March 2019: 2014

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

Monica's work at ASU

Lake Havasue

London Bride in Lake Havasue

Gnarly Marley's Key Largo

Robbies Resort Ben and Sage

Feeding the Tarpons

Key Largo with the Laus

Boy Scout Sea Base Camp

Safari Edventure

Indy and Sage with the kangaroo

The wolf pack

Sage likes the wolves

Air boat ride in the Everglades

Sage has new pet

Too Much Fun on the water slide

Tender to Half Moon Cay w Steph

Too Much Fun!

Nassau adventure

Shooting with Adam in Glendale

Shooting with Woody at Tri State

Friday, October 24, 2014

10 October 2014

The fall of the year is here! How wonderful the month of October has been. We have enjoyed the beauties of the changing of the seasons. The air is cool but not cold. The nights are chilly but the days are warm. This is a month of transition.

To begin with, we no longer live in our home on 13^th street. The Randalls live in our home, Orey and Danielle. We live with my mother on Melody St. across town on the west side. For one month we will be here until we move to Arizona at the end of the month.

Just before conference we picked up Marianna Augusto from Beira, Mozambique. She is the first female Mozambican to the US. We had a wonderful visit and I was able to refresh my Portuguese while visiting with her as we showed her around Temple Square before taking her to the MTC.

We were able to attend General Conference in SLC and our missionary reunion with those whom we served in Mozambique. It was delightful, both the conference and the reunion. We sat with Jeanie and Paul Ross at conference and had dinner with the Joan Hall, the Spendloves, the Banks, the Wollenziens, Paradises, the Coxes and the Davis. We also had a luncheon with the returned missionaries. Great times.

We stayed in the Holly and Jon home while in SLC. They were away to a wedding. While we were there we made plans for their wedding the end of the month.

For the most part our time here in Idaho Falls is spent and for the next year and six months we will be away from our ward and home. As a result of our intentions in serving another mission (our paperwork has been submitted) we were released from our callings in the ward. Dawn has served faithfully (beyond the call of duty) for nearly 2 ½ years. As well I have served nearly 2 years as High Priest group leader.

Our plans are to continue to do family history and study Spanish while we are away in Arizona. So we are packing our belongings and plan to leave on Tuesday the 28^th of October for the wedding in SLC and the 1^st of November driving to Bullhead City, AZ.

General Conference October 2014

Marianna Augusto

Maddox Cafe Brigham City, Utah

The last of the Farmer's Market in October

3rd Ward Relief Society Presidency 2012-2014
My new muzzle loader CVA Bobcat 50 cal

Dawn in SLC (Wasach Mountains)

Fall on the South Fork of the Snake River

Dawn jogging the Green Belt in the fall.

Woody at the target range

Geese on the river

Walking the Green Belt in October

Friday, September 26, 2014

09 September 2014

The beautiful month of September was a pleasant time spent out of doors under warm skies and much dryer than August.

Now that the grand kids are back home with their parents, Dawn and I have time to do a few things on our own. She is still very busy with the Relief Society. Never a slack time! We do manage to push in a few activities, i.e road trip to Salmon area.

Our neighbor, Pauline Mickelson, is moving this month and Dawn has helped her ready for the move. Dawn will have a reception on Saturday 27 September, 2014. She is in her 90s and Dawn has cared for her quite often. We attended the Methodist church services where Pauline played the piano for the last time after over 50 years of service.

Josh and his family visited us and stayed at granny Julia’s house early on this month. We always enjoy their company.

Saturday we returned from a short road trip to the Salmon River area. Julia, Dawn, Christine (Dawn’s sister) and I drove from Idaho Falls, up highway 28 through Leadore, Idaho (site of the Purcell ranch) all the way to Salmon along the Lemhi River. At Tendoy we took a side trip to the continental divide to visit the site where Lewis and Clark camped looking for a crossing to the Columbia River.

Dawn and I have been reading the book “Undaunted Courage” by Steven Ambrose. As a result we wanted to visit some of the areas they traveled. We stopped at the Sacajawea Center in Salmon, Idaho. The center has done a wonderful job in preserving the history of the Core of Discovery expedition. (Just a note; as a result of reading of the adventures of Lewis and Clark, I have purchased a muzzle loading rifle and am excited to hunt grizzlies!!)

From there we drove up the Salmon River towards Challis and stayed at the Grey House B&B along the river. This was a beautiful area and as we coursed down 93 toward Challis we stopped to fish the river. Once in Challis, ID we stopped at the Hot Springs campground to visit with Lorna Hammond (my Swedish relative). She had retired and moved to Idaho Falls.

Lastly, before coming home we drove to the Craters of the Moon national monument. It was very interesting seeing such a variety of lava formations as early as 2000 years ago.

Now that we are home we have to attend to the task of moving once again. We have asked the Randals (Orrey and Danielle) to move into our home for the time we are in Arizona. We hope they will stay longer since we are putting in for another mission beginning in April of 2015. This mission will be for one year only.

As of the 29^th of September we will be moved and living with my mother until we leave for Arizona the first of November.

All of this in one month, yet it seems we are constantly headed for another adventure each month. There is so much to do in getting ready for someone to live in your home. We are looking forward to making the transition. Also, we are looking forward to a release from our callings in the church so we can plan our mission. Good-by to the Relief Society president and High Priests group leader in the 3^rd Ward of the Central Stake of Idaho Falls.