Family Reunion1

Alison, Ammon, Addison, Avery,and Ada, "The A Gang"
In my book they are A+++++. That's pretty good from an
old has been teacher who was noted for not giving a lot
of "As".


Ryan and Samantha and their two little sparkplugs that
always keep us smiling and on our toes. What a joy to be
around. And thanks for coming, I know your weekend
was filled with other very important things as well. We
are so happy for you all.


Dr. Shana has dilivered more babies than all the rest of
us put together, but the cutest ones are those who hang
around her house most of the time, don't you think?
Great family and growing up, especially Mandi.

Alison cooking peppers for our Saturday breakfast. It sure
beats raisan bran and prunes. Though they are needed since
my operation. I want to just be a '"regular" guy, you know.

My best shot of the entire family. It's hard to get
everyone looking and smiling at the same time, especially
the little ones. Don't tell me I've got nothing to do. I could
start counting my blessings and never ever quit. Cann't
we all?


The sisters. Alison felt out numbered growing up. No
need for that any more. Oh, and do my boys have good
judgment, or what? I love all of the women in my life.
You are all awesome.


I know Alison loves the Josh Groban song "You Lift Me Up"
This comes about as close as you can to being literally
lifted up. Symbolically, we all should, and I think do, lift each
other up. What a blessing!!!!

Count my dollars. I'm not very rich. Count what really

matters. You can stack me up against Bill Gates or most

anybody else and I' m near the top. Thank you all for

being the kind of people you are.

Grandkids, search all you want and you will never find a

greater joy. Thanks to all their parents for loving them

and teaching them the important truths we all need to

know and helping them to become rooted in what really

matters.

Stephen and Candice and their beautiful little Coloradoans.

We are very proud of the way you work together and the

love that radiates from each of you.

What better example could any of you have than your
oldest brother? What a wonderful, caring, fun family.

Again, still, and forever. A family of best friends. What

else is more important? Families can be together forever.

We hear it all the time, but here is one who really wants to

do it, and will move heaven and earth, if needs be, to make

it happen. Can we learn from their example? I think so.

A light shining in Hyrum, let's make it five lights. We are

so glad to have you all as a part of the clan. Smart kids

don't just happen. Thanks for all you do. Yes, Chalisa,

you will even get Rex potty trained, well at least trained.

I'm not sure he will learn to flush.

Philip and Megan. You are a great example to us all.

You know when to work and when to have fun. No wonder

Addison said of his Uncle Philip: "I wish everyone could be

just like Uncle Philip."

The mother of seven wonderful children. I often ask how

she ever did it, but what does the scripture say?: "By their

fruits ye shall know them." We may be slightly prejudiced

but we still win the arguement. Iris has been a great and

wonderful companion and mother. My love grows for her

everyday. I can hardly wait to see how much I will love

her a hundred million years from now.

Thanks to all of you for helping to make our first reunion

a great success. I mean SUCCESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is great and we love each and every one of you more

than words can express. Let's all keep the faith and

keep in touch. Blogging is a great way to do that between

reunions, so if you don't blog as much as some of the rest

of us, just remember, you are depriving us and yourselves

as well.

God bless you all is our constant prayer.

To be continued:

Koshares in Bear Lake

Thanks to Stephen,the Koshare Indian Dancers made an
appearance in Montpelier. These are a group of Boy Scouts
from La Junta, Colorado who emphasize the preservation
of Native American culture along with their scouting activities.


Their costumes and dances were extraordianrily beautiful
and very colorful, as you can see.


I was told by one of the Koshares after the perfromance
that their troop has produced more Eagle Scouts than any
other troop in the United States, more than 620 Eagles.
He said that 95% of the boys who enroll in the Koshares
go on to earn their Eagle. That compares to about one out of
an hundred nationally. Of those 90 percent go on to earn
college degrees and the troop has more than 100 alumni
with either MDs or PhDs. As I talked to these young men
and women they were all so poised and seemed to be so
greatful to be a part of what they were doing. All this from
a little town not much bigger than the population of
Bear Lake County. They are definitely doing something
right. Are there lessons other troops, or schools, or families
with young people could learn from them? I'm sure there are.



Each of the Koshare dancers have to make their own
costumes to perform in specific dances, and have them
approved before they are allowed to perform. These young
people are not only eager to get started, they perservere.


Sophie was not afraid of the Indians. Here she is giving
one of the dancers a "high five."

And of course, Mason is eager to get involved in anything
new and exciting. Here he is taking a lesson from the
Koshare Hoop Dancer. The Hoop Dance was one of the
most spectacular of the entire show. He picks things up so
dang fast it scares me almost.


They left Montpelier with the intent of doing a few dances
as a part of the Camp Hunt Firebowl ceremony, which
Jason wisely started later, so they could be back for the
end of it. We had a great time and so did all who attended.
Thanks to Stephen and the Koshares. If anybody ever
gets to LaJunta, CO, look this bunch up. They have a
museum and are always doing shows in Colorado. We
were fortunate, that they agreed to make a detour to
Bear Lake enroute to Southern Utah and Arizona after
a week in the Salt Lake area.


What does the scripture say about being anxiously engaged
in a good cause? Heaven knows there are plenty of good causes.
and most of them lie outside ourselves. We are happy that
each of you seeks opportunities to help others.

Flowers

When I was just a little child I developed a fascination
with the beauties of nature, especially flowers. It was always
a source of wonder to me, that such a tiny inconspicuous thing
as a flower seed could produce something as beautiful as the
blossoms which developed as the spring and summer seasons
progressed. I remember roaming the alfalfa fields near our
childhood home looking for special little alfalfa blossoms that
I could fashion into a small bouquet which I hoped would
please my sweet mother. I even remember creating bouquets
out of the brightly colored thistle blossoms which were
abundant in the pasture where the family milk cows grazed.
Mom was always pleased, even if my little flower bunches were
sneeze weeds or covered with thorns. She returned the favor by
making birthday cakes with bright green frosting and decorated
with beautiful little dandelion blooms of May, one for each of my
tender years. I loved to hike the mountains and meadows and
always marveled at the beauties which God had so carefully
placed there for me to enjoy. Those special moments must have
created a desire in me to try to make my little corner of the world
a little prettier than I found it. It has not always been easy, and
sometimes the frost would take my newly planted plants
more than once in some years before they were able to become
established. I was always over budget, when it came to buying
bedding plants. Perennials generally were not my thing because
most of them have such a short blooming season. My first thing to
do outside every morning is to check the flowers and other plants
and take the best care I can of them. When we move, I'm sure I
will miss that little routine as our yard will be so much smaller,
but as I grow older it will become more of a chore for me and I
will have to smell my roses etc. elsewhere. I love flowers so much
that I even married an Iris. On occasion even she has been a little
difficult to cultivate, as the picture below might indicate.
Nonetheless, I love her, and all of you beautiful people who are
the real flowers in my life.


Flower photos 2008 to follow. in next post.

Flower Photos

God provided the seeds and let me have a part in His

creation. I am very greatful, and stand in awe of all

that He has done.