Friday, August 25, 2023

Bay Beach 2023

Our annual trip to Bay Beach (minus Jeff) was a success as usual.  I think next year we will just pack a picnic.  That will give us more time to ride and less time waiting in a restaurant.  
It seemed that all enjoyed riding on the Scrambler.
Even the smallest of us liked it.
Tom didn't mind being next to one of the grandchildren.  But then it was Adam and not one of the littles. 
I think I have more fun watching than riding anything that could make me dizzy.
The helicopters would make me dizzy but not so for children.


I rode the Rockin' Tug last year and didn't like it.  But these guys did.
Most everyone got to ride the bumper cars together.  It was so fun watching them bump into one another and learn how to turn left to back up.
These smiling faces show how I felt.  I did get to ride the ferris wheel with Eddie and Adam.  I also went down the giant slide with a child three times.  
The evenings truly are the best times to go.
One never has to wait to get on a kiddie ride and there isn't much wait time to get on anything else either.
As always, we shut down the park.  We need to go a bit earlier next year.
 

Family in Nauvoo

Just because we're in Nauvoo, the rest of our family wants to join us.  They all stayed at the Pountain house as usual.  
Pat and I were able to go to the temple most every day that it was open.  They had some strange hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday so those days didn't always work.
This group came and did a lot of baptisms for our ancestors.  Their smiles make my heart happy!
We didn't really spend any time in the new visitors' center but these two needed their photo taken.
While all the older people were in the temple, I was able to take the younger ones to the Pioneer Pastimes.  Lydia loved being able to do the dancing with the NPMs.
These three spent a lot of time in the "house".  
I was able to teach the boys how to play the bean bag toss game.  They wondered why I had that on our back porch and now recognize it as a game. 
Butch and Evelyn played the ring toss game.  I'm really bad at tossing.  The hoop seems to go always off to the right.

Building with blocks is always fun.

We had our photo taken with the bagpipe band.
One last shot at the ox wagon ride.  Thanks to Ferrin and Wendy we have this treasure!
 

Nauvoo Security 2023

We loved being on the security team for the Nauvoo pageant so much last year that we came back again.  So many of our friends from last year plus some new ones.  
This year we had the added plus of having a few local members of law enforcement to walk the grounds.  That meant that I didn't have to spend any time during the pre-show activities walking the grounds.  That got old in a hurry last year. 
The Price's were our leads for our first week.  Then the Allreds took the lead since the Prices would be in the pageant during the final week of performances.  I worked with Susan Allred a lot and came to love her immensely.
This sister is part of what used to be the pageant presidency.  We happened to dress alike on this particular day.
We bought our own high viz vests this year but Sammi didn't have time to put any wording on the back.  Perhaps for next year. 
One evening there was a car driving through the grove north of the stage as well as someone who got on stage not in the pageant.  From that point on, there were always two people assigned to be backstage.  I only did it one night.
It was interesting to watch the cast prior to the show to see what they were doing. 
Watching from backstage was also a whole new look.  It reminded me of our days in City of Joseph and the organized chaos that was always part of that.  
A few days the skies were very hazy due to the wildfire smoke coming out of Canada.  That is the sun!
Casey always had some kind of music for us on Sunday evening meetings.  Sister McKinney has a voice that one would never expect out of her tiny little, demure voice.
We had a mini mission reunion with all of these wonderful people.  Since the we and the Scotts have Mondays off and the Flanders had Monday as a preparation day and the Mensels are done with work by 1pm, we got together at the Flanders place for a meal and lots of laughs.  How I miss these people and our association.
Last year I had several opportunities to watch the monitors from 7-10:30.  Not one chance this year except one our overnight shifts. 
Some of the cameras were set up in better places this year but some were useless.  I was able to spy on this guy though.
Ferrin and Wendy Flanders gave our family a tour on the ox ride.  How we love these two!
Being with Dennis and Trisha Scott was such a bonus.  We talked them into coming and working with us and they enjoyed it immensely.  They'll be serving their 6th mission and won't be able to come back next year. 
Another bonus was being able to see few others whom I love.  I was shocked to see Kay Christensen but oh so happy.  I only spent five weeks working with her but it was long enough to love her.  We've seen Desiree Crump more recently, but it surely felt like a very miniature Lusvardi reunion!
Can't wait to go back again next year!
 

Family Camping

Our annual family camping was in the beginning of June at Pine Grove in Tilleda.  It started on Cierra's last day of school.  We won't make that mistake again.  It was unfair and stressful for her.
Still, I'm so happy they came.
The kids and girls had a good time on the beach.
The kids were able to catch minnows with their nets. 
I love little Henry in his goggles!  :-)
The children surely love digging in the sand. 
I didn't spend much time on the beach but love that it is a place for these beauties to relax and chat.
Lydia got to be buried. 
She turned into a mermaid!
Eddie sure was cute in his goggles.
How I love all those littles!
Campfire really is nature's television!
Evelyn ended up with a stomach bug and needed to go back to our house for the night.  On the way, a deer ran into Sammi's car.  Ouch!  Could've been way worse.  
The playground isn't just for the kids.
It is a good thing we camped so close to home.  Eddie just wasn't having it on the second night.  Andrew and Cierra ended up getting in their car and going home.
We did get to play the cup game.  This has become a family favorite.  I think Clint was the big winner this year!  I'm thinking we should skip the campground and just have the kids sleep overnight in the back yard with us.  We could play games and big people could go home and sleep in their own beds if they wish to do so.  
I do love camping.  Just not a fan of all the work to do it.
 

Strawberry Fields

We always go strawberry picking. This year I could only go with Erin.
We weren’t in the patch very long, and we already had our flats fall. I only needed enough to make jam, so that was rather easy.
I do love fresh strawberries!