More Pictures of Thanksgiving Campout 2008

Abe and Angel

Abe and Caleb

I can finish putting up a couple more pictures that I wasn't able to do before church...(smile)

Thanksgiving 2008 - Campout

Uncle Abe and Nathan!

Loved this picture!

Uncle Abe and Sammy

LOVE IT!!!

Tradition!!! Sisters working on each other's hair!

Got to love Sammy's face - With Uncle Hyrum

Happy Grandparents with "2" of our grandsons!!!

Dave and Sammy

MY FAVORITE - Garvin and Nathan

Angel

Jared and Nathan

Sammy and Nathan

Jenny and Sammy

As you know...our Family Tradition...is our annual Thanksgiving Campout...Each time, we experience something different than the year before or in previous years...This year was no exception. We had to camp in a different location than our usual Kelly Park...We loved the NO HASSLES...of "being watched"....There was a sense of "freedom"...However, the only real drawback this year...was the "noise" factor...trains...and a "power plant" in the EARLY HOURS...So, that "peaceful" quietness of "nature" sometimes was a challenge...Interestingly enough, we were never bothered by RACCOONS or BEARS...We did end up with a "Siamese CAT"...who ate "several" mice....and became a "pet" for the Muncks...who offered a place to sleep each night IN THEIR TENT! (smile)

We LOVED being with the FAMILY...and dear FRIENDS...however, your Dad and I commented...it was NOT the same....when we have members of our family missing or friends who normally would have been there with us...

We want you to know, Joshua, Holly, Sarah, Luke, Rebekah....that you were GREATLY MISSED...It really ISN'T the same...when we are NOT ALL TOGETHER...If we mourned you NOT being there for ONE EVENT.....I PRAY we never find out...what it is like...if we are NOT ALL TOGETHER...throughout ALL THE ETERNITIES!!!! HEAVEN will NOT BE COMPLETE...if ONE PERSON was MISSING...That was SO EVIDENT...just in the moments you weren't there to share what little precious time we have to be ALL TOGETHER....

I POSTED MANY of the campout pictures on my "facebook"...but, I wanted to POST on this FAMILY BLOG some of my FAVORITES...of our family...from this experience...It is getting MORE AND MORE CLEAR...how IMPORTANT FAMILY is....the "divine" nature of our all being together....Your dad and I love you EACH for WHO YOU ARE as an INDIVIDUAL...We came together....because we CHOSE to be TOGETHER....MAY WE ALWAYS TREASURE...and keep CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS...that we CAME TOGETHER....because...we LOVED EACH OTHER DEARLY....Don't ever let our weaknesses and our folies...keep us SEPARATED IN HEART...for we didn't come into life "perfect"...We are all trying to "overcome" the NATURAL MAN...and sometimes we make mistakes...in this process...of "overcoming" our weaknesses...BUT, our HEARTS are PURE in our LOVE for EACH OF YOU....

City Boys...Learning a Bit of the Farm Life...

Finishing touches...

Hmmm....

Removing it's feathers

Hyrum helped this bird "fullfill his mission" here on earth...

Hyrum and the other Young Men of our Ward...learned how to take live chickens.....and get them ready for "cook'n"....Noah Garrett raised the chickens...(smile) I ate one of the chicken breasts...It was GREAT!!! Nothing like "home grown"...(smile)

TOYS for TOTS

Generous offerings of toys for children who

are living in difficult circumstances

Nathan would NOT go to Santa...as you can see

he is very wary of Santa...

Garvin is on good terms with Santa...well, till Santa

gets my letter...and let's him know

if Garvin has been naughty

or nice...(smile)

GUESS WHICH ONE? (smile)
Naughty or nice?

Ann " Williams"McCulloch's baby girl and Nathan

Nathan with two of his girlfriends...McCulloch baby girl and Tim Holman's little girl

(the one who is all smiles)

Yea...not going to waste one DROP of chocolate...

Angel eating the last drops from the "Chocolate Fountain"

Abe in the Christmas Spirt...and Nathan

As you all know...the last few years...we have supported the Shepherd/Fuller "Toys for Tots"...Each year, it seems to get bigger and bigger...Here are a few pictures from the event...

Alisha and her boyfriend Matt Larson. Matt is at BYU and is planning to become a liar oops I mean lawyer. His first kiss was Alisha and this is his first official girlfriend. They have been dating for about 1 1/2 months and who knows what could happen next. He is born and raised in Utah and huge fan of politics... (hates obama) and is trying to get an internship in Washington DC next summer...will Alisha beat me to the alter? tune in next time to find out...if she does I will punch joel in the nose...

"Women of Faith..."

As I viewed this picture...I pondered over how we EACH have chosen to become "women of faith"...We chose a life uniquely different from the "world"... And with that "choice" we each share something in common..... "we are seeking to build in some way... Father's kingdom..." Yet, we will each contribute to the kingdom in our own "unique" style...because not one of us are alike...nor will our challenges be alike...(smile) We are, however, ONE...in an ideal we have all chosen to follow...As discouraging as LIFE can be at times..."mortality" is but only a SMALL MOMENT....Our ultimate GOAL...is for something GRAND....something that will have FOREVER consequences...WE have chosen to become "an eternal FAMILY"...As Women of "Faith"...our ideals will not come easily...for we are also trying to "overcome the natural man (woman)" and "LIFE'S EXPERIENCES" can be a "painful" teacher....ENDURING IT WELL....is life's greatest challenge...We will not do it PERFECTLY, but being "steady"... Father made it possible...for us..."to overcome the world"...through His beloved son, Jesus Christ...Our BROTHER, however, made this grand IDEAL possible...by LOVING us INDIVIDUALLY...and "gave His LIFE" so that we can obtain that eternal goal....of "becoming" an eternal FAMILY....Daughters, you have chosen a DIFFICULT road to follow....BUT...it is the ONLY ONE WORTH choosing....IN THE END....My love and heartfelt...prayers...is that YOU WILL SUCCEED...in that EFFORT...I LOVE YOU ALL...more than I can possibly express....Mama

Any Questions?

I found this on a friend's blog. Click on the image to make it bigger.

Captain Moroni and Prop. 8

You have GOT TO LOVE THIS!!! (smile)

Woo Hoo!

I have big, big news on my due date! Go read about it on my blog!!

Counsel and WARNING...President Harold B. Lee

I have pulled up these quotes from President Lee...in reflecting over this election...VERY INTERESTING....
President Harold B. Lee - Conference Report - Oct. 1970 - Page 152: "We MUST give HEED to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet...There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you list to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that 'the gates of hell shall not prevail against YOU, yea, and the Lord god will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory." (D&C 21:6)

On another occasion he quoted a prophecy of President Heber C. Kimball as being applicable to our day: “President Heber C. Kimball, shortly after the Saints had arrived her in the mountains---and some, I suppose, were somewhat gloating over the fact that they had triumphed for a temporary period over their enemies---had this to say: “…we think we are secure here in the chambers of the everlasting hills, where we can close those few doors of the canyons against mobs and persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. The, brethren, look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall; for I say unto you there is a TEST, a TEST, a TEST coming, and who will be able to stand?”

“Let me say to you, that many of you will see the time when you will have all the trouble, trial and persecution that you can stand, and plenty of opportunities to show that you are true to God and his work. This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness WILL FALL. If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.”

“Remember these sayings, for many of you will live to see them fulfilled. ‘The time will come, when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand?” (“Life of Heber C. Kimball, pp. 446, 449-450.)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1965, Page 128)

As President of the Church: “The greatest challenge we have today is to teach the members of this church to keep the commandments of God. Never before has there been such a challenge to the doctrine of righteousness and purity and chastity. The moral standards are being eroded by powers of evil. There is nothing more important for us to do than to teach as powerfully, led by the Spirit of the Lord, as we can in order to persuade our people in the world to love CLOSE (to) the Lord in this hour of great temptation” (quoted in J.M. Heslop, “President Harold B. Lee: Directs Church; Led by the Spirit,” “Church News, 15 July 1972, Page 4).

Joel was of course "the joker" for halloween. he had to work so he paid to get the make-up done and well lets just say he made a little kid cry, a woman asked that he wouldnt intimidate the real joker cause he did it so well it was creepy and well joel has some interesting talents he can imitate many things very well....
One of joel's many talents is, he throws pottery and he let me sit and watch as he turned a piece nothing into a beautiful bowel or cup. he truely is gift in many areas....he said that he would make my 'flour', 'sugar', and 'salt' containters and paint them blue and white....labor of love what can I say....

Samuel the Lamanite and Prop. 8

You have got to love "Mormon" humor!!! (smile)

Happy Birthday Halloween

So while you decorated for the Fall, let me show you how we do things around here...

I do wish I had remembered to add a black nose and whiskers for Sam