June 2012

June has always been such a special month for us.  It is the month we were married, the month we first became parents when Nathan was born, and the month we first became grandparents when Josh was born!  Oh, and it is also when we first became parents-in-law when Nathan and Shauna were married! It also has  some pretty special birthdays: Hayden, Porter, Steph, Grandpa Hiatt, Nathan, Stetson, and Josh.  It also is the birthday month of Dad's father, Ellis, and his sister, Raelene.

We have been very busy this month, with all the normal things that family-living brings, as well as some special things such as the reunion and visits from Thomas and from Daniel's family. Family members have had some pretty cool vacations, themselves, too, so there is a lot to blog this month...big surprise.  Also, Rachel got a job at Val's Furniture as a furniture stager.  Dream job, right Steph? I don't have any pictures yet, but I'm determined to get at least one and include it later.

Hayden turned 10 on the 4th-Doesn't this picture just make you want to smile back at him?

Porter turned 16 on the 5th-He already looks like a missionary, doesn't he?

Stephanie's birthday was the 6th-She's just as beautiful as she was when she was Miss Graham County!

Grandpa Hiatt turned 87 on the 9th-Even though he doesn't always remember who we are, he remembers how much he loves us.

Nathan's birthday is the 17th-This is him when he was about 2 years old

Stetson was 20 on the 17th, the same day as Nathan's. What a handsome missionary!

Josh was 22 on the 18th. The reason he has such a Cheshire-cat grin on his face is that he has his arm around Nicole!

OH WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE SUMMERTIME?

 Everyone gets busy with summertime activities right after school is out. I remember it used to be a time of just kicking back, relaxing and having unscheduled fun. I guess these things are fun, even if they are are scheduled.

Thomas Wyatt and Carson took karate

Kirtlyn, Brianna and Lindsay took Zumba dance

Lindsay and Carson played t-ball

We went to the movies

We went swimming.  The pool has really been well used this summer.  It has been such a hot, dry June and even though the water hasn't been very cool, at least it has been wet!  Hyrum and Lindsay have become swimmers this summer...the scariest time for me because they think they can do anything and don't have to wear floaties any more, so they have to be watched extra carefully.

Thomas bought this pirate ship and the kids sure had a good time with it...until it ruptured.

Even the babies, Maya and Jared, enjoyed swimming.

One night, Thomas and Tony and DeWitt rigged up a volleyball net (of sorts) and the family enjoyed playing water volleyball for hours! Josh and Nicole even joined the fun.  It was nice because it was not in the heat of the day and the babies had gone to bed!

Crew was glad that it was summer so he could wear his Captain America clothes all day. It is his current obsession.

Or, if you are Parker, you talk your Uncle Tony into taking you rattlesnake hunting! He went black-light scorpion hunting the night before.

Lucky for us, Hyrum and Maya were satisfied to find a little frog in the grass.

Some of the kids went to camp. I'm sure others did too, but these are the ones who sent pictures.

Docker at Scout camp

Rebecca, Polly, Lillian, Isabel and Rylie at Girls' camp. 

Lillian went with the 4th year girls on a high adventure. Rebecca was glad to get her back safely.

Rylie wrote her ward's skit. She wrote it last year too, and Rebecca said the whole stake can hardly wait to see what she will come up with.

If you happen to be in Scott's family, summertime fun is working!

TEETH!

We have had several visits from the tooth fairy this month, and several visits to the orthodontist/cousin, Rick Lines.

Emma and Brynlie and Camille lost teeth

Carson also lost a tooth. It was almost an accident, though. One day, at our house, Camille asked Rachel to pull out her loose tooth, but Rachel said, "No! I can't pull out your tooth. Just leave it alone and it will come out all by itself."  Then Mary said, "Camille, I'm good at pulling teeth, let me do it." When Camille hesitated, Mary called Carson over, who also had a tooth that was a little loose, and said, "Watch, I'll pull out Carson's tooth." So she grabbed Carson's tooth with the edge of her t-shirt and pulled it right out. When Camille saw that Carson didn't cry, she went into the kitchen, got a paper towel and brought it to Mary.  "Ok, pull it out," she said.  "It was way easier to pull out than Carson's was," Mary said.

Polly got braces!

We started the month of June by going to Colorado to visit Daniel and Connie and their family. It was Analynn's baptism, so it was a special occasion.  The first thing we saw when we got there was their newly redecorated kitchen.  Devynne and Connie did it themselves.  It is so bright and cheerful. 

We got there on Thursday night, and on Friday, even though their school was still in session, Shadrach and Emma stayed home so they could go fishing with Grandpa.  I tagged along, just to watch and take pictures. It was in a cool spot beside the home of their friend/employee who just joined the Church.  She was the one Parker baptized a few months ago. See her house in the background on the left?

Daniel and Dad fishing in the Colorado River...they didn't catch anything, but they enjoyed trying.

It was restful for me, too. Emma took this picture.

Shadrach and Emma

Since we didn't catch any fish, Daniel had to grill real meat...you know I was sooo disappointed :) (Ha!) Anyway, it was delicious.

While we were there, Daniel decided his family didn't take up enough room all by themselves, so he bought 4 kid-sized stuffed bears! They loved them! They lounged all over them while watching TV. Jonathan especially liked them.

On Saturday, we went to Analynn's baptism.  She had her own personal, private baptism.  Her grandpas, Biggs and Nevin, both gave talks, and her grandmas both offered the prayers. She was baptized by her dad, and also confirmed by him, assisted by Grandpa Tom, Grandad Nevin and the Bishop.

Here is a picture of the entire Daniel and Connie Biggs family.

That afternoon, we took the girls, Shannyn, Analynn and Emma to swim at a the hotel pool.

We went to church with them on Sunday, and were so proud to see the boys performing their Priesthood responsibilities. Connie gave the lesson in Relief Society, and even gave it on Revelation so I could use some of her ideas for my lesson the following week.  Thanks, Connie.  She is such a good teacher. I was very impressed.  We left Relief Society a little early so we could go into the Priest Quorum meeting where Parker was being set apart as the 1st Assistant to the Bishop.  Porter would be turning 16 the following week and be ordained a Priest, and we were sorry to miss that.

We left early Monday morning, taking Devynne with us. We stopped for lunch at a little Chinese restaurant in Cortez.  Here is Devynne handing Grandpa his fortune cookie.

She even drove part of the way. She's a good driver.

While she was here, Rachel and Tony were in Hawaii, so she stayed with their kids...not really babysitting, just hanging out with them.  Rylie is perfectly capable of babysitting, but she doesn't drive yet, and besides, Devynne had her own room and bathroom there, which she wouldn't have had here. She brought them over to swim every day and they went to the movies and had a lot of fun together. The twins just fell in love with her, not to mention Jenn's and Mary's kids.

They went to Luke's sports awards banquet because he wanted to be sure to be there to get his trophy for being on the championship baseball team. Instead of a trophy, he got a pin. He was disappointed, but glad they were there for him.

Mary arranged for us to have pedicures at the beauty school where her sister-in-law, Elizabeth is just graduating.  This was her very last procedure before she left!

On Sunday, Devynne went to the singles' branch with Josh and Allison and DeWitt.  Then we had the Alders over for dinner.

Luke received his Bobcat in Cub Scouts, but Rachel was in charge of enrichment and couldn't be there, so he pinned it on her when she got home.

One of the highlights of June has been having Thomas home with his family. Here they are, waiting for him at the airport. 

He got there on Grandpa Hiatt's 87th birthday. He was having a birthday open house, so 

Thomas took his family to Grandpa's to wish him a happy birthday. 

Jenn and Thomas have been so glad to be back together. It is going to be especially hard for him to leave this time, with the baby coming so soon after he goes.  He's planning to come back, of course, for their scheduled c-section on July 27th, but if she goes true to form, she could have it any time between now and then. Hopefully, she doesn't have it while they are in Utah visiting her brother!

On Monday the 11th, Connie and the kids came to spend some time with us and to pick up Devynne. They stayed a few days.  So, of course, we had a swimming party and a cookout to celebrate...a wonderful excuse for a party.

Nicole was in town to celebrate Josh's birthday a week early, so she joined in the fun.

Cousins getting to know each other all over again.  Mary and Tyson had to be in Mesa for dentist appointments, so they were not there.

Cookout fun

Porter had gone to Mesa to hang out with Daynen, so Daynen drove down to bring Porter back. Yes, Daynen drove.  He's a good driver and I think feels confident even in the canyon. At least they got here safely. Oh, I think they both went on their first dates while Porter was in Mesa with Daynen.

Some of the cousins together.  What a good-looking group! Have you ever seen so many beautiful, handsome, healthy, happy young people all together?

Maya loved Mike

Cousins getting acquainted and/or reacquainted

Emma and Thomas

Rylie and Shadrach, former best friends (when they were 2) reunited.

Albert and Luke

Jonathan and Isabel

While Mary and Tyson were in Mesa, they stayed at Grandpa and Grandma's house.  She said she's so glad they did because it gave her kids some one-on-one time with them.

THE HIATT REUNION

Lisa and Deon were in charge this year and did such a good job.  The theme was "Hiatt Hillbilly Hoedown."

Harrison, Polly, Marlie, Isabel were spelling "LOVE." I think Lillian was two exclamation marks!!

On Saturday, we had a work day. Our job was outside windows. The men built a fence. They actually worked harder than we did, I think.

Rachel helping to get Grandma all "Hillbillied " up.

My job was painting freckles on everyone's faces.  It didn't stop there, however, kids wanted weird things painted on their arms too...like scorpions!

Bridger, Luke and Carson posing with "Susan's moonshine ring toss." I have to go on record here and say that Phil sold moonshine too! Of course, I was 9 and he was 7, so I guess it's really my fault, but I'm almost positive it was his idea (?)

The head honcho hillbillies

 

Biggsville.

Docker showing Harrison his new knife...every hillbilly needs one.

Eating lunch with Grandma and Grandpa

Camille's caterpillar. See the tip of the stem?

Brody was going for a butterfly, which, he missed, fortunately for the butterfly.

Biggs men are handsome no matter what age, right?

Joel brought his snow machine, and everyone lined up!

Lindsay, following in her mom's (and grandma's) footsteps, taking pictures of everything.

Brianna enjoying Joel's blue snow.

Crew, Bridger, Luke, Carson eating snow

Crew enjoying snow.

Rachel playing volleyball

DeWitt and Soren

We practiced our Hillbilly song, "A Lick and a Promise." Here, Brynlie was punctuating "I want to quit earlyyyy."

Some of the young girls giving a pre-show show.  Sam's daughter, Brianna, Brynlie, Melissa's son.

I guess I should have "hillbillied up" a little bit, huh?

Check out Kent's teeth!

Our group singing "A Lick and a Promise." Deborah's daughter joined us. I don't know where Brianna learned her southern accent, but it was right on target...and it got more pronounced as she heard the appreciative laughs from the audience.

Check out Soren.  He was that way the whole song. I guess that was his hillbilly costume. Marlie was one of the co-winners of the costume contest, and this is the best picture I have of her costume. She and her family left on Saturday night before the announcement of the winners, but she deserves credit.

Clem and Odessa

Kent, Nancy and Isabel-costume winners.

These pictures were taken at the "Roadkill cafe" just left of the cabin. Doesn't this picture look as if it could be the cover of an album entitled "Hillbilly Honeys" or "Country Cuties?"

Harrison

Isabel

Marlie, Polly, Harrison, Isabel with G&G Hiatt

That night, after the program, we had a "Hillbilly Hoedown" and did square dancing. Everyone had fun, and Dad and I just enjoyed watching.

Sunday morning, Lillian, Marcus (Wendy's son) and Rylie

The Biggs boys--Tony, Tyson, DeWitt, Scott--helping Deon and Phil move the scaffolding for pictures.

Rebecca was asked to speak at church.  She spoke about her missionary, Dallin, of course I gave a report about Stetson. Rebecca also spoke about fathers and how much all the fathers in her life have meant to her. What a good way to spend Fathers' Day.  Tyson, wearing his children's Fathers' Day tie-cards, found the perfect way to spend Fathers' Day

At home, Thomas and his family celebrated Fathers' Day quietly.

Dad had a very nice Fathers' Day(s). He celebrated at Pine, of course; he loved hearing his daughter talk about the fathers in her life.  Of course everyone there told him "Happy Fathers' Day." And he received calls from the rest.  That night he had to speak at the tri-stake single adult fireside in Thatcher. He did a great job.  Thomas, Joshua, Allison and DeWitt and I all went to hear him speak. I guess speaking on Fathers' Day to a bunch of single adults is more stress than when I had to give my Relief Society lesson on Mothers' Day! Except that I didn't have any of my family there for moral support.

Joshua's 22nd birthday was on Monday, so we all sang to him.  Jenn furnished the party hats and the festive atmosphere.  We had to wait a whole week to take him for his birthday lunch, however because of his work schedule and because he  had to take time to see Nicole...go figure.

The 19th of June was our 48th anniversary.  Here we are when we were young,

And here we are now...actually, last year, so we are even older now!

Our anniversary was on a Tuesday, so Dad was at the Temple doing sealings.  I took Mary and Tyson and Thomas and Jenn and the names of several ancient, long-dead family members and, with Dad officiating, we sealed together several couples and some children to their parents and even some entire families.  It was truly a memorable experience. What a way to celebrate our own eternal family that began 48 years ago. 

Then we all went to La Casita for dinner. It looks like Thomas is especially happy, doesn't it?

On the 22nd, Thomas took his family camping up on Mt. Graham. Here he is giving his kids an orienteering lesson. The prize was a case of root beer.

We had Allison and DeWitt over for Sunday dinner.  Their family had gone to Mesa, getting ready to go on their Church history trip.

On Monday, we had a joint family home evening, featuring home made Chinese food. Here, Tony is flipping Chinese noodles, spiced up Tony-style.

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I don't know if you can see all the food, but we had: Mary's beef and broccoli, my teriyaki chicken, Rachel's cashew zucchini, Tony's noodles, Thomas' chicken fried rice and Super Wok's crab angels. As good as any restaurant!

The next day, Thomas and Jenn left for Mesa. They are taking a trip to Utah, with her mother, to visit Jenn's brother. Before they left Mesa, Joel had them and Esther's family over for swimming and a cookout.

Dad planted potatoes this year.  On the very last day of the month, Rachel's kids came over and helped him (watched him) dig up potatoes. They are really good, too. Red potatoes with thin skins.

OUR MISSIONARIES

Rebecca finally got some pictures from Dallin! Do you suppose he always carries his bike up the hills?

I think this is his house. I'm not sure.

Stetson looks good, too, doesn't he?  I wonder if this is one of the dogs on the rooftops he wrote about?

The mother of the other Elder sent Joel and Steph this picture.  They had gone to pick up their son and snapped a picture of him and  Stetson making empanadas. What a happy surprise it was for them to receive this picture.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

Tony was awarded a trip to Hawaii for the success of his Big O store. Remember when Dad and I got to go because of his good work at the bank?  This was something like that. They went to Maui. Look at their rental car! Wow!

This is the view from their hotel room. You can see the hotel pool and the ocean in the distance.

Tony hadn't been there long before he got strep throat! Here he is at the doctor's office. Just what you always dream of doing in Hawaii!

Rachel and Tony enjoying the good life.

Jeremy and Erika drove their family across the country, seeing sights along the way, to meet up with the Church History tour...Daynen and Reygan were joining that group...and then to DC to work at an event there.  On the way out, they visited interesting things like Cadillac Texas and American History sites.  After they dropped off Daynen and Reygan to begin their own Church History tour, Jeremy, Erika, Tayte, Hayden and Ellie visited Church History sites too.

911 memorial

Sears Tower in Chicago. When I saw this picture, I was really freaked out.  How on earth did Erika take this picture? Was she on a helicopter? Ok, here's how they did this. Erika was actually inside the building, looking through a window into the glass box that they were standing in.

On Fathers' Day, every year, Glenwood Springs has a wonderful Strawberry festival.  Here are pictures of Daniel and Connie's family enjoying it.

Porter's 16th birthday cake.  That Dilly Bar is cake.

Ok, Grandpa, this is for you.  when they were here, Dad had them all working to figure out how to repair his hammock.  It was a huge job, until Dad got involved and showed them the easy  way to do it.  Shadrach went home and made his own hammock out of duct tape.

Joel and Levi in DC.  Levi has gone to work for his dad this summer as a bonafide employee.

Esther's family went to Jump Street with Candy McCrae's family. No, it is not a movie or a Johnny Depp TV show. It is a trampoline center where they rode the bucking bulls and slid down the slides.

The Church History tour group of Biggs kids.   Polly, Daynen, Lillian, Reygan, and Hannah at the Peter Whitmer farm

At the Kirtland Temple.  I think they all had a wonderful time.

When the tour was over, Nathan went to pick up Hannah. He also got Daynen and Reygan and took them all back to Omaha with him.  Jeremy and Erika and the rest of their family got there on Saturday to pick up their kids and to stay for a couple of days. Here are the combined Biggs kids, and Erika, who is really just a Biggs kid too.

Biggs kids at Winter Quarters

That about wraps up June and we're already filling up my July pages. It has been so much fun watching all of you enjoy each other and seeing your children's activities.  They are growing up so nicely, guided by loving parents. What a blessing in this troubled world, to have parents, siblings... and grandparents... who love you and support you in your efforts to live righteous lives. And how thankful we are that you are living such righteous lives...and busy ones. We love you all.