Dinner together for the first time in 3 weeks!!!

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not much.  Ever since graduation, we have had someone gone or something going on and haven't been able to sit down and enjoy a good meal together.  We did tonight and it was wonderful!

After graduation, the next week, Scott and Alec and Calvin went to their Priest High Adventure campout and they had an amazing time!  They did a "Top Shot" camp and if you have never seen the show, it is basically any weapon and how accurate you are with that weapon.  It's a competition, team and individual, and let's just say, even I like watching it!  Our Bishop has a HUGE gun collection and really wanted to do this with the boys.  He donated most of the ammo (we figured about $2-3K with the price hikes lately).  They were able to shoot guns they probably will never get to touch.  AK-47's, pistols, shotguns, rifles.  They had exploding targets, and really a lot of fun.  Every Priest was there, even a kid who's family was moving in that first day!  They went to a cabin of someone Bishop knew (his son-in-law's family cabin), and they had the Bishop's wife cooking (spoiled!), and Scott said they had really good devotionals and a great testimony meeting and he said Calvin even got up and bore a very simple testimony, but it was something.  The point is that he was moved upon to share his feelings.

Needless to say, it was a once in a lifetime event.  Then the next week, Dallen and Ashton headed off to their Scout camp.  I was impressed that Ashton went on the whole trip, even though he didn't need to.  He could have gone up half way through, when they started working on merit badges.  Alec went up for a couple nights as the "Adult Leader".  I think he is liking being on the leadership side of things.  Ashton said that he didn't get to earn the merit badges he wanted because there were a lot of counselors for the merit badges that flaked out, and the ones that came, he had all but one.  So, he earned one merit badge, but he had fun and I am glad he was able to make memories.  Dallen had fun, too, and like I have said before, he has a great group of kids that are his age and they all get along so well!  I have never seen a pack of boys who truly care and like being around each other.  They got home and they still wanted to hang out together!  

Dallen has been outside all Summer, so far, and has been catching tons of fish and snakes and doing his typical Summer activities :)  That's why we keep empty tanks the rest of the year, because I know Summer is coming and so are all of Dallen's critters.  It is great because the kids two doors down are just the same and that is all they do!  Dallen, besides catching critters, has been rounding up jobs for the Summer.  If he hears of a possible job, he will call that person and ask if they would like to hire him, too.  The Counselor in our Stake Presidency, Alma Saline, is getting ready to fix his fencing.  He was the one they bailed hay for last fall, and he asked if they were wanting any work to keep them busy and I said, Yes sir!  So, I told Dallen, and he hops on the phone and calls him!  I love it!  He's working hard to buy this horse and saddle and anything else that it needs.  We are wanting to make the backyard into a pasture to help with the cost of feeding the animal.  That's our summer project as soon as we find some time to breathe! 

The mortuary has been ridiculously busy, doing 3 times more business than in years past.  I could count on one hand the trips I made to Tuscon or the Valley between January and end of April, and then May hit...it has been literally 3-4 trips every week.  We are so grateful because we have a lot going one and things going on with cars, and other unexpected needs, and all of a sudden, the work is coming in almost faster than we can keep up with and we are just so grateful to be able to have all our needs met.  It's been amazing to watch.  I am worried, though, that in the process I am stressing out the boss at my other job because I have to make runs so many times during the week and you can't plan these things except for the day before!  I have been trying to work early in the mornings and plan any mortuary stuff for the afternoon and evenings.  Most of the time it works, but other times, it doesn't.  Neither one of us planned on it being so crazy.  Who knew?!?  So, we'll see what happens with that.  I feel bad, but I make so much more with the mortuary, that I don't want to give that up.  She has hired her sister for the summer, so maybe that will help her to feel less stress, but I am not sure.  Like I said, we'll see.

Derrek had a baptism this week.  His first one that he's helped from the start.  I haven't gotten a letter yet about it, but the guy, Mike Wihl, messaged me on Facebook, and told me that he had Derrek "dunk" him on Saturday.  Derrek will probably be transferred this next week, and I think they were both wanting Derrek to be there for that baptism.  Anyway, the guy said it was a great experience and Derrek did great.  I am really glad Derrek got to have that experience.  He truly loves Mike and cares for him and his welfare.  They will be life-long friends.  Mike is our age (44), and could be his DAD!  We wish him the best and can't wait to meet him when we hopefully get to go get Derrek after he's done.