BOYSCOUT NATIONAL JAMBOREE

 We had a little taste of what it's like to not have our family together for a "little" length of time.  The boys were gone for 3 weeks and boy did we miss them.  I'm not sure how in the world I am gonna handle missions, but I guess I will just have to.  It was so great to see them at the airport and see all those boys come down that escalator together and know that they were all home safe. They had quite the experience exploring New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Washington DC, Gettysburg and of course their 10 day stay in West Virginia where the Jamboree was held and then finishing up in Williamsburg at Busch Gardens.  During their tour they slept in nice hotels and then at the Jamboree they slept in tents with super heavy rainfall.  The good thing is they were on cots so their sleeping bags didn't get wet.  Below are pictures that one of their leaders posted to Facebook while they were gone.  It was so fun to get updates and see our boys in pictures and know that they were actually OK.  Jake and Will took a lot of their own pictures which hopefully they will put in a book or do something with one day :)  They both said they were good at keeping a journal so they could remember how they felt and what they saw while they were gone.  I am so glad they had this opportunity and got to experience it together.  I asked them if they had many spiritual experiences and they said one that stuck out which I thought was pretty cool was since they had so much rain over a few day period their sacrament mtg was going to be during the rain on a grassy, muddy hill.  Jake said that when Elder Neil Anderson, one of the twelve apostles, got up and spoke he said I have faith that this rain will clear at least while I speak so you can all sit and listen and not worry about the rain.  Jake said the clouds spread apart right after he said that and it cleared up while he spoke.  Shortly after he was through it started to rain again.  I thought that was pretty cool :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELCOME BACK BOYS!!!

WE SURE MISSED YOU!!!

SUMMER RAIN

 I just LOVE, LOVE summer rainstorms.  They make me so happy! We have had a few really crazy thunder and lightning storms these past few days.  It is so fun to sit on the porch and just watch :)

 

 

 

 

 

OFF ON AN ADVENTURE...

 Jake and Will left Monday for the Boy Scout National Jamboree.  They will be gone for 3 weeks and are traveling around the East Coast.  My dad has taken 5 troops to the Jamboree in the past so this was always something we really wanted our boys to experience.  The Jamboree is only held every 4 years. They have been planning and saving for 2 years so its crazy that the time has finally come.  There are 36 boys and 4 leaders within their Salt Lake troop and 12 of them go to Olympus Jr so that's fun for Jake and Will.  Our nephew Adam has gone as well so how cool to experience it with a cousin.  There were 16 troops from Salt Lake City that went so with 36 boys and 4 leaders in each troop that makes about 640 scouts traveling around before and after the Jamboree together.  I am sure it will be quite a sight to see :) There is predicted to be 40,000+ boys at the Jamboree in West Virginia where they will spend 10 days of their 3 weeks.  I miss them already but am so grateful they have this opportunity.  Oh how I LOVE our boys :) 

 

 

 Some of the Oly Jr. boys.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTHIE

 My mom turned "70" on July 1st.  To celebrate, the adults surprised her for dinner at a restaurant and then after some of the grand kids surprised her at their house where they hung a banner on their garage and balloons on their porch.  It was fun to celebrate together.  We just LOVE you mom.  You are such an amazing lady.  You are always so friendly to everyone and give great advice.  I know I get pretty busy with my own little family and life so I don't spend as much time with you as I should but I sure enjoy the time I do.  You are a great mom and grandma to our kids.  We love you VERY, VERY much :)

 

 

 I just love this candid pic of me and Jed.  It is so funny and it just makes me smile.  Obviously something was VERY funny at the time :)

  We can't wait to celebrate...

 MANY more birthdays with you in the future Ruthie! xoxo :)