Tanner on Trek

Tanner has been busy making the Stake Trek Video. Fortunately, another photographer took this ONLY shot of Tanner! I just love it. He had a great time. His memorable experience is crossing the stream. He said everyone was silent. He enjoyed taking so many photos and I can't wait to post the video. He starts his new job today working a Megawraps. I can't believe he will be a sophomore in high school!!!

What I Love About Tanner

1-He is so dramatic but funny.

2-Tanner is a great actor and I LOVE to watch him perform!

3-He is not patient but tries to be kind, especially to Jordan...

4-He is becoming a great brother to both Jordan and Taylor.

5-He works hard...(when he wants to!)

6-He is so active, he wears you down...

Bear Lake

Missy and I spent the weekend with some very special ladies at Bear Lake. Sister Bilsbourgh (right side of Missy) was Missy, Cubby and my cousin Karli's kindergarten teacher in California. Sister Bilsbourgh has a beautiful home and guest house on her property in St. Charles, Idaho, next to Bear Lake. Shelly Burdett (left side of Missy) was one of my youth and camp leaders when I was a teenager in San Rafael Stake. Shelly now lives in Idaho. We also met up with Gail Horne and her friends.

We ate lunch at a little sandwich place in town. It was a LONG wait but worth it!

We stayed up late playing games and Gail made incredible dutch oven meals. I forgot how much I enjoy a foil dinner and peach cobbler!!! We also went for a walk with Kathy's dog Billy. I cherish anytime I can spend with Kathy! She is getting a knee replacement August 5th in Idaho with Shelly taking care of her. I plan to visit them in Idaho in the next few months to check up on her.

Missy and I slept in Sister Bilsbough's darling home that is filled with rich history and wonderful treasures of the past. I loved staying up playing games with the ladies then giggling with Missy in bed! We also roasted marshmellows and sang camp songs. I couldn't believe how many I remembered. I love Bear Lake because it's only a two hour drive. Tanner, Jordan and I are leaving for Bear Lake this Thursday to spend it with the youth in our ward. After that Jason and I are taking a QUICK and SHORT trip to California to spend time with the McQuoid's. Busy, Busy summer! I have been on an airplane and a different state since April!

Where's Mom????

She is ready to leave for Italy with her sister, Sam. They have planned this trip for years and it's finally happening. I am so excited for them!!! I love this picture. It was taken at the Sullivan's 4th of July party...

I can't wait to spend some time with Mom in October when Jordan competes in San Jose.

Finally Home!!!

Jordan and I safely arrived home from Pennsylvania today! It was a great trip and we enjoyed traveling with our friends to the East Coast. If the kids weren't skating, then we were watching skating or trying to find a place to eat! We watched a great amount of skating and loved the senior and junior events. Jordan and Cordero were able to skate with a few famous skaters too. Jordan had a successful week competing in qualifying rounds and advancing to the final rounds. On Friday she placed 2nd in her short program and advanced to the final round on Saturday placing 5th. She is exhausted and went straight to bed once we arrived home. (We arrived at 10:00 am in SLC and she is still asleep!) While at the competition, Jordan attended a seminar about the importance of sleep...we received some great tips for better quality of sleep and why it's so important. It was very interesting and I believe she may be sleeping more often! Tanner and Jason have no problem with this!!!

After Jordan competed on Saturday, it was time to celebrate De's 16th Birthday. We wanted to eat at Melting Pot in Delaware but it was booked until late that evening! The first photo shows De's disappointment but we settled for Macaroni Grill. We had a fun time together...

It was also our last night with Cordero. Our family and Cordero's new friends from Utah had a fantastic month competing in Colorado, training in Utah and competing in Pennsylvania. As much as Cordero and Jordan would tease each other like brother and sister, I know they will miss each other. While we were gone last week, Jason had a massage from Jordan's massage therapist. He had the whole house to himself, worked and rested. I love coming home because he always has a great dinner for us...oops that's almost every night! Tanner also returned from Trek. While Jordan headed straight for bed, I drilled Tanner with questions about his trip. His answers were short and sweet and lacked detail but he had a great time and was glad he went. He took many photos and the leaders asked him to put a video together. Taylor was kind to lend him his camera for the trip. He took great photos, however none of himself! It's time now to catch up on mail, laundry and perhaps some sleep!!! Good night!

Liberty Open Competition

We are still competing in Philadelphia. It's been a great week!!! Jordan skated a wonderful program on Wednesday. She came in 2nd! (the top three advance to final round from each group) Thursday was final round and she came in 5th out of 23 skaters. Liberty is a big competition. In her level for the long program they had 8 groups of skaters. It's a challenge to advance. She competes today for her short program, with the top three advancing to final round. For the short program they have 10 groups!!! Cordero skated his short earlier in the week and learned some painful lessons that most skaters experience! In the short program there is no room for error and some errors cost you all your points for that element. He skated his long program last night and came in 7th!!! He looked great. With all the skating we have little time to site see Delaware (where our hotel is) or Pennsylvania (where we compete). However, we are finding better places to eat! Cordero will return home to Alaska on Sunday. It's been a great, busy month and our family will miss him!

Jordan and I still find little reminders of my Dad...on our flight to Philadelphia, our plane had individual screens and you were able to watch TV. It was a first for me, watching baseball, CNN, local news and soaps...just amazing! Jordan put her headset in and started to scan the channels and yes, it was on...George Lopez. Oh, I just miss him!

Tanner's New Friend

"It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look on the virtures of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead...For each of us is a pioneer in his own life...many of us are pioneers daily in seeking to do God's will and lift and serve those around us." - President Gordon B. Hinkley

Tanner will experience an incredible adventure this week participating in our Stake Trek. He will be pulling and pushing the handcart posted above. Every youth was required to research an ancestor and walk in their memory. (I did the research and Tanner will appreciate this connection!)

Meet William Peirce and his lovely wife, Jerusha Smith.

William Peirce is Tanner's 4th Great Grandfather who at the age of 14 traveled the same path that Tanner will walk. He was born in Pennsylvania April 2, 1833. (In the same area Jordan is competing this week.) When he was 8 years old his family traveled to Nauvoo. Grandpa Peirce married Jerusha Smith (Hyrum's Smith daughter) on December 28, 1854 in the Salt Lake Temple. I have no doubt Grandpa Peirce will be very close to Tanner this week. I can't wait to come home and listen to Tanner's experience!

Oh, Tanner...he is getting ready to play his latest role as a pioneer.

What a Week!!!

This is the "we are tired and sore and don't want to take another photo" look!!!

The week has been busy, beyond busy filled with baseball, skating, eating, baseball, skating, skating and skating. Cordero and Jordan have been training hard while Tanner has been busy working at the Sports Complex entertaining many little kids in their day camp and playing baseball in the evening.

Jordan had a chance to skate with our little neighborhood friend, Sophie. Sophie has a sweet family and we will miss them when they move next month to Missiouri!

We also attended Tanner's baseball game. Tanner played a great game making incredible plays in the centerfield. This is Cordero's cheesy smile and pretending to let me know how much he is enjoying watching baseball on such a hot day!!!

After watching a local competition, we all went to Hire's!!! Cordero had more fun drawing with the ketcup and made great creations on all our plates. The girls kept Teddie and I laughing...

We also spent time making smoothies and learning how to fuel our bodies with "good" food...

Then it was back to the table playing hours of Cranium...

Tanner even joined the fun and tolerated the conversations of skating!!! He is ready for his Pioneer Trek. He leaves this week for four days pushing a handcart in Wyoming. He looks great dressed as a pioneer. Cordero, Jordan and I are packing, ready to leave for Philadelphia on Sunday. And Taylor...well, he is still living on his own. We miss him. Last week, we had dinner together and he seems happy.

Happy Birthday Jordan!!!

Jordan turns 13!

J-Joyful

O-Opportunities Always Awaiting Her
R-Ready for any Challenge
D-Daring
A-Adventurous
N-Not Your Ordinary Girl!

Jordan's friends successfully planned a little surprise party for her. It was a fun afternoon filled with games (Cranium for three hours!!!), chalk drawings, water fights and the most amazing hot dogs!!!

We just love this amazing young lady! She is growing up so quickly and takes us to places we never imagine! Happy Birthday Jordan!!!

Happy 4th of July!

Last night while I was walking in the 100 degree weather, I was talking to my mom. I had to quickly end our conversation because the tears were building up realizing Dad wasn't around to spend the 4th at the Sullivan's. Then what made it worse was realizing Mom had to spend it without Dad. Since I was little, July 4th was spent at the Sullivan's. We wore our red, white and blue and every year marched around the pool with Dennis and Dad carrying the American Flag. Dad would arrive with his incredible food, but now that he is gone, the truth must come out...many times, if not all the times, it was my Mom who prepared and cooked food. My Dad would make the salsa, and it was good but all the extra's was possible because of my Mom. So after I quickly ended our call last night, I walked for another 30 minutes and cried. It really felt good. This morning I woke up to Jordan watching George Lopez. I think I should be getting worried about their obsession with this show!

Mom will carry on tradition and spend the 4th with the Sullivan's but I know it will not be easy when it comes time to march around the pool without Dad. He was such a proud American!!! The rest of us in Utah will be spending the evening at the Bee's Game and watching the fireworks. My heart will be with my Mom at the Sullivan's!