The summer has flown by and the days are getting cooler now. Haven did get graduated from BYU and we went up to celebrate with her and Brooke, who is just finishing @ BYU with only a few online classes left to finish in the Fall.http://joeandhavenandelin.blogspot.com/2010/08/byu-graduation.html
http://shadandbrooke.blogspot.com/2010/08/last-hoorah.html
We enjoyed having all the family down for the Fourth of July including Lant who is doing awesome in his new job, we all had a blast. Check out this link to Cody and Amanda’s video of the festivities if you haven’t already.
http://webbnet.blogspot.com/2010/07/4th-of-july-in-blanding.html
Stacey has been suggesting for years that we drive the West Coast. I have always hesitated since it is such a long drive from Blanding. However, I consented and following our celebration with Haven and Brooke we took off to do just that. We stayed our first night in Reno Nevada and stayed at the Elderado and enjoyed a sweet buffet dinner. I had meetings in Susanville, CA regarding city power the next two days and we enjoyed the festivities associated with that.
Wednesday we headed on over to the coast coming in just below Eureka. The next four days we meandered up Hwy 101 and had a blast, the miles passed quickly and the scenery and sites were amazing. We stopped and hiked on several occasions. I have attached a slide show of the trip.
We came back down through Idaho and stayed with Cody and Amanda on Sunday night They had the other family in town over for a barbeque and we got to play with Trey & Carter. We love having all the kids close together on the Wasatch Front. All in All we traveled over 3,000 miles - just the beginning in our life together for eternity - I am so happy the Stacey convinced me to go away with her – we are more in love than ever.
We’re not being to good at keeping this blog up. But since March I have gotten tax season done, planned trek, Chris got city budgets done, planned trek, went to Lant’s BYU graduation, planned trek, went to the twins birthday party, planned trek, helped Cody and Amanda plant yard stuff, planned trek, went on the trek and then SLEPT. Lant had his birthday this week, we are so proud of him. Now a week later we are wondering what to do without trek to plan.
We got the jet skis out Friday ready to go but it was cold and rainy. So, we got out the camper and went to the mountain for a night. Saw Robin Hood last night (guy movie). Now it’s Sunday, all the kids are having dinner together up North. We are jealous we are not there
Chris will leave to Timberline for a week soon, I’m thinking I need to go see the grandbabies while he is gone. Is there such a thing as grandkids withdrawls?
Haven’s last finals are this week and she is done at BYU, yeah all the kids have graduated! Breathe.
It seems like this has been the longest winter. This is the last day of February and High School Softball, Baseball, and Tennis are suppose to start tomorrow. That brings back good memories of following the kids in their high school spring sports. It is still fun to watch a good game – that’s part of the community culture and social life in Blanding – still it is not the same without your own children playing – I surely do not cheer as much.Still we are very involved with the youth. Stacey and I are now teaching the junior promenade and so are together everyday for lunch at the high school – one more week of that – Prom is next Saturday. Stacey spent the day yesterday with her sisters on a trip to Cortez and back. I watched games at the Stake YM Basketball tourney and read “The Undaunted” and cooked myself a steak dinner.
The past weeks since our last post have been busy scouting, Stake YM & YW stuff, trips up north for work and fun etc.., I taught the Citizenship in the Community merit badge for three weeks, helped teach a dance workshop for the youth on mutual for six weeks, planned and held our trek Ma & Pa Training and have been busy putting together all that is needed for the up coming Trek. We have shoveled lots of snow including roof tops and have worked hard at keeping warm.
I had a trip to Woodcross for work and enjoyed staying with Cody and Amanda. I always love the opportunity to see the kids and grand kids. We all went out to eat at Red Robin for Amanda’s birthday while I was there – Stacey could not come because of tax season and felt left out. She made up for it though when we went up for Presidents Day weekend and Valentines Day. We loved tending Carter and Trey and enjoy the grandpa – grandma role. Oh we still get the opportunity to feed, bath, and change diapers, but that’s fun too – it is so fun with Trey and Carter old enough to interact with us. I felt like I was on cloud nine when Trey cried cause I left the room. Of course that happens more often with Mom and Dad – still I think they recognize us.
For Valentines we sent the kids skiing – that Saturday morning we got up late as the kids would allow and met everyone for breakfast at IHOP – then went bowling before everyone headed home to get ready for the late afternoon and evening at Sundance. Everyone seemed to have fun but Haven – who is so used to being good at what ever she does, got frustrated trying to learn to snowboard.
That’s the highlights of the past month for the most part - other then that we have been living our weekly routines. We enjoy FHE even though it is just the two of us. We are working on meeting our couple goals including reading, temple attendance and service. We often end up snuggling on the couch after a busy evening, me on one side of Stacey and to my chagrin the dogs curled up next to her on the other. Even with all of life's challenges and commitments we feel joy in our family and look forward to spring and the rebirth of life that it will bring. Still we have to give it time for the snow to melt.
A lot has happened since our last post in November. Its January now and looking back 2009 will be a hard year to beat. We added five new members to our family. Trek and Carter joined on May 22nd our first grand children, Brooke in July, Amy in September and Joe in November. Three weddings in five months. We love all our new family so much. All the kids and their spouses went to the other way for Thanksgiving this year – so we got them for Christmas. We took off Thanksgiving day after eating at Mom Webbs and having pie so that we could have Friday to get ready for the wedding Saturday up North. We enjoyed being with family again at Haven’s wedding. We were so excited to have all the family together in the temple. We had to get their early for Haven and Joe to get their paper work done. It had stormed quite a bit and as we sat in the waiting room I worried that everyone would make is safe and that the day would be as I had prayed for many years. I imagined it was a bit like Heaven Father yearning for all his children to make it back to their celestial home. So many things could go wrong. Our prayers were answered and all the children did make it – many family members their to take part in this sweet event. The day was cold outside, but our hearts were full as we enjoyed the spirit of the temple, family and friends. Haven was beautiful inside and out, and Joe was a wonderful match. The wedding dinner and reception turned out really nice – we rented a separate room with a big screen to that those who wanted to could check in on the big BYU vs Utah game. (Cougars Won – Ya Baby) Here are a few pics, you can see many others by visiting this address:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=364286&id=584785580&ref=mf
Joe’s family was so awesome, we became instant friends and we miss their association. It would be so nice to be close to those in-laws that we have joined with.
Christmas came quickly and it seemed we just were not ready. We had concentrated on the wedding and Christmas shopping did not happen as fast as it normally does. Still with the few weeks in between we got prepared and Cody and Amanda were the first to arrive with the twins the weekend before. We loved having the babies here all week. Shad and Brooke got here on Sunday, and Haven, Lant & Amy on Wednesday, and Joe came on his own on Thursday since he had to work. We ate a lot, watched movies, played Wii, built a snow fort, shot guns, played games and just enjoyed being together. We made the usual Christmas Cookie Train, made candy, and went caroling. Christmas Eve was dinner and fun with the Johnson side of the family over at David and Ramona’s.
The holidays went way to fast and everyone was gone by that Sunday after Christmas. I took a few days off between Christmas and New Years to burn some time and spend time with Brett & Joan, Patrice & Richard, and Valynne & Lamar and families who were down. It was fun seeing and visiting with my brothers and sister too. Stacey and I spent New Years Eve with the youth since we were in charge of the New Year dance. We have been spending a lot of time preparing for Summer Trek and all that it will involve. We have been busy.
So here we are in a Brand New Year! We had our FHE and set family (couple) goals for the year and are excited for the progress and blessings that 2010 will bring. We pray for the kids in their work and school. We know we will all be blessed as we seek first the kingdom of God. So here we go – bring on 2010!!
