Youth Conference

Eric and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Youth Conference with our stake, and it was incredible. We went to Kirtland, where we saw the Whitney store with the school of the prophets above, and then drove on to Geneva that night. The next day we visited the Hill Cumorah, where we watched the new movie about Joseph Smith which was amazing. The Spirit was so thick in there you could cut it with a knife. We saw the Grandin Press, where the Book of Mormon was first published. We visited the Smith farm, and then that evening we walked out to the Sacred Grove and had the most amazing testimony meeting. On Saturday we drove back to Kirtland and saw the temple there, where we sang a verse of "The Spirit of God" which was also a very spiritual experience. We stopped at the Johnson Farm where Joseph Smith was tarred and feathered before coming home. It was incredible to feel the spirit testifying over and over, with one experience on top of another. It was a great experience for the kids, too.

Trinity 2004

Well, the whole gang is headed to Trinity sooner this year rather than later. We're not going this time because, well, because of last year. Maybe I'll tell that story sometime for those of you who haven't heard it. For those of you who don't know, Trinity is a lake in Northern California where my husband had vacationed with his family throughout his teenage years. About 4 years ago, we started going with our friends from Hollister, and then the next year, we moved. But the tradition has stuck.

Here are my all-time favorite Trinity pictures:

We were trying to load up the gear, so J was getting ignored, but he seems to be content, wouldn't you say?

The dirt just comes with the territory at Trinity, and believe it or not, this was my absolutely favorite year camping there.

My kids are sad beyond belief that we're not going. It's no wonder why, when one is allowed to run around half naked and loll about in the red dirt while picking all the M&M's out of the snack mix.

Have fun guys!

Congratulations!

On Saturday my nephew Bradford graduated from high school.  I am so lucky to live only two hours away, so I drove up for the day.  

Nobody came with me because, even though they all love my sister and her family, sitting through a 2 hour graduation where you only know one of the graduates can be a lot to ask of kids.

Besides, I wanted to go to the temple.

I got to fiddle around with my camera and my zoom lens, which was mostly confusing because I know less about cameras than I do about most things.  Which isn't very much.

Isn't he a handsome young man?

And he was quite a cute little guy, too.  I got to babysit him sometimes when I was in college just an hour away from the university my brother-in-law was going to.

They brought him to my dorm once, which made me the most popular girl in Nielson Hall for about 4 hours.

One summer day, I decided to take him with me as I walked my bike down to the gas station to air up the tires.  I didn't know at the time that 2 year olds have to stop and look at every car tire, caterpillar, sprinkler nozzle, leaf and crack in the sidewalk that they see.  It was a long walk, and he was so tired by the end that I had to carry him while walking my bike.

Being the oldest grandchild, he got a lot of attention.  Once, in the mall, he was watching the guy at Sbarro throw the pizza dough in the air, and was so charming that he was given a free soda.  This gave my brother Bruce an idea for scoring himself a free pair of high tops at Foot Locker.

Speaking of cute, this is his 3 year old brother, Owen.

My sister has 7 boys.  No girls.  SEVEN boys.  That's a lot of merit badges.

My sister does great, though.  They are all really, really, nice kids.  And very smart, too.

And Owen's not the youngest.  This is Patrick being held by Donovan.  Donovan is great with kids.

Oh yeah, and Patrick isn't the youngest either.  At least not for long.  The new baby is coming at the end of June, just 6 weeks or so before Bradford leaves for college.  

Oh, and guess what sex the new baby is?

You could be right.

But, nope.  It's a girl!