Grandchillins -- pretty independent and sassy!

They will not pose for a picture, but I managed to get this one on Sunday afternoon.  They all looked so cute in their Sunday clothes I couldn't resist.  

Annie got a little better sitting.

I love them!

Quail in my flower bead!

A couple of weeks ago, a male quail greeted me as I drove into the driveway; he was perched on my mini flag stand in the front yard.  Willie and I tried to take a picture, but he scurried away across the grass.  Hmmm . . . what's up with that?

So, Saturday morning I was tying up some of my heavy-bloom flowers and I came across a next of eggs.  Ah ha!  Quail eggs -- daddy quail must have been guarding them (9 in all).  I continued working in the flowers when I nearly stepped on Mamma quail.

A few hours later, I checked on the nest and there she was -- keeping them warm. Can't wait to see what happens.  I hope the cats, snakes, and our newest neighbor a big brown hawk, don't eat them before they hatch.

A new generation of missionaries . . .

In one month last spring a dozen or so of Willie's friends received their mission calls.  With the change in age requirements from 19 to 18 for boys and 21 to 19 for girls has had a huge impact on this newest generation of young adults.  The whole thing caught me off guard.  It wasn't until Willie came home from school and announced that Kendall Taylor had his mission call to Mexico; and he was due to leave two weeks after high school graduation that it hit me -- Willie is old enough to serve a mission!

The calls continued to come -- Quinn Parker to Mexico; Alexandro to Mexico; Stephan to Tacoma, WA; Paxon to Oklahoma City, OK; Cody to Cleveland, OH; Paula to Lyon, France; Travis to Indianapolis, IN; Steven to Ukraine; Josh to Mesa, AZ; Cory to Asuncion, Paraguay; and more . . .

Then it really hit me - Tanner got his mission call to Riverside, CA and Austin to Las Vegas, NV.  Willie and Tanner have been friends since 2nd grade and basketball teammates since 4th grade.  Austin entered the scene in 5th grade -- he and Willie played their first year of little league football together and he, too, became a good friend.

Fast forward 7-8 years and the three friends are grown-up and moving on.  This photo was taken in Tanner's carport after his mission sacrament meeting.  They are good boys!

Austin, Tanner, Willie

Grandma Camp #2

So we headed to the great outdoors -- Silver Lake (Brighton Ski Resort).  It took two cars this time because we all went.  It was nice and cool and peaceful and pleasant . . . . until our picnic lunch . . . then the kids were bothered by the bugs.

Ready to hike (Grandma Style)!

Not liking the bugs in the great outdoors is one of those family characteristics that spans generations.  When I was a young kid my dad was involved in building Mill Hollow (Granite District's summer science camp).  Mom loaded us up in the car one summer afternoon to take a picnic supper to Mill Hollow to join Dad.  KFC was our standard picnic.  We spread out a blanket in a shady area, got things ready to eat and then the attack of the slow moving deer flies ensued.  When I tried to shoo one off my forehead, it refused to fly away and there it stayed, splat.

The best part of Grandma Camp is actually just staying at Grandma's house.  We really don't need to go anywhere, the kids just like to hang out.  Its been fun having some days off just to "hang out".

A hut or a fort?

Jack loves remotes and phones - Molly in her "July" clothes

Grandma Camp

I took the big kids on an adventure Friday, July 5.  We loaded up the family truckster and headed to some goofy places like the DUP Museum, City Creek Center, and a picnic at Liberty Park.

The kids were very good and we had fun!

Fascinated by the two-headed lamb with one neck, two ears,  four eyes -

Shopping at City Creek - Disney Store

Cookie break - 

Cookie break -- 

Cookie break with "style"

Church Service Ritual -- Passing on the "Binder"

So on June 23, there was a change in the Hunter Central Stake Relief Society Presidency.  I, along with two counselors and a secretary, were released. This is not something I wanted to happen; I love every calling I have in Church service and I am content to stay put forever.  But, there comes a time for change and it is now.  Last Wednesday evening, we met at Village Inn as the outgoing presidency to reminisce and prepare to pass on "binders" to the members of the new presidency.  Some of the practices in the Church are a little weird and passing the binders in one of them.  The binder is usually a compilation of an individuals work in a particular calling that may or may not (mostly may not) help the new persons.  I gathered the binders and then met with the new Stake RS President on Thursday evening.  I gave her the "binders" for her presidency, turned over the Stake Center keys, showed her the RS closet, and talked a little about what the calling entails.  It was a great meeting and Sis. Brown, the new RS Pres., will be a great leader and an excellent example to all of the sisters in the Stake.

My work in Relief Society has spanned over ten consecutive years:

February 2003 -- Called as Hunter 1st Ward RS President
September 2007 -- Called to serve as 1st Counselor in Stake RS Presidency
November 2010 -- Called to serve as Stake RS President

Serving in the Relief Society has been good for me and my family.  We have received many blessings for our service.  Every calling in our family becomes a family calling.  It's hard to explain but we all work together to carry out the work we have been asked to do.  We enjoy doing things together and church services is always a top priority for family involvement.  I learned a lot about people, families, and the Relief Society in this calling and it's been a very awesome experience.

Next calling . . . not sure . . . but I know I will love it, too.