June

Half done the year!  Oh my.  We didn't do anything exciting but it had lots to do and made it go by fast.  We have been working through our To-do-before- Sept list.  We were so close to finishing the deck when we ran out of stain. We did finish a few days later and it looks fantastic.  No more splinters in our feet when we go out.  And it looks cared for now.  Staining the railing was a pain and took many many hours longer than we had thought it would.  It is complete and I hope it lasts a few years before we have to do again. 

A couple of trips to blow out the gallows of the co-op.  Not my favorite thing, but I tag along and help a little.

Our garden is coming along.  Our strawberries have surprised us and we get a medium bowl full every 3-4 days.  It is lovely.  Potatoes and beets are doing awesome.  We planted far less potatoes this year.  Didn't need to keep planting for family of 5, we just did enough for the 2 of us to get through the winter hopefully. Sadly our carrots and peas did not do well.  We even did a replant but not much is happening. Raspberries are thriving.  It's amazing.  Life is lovely without grasshoppers. Amazing what can survive without them eating everything. 

We got the cows moved to the sand.  Just 4 of us this year.  None of my kids were available.  So just Dave and I, Jared and Emry.  Dave and I drove the first load down.  We had 7 loads to do and were going to go every other load.  But then I thought if Jared drives cows and we go ahead and open the gate, then the trailer, and close the gate, he would not even have to get out of the truck.  So that is what we did.  Dave and I had a blast. Last load we got water for the cows and then Dave flew his drone around checking that all was well.  It was not. 

We only had one bull.  Dave did a walk around to make sure he hadn't missed anything.  Later with Jared's help we got the bull back through the fence.  He was very stubborn.  He could not see our cows and was not wanting to leave the cows he had broken through the fence for.  Jared went up and moved our herd down over the hill so he could see them, as Dave and I tried to move him up.  He had his ears back and snorting looking directly at us.  I was a bit concerned.  Eventually when he saw our herd he was all good to go and trotted up the hill like nothing.  We then fixed the fence.  It was raining and then hot and sunny, then rain again.  We came home and had hot chocolate and watched a movie. 

We have done a few ward service projects this month.  We moved a lady and her kids.  It was pouring rain.  Pouring driving rain! And only 3 of us there to help.  That was not fun.  But later our house almost flooded.  If Dave had not been downstairs at literally the exact moment he was it could have been a big disaster.  He felt it was very much a blessing of helping this family move earlier in the day. 

Ward clean of the church.  Also not a lot came.  Usually our ward is amazing at service projects, I guess lots of other things were going on.  We were fed tacos then got in and cleaned. Dave and I took the chapel.  Apparently our job took longer than most others.  At the end we had a few people coming in to help us finish up.  Party in the chapel. :)

Also a ward adult party we attended.  It held at our friend the Holland's.  Great pulled pork and so many many salads.  I chose just 3 to try and they were great choices.  We were about to leave when Crystal said we needed to play a game.  I don't love games, but she convinced me.  It was so fun.  4 Square volleyball.  Great for any age and any number of people, basic rules, easy and you rotate in and out constantly so no waiting around and can add people of leave whenever.  Glad I stayed.  We found it fairly cheap in town and Dave picked it up the next day so we can play this summer with the kids. 

Dinner with the Puzey's was nice.  I really enough this dinner out with just the siblings and Myrna.  This is our second year and we will continue to do it.  I feel we get to talk and be together with out the kids is so lovely.  Kids are great too, but smaller and no distraction is nice sometimes. 

Got the boy's flight plans.  He will be arriving Sept 18th and we are beyond excited.  He doesn't want to talk about it much.  Just wants to focus and work hard his last 3 months.  He said he is not getting trunky.  He will make the most of every last day.  He also got a new companion which is a huge blessing.  He was telling a few stories and it was rougher than he was letting on.  Did say it was nice to have someone that followed the rules for a change. Rip! There is an Elder Smith from Nevada in his apartment that has saved Blake's sanity. Blake also got a new MP at the end of the month.  He has only had a zoom district meeting with him and is not sure he will see him much before he leave. 

The girls and families are both doing well.  Braydon's recovery has been great and their jobs are going well.  Leah always has fun stories for us.  Patient care is a whole other world.  It is fun when we can talk together about what crazy things went down.  Ammon and Cora found out they were having a girl.  Two little girls together, we are excited.  And their project is pretty much on schedule despite a few set backs.  They will be moving down south again right around the time the baby is born.  Leah is very excited to have her sister back close for a while. 

It has been a grand and glorious June.  Time continues to march on. Have a blessed day!