March 2019

Monday, February 2, 2015

01 January 2015

This is the beginning of a new year for the Russells. It will be a year of preparation for a full time mission for Dawn and I. It will be a year for visiting family members. It will be a year of change for living outside our home in Idaho Falls.

The month of January was still exciting for us. Dawn and I spent time together traveling to our favorite scuba diving sites. We took another cruise on Carnival to the Western Caribbean. The intent was to get back into the water one last time before our mission.

We went to four vacation spots including, Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. It was a good idea because we had the best diving we have experienced together so far. I have made four movie clips of the details of each visit. Belize was not a scuba adventure but rather a wonderful river tour on float tubes through an under-ground river.

When we got back the weather was terrible in Arizona. There was SNOW in Bullhead, AZ. So for the next two weeks we were home staying inside due to cold weather and windy weather.

However, we did plan one more excursion to visit Camp Verde, AZ as a possible place to stay in the winter once we return from our mission. Included in our visit to Camp Verde we did visit the Mariners. The time we spent with them was so fun to be with the little ones. We were able to get them a new bunk bed for Burton and Roxy. We also had a wonderful meal at our favorite sushi restaurant. It amazes me to see the kids down the sushi. They love it.

Once we got back from Glendale we continued to golf with Woody and Julia. Then we celebrated my mother’s 87^th birthday by golfing at Chaparral, having dinner at the Avi and a movie. Julia is still able to walk the 9 hole course while golfing.

The month has ended and we are now enjoying the month of February in warmer weather. In February, we are planning to have the Croft family visit us. There will be more to report when they arrive.

Cozumel San Francisco Wall Dive

Belize Cave Water Tour

Anthony Key Dive Boat in Roatan, Honduras

Grouper of Roatan

Dive instruction at Grand Cayman

Camp Verde, AZ

Burton at IKEA

Princess Roxy

Saguaro cactus

Joshua Trees of Arizona

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

12 December 2014

The year ends with an exciting month in December. To begin with, staying in Bullhead City, AZ for the month of December was supposed to be a break from the winter. Well it was cold, windy and even had snow. However, it was better than the bitter cold of Idaho Falls, ID.

My big mistake this month was to leave the car door open while backing out the drive way. CRUNCH! I bent it and had to have it replaced. While it was in the garage Dawn and I flew to Phoenix to be with Monica and family for her graduation. She obtained her MBA from WA Carey business school at Arizona State University.

When we returned to Bullhead City, AZ three days later the car was repaired and we left Thursday night to spend Christmas in California.

We stayed in Bakersfield the first night before arriving at Wayne and Robyn Lau’s home. We spent a couple of days with Kesler before he left for Utah.

We arrived just in time for the annual Sacramento Santa Run just before Christmas.

Just the right amount of time to cut down a Christmas tree and have lunch with Ben, Rebecca and Sage before we went to the movies with Indy to see “Night at the Museum II.

We had a wonderful meal with “Big” Wayne’s family Christmas eve, then spent the Christmas morning with Indy and parents. It was a great time. Robyn prepared a delicious meal of prime rib with all the trimmings.

I needed to mention that Robyn had given us a pass to the Auburn Valley Golf Course for Christmas. So, we took Indy and carted around the beautiful course while playing golf on the only day it did not rain before Christmas.

Later that week Dawn and I visited our friends in Yuba City, CA. First we visited Marilyn Frerish, then had lunch with Pat Skidmore, and after wards drove to Sutter to visit with the Knorrs. Betty has had a recent surgery and was feeling weak. Lastly, we visited with Dawn’s good friend Kathy Glassco.

Robyn had given us tickets to see the “Jersey Boys” in Las Vegas on Tuesday so we left Grass Valley on Saturday and stayed in Reno one night before driving to Wellington to visit with Jerry Shorter and Judy his wife. Then on Sunday night we stayed in Bishop, CA at the El Dorado motel. The next day we did something crazy. We took highway 168 across the dessert to Death Valley some 78 miles. The pavement ended at 25 miles so we drove across very rough and dusty roads to Scotty’s Castle. This was the first time we had been there. The next stop was Ryolite to see the glass house. Passing through Beaty, NV (where Dawn graduated from high school), we finally arrived in Las Vegas. After driving through the nightmare maze of the strip we finally parked our car Harrahs hotel. Then on Monday we transferred to the Flamingo hotel where we stayed and walked to see the “Jersey Boys” at the Paris hotel. All in all it was a delightful time.

We are glad to be back to Bullhead City, NV and just before the new year the Mariners arrived with sick kids to spend a day of two. Roxy was really sick with the flu and then Monica came down ill and finally Burton got sick while here. Adam stayed well and we had a great time at the shooting range and an outing to Oatman mining town. The Mariners left early because of the flu. It was still good to see the family.

Now that December is over and the new year on its way there are many new things we have to look forward to. Looking back on the 2014 year, I can say it was a good year. We are making plans for the year 2015 and will go over those plans in the first blog for the new year. I can say family is the most important part of our lives. I love my wife dearly and our kids and grand kids. I wish for good health and a strong testimony of the gospel to carry us through the rest of our lives.

Car in for repairs

Phoenix temple

Monica's graduation

Indy in first grade

Golfing at Auburn Valley Golf Course

Wayne cutting up the prime rib

Sutter Buttes

Dawn and Pat Skidmore

Christmas Dinner

Griffith home remodeled

Fighting Fish gift for Indy and Sage

Wayne has a new surf board for Christmas

Scotty's Castle

Bottle House

Paris Casino "Jersey Boys"

Roxy at Oatman

New Yuba College campus in Yuba City

Still cold in December

Thursday, December 4, 2014

11 November 2014

Finally we are in an area with warm weather. We now live in Bullhead City, AZ. Following Holly and Jon’s wedding we drove to Bullhead City, AZ in a major snow storm all the way from south Provo to Mesquite, NV. Now that we are settled we have had a wonderful time in a relaxed environment taking advantage of being out of doors.

The weather in Idaho and all of northern US has gone “South”. Arctic air and heavy snow filled the states all across the US and even down into the south. Idaho had snow and record low temperatures. We struggled with temperatures in the mid 60s.

Dawn and I visited the Mariners only a few days after arriving in Arizona. It was so nice to be with the little ones again (Burton and Roxy). Roxy is going to be a movie star, she reminds me of Natalie Wood. Adam and I were able to take time to go shooting with his friends. We also visited Monica at ASU and were introduced to her team members in the chemistry and biology department. The west campus is modern and convenient for Monica to work out before class. She also rides her bike to work each day.

Each day we walk the neighborhood and go to the Mad Dog gym for exercise. Woody, Julia, Dawn and I golf frequently at Chaparral and River View golf course. We have joined the Tri State gun club and have access to the range south of Bullhead City. We have our mountain bikes here and rode to Davis dam. Not without troubles, since we ran over the weeds along the side of the road and filled our tires with “goat head” stickers and have had to patch all our tires.

The climax of this month was the Carnival Victory cruise with family members. I have planned for over a year to take our kids and grandkids on a cruise to the Bahamas. They came…the Russells and the Kurowskis….. Julia, Val, Dawn, Ben, Sage, Holly, Jon, Brock, Ella, Robyn, Wayne, Kesler, Indy, Adam, Monica, Brian, Makayla, Orion, Elinore, Aubrey, Steph, Jared and finally Tanis.

We flew to Miami and rented a car and drove to Key Largo hoping to scuba Pennekamp reserve. However, the weather was bad so we stayed in at the Ocean Point Suites with the Russell family and spent time together. We visited Isla Morada Sea Base Boy Scout Camp. Ben and I had been there 25 years ago with our scout troop. We also fed the Tarpons at Robbies resort . Then on our way to the Everglades we stopped at Safari Edventure and the little kids loved the animals.

The trip to the everglades was great. We boarded an air boat and toured the water grass of the everglades. We saw birds, alligators and turtles. Lunch at Everglades Safari was filled with excitement at we all tried the alligator bits.

Then on Monday the 24^th we boarded the Victory. All showed up and got on board uneventfully. Once underway I had fun sliding down the open water slide with Ella, Sage and Indy. The cruise was a new experience for most of our family. Each night we got together for dinner at the Atlantic dining room. The stops at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau were such fun. Dawn and I had 4 scuba dives (2 at Grand Turk and 2 at Nassau). I am of the opinion all had a great time. It is so wonderful to be with family members and especially the grand

kids.

Right now we are experiencing cloudy rainy weather in Arizona due to the major storm which have come across California. There was much needed rain in the west.

Holly and Jon's wedding