Summer Fun!

It is probably time to update my blog since Marshall has been in Mexico for 6 months now and the last time I blogged he had just received his call to serve in the Villahermosa Mexico Mission. We hear from him every Monday and he loves serving in Mexico. If Marshall has been out in the mission field for 6 months that means Brooke has been home from Argentina for 6 months. Hard to believe how fast time goes by.
Brooke is working as a CNA as she finishes her biology degree at Utah State.

We had a wonderful surprise when Paul told us that he had accepted a job here in ND, so they moved here about a month ago. It has been so much fun having Avery close by, and now with new baby brother Cam Grandpa and I are super happy.

We had a quick but fun trip to Utah at the end of July after Taylor finished participating in the SPA production of Sweeny Todd! What a fabulous job the kids did. While in Utah Taylor was able to work with poppy and learned how to use his lathe. He made several really nice bowls. What a great experience for him.

See you in another 6 months :) just kidding hopefully it won't be that long!

The Mission Call

Marshall received his mission call to the Villahermosa Mexico Mission.

He will be leaving on 16 February 2011 just two weeks before Brooke returns from her mission in Argentina.

I just wanted to learn how to swim!

In January I decided to swallow my pride and I started going to an adult swim class to learn how to do the front crawl better. After the first couple of times I didn't know if I could do it or not. Jeff told me that I had to go 5 times before I could decide whether I wanted to quit or not. I continued like he said and eventually started to really enjoy swimming. I think the swim instructor Jane Hudzol took me on as her summer project. After I learned how to swim she talked me into training for the base triathlon. I told her that I might try, but I knew I really wasn't going to. I have never ran in my life and I had just learned to swim.
Well, I have now been training for the base triathlon for about 8 weeks with a training group. It was a great experience, and I met a lot of new people. On Thursday 16 July we all went out to dinner to "carb" load before the big day.
I didn't sleep much last night, so I was not sure if I had it in me to finish.
We had to swim 400 M, bike 12 miles, and run a 5K. I thought I had my counting right, but my timer didn't say anything to me until I was out the door and at my bike. Apparently I still had a lap to go. I was pretty mad that they had let me get so far away from the pool. I just about gave up, but I didn't. I got back in the pool and finished. I am so glad I did!

It started to rain part way through the bake portion of the race. There was lightening so I thought they might call the race, but it started to clear up and by the end it was sunny again.

I was the oldest competitor to do the whole race. There was one guy older than me, but he was on a relay team and only ran. I definitely think I should have gotten a special award!

Your're A Good Man Charlie Brown

Taylor played Charlie Brown in the Summer Performing Arts production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. He did a fabulous job!

Who's counting?

Brooke has been on her mission almost 7 months! I miss her but the time has just flown by. She is happy and healthy and loves the people in Argentina. She has been in San Luis since she arrived, but was recently transferred to Mendoza. She fell into a 6' deep canal one day when it was raining so hard that they couldn't tell the difference between the sidewalk and the street, and a week later they were caught in another bad storm and she said they were wetter than when they fell in the canal. This is a picture of the canal they fell into.

Brittney and Paul both graduated from BYUI on 9 April 2010. Britt in Special Ed, and Paul in Mechanical Engineering. It seems like Britt has been in school for a long time, but since having Avery her class load was reduced for a few semesters. Aside from that we are so proud of her. She passed her portfolio board with no recommendations! and also her student teaching. They said she was very professional. Way to go Britt!

Jeff and I had so much fun with Avery. She is so cute and so smart. She looked at me one day and said, "Grandma, you have blue eyes." I knew she talked alot but was a bit surprised when she said that. She will be two in August. She loves reading books, and spent a good deal of time on Grandpa's lap doing that. We can't wait to see her again (Britt and Paul too) and hope they will make it home for Marshall's graduation in May.

Curb Side Drop Off

Brooke, (Hermana Deem) as she is now known, entered the MTC on Wed 23 Sept 2009 at 12:45 pm just two days after her 21st birthday.

The rules have change for dropping off missionaries. Each missionary gets one car of people to take them in. They have an assigned time to be dropped off, and you literally get as much time at the curb as it takes two Elders to unload their bags from your car. We weren't there 3 minutes.

We had of course said our goodbyes and had taken our last pictures before we drove through the gate. She was so excited and ready to finally be going on her mission that it was exciting for me as well. She will be an amazing missionary.

A few hours after I said good bye to Brooke, I had to say good bye to Brittney and baby Avery again. It was so much fun having them come to be with Brooke for her birthday and then go to the MTC with her.

Brooke will be in the MTC until the last part of November then off to Mendoza Argentina.

Mission Call

Brooke got her mission call today when she was home at lunch, went back to work, got off work and drove from Logan, Utah to Rexburg, Idaho to open it with her sister and us on Britt's web cam. She will be serving in the Argentina Mendoza Mission leaving on 23 Sep 2009. That is so soon! We are so excited for her. It is finally a reality after so many years of preparing. She will be an amazing missionary!
We love you Brooke