Family Pictures 2009

Our yearly tradition of taking family pictures on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We took this one immediately after church. I love the colors that everyone is wearing and the fact that we're in Sunday dress.

The fact that we're all dressed alike is a new concept for us. Tom didn't like wearing his t-shirt. Even worse was the fact that he had to wear a "beater" underneath. I only wish B-Adam was looking up.

Papa, Nana and grandchildren. Always a good picture. Cami just woke up and wasn't very happy, thus her face.

We won't be able to take another family photo until Sammi comes home from her mission as Erin leaves for Rexburg this week. I've got a great family!

A Lake Wissota Camping Trip

Friday morning my sweetie and I got up early to go for a bike ride. It's 4 miles to the bridge. I saw this fisherman out on the lake early. I loved the reflections on the water.

I love the morning sky! You can see the sun's rays shining through the clouds. I love the lone fisherman.

Not my favorite photo of the two of us, but it shows the bridge that we were standing on with the bridge for cars in the background.

The reflection of the bridge with that beautiful morning sky. It doesn't look like only a mere 10 minutes later we would be caught in a downpour.


We watched an eagle fishing as we stood on the bridge. I see bald eagles occasionally, but have never seen one diving for breakfast before.

It was a wonderful, peaceful camping trip with wonderful friends. Wisconsin really does have some beautiful state parks and amazing scenery all around.

Hiking and Boating

Out for a walk with my sweetheart and we stopped in the shade to sit for a spell. I couldn't resist taking this shot. It shows the beauty of Lake Wissota and it's surrounding area.

This looks like a picture of the sacred grove to me. It's actually a picture of a black squirrel. Can you find it?
The bridge under which we went boating and over which Pat and I went biking.

Pat and Andrew on the Super Mable with Sarah Allsop and her boyfriend John on the screamer. I took my turn on the Mable with the other women and with my husband and Andrew. It is so much fun. I got dumped this year. I've never been dumped off of the Mable before. I guess a first time for everything.

S'more Pizza & biking

Here it is! My new favorite camping dessert...s'more pizza. I made this yummy treat every night in the dutch oven. Pizza crust, baked until about half done and then topped with mini marshmallows, milk chocolate chips and crushed graham crackers. Delicious!
The weather was wonderful starting about Tuesday late afternoon. Wednesday morning got us all on our bikes riding through the state park.

On the way back from our bike ride I took my boys down a trail to the lake. It's a beautiful place. So quiet and peaceful.

Here's Tom coming down the first part of the trail.

My "boys" at the bottom of the trail. You can't really tell but there is an actual lake behind them.

Sammi's mission call

Last evening Sammi gathered many her friends from the stake and many of her close friends from Gresham as well as Lauren and Papa and a few others via phone and webcam to be here while she opened her mission call. She's going to be serving in the Washington Kennewick Mission - Spanish speaking. She'll be reporting to the MTC in Provo on November 18th. What a blessing this will be for her as well for our entire family!

Nauvoo trip

On Thursday we got up early and headed off to Nauvoo about 5am. We reached our destination about 12:30. Not bad. I slept for a lot of it since my sweetie did the driving. On Thursday Sammi, Erin and I went for a walk down the Trail of Hope. At the Seventies Hall we noticed that it was used as a missionary training center. Here's Sammi pointing to that fact.
On Thursday morning Sammi went to a wedding at the temple so the rest of us did baptisms. Here's Tom outside the temple.

In the Christmas store we found Uncle Saul. Here's Sammi and Andrew posing for a picture with him.

We love to stay in the Pountain home while in Nauvoo. It's right next to the Riser Boot Shop. We love this old home mostly because it is in the heart of Old Nauvoo and not at all like staying in a hotel. Here are my loveable children posing with their best faces in the livingroom.

Erin and Sammi on the banks of the Mississippi River in late afternoon. It wasn't too hot and muggy while we were there which was a bonus.

We had a wonderful time as usual and our time there was much too short. I feel so blessed to have been in the temple with all of my children last week.

Tom brings home the gold!

These are the "Shakers." Chris, Tom, Jason and Danielle have had a perfect season in bocce ball. Special Olympics has been great for Tom. He's made some great friends. Here they are after being presented with their gold medals at the state bocce tournament. Below is when they realized that they won.

Girl's Camp

Today is catch up day. Two weeks ago I spent the entire week at girls camp. I was the lone leader over the 3rd year campers. I had amazing YCLs which made the experience much easier for me. I also had some amazing young women whom I'd never met before but gained a love for. Isn't it amazing how much we come to love those we serve?