For Labor Day weekend we headed to the cabin with the Shills.
We have spent many summers and school breaks up there together.
Lots of sweet memories watching all of these kiddos grow up.
If I ever found a wish-granting genie, my first wish would be to time travel.
I would go back and visit these little munchkins.
Frisbee Golf
We have a 9 hole course set up on the property.
The tree represents the golf hole. You just have to throw the frisbee and hit it.
The first Monday night in September, several families met down at the
Azbrainfood warehouse to help unload and organize boxes and pallets of food so we could
begin operating later that week.
Azbrainfood will be in every Title 1 Mesa school, a few more in Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Chandler and Tempe this year. As the volunteer coordinator, I am amazed at all the people that want to get involved
to help children and to better our community. We have too many volunteer requests that I now have to
turn people away that want to help. It kills me to do that.
Brainfood will be feeding 2,000 school children every weekend this school year.
begin operating later that week.
Azbrainfood will be in every Title 1 Mesa school, a few more in Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Chandler and Tempe this year. As the volunteer coordinator, I am amazed at all the people that want to get involved
to help children and to better our community. We have too many volunteer requests that I now have to
turn people away that want to help. It kills me to do that.
Brainfood will be feeding 2,000 school children every weekend this school year.
Every 4 years, our stake holds a Dance Festival.
This time around each of the wards prepared a dance number from different musicals.
They held it at the local high school auditorium. The place was packed.
They estimated that about 500 youth participated.
Our ward performed Footloose.
Check out Summer draped in a pink satin Jessica McClintock dress.
I love the bow hovering at the knee.
Pure entertainment when she tried this on and agreed to wear it for the performance.
It was such a fun night and the whole thing only lasted an hour...even better.
These two have found common ground in the book series Artemis Fowl.
Meg was getting frustrated that Ike was not reading the books that she loved
so she came up with a plan to read to him at bedtime.
It is working. They don't miss a night.
It is working. They don't miss a night.
Farnsworths held their traditional
Tie and Ice cream evening for my nephew Rock.
We bring a tie, have a short program, hear from the "soon-to-be" missionary,
and finish it off with ice cream.
A couple of family members made a great video about
how Rock overcame a difficult medical syndrome called Guillain-Barre.
Rock shared this quote by Paul Ciniraj
It Depends Who's Hands It's In
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6
A baseball in Mark McGuire's hands is worth $19 million
It depends whose hands it's in
A tennis racket is useless in my hands
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras' hands is a Wimbledon Championship.
It depends whose hands it's in
A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea
It depends whose hands it's in
A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy
A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will feed thousands
It depends whose hands it's in
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in
As you see now it depends whose hands it's in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because....... it depends whose hands it's in.
Opening of the Ties-
and of course we all claim we got the favorite one.
It would not be a special occasion without Purple Man making an apprearance.
I guess he is off to El Salvadore and Belize.
Cole is the next to leave on a mission.
These young 18 or 19 year olds are called to serve for 2 years:
no friends or family around, no home, no girls, no truck, no fridge stocked full of his fav foods, learning to get along and work with another missionary, no schooling,
maybe a foreign land and language to learn.
But with all that said, I wouldn't want it any other way for this boy I love so much.
He will get the opportunity to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to others,
serve, love, sacrifice, and develop strengths he didn't know he had.
I think it will be some of his hardest but happiest years.
These young 18 or 19 year olds are called to serve for 2 years:
no friends or family around, no home, no girls, no truck, no fridge stocked full of his fav foods, learning to get along and work with another missionary, no schooling,
maybe a foreign land and language to learn.
But with all that said, I wouldn't want it any other way for this boy I love so much.
He will get the opportunity to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to others,
serve, love, sacrifice, and develop strengths he didn't know he had.
I think it will be some of his hardest but happiest years.
Summer had her sweet sixteen birthday.
We sure love our bear...
and so do the kiddos. She is quite the "pied piper."
She loves them and they love her.
Our b-day sign tradition. Nothing grand but always expected to be up on the doors.
Meg always volunteers to make the birthday cake and in this case GF brownies.
Every mother needs a personal assistant like Meg.
I am grateful for her willingness to always jump in and help.
Our last goodbye with Rock before he headed to the Mexico City MTC.
It will be at least 3 years before Rock and Cole see each other.
We just have to remember-- we do hard things.
"It's go time," as Rock put it.
On September 21, these two went to Homecoming...just not together.
Molly and baby Bridget came over to see Summer all dressed up and to check out her date.
There is a striking difference between boys getting ready for a date and girls getting ready.
Summer went with the awesome 6'7" John Trendler.
It is fun because we know his parents. In fact, Tom used
to date his mom. Small world we live in.
Right when he walked in the house,
Tom asked him to join him in the other room.
I am sure that didn't make him nervous.
Tom plans to have this little "talk" the first time a boy takes out one of our girls.
It is something he grew up watching his dad do with 9 daughters.
He hopes to get to know them a little better and to remind the date that he is in charge
of something very valuable to us.
They had a great time too.
Summer's first choir concert of the year.
Soaking up this last year of junior high with Meg.
I am looking forward to the high school years in part because she has found such a nice group of friends. There is no drama with this group...and it is heavenly. I always tell my kids that you need just one good true friend and if you have a few that is a bonus.
And if anyone tries to mess with them, Megan (denim shorts) holds a 3rd degree black belt in karate...for real.
We have our ups and downs--
but always striving and working to keep it a happy home and a safe place to land.
Looking forward to a new season and cooler weather.