Released

Today, JR was released from working with the Young Men at church. This has been such a big part of our lives I thought I, Karen, would write down some of the memories that stick out to me.

First, and for most, are the Young Men themselves. As you know, we don't have any boys of our own. It has been so much fun to have these fine Young Men in our home and sharing in our lives. I wish I had a picture of all of them but here is a small sample.


Working in Young Men has been "A Mountain Top Experience"
Hiking Mt. St. Helen's was the crowning moment.

One of my favorite skills JR has acquired is Dutch Oven cooking. He is a master!

There has been river rafting trips.

Mountain Biking excursions.

Shot gun shooting.

FYI, when JR was first calling to YMs we had no camping equipment. Now, not only do we have camping equipment, we also have equipment for all the activities shown above.

I know we haven't even lived here for four years yet, but while in this ward JR has gone on 4 High Adventures (really 4 1/2, but that is being technical).

The 1st, I call the Plan B High Adventure, was suppose to be wind surfing and sailing catamarans. A lot of time was put into preparing for these activities, but the weather didn't cooperate. Instead, every day was a new adventure to see what they would do.
This was when JR discovered the beautiful waterfalls around here. They even went down natural water slides.

#2, This time they headed to Swift Reservoir and camped on an island.

John Larkin and JR (They did quite a few YM camp outs together)
This trip's highlights were building the raft, water baseball, and a campground that was only accessible by boat. It also rained the whole week.

Then there was the 3rd High Adventure. Last year, they went on a 50 Miler. JR loved the 50 miler. My memories of the trip start with the day long re-planning Ben Weiss and JR had since there was still snow where they were suppose to go, and the crazy calling around to try to solidify rides which ended up with us renting a 15 passenger van. Then waking up the morning of the hike, to find that some of the boys had snuck over and attached a cargo carrier to the roof so there could be more leg room. Then all the reports through out the week of the condition of every ones' feet. When you are walking 50 miles, having your feet be blister and bruise free is very important.

The 1/2 High Adventure was that summer too. JR went up for a couple of days to join the Teachers' while they kayaked up in the San Juan Islands. JR was taken by the beauty around him and how close the porpoises swam to them. I remember the Bishop dropping his keys in the Sound and JR's phone being the only one with coverage. I am glad there are cell phones and overnight express delivery service!

This summer was the Fourth and Final High Adventure, for this time around with the Young Men. They headed to the Coast. You can just look a few entries back for more details.

Here is a word cloud about Young Men:

Monthly Camp Outs, Planning Meetings, basketball, knife making, snow caving, down hill skiing, Scout Training, tennis, snow shoeing, Ape Caves, water skiing, blue cards, merit badges, Eagle projects, Preach My Gospel, Dustins' Cabin, Lewis Falls, Goat Rock, Eagle Creek, broken car window, Young Men driving activities, cross country skiing, preparing boys to serve missions ...SO MANY MORE

Finally, my girls calling them "Daddy's Boys"

Now, that chapter is closed. JR is a Ward Missionary. He has had his first meeting. The missionaries are coming over Tuesday to share a message with our family. Wednesday JR is going on exchanges. The boys are in great hands; another man that needs his own "Daddy's Boys"

BIG GUY you'll do terrific!

Life is Fine When You're Nine

While we were in California, E celebrated her 9th birthday.

Her cousin, S, shares the same birthday. We were able to have double the fun!

Even their Great-Grandmother, Lala, is an August birthday. She stopped by to be part of the celebration as well.


We started the day by having E, S, their sisters, Grandma Jill and Mom go out to breakfast. We went to play at a park (that didn't last long--sick=no energy). Later in the day, all the girl cousins got together and went to Build-A-Bear. Now, all of our houses have more furry friends to help remember the day.


S with Grandpa Mike and her "Harry Potter" bear

That night we headed down to the beach for dinner. We roasted hot dogs, made corn on the cob with sea water (It is so delicious), salad, fruit, Smores and birthday cake.

The girls even opened their presents down at the beach.

Even a little Boccie was played.

Here the girls are making a wish.

Aunt Jen gave everyone the perfect gift... Glow in the Dark Flip Flops!

Relaxing in the OC

Over the mountain and the tip of the sea to Grandmother's house we go,
The pilot knows the way to guide the plane through the light and drafting clouds,
Oh, ...

Vacation can do a lot to rest the body and raise the spirit.
Here is JR after a few days of unloading the worries of the world.

H- cheerful as usual


Grandpa Mike has started a tradition of doing the "Wild Rumpus" dance whenever he is around our girls. The dance was inspired by the book Where the Wild Things Are. I wish we lived closer so we could all go together to see the movie when it comes out this fall.

Grandpa leading the dance

More Wild Rumpus!


One of the best things about going down to the OC is seeing the cousins!

R(1) and E with cousin R(2) (Her and my R have the same initials: RAZ)

H with A1 and S. H loved these two. She had them babying her all the time.

One not so bright part of the trip that I need to mention is the girls were sick the whole trip. They had a fever and were tired; this didn't stop them from having fun. However, at the end of the day, and sometimes the middle, they were BEAT.
Most nights they were asleep before we were out of the room from tucking them in, like this night.

H and furry friends

R, so tired

E-She was the last one to get ready that night. She hadn't had a chance to sleep yet.

While we were down there JR, E, and I were able to go visit JR's grandparents. (We decided not to take the other two since they were sick). I feel bad saying this, it was such a nice visit. I was able to sit down and talk. We had a wonderful conversation. I was able to participate instead of referring fights, keeping an eye out to make sure no property was destroyed, and all that other mom stuff you have to do while visiting with your kids.

Bobee and JR. Bobee is in his 90th year of life, as he likes to say. (Translation he is 89 years old)

The final night, we went to JR's brother's, Mark, house for an outdoor movie.

The Z men enjoying the flick: JR, Mark(standing), Matt, and Mike

The crowd watching from the hot tub: H and A2

Making their own entertainment: R2, R1, A1, S

Home again, home again, jig -a- dee- jig

The Emerald City, a little Red

Recently we tagged along on JR's business trip to a suburb of the Emerald City. It was so much fun. One of JR's cousins lives up there and we spend every day playing at their house.

Here are my girls with their second cousins (Is that what they are?), Curtis and Trevor.

*The next 2 pictures were taking by R.*

This is Tajee. She married to JR's cousin. Tajee and I are vacation buddies. We have taking several trips together. We always are up to an adventure as long as we are together.


E and Curtis really hit it off. They had a great time hanging out together.


The only picture that shows we are in the Emerald City

While we were there we took in a ballgame

The girls weren't exactly thrilled. So, we showed them how fun a game can be...especially when you eat your way through it.

Of course, we had had hot dogs but we also had:

-Chocolate covered strawberries

-Cotton Candy

-Kettle Corn

And a good time was had by all!

Indulge me, across from our hotel was a playground with the cutest furniture. It had flower tables with caterpillars climbing the stem and butterfly chairs.

Totally Cute!

Girls Camp...The Craft Queens

This was the second year I was able to go up to our stake's Girls Camp as an Assistant Craft Lady (seriously, that's is what the High Council member called it when he gave me the assignment). I love going!!!

Here is the craft I was in charge of. Many of you might recognize it. I am good at copying others creative ideas.


It is a block of wood, that you paint. Then you decoupage on a strip of cute paper with what ever message you want on it. You add a sheet of metal to the slot in the wood block. Add a decorated wood disk to a magnet. Voile, a cute picture frame.

JR was so sweet and used his work connections to have all the sheets of metal laser cut for me. He also went over to a friend in the ward's and they cut all the wood blocks. I love you, Honey. You saved me so much work.

Here are my fellow Craft Ladies: Jan H. (the Head Craft Lady), me, and Kat T.

The beauty queen sashes are another craft. (It is decorated. It is really cute) After all, we are Daughters of a King.

Some ladies from my ward are making the cutest bags out of men's tank tops.

Tracy, Maureen, Larissa, and Alyssa


Morgan showing off her creation

You take the tank top, preferable no seams and no ribbing, and lay it flat on its side with the arm holes lined up. Then you cut out fabric designs. Iron it to the shirt using Heat N Bond. Then you use the seam ripper to open a small hole in the shirt's hem and run a ribbon through it. Scrunch it up tight to gather the bottom and tie a knot. You can add Ric rack around the arm holes for decoration. Put your one arm through the arm hole. Bam, you are styling a one of a kind bag you created.

FYI, we also made picture frames with words created from bent wire. Sorry, no pics.

I can hardly wait to see what we come up with next year.

High Adventure

This year, the Young Men went to the Coast for their High Adventure.

They went sandboarding (like snowboarding, but on the sand).




Here is JR and some of his fellow YM leaders and some Bishopric members.
Tye C., Jon J., LaMar M., Doug Y., and JR


LaMar M., Doug Y. and JR


The beautiful coast!
(Not the same rock as in my other coast pictures. This is a different location)

I love this picture.


As part of High Adventure Week, they also went on a tour cheese factory, built a mini golf course on the beach, hiked a hill over looking the ocean, played other games on the beach, did their own version of Fear Factor and had an Iron Chef Challenge.

They even went deep sea fishing.


They caught about 140 fish

They dropped crab pots on the way out and picked them out on the way in. They caught 17 crabs.

Afterwards, they had a fish fry and steamed crab. JR loved it!