Called to Serve...

My darling baby brother, Michael, just got his mission call to serve in the Edmonton, Canada mission. He enters the MTC on October 29th. We are so excited for him and know that he will be an amazing missionary. Congratulations Mikey!

Lake Powell

Part of our crazy time in Utah was spent with my family in Lake Powell. We had 25 people, 1 houseboat and 2 ski boats! The weather was actually perfect, kind of cooler and with a few storms in the evenings. One night there was wild lightning and thunder and the rain was coming down slanted so we had to sleep inside. It was wall to wall people, my cousin even decided to lay down her pad on the kitchen table and sleep there! Needless to say we weren't up at the crack of dawn to water ski, we were a little tired! We had a wonderful time and thank you to my mom and dad for taking us! I have been to lake powell a million times, but it is still so fun every time.

The girls lounging on floaties behind the houseboat


The boys jumping off a scary cliff...


Grandpa Cline, 80 years old, what a trooper!


Jayson and Zeb tubing, what an amazing backdrop too!


Jayson


Surfing


Wakeboarding


Lili


Me, Grandpa and Holly


Carolyn and Jen reading

Utah!

Jayson and I hopped in the car and 13 long hours later we were in Utah! The last few hours made us unsure if it was worth saving money by driving. We will definitely fly for Christmas! As soon as we got into Utah, first things first, we went to Cafe Rio. It is amazing how much we have missed it! We were in Utah for 2 and 1/2 weeks and it was pretty jam-packed busy. For the 24th of July weekend we went to Manti/Richfield for my cousin's wedding, another cousin's missionary homecoming, and so Jen and I could choreograph South Sevier's dance routine.


We also spent time with Jayson's family for the annual company lagoon day. Since his dad's company is owned and ran by mostly family it is more like a family reunion. And instead of just a day we make a whole weekend out of it. We went boating at Pineview reservoir, had a surprise 60th birthday for Jayson's mom, had a 90th birthday party for Jayson's grandpa, hit up the pool, walked around Snowbasin, and of course lagoon.

All the niece's and nephews playing on the water tramp at Pineview

Jayson and Gracie at the pool for Coleen's 60th surprise party


Jayson and a few of his brothers playing flies up in the pool. (I have almost this exact same picture from Hawaii a few years ago.) The best part is there were random kids in the pool while this was going on, if I was their mother I wouldn't want my kids splashing around the pool when 6' 4" 230 pound men were jumping up and down trying to catch a ball...


Coleen waiting for everyone to arrive at Snowbasin.


Snowbasin is so beautiful in the summer!


Jayson and I at Cliff's 90th birthday bash


Jay Dee and Coleen walking around Lagoon hand-in-hand. Don't you just love this picture?


Carie, Cass, Natalie, and me at Lagoon

Week of Play

Jayson finished his summer semester on July 11th and we were leaving on July 22nd for Utah, so we tried to squeeze in some fun activities before we left! First, we went looking for the Mormon Trail Center and the Winter Quarters visitor center. We knew the Winter Quarters visitor center was by the temple so we went looking for the Mormon trail center first. After driving around Iowa for 45 minutes or so, we asked someone and they pointed us in the direction of the Winter Quarters visitor center... Come to find out the Mormon Trail Center and the Winter Quarters visitor center are one and the same, There is only 1 museum/visitor center. Well, while we were in Iowa we accidentally ran into the Kanesville Tabernacle. We had never heard of it, but it is where Brigham Young was sustained the 2nd prophet of the church. It was neat to walk around and we were the only tourists there so the senior missionaries talked our ears off for 2 hours. Next, we made our way to the Winter Quarters visitor center and took the tour. Our tour guide was from Utah county and we had some common friends. Crazy!

This is my willing subject standing in front of a statue of Brigham Young and his two counselors when he was sustained the Prophet. (After this picture my camera died..)


Later in the week we went to Linoma Beach. Although it is ridiculously humid here, there is no ocean, so where was this beach?... Where else, it was in the middle of a huge cornfield. I wish I could have taken an ariel picture because we literally turned into a cornfield and there was this little lake.
Only in Nebraska.




We also saw the Pioneer Park sculptures. It is a park that spans a few blocks in downtown Omaha and depicts the Mormon pioneers coming into the Omaha valley. Pretty cool huh.





Last, but not least, Jayson's dad came to Omaha (his mom was supposed to come too but had a slight bowling accident. We missed you Coleen) to set Jayson apart as a High Priest because he was called to be the 2nd counselor in our ward bishopric.