Our Trip to Washington for Ben's Baptism

We left Blanding on Tuesday, July 10, for our ultimate destination of Western Washington.  We spent Tuesday night in Provo with Jim and Rebecca after a trip to my retina specialist in Salt Lake.  On Wednesday we drove to Logan where we spent time with my mom in her new assisted living facility.  She seems very happy, and it was good to see her there.  We stayed the night with Virgil and Marie and enjoyed our visit with them.  On Thursday we started for LaGrande, OR.  Since we were ahead of schedule, we stopped in Weiser and enjoyed seeing the places I had lived and worked. 

 This is the house Lee built on Loafer Lane in 1987.  It had changed so much I wasn't sure it was the right house until we saw the address.  On Friday morning we left for Washington arriving in early afternoon.  We stayed with Alan that night then met Gerritt and family for Ben's baptism on Saturday.

 Ben and Gerritt posing before the baptism

 Melissa, Ben, Gerritt, Caitlin, and Abby

 Gary and me with Ben and Gerritt

The baptism was really beautiful.  There were 7 children baptized.  Afterward we went to Gerritt's for a barbecue where we met Alan's family.  Tristen attended the baptism and the barbecue.  We got this adorable picture showing that Tristen is now at least an inch taller than Alan.

Angie, Emily, Alan, Tristen, Colby, Lucas, Brycen

The kids had great fun playing in the sprinklers. 

 Abby, Caitlin, Ben

Sunday was Abby's 11th birthday, so we attended church with the family and then dinner and a birthday party.  Here is Abby opening presents.

It was a special weekend for both Ben and Abby. 

Late May to early July 2018

I have been lazy about posting lately so am playing catch up here.  In May we took our pop-up camper to Cottonwood and spent a night.

Gary had to drive home to pick up Babe as we can't pull both at the same time.

We enjoyed a nice ride up above Cottonwood including the trail where I tipped over the ATV early in our marriage.  The scenery was wonderful!

On May 24 we attended Shae's graduation.  Here she is with Tammy and JJ.

And below she is with us

And with Emma, Jack, and Jayden

On June 28 we went river rafting with John, Ann, Rachel, Jim, Rebecca, Emily, Jared, Tammy, JJ, Shae, Emma, Jeff and Zach on the day before the family reunion officially began.  We were in two rafts, and this is the one we were not in.

Shae and Emma in the ducky.

Me in my hat with Emma in the Ducky in the background

Zach and Jeff in the Ducky

Gary jumped in to float down the "swimming rapids."

Tammy also jumped in.

And here they are after being pulled back into the boat by JJ

Behind me is a resort along the Colorado River in the Canyon.

Here we are at lunch on the riverbank.

The wind was so strong that we had to get out early.  The wind kept us from making any progress as our guide rowed us down the river and we were late getting out.

Gary took this shot of me waiting for the bus to come get us.

When we got back to Moab, we all dinner together at Fiesta Mexicana.

The next day our reunion officially started.  Dave and Candace arrived that day. Megan and Nicole at lunch.

Tanner and Christian

Bailey, Zoey, and Tanner

Candace and Dave

Sara and Brian

That day the family began the service project of spreading lava rock in our flower beds.  They finished it on Saturday morning, and it looks wonderful!

Here are Davey, Rachel, Brian, and Ann

Rachel, Jim, Tanner

Gary driving rock to the back yard

Brian

Jim and Keith

Zoey

Gary's family on Saturday afternoon

Back row:  John, Jeff, Brian

Front row: Gary, Dave, Jim, Julie, Tammy

That afternoon we went to Recapture for a water party.

On Sunday we attended church in our ward and spent the day eating and playing games.  By Monday morning everyone but Julie and Jeff and their families were gone.  On Monday we took Julie and Alisa, Anika, Angie, and Daniel to Bluff to visit the Bluff Fort. They all stayed until Wednesday to celebrate the 4th of July with us.

These are quilt I had in the quilt show.  This one is called "Cats in Windows"

This one is "Emily's Bookcase"

And his one is "Calico Cats"