August

 This year is flying by!  The month started with Jacob going to a Young Men's camp at East Canyon.  Its about an hour north of here.  They went Friday night, had dinner and a camp fire.  Then Saturday they got up and went water skiing.  Here Jacob is getting up on a wake board!

The following week we had planned a vacation with Catheys.  We were going to Millsite reservoir, but with the drought LOTS of reservoirs are very low and Millsite was only 21% full.  So we  had to change to a staycation.  

Monday morning Jason, Jacob, Jaxon, Ashlyn and Tom (he had to leave early) went bike riding.  They rode all the way to Point of the Mountain. 

              

In the afternoon we went to Marcia's to pick some apricots and then had dinner at Cathey's.  Jaxon came home with us for a sleepover.

 

Jason, Robert and Terry,...they look so happy

One of Jason's college roommates, Terry Call, had been sick and in the hospital up in Pocatello, ID.  He passed away the week before we were supposed to go on vacation.  His funeral was Tuesday of vacation week.  

Jason drove up to Wyoming early on Tuesday morning with his friend David Kenner.  The funeral was at noon.  Afterwards, 5 of them...David Vickers, Jason, Robert Hokanson, David Kenner, and Jeff Stiles....all went to lunch before driving home.  

So....while he was gone on Tuesday we went with Catheys to Top Golf in the morning.  Top Golf is fun!  It makes a poor player like me feel like a pretty good shot!  :)  We played an Angry Birds round of golf and had fun.  

In the afternoon we went over to KTR in Midvale.  The kids and Tom had a lot of fun!  There were trampolines, climbing stuff, a trapeze, zip line.  They got a work out!

 

Moms doing what we do...taking pictures
of the kids having fun!

We played from 3:30-7:00 p.m.  Afterwards each family went and got take out and headed home.  Jacob went to Jaxon's for a sleepover. 

                      

On Wednesday morning we headed to Boondocks.  We got there at 10 and had the place mostly to ourselves.  We started with the go Karts.  Here I'm trying to pass Jacob and the other shot is Jason trying to pass him. 

We then headed to the water boats.  It was a hot day so getting wet felt good. 
                                      

                                         

We played mini golf 

                  

After Boondocks everyone came to our house and we had a BBQ with hamburgers and then watched a movie.  

Thursday morning Jason and Tom went on a short hike.  That afternoon we went to Draper pool just after lunch.  Ahyous were there also.  

           

                                       

That night we went to our house, got pizza and played games.  

   

Friday night we finished it off at Cathey's with a movie.  I had to include both pictures because some are missing in each picture.  We were all tired.  Not bad for a staycation.  

The week before school started we did our normal things.  On Friday it was UTA free ride day.  So I suggested we get on Front Runner and ride up to Ogden, have dinner and come home.  

We caught the 3:53 train from Draper and rode it the 1 1/2 hours up.  

We walked to a pizza place and had dinner.  Catheys brought sandwiches, and then got ice cream before heading back on the train.  It was a little bit long, but I thought it was fun.  

Earlier in the week Irina texted Stephanie and me to see if we wanted to float the Provo River on Saturday.  We did this last summer and had fun. 

We drive to Josh's house by 10 a.m., mostly inflated the tubes, stuffed them in the vans and cars, and headed to the river. 

                   

At the river, we filled the tubes and rafts and got ready to launch.  We had the kids on tubes go in first since they are the slowest.  Irina headed out with them on her stand up paddle board (SUP).  Next was our raft with Jason and me.  Then Jared on one of their kayaks and he had Robbie with him.  Lastly was Stephanie in the other kayak.  Josh was there with his SUP to help her get in.  He told us later that she told him she didn't know how to steer it.  

This proved to be true as a ways down the river she turned over and had a hard time with the slick rocks standing up.   After she fell in she wanted to stay on the shore and have Jared pick her up, but that wasn't a spot he could drive to.  We had her get in our raft with us and Sarah (who's tube was deflating) took her kayak and paddled with the tube kids.  

Stephanie was done when we got out the first time to walk over the rail road tracks to put back in.  She Robbie and Lilly stayed there and when we were done Jared went and picked them up. 

Jared with Robbie in front of him

Grace did a great job staying on her mini tube

Lilly and Grace had to float down on snow tubing tubes. They did not work too well, as they were small.

Waiting for us to catch up with Stephanie

Sarah leading the Chain Gang

The Chain Gang almost getting caught on the branches--DUCK!!

In spite of it being hard for Stephanie it really was a fun day and gives us stories to talk about!

Saturday night we went over to Randy and MarySue's and had pizza.  Karen, Jenny and Jacob were there already.  We went because that morning MarySue called us while we were all at Josh's getting ready to go on the river.  Apparently they had a lead outside.  Randy had started to dig it, but none of us want him to do much and aggravate his bursitis.  By the time we got there he had dug some of it to see what the problem was.  Jason helped dig out the rest so Jared could help solder it. 

                                   

On Monday the 16th it was the first day of school!  The summer went by so fast none of us were ready for it!  On Sunday night Jason gave Jacob a father's blessing (like he normally does each year) for the new school year.  

On Monday morning we headed out to breakfast at the Original Pancake House just down the street.  I then dropped Jason back at home to work and took Jacob to school.  We were cutting it very close, but made it in time!

On Thursday, August 19, Joy, Matthew and I flew to Arizona for Tyler's wedding.  Mom flew in the day before.  Heidi was too sick to come and Chris had church stuff he couldn't miss.
                 

                    

Joy and Matthew stayed with an old mission companion of Matthew's and Mom and I stayed at Kristina's.  Ryan drove in from California on Thursday and stayed with J & M.  

Friday morning we got up and visited, got ready and went to the temple at 11:30 for the 12:00 p.m. sealing.  Tyler married Paige Bond.  The wedding was really nice and then we headed out for pictures.  

In the afternoon we hung out at Kristina's.  Ryan came and headed up to sleep as he didn't feel good.  He slept all afternoon and into the evening, missing the reception.  We went to the reception at 7:30.  It was outdoors behind a large home.  The weather in Gilbert has been less hot (97 in stead of 115), so the evening was warm, but bearable.  Paige's dad works with HVAC and so he was able to put large fans around the area to keep it cooler.  

The property had a large garage with glass doors so you could see through into the garage. this is where they put the food.  They had delicious street tacos!  They were so good.  There was a large pad in front of the garage, behind the house, they used for a dance floor.  To the side was the lawn where they had round tables set up in the front and back of lawn...in between they had several rectangular tables set to make one large table going down the middle.  It was all very nice.

Kristina, Mom, Jessica, Emily and Joy

Saturday was a day spent in the pool.  It was so fun and relaxing!  We floated, raced each other in the pool and had fun.

Connor has a lawn business so he and Shane (Shane went to help so he wouldn't be spending all day doing it), went to get it done.  Took them a couple of hours and then they came and played too. 

Ryan wasn't there since he still wasn't feeling good. 

Here is Joy floating in the pool on a raft and she is asleep.  Her face is covered by her hat and towels are on her body.  She was very relaxed.  

Shane and Kristina prepared a lunch/dinner of hamburgers.  It was very good.  Afterwards, we headed back into the pool.  It was so fun!

Joy had never taken a ride on their golf cart.  Tanner and Connor use it for their lawn business...it helps them get their equipment around.  The 4 of us took a ride.

Sunday we went to Kristina's ward.  Ryan, had gotten a Covid test the day before and tested positive.  He drove up to Joy and Matthew's rather than going home so he could recuperate there.  

We had dinner and then headed to the airport.  It was a lovely weekend.  I gave Kristina the following YELP Review.  

YELP REVIEW for GOLIGHTLY MANOR: ***** 5 stars
We stayed at Golightly Manor for 4 days and 3 nights. The beds were wonderfully comfortable and the room temperatures made for great sleeping.
Mornings were peaceful and the owners had a variety of food to choose from for all meals.
Transportation was provided with our accommodations and the drivers were so friendly--they even showed us some new homes!
The pool on the property was beautiful and so well maintained. The STAFF who took care of it made sure it was constantly clean.
The swimming temperature was perfect all day Saturday (sun screen was was provided--an added bonus!).  The host and family swam and entertained us all day--providing a wonderful BBQ.
LOVED our stay and would recommend!  We plan to return over and over and over and over 
Thanks for the great stay!  

I forgot to mention that anyone with dietary needs would be happily surprised to find that they can cater to most common needs:  Gluten intolerance, Dairy, white flour, sugar... 😃

Growing up in Redwood City we had a very close ward.  We did things together as a ward and as friends.  

One of the families we knew were the Steffans.  Greg was their oldest and he was a year younger than me.  

Lynn Steffan contacted me just before Covid and told me they were downsizing (they moved here from California to 1.6 acres up in West Haven) because Gordon had Alzheimers and it was too much for Lynn to continue taking care of.  

They moved down to American Fork and in the downsizing she contacted me and asked if our family wanted this painting.  It was one they had asked dad to do for them. I said yes and was planning to go and get it, but then Covid hit.  I went to visit and had a great time seeing her!

     

Later that same day Leesa Scott, in our current ward, had a birthday lunch for Julie Spilker.  Teresa Hatch, Julie, Leesa, Veenu Shanthakumar and I attended.  It was so fun to visit!

The Stake had a youth activity and did a giant slip-n-slide over at Storm Mountain park.  Jacob had a great time and it was well attended.  

This summer, especially in August, the air

quality has been awful!  The fires in California

are huge and that air blows our way.  You can hardly

see the mountains some days

                    

Tom Cathey's dad came out from California and brought them some lemons. They shared with us and I had some of Jason's family over for dessert night.  MarySue made zucchini cake that was so good and the lemon meringue pie was great too!

Here are the blocks I made this year in quilt 

class.  I'm missing one, but don't think I'll

finish it.  I like some blocks, but not enough to do

something with them.  I need to make some quilts out of the ones I've done!