Camping

Since there are so many pictures from this Summer's activities I decided to post what we have been up to individually so as not to have such huge posts.
So we usually find a way to go CAMPING but this Summer like last we have been very busy with our church callings and LIFE!!!
Thanks to Doug's parents we made a special effort to get out Camping at least once this year.. They like to meet us for dinner and visit and enjoy the fire and then drive home. A big plus that we are not to far from a good camping spot!



This is our favorite spot ever!!! Well worth the fee to reserve it! This year the river had all these washed up branches we could use for Firewood. Doug and Sierra kept the fire well fueled.






During the day it was quite H☼T, so we cool off by playing in the River until our feet started to get numb from the Cold water!











Mom and Dad came up for dinner and we had just sat down to eat when it started to sprinkle and then as it gradually became a constant rain and then a down pour. So we "smooshed" into the rain fly and ate and watched the rain! Everything is so beautiful and green when it rains!

What we have been up to...

I can not believe we are more than half way through this year!!! What Septemeber already.. WHERE DID IT GO...

With Doug not working except occasionally we have had the opportunity to spend LOTS of time together as a family. One of our favorite activities is to play Guitar Hero, Sierra on guitar, Doug on Bass and I sing!

One of the most looked forward to events this year was in March during Spring Break Sierra got her Braces off!!!

Here is the BEFORE picture!




Here is the AFTER picture with her dentist! Whom we love!

The cake Doug made to celebrate!!!
Complete with removable braces...



In the Spring we planted some flowers around our back patio.










In April we catered a friends wedding for her oldest son.




Sierra saved the day with her catering talents by adding beautiful roses to the cakes that came bare.


Sierra's beautiful roses were the perfect touch...



Doug's tray were a plethera of colorful goodness...










Shortly after this experience Sierra had a catering assignment at a retirement party for 4 teachers. Her group was assigned an American theme...They served chicken tenders, meatballs, noodle salad,a melon basket and a chocolate cake decorated as a flag!




I love the ANTS!!










One of the perks of having your Mom come and "help" is that she can go get samples from all the other tables. There was a WESTERN theme with fried potatoes, baked beans and BBQ beef sandwiches, There was a GARDEN PARTY theme where they had cookies, cakes and little tarts, there was a CAMPING theme where they had hot dogs and smores and an AROUND THE WORLD theme where they had appetizers representing different cultures...chips salsa,taquitos (Mexico), sushi and california rolls (Japan) Creme puffs and rich pasteries representing (France) They also had a chocolate fountain to dip food into. pretzels, pineapple, marshmallows, fruit.. it was a favorite! This was part of Sierra's final and she passed with flying colors!!!


In May was PLAY IN A DAY... the kids from our church gather from all over the stake (consisting of 6 church groups) and they have a day to write a play and perform it for everyone the next evening. This year their theme was CSI and so it was a mystery??? The Theme is the Mutual Theme. Be strong and of a good courage!
Sierra's time line was STONEAGE(other themes were futuristic, Modern, King Arthur's Court, Western, Pirates) so they wrote a little play called "Rocky Relationship" in a nut shell... the King's daughter, Pebbles who is old enough to marry must chose a mate to rule with her and King Kronk and Queen Wilma decide the best way to decide is to see who can come up with the best invention, so 1 suitor, Bubba builds a wheel and the other suitor, Chad discovers fire... seeing their inventions the Princess Pebbles steals the wheel so she doesn't have to marry because she loves Pipen a poor handsome boy in the village... it was really cute. Sierra was the Queen (in Yellow of course)
They won 7 awards for their play, only 2 came with trophies. Best supporting Cast and Best Fight scene! The trophies consist of old toys mounted and spray painted.

It was FUN to be with the kids all day, help with props and see the result of all their creativity and hard work!

SPENT

Do you ever just feel like you have done all you can do... that you have exerted all the faith and effort you have and since no real answers or resolutions have come. You just exist. Do what you are suppose to and try not to be miserable because you feel no control over your situation.... The past few months this is how I have been feeling!
In our RS book group we read CS Lewis's Screwtape Letters and there is a comment made in the book that has stuck with me and I am living it's reality!! I do not have the book...but the jist of the statement is "let them think that this trial is almost to an end and then make it continue and when that happens they lose hope and we win." Something to that affect and that is how I feel about this "job" thing...
Waxing philosophical or just venting. :P You decide?!

Wow has it really been that LONG

Wow I knew I hadn't blogged in a while but wow ! I can't believe it has been that long...
I will try and get some up to date blogging soon!

Never Forgotten

So for the World 9/11 marks the day the world was attacked and the twin towers fell because of terrorism!
For me 9/11 reminds me that in 2 days 8 years ago my little sister Taunya died from her battle with Luekemia due to complications cause by pneumonia.

Because of my understanding and faith I have peace with her leaving this world to early! I know she is busy helping serve the Lord.

Sunday Sept 13th I was busy with a visiting teaching confernce and in a moment of viewing my ward sisters in a lovely dvd they presented I realized why that date had seemed so important to me. It marked the day Taunya left this earth 8 yrs ago for a better place.

So I just wanted to put into words how I have recognized her absence and how I celebrate her life not just here but in the hereafter!
I hope someday her kids come to know what she knew and get that same peace that allowed her to go.

I love you Taunya! I miss you but I am glad that you now have the purpose you always searched for!
Love, Wendy

Something for Myself :D

Well yesterday was my first Institute class. We are studying the Book of Mormon!!
Not only was it nice to have somewhere to go away from the house and my still at home husband but it was nice to have a reason to get dressed up and be with others( Not my husband)
We have such insightful discussions and our teacher Sis.Dunford is amazing!!!
I just love my class! And finally I am doing something I can look forward to!

*Look who's Driving Now!!!

Sierra recently got her permit. Doug and I are playing passengers!
At first it was a little scary to go around corners.
It has now been about 2 weeks and I am no longer afraid to drive with her! I actually enjoy it!
I am pretty sure that she has more hours than most kids her age since we let her drive everywhere!