New Year's Eve

Just a quick picture and story...We played Pit last night with my parents, Guy's parents and Brooke and Chad. Nothing gets people in my family heated up more than an intense game of Pit for some reason (usually on the house boat at Lake Powell). Anyway, in one round Guy managed to slip the Bear card to my dad right before someone else won and so he was stuck with it. The picture above was taken right after he shouted "Dirtbag"!

Polar Express

I wanted to post more pics here of everyone from Monday night. WHAT A FUN TIME WE HAD! Thanks Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Jim Bob! I hope you will post some of yours when you come home from the Salt Mine.
Eating at the Dairy Keen

"All Aboard!"

DooDaw and Brandon

Grandma and Grandpa

Leslie and Evan

Guy and Hayden

Grandma and DooDaw

Nal and Hannah (from a series of self-portraits)

Looking out the windows for Santa

Evan

Brandon and Mrs Claus

Brandon, Hayden and Dawson (check out the condensation INSIDE the train) BRR!

Kids with Santa

"TROPHY" Gopher

Don't look if your squeamish, but this momentous occasion has to be reported. Today December 1st 2008 the longest hunt of my life was successfully concluded. I am over joyed, the gopher I've been chasing for 6 months finally was bagged. His cunning and under grounds ways were finally no match for a simply superb plan of attack. Previously hunting and poisoning methods failed miserably, I often heard him laugh at my attempts to get him. Yesterday was different, I was outside hanging Christmas lights so I decided to start watching the new gopher diggings as I worked. On one of my checks to the bombed out looking area of my garden I noticed fresh dirt around one of the gopher craters. Now was my chance! I scrambled to find the gopher trap, I quietly dug the new dirt away from the crater and skillfully placed the trap in the newly created gopher freeway, then being ever so steathly(like a cat on the stalk) I retreated from the area. I resumed my light hanging duties for a while to let my plan work. After the lights were hung it was time to see if I had been foiled again or perhap, just perhaps might have met with success.

EUREKA!! Upon checking the trap I could tell it had been sprung, so I tried to pull it out of the burrow, but it wouldn't budge. I then got my shovel for a weapon just incase I had just given him a flesh wound, there are few things more dangerous than a wounded angry gopher. I slowly started to dig down around the sprung trap,( this is getting pretty suspenseful ). ALAS!! He emerged, lifeless and partially disembowed by the vicious tynes of the trap. Don't get all teary here, this was victory at its best, the sense of accomplishment, and the shear size of my prey were very impressive. You will soon see my name in the Boone and Crocket record book. Here are his measurements.

Weight: A very heafty 8 Ounces

Length: An Amazing 6 inches, Nose to tail

Claw Length: .25 inches

Teeth Length: .33 inches

Girth: 3 inches

Sex: Not sure, Just hope he was gay so there are no prodgeny.

CADDY SHACK MAN EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

"Happy Thanksgiving"

Well here there are, my most prized possesssion in the whole world, my family, that I am most thankful for not just to day but every day. Nothing can bring a parent more joy than wonderful children and grand children.

Now the counsel; Don't let the unimportant things in life ever take priority over your family. Children are only young for such a short time, enjoy them, love them, and teach them where joy and happiness are found. We love you all and wish only the best that life has to offer each of you. Love Gma Gpa

36 YEARS

Yes it is true 36 years of marital bliss. It is hard to believe, I don't feel like I could have possibly been married that long, I must have started at a very early age, say about 10 or 12 . Ha Ha. We were married Nov, 24 1972, I am just glad I can remember the date. As the pics show nothing has changed since the first trip over the thresh hold. Well maybe a few things like kids , grand kids, a few pounds, a little less hair that has gone to a lighter shade, etc etc. We celebrated at the Homestead, Debs favorite (close) place to go. I initially reserved a regular room, but as we checked in and got talking to the receptionist and told her it was our anniversary she up graded us to the honeymoon suite. Pretty nice huh? We had a great time swimming and soaking and eating. There was absolutely no one else around, it was as if they had opened the whole place just for us.

Now for the serious part---- I am so blessed to have such a beautiful loving companion, to say she is special is an understatement. I pray our joy and happiness together will last into the eternities.

NAUVOO 2008

OK, OK, Back to blogging. Our trip to Nauvoo Il. also included transversing Missouri and Iowa and a bit of Nebraska. The Nauvoo Temple was grand and beautiful both outside and in, what a great experience to see it up close. All of the sites and knowledge certainly make you more fully appreciate the trials and hardships of the early saints, It is one thing to read about it but seeing the area and experiencing the paths of exile they followed was truly over whelming. A couple of the places of Joseph Smiths Incarceration, Liberty Missouri Jail and Carthage Illinois Jail certainly had a solemn spirit about them.

The Mississippi River was certainly impressive I can't imagine it getting cold enough to freeze, as it did when the Saints were forced to cross it as they fled their homes in Nauvoo.

The Pics are Mississippi River at Hannibal Missouri- Sunset on the Missouri River- Carthage Jail- Nauvoo Temple. Pretty unique trip from what I am normally use to. Going with a group tour was great for being care free and knowledge gained but a little to structured for me. I would rather go at my own pace and stop when and where I saw some thing to check out.

PLEASE STAND BY... (again)

Mormon Heritage tour to Nauvoo, IL
Oct 7 - 12