September Sunflowers

September has been so much fun, with its Washington/Oregon-type drizzly, cloudy weather.  Of course that lovely weather has been interspersed with sizzling hot days as well, but we have enjoyed the variety we don't usually see in September.  

These sunflowers are growing in DB Stauffer's yard.  I had to sneak a picture because someone else lives there now, but it was worth it. Sunflowers are so cheerful and hardy that they always make me feel good.

Of course, our special September birthdays always make me feel good too!

Lillian's 18th birthday was on the 3rd.

Rebecca's birthday was the 8th

Shadrach turned 17 on the 12th

Tony's birthday was the 19th

Jared turned 3 on the 21st.

Docker turned 15 on the 30th

September is the beginning of butterfly season.  I love it.  When I swim, I see Monarch butterflies flitting around my flowers.  This season lasts through October.  I think they are on their way to Mexico from who knows where and just stop to refuel and enjoy the flowers.  I know, of course, that their journey takes 2 or 3 generations to complete, so it is amazing to me that year after year they know to visit our home.

We are landscaping our front yard.  It will be beautiful when it is done.  Bob Kempton is doing it, but it is according to the plan we outlined when we first moved into the house, with the exception of my roses.  Bob and Dad agreed that they don't like roses in the front, so I capitulated if they would plant some in the back.  Hopefully, by next month's blog it will be complete.

Jeremy and Erika gave us this light several years ago and we are just now getting a place to put it.

This is an example of the Washington/Oregon-type weather I was talking about.  Drizzly and cloudy and cool.  I love it!

I have recently become friends on Facebook with some of our friends in Portugal.  This is a family picture of one of our converts, Maria Noelia.  Sadly, I'm not sure she's still active in the church, but she posts a lot of "Jesus loves you" quotes and pictures.

On Labor Day, the first of September, Rachel's and Thomas' families were the only ones in town, so we had a cookout/swimming party with them.  

Watching Dora.  Henry's favorite show is Ben Ten, but he thinks my favorite is Dora, so every time he sees me he brings me the remote control, climbs up on my lap and says, "Dora."

On the 3rd of September, we went to Lillian's house to celebrate her 18th birthday!  I always call her on the 2nd, for some reason, and I know I get it wrong so I am unsure every year whether I know her birthday or not.  So every year, I decide that it is better to call her a day early rather than a day late.  That way the worst thing that can happen is that she gets two calls rather than one.  But I really do know it's the 3rd, I just need to remember that I know it and not second guess myself.

The next Sunday night we gathered for ice cream.

Rebecca's birthday, on the 8th, was an occasion for a sisters' lunch.  Lillian and Polly and Rylie came by at lunch, from school, to wish her a "Happy Birthday" as well.

Later that week, everyone stopped whatever they were doing to watch BYU football.  It was on 9-11, so they commemorated the day with quite a display.  I actually don't remember whether they won or lost.  I was just impressed with their patriotism.

We ordered Utah peaches and apples through Rebecca and they came the next day, so we hurried up and bottled them.  We canned some and froze some.  We are down to the last 2 or 3 from last year, so we are glad to have them.  We didn't make applesauce though as we did last year, because with all our coming and going this month we haven't had time.  But we are out of last year's applesauce.

The next week was the big Safford/Thatcher school rivalry football game.  Here, Isabel and her friend are sporting another big rivalry...ASU and UOFA.

Kids on their way to the big S/T game.  The line for tickets went around the parking lot! The boy you may not recognize is the son of Tony's store manager.  He was one of "Polly's crackers" and is almost part of Rachel's family.

The Alders and the Biggses at the big game...all dressed in blue...except Thomas, who considers himself a Thatcher Eagle.  Thomas and Jenn's kids go to Thatcher this year.

Carson's CTR ring came just in time for his baptism.

He was baptized by his father on Sept. 13, in the Thatcher Stake Center.  The men in the picture below are the ones who stood in the circle to confirm him.  Scott also stood in the circle, but he had to leave before the picture was taken.

We had a luncheon and swimming party after the Saturday baptism.  Everyone wanted pictures with the man of the hour.

The Biggs and Richins families enjoyed playing and swimming...and eating together.

We have had such a nice, long monsoon season, with our usual gully washers and even some slow, drizzly rains, but we haven't had the flooding that Mesa/Gilbert has experienced.  They have had a lot more rain than we have.  Still, when the news posted a hurricane alert for our area, some of us took it seriously and got sandbags from the city.  Dad and Thomas loaded up as much as they could to protect our basement and the doors of El Charro.  I admit, I had to smile at their enthusiasm, because it seems to me that Arizona weathermen love to exaggerate the seriousness of our weather.  However, I was very thankful to have a husband who is more cautious than I am, who takes care of things and is ready for emergencies even if they seem unlikely to me.  As it turned out, sadly, we didn't get more than a sprinkle or two out of the predicted hurricane, but we were prepared!

This picture is of the storm battering the Mesa area.

My cousin, Milo, posted this picture of jet skiing in a deep retention pond in Gilbert.

This is a retention pond by the condo that was still holding up to 20 feet of water when Dad saw it on his walk on the 30th!  I heard on the weather that day, that the monsoon is officially over and that this September has been the second wettest September ever recorded in Arizona.  I'm not sure that includes the Gila Valley, but certainly the Valley of the Sun.

One of the perks of the monsoon weather is the dramatic effect it has on our sunsets.  This in the day we came home from the reunion in Pine.

THE HIATT REUNION

It was a good reunion.  Karen and Mike were in charge and they did a great job.  I always start getting nervous when it's her turn because that means that only one more year and it will be our turn again.  Grandma and Grandpa were there.  I worried that Grandpa might not be up to it but Grandma said, early in the summer, that she was going no matter what, and he was going with her.  I thought maybe he would sit in his recliner and sleep the whole time, but he seemed to enjoy it and was pleased to be surrounded by his posterity.  He talked to us, sang with us and seemed more engaged than I had seen him in a long time.

Fun With Family

Maya was totally stalking Daynen and Tayte, and she recruited Janie Rose to join her.

Isabel got a painful burn on her forehead from splashing bacon grease.  Deon was frying eggs and she was sitting on a log waiting for hers.  As he scraped the pan, the grease popped and hit her right in the head.  I'm just so glad it wasn't her eye.  

The Saturday Night party was a lot of fun for the kids. This collage is from Harrison.

Polly, Tayte, Bridger, Luke, Brianna and Kirtlyn all participated in the program.

Visiting With Hiatts
We definitely were cliquish as usual, but we had some visits with family members who came to see us.

Jeremy, Daynen and Thomas had the opportunity, from time to time, to help Grandma and Grandpa get back to the cabin after spending time outside.

See? Isabel and Deon are still friends.

Sleepy Time

Posing with the Grandparents

Sunday Church

Still in love after 70 years!  

I was assigned to report on our missionaries, so I asked Polly if she would like to report on DeWitt.  She did a great job.  Then I spoke about Levi, Parker and Porter.  Daynen was asked to speak about preparing for a mission.  He directed some of his remarks to the younger kids and it was perfect.  He sounds so mature and ready.  His farewell is the 19th of October in Mesa...Joel's birthday, by the way.  When he leaves in November, we will have 5 missionaries in the field.  DeWitt comes home the day after Christmas and Levi in January.

Checking out Wimpie's
Well, we did it.  Wimpie is in a care facility and wanted to sell his house, so Grandma decided she wanted to buy it.  

On the 24th, we went to Mesa again...don't ask me why, since we were planning to go down the following Sunday through Wednesday for family events.  The Temple is on a maintenance break so I think Dad just wanted to go somewhere...drive his new car.  When we got there, we went to lunch with Joel and Stephanie and the missionaries at Joe's.

Then to supper at El Pollo Loco with Esther's family.

While we were gone, Safford held its Salsa Fest.  Here is the El Charro booth with Adriana and Brianna (not our Brianna).

Jared's birthday was the 21st.  He turned 3.  However, they didn't tell him it was his birthday until the 27th.  They took him to Tucson to the zoo and he even got a piñata in the hotel room.

On the 28th, Nathan was ordained Bishop of the Singles Ward in Omaha.  What a neat calling.  I'm sure it will keep him and Shauna forever young, having to do youthful activities all the time.

That same day was an Eagle Court of Honor in Daynen's ward.  He had a private, family court of honor a month or two ago, but the Ward wanted to include him in their event.  Two other Scouts were being honored as well.  Reygan led the music, Tayte said the Scout Law and Hayden was called upon to stand with other boys showing the trail to Eagle.

The pinning ceremony

Hugs all around from proud parents.

The Eagles' nest before and after the three new Eagles took their places. Five of the Eagles were Biggs boys!  Was I ever proud!

On Monday night, we went to help Docker celebrate his 15th birthday a day early, and then went to Crew's baseball game. He plays first base.

On Tuesday night, we went to Marlie's choir concert.  I have to say that for a jr. high choir program, those kids were exceptional.  They sounded so good and were very well disciplined as well as sounding beautiful.  

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

NATHAN & SHAUNA

This is a picture of the new Bishopric.  One of his counselors, the one on the right of the picture...Nathan's left...is Palmer's dad.

With Bethany and Hannah both gone, Mason is having to settle for Nathan.

Josh the preservationist has really been campaigning for the preserving of the beautiful old buildings in Omaha.  Read his note at the bottom of the picture from Instagram.

These buildings at UNO are such a contrast to the buildings he loves.

Josh an Palmer are going to a Corn Huskers' game, I think.

Bethany sent me this picture of their new, beautiful desk.  It would be a pleasure to work there, wouldn't it?

The beautiful Biggs kids before Hannah went off to school at BYUI.

Saying "Goodbye" to her friends, young and old, and to Mason and to her siblings.

Hannah is now attending BYUIdaho.  She seems to really like her new roommates, which goes a long way toward making a happy year.

She sent me this picture and it made me smile.  She said she has started school with Smarties every year since I put them in her kindergarten box!

She seems to be having so much fun.  I remember that the Dean of Students at BYU told Grandpa, when he was a student there, to be sure not to let his studies interfere with his education!  Knowing Hannah, she'll be great at both.

I'm not sure what the situation was in this picture, but it looks interesting...maybe a service project? an unusual date?

JOEL & STEPHANIE

Stetson isn't letting his studies interfere with his education either.  I think this group of friends were in California at the beach.

The Joel & Stephanie family the reunion

Stetson bought a Nubian(?) goat for Docker's birthday.  Crazy.  When we were there, he kept looking in the window, fascinated with his image in the glass.  

Crew at his game.

DANIEL & CONNIE

This display was in a Walmart in Colorado.  How cool is that!  Another cool thing is that Connie got to meet Janice Kapp Perry when she came for meetings in Colorado.  Connie even mentioned my story about calling Sister Perry on her phone and she answered it herself.  I talked to her while she was standing in her kitchen, fixing supper.  I had no idea when I called the number on the bottom of "In the Hollow of Thy Hand" that I would get her, personally.  I wanted permission to use that song in a Priesthood Pageant I was writing for our stake in St. Johns. We struck up a mail friendship and she sent me "The Army of Helaman" for Nathan's farewell.  Her son had just left for Korea and she had written the song for his farewell.  She apologized to me that it was just written in her handwriting and wasn't neat as a published one would be.  I saved it, of course, but since we moved to Safford, I really have no idea where it is.

Devynne sent these pictures of their exciting life in Washington.  Mushroom picking.  That mushroom is a  Chanterelle mushroom.  She says they are gold ( worth $12-$18 per pound) and hard to find but really delicious.

She participated in a tri-athalon.

A friend brought them lobsters.

Washington State Fair

Shadrach is really living the life his senior year.

On his birthday, his nonmember friends gave him things he would need for his mission.  Also, he got a camera and an amazing Connie cake.

REBECCA & SCOTT

Rebecca's birthday.

She made I don't know how many Texas sheet cakes for the Safford Stake's Women's broadcast party.  It's a good thing she had help from her resident sou(sp?) chefs!

Allison, Taylor and his brother are on the back of this camel for I do't know what reason. But it looks like fun!

Allison and Taylor's darling little house. 

Yum! Allison made a peach pie.

Before the haircut...........And after

Taylor was a part of his friend's wedding.  They look as if they are really enjoying the party.

At a hockey game.

This is Dallin and Sara's house...I think.  It looks like a duplex.

Eating wedding cake

Lillian and Rylie went on a formal double date.  Lillian wore Esther's prom dress.

Lillian's birthday pie!

Polly got her learner's permit this month.  Already a good driver.

Polly in Pine

Polly is taking a dance class at school, and the class had to dance at a football game near the end of the month.

Rebecca and her girls at the Women's Broadcast

JEREMY & ERIKA

We saw all these fabulous pictures of the flooding that were posted by Erika and her kids. Amazing!  Hard to believe that's Mesa.

Erika did her family practice rotation with Dr. Germaine...an old friend of many of our grandchildren.  She really enjoyed working with him and with her fellow students.  Now she is doing a pediatrics rotation but hasn't found a mentor who can give her enough experience, so she is looking around for another place.

The Jeremy and Erika family got a new car this month.  A Toyota, at Dad's prompting.  

They also added another pup to their menagerie/kennel.  Meet Gus Gus.

Jer and the boys went to a Cardinals game, I think.

And Reygan is at a high school game, I think.  Her friend posted this and didn't say where they were.

The Jeremy & Erika family in Pine

Probably the coolest picture taken that whole weekend!

The whole family seemed to participate in this 2-year-old's birthday.  

RACHEL & TONY

Rachel with Polly at Carson's baptism party.  Carson asked Rachel to give a talk about the Holy Ghost.  There were 3 or 4 boys being baptized that day and so each of them was able to choose one family member to participate.  Carson chose Rachel.  She did such a good job.  It touched my heart.  I hope it touched Carson's.

Crammed in the back of the car...with Rylie and Isabel commandeering the front seats.

Rylie with her date.

A collage of Isabel's "school fun" posts.

Before................................And after haircut

Luke got to go to the big ASU UCLA game

Rylie and Rachel waited 2 hours for an iPhone 6 but were still not able to get one.  They say they're glad now.

Camille entertaining herself while Rachel shops

Happy Birthday Dad

Rachel looks like one of the girls!

Luke and Isabel in Pine

A family jam session

Rachel at the Women's Broadcast with her girls,

ESTHER & SHAD

Krispy Kremes had a promotion that if you dressed as a pirate you could get free donuts, so Esther and her kids, including Chase, the baby she keeps, took advantage of the offer.

Esther's family in Pine

Soren with his friend in her pool.  I wonder who took the picture?

Brody and Soren are playing soccer.

Marlie's 7th grade girls' chorus.  They were really good.

Waiting for it to start

THOMAS & JENN

The El Charro booth at the Salsa Fest.  Thanks to Mary and Rachel for helping to set it up.

Fun at the Salsa Fest

The Thomas and Jenn family in Pine

Mary braided Jenn's hair.  Looks like Katniss' do.

Kirtlyn is doing a project about small machines for school.

Mary and Jenn had their kids participate in the "Science City" class.  Here, they are dissecting a cow eye.  Yes, a real one.

Wearing Grandpa's hats.

Remember how Thomas used to just fall asleep wherever he felt the urge? His kids do the same thing.

MARY & TYSON
Carson with his Dad, Grandpa and Bishop.

With his parents

Having the Grandpa talk.

Mary's family also took advantage of the free donuts for pirates.  They even brought the  donuts to the reunion.

The Mary and Tyson family at Pine

When they got home from Pine, a raincloud opened up and dumped right on them! It completely filled up their trampoline pit.  

See the cow eye lens that Brianna is holding? Part of the "Science City" class.  Carson's age dissected Barn Owl Barf.  Ugh!

Jared and family at the Tucson zoo for his late birthday.

A Family Home Evening bowling excursion.

I don't know why all the little kids like to wear Grandpa's hats!

Happy Anniversary from Tyson to Mary.  Eleventh?

Carson got his Bobcat! 

OUR MISSIONARIES

DEWITT

He is no longer in the office, but is a trainer and loving the opportunity to do missionary work.

LEVI

Levi is standing in front of the Cordoba Temple, soon to be dedicated, but probably not before he comes home in January.  

PARKER

Parker has chosen to stay in the field and trust that the Lord will help him be able to do the work he was called to do, rather than take time off to go home and have a surgery that the doctor said he would need.  He is exercising great faith and we need to join our faith with his and petition the Lord in our prayers for Parker. 

PORTER

Porter will leave for Bolivia on the 7th.  He is so excited.  This picture is of a friend from Colorado who met Porter at the MTC.  Pday, obviously.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

There were so many possibilities this month, but you've seen them all, so I just decided to put in a picture from Karen's family instead of ours.  This is Laura's son in Pine, deciding not to try to find a bathroom and stand in line.

I absolutely loved this...it definitely made me smile :-)

I just got this picture...and didn't know which family to put it under, so since it makes me smile, I'm putting it here.  Evans and Alder girls at the Women's Broadcast

September has been so much fun, just as Septembers usually are,  Thank you for sharing your pictures and activities with us.  We all enjoy them with you and that makes them twice as much fun.  We are looking forward to General Conference next week and really hope you will all try to make time for every session.  I know it's hard on Saturday, but maybe you could turn on the radio and listen while you do your Saturday activities.  Each talk is always so important and seems to be inspired just for me.  Just for you.  Just for each of us.  We love you so much and pray constantly for your happiness and well being...sometimes in English and sometimes in Portuguese.  It means the same thing: Please protect our children from harm and evil and grant them the righteous desires of their hearts.  That is our prayer for all of you, but we pray for each one of you, individually, about the problems and issues you are dealing with.  I know Heavenly Father hears our prayers and blesses you.  He loves you so much, as do we.  Never forget that.