Beating the Summer Heat

Friends and family have enjoyed our pool during July with the month being hot and dry.  The forecast for August shows more days in the 90s.

We enjoyed having Doug and Shannon's family come for a short visit, getting here late afternoon on Friday and staying until Saturday evening.  The kids spent many hours in the pool.  Part of the Graham family and Derek and Sarah's family also came over.

Corban

 Brynlee, Doug, Mason, Jacob, Corban, and Isaac

Taking turns and trying different diving techniques.

(Brynlee, Jacob, and Mason) 

 The Grahams came over to join in the pool fun

and brought their visiting Bloomfield cousins from Michigan

(Todd's sister Sarah's family).

Doug, Jacob, Mason, Corban, and Isaac

Mason and Rebecca on the trampoline

Corban and Paul have a little chat time.

(Paul and Anna came with their parents, Derek and Sarah,

for the afternoon fun.)

Rebecca and Brynlee

 

Brynlee, Isaac, Corban, and Jacob

enjoying more time in the pool.

Before Doug and Shannon's family left to go home to Layton

Saturday evening, hamburgers were grilled to go with the

macaroni salad, tossed salad, beans, chips and dip, 

cantaloupe, cookies, cheesecake,

and lemonade.

Those eating with us:

Doug and Shannon, Jacob, Brynlee, Isaac, Mason, and Corban

Derek and Sarah, Anna, and Paul 

Todd and Beth, Rebecca, and Joshua

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Haley (Curtis and Marla's daughter) and Ty have moved out of their apartment 
and will be staying with us for awhile.


* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our granddaughter, Jenna (front row, 2nd from the right),
daughter of Scott and Kristine,
is serving a mission and currently in the
MTC in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
When she finishes there, she will serve in the Rio de Janeiro area.
 

Memories Made with Family

Now that I have finished with posts about our recent China / Bali trip, I am catching up on events which we have appreciated being able to enjoy relative to the marriage of our granddaughter, Haley Smith, to Tyler Staten on June 3rd.

Tyler Staten and Haley Smith

at our home

for a family gathering

on April 14, 2017. 

Enjoying being together as family.

Curtis, Marla, and Maren came from South Dakota

on Thursday, April 13th, having come for a

bridal shower for Haley

that their dear friend, Susan Tjarks, 

 had come from Mitchell to host

in our home

on Saturday, April 15th.

 

Visiting together is always the best part

of family get-togethers.

(Maren, Maggie, Megan, Haley, Ty and his mother)

 Like father, like son!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 Haley's Bridal Shower

in our home

April 15, 2017

[top] Gramma and Susan Tjarks with the Lovely Smith Ladies
Maren, Megan holding Sadie, Maggie, Haley, Sarah, Narene, Marla, and Susan
[bottom] Curtis and Marla's Daughters, Daughter-in-law, and Granddaughter:
Sarah, Megan holding Sadie, Maggie, Haley, and Maren

A nice luncheon was served.

Eating and visiting.

The youngest guests at their own table.

(Brynlee, Anna, and Rebecca)

Susan Tjarks and her mother getting their food.

(Anna, Rebecca, Megan, Susan and her mother)

 An activity enjoyed was giving Haley a challenge to

see if her responses were similar to the answers

Ty had provided earlier.

They matched amazingly well!

 Anna and Rebecca helping Haley 

with opening the gifts.

Envelopes for guests to add their mailing address

to help Haley in replying with her "thank you."

A thank-you gift to the guests as they departed.

 

 Wedding Photos 

taken by Beth will be posted in a later entry.

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

May 18 - Legacy Farms Relief Society

Display prepared for the

Cultural Night at Relief Society

May 8th

when I was asked to share a few thoughts

about our living in Russia for 18 months  (November 2007 to May 2009)

while we served a humanitarian mission in the Europe East Area.

These are some of the special things we bought in Russia.

I didn't take my Father Frost because it is large and heavy. 

 I have found it interesting that the carved wooden nativity

has a horse but no camels. 

May 29 - Memorial Day

 Fun on the Trampoline.

(Rebecca, Paul, Anna, and Taylor's sister) 

  

Trevor and Megan's cute Sadie . . .

  . . . with Aunt Sarah

. . . with Grandpa Curtis

. . .  with Daddy Trevor 

(May 31)

Cornhole Challenge

Megan and Ethan

 vs.

Trevor and Joshua

Trevor and Joshua

Taylor has just finished a competitive game.

(Maggie and Taylor)

 Rebecca and Anna

Gramma Narene and Rebecca

May 31 - Enjoying our Pool and Backyard

Anna and Rebecca

Sarah and Paul

Haley, Paul, and Sarah

 Maggie, Haley, Maren, Trevor, Rebecca, Taylor and his sister

 Joshua

 Rebecca

 Curtis and Joshua

Maren

 Trevor and Joshua

More Photos in May

Amanda and Megan

 

Another tweak to the "riding bull" in the playground.

(Sam, Ethan, Todd, and Jared)

Our "Miss Kim" lilacs in bloom

are pretty and fragrant.

I like the dianthus when they are in full bloom.

 Ethan and Rebecca watching the neighbor's horses.

 We are not so excited about having the basements

dug for four new houses across the street from us,

but we can still continue to enjoy our big backyard overlooking

pastures with sheep and Maple Mountain in the background.

 (Sam)