HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

It takes a loving, gentle, patient man to be a father to so many girls . . .

And he does it so well!! We love him and are so grateful for him. We think our dad is the BEST!

We have had a busy week! Savannah had girls' camp this week and they asked Kevin to go up M-W to represent the Priesthood. I, of course, thought this was a great idea -- "Let's all go!" So, we did. We escaped the Springville rain down in deep desert Green River, Utah. We pitched our own tent and had our own campfire and roasted marshmellows both nights we were there. Kevin and the young women canoed down the river five miles and all of us enjoyed the cold-water geyser at the pull-out point. We also snuck away for a little bit to visit Goblin Valley. It is really fun. It's full of these funny, mushroom-shaped rocks and you can just run around and explore anywhere. It's a child's paradise!

They're on top of a "goblin" here but they tower above you in reality. It's cool. (Check out the little person at the bottom left).

We left Savannah at girls' camp on Wednesday and drove the rest of us back to Springville. Once there, we dropped Sarah through Calianne off at Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik's and took Bethany with us on a quick trip to Boise, Idaho. Kevin's brother, Michael was sealed to his wife and two boys in the temple there. It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful! We were so glad we could be there! Look at that happy family. We're so proud of you, Michael!

Our last bit of news has to do with Bethany -- my baby! Lately, she has started patting me on the back after I pick her up. I love it when babies start doing that! I am not so happy that she is doing this:

Week of June 8 - June 14

It was Art City Days this week which meant the carnival came to town! Usually the carnival is in the center of town on the library lawn. Our city is rebuilding, currently, however and the lawn was unavailable. So this year the carnival was at The Arts Park -- which just happens to be [practically] in our back yard.


We went on Thursday evening. We had rain off and on all week. In fact, Megan was supposed to have a softball game Thursday night but the field got soaked in the late afternoon. We walked over to the carnival with the storm clouds threatening. Here are Chey, Cali, and Mariah on the carousel. The twins had been asking about a carousel for months. They were so excited!
Savannah, Sarah, and Megan went on the ferris wheel. What fun!





We walked around the craft booths and got some giant scones from the food vendors. We got stopped three separate times to be asked if these girls were all ours and how many were there and how old were they? Etc., etc! Wow! We got a lot of attention!

As we were leaving, it started to rain. So, we got all wet, but we were happy, and there was even a rainbow:

It was great fun!

Saturday morning was the parade. If you remember, my children (Cheyenne and Calianne) much prefer this to a circus since at a parade they throw candy. They have been so excited about the parade, too, and got lots of candy. It was clear and sunny for the parade, then clouded up and rained, cleared, rained, then stopped long enough for us to see the fireworks [yes, practically] in our backyard. What a lot of partying!

Other than that, Megan had two softball games this week and won both of them. The girls went to the pool. I took the twins on Friday and Cali loved putting her face in the water to use her new goggles. (Cheyenne needed a bribe to get her nose a little wet!)

I had enrichment this week. We had a demonstration on how to make bread from a wheat kernal sans electricity. We have a ward generator so we cranked it up to grind the wheat with a wheat grinder (although we showed off a couple of hand grinders as well). Then yours truly showed off a loaf of bread cooked in a dutch oven, one baked in an apple box oven, and one baked in a solar oven. Then served up some served piping hot that were finishing up cooking on the spot. Don't you wish you had been there? Now everyone thinks I am a bread-making queen! (Good thing they weren't there earlier when I was lighting charcoal and nearly burned up my neighbor's landscaping -- and singed my hair -- then I shudder to think what I would be known as! My bishop is even a fireman! Holy Cow!)

Week of June 1 - June 7

Well, summer vacation has arrived and its been a good week. Sarah and Megan were in a basketball camp at UVU, M-W in the mornings. They had great fun and got in some good practice. They all worked on workbooks and did some writing and practiced music everyday. (I love the enthusiasm at the beginning of the summer!) On Thursday, I took them over to the Springville pool and got a family pass for the month. I worked with the twins to teach them how to swim. The older girls went back on Friday and on Saturday. I love how they can just bike over whenever they want!! It is going to be fabulous!

On Saturday morning we had the great Art City Days 5K [practically] in our backyard. It has become a family tradition for us to participate. This year everyone over the age of seven ran in the race. It was a beautiful day -- green and blue and the mountains rising around us. The twins slept over at Grandma's and she brought the twins and Bethany over to watch the end of the race. She even got pictures! There were 2,168 runners this year. The first to come in for our family were Dad and Savannah:

Savannah's time was 23:44 and she placed 3rd in her age division:

Go Savannah!

Next came Mariah running all on her own. What courage and bravery (and what a fast girl!) She ran the race in 27:52 and came in 2nd in her age division:

Go Mariah!

Next came Mom with a time of 29:19. She broke 30 minutes and is very pleased with herself! She came in 18th in her age group. They don't give a plaque for that! Weird, huh? Anyway, Go Mom!

Lastly came Sarah and Megan running together. Their time was 34:28. They came in 25th and 26th in their age group. Again, no plaque, but they did super! And look at those smiling faces:

We had a great time and it was a super day! Next year, we'll push Beth in a stroller and have the twins run, too! We can't wait! Anyone want to join us? It's the best race EVER!