Pictures

Here are the pictures that are supposed to go with the next post. Sorry I ran out of patience.

Where to Start

I have no idea what to say about this summer. How about some random pictures and will go from there. This is our apartment in Kooskia. We drove around for at least an hour looking at the colors on houses and after all that choose the same color of siding as the shop. Pretty boring but it was the only color that Lance and I both like. I'm just so glad to have it done. The unfinished part is for the porch roof which will go on next summer.

 

This is how Joseph took his nap every day. I wish I got a little bigger picture. He sleeps between the trucks and the garage door on camping mats.

 

Joseph begged me forever to make a bow and arrow for him. Then one day he stopped waiting and made his own. He used a bungee cord for the string. And started working on his dad to find an arrow. He LOVES it!

 

We took my family to the Dwarshak Dam this summer in Orofino. The best part was when a storm started blowing in and the static electricity made the girls' hair stand straight up. It was so funny, especially the longer hair.

And then we had a picnic and the kids were seeing who could jump off the curb the farthest. Big familys rock!

For those who don't know these people they are, from the left: Mel-8 (my youngest brother) Audra-12 (my youngest sister) Corbin-18 (brother, going on a mission in Dec.) Justin-21 (brother, just got home from a mission

Update

Hi Everyone we're still alive here in Kooskia. We spend our days working on our place and getting ready for the fire season. Since it has done nothing but rain, I'll be surprised if a fire can even start. So far we have gotten our well drilled (which was quite a deal) and our septic system in, (which was amazingly easy). The siding is also all done. Joseph is growing like crazy. My brother Justin is home from the Lima, Peru Mission. Congratulations to Jay and Carrie expecting a little boy in October. It was great to see the Vickerys in May and the Laws at the reunion in June.

Almost Summer

I have been being lazy for months. We're still here in Pocatello, but just busy. Lance's older brother, Quinn, passed away on Easter morning, after a struggle with brain cancer. It seemed long but this last challenge only lasted about a year. He was only 40 years old and has left behind 5 children. We have been blessed enough to get to spend some time in Utah with him. We have had a beautiful time with family and a reminder of what is important. I am sooo grateful for the gospel in my life! I love the plan of happiness. The hope that we can have through the Savior and His Atonement is so wonderful. When everything around us is unpredictable, hope cannot be taken away without our consent. I have hope in a better day when all things will be made right. The Lord has promised us compensation for our tears that we cannot understand. There is nothing on this earth worth giving up the blessings and promises of heaven.

Randomness

Joseph talking on the phone to Grandma. He is really good at carring on a conversation. I just sit and laugh about the things he talks about. "Should we go on a picnic Grandma?" "I want to have spaghetti for dinner after my nap" Where does he get this stuff?

Before Christmas my family came over and we all went to the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls. Here Joseph is serving up the beans to Abbie and Audra. All the kids had tons of fun and actually we all enjoyed it.

My brother Kyle taught Joseph to wink. He is getting pretty good at it and his newest trick is moving his eyebrows. Lance taught him that one. It took along time to convince him that he did have eyebrows because he couldn't see them in the mirror.

Finally, I made Joseph new pjs so we could wash the candy pjs. Yes I know they are pretty big, but he grows fast and this way he can love them for a long time. We have been reading, 'Make way for ducklings' 'Ping' and 'Do like a Duck Does' so he thinks hes pretty cool.

Christmas

Just a few highlights from Christmas. Since Joseph finally got the whole song thing to work for his Birthday, he thought it would work for Christmas. We had tons of fun in Emmett. Joseph even got to be a shepherd for the Vickery Christmas eve party. His favorite part was the cane.

All the children were 'thrilled' to be part of the nativity scene.My amazing mom made pajamas for all the the kids still living at home and the grandkids. Everyone loved them of course. Who wouldn't?Joseph will now only wear his candy pajamas. He loves them so much. I think I need to make another pair. They do have to be washed occasionally.

3rd Birthday

I'm just going to post some quick highlights of the past three months. The most important is that Joseph turned three. He thought that if he could get me to sing the birthday song that he could open his presents. He had it all planned, I am quoting him exactly I only wish I could add the emotion he put into the whole story. "Everybodys going to sing and I blow out the candles (pretend to blow) and the everybody claps, yeah, and then I open my presents." It was so much fun to listen to him explain that I could hardly wait but the day finally came and he almost forgot what to do. We had a party in Kooskia and another in Emmett a few days later. By the second one he got it all right and had tons of fun.

I think his favorite present was his boots.