Sunday, April 29, 2012

Wicked

Last week my girls Becky and Esther...
their girls...
Eve and Sydney...
and I...
Attended a Broadway production...
Wicked.
There is such a powerful message there.
I have pondered it this week.
Circumstances have brought it very close to home.
It is so easy to take a circumstance...
Read into it...
Talk about it with others...
Speculate...
Draw conclusions..
The pass judgments...
Judgments that are so far from the truth...
We find we have created...
Something that isn't real.

In ward Conference today our Stake leaders spoke with power.
We shouldn't judge.
We should show forth with love.
We need to forgive.

The Broadway play addresses all of this.
But it first came from the Lord.

Monday...

We picked Becky and Sydney up from Esther's and it was on the road again...
First I took time to take a picture of Esther's garden now weed free.
 Stan cultivated the largest part along with cutting out mallow weeds around the grow boxes.
 I weeded and cleared the straw from the grow boxes...
 Becky and I thinned the strawberry box far left above.

We took the longer route home...
but it took less time the the short way...
The way we traveled to Penrose.
 In the oil fields there is a town...
Sinclare...

 For the most part it was uneventful...



UNTIL...

We came to Bear Lake and Logan Canyon...

Syd is showing the lake...
Split in half by the Utah (below) Idaho (above) border.
 
(Just some information about the lake I found interesting) 
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah[1] and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water.[2] Its water properties have led to the evolution of several unique species that live naturally only within the lake.[3] Bear Lake is over 250,000 years old.[4] It was formed by fault subsidence that continues today, slowly deepening the lake along the eastern side.[5]
Originally named Black Bear Lake by Donald Mackenzie, an explorer for the North West Fur Company who discovered the lake in 1819, the name was later changed to the current Bear Lake.[6] The lake is a popular destination for tourists and sportsmen and the surrounding valley has gained a reputation for having high quality raspberries.[7]
According to folklore, Bear Lake holds a lake monster: the so-called Bear Lake Monster. Although this originated with Joseph C. Rich, who later admitted to making up the monster,[citation needed] people continue to report sightings of the monster today.[citation needed]









 

We traveled a lot of miles this past weekend.
To come back and travel our own back yard...
We are grateful for the beauties that are here...
That we take for granted.  

Logan Canyon...








Then we came down into Cache Valley...
 four days of 70-80 degrees
What a difference four days can make.
Trees leafing out...
Trees in bloom...
bulbs in all their glory...

 I think I like to take road trips...
When we leave..
Larry comes and works his magic...
the back splash is beautiful.
(Stan has the electrical outlet covers on now)

 Thank you Larry for your talents.
We are so grateful to be the benefactor of these talents.


Then we...
Look out the window and what did we see...
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!
 
 I went outside to start working...
That warmer weather really did it's work
I sprayed before we left for Colorado...
But look at this bucket!
 
 I dig more each day...
Stan Ross and Olivia planted a Contorted Filbert tree...
Blue Colorado Spruce (no we didn't get it in Colorado)
Carnations...
Grapes...

Then as is normal with our Idaho weather...
It can be 80 degrees one day...
The next 27 degrees.
No you can't see the mountain...
That is snow!


Thursday...
I went to town with Chris...
She turned 44 Saturday.
What a blessing she is to this family.
There is so much that she does.
I am proud of her...
Her girls are as wonderful and service oriented as she is.
We had a great day together...
Thank you Christene Ann for being our #1 Daughter.

When I go to the chiropractor each week...
I visit Luana  Barrett in Malta on the way home.
She sleeps a lot...
Forgets to eat...
She is supposed to be having cataract surgery next week.
She is very confused.
I worry about my dear friend.

Saturday
 
I got some yard work done after cleaning the house...
Both felt good.
We didn't have any family gathering this weekend...
We didn't go anywhere...
We actually stayed home.
Well Stan did his home teaching...

Our ward Conference was amazing.
Our beautiful daughter next door...
Ben's wife Melissa...
Along with Marlane Hall and Sheri Lewis...
Sang in the Saturday evening conference...
Beautiful Savior.
Wow!
What a treat.

I love the Lord.
I KNOW HE is in control.
We always need the faith...
Things will work for HIS good.
When we force it...
We will make a mess of things.

I love this thought:
Don't pray for tasks equal to your ability,
But pray for abilities equal to your task.
Then the performance of you tasks will be no miracle...
BUT...
YOU WILL BE THE MIRACLE!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Going and Coming and Going....

It has been an eventful week with all the comings and goings of family...
and...
us.

Monday Adrienne and Remil rode and worked with the horse.
(Adrienne fell off and the horse heard about it for some time.)
Joe and Tawny did the four wheeler and horse.
They all left about 11:00 in the morning.
The house seems to take a big sigh and then it is...
Quiet...

Wednesday we met at the airport to say good by in Twin Falls.


 The air port is this big...

 This mural of wood and paint is on two walls.



 Good by...
Hope it won't be another five years before Joe can come home.

A rainbow...
After the airport we went through Malta to visit Luana Barrett.
This is what we saw on the way home.
Always amazing.  We actually drove under it.

Thursday evening we went to Logan where we stayed the night with Neilson's.
Becky and Sydney left with us Friday morning early (4:40 am) for Penrose Colorado.

Sunrise in Wyoming...
 Oil fields of Wyoming...

 A tunnel through a rock mountain...

 Out the other side.

 Wyoming...





 We traveled some beautiful country...
Majestic...
and grand...
and flat and dry.
 
 Our highest point...

Sydney and Becky...
Can I just say it was a tad bit cold...





We arrived in Penrose about 12 hours later...
give or take 20 minutes.

Soni girls was having a party...
You would think she turned eight or something...
 Soni...
she wasn't excited.
 Friends with Bingham helping...
 Big Sister Eve IS helping her mom with the projects...

Later after dinner it was present opening time...


Oh yes...
 she loved her new dress...
this is what makes all the work worth it.

Traditional family walk in the evenings...
 The Lilacs are blooming and very intoxicating.

 chocolate mint ice cream cake...

Oh so so so good.

Saturday morning we worked in Esther's Garden...
Stan cultivated it later in the afternoon as it cooled down...

mid day Austin had a soccer game
His team are 4-6 grades...
He is small and in the 4th grade.
BUT...
He is a hustler and made three goals out of four.
 He is in the orange shorts.



 About 3:30 Esther Becky Eve Sydney and me left for Denver...
Two hours away...
To see the Broadway show...
Wicked.

 Grandpa and Soni are deep into their traditional game of 
Battleship.


We ate dinner at Noodle Company...
 Eve and Syd..
 Becky...


 Me and Esther...
 The Buell Theater.
 Diana Esther Becky...
Eve and Sydney...
We had so much fun!

 Sunday...
Soni is in charge of her dad's hat...

 Soni and Grandma...

 The big event...
We never could get all of the family.
Bingham mom and Soni...
 Soni and her daddy Phil...

Our newest member of the church in our family...
 Sonya Ruth Woolston.  
April 22, 2012
Canon City Fremont County Colorado.

Our last family walk for awhile...
 An ant hill...


 We will see you guys again in a few months when you come to Juniper...

I can't even imagine our lives without our family.
They are what we live for...
We always have so much fun with them.
I am so thankful the Lord created the Family as the Central Unit in the church.

He certainly knew what he was doing.