Summer Round-up

Last week I told you about Allison & Christian's lovely wedding.

This week I'm backing up to July again!

After the 4th and fireworks, Nick began a tradition he has looked forward to I think since he found out he and Diana were having a baby boy. He took his little buddy to a Saturday morning

 Home Depot Kids Workshop "make-it/take-it" activity. This is something he and his brothers had done with his Dad when they were younger. The item of the day was a "Bug House" for holding all those caterpillars and creepy crawly things little boys tend to collect! Lucas got his own work apron and when the project was finished he got a Bug House pin to put on the apron.

He loved using the little hammer and helping his Daddy!

He also loved hopping off of his bucket and running off to see what everyone else was doing! 

That's what Pa came in handy for!

When we got home from that event we found that Roxie's new kennel had arrived by UPS.

 Nick helped us put it together and Lucas thought it was a dandy place to have his juice!

We also enjoyed visiting the local shaved ice shack called "Shiver". So cold and yummy!

 I love this shot of Auntie Britt and the boy so focused and looking cool in their shades.

 Um, yeah. We could not keep this guy out of the "Puppy House"!

The week was capped off by a giant family sprinkler run and water fight! I did not get the memo that said, "Hey! Wear turquoise to the water fight!"

 Summertime brought on a new obsession for our grandson. he loves "Choo-Choos"!

Cool summer evenings mean lots of playing fetch out in the backyard. It's Roxie's favorite game and she always dresses to match the ball!

Dee's garden was just taking off in July and looked so pretty. Even the onion flowers can be appreciated as long as you don't stick your nose in them and get a whiff!

We also took a little trip to Bloomfield, NM for our annual "Mother and Child Reunion". It was held at my brother Dean's house again this year. I love the drive south through Utah's red rock and arches country!

We try to get together every year. It doesn't always work out that way but this year we were all there. We just didn't pose for any group photos.

Roxie came along for the ride this year and she did very well.

 She's a very drowsy traveler (just like me!) but when she is awake, she's a character!

 

 This is the same trip we took when we went to visit my parents before my father passed away. There are some really bleak and dreary parts, but I love Green River through Moab! First you come to "Hole 'n the Rock". It's a strange house built in a cave on the other side of this bluff. Our kids always got excited to see it because it meant we were half-way to Grandpa and Grandma's house! The kids always wanted to stop and go inside, but at this point we were 16 hours into out 22-24 hour drive and Dad always said "No!"

Wow. We really missed out! I include these photos for my poor deprived children! Apparently this man started this home for his family in the early 1940's by blasting and carving away at the rock. He then opened a roadside diner that was a great place to stop and rest on your long journey...Dad!! 

You can pay big bucks for a tour but I prefer pulling pictures off of the internet. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Hole 'n the Rock, a great American roadside oddity!

Wall-to-wall carpeting...no dirt floor here!

I would NOT live in a rock without some pretty big windows!

Think, "Flintstones"!  Oh, and do you SEE the horse in there?!

I would take this furniture when nobody was looking. I love it!! It's a shame it lives in a rock...

 Hey Honey! How about a bumpy little bath!

The graves of the Mr. & Mrs. are even there!

 Speaking of oddities...I've always wanted a llama in my living room!

 This is all we ever saw of the famous house...The creepy carving 

of Franklin D. Roosevelt over the entrance!

Wilson Arch comes next along Highway 191. The kids always wanted to stop here too and run up to the arch. You guessed it...we must be the worst parents in the world. SO what do we do when the girls are all grown up and we only have the son along? We got into so much trouble with the girls for posting this on Instagram! 

We finally arrived at Uncle Dean's house and immediately got into the family friendly game playing! About all we did was play Farkle and card games. It was a blast just to sit around the table and be together!

Here are my three living siblings, Richard the Great, Georgena the Amazing, and Dean-o the Wise!

  Here are R-L husband Dee, Sis-in-law Renda, and Richard-the-Younger watching the former CPA keep score. No cheating in our group! (Was that thunder I just heard?)

 Roxie was a hit with the dog overs in the gang and Renda was a sport for letting us bring her along.

She even took the opportunity to curl up with my Mom and nap every day! In fact, that blankie that covers Mom's lap is actually Roxie's. They shared!

The guys took an afternoon to go fishing up on the San Juan River below Navajo Dam.

They caught a lot of fish, but brought home Blake's Lot-o-Burger for dinner!

Here's their attempt at a Selfie.

It's good for The Master to get out and fish once in a great while! He loves it so much!

We have a favorite little place we go to every year we are there called Panda Garden. It's a great Chinese food place in what used to be a western themed steak house! Kind of odd and fun!

Steven, we missed you this year!

 L-R Mama Helen, Renda, Dean, Dee, Richard Loose, Gena, Richard Ellsworth, & Sherri.

 One afternoon we were all inside when Dean's attention was caught by a delivery truck out front. "It's the UPS truck! It's here! My birthday present is here!" I asked if someone had told him they had sent him a gift and he said, "No! I ordered it for myself!" IT turned out to be an awesome new pellet gun! (Oh, my brothers!) He was a really nice guy and gave everyone a chance to shoot at the little fake rabbit target that Miss Roxie attacked when she saw it!

Four days goes by too quickly and we were soon on the road home. I love the way we go, up through Mancos and Durango, Colorado. We used to vacation in those very mountains nearly every summer when I was a little girl. I can tell you about some harrowing jeep rides my Uncle Smitty gave us kids nearly to the tops of those peaks looking for Fool' Gold!

Here's another little roadside attraction the girls always ached to stop at. 

It's a Trading Post with giant Native Americans, apparently!

We didn't stop...

Below you see a photo of what the early settlers called "Church Rock". I always thought it looked like a snowman but...

 Do you see that little cave door at the base? Oh, how the kids wanted to climb through that barbed-wire fence and go exploring. We didn't go exploring, but we DID stop!!

Sorry girls!

I love how the wind makes Roxie look like a bat!

And that ends our July! 

One more post to go and summer will be all wrapped up...and I'll be sad!

Allison & Christian's Wedding

On Tuesday, August 12, 2014 I boarded a plane and flew to Denver to help my sister Georgena as she made preparations for her daughter Allison's marriage to Christian DeShazer.

I took this photo that Thursday night as we left the Denver Temple

 after a beautiful Endowment session for Allison.

The days leading up to the big day on Saturday were filled with lots of baking, mostly done by friends of my sister's. I was bowled over by the help she received! I got the same help from my friends and ward members when my own daughter was married and it is so humbling 

to see Christ-like women in action, loving and serving each other!

We did indulge the groom and make dozens of cake pops for him as his big request for the reception.

Two cute Sister missionaries came over and hung in there with us for hours as their service for the week.

They were also there the next day to iron all of the table cloths at the church!

An army of DeShazers, Farias, and three Looses were there to string wire, 

hang ceiling drapes, and decorate up a storm that Friday.

My sweet husband Coach Dee, and my son Richard drove over on Thursday and were with us that long day. Thanks to everyone who was there to help!

The M.O.B. (Mother of the Bride) only had minor meltdowns

and held it together beautifully!

There were fantastic monsoon rains and a rollicking Rocky Mountain thunderstorm

to keep us entertained too!

 This photo is from Saturday night as the reception got underway. 

I think Gena and Allie's vision came together beautifully!

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Denver, Colorado Temple

It was a glorious day! No rain, but a terrible traffic jam caused by an accident on the 470 freeway to the temple. Though the bride and her parents left the house and hour before the rest of us, we were forewarned and took I-25 straight through downtown Denver. We arrived at the same time as the bridal party! It was all OK. The wedding previous to Allison & Christian, as well as those after had all been caught up in the same traffic. Once we entered the temple there was peace, patience, and a spirit of co-operation.

" Let's all take our turns and get these kids married!"

The ceremony was beautiful and an amazing spirit was there as these two sweethearts (since age 14!) became husband and wife for all Eternity. The groom cried more than the bride too, which was very sweet!

Because this is my blog I include these pictures of my son Richard, myself, Dee, and my dear almost 92 year old Mom who was melting in the heat as we waited for the bride and groom

 to make their grand appearance outside.

Richard has always had a soft spot for his Grandma Helen!

The photographer was also caught up in the same bad traffic so we all snapped a lot of photos while we waited. Here is Allison's "Twinie" Emily, the lovely Maid of Honor!

Mr. & Mrs. Christian DeShazer!

Aww!

These two girls love each other so much!

We all found the shade while we waited for the photographer to arrive. 

Gena too this opportunity to un-bustle the bride's dress. It wasn't as simple as it seemed!

 Wait!! The M.O.B. is A.W.O.L.!!

Allie's sweet little nephew Nathan loved the pretty roses! Isn't this a precious picture?

Three of the four Faria sisters, Emily, Allison, and Nathan's mother Sarah. We missed Christina and wished she and Christopher could be there with us and we all want to meet their little Emma! 

Alas, Maryland is far, far away.

It was pointed out to me that the M.O.B. has some confusing years ahead as there are now three Chris's in her family...Christopher, Christina, and Christian!

My beautiful sister is too young to be a Grandma, isn't she?

  Here's Allison with her biggest brother Michael.

 Oh, this cake has a story! Just let it be said that it arrived damaged, not decorated the way it had been ordered, and the ribbons were SO not red and purple! Thanks to a late night run on Friday, Gena and I found the correct colors, as well as fresh red roses to place on it. Thanks to Christian's sis-in-law Holly who sweated it out with me trying to replace the ribbons without messing up the butter cream frosting! Thanks to Michael's Army training he got a 50% discount for his parents on the cake.
To its credit though, the cake was delicious!

The Groom's cake was a big hit too! Gena told me that these two figures were the very first purchase she and Allie made for the reception!

Just look at a small portion of the hundreds of goodies made by friends for this couple! 

The treat table was a big hit!

The curs-ed cake pops were very popular and yummy as well.

It was a beautiful, fun, aggravating, exhausting week...but what wedding isn't?

I love my little sister and I would do anything for her! 

Here's to many more of these happy days for both of our families!!

Well done M.O.B.!!