we spoke at a fireside at Oakcrest girl's camp

Dear family
as part of dad Stake Pres. assignment we had the opportunity to attend Oakcrest girls camp for one evening and share some stories and testimony with them at a little devotional that we devided off into stakes--it was a good night and the girls were so attentive and listened really well to what we were sharing---the music the girls sang was so beautiful and bryan has a way of really captivating their attention
I was never so proud of him in any talk as the one he shared that night--the spirit was strong. Part of what I shared was a the words to a song that Brianne wrote for the theme at oakcrest --a few years back--I took a picture with one of brianne's friends "ink" they all have nicknames and ink's girls--we drove up with glen and lori steadman--who were also going--some of the pictures are us stopping to eat a sandwich by the river--it was a great night--

hikes are out--painting ceilings is in...

Dear family--I was hoping to be posting pictures of a hike --but instead this week we textured the some of the ceilings--primed them with paint and painted them with regular paint--a three day process but they look so much better--we were really happy
(but very tired)...but we are on the mend--even the little girls got in on the help--(:

happy birthday --stephen

July 6th
Happy Birthday Stephen--you are such a great man--we sent you an email with your birthday top "ten" as we call it--but included in there were qualites we admire about you, ---such as good sense of humor, great laugh, take our teasing, you know your what about bob lines--you are a good support to your children--you get the neighborhood involved in neighborhood bar-b ques you bring people together--you are worthy to go to the temple and honor your preistood and are a spiritual leader, willing to serve--your family and The Lord in any copacity--your are a great person all around--glad we're family
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

family fun on the fourth

dear family --glad for the fun we could have at our last gathering-what fun it was to be mostly all of us together for the July fourth celebration -we enjoyed the fact that our family got a jump start on the festivities starting July 1 when we all headed to the Oakly rodeo and the rental cabin in Oakley--followed the next day with fun at smith morehouse resevoir and food and games, and squirells and walks and chipmunks, and more food, and then the following day, water games and water mellon in the back yard. Dad and I really enjoyed ourselves and your good company--thanks for a fun -we love you all

"cousin camp"--as I have chosen to call it

what fun!!!!!!!!!!
it was to see so many of the little cousins playing together for the past few days--(we missed kaci this go around and talked often how much fun it will be when she gets here next week and the party cousin will continue on--only difference is that the parentals of the cute kids will all be there--taking care of the kids and well be sitting back and smiling -)then after we get some pictures of all 7 cousins I hope -to make a little dvd for each of the cousins--with music behind it and them being together.
I affectionately- dubbed this past week and next week as 'cousin camp' meaning they are spending some time together --then in years to come--I hope to make it an annual or semi-annual event *with or without their parents parents --what ever they are comfortable with--so if they don't mind being left then the parents can have a get away
and we take the kids for 1-or 2 days. maybe we can do some of the same things we did again that we did this past week such as (not pictured cause my computer is old and being weird) so use your imaginations:
*swim, *paint little 5X3 pictures with paint,*cook little pizzas, *go to a play*wade in the wadding pools, *squirt water guns at the cyder block wall, *jump on the trampoline--with and without the sprinkler*learn new stories-read from books*make pudding popcycles,*dance around the front room to music *pet the horses -on the way to the duck pond * feed the ducks at the duck site *make tie dye handkerchiefs *make macaroni and cheese, *make messes (J/K_) *go to riverview park and swing and swing and slide and slide * eat in the back yard--eat in the kitchen --eat in the basement
make a little fire in the firepit *play board games *play the radio--play the piano
*go up and down the sidewalk on rollerskates *play dolls *learn some new songs * go to Carl Jr. for milkshakes and fries *pick strawberries out of the garden, make a milkshake *make popcorn *play cars (and crash cars) *put the green mud,beauty cream on face and cucumbers on the eyes, play house *tell bedtime stories,roast marshmellows, *pet the neighbors doggie*watch movies--*stamps on paper--*carve soap *go in the little space under the deck --grandpa made for kids
and generally--have fun and get spoiled with all the attention grandpa and grandma can muster
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Looking forward to next week too-- I'll update more with some next Sunday after we've been together--then. --it was a pleasure to be around them and hear the funny little things they said--
needless to say--
we didn't just endure--or muddle through--the week truelt we ENJOYED it!!!!!!!
it was an honor to have them. I am a little sad --that the house is too quiet today
hurray home everyone--and make some giggles and noise and sing and breath--and enjoy each other so--its not so quiet--I love a childrens book called "the relatives came" and basically shows cousins of these two families getting together one from virginia and one from somewhere else and how they eat, sleep, play--lounge around together and it always makes me smile--when I think that is what we will be doing together soon. can't wait...

Joseph Smith

It always touches my heart to read about Joseph Smith restoring the gospel and his first vision. Today comemorates the Martydom of he and his brother Hyrum. I often think of the Prophet John Taylor writing down that their was none better than Joseph Smith--Save Jesus Christ.
I have had the opportunity to stand in the Jail room --where he was on Jun 27-1944 and to feel the spirit testify that he gave his life for the true church and I am so thankful for prophets then and now and thankful to be a part of the gospel he restored. I spend quite a bit of time reading about Joseph today and again renewed in my testimony of him.. One thing Joseph often ended his letters to Emma with was his testimony of the gospel and I wanted to write this to my family and end with my testimony of the Gospel --and my testimony of my Savior and of a loving Heavenly father. Praise to the Man who communed with Jehovah--...as the song says--many religions confuse the fact that we worship Joseph--no-- not so --but we revere the things he did to restore the truths and Preistood authority back to the earth as it was in the day of Christ --before the apostasy --how thankful I am for the restoration of all the keys of the kingdom of Heaven in this dispensation.

some memories from J Harold Call

recently I typed up a history I had hand copied out of a book that J Harold had written part of his own history below is an except. I am so thanful Bryan was raised by such a great dad.
the part I'm sharing is when He wrote about how they came to keep a dog-and his birth and his parents.I also remember that a neighbor befriended a black and white dog. She gave the dog to me and to my brother. WE arrived home with the dog. Father and mother did not believe it would actually stay at our home, from the time we brought it home–even till morning. So they made an agreement to let us keep it if it stayed (thinking it would run off). However the dog did stay put and became attached to all of the family. We loved him as a member of the family. His nose and tip of his tail were white as well as his four little paws, but the rest of him was black as I already said. Thus the name of Boots seem to fit him well. When ever we arrived home from being gone he was always glad to greet us. When we finally owned a car the dog would ride between the fender and the engine hood. Each time the car stopped for anything the dog would run off the care and run around the car and then climb back into its place. This could be annoying when the driver stopped for a red light and then it turned green. Sometimes we would have to wait for him to get back into his place on the car ( this is just one excerpt from the history if you want the history in more detail send me your email at lyndacall@gmail.com and I will send you a completed copy)