July Jessamine

This pretty flower is a Jessamine. I don't even know if it grows around here or not...but it might; it looks familiar.  Anyway it starts with "J."

It seems that every month I am complaining about iPhoto.  Well this month is no different.  I am so totally addicted to it that it has become obsessive behavior that I am not proud of.  And yet, I am thankful for such a convenient way (when it works and when we are not transferring it and when it doesn't crash) to store and organize my thousands of pictures of all of you.  This month, Dad and I went to Mesa to celebrate his birthday, for one thing, and to get my iPhone and iPad changed  for another.  My mini was still under warranty, so we figured it would be good to exchange it since it had multiple fractures and the cover was tearing off.  Well, we waited at the "genius" bar while Dad and the genius talked about my iPad, his phone and other things.  I was sitting on a too-high stool and my dangling feet started to go to sleep, so I got up to walk around the store for a minute to bring back the circulation.  I swear I was gone less than a full minute, but when I came back, there sat my new, naked iPad.  The first thing I did, of course, was check my picture file.  Nothing.  I calmly said I want to transfer my pictures from the old iPad because it had all the pictures of you and your children that I had collected from instagram and Facebook for the whole month of July.  (It was the 17th.)  She (the genius) and Dad gave me such a blank look...actually, hers was blank, Dad's was pure panic.  "The old iPad is wiped clean and trashed," they told me.  I couldn't believe it.  For just one minute of absence, I sacrificed all those pictures.  I cried.  I really did. I definitely was not calm any more. Dad was so apologetic and worried about me.  I went out to sit in the car, but of course it was too hot, so I sat under the misters for about an hour until he came out.  It was then that I made the decision to discontinue the blog.  I was so ashamed of my obsessive behavior that I thought maybe I shouldn't even be trying to collect news of the family.  I mean, other women don't do that and they're fine.  Their families are fine too.  I don't know why it is so important to me to have each of you see what the others are doing...to keep a connection through pictures.  I'm not even sure that more than two or three of you even look at it.  I ran this decision past the kids in Mesa while we were eating at the El Charro, and a couple of them said they enjoy the blog and would miss it and a couple said they never read it.  So, I am still unsure.  I'm doing July because I was able to go back and recover some of the pictures I had lost, but not all of them.  I am open to suggestion.  What do you think? I could just do a journal, not worry about getting pictures of everyone and keep it private to myself.  I enjoy doing it, though, and if I thought it was important to enough people, I would continue.  If not I'll just do a personal, not a family blog.

I saw this tiny, yellow breasted bird perched on one of my zinnias while I was swimming one morning.  It was so tiny and pretty. You can get the size perspective by comparing it to the bars of the fence that encloses our pool.

Well, the monsoon season started with a bang, but soon fizzled out and we're back to dry and dusty as usual.  We keep praying for rain, though, and hoping that more will come before the season is over.  Five good rains are not enough to refresh this thirsty desert, but it sure is a good start.  We are thankful for all the rain the Lord has sent and just hope He sends more.

Thomas and Jenn's kids were here one day to enjoy the rain. It's hard to get a picture of rain, so I took a picture of it splashing in the pool.

Hooray! We got another good rain while we were in the Temple on Jeremy's birthday. Happy Birthday Jeremy! And again the last Saturday and Sunday nights of the month.  Esther and her family were here, so they got to enjoy it with us.  This is Soren covering up Henry as they make a mad dash for the porch so they don't get electrocuted.

Back to normal! A Safford Haboob

Esther was glad to miss the haboob that bore down on their neighborhood in Gilbert.  Jeremy was gone for it, too, but I'm guessing Joel got to enjoy the whole thing.

July has some very important birthdays, the birth of our great nation, of course, pioneer day, and the birth of some of our most important family members.

Dad turned 73 on the 16th

Jonathan turned 12 on the 22nd

Jeremy's birthday was the 23rd

Taylor's birthday was the 27th

Devynne's birthday was the 30th

Maya turned 4 on the 31st

Henry turned 2 on the 31st

Right at the beginning of the month, Jeremy brought three of his kids to visit.  Erika was studying for finals and Daynen and Reygan were in Omaha, but we were glad to see the ones who came.  They helped us can the cherries that Rebecca ordered for us from Utah, we went to the El Charro for lunch and they went swimming.  I hope they had a good time and will want to come back.

Maya thought she was in 7th heaven, flirting with two handsome boys.

The next day was the 4th of July, so we had a weenie roast.  Tyson's brother and his wife came with Mary and Tyson, as well as Thomas and Jenn's family.  Rebecca and Scott were celebrating Sherry's birthday and Rachel and Tony and their family were in California, camping on the beach.

One day this month, Jenn came over to learn how to make bread.  We did the good old "BYU white bread" recipe.  It was really good...she even left some for us.

We took Carson to get his finger sized so we could order him a CTR ring for his baptism next month. He was born while we were in Portugal and it doesn't seem possible that we have been home that long!

Here is Dad, at the El Charro in Mesa, waiting for his birthday dinner.  Seventy-three years old!  I keep telling him that 70 is the new 50, and I'm hoping he believes me.  We were actually in the Temple on the 16th, his birthday, but this, the 17th, is close enough.  

Here are the Mesa (actually Gilbert) group enjoying Dad's birthday dinner.

The next day, Dad and I went to the Gilbert Temple to do a session.  We invited everyone to go with us, but they all had prior commitments.  Joel and Stetson were the only ones who could come.  It was really so nice to be in the temple with them.  Joel seemed to know everyone he saw, including President LeSeuer, the Temple president.  We also saw Carolyn Biggs, who is a worker, and LaNell Porter, who was one of my best friends as a teenager, and Jeanette Graham from Safford, all Temple workers.

After the session, we went to Kneaders and had a yummy lunch.  Stephanie joined us and she took the picture.

We got home in time on Saturday to go to the Pioneer Day parade.  It was hot and sunny. But we enjoyed seeing Lillian and Polly and Brianna and Carson and Lindsay and Jared and Tyson in the parade.

Lillian and Polly stepped out of line to give me this flower,

Sunday night was cake and ice-cream night to celebrate Dad's birthday with the Safford (Thatcher) kids.  This was somewhat of a last minute party, and Rebecca and Scott had a prior commitment.  We had German chocolate cupcakes and made coconut-pecan frosting to go on them.  

When we drove home from Mesa on Saturday,  the 19th, Dad felt that the car didn't start right or drive right, so he was afraid to drive it much.  In fact, we picked up Una Mae, our wheel chair lady, in the Dodge on Sunday.  On Monday, we drove back to Mesa in our sluggish car (I'm sure Dad was feeling true sorrow the whole way) to trade it in on a new one.  We talked about colors the whole time and since both he and I like green, we settled on green.  "But," I told him, "I really like the dark red.  I think it would be fun to drive a red car.  And we're really not too old to drive a red car, you know, because 70 is the new 50!"  He took me to the condo and I just left it to him because it is far more important to him than to me.  It is his pet, after all, and I want him to be happy with it.  Joel and Jeremy and Stetson went with him and they came by the condo later that afternoon with...you guessed it...a red car!  I love it!  It is a hybrid, so for once in our lives we are politically correct.  My favorite part is the red, his favorite part is the 41 mpg he got coming home from Mesa.

The next afternoon we went to lunch at our El Charro for Dad's birthday...and to show off our new car.

Dad has loved immersing himself in the instruction books that came with the car...his favorite reading material!

We had a preschool visit from Esther and her kids for a few wild and crazy days.  They loved swimming...

Eating at the El Charro

And going to the movie.

It was a good opportunity to give Brody his kindergarten box.  We only have 5 kindergartners left!  One year, we had 5 all at once!

When Esther came, Rebecca's family was in Mexico, Rachel's kids were on the mountain with the Alders, Thomas' family was camping on the mountain with some friends, and Mary's family was in Mesa for a doctor's appointment and school shopping.  So, we had a few days all by themselves.  It was nice to have some time with their kids, not distracted by a zillion cousins.  By Sunday night, everyone was home, though, so Thomas brought yummy homemade chocolate ice cream and we visited and played, watched the rain, ate ice cream and played penny up.

On Monday, the girls took their kids to Gila Box and played in the mud and chocolate milk water (as Mary called it)  :-)

That evening we had a birthday party for Maya and Henry and a FHE cookout and sleepover...even the moms!!

Esther left Tuesday morning and we have had a quiet day.  Joel and Stetson were in town to visit the El Charro and help Thomas with the set up for the Chamber of Commerce party that night. 

We had the missionaries for dinner that night as well, so we took them to the El Charro, where we were graciously greeted by our beautiful Rylie and where we also saw Thomas and Joel and Stetson.

They ordered the off-the-menu item...cheeseburgers enchilada style.  They both really enjoyed them if their clean plates were any indication.

 That about wraps up the month of July, except, of course, for our Temple service on the 30th, and our trip to Mesa on the 31st to take a turn helping with Grandpa and Grandma for the weekend because Nancy has to cook for her stake's Youth Conference.  Daniel and Porter are also coming to stay in the condo with us so that they can visit the Mesa and Gilbert Temples and see some baseball games, but I don't know if they are coming the last of July or the first of August.  Whichever it is, it will be in the August post...providing, of course, I do an August post :-)

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

NATHAN & SHAUNA

The 4th of July is always a big deal at the Nebraska Biggs' house.  This year it was even bigger because not only did they have Daniel and Connie and their family to celebrate with, but Daynen and Reygan had driven across the country to join them and to be with Porter when he went through the Winter Quarters Temple for his endowment.

Nathan and Bethany, as well as Daynen and Daniel and Connie, were able to go with Porter for this special occasion.  It was so nice for Porter to go through the Temple where he had loving family support.

Josh and Nicole spent their 4th of July in Greer with her family...away from the heat.  

I think this is one of Palmer's nieces that Bethany is playing with.

The Nathan and Shauna family went to a Fincher family reunion in July.

Bethany and Palmer went to a reunion of his family .

JOEL & STEPHANIE

Their big news this month is their cruise to Alaska.  Stetson was on his mission when we went before, so they went again.  And I think it was even better than before...so now is Levi going to want to do it again when he gets home?  Joel (through Dad) is an agent of the Norwegian Cruise Line, so it's a great way to travel.  Most of these pictures I copied from Stetson's Facebook, some from Docker and Joel sent some.

On the plane going to Seattle

Seattle

Boarding the ship

In Seattle, on board, on a glacier and a Darth Vader fiddler in Juneau.

Helicopter ride to the glacier

Looking down into the deep, crevasse of the glacier.

Crew and Docker drinking fresh, glacier water.

What an adventure!?

The scenery in Alaska is breathtaking.

When Stetson got home from being at sea, he enjoyed the limited water fun opportunities in the desert.  He even mentioned on this Facebook picture that I copied that Arizona is all beach and no ocean.  But we do have a couple of good lakes.

DANIEL & CONNIE
You're going to see three different pictures of the exact same thing, for each family who participated in the Omaha bang up 4th of July celebration...their traditional picture of the participants with the explosives.

Porter decided he wanted to be endowed in the Winter Quarters Temple.  It is actually one of the prettiest of the small temples I have ever seen.  It has amazing stained glass windows, depicting the history of the area and furniture designed for the 1800's.  Porter was blessed to have not only his parents with him, but Nathan and Bethany and Daynen, who drove with Reygan across the country for this special event.

The Biggs family also enjoyed some of the other fun things that Omaha offers.

Analynn is playing softball and is a catcher, following in her mother's footsteps.

This is the month for new cars, I guess,  Daniel got a huge, new truck.

Devynne sent these pictures of her and Brock catching weird, fishy things to eat! I know the rest of you like them too, so I'll refrain from too many editorial comments.

Jonathan's birthday was celebrated with one of Connie's amazing cakes!  How perfectly wonderful and chocolatey!

REBECCA & SCOTT
Lillian and Polly drove the El Charro van in the 4th of July parade, and Polly jumped out just to say "Hi" to her cousins.

Rebecca and Scott played host to the National Tribute Band who came to Safford for a performance. The band stayed at the Evans' house while they were in town.

They also bought a truck!  And look...red...I guess 40 is the new 20! A red truck is very cool, very young.

Rebecca and her family and friend, Christy Smith, ran the 5k in the Pioneer Day celebration.

These boys, friends of Tony, (actually, they are sons of Tony's new manager) invited Polly to play on their 3-man basketball team in the Pioneer Day 3-on-3 basketball tournament.  They called themselves "Polly and the Crackers."

Here are Lillian and Polly (on the left side of the picture) in the parade.

Taylor graduated from BYUI in July.  Here he is, taking a break from packing up their apartment in preparation for their move to Oregon. Congratulations, Taylor!  We are very proud of you.

I copied this picture of Taylor's birthday that Allison posted.  She never includes herself in the pictures, but I have to assume she's fine.  It looks as if she made him a birthday pie.

Sara has spent some time as an EFY counselor while Dallin has been earning money to start out their married life.  Dallin met her in Mesa and they drove to Mexico to join the family for a super vacation before the wedding in August.

JEREMY & ERIKA

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family

Getting prepared to be a missionary.

Daynen and Reygan drove across the country, by themselves, to be with Porter for his endowment and to enjoy the famous Nebraska Biggs 4th of July celebration.

The family at Erika's white coat ceremony, marking the conclusion of her classroom learning.  The rest of the time will be clinical experiences.  I know she  is loving this.  I know I would be.

A proud family

Some of her colleagues 

They took a fun vacation to Colorado after school was over for Erika, where they stopped at 4-corners and went white-water rafting. How fun to be young!

This calm pool was in New Mexico, I think.  I especially liked the "quiet" sign.  Do you think that would work in our pool?

RACHEL & TONY

Rachel and Tony's vacation was camping on the beach in California.  It is something they do often and their kids love it.

See the camp site behind Brynlie? The bottom picture is of Rylie and Isabel with their futons.

They saw this picture of a movie star and realized how much she looks like Rylie...almost as pretty.

When they got home, I guess Isabel missed the sand and water at the beach, so she and her friends created their own desert version in her back yard, with their gator.

They went by Rebecca's when the National Tribute Band was there and were able to meet them and take pictures.

This picture is of the twins enjoying the fireworks after the Pioneer Day parade in Thatcher.

Surviving the heat in Grandma and Grandpa's pool.

They got to spend some time at the Alder cabin on Mt. Graham.

The Alder girls at the Gila Valley Temple.  Rachel went to do a session and was surprised that her girls were also going, to do baptisms. It was a nice surprise.

ESTHER & SHAD

They really got into the spirit of a Harry Potter marathon.

The Browns enjoyed their annual trip to Eagar for the 4th of July.

Harrison at Saturday's Warrior with Crew and Docker.  

Esther and Marlie at YW Camp.

We enjoyed going with the Brown family to see "Planes 2."

Brody enjoying Grandpa's hammock during the Saturday night rain storm.

THOMAS & JENN

The Biggs kids, along with the Richins kids, enjoying the 4th of July parade in Safford.  Lillian and Polly are in the El Charro Van.

They went to Cluff Ponds with some friends and really enjoyed playing in the water, and swinging from the trees.

Thomas and Jenn took their kids camping up at Snow Flat.  They loved it, especially Henry.

Then, the next day, the Mark Smiths and the Adam Binghams joined them for the rest of the weekend.

MARY & TYSON

Their big news this month is "It's a BOY!"

Enjoying the 4th of July parade with the Biggs kids.

Mary always is able to find a way to commemorate holidays with her girls' hair.

Mary was in charge of and designed their ward's float for the Pioneer Day parade.  It led off with supermoms, pushing their babies in strollers, wearing capes that Mary made.

They were followed by kids dressed in superhero costumes.

Mary had a doctor's appointment in Mesa, so they had a little mini vacation complete with a visit to organ stop pizza and school shopping.

OUR MISSIONARIES

DeWitt's mission has a new mission president, so he had to orient him and teach him how the mission works.  The office elders.

Their patriotic ties for the 4th.

An elder from Thatcher.

Levi and his district.  See how cold it is in July!

This is an old picture of Parker, but I want everyone to be able to see him anyway.  He is doing well even though he doesn't send pictures.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Mary took the kids to the Library, where they all sat down to quietly read their new books...except for Jared...

Ok,  So that's how you get along with a dog on a long trip.  Smart idea.

It seems so strange to me that July is the end of the summer...especially when it is still so hot.  I remember when September was the official back-to-school month.  I guess it's for the best, though, because they get more vacation times throughout the year and by the end of July the kids are getting bored and the moms are going crazy.  I remember August as a time of Monopoly marathons, acting in neighborhood plays, building forts, reading long, wonderful adventures, and week-long visits to the old cabin in Pine.  Maybe the lives of kids today are too full for those kinds of activities.  Of course, we didn't have game devices or Facebook, but we did play board games and made up outside games and wrote letters and talked for hours on the phone.  I guess kids are pretty much the same no matter what generation they are...looking forward with a mixture of excitement and trepidation to the first day of school.  So, take back-to-school pictures and send them to me...that is, if you want to.  I will try not to be so obsessive...maybe.