August Mid-Month Bucket List

All smiles with their summer rage - making slime.

Anna's remedied hair color.  Thanks Traci!

Redeeming laser tag coupons - we rock at this game!

Saturday morning at the dunes

Aaron, Elsie, Quinn, Anna

Elsie playing in the shaded sand.

Elsie, Anna, Quinn, Heather

The younger kids have been wanting to play at the dunes so we made the drive out one Saturday morning.  It's always an awesome workout to run up and down the sand hills. One funny memory from this adventure occurred when Aaron started descending a dune and I decided to run after him.  Just as I was about to pass him I jokingly asked, "where's your speed?" At that instant, I took a tumble the rest of the way down.  Everyone got a good chuckle from that and I couldn't help but think of the idea that 'pride goeth before the fall' - haha!

Polly Janene joined Chris & Julia's family on August 1.  Yep, another 9+ lb baby!

Jantzen after having wisdom teeth removed.

Taking everyone to the dental office for cleanings/check-ups isn't my favorite thing to do.  Elsie had two teeth removed and a space-maintainer put in by the orthodontist.  There are exciting things ahead in the oral department for Quinn too.  But Jantzen handled having all four wisdom teeth extracted (by oral surgeon) as well as could be expected (Aug 4).  He consumed several containers of chocolate ice cream but after several days of eating only a soft diet, not even ice cream appealed.

In other news, Anna and I attended the funeral of a schoolmate, Olivia T., who died in a tragic car accident along with her cousin and grandmother.  The service was a beautiful reminder of the eternal nature of families and we marveled at the strength of Olivia's parents.  Much faith and prayers have been extended to the T. family and they have been well received.

Harvest season - we have to be patient on the roads:).

Brock, Collin, Quinn, Aiden

A favorite FHE this summer was an evening at Ririe Reservoir with the Neilsen family (Aug. 7).  Matt & Brook share a boat with a few extended family members and it was their time with it - we were happy for the invite.  Everyone had an amazing time - so much laughter our cheeks hurt!  Matt taught Aaron and Jantzen how to 'surf' and they both got up.  Well done boys!  And Jantzen was only days after having all 4 wisdom teeth removed.  He didn't go on the bouncy ride but did try 'surfing' for the first time.  I was a bit nervous given the condition of his mouth but he took it easy with no accident or injury!

Brinley & Anna - excited to go boating

Jantzen didn't plan to do anything other than ride in the boat...

Brinley, Kayla, Anna

Brinley, Elsie, Anna

Aaron prepping for his first 'surfing' ride.

Up on his first attempt - good times.

Two weeks of smoke-filled skies finally started to dissipate.

Jantzen - surfing.  

Heather & Brook

Group effort - setting up the tents.

It's been an action-packed summer so it was a bit challenging to find an available evening for a camping trip (Aug. 10).  We selected a beautiful site in the Palisades area where we set up camp, ate a tasty tin-foil dinner, spent some time fishing, returned to make smores then talked around the camp fire.  Aaron and I took turns sharing experiences from our full-time missionary service inviting the Lord's spirit into our evening together.  The atmosphere changed instantly as Anna took notice of a strange fellow standing in the darkness near our camp site.  He approached us unannounced and began to ask random questions before finally leaving into the woods.  The entire experience was both frightening and bizarre.  Aaron and I talked things over and decided to ask the camp host patrolling the area about this man.  It was confirmed that he had visited two other groups that evening and nobody knew anything about him.  After the kids had settled down for the night (in their tent), Aaron and I began packing everything up.  Then we informed the kids that the sheriff's department had been contacted and were coming to do a sweep of the area as the man seemed to 'disappear'.  They were eager to help take down the second tent.  We arrived home to sleep in our own beds around 1am.  It was definitely a memorable 10-hour camping excursion!  The take away from the experience was the truth that the Lord's spirit feels very different from the way we felt when that man approached our camping area.  It was an obvious contrast the kids are not likely to forget.

Jantzen learned how NOT to handle a can of bear spray.

Aaron's tin-foil dinner with garden veggies.

Walking to find the 'perfect' fishing spot.

Look into Brinley's phone and you'll see I was actually there!

Brinley - being silly

Quinn, Anna, Aaron at sunset.

Quinn with our only catch of the day - too small to keep.

Aaron was busy helping five kids fish:).

Hours after we returned from our family camping trip, Jantzen and Anna headed out on another overnight excursion with the YM/YW.  They attended the Martin Harris Pageant in Clarkson, UT then camped at Downata Hot Springs where they swam in the morning and drove home.  Meanwhile, Aaron was getting his morning work-out in the aftermath of the smoke-filled skies.  Who knew we'd be praying for some windy days to help clear the air after all the fires!  Saturday evening we drove to the Murray house where we spent the night since Jameson M. was speaking at 9am in Layton, UT.

Three Amigos - Century Ride in IF - August 12

Jantzen, Jameson, Garrett

Lillian & Anna - matchy-matchy

cousins with Great G-pa LaVerne

Bonnie, Erica, Breanna

Elsie - holding cousin Oliver

Meeting baby Oliver - born (Jun 20) to Matt & Whitney

Jameson feeding Oliver

Jantzen & Jameson - buddies

Jameson shipped out to the Mexico MTC on August 15 and will arrive in the Oregon Portland (spanish speaking) mission the end of September.  Another stalwart missionary in the family!