Jubilant Portugal and Philadelphia

Of all the "J" adjectives I could have chosen to describe Portugal and Philadelphia, I chose "Jubilant" because of the statue of Rocky at the bottom of the Philadelphia pictures.  That is jubilation if I've ever seen it.  I remember watching Rocky, and even though I'm definitely not a boxing fan, I totally felt jubilation at his success.  

                 Portugal is such an interesting country, so ancient and steeped in tradition, and at the same time, so Europeanly modern...if that is even a word.  Here is Dad, sitting with the Portuguese men in their caps, us at Obidos and Joel and Jeremy, also walking the streets of Obidos. The man and woman working their farm with the city in the background is so typical of the dichotomy that is Portugal.  

                Philadelphia, is very modern, but it also celebrates its rich history and its role in the founding of America.  Joel's mission was in Philadelphia and he is standing, here, in front of the row house that was the missionaries' home.  On the bottom, next to Rocky, Phil and I are standing with the Liberty Bell.  We visited there with Grandpa and Grandma when we lived in North Carolina in the 1950's.

July has been very fruitful.  These grapes are ones Dad saved from his birds.  We have also had strawberries and our apples are coming along nicely...if we can save them from the birds, that is.  We've tried putting plastic snakes in the tree and in the vines, but the birds are wise to us.

We have had some pretty dramatic weather in July.  That's why it's my favorite summer month...also because Dad was born in July :-)...and Jeremy too, of course, not to mention all the beautiful grandchildren who came to us in July.  

Reygan took this picture during a monsoon lightening show when she was here with her family.

Mary took this sunset picture from her back deck the very same week.

Dad turned 74 on the 16th.

Jonathan turned 13 on the 22nd.

Jeremy's birthday was the 23rd.

Taylor's was the 27th...his golden birthday.

Devynne's was the 30th.

Maya turned 5 on the 31st.

And Henry turned 3 on the 31st. 

Henry got his real cast on the 1st of July.  He just crawls around and doesn't let it stop him one bit from doing whatever he wants to do.  It's a waterproof cast, so he can even bathe and swim with it.

In the pool...pouting because his mom was paying attention to Maya instead of him.

When he got his cast, he went to Mary's where everyone was waiting to sign it.

Mr. Popular!  He loves it.

On the 2nd, Jeremy, Erika and their family came to stay while she did a 7-day rotation in the ER.  It was a perfect time for swimming, crafts and just hanging out.  The girls painted cut-offs in patriotic designs to wear on the 4th.

In the meantime, the big kids escaped the hubbub and went swimming at  Rebecca's.  

Jeremy and the kids had fun playing catch and playing on Grandpa's playground.

One time they all went to Thriftee for some groceries and took a picture of Dad hanging out with some kid by the ice cream shop.  You can see Jeremy and Tayte and Hayden in the window.

Chinese food with Jeremy's and Rachel's families.

On July 3rd, our beloved Elder Boyd K. Packer passed away.  I love all the leaders of the Church and feel sad at their passing, but I usually don't feel a vacancy in my life.  This time I do.  He has been a big part of my life and I will miss him.  He was called to be an Apostle when I was a teenager and we often had closed circuit radio broadcasts from him to all the youth.  He taught us, in no uncertain, Elder Packer-like terms about keeping the commandments, staying morally clean, being honest and dependable.  We loved him because he didn't mince words.  Then, in 1977, he called Dad to be the president of the St. Johns Stake.  He said "Brother Biggs are you worthy to be president of this stake?"  Dad said, stammering a little, "I think so."  "Well," said Elder Packer, "are you or aren't you?"  He also shook everyone's hand after he had set Dad apart, including Rachel and Esther, who were only 2 1/2 and 5 months, respectively.  Barely 4-year-old Jeremy didn't want to shake his hand and turned away into Dad's shoulder, but Elder Packer reached up and took Jeremy's hand and said, "I'm going to shake your hand, young man."

That day, we went to the Temple to do baptisms for the dead.  We had some family names that Harrison had found for us and each kid was able to do three family names as well as a sheet of 5 temple names.  It was a good day.  It was Luke's first time to go to the Temple, so it was a memorable day for him.

We also met the other members of the Gila Valley Temple Presidency there and had a picture taken for the Beehive.

On our way home, we went to Dairy Queen and got cold, refreshing treats.

I saw and copied this wonderful sunset from Facebook.  It's almost as if the Lord was celebrating America's freedom by painting the sky like Old  Glory.

Happy Independence Day!

The 4th of July parade, featuring the El Charro van.

We had a weenie roast and homemade ice cream that afternoon.

The girls in their patriotic outfits.   Brianna wore hers at the Richins' party. Rebecca's family celebrated with the Evanses for Sherry's 80th birthday.

Later that evening, the kids watched a movie outside on the wall.

Kirtlyn made sure we were properly decorated for the 4th.  She made these candle holders for every family.   She and Ellie and the twins made signs to hang on our fireplace so we could be patriotic.  The big kids watched the fireworks from our rooftop.

The next day, Sunday, Erika was able to take a day off to enjoy the Sabbath, attending the 9th Ward with Rachel's family.  Then, that evening, everyone came over to visit and enjoy the wonderful Sunday rain.

After playing in the rain, the kids were cold.  Imagine having to cuddle up with blankets on a July evening!

We took advantage of Erika's being here to get some free medical advice.  Henry loved it.

Ellie and Alex.

The next day, a red letter day for Lillian, her call came from SLC.  She had to contain her excitement until that evening, though, so everyone could be there with her when she opened it.

~At the post office.~

"Oh my goodness! I'm going to the Philippines!!!"

She's going to learn Tagalog.  In fact, she's already learned quite a lot.  We asked her to come to our Sunday School class of teenagers to talk about how she is preparing to make Temple covenants, (she was amazing, by the way) and  Dad asked her to say the closing prayer.  Some of the kids asked that she do it in Tagalog.  She did!  I was so impressed.  She is going through the Temple on August 22, having postponed it so that I would be able to go with her after my knee surgery.  What a sweet, thoughtful granddaughter.

A trip to Dairy Queen to celebrate Lillian's call.

The next day, she came over to pin her mission on our missionary board.  She and Palmer, who went to New Zealand, are the farthest away...unless, of course, you remember that the world is round so she and Hannah are really not so far apart after all.

That evening, we had the missionaries for dinner, so we took them to El Charro.

On Wednesday, while we were at the Temple, they all got together for a softball game.  It looks as if they had a great time.  I would love to have watched them.  There's almost nothing I like better than to watch our children and grandchildren playing together and enjoying each other's company.

After the game, the little girls wanted to have a late night swimming party, so Jeremy volunteered to host it at our house.  When we came home from the Temple, they were all in the pool.

Jeremy and Erika and kids left the next morning, just before we left to go to Mesa.  I really needed to pay a visit to my parents.  I hadn't been for a few weeks and I realized that with our new calling it might be hard to schedule time to go to Mesa very often.

After our visit with Grandma and Grandpa, we met Joel and Stephanie and three of their boys (Stetson was in Washington, courting Lindsay :-)  for dinner.  Joel treated us for Dad's upcoming birthday.  

His birthday chocolate chip cookie.  He's embarrassed, as you can see.  Never likes to draw attention to himself...at least they didn't sing to him.

After dinner, Dad and Joel and Stephanie went to the store to have some links removed from his watch, I wanted to stay in the car, so Dad had Crew babysit me.   He had never played Mah Jong before.  Can you believe it?  He was very good at it already, though.

The next morning, before we drove back to Safford, we had a delicious breakfast of omelets at Esther's house.  They were full of chilis, cheese, mushrooms, onions and were fabulous.  That truly makes an omelet a meal.

The next morning, Saturday, was Thomas' swim meet at the Safford pool.  He swam backstroke and breaststroke.  I was really proud of him.  Dad wore his cool birthday hat.  Perfect for sitting in the sun.

Mary came by later to take pictures of Alex for her wall.  He wasn't very cooperative, but she got some cute ones anyway.

We had an early FHE birthday party for Dad on Monday.  We were in Mesa on his birthday, so the kids here celebrated a little early.

While they were here, we asked Scott's advice on a bathroom we want to build.

School starts on August 12th or 13th, so it's time to find out who the new teachers are going to be!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa! 74 years young.

On Dad's birthday, Nathan treated us to a birthday lunch with Esther and Shad at PF Chang's.  Joel's family was in California and Jeremy's family was in Safford.  Nathan had some business in Phoenix, so he made a point to do it in July so he could be here for Dad's birthday.  We were in Mesa prior to our departure for our Mexican adventure with Mary and Tyson.

The next day we went to see Grandma and Grandpa.

Nathan was still here when Mary and Tyson came to go to Mexico.

We went to get pedicures so that our feet would be beach-beautiful.  Esther and Stephanie came along.  Their feet were also beach-beautiful because they were going to California with their families...actually, I think Stephanie just got home from the beach.

While we were pampering ourselves, the boys all got to go to a Diamondbacks' game with Joel.  Nathan was still here, so he got to go too.

The next day was the start of our adventure in Mexico, courtesy of Mary and Tyson and Edward Jones.  We appreciate their kindness in sharing this vacation with us.  When they gave us the book of possibilities, Dad chose Yosemite, and I chose a Mediterranean cruise.  Dad said "no" to anywhere in Europe because he was worried about terrorism and campaigned for Yosemite.  Fortunately, Mary and Tyson stepped in and chose Puerto Vallarta as a reasonable compromise.  Oh my goodness! It was so luxurious, fun, relaxing, invigorating, hot and humid!  We loved it.  Even Dad did.  $2 question: What state in Mexico is Puerto Vallarta in? Hint: It is the same state as Guadalajara.  Thomas is disqualified from answering this question;-}

Oh the joy of first class!

We flew into Puerto Vallarta on Saturday, July 18.

In the Mexican airport, waiting for customs.  Rebecca brought this fan from Rocky Point for me, and it literally saved my life!  I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun if I  hadn't had this fan.  I took it with me everywhere I went.  I took my phone (for pictures) and my fan.

As soon as we got to the resort, before we even went to our rooms, we were treated to a head and shoulder massage.  I almost couldn't be persuaded to leave.

The view from our room at the Grand Velas Resort.

This is Mary and Tyson's 3-room suite.  Exactly like ours...with a balcony looking out at the ocean.

That night was a "Welcome" dinner with gourmet food.  In fact, all the meals were gourmet.  The resort chefs were amazing.  One thing, though, they don't know how to make Mexican food!! ;-}

We went to the Puerto Vallarta Ward on Sunday.  Dad and Mary and Tyson are sitting in the back seat of our taxi.  I, from the front, was in the perfect position to take their picture.  This is the entrance to the resort.  We should have posed at the very nice chapel, but, believe it or not, I forgot to take a picture there.  So we took one with the huge Mayan (or Incan or whatever)-style chair in the foyer of the resort when we got back.

We ate a light lunch at one of the little seaside restaurants.  When I walked in, for some reason, I was alone.  The waiter asked me if we would like drinks and I said, "everyone will have water."  He said, with a grin and a wink, "We have tequila."  So I looked at him and smiled, knowing they are all Catholic and should know better, "Es Domingo!"  He smiled and brought us waters.

That evening, we ate French food.  It was so good!  I remember that on our cruise the  French restaurant was the one place we went back to a second time.  Tyson was  on a mission, the whole trip, to taste as many strange and exotic foods as he could.  I think he ate cow tongue, fish eggs, duck liver and I don't remember all the rest of them, but I do remember the escargot because I tried one too.  The waiter had to show him how to open the little buggers.  He actually liked them and ate a whole plateful, minus the two he shared with Mary and me.  Mary didn't like it :-(

It was surprisingly good.  They had cooked it with butter and garlic, so how could it miss?  Dad wouldn't even try. He'll eat strange veggies but not strange bugs...go figure!

On Monday, Mary and Tyson wanted to go to the beach and explore the little shops, so Dad and I just chilled in our luxurious suite and also went swimming.  He actually went with me twice! These pictures are from two days.  The water was on the cool side of warm and very pleasant.  There were servers all over the place, asking us if we wanted something to drink, so one time I ordered a strawberry smoothie.  When it came, it neither looked nor tasted like a strawberry smoothie, so we just left it on the table.  Notice it has a couple of sips gone ;-)

Monday night was a theme dinner, which means they had Mexican food and a Mariachi band, which, by the way, was amazing!  We loved their music.  At the end of the evening, they came down to our table and asked what song we wanted them to play, and everyone looked to me to pick one.  I couldn't think of anything except La Bamba, so they stood all around our table and played it for us.

The next day, Mary and Tyson went on a rugged high-adventure trip, so Dad and I lounged around our suite and went swimming again.  We had room service for breakfast and lunch.  It was great.  Edward Jones paid for everything.  We stayed in bed until room service knocked on our door for breakfast.

In the evening, Tyson and Mary were invited to attend a special dinner with the hosts, at the most expensive restaurant in the resort.  They were exhausted from their adventure, and even thought about canceling, sure that their absence wouldn't even be noticed.  But at the last minute they decided to go.  We were invited too, as a courtesy, so we all went, not knowing what we were really attending.  It turned out that we were the only ones invited!   Thank goodness he didn't cancel!  What an honor for Tyson.  He figured, afterward, that they probably were featuring each of the new members of Edward Jones, at different times, but it was very nice.  Ray and Constance Raley were very congenial and spent literally hours with us. In fact, before we started eating, Ray asked if we could say grace.  I'm used to furtively bowing my head and hoping no one will notice, but he prayed right out loud:-)  Ray is good friends with the Jonses, father and son, and was in on the ground floor of most of the business.

The next day was spa day.  The flower on the left is really just fresh flower petals arranged in a bowl of water.   It was as big as a tire on a car.  They treated us to chia water, hydro massage for our feet, and a full body massage with lotion and rocks and everything.  I haven't had a massage since I got one in Rocky Point with Rebecca in 2010, so I was really loving it.  Dad went because Mary made an appointment for him, but he was apprehensive the whole time.  I think he actually enjoyed it though.  He had a female masseuse.  She tried to be gentle, I'm sure, but he said she was tough.

That evening was "Rhythms of the Night."  We took a boat to an island where we were fed a wonderful meal (steak you could cut with a spoon) and treated to a show about...well, I'm really not sure what it was about because it was in Spanish, but it was beautiful.  The Mexicans are such a beautiful people and they sing and dance like no one else.  The costumes were extravagant and colorful.  It reminded me of what I think the Book of Mormon pageant must be like.

After we got on the boat, it started raining...hard...and the wind was blowing like crazy, tossing us about on the waves.  Tyson leaned over and said, "Like  Gilligan's Island...a 3-hour tour!"  That made even me, the eternal optimist, a little nervous, and I started praying.  I prayed that Mary and Tyson would be safe.  We didn't need to be, but they had to get back to their children.  Well, it turned out to be a tempest in a teapot because, even though we were cold and wet, we arrived at the island safely.  The crew passed out umbrellas and we had our lovely dinner.  It drizzled all during the show but it was totally worth it.

On our last full day, we had the ultimate experience of playing with the dolphins.  I loved it.  I thought I would be sad to see them in captivity, but it wasn't like that at all.  In the first place, the pools were huge, and in the second place, the dolphins seemed to like being there.  It was really no different than dogs or horses that have been domesticated and are pets.  These dolphins were really just huge pets.  They were so well cared for and interacted playfully with the visitors and each other.  They even have special tanks for their nursing babies.  I think DeWitt, Lillian and Polly played with the dolphins in Rocky Point this year.  I wonder if they found the same thing to be true there.

Dad and Tyson with the monkey while we were waiting our turn for the dolphins.

Then after we were finished with the dolphins, and Mary was taking pictures with the baby dolphins, Tyson took pictures of me with the parrots.

That night, the last night, was a farewell dinner for everyone.  I think there were 2 or 3 hundred people there all together.  We sat at a table with someone we had met previously, but there were two chairs left, on opposite sides of the table.  Soon, Ray and Constance came and sat with us.  I don't know if there were no other vacant chairs, but I looked around and saw plenty.  Of course, they could have been just temporarily unoccupied, but anyway it was an honor for Tyson and Mary to have them sit at our table.  Ray and Constance are both talkers, so there was never a lull in the conversation.

We got home Friday night and we went to Duncan the next morning to attend a graveside service for Ben Nations, a man Dad has been home teaching for a while.  He was asked to dedicate the grave.  That's all his widow wanted, except for a military gun-salute.

Then on Monday, Dad had to start his pre-colonoscopy regimen of no food except for clear liquids and foul tasting stuff.  Mary is the one who wrote encouraging comments on the bottle.  Poor Dad.  When he went to the pharmacy to get it, the pharmacist gave him a lemon-flavor packet.  "You can use it or not," he said.  "It will still just taste like sweat!"

The procedure went well and the doctor told Dad he didn't need to come back.  Good news!

Jeremy, Erika and their kids came for Erika's last two days in the ER before her graduation on the 7th of August.  Ellie brought her mermaid tail and her cousins were very impressed.

Lifeguards.

We were all sitting around visiting, when Rylie came in from her workout.  Rachel and Mary challenged her to arm wrestle, but I think they both lost.  Then everyone suggested Jen try.  She won...twice. (I think she's buffed up from carrying Henry all over since he broke his leg.) But look at those muscles on Rylie!

 Everyone wanted Rylie to show them what she does in her workout, so she took them all outside for wind sprints and push ups and other hard-looking exercises.

Back-to-school clothing exchange at Mary's house.

What a month that was! And August is going to be just as eventful.  Wait and see :-}

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

NATHAN AND SHAUNA

Family dinner.

At a baseball game with Bethany, Palmer and the parents.

Fourth of July.

Shakespeare on the Green.

Sister Hannah.  Her little companion is Filipino?

Beautiful Hawaii.

And beautiful Hawaiian sister missionaries!

Josh the Preservationist

Nathan with Grandma.

Nathan's singles ward doing a service project for Habitat for Humanity.

Nathan and Shauna went to the world championships of women's volleyball that were held in Omaha.  That seems to be the place for sports championships.  Shauna played volleyball in high school, I think.  Anyway, they saw the US team beat Russia.  Hooray!  

JOEL AND STEPHANIE

Docker and Crew got braces.  Only Crew would let his mom take a picture of them, though.

At Dad's pre-birthday dinner at Black Angus.  Stetson was in Washington courting Lindsay.

They obviously had a really good time :-)

When Stetson got home, the family went to California for their vacation.  Lindsay joined them after a couple of days.

They went to some really fun places, but made a special effort to go to the Mormon Battalion visitors' center to see Shad's sister who is a missionary there.

On the 25th, Docker, Reygan, Marlie, Marlie's friend and Harrison went to an Imagine Dragons' concert.  I put this in Joel's section because it looks like Docker is taking the selfie. That, in itself, is historic.

Joel and Crew, at the same time, went to the Diamondbacks' game where they were giving away Randy Johnson bobble head dolls.

DANIEL AND CONNIE

Daniel and Connie's big news is the addition of a lovely daughter-in-law, Alta.  They will be sealed August 1st in the Winter Quarters Temple.  They have asked Dad to do the sealing.

Their announcement.  What a beautiful couple!

Shadrach and Albert went to Omaha to celebrate the 4th with Porter and Alta. Notice the tippy toes! Albert is really just as tall as Porter and Shadrach.

Porter with his future father-in-law and the missionaries.

Church with his sweetheart.

Shannyn at girls' camp with one of the new beehives.

Albert got a job as a lifeguard.

 This is the tiny puppy we took to them just last month.  For $2, what is his name? Daniel's family, of course, is disqualified :-]

Devynne and her sister-in-law with two newborn kittens.

Ok.  Some kind of sea creatures, I'm sure.

Happy Birthday, Jonathan...with an amazing Connie cake.

Shadrach has been in Tonga for the last few weeks, with Humanitarian EFY.  See if you can pick him out in the group photos.

And it looks as if they really worked.  They repaired old houses and built new ones.  He came home on the 24th, in time to prepare to go to California to teach the Hmong people.  He turns 19 in September and leaves in October.

REBECCA AND SCOTT

Of course, their big news is Lillian's mission call to the Philippines.

Ooops! I guess she won't be playing for EAC for a while, at least.

Happy anniversary you two!

Lillian and Polly love going to the Temple.

Mexico fun.

The view from their room. And the price of too much beach time.

On the 4th of July, they looked out their front door and saw American flags flying in front of the homes of their Korean and Mexican neighbors.  We love legal immigrants.  Legal immigration has been the lifeblood of this melting pot nation...especially when they love this land as we do.

4th of July with the  Evans family.  July 4th is Sherry's birthday.

Polly and her friend found a dead snake.  I hope they found it dead.  Maybe they killed it.  Tony saw one just like it on his road a week or so before.

Rebecca and friends, Katie Jorgensen and Jennifer Bushman, for their annual friendship lunch.  

Allison and Taylor went crabbing on the Oregon coast and the other picture is in front of a statue of Lewis and Clark, two of the greatest American explorers. 

Dallin and Sara have moved from Ohio to DC where he is still working for Vivint.

DeWitt was home for just a few days and he and Lexie spent as much time together as they could.

Polly was on their ward's float in the Gila Valley Pioneer Day celebration.  Her loyal fans.

Snowflake held its celebration the next weekend, so the Evanses went up the mountain.  It was also a celebration of Sherry's 80th birthday.  The goat, however, is in the Evans' back yard.

At the Snowflake Temple

JEREMY AND ERIKA

Enjoying Grandpa's playground.

Jeremy the baby whisperer.

With Lillian.

Reygan tried on Rachel's wedding dress.  It fit!  If anything, it was snug in the waist.  Doesn't she look gorgeous?

Tayte and Hayden went to Snowflake to perform their play, The Big Fish, for the Snowflake 24th celebration.  And who do you think they saw?  Phil, Rebecca, Lillian and Polly!  In fact, Rebecca said she also saw all of Phil's family and Karl and Diana.

One time when Rebecca was in Mesa, she and Erika went to lunch in Erika's cute little car...although I can see, now, that they are at Rebecca's house in Safford in Erika's cute little car :-)

Reygan and Tayte both had great camp experiences this month.  Reygan was a YCL.

Jeremy even got to go with Tayte to camp, as he is now working with the Teachers in his ward.

Hardworking Elders!  Daynen has a new companion in Trinidade.  It is the one with the USA bowtie.

Reygan with Docker at the Imagine Dragons concert. She's taking the selfie in this picture.

RACHEL AND TONY

With Lillian.

Luke and Grandpa talk about scouting over a bowl of "Grandpa beans."

Happy Birthday, Grandpa! Perfect for Mexico.

Rylie gracing the premises of the Big O car wash.

Homemade donuts

Every time I see one of Rachel's pictures of a dead snake, I rejoice.  There is definitely enmity between snakes and me, a daughter of Eve.

Isabel giving Dad's old Grandpa hat a cool new look.

Mom's waist was this small?

One time, Rylie and Isabel went to check out their old house in Pima.  It was abandoned and shabby looking, but their bedroom wall paintings were still there...memories.

The Alders had the privilege of adopting Alex for the week we were in Mexico.  After a rocky start for a day or two, he settled right in and figured these folks were his new family.  When Mary got home, although he smiled when he first saw her, he wouldn't look at her.  He would go to Tyson but not Mary.  Now, a week later, he won't let her get out of his sight.

Camille, at the eye doctor's.  She has to get glasses :-)

Rachel and Isabel served at the care center.

ESTHER AND SHAD

They stopped for pictures at Salt River Canyon on their way to Eagar for their annual 4th of July trip.

At Grandma Brown's house.

Good for Brody!  He says "Mom take a picture of me and send it to Grandma!"  He's so five years old, isn't he?  I don't know whose glasses those are.

Esther and Shad took their family to San Diego for a CLE (Continued learning something or other for lawyers).  Melissa and Brad, Sara and Charlie, and Karen and Mike were also there.  They stayed at the Hotel Del.  It is so beautiful and so elegant and old, although Esther said they didn't stay in the old part.  She said that they got there on Saturday, then it rained all day Sunday, then on Monday the beaches were all closed because some river had overflowed and contaminated the beaches :-(  But they packed up their kids and went to La Jolla and to Mission Beach and had a good time anyway.

They also saw the San Diego Temple, seals and cousins.

This is Melissa, Sara (I totally didn't recognize her) and Esther.  

They also visited the Mormon Battalion visitors' center where Shad's sister is a missionary.

They had dinner with all the Hiatts who came...Mike and Karen and Brooklyn, Lisa and Deon, who came with Sara and Charlie, and Melissa and Brad.

Later, in July, Harrison and Marlie and her friend went to the Imagine Dragons concert with Reygan and Docker. So guess who took this selfie...that's how I decided which picture to put in which section.

THOMAS AND JENN
Waving from the El Charro van during the 4th of July parade.

With Lillian

Henry, the star of the show.

Even stars get tired.  4th of July party

Kirtlyn with her 4th of July candles.

A new kindergartner!

Country music star, Billy Dean (who knew he was so tall?) ate lunch at El Charro when he was here for a concert.  He sang "I Am a Child of God" at his concert.

This picture is at the Pima High School for the 24th celebration and picnic.

Then they took a vacation to Mesa to visit family and some friends from Mexico.  Remember when we used to take our vacations in Mesa?  They were a lot of fun.  That's one of the perks of not living there...you can go there for vacation!

  Two princesses.  Kirtlyn gave Maya all her prize tickets so she could get a crown.

More Mesa vacation fun.  

With Grandma Anna and Uncle Jeff.

The last day of July is the shared birthday of Maya and Henry.

MARY AND TYSON
With Lillian.

Brianna's book club friend's dad took the girls to the airport to see the planes.  They got to sit in one but not fly.  She said it was fun, anyway.

Feeding the ducks.

Alex.

Mary's American beach toes all ready for Mexico.

Sunday at the resort.

Getting ready for dinner.

Mary and Tyson in their beach cabana, being served Shirley Temples.  I was cutting these pictures so I could see Mary and Tyson better, but I just couldn't cut out that poor red-headed, white-skinned, sun burned, stupid man.  

Some of the Mexican souvenirs they bought for their kids.

On the beach right below our rooms.

In the boat on the way to the island for their high adventure.

They are geared up and ready to roll.  They traveled in these army-type trucks and then rode to the top of a mountain on these mules.

After they got to the top, the whole deal was to get to the bottom.  They did 2 or 3 separate zip lines, repelled down a couple of cliffs, and slid down on some scary water slides (the water was very cold, Mary said) until they finally reached the bottom.

Before and after!

One of the paybacks for a week of vacationing...tons of laundry!

~SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE~

We have an assortment of "smiley" things this month.  When I saw that Hyrum and Lindsay are going to be in the same school class next year, it made me smile.  I remember that in  St. Johns, everyone had cousins in all their classes...except our kids.  Even in Safford, to a lesser degree.  Cousins are a security net.  It establishes your identity and gives you a spot in the school community that doesn't happen in the same way when you're by yourself.  After we had lived there a while, of course, you all had siblings in school with you, but having a cousin means something else.  It means that your family occupies a bigger place in town than just your house.  I know this sounds jumbled, but those of you who experienced it understand what I mean.

This dog hangs around Rachel's house all the time but it doesn't belong to them.  One day, the twins tied a note to his owner around his neck.  It said that he was a nice playful dog but would they please keep him home because...and then they wrote a long list of his issues...ending with "he pees on our bikes."  Later: He came back the next day, without the note :-{

These two pictures made me smile for the same reason.  I love it when siblings watch out for each other.  Harrison is helping Brody in the surf in California, and Jared is covering Alex's ears during the 4th of July parade when the fire trucks drove by blasting their sirens.

Thank you for sharing this amazing month with us.  I often say that I think we are Heavenly Father's favorites.  That's really just another way of saying how very blessed we are.  That is certainly no reason to boast or feel prideful, just thankful.  And we are so thankful to all of you for being the wonderful, righteous, loving people you are.  The theme of the July lessons for youth has been Covenants and Ordinances.  So, that subject has been on my mind a lot.  And especially as Dad and I are preparing to serve full-time in the Temple.  Every covenant we will ever make we make when we are baptized...to keep God's commandments and take upon ourselves His name.  Keeping His commandments, of course, embodies everything, including the covenants we make at the Sacrament table and in the Temple.  I think, often, about a promise Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone, Presiding Bishop of the Church when Dad was Stake president, made about going to the Temple.  He said that if we are faithful about attending the Temple and are faithful to our Temple covenants, our children we be protected from the buffetings of Satan.  That angels will surround them and protect them from the evils of the world.  Who doesn't want that?  Through the years, we have relied on that promise for your sakes.  Remember that the Lord said, "For I, the Lord, am bound when you do what I say." Your eternal covenants with the Lord are also eternal covenants with your posterity.  Jeremy pointed out to me that we are so blessed because of the eternal covenants of our ancestors that are passed down to us through their righteousness and sacrifice.  I pray that we can all keep those covenants so that our children and grandchildren, generation after generation, will be blessed.  

Always remember how much we love you...and love to see what you are doing :-)  Take pictures!! Don't forget school pictures.