Mt Lassen Excursion

This past weekend 7 of our 8 children and their families gathered at Mt. Lassen to climb the volcano. Malcolm has been wanting to get the children together to climb for a while and this weekend worked for most of the families. I could not go because of my leg and knee, but thanks to the photographers in the family there were some wonderful photos. This one was thanks to Amanda. We had Russell, Dan & Brad, and Brian, Deb, Rachel & Matt at our home Friday night. It was so much fun to have them here so I could see them before the climb. Dan and Brad came in from Utah on the train and Russ and Brian and their family drove up. We had dinner together and visited and caught up. Valerie and Don hosted Todd, Billie, Andrew, Brittany and Sarah and Mike and Annette with Josh, Natalie and Chilly. I understand everyone made it as far as the trail went, then came down and had lunch and played together. Looks like it was a perfect day! Great effort Family!

Our hikers, From Back to front: Brian,Todd, Daniel, Russell, Michael, Valerie, Amanda & Malcolm

Malcolm's 50th High School Reunion

This weekend we traveled with Jack & Mary McCormick to Malcolm's 50th High School Reunion for Sonoma Valley High School in Sonoma. We called our friends in Sonoma, Jim and Judy Adams who graciously invited us both to stay in their home. We had a great time for the two day event. There was a reception in one of the classmates home Friday evening, a tour of the updated high school Saturday morning and a dinner Saturday evening at a Culinary School in Sonoma. Everything was nice the all of the students were fun, friendly and very well behaved and enjoyable to socialize with. In between activities we had wonderful visits with the Adams too - just visiting and laughing and recalled past fun times with them. They have a beautiful home up in the hills of Sonoma so we actually saw deer outside the windows. It was a memorable weekend, especially for Malcolm and Mary who were the reunion students!

Malcolm, Patsy, Jack & Mary

The table decorations were pictures of the students on cubes and a dragon on the center cube (The mascot for the school) There is large statue at the high school.

A message from President Monson

http://www.youtube.com/mormonmessages

Our Visit to Idaho Falls

Malcolm & I drove to Idaho Falls to visit with Amy, Trent, Rylie, Madison, Alexis & JT for the girl's birthdays. Malcolm helped with some fence repair and cutting of weeds at their new home. I helped Amy with some projects around the house and we both made Fall wreaths. We had a dinner out and went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair. We have never seen so many people and a lots of families with strollers. We had a great visit with them! We got to meet some of their friends and their favorite babysitter too.

Madison's Cake
Rylie's Cake

Madison's birthday Dora

Rylie's Little Pony

Grandpa Playing with Rylie, Mady, Alexis & JT

Grandpa & JT Crusin'

Rachel's Birthday

Lots of family and friends gathered in Napa at Brian and Deb's for Rachel's Birthday celebration!. They had bounce house, pinata, trampoline and tons of fun things for the children to do. It was really HOT so many of us stayed inside and the kids played WII games and we visited, & took pictures. There was delicious food prepared for us and cake with ice cream and all the toppings. It was a great day and Rachel was sweet and appreciative of all her gifts and enjoyed all her guests!

Tomato Soup & Pears

Some of the results of peaches and pears canned in the last couple of days. I still have a couple of boxes of pears to can and dehydrate, but this is a start and we are happy about having canned fruit put away for winter!

Our friends and neighbors, the Stewarts gave us a couple of buckets of tomatoes so today I made tomato soup - 16 pints. It is a great feeling to add to our storage for the winter months! It took me most of the day because you need to skin tomatoes, cook them with celery & onions, then put them through a sieve so it will be smooth. It was well worth the time spent. Thank you Stewarts!

To Malcolm

A big thanks and lots of love to my husband, Malcolm who is so thoughtful, loving and helps me so much! I am very blest and am truly grateful for all we have together!

Pears

We just purchased four 36lb boxes of pears so in the next week so so I will be canning, drying and making pear butter. This has been a huge project for our stake, but a very worthwile effort so we can all get some fruit canned for winter and we love pears! There was quite a lot of work collecting money and calling everyone who ordered, but it is now done and Malcolm was wonderful to assist with the unloading of the pear truck and helping the sisters put pears into their cars.

Gram Weston's Memories

Mike and Annette came over today to interview Gram Weston and write her personal history. It was fun and interesting as Mike asked Gram questions about her life- there lots of chuckles. They are going to start compliling histories for people. Annette is a court reporter and has all the equipment to make this project just a little easier. Gram recalled some fun and entertaining moments from her life, but couldn't remember some that Malcolm could vividly remember.. It will be interesting to read the finished history of her life. We enjoyed the day!

Updated Scooter

Rachel and Matt love the homemake scooter that Malcolm's Dad made when our children were young. Over the years a face was put on my Amanda and Amy and has faded so this week Rachel and Matt repainted the face and Malcolm tightened some bolts. They have spent part of every day riding it up and down the street and to the park. What delightful children! We have had a week of fun, giggles and just pure enjoyment! Thanks Brian and Deb!

Matt and Rachel with the repainted scooter (40+ years old)

Brian and his cousin Erik riding the scooter at Grandpa and Grandma Weston's home years ago and before the face was added - what wonderful memories!

Matt & Rachel

We have had Rachel and Matthew this past week and had some fun activities! Today we joined with Amanda and her children and went to the movies together! Then Kael and Adon came home with us. We picked up some cheesburgers for lunch and the kids played games, watched movies, played on the scooter and really had fun together.

Gram Eastland

My Mom has been sick with a cough and infection for a couple of weeks and spent a couple of days in the hospital. She got sick while my Aunt Lois and Uncle Lou were there so they stayed until Steve took her over to his home to watch over her. They called the home health care nurse who said she needed to be in the hospital so she was taken there and given another dose of antibotics and some oxygen and is finally back at Steve and Erin's where they are taking really good care of her. She is doing much better today when I spoke to her on the phone. She is still getting visits from the home health care nurse and will probably be at Steve & Erins for 10 days to 2 weeks.

Live Oak City Council - Dad was appointed

We had a very exciting evening! Dad flew home Monday for an interview with the Live Oak City Council as he was one of the eight applicants for the open city council seat. Tonight we attended the council meeting and he was presented by one of the council and they all voted for him to fill the seat. Tyler attended with us and we were just delighted for Malcolm's appointment. He has the time, the experience, insight and the expertise to be a great asset to the council. Anyway - I just wanted to share the success of my sweetheart!

Swearing in to the City Council Seat
Standing behind his new seat

Sitting in council with other member of the city Council in Live Oak

Trip to Tillamook, Oregon

Tillamook Air Museum
A special 100 year celebration quilt hanging in the restaurant

Malcolm and I and Gram Weston took a road trip to Tillamook, Oregon to visit with Todd and Billie. We took the trip in two days and Kathy, Erik & Lisa joined us on Saturday. We all had a great time together. Todd was in the process of remodeling his living room, so he and Dad worked on some shelves with glass doors. We all ate out, went to the ocean, took in the Tillamook 100 year celebration, visited the Tillamook Air Museum & the beach. Todd works for Tillamook Cheese Co so he made it a lot of fun and we ate a LOT of ice cream, cheese and bought some interesting and fun things in the store. We also saw and tasted all they had to offer. You will note the interesting cheese "Bug" that we had our picture taken with. They had cute buttons, tasting tables, and lots of things to see. Also we noticed all the beautiful hanging flowers all over town. They have special truck with a water tank and a watering device which goes all over town and waters the flowers every day. We enjoyed the setting of Todd and Billie's new little home and had some fun helping with some of their projects. Todd took us all out to breakfast for my birthday celebration at the Tillamook restaurant so we packed a lot into our time. Malcolm flew home for some business and Gram W. and I drove back and stopped to have lunch with Val & Don's family on our way back. GREAT WEEK!
Todd and Billie in Front of their new home
Mom and Dad
Billie and Todd
The beautiful hanging flowers all over Tillamook
I couldn't resist taking a picture of Dad hanging out the window
Mr. Tillamook and Mom
Breakfast with all of us for my birthday!
a special display in the Tillamook store with the 100 year seal
Just a lovely sun kissed hillside
The Sun shining on a beautiful grove of trees.

Canning Tomatoes

I canned Salsa and chili sauce today with some tomatoes given to us by our friends Anne and Lowell. It was hot, but worth it.


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Happy July Birthdays to Miles, Alex,Todd, Billie, Amanda, Annette, Andrew Justin & Anniversary to Dan and Kristina. We have a busy July!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy 30th Birthday, Amanda

Happy Birthday on your 30th, Amanda. You have been a delight to us all your life. You have accomplished so much in your 30 years. We love you so very much! We wish you joy and happiness in your years to come!