Pleasant Grove Fair

 The little towns around here have fairs that are fun to go to.  A few weeks ago we went to the fair in Pleasant Grove.  Reggie had a lot of fun.

 He especially loved the carousel.  "YeHaw" he says, as the carousel goes around and around.

What a cute little guy he is!

Visitors and additions

 We've been doing a few little things to our house lately.  We had a fan and a screen door installed.

 Alan is the installer.  After Alan finished up and went home to change his clothes,  Anita called and asked if we should all go out to dinner together.  We wanted to and decided to go to the Cracker Barrel in Springville.  The food was yummy, the company fun, and it's always nice to browse around in the shop.

 We met up with the Phairs at the Crepe place in Orem for lunch.  The crepes there are so good.  The Phairs are good friends who served their mission at the same time and same place as we did.  In fact, we flew over on the same plane and since we were both setting up centers for young adults, we had a lot of contact.  We would call each other on the phone and talk about problems and solutions, we would work on programs together, we would share good recipes and ideas for games and activities for the young adults.  We also got to go on some awesome senior outings with them.  Larry actually served his first mission in France as a young man.  Then they went to Amien, France for their first senior mission.  Their next mission was in Brussels.  Now they want to serve another mission.  They are hoping to go to Amien again.  They did a lot of good there and would like to continue their work.  They put their papers in and had been waiting for a long time for their call.  Finally, last friday they got their call.  They will be serving in the Paris, France Mission just as they wanted to.  We will see if they go to Amien or not.  What a wonderful couple they are.  We are so glad that they are our friends.

 When we lived in Texas we became good friends with this wonderful couple, The Pettys who lived just up the street from us.  Their sweet, young daughter Meredith died in a tragic accident while vacationing in Mexico.  She was great friends with our Andrea and also with Dani.  She was our friend too and we love her soooooo much.  The entire community was shocked and saddened at her passing.  I am in awe of the way this great family has acted throughout this horrible ordeal.  They have certainly had a difficult time, but they also have always been positive and supportive of one another and their other children.  They have leaned on the Lord and trusted in Him.  They have never blamed God.  They have continued their life serving the Lord and encouraging others to do the same.  They are strong and good and great examples to everyone they come in contact with.
We are sad that we don't live near them anymore and were thrilled when they came her to attend a wedding and we got to spend an evening and then a day and another evening with them.  In the afternoon we went to Mutual Dell for a picnic.  It is so beautiful there and it was so cool and peaceful.  We loved it and we loved spending a little bit of time with them and with Haley, their granddaughter.

 Haley is a cutie and as smart as can be.  She just made herself comfortable and had a great day with us and we with her.  We love all of the Pettys'.

Ballet and Scouts

 My cute little great granddaughter Tatum was in a real ballet.  It wasn't just a recital, but the ballet Swan Lake.  She was a little bunny and did such a cute job.  I don't remember seeing bunnies in this ballet before, but all of the little bunnies were as cute as could be.  You can tell by her smile that she just loved dressing up and dancing.

 Spencer got his Arrow of Light, the highest award in cub scouting.  Now he is a real Scout.  He earned more awards than any of the other boys in his troop.  Way to go Spence.

Here he is pinning his Mom.  

I remember the first time we went to an Eagle Scout Court of Honor I thought it was such a nice gesture that the Mom's got a pin too. I thought that it was the boys who did all the work and that really they were the ones who earned the award.  Then I had 2 Eagle Scouts myself and I learned that, yes the boys do a lot of work and most of the work, but that the Mom's deserve that Eagle pin too.  I remember doing (helping) and encouraging a lot.  It is a great honor for the boys to be Eagle Scouts and I hope T and S become Eagles.  I think they will.

New blog and Alec's crash

Hello.  This is my new blog and I have lots to catch up on.  I will begin with Alec's crash which is the most dramatic and scary event that has happened.

On June 30th Alec and 2 of his buddies, Tol and Nathan, and Tol's Dad, Les, went flying.  They flew up to Stanley in Idaho, landed and went hiking.  After hiking and eating lunch they took off again.  They were doing fine at first, but couldn't get quite enough altitude when a downdraft got the plane and pushed it went down.  As they were going down Les, the pilot, said ,"brace yourselves". The plane plummeted through trees and then rolled a few times, landing on it's roof.  Alec and Tol got out with scrapes, bruises, and cuts. They then pulled out Nathan and Les.  Alec triaged them. Natan had cuts, scrapes, a concussion, and a cut on his spleen.  Les was the worse with multiple breaks (face, jaw, cheek bones, ribs etc).  He also had a concussion.  Alec and Nathan then gave them a Priesthood Blessing.  Soon emergency help arrived.  They had to clear the area by chopping down trees, brush, etc.  to make room for the medi-vac helicopter to land.   Les and Nathan were air lifted to the hospital while Alec and Tol got to ride in the ambulance to the hospital.  It is really a huge miracle that they are all alive, that they are well, that the airplane didn't explode.  I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for preserving the life of my son and the others.  I am really, really grateful and thank Him every day.
Alec was interviewed by quite a few people; the forest dept, sheriff's dept, paramedics, international transportation dept in Seattle (flew in) and I don't know who else.  They all said to him that they (the plane passenger's) can't even imagine how lucky they are.  They said that they normally go to a crash site like this and pick up body parts.  I know it was more than luck.  It was a heavenly intervention.  They were being protected.  I still can't believe it happened.

When I asked Alec how he felt as they were going down he said that he felt calm and at peace.  He always felt that they would be fine.  That is so unusual.  People who are about to crash usually feel panic and fear and yet he felt calm and peaceful.  He also said that it was the power of the priesthood that saved them all.

Oh how grateful I am for the Priesthood and the power of the Priesthood.  How grateful I am that Alec has been living his life well so that he could use that power to help others.  It is so wonderful to know that we have a Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ who love us and know us and watch over us.
 
All 4 of the guys are doing great.  Even Les came home from the hospital less than a week after his extensive surgery.  He is home and recovering well.