Farnsworths: June

The week after school ended, Cole left on an Encampment.

They hold one every other year for all the young men 12-18 years old in our ward.

They head up to the mountains for 4 days

of camping, leather work, shotguns, archery, obstacle courses, and hiking.

They also hold an MTC (Missionary Training Center) to prepare all these future missionaries.

A couple of recently returned missionaries run the classes for them.

I sure am grateful to all the men that take time off of work and away from their own families to put this together and to be up there with these young men.

On the last day, the older boys (Priests ages 16-18) hike out 22 miles.

This is designed to be a solo journey and that night they sleep alone under the stars (no tent)

with minimal supplies and food. Cole slept on a thin mat and a solar blanket to keep him warm.

They call this The Enos Journey after an experience shared in the Book of Mormon.

It is always nice to have a tangible finish line to cross- with people there to cheer you on.

(Thanks to my photographer friend, Jeff Welker for taking these photos and sending them to me.)

Father's Day

The kids always make a great breakfast in bed and then they treat Tom to his annual "Dad's massage." They each spend 15 minutes working on his feet, back, shoulders and scalp.
They have improved in their techniques over time.
When they were little, they would bring in kitchen utensils to work on him...a ladle on the calf, a whisk on the back, and a meat tenderizer on the back of the head all felt great.

This year biscuits and gravy were on the menu.

I helped them make it just like my Grandma Ray used to.
A torn up biscuit, sliced up hard boiled eggs, crumbled bacon and topped with a simple white roux.

Tom was hoping I could have gotten rid of the snoring machine evidence.

However, that hose you see running down our headboard represents true love.

He straps that darth vader mask on every night so that my sleep won't be disturbed.

That folks is true love.

Just had to show the difference between gluten-free and regular biscuits.
They may look pitiful, but my celiacs thought they were great.

Obviously Cole and Summer's taste buds and expectations have adjusted over the years.

I came home one very hot Saturday afternoon to find these two out doing their lawn work.

I had to grab my camera ...it just makes me smile.

With Tom getting melanoma last year, he really drills wearing sunscreen and hats.

Our kids have heard how Bob Marley died of melanoma on the bottom of his foot just a few times.

Meg and Ike were kept very busy (maybe a touch too busy)
with volleyball, football, tennis and basketball camps.

Meg and Ike also took a baking class down at Sassy's Cafe in the afternoon.

Ike didn't mind being the only boy, surrounded by all this cuteness.

I didn't get any pictures of Meg because she had to skip the last class due to being double booked with musical theater.

He now qualifies to assist in the kitchen.

I was a genius to assign Meg to clean and organize the kitchen cupboards and drawers

as a Saturday chore. She does A+ work while wearing a smile.

This is Ike's long time friend, Rex Okland.

These two just get each other and can spend hours writing or creating something.

On this night, they were creating comic strips.

It is always unfortunate when a heat wave hits Arizona in June.

Instead of our regular 110 degrees,

we had a few days that hovered around 120 degrees.

C r a z y hot.

I took pity on Cole and his friend working outside ...so we drove out to the golf course he works at and dropped off some refreshment. They have their lunch break at 9:00 a.m.

I almost drove right past him in this work getup.