Nikki and the Babysitter

Nikki came to visit and she brought her parents along, too. We had a FUN time having them here!! One of Nikki's favorite things was the chickens, also known as DUCKS! She loved seeing them in their cage, and would scoot them back in when we'd let them out for a bit. She wasn't too impressed with touching them much, but really liked watching and shooing...





We discovered something else. . . Hank is NOT a very good babysitter!!  While I was at class on Tuesday two of the chicks "disappeared," and THIS is is the sight I came home to . . .



Hank says it is all "circumstantial evidence" and that he was only keeping an eye on the chicks with his nose pressed against the cage.

However, the facts are, we now only have EIGHT chickens and Hank sure gets interested when I bring them to the backyard!

Sweet Nikki was so fun to have around, and it was nice to visit with Brandon and Tannya.  They just didn't get in any of the pictures. . .

Nikki loved keeping everyone entertained, including Gomo Kristy. . .




And now that everyone is gone, there's nothing much to do. . .


. . .  but SLEEP on a Sunday afternoon!!

Come back and see us soon Nikki!!!  (You too, Brand and Tann!  ^_^  )

Enjoy the rest of the pictures!!

AGED. . . but not OLD!!

Nothing quite like a good WHINE and some smelly cheese to make me feel okay about turning 55 today...thanks D'melia!! ^_^ Actually, Dad and I had a really fun day, in spite of his bad cold! In 31 years of marriage this is our absolute FIRST birthday we have celebrated alone!! I thought it might be our second, until I remembered I was pregnant with Denzel when we celebrated my first birthday married. Since Kristy and Dal were camping at the beach for a couple of days, Dad and I were alone today. It was so much fun as Dad made fried eggs, hash browns (perfect golden ones!), toast and orange juice; he did five "heavy hang over thy poor head" and I wished him five different things!; and then he even did "tradition, tradition!" It was a fun morning!!

This afternoon we drove to Zion (yup, we got a year pass!) and ended up driving out to Orderville, hiked a little on the east side of Zion, and also drove out to Grafton and looked around there a bit. It was lots of fun being together and just going wherever we felt like going!!

Dad got me some nice shirts, a cologne I really like from Aeropostle, AND a cordless hand vacuumn! Hooray! It was also my one day to eat cinnamon bears and a couple of Hostess Chocolate cupcakes! They were SO good!! (Next day off will be Amelia's birthday!)

Armor of God

We often hear about putting on the armor of God, but do we REALLY think about it? Do we recognize that we are TRULY at war against the adversary? I was not aware, or had forgotten, the scripture that follows the one we're familiar with about putting on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6:11. In verse 12 we are told by the Apostle Paul:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

We DO deal with this in our lives. If we are careful and listen to the counsel of prophets and apostles by putting on the WHOLE armor of God (read Ephesians 6:11-17), we will be protected ourselves, and will be able to assist others to know what they need to do in this fight against evil. I hope you will each heed the counsel we receive through scriptures, through our prophets and apostles, and through personal prayer. It may not be easy. Sometimes it may seem monumentally impossible. It isn't. Trust Him. We can do it with His help!

Love,
Mom

Empty Nest???

Sooooo, what do you do when nearly all of your kids have left home???

Get some new kids!! My little flock is SO cute right now, and I can keep them right under my wing!! I can protect them from the "bad guys" (yup, that would be YOU, Hank!!)

However, they will grow up even faster than you kids did!! And then they will be "on their own" down at the corrals where they will have to be more careful. . . hmmmm sounds like real life!!

I love you all LOTS!!

Love,
Mom

California Get-Away

Dad and I had a fun couple of days in California. Thanks, Nat, for the hotel arrangements! Dad's workshop was very helpful to him, and I LOVED my day by the pool, eating strawberries, swimming, sunning, and eating more strawberries. On Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon we went to Huntington Beach and then to Seal Beach. Walked on the beach, the piers, and explored a shell shop too. AND enjoyed dinner at Sizzler's both nights! Yum!! Too bad we couldn't stay three weeks longer! However, it was fun to come home to a clean house and dinner on the table! Thanks Dal and Kristy!!

When I grow up, I want to be like NATALEE!

!

Amelia takes the dare to stand up on Brown Jug...it was pretty scary!! D'melia

WHERE'S MIN TAI?!?!

We're hoping he will EMAIL US SOON!!