Birthdays and fun from August 13-20, 2013

First on August 16, we celebrated Christina's 21st birthday quietly at home.  Then Sunday we drove up to Tom and Elise's home and celebrated Emmett's birthday.  He turned 3 on August 13.  Then Christina mentioned she wanted to go to Build-A-Bear.  Elise, Anarie and I said we would join her.  On Tuesday August 20, we all got together and went to the Gateway to Build-A-Bear.  We had so much fun choosing a bear, then trying on several outfits to see which one we liked. We even got to create a birth certificate for each of the bears.  We then went to McDonalds in the food court there.  After that we came home to my house to visit and let the kids play with each other for awhile.  It was a fun day! Christina said this was like having a belated birthday party.

Christina's 21st birthday cake with sparkler (trick) candles.

First try at blowing them out.

Another try.

Getting down to business.  She finally got them all to stay out.

Cute little Tennyson as we gathered for Emmett's birthday party.

Emmett wanting to stay by Dad during his party.

Emmett opening his present from us.  A car carrier.  He loved the cars. With Tom, Eric Larsen, Olivia.

Emmett checking out the card from Christina. With Tom and Eric Larsen.

Emmett's birthday cake.  Three candles in the engine.  Elise did a great job (as usual making this cake). Emmett loves trains.

Emmett more interested in the train set he got from Grandma and pa Larsen then blowing out the candles on his cake.

Tom helping him blow them out.  Savannah is trying to help too.

Finally the candles are out he can get back to playing with his train.

Ready to eat the cake.

This is our visit to the Gateway Center.   We all got together to build a bear with Christina.  She just wanted to do it so we all arranged to go with her.  Anarie, Emmett, Olivia, Christina,  Eliana, Savannah, Elise and Tennyson.

After we finally chose a bear for Grandma to keep at her house and one for Christina to have, we went to the stuffing machine and had them filled with fluff.  The kids got to put little hearts inside the bears.  Then we took them over to the washing table and gave them a bath. The things they are holding are brushes. The shower looking things blow air.

They had so much fun brushing the bears.

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Emmett is reaching to feel the air coming out of the blower.  They had to step on a pedal and the air would come out.

I love Tennyson's expression in this picture. With Eliana, Savannah, Olivia, Emmett, Christina, Elise, and Tennyson. I couldn't fit Anarie into the picture. She is by Eliana.

Eliana holding my bear in one of the dresses we tried on it.  We tried on lots and lots of clothes before we could decide which one to get.

Emmett liked all the cars and motorcycles they had for the bears.  Eliana is getting my bear all set in the car.

Here the bear is all set to go in its ride.  All decked out in sunglasses, two or three purses, a headband and a cute pink outfit.

Here is the final look.  Mine is on the left, Sophia.  Christina's is on the right. A ballerina named Petals! 

We went to McDonalds at the Gateway food court.  The kids had fun playing on the toys even though we didn't put quarters in them to make them go.

This one is Emmett's favorite.

Savannah liked the horse.

Olivia having fun on the four wheeler.

Savannah and Olivia riding the horse.  Savannah is a wild rider.

Eliana trying to carrying one of the bears.

Olivia pulling her mom along trying to keep up with Savannah and Christina.

At Grandma's home relaxing or playing and taking off steam before the long ride home.  Savannah holding our bird.

Always have to have treat time.  Savannah, Emmett, Eliana, and Olivia.

Evette Ann sixth grandchild

On Tuesday, July 30, at 4:00 am our sixth grandchild was born! Evy weighed in at 8 pounds 7 ounces and 22 inches long! No wonder it took over 48 hours of labor to get this child to come through that itty bitty channel :) I was blessed to be able to watch this miracle of Evy being born. She has beautiful dark brown hair, puffy little cheeks and a "butt chin".  So far she is an easy going baby. Sleeps well and we all love to hold her! She had lots of visitors come and see her.  Anthony and Trudy have now gone back home to Beowawe, Nevada.  Miss them all ready!

This was sent by Anthony on August 13.  Resting with mommy at 2 weeks old.  So cute.

"It's so bright out here!" Just minutes after birth as the nurses are taking care of her.

Ahh!  The comfort of Mommy.

Both mommy and daughter happy it's all over.

So adorable.

Eliana petting our bird.  They came to visit us to see her new cousin!

Quest to Follow Jesus Christ-July 2013

From Tues. July 23-Friday July 26, Bob and I went with our Ward youth and served as a Tribal Leader for our Stake Youth Conference entitled "Quest to stand firm in Christ".  It was a great experience. We were given eight youth from different wards to be their Tribal Leader. Throughout the day we would watch as different youth performed re-enactments of Book of Mormon stories.  Some of the stories were Lehi commanded to leave Jerusalem, The Liahona, Nephi  builds a ship, Lehi and Nephi's dream of the Tree of Life, Abinadi prophesies, Alma at the Waters of Mormon, Ammon and King Lamoni, Anti-Nephi Lehi's, Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty, Helaman and the Stripling Warriors,  Appearance of the Savior; as well as others.  There were 22 re-enactments all together. There were also five “War re-enactments”.We would meet as a group and discuss the re-enactments we just saw and liken them to our today's life.  Each afternoon also provided an hour and a half of fun.  Water activities such as a big water slide down the hill, tubing in the river, water volleyball and more were enjoyed by all.   Each evening we had a faith building activity.  Tuesday we had the Tree of Life dream.  They had to hold to the iron rod (which in this case was a rope to follow) and were led to good people of the Book of Mormon who would encourage them to always hold to the iron rod and bad people who would try to tempt them to leave the "rod of iron".  Bob and I were stationed at the Tree of Life at the end of the walk.  We welcomed them in and congratulated them for holding strong to the rod of iron. It was right after they had to pass by the “Great and Spacious building”. The people who were there were trying to get them to join them and leave the iron rod.  A lot of participants said they were so glad to be away from that awful temptation and wicked feeling. Wednesday was July 24th. was the day the pioneers entered Salt Lake City, so we had a pioneer fireside.  A member of the Stake Presidency spoke on the faith we must all have like the pioneers did.  We are all pioneers in some way and must faithfully pave the way for others to follow.  Thursday we did a Faith Walk.  We blind folded the 8 youth in our "tribe".  Then I would walk a short distance for a couple of minutes, then stop and Bob would read a scripture about Samuel the Lamanite's prophesies of the coming of Christ.  We did that for about 25 minutes.  Then we led them to blankets set out on a field by a hill.  A member of the Stake Presidency told how the blind folds represented the 3 days of darkness at the death of Christ.  Then two ladies sang a song about Christ, then 3 narrators told the scriptures of Christs' visit to the Nephites.  When they read the scripture in 3 Nephi 11:3-8 a man dressed as Jesus Christ (he looked like every picture or movie idea I have of him; he looked so real) came walking from the top of the hill down to us in the field.  It was so spiritual! No one talked or even whispered.  It was profound silence.  He greeted some of the high counsel men who were representing the Nephites.  Then he started to walk among our crowd.  It was amazing.  Tears were streaming down everyone’s faces.  He would hold someones hands and look them in their eyes.  It was like he was saying "I love you."  Then Jesus walked back to the “Nephites” and ordained the 12 apostles, administered the sacrament and then left.  A member of the Stake Presidency bore his testimony and then dismissed us all to go have Ward testimony meeting.  No one moved for several minutes.  It was such a touching moment.  Then we all slowly began to stand up, hugs were given and we all moved slowly to our Ward camp areas.  No one talked.  Testimonies were born and the rest of the evening was a wonderfully peaceful time.   On Friday we had the final re-enactment of Morman's farewell and also Moroni coming to Joseph Smith to deliver the gold plates to him.  We had time to write our thoughts in notebooks they provided for us.  A great experience I will never forget.  We really feel privileged to have been asked to be a part of this great event for the youth.

A visit to the Zoo!

Tom and Elise brought their family down to visit the zoo.  We had a great time stopping at all the new lego exhibits.  The bird show was great.  After the zoo we all went to a Korean restaurant to celebrate Elise's birthday, mother's day and father's day all rolled into one.  It was a great

day being with the grandchildren.