Bartz Drive.  It’s not the same church where we’ve met before, but I’m sure your phones can find it.  On the interstate, you can see two churches together near the ISU campus.  Vanessa’s building is the one closest to the interstate.  You can take the same exit we’ve always taken before, though.

The Sunday following, the 20th, will be book club at our house.  We’re reading Bunnicula.  I read it once, long ago, so I need to pull it out again.  I remember that it’s really crazy.  The Sunday after that we’re due for another Super Spreader (oops, Super Sunday), and it’s John’s turn this time.  That will finish out the month, but there’s no stopping the fun. 

Sonia has been complaining of the heat.  She spreads herself out long on the floor, and glares at us when we walk by, as if we could do something about it.  Dad and I know it won’t last, but she thinks it will be forever.  But we all know the summer is winding down fast.

I hope you’re all enjoying it!  Lots of love, Mom