The Seven of Us

This post is actually about two unrelated things:  the temple and a Biology class I am taking. Tomorrow was supposed to be The Day: A day of rest, a day of reflection, and a day of renewal. Jared and I had planned to go to the temple.  Plans were in place. But today as I was reading my scriptures I had an awful realization:  I haven't had an interview with anyone in the Stake Presidency.  Today, just as I was realizing that, my recommend was expiring.  Expiring. The word feels crummy.  My hear fluttered and my mind raced. How could I renew my recommend immediately? Why hadn't I done it sooner? How could  I have forgotten?  I made calls immediately, but the soonest I can see Pres. Willson is next Wednesday.  And while I'm relieved that I don't have to wake up at 4am and try to catch him (he's going out of town), I'm disappointed.  Sure, I may be able to get there next Friday, and possibly again two weeks after that.  But that's no...

Taylor's band teacher likes her, which is why she invited (maybe I should say "recruited") Taylor to come back to band this fall. Taylor had dropped it; she finds it hard to balance sports and band since she loses her study hall in order to be in band. But she'd told me she missed it, so I'm glad she's making music again. Here she is playing her sax. (It's actually my sax.  It's almost 30 years old.)

If you read my blog very much, you know that I posted several incomplete posts this summer.  (My computer is really slow, so I use Jared's when I need to upload photos, and his just isn't available in  the summer.  But, I have updated posts and added photos, so go back and take a look if the blank spaces were driving you crazy. )

 My favorite family photo in several years, taken June 2010.  Back row:  Jared; Havilah (with Corbin, age 2 1/2); Caleb, age 11 & 10 months; Taylor, age 14; Front row:  Isaac, age 6 & 10 mos; McKenna; age 10 .  

Life moves faster than the leaves on my maple trees dance to the ground. And I can't keep up. Hence, no newsy posts today.

In my previous post I descibed some of our normal summer activities.  Now for the special things:  We found a new favorite family spot.  It's a pond/campsite owned by the Breidenbach Family in Iliff. (They're customers of Jared's.)   Here we are enjoying the fun: Kenna, Isaac and Corbin checking out the cool teepee. (I love teepees.)  Isaac hopes to sleep in it sometime! On our second visit, the Breidenbach family had installed a rope swing, which worked pretty darn well in spite of the fact that it wasn't an authentic rope swing (a rope on a tree--east coast style). This setup seemed  a little more dangerous than the authentic version, but Taylor and Caleb were both brave enough to give it a go.  (On the other hand, I was barely brave enough to be photographer!)  Isaac liked kyaking, but had to be rescued as it was a windy day. (If you look closely you can see the tow rope.)  Thanks, gramma and G...

Caleb has loved shooting since the day Jared decided he needed a BB gun.  He loves it and does it well.   These photos were all taken with Jared's Blackberry, where they stayed, a little lost until I rescued them.  They don't really relate. The next picture is Jared's brother, Steven, with 2 of his  kids Colton and Jake.  It was taken last June when Jared flew home for his Grandpa Cottrell's funeral.  Following the funeral his family let balloons go from Grandpa's hill.  Taylor defending at the net last fall. With a little encouragement, Jared was happy to be Isaac's soccer coach. Add caption