A Little Stud Colt....

Born this morning around 5 am... a little stud colt!

 Mama and baby are just great!

 Muneca is a wonderful Mom and is taking great care of her little colt.

The Aggie Boy could not be more happy!!

It's a good day on The Farm!

 

Missionary Monday...

 

 The Farmer wanted to know where Sis. Precious was living...

so he Google Mapped it!

 He did the same when the Aggie Boy was serving in London...

It's fun to see where our missionaries are living...

Sis. Precious is 20!

 

 Happy Birthday to our dear Sis. Precious last Saturday!!! ]

Oh my goodness we miss this beauty... She bring so much life to wherever she goes! 

I was telling her through a letter last week, that I couldn't believe that she was 20...and she replied that she felt old and that when she returns from her mission, she will be the ripe old age of 21!

 And then I reminded her that when I served a mission for our church...

the age requirement was 21 and when I returned home I was 23. 

 Then she didn't feel that old anymore!

 

The week before her birthday a Stake Conference was held in her area and the visiting 

General Authority was Elder Daniel Johnson and his wife Leann. They are from our area,

 and Elder Johnson spent years as the Area President of Mexico, working very closely with

 The Farmer. He is a friend and a relative...so when Sis. Precious heard he would

 be attending she was thrilled. We are grateful that he was able to

 take a moment to tell her hello...and snap a quick picture.

   

 I got a quick note from her mission mom on Saturday where she let us know 

that Sis. Precious has been released back to regular missionary work and is 

recovering beautifully from her car accident. She still has things to take care of...but she 

is on the mend. Sis. Jardine also said that she and Pres. Jardine had called Sis. Precious 

early Sat. morning to sing Happy Birthday to her! 

 I thought that was amazing! 

 We are beyond grateful for this beautiful daughter. 

 She blesses us as parents in so many ways! 

 We are especially grateful for her missionary service. 

We think she is pretty special!!! 

We love our Sis. Precious!!

Good-Byes Are Very Hard...

Skinner, Charles AllenCharles Allen Skinner passed away peacefully in his home on October 1, 2014, after a long battle with cancer. 

Charles was born, the second son of Earnest and Mabel Peterson Skinner, October 16, 1942, in Farmington, Utah. The family lived predominantly on the Skinner family ranch located in Nounan, Bear Lake County, Idaho where they ranched and farmed until 1958. Life on the ranch was highly formative on Charles and his siblings. There he learned the meaning of hard work, a love for his family, and a love for basketball. 
In 1958, at the age of 15, the family moved to Mesa, Arizona, though they retained and returned each summer to the ranch in Nounan, Idaho. Charles' immediate family grew to include a total of six brothers and one sister. Earnest and Mabel were devoted parents who instilled a devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ in their children. 

After moving to Mesa, Charles first met the love of his life, Vicki Osborn. Charles attended Mesa High School, where he played basketball for the school team and dated Vicki, graduating in 1961. Charles served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Peru, Andes Mission serving between November 1961 and May 1964 where he learned to speak Spanish fluently. 
Charles courtship of Vicki was ultimately successful and they were married in the Mesa, Arizona Temple October 24, 1964. Charles played basketball for and pursued his education at Mesa Community College and Utah State University finally achieving a masters degree from Arizona State University. His education led to his certification as a teacher. He returned to Mesa High School where he taught biology, physical education, human anatomy and coached basketball. He was a skilled coach and an exceptionally gifted teacher who loved the sciences and loved sharing the wonders of the natural world with more than forty years of high school students. He was a man of science and man of God and believed passionately that the two were not incompatible. 

Charles and Vicki were blessed with eight children, two daughters and six sons (one son died at birth). Charles loved and served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints all of his life. He genuinely loved people, both the thousands of students he taught (and coached) as well as the many who he met and served through his church responsibilities. He was fun-loving, energetic and compassionate. He touched deeply and influenced greatly the lives of many. Charles was an unashamed disciple of Jesus Christ. He leaves a legacy of love, faithfulness, service, devotion and honor.

Through the faith, prayers and skillful care of many doctors, Charles' life was miraculously extended despite being diagnosed with a terminal blood cancer in 1987. Charles and Vicki were serving as full-time missionaries in Wisconsin when he was diagnosed with lymphoma requiring their return home for treatment.
Charles is preceded in death by his parents Earnest and Mabel Skinner, son Jonathan Skinner, grandson Colton Jones and granddaughter Gracie Jones.

He is survived by his wife and sweetheart of fifty years Vicki Osborn Skinner and his children Rachelle Jones (Kelly), Matthew (Kim), Nathan (Jennifer), Benjamin (Amy), A. Heath (Cedar), Stuart, Bethany Woodruff (Colton) and twenty grandchildren (with one additional granddaughter due soon). Charles is also survived by his siblings Morgan, Steve, Joel, David, Shauna Clark and Daniel.

A viewing will be held Friday, October 10, 2014, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 2334 E. Pueblo Ave, Mesa, AZ 85204.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 10:00 am (viewing from 9:00 am to 9:45 am) at 2334 E. Pueblo Ave, Mesa, AZ 85204.
Interment will occur immediately following the funeral services at approximately 12:00 pm at the Mesa, Arizona Cemetery 1212 N. Center Street, Mesa, Arizona 85201 

Today

Missionary Monday...

Monday's are a joy! 

It was so great to hear from Sis. Precious today. 

She is recovering beautifully from her car accident, but is still not able to work full 

time as a missionary. She will soon have a follow-up MRI and hopefully will be 

back to work full time. She is still so sweet and so happy to be serving a mission! 

 Her letters are such a treat and are so fun to read! 

We love our Sis. Precious!

 

Very Unusual...And...Very Sweet!

Not too long ago, The Aggie Boy came home for a visit. 

 We do love it when he comes home! Our days were filled with fun activities and lots of delicious food. 

 One evening we decided that Tacos were in order and we headed off to a 

favorite taco location. We ate... we laughed...we ate some more and just enjoyed being together! 

As often happens during dinner in our area, young Tarahumara Indian girls come to the 

tables asking for money. They are not native to our community, but have come here 

over the years because they are having a difficult time surviving in the mountain 

areas where they are from. They beg for change, or whatever 

someone may be willing to given them.

 

So as we were finishing with our dinner, two little girls approached our table asking for money. 

 The Farmer asked them if they were hungry, to which they replied "yes." 

 We gathered together a few tacos that had not been eaten and offered them to the girls. 

 They stood at the edge of our table and began to eat. 

It was very obvious that they were VERY hungry. 

 The Farmer signaled for the waiter to bring more tacos and a few sodas. And they ate.... 

A few minutes passed and a few more little indian girls arrived, when asked, they 

too confirmed that they were very hungry and so more tacos were ordered. 

 We all moved around the table and made space for them to join us...thinking that 

there was no way they would actually sit with us to eat...but we were in for a very big surprise! 

 The sat with us and they ate! Very unusual! 

I have never seen anything like this in all the years that I have lived in this area. 

 The Tarahumara Indians are very shy. 

 It is unheard of to actually have them sit and eat with you.

 

After a few more minutes...another few little girls arrived at the table and began to eat. 

 We ended up with 8 little indian girls at our table.  

The Farmer requested all the tacos that they could eat. 

 The Rooster went to the salad bar and loaded plates full of lettuce, cucumber and limes.

 They ate every last piece of lettuce that he brought to the table. It was amazing to watch! 

 The more they ate...the happier they got and soon they were all talking and laughing! 

It was a sweet sight. After sometime had passed, the mother of some of the young 

girls came looking for them, wondering why they had not returned. 

 She stood at a distance close enough to see them but not too close as to be approached. 

 After a few minutes we carried a few tacos to her, so that she too might eat. 

It was such a special experience for our family to have!

 

A Wrecked Rooster...

I am currently visiting The Grandparents S. in AZ. 

 The Grandpa is fighting a very valiant fight against cancer, and some days are better than others...

but he is doing his best to be strong and brave. I am so thankful that The Farmer and The Rooster are holding things together on the home front so I could spend a few days here with The Grandparents. 

It has been a really nice visit. This time is also allowing me to catch up on a few delayed posts. 

The Aggie Boy and a very sweet friend of his, came home for a visit a week ago. 

 When he comes home...he brings alot of energy with him! 

It is a treat to have him around!

 

 The Rooster really enjoyed having his brother home. 

The Rooster recently wrecked his motorcycle and it left a few marks behind;) 

Which required a trip to the Dr. A lecture from the Dr. (who also treated The Aggie Boy 

when he...on more than one occasion... wrecked his motorcycle too! 

 It also required a trip to the pharmacy and a few different medications. 

Thankfully he didn't break anything...

"She Will Be Just Fine..."

Early this morning my phone rang. 

(I am in the states visiting the Grandparents S. with Grandpa having some health issues.) 

 Anyway, when I answered the call, I was greeted by Pres. Jardine, 

Sis. Precious' mission president. He called to assure us that she was well...very sore...but well. 

 "She will be just fine..." he said "and we love her very much!" 

I love him for calling this morning, to ease the worry of a Mother's Heart. 

 I love him for leaving his family to serve the Lord and to serve Sis. Precious...

I love him...

because...

he loves her!

Answered Prayers!!

Our Missionary Monday was a Missionary Tuesday this week. 

 We knew that we wouldn't hear from Sis. Precious until today, she mentioned it last week. 

 Around 1:30 we got a quick message from her telling us that she had been in a car accident on Monday afternoon, and that her mission president wanted to talk to us. So very quickly The Farmer made contact with Pres. Jardine. We just happened to be in El Paso... at the hospital...visiting a dear friend who is having some serious problems. The Farmer left the hospital room to talk to the mission president, 

and when he returned he had quite a story to share.

 

 Sis. Precious and her companion were passing through an intersection and were 

broadsided by another car that had run a red light. The car was totaled, they were both taken by 

ambulance to the hospital, and thankfully the mission president was very close by. 

 She said that the moment Pres. Jardine arrived he placed his hands on each of their heads and gave them a blessing. She was so grateful for that. So today, with her signature humor and grace, she shared this experience with lots of detail with us through her weekly letter. Her perspective is amazing! Today and I am so very grateful for every prayer that is uttered throughout the world on behalf of our 

beloved missionaries. Prayers were answered today!!

Sis. Precious Update...

Sis. Precious is awesome! 

Her letters are such a delight each week...we laugh... I cry a little (because I miss her)...

and she reminds us how very lucky we are to call her ours. 

She has the most unique and beautiful way of finding happiness and humor in the most 

mundane of situations. Each week I wonder what great adventure she has had and 

how she made it fun. I love that girl!! Yesterday, early in the morning a 6.1 earthquake 

hit the Napa Valley area of California. Although it wasn't right in her area, people have 

reported feeling the quake right where she is. This would have been Sis. Precious' first earthquake...

and I pray her last;) The church has reported that all missionaries in that area are just fine. 

 Yay! 

 I look forward to hearing from her today... to see what this experience was 

like for her and those in her area.

 

This is Sis. Cleverly...The Trainer...she is a Saint I am sure;) 

She and Sis. Precious were riding their bikes when The Trainer felt she was going to pass out. 

 They quickly stopped...found a piece of grass and The Trainer laid down. 

 Turns out it was the yard of a less active member;) Anyway, to pass the time...

Sis. Precious gathered sticks to surround The Trainer, 

which brought alot of laughs and lightened a hard situation.

 

While traveling through Cd. Juarez with The Farmer...

I came across a street vendor who was selling these blow up Lucha Libre dolls... 

since we love Nacho Libre so much...it was a must to send to Sis. Precious! 

Oh my goodness she is loving that thing! 

I also sent some funny curlers to her that I thought may help... 

but turns out...not so much...after removing the curlers she said she looked like 

she was ready to go to the high school prom!

So here is a little glimpse into the life of our Sis. Precious!

 

A Farmers' Gotta Farm...

A few days ago The Farmer and I decided to spend the morning checking the farms. 

 It is so beautiful here right now! 

 The abundance of rain has made it very plush and green...and muddy!

 

These are a few of the "Farming Crew." 

 Please notice The Rooster in the middle...;)...

 

The Farmer doesn't get to spend too much time on the tractors much anymore. 

 His days are filled with other issues. 

 But, every once in awhile...The Farmer "gets lost" and this is where he is usually found. 

 It's a therapy of sorts. 

This picture appeared in a text message in the last couple of days with this note... 

"Sometimes The Farmers' gotta farm!" 

And there you have it!!!