Happy Halloween

Lauren suggested we go to the pumpkin patch.  It was worth going out in the cold  just to see Kiley all dressed for winter.

We Looped the Loop

Summer has gone quickly this year.  It really didn't get started until July but then WHAM it was over.  Here is one of the things we did this summer.  An LDS Church history tour.  It was amazing!

Omaha, Nebraska Zoo

Nate's girlfriend storming off after a feud.  What did you do to her Nate?
(This is not church history but it is where we started.)










What was the name of this place?  Molly Moo's.  Fabulous ice cream.
Red Velvet mixed with cake batter.

 
Carthage Jail

The Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo isn't a place I ever planned to go but now that we have been there I would definitely go back.  It was one of the most peaceful and beautiful places I have been.  We didn't do too much  touring, mostly just resting and taking in the scenery.  Our favorite experience was watching the fireflies on the bank of the Mississippi River.   It was a place that filled our hearts.

We followed the "Trail of Hope" to the Mississippi where waded.  Then found  a pavilion which had the name of our own "Wee Granny" along with all of the others who lost their lives along the trek West.

Adam ondi Ahman was on the top of my
list of favorites.  I hope they call me on a mission there.







This is a statue of Hyrum and Joseph Smith
as they left Nauvoo for Carthage Jail.






We tried to help these pioneers in Nebraska.  We pushed but they didn't budge.  I think they were there to stay.

Fireflies on the Mississippi

Happy 90th Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's 90th Birthday.  I don't know exactly how to celebrate a big day like this since Dad has been gone for almost 21 years.  I still miss him like it was yesterday.  

He gave me a lot of things; his curly hair, his great appetite, 
a love of the gospel and most precious of all, he gave me a part of his big heart.

Happy Birthday Dad! 

I love you and miss you.

Musings

Today is the 3rd of July...celebrated as the 4th of July.  The neighborhood has been quiet except for Nathan's occasional explosions.  I'm sure all are off with their families.  Our family is a little scarce this year and thus my musings.

I've been pulling weeds in the yard for lack of anything more entertaining to do and I have come up with this little creed.  "The one thing you can count on in this world is - Morning Glory!"

Though in the past couple of years it has taken on a pseudonym of "Rocky Mountain Bind Weed" it will always be "Morning Glory" to me. 

I can pull it by the roots, spray it with round-up, you name it and it will still be there for me in the morning.  I don't really have any deep philosophies about this, only that you can depend on it.  No matter what.

Now to the "family scarcity".  Yesterday we said good bye to our Lauren.  It is so quiet here today because honestly it feels like someone died.  Lauren arrived safely in Ghana and is probably in her host family's house asleep (I hope).  I know this is good for her and I know if she were here she would be driving me nuts with her spontaneity but at this minute and for most of today I feel like I have a hole in my heart the size of Africa.

So to my Lauren...you be safe out there.  Remember how much we love you and may God bless your way.  

And to anyone else ... just musing, but I think I'm going to start spending more time with the "Morning Glory"!

It's a long, long road...so we flew!

This vacation came and went so quickly. Dave and Hailey gave us the perfect excuse to visit the mid-west. They chose to have Kiley blessed in Omaha, Nebraska where Dave's parents serve as mission president. What a great opportunity for us to take a little tour through LDS church history.
We started out w/an unexpected 4 hour layover in Denver. What do you do in an airport. This didn't look like "The Terminal" to me. We played cards, went through security for the fun of it, and slept.
Upon arrival in Omaha, President and Sister Kunz took us to the Kanesville Tabernacle where Brigham Young was sustained as Prophet. Here are Lauren and Nate looking at ...I forget. Either the map of Winter Quarters or the Map West.

Thursday was Kiley's special day and no blessing day would be complete without a trip to the zoo. We found a monkey that we substituted for Ty. I got quite attached but don't know that Kiley thought much of it. This gorilla was Nathan's friend/enemy. After Nate repeatedly knocked on the glass at him, he (the gorilla) hit the glass so hard that people scattered and screamed thinking he broke through. He stalked away mad and Nate continued to tap on the glass. We also made a trip to the Winter Quarters Trail Center. It was a very sweet experience with the temple right there next to the cemetery and the sweet little rock headstones marking the graves of the early pioneers.

Then came the reason for the entire trip, Kiley's blessing. We were so proud of Dave and so grateful to be a part of this big occasion. Not many babies are blessed in the mission home. Kiley wore Hailey's blessing dress...that brought back some very sweet memories.

WHAT IS THAT?

This is so creepy.......what could it be?

It's ELDER JOHNSON in the sewer!

Whew...He's getting a little closer to what he is supposed to be doing.

Ahhhhh, I think he's got it. This is Ty with his first "true" baptism.
He and his companion met the sister, Janice, when they were tracting.
Ty was really sick and decided to "cowboy up" and go out anyway.
He is no longer in that area but Janice called and asked him to baptize her.
He has been floating on clouds for a few weeks now.

Introducing....Kiley Anne Kunz

Born March 19, 2010 at 10:37 am
Weight 6 lbs 14 oz
Height 19.5 inches

What can you say about seeing your daughter give birth to her first child.
It is beyond my ability to describe.
I marveled that my little girl could endure so much pain with such grace.
I marveled at the wonders of modern medicine.
I felt the loving bond between Hailey and David grow even stronger
as they shared this sacred experience and held their very own
little creation. Perfect in every way.
Who says there isn't a God?

What is this hiddeous face doing on my blog?

Wednesday night we were watching a show on television when Beau Bridges came on. He looked ancient with his long hair and bushy eyebrows that practically covered his forehead. This certainly was not the handsome guy from my younger days. Well...today was hair color day. I had the color in my hair and decided, like my red head daughter, that I would add a little touch of brown to my brows. In the process, I accidently smeared a bit on above the brows. I went and did some laundry, etc. and when I looked in the mirror you can probably guess who I saw. It was Beau Bridges! And he was in his old, scarey form. I would have taken a picture but I'm not as secure as Beau about my looks.
No more Farah Fawcett, Princess Diana, or Martha Stewart....I now look like Beau Bridges.

Oh what do you in the winter time?

Our local Walgreens has suckers that have a nice juicy bug inside. Some are Tequila worms and Nate chose this one with a scorpion inside. He enjoyed the sucker and when it got down to the scorpion Guy told him he would pay him $5 if he would eat it. Nate took the challenge. I missed the crunchy, chewy part but did manage to get the swallow. You'd have to pay me a whole lot more than $5.00.

What's Elder Johnson been up to?

According to Ty's last letter he is up to about 155 lbs. He was 125 when he left. I think he looks a little bit like his cousins on the Marsden side of the family. The belt buckle is the real attraction here. He has been collecting those plate size atrocities for a couple of years now. This might also have something to do with the Marsdens but then again he does have some truckers on the Storer side.

Ty's companion, Elder Craig, is a real worker. Ty has participated in two baptisms in 4 weeks. They, the companionship, get up at 5:00 and keep working until bed time. Not even time for dinner with the members. I guess that's how you get results. This woman's name is Tiffany.