The Farmer Has Arrived......

Early Friday morning I hit the road for Las Vegas.

After two long weeks without The Farmer, he decided it was time to join us.

He flew into Las Vegas, which gave us the chance to see a couple of shows.

Vegas was packed with people, and extreemly hot......but the shows were great!

Cher was good. The music was alot of fun!

The theater was packed.....the crowd was lively......which made for a fun evening.


Even if you are not a follower of Cher....which we are not.....

it was a fun show.


Friday evening we saw Donny & Marie.....

It was a fun filled two hours of songs you could sing along with, great dancing,

and alot of laughs. Really most of the laughs came for the audience.....

(The Farmer and I were the youngest ones there....)

Some audience members were beyond thrilled to see Donny in person....and thus the laughs!

The theater was great! Every seat was good. It really was an excellent show.

They are quite the entertainers....

If you watched The Donny & Marie Show......back in the day....

(and I am not saying that I did.....) okay, so I watched the show....every Friday night,
You will really enjoy the evening.

They closed the show with "May Tomorrow Be A Perfect Day...."

which most people who were there could sing along too. It was good fun!

Vegas just wouldn't be Vegas without an Elvis sighting.....

at the local mall;)

which..p.s.......never closed!

It was pretty impressive to find everything open

at 1:00am!

Friday, after Donny & Marie....we caught a late showing of the Cirque "Beatles" show.

The Farmer is a big fan of The Beatles and so this was a highlight of the trip.

It was really fantastic and amazing!

Great music.....incredible acrobatics.....very well done.

All in all, it was a great little trip for us. I told The Farmer that most of our traveling is

work related.....it was nice to just have a little fun......"just for fun."

We returned to Provo to find Auntie and The Darlings perfectly in tact. They had a great

weekend too. Everyone was happy.....the condo was clean.....it was a lovely weekend for all!

This week we dropped off The Boy at EFY. As I was leaving I gave him a hug

and said...."Hey Boy....I love you..." to which he replied.....

"Mom....I'll call you when I run out of money.."

Pretty tender don't you think???

The Rooster started Basketball Camp...along with a couple of dear friends from home.

Preshie.....she began her week of "Summer Scholars".....her English courses which she is loving.

It is great to have The Farmer with us....we really missed him.

Sunday Afternoon......

Sunday afternoon, after attending church....which p.s. The Darlings were the only, and I do mean only teenagers in the place....(we'll be attending another ward next week) anyway, we decided that an afternoon drive in the canyon would be in order. It was Father's Day....we were missing The Farmer, so we drove. Auntie came along too.

I must have said the word beautiful something like a gazillion times...The Darlings were

beginning to mock me. But seriously, it is fantastically beautiful in Utah right now.

It made me think of a quote.....

"they cannot fully comprehend its presence, for they new not its absence."

And so "Utah" can you possibly really understand what you have here????

Every yard is manicured. Flowers blooming, grass cut....landscaped to perfection.

Just a little side note......

The rest of the world isn't like this! Certainly some neighborhoods are lovely,

but not like Utah....the beautiful gardens are not the exception....they are the rule.

Thank you......you Utah people....who make this place exceptional!

Our drive began in Provo Canyon....which I might add was FULL of celebrations....

lots of fishing, hiking and picnics......hummmmm.

(I'm not judging....)

Anyway, we found ourselves in Midway. I have always loved Midway, but I hadn't been there in years....wow has it developed. We found this great barn on the edge of Deer Creek.

It was fun to read the history of the barn.

We visited The Homestead. The flowers were beyond fantastic!

We walked around to the garden in the back....you can tell by this picture...the state of The Darlings by this point. The Boy is always good for a smile...PreShie was just irritated...if I remember right, irritated by The Boy....and The Rooster was just mad, and wouldn't turn around for the photo. Some interesting quotes were overheard....(spoken by The Darlings)... like...."hey look at those huge ducks just sitting there.....get a rock quick!"

By The Boy...

"Mom, this spot (above) is where I am going to propose to my wife!"

Mom: "Really, what if you don't live here at that time?"

The Boy: "Well then we will just drive from where ever we are, and come back here."

Mom: "That is really cute....maybe you won't feel the same in like 10 years..."

The Boy: "Oh yes I will!!!.....what????.....10 years???"






Another beautiful barn......

I do love a great barn!

We are so enjoying our time here in Utah! I carry my camera with me everywhere I go,

the photo opportunities are endless!

Saturday....And.....Lobo Football...

After hours and hours of driving a group of The Boys friends and fellow team members,

arrived in Provo for a 7 on 7 tournament.

Schools from all over Utah also arrived and the morning was spent....in the sun....

watching the boys win a few and loose a few. The morning was

beautiful. A couple of the boys had never been to Provo and commented on what a

beautiful and special place that it is.


The tournamnet was a touch tournament, something that they don't have too much experience in, but they did well. It was a great opportunity and a great learning experience.

JSA Lobos....

(or a few of them anyway....)

The Rooster in on his way....actually in the air as I type....we can't wait for him

to arrive! Auntie has moved to her new apartment....so sad about that......she will start school on Monday. New camps will begin Monday......

Lots of new experiences are happening here this summer!

Two Days....Two Countries And Three States Later......

This trip has been in the making for months!

The Darlings are all old enough now to participate in summer camps at BYU.....

and so.....Two days.....many hours.....two countries and three states later we arrived in

Provo to begin our Summer vacation. We picked up Auntie Beth in Mesa.....she

is moving to Utah to begin school.....we left The Rooster behind with The Farmer....

(he needed to finish school) and took off on a long trip!

I hadn't been through Northern Arizona for several years....and it did not disappoint!

It was fantastically beautiful.

The last time the kids had been through this area...they were really too young to appreciate it.

I am not sure that they appreciated it this time.....but they noticed.

Always a favorite stop.....

the Navajo Indian jewerly stands....

The Boy was the "DJ" for the trip....he kept us in some pretty good tunes for a good part

of the drive. It was fun to drive along with The Boy....we had many great discussions....

I like him!

Found some Buffalo along the way......

met Grandpa and Grandma S.......along with way......

It rained a good part of the trip....it was pretty darn cold when we arrived in Provo....

not what we were expecting....but it was beautiful!

Monday morning found...PreShie in Basketball camp....and The Boy in Football camp.
The first day she sprained her ankle.....

thankfully not too bad and she was playing again the next day.

Monday....The Boy began his football camp. This is what he learned......

He isn't as large as he thought he was....

It really hurts when you go up against a guy around 5 times your size....

The BYU team trainers are really great to have around....

Coach Mendenhall is a great man and it feels good when he notices you and says

"Good Job"

The dorm food isn't too good....

Working hard and feeling sore at the end of the week is a good thing!

Monday Basketball will start for The Boy....he is excited about that.

Monday PreShie began Basketball camp....This is what she learned....

She is not as tall as she feels most of the time....

Again...the dorm food....not that great...

That a sprained ankle....on the first day.....won't keep you from playing....

You should really shave you legs BEFORE you tape you ankle...

That she really does enjoy basketball more than she is willing to admitt.

Next Monday she will be attening EFY.

And if you are wondering what I learned this week while The Darlings were busy......

Roses bloom in Provo like no where else! It is amazing!

The Brick Oven is still the best!

It hails in Provo...and a person can run really fast when they need to move their car...

I've had alot of opportunity to reflect on great memories....of an earlier life in Provo.

I miss The Farmer and The Rooster!

.........

The Rooster will arrive Saturday....The Farmer...next week.

It's going to be a wonderful summer!

Messages From The Chalkboard.....

The Farmer has been working on this "masterpiece" for a few days....

everytime he passes it he makes a few changes....

Rooster came into the house Saturday saying...."Blessed are the PEACHmakers.....what???"

Well, he glanced quickly at a piece of paper where "Blessed are the PEACEmakers" was written and mis-read it......funny......

The Farmer loved it!

Mi Hijo Marco, left his note....about the Strippling Warriors....

It touched my heart.....

Everyone Needs A Picket Fence....

I LOVE a picket fence!

It doesn't matter if it is new...or if it is old...

There are a few fences around town that I have kept my eye on for many years.

One was built by a lady named Agnes Bluth. The fence stood for many many years on

a piece of land where her home once was. The home is gone....

a few of the trees she planted still stand....and recently her old picket fence...

that she made with her hands...was taken down because a new fence was put in it's

place. Although the new fence was greatly needed....it was sad to see the old one go.

Another fence I have enjoyed watching through the years is about 3 blocks from

my home. Again, it was built many many years ago by someone who settled this area.

Now it is falling down...

Covered with climbing roses that haven't been care for in a long time and alot of weeds.

I am guessing that the roses were planted by the same people who put up the fence.

We call the roses...."Pioneer Roses"

The Farmer's Mother says, that the years ago this town was covered with

"Pioneer Roses" now the are not so present. Only about 3-4 houses still have them.

My hope....this upcoming Winter....is to take starts from the existing roses,

and plant them around my home. They are beautiful!



A picket fence warms a home....

I have longed for a picket fence....really to keep the dogs out of my garden.

And finally.....the picket fence is in place!

(it always helps when the parents come for a visit....)

I am THRILLED!!

Something very simple has brought me alot of joy!

On one corner of the fence, I planted Wisteria....my hope is that soon....

it will grow and climb all over the new fence.

Now the question....

To paint or not to paint?????

Do we paint it white.....or leave it natural???

The Farmer isn't a fan or painting fences...he says

"Once your paint...you always have to paint....again...and again...."

Me on the other hand would love the fence to be white.....

What do you think?