August News

August 2008

Well, summer has come to an end. It was a busy one but full of fun. It was great to see most of you this year at the reunion and another huge thank you to Julie, Murry and family. We really had a fabulous time. We were so glad that Ma and Pa could join us for most of the activities.

We just got off the phone with Elder Ryan, telling him goodbye and sending our best wishes. We wish that we would have been able to say goodbye in person but we had just come through Provo on Monday night after the kids got done with a fun day at Lagoon and Dan and I celebrated our 26th anniversary by having lunch at the Garden Room at the top of the Joseph Smith building. We wanted a view of the SLC temple but instead we got a view of the big hole where they are constructing the new downtown city project. Oh well, it was fun to watch the cranes!

We spent a few days at Tony Grove Lake with my family at our reunion. We camped and hiked 10 miles to the top of Mt. Naomi and back. There were beautiful wild flowers and we even slid down a few glaciers. You can check out our pictures on our blog or Danielle and Steve’s. Dan and the boys had their first fishing licenses and caught a few fish. We spent a day on the beach at Bear Lake and just missed Art and Apryl, Jim and Martha and Jon and Lesa there. We all were there within a week of each other but just missed each other. Maybe we should have our reunion there next year Jon?? Just an idea.

The boys are going to Youth conference for a day at Beaver High Adventure ropes course tomorrow. They start school on the 12. Dawson tried out for the golf team today and was also called to be the seminary council president for his new school. That will keep him busy. He is looking for good seminary ideas so send them his way. Andrew has been running with cross country and may stick with that. He has enjoyed swimming with his friends at their pools or at the river. But nothing is as fun as yellow creek!

Danielle and Steve are leaving this week to move to Portland. They will stay with Alisha and Scott until they can move into their apartment. Thanks to them. We miss them already. We were glad that they could spend most of the summer with us. Lindsey is doing awesome on her mission but of course we miss her. We really hope that Darrell and Jordan or Morgan or Mandy or anyone else will move out here and hang with us and go to school or something. No, I won’t make you date but I will feed you!

Dan and the kids also went canyoneering in Zion’s Park and had to do some long repels.
In fact, the next week a Park Volunteer was repelling there and fell 100 feet. She is still alive. I’m glad that they were more careful. They also repelled in a huge cave up by Tony Grove Lake in the cold and dark. Dawson got to hike Havasupai again with his friend’s young men’s group. It was a lot hotter this time of year and he got quite a few blisters.

I went back to school today to start to prepare for the students to come next week. Where did the summer go? We send our love and best wishes to all and especially to Elder Ryan Flake. He will rock Salt Lake City! “For behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth…”

Love to all and keep the faith,
Shelly, Dan and family